EVERY YOUNG MAN’S TRUTH(Your Personal Journey into God’s Word)
This week’s reading assignment:
chapters 1–2 in Every Young Man, God’s Man
At one time, I was stupid enough to believe that I could play Christian and also play cool with the party and girl scene at school. I’ll never forget one hottie telling me, “You are like the perfect blend of religious and cool.” …
[But] you’re in the Man Zone now. The game has changed. Old ways don’t cut it anymore.
—from chapter 1 in Every Young Man, God’s Man
EVERY YOUNG MAN’S TRUTHAs you begin this first study, take some time to check out the Bible passages below. They’ll tell you about integrity, loyalty, and being the real you, no matter what people think. In fact, the three men in these scriptures are great mentors for you as you strive to become God’s young man. King David learned to accept testing from God as a way to grow stronger. General Joshua drew a line in the sand and declared, “I’m for God. Period.” And Jesus, even in His human nature, refused to let peoples’ opinions get Him off track. He had a mission to accomplish, and He stuck to it. These men lead the way into the Man Zone. Are you willing to follow?
David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.…
“I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.” (1 Chronicles 29:10,17)
Joshua said to all the people: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.
“ ‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea.…’
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.… But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:2-6,14-15)
They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Mark 12:14)
1. King David knew that God tests our hearts. What good—or joy—can come from this? How have you seen this work in your own life?
2. Joshua was an army general who had to keep his loyalties straight amid constant battles. Remembering God’s great works of the past helped him do it. So list some of the ways God has worked in your own life so far. How does this make you feel?
3. Even Jesus’ enemies considered Him a man of integrity. According to them, how did Jesus show this integrity? When is it toughest for you to “pay no attention” to what others think of you?
4. Think about the most recent situation when this question was a big deal for you: Where is your loyalty going to lie? What did you do?
EVERY YOUNG MAN’S CHOICE
You’re becoming a man, and that means you have to start thinking like one. Similarly, to become God’s man, you have to think like one of His sons. To help you think like God’s man, you need to think through the following statements that I’ve come up with. I call them “Kenny’s Code.” Read each one slowly.
Before you get into tough situations as a man, you have to get your identity settled and strong. Then you can focus on being who you are versus someone who oscillates between God Guy and Poser Guy, between Sunday Guy and Tequila Shooter Guy, or between Bible Study Man and Porn Studies Man.
5. Go back and review the statements in Kenny’s Code. Think: Which of these do I already believe? Which of them do I need to believe?
6. Think about someone who knows of you just by seeing you around. If this person were asked what defines your identity, what do you think he or she would say? Why? (What about a guy you hang out with all the time?)
7. Recall the story of Jim, the guy who was a poser during his high-school years. Which of his faces do you tend to wear during a routine day? What would it take for you to start wearing your real face more often?
EVERY YOUNG MAN’S WALK One night I would hang out with my Christian friends at a Bible study, and the next night I would be laughing my head off at a huge beer bash with the “stoners.” It’s a good thing that I had friends praying that God would rattle my world and get me back on track. I needed my cage rattled, because there were parts of me that really liked the feelings of acceptance and the danger of dancing with sin. What I didn’t like was the war raging within me, which made me miserable. But I never discussed those feelings with anyone.
So many men, young and old, are caught between competing identities that divide their loyalty, just like Brandon. Maybe you’ve worn a mask or rationalized your faith away when it’s been uncomfortable. If your inner loyalty and commitment to Christ is divided, how can you expect to overcome the fear of what other people think about your being a Christian? Moving into the Man Zone means … having a clear and personal picture of Jesus Christ’s passion for you on the cross and then letting your heart match His with love and loyalty.
8. Kenny talks about nights with the Bible and nights with the stoners. Can you see any splits like this in your own actions? What kind of world rattling could help you?
9. Suppose you feel your loyalty is divided. Do you agree with Kenny that “having a clear and personal picture of Jesus Christ’s passion for you” will meet your need? Why?
10. When could you spend some quiet time prayerfully remembering how much Jesus loves you? Jot down your weekly schedule and make your plans.
11. Kenny says: “I am in your space to remind you that your loyalty will be tested so that your spiritual backbone can develop.” On a scale of 1 to 5, how strong is your backbone at the moment? What prayer would you like to lift to God about this right now?
12. In quietness, review what you have written and learned in this week’s study. If further thoughts or prayer requests come to your mind and heart, you may want to write them down.
13. What for you was the most meaningful concept or truth in this week’s study? How would you talk this over with God? Write down your response as a prayer to Him. What do you believe God wants you to do in response to this week’s study?
EVERY YOUNG MAN’S TALKKey Highlights from the Book for Reading Aloud and Discussing
For the first time in my life, I expressed to God what I really wanted more than anything—a real encounter with Him.… He knew I had been deliberately fooling myself, but He also saw someone who was experiencing turmoil regarding who Christ was. When I expressed a longing from deep within my heart—as simple as it was—He seized that measly effort to invade my room and bring me closer to Him as never before.
God had told Hezekiah that he was going to die, which would certainly get my attention. In response, Hezekiah dialed 911, and amazingly, he was granted a fifteen-year extension on earth! While Hezekiah knew God was all-powerful, he also knew that God was also a rewarder of those loyal to him, and that a “loyal heart” produced “what was good in Your sight.”
I was enrolling at UCLA, that bastion of babes, beer, and beach time.… We’re talking Babeville with the hottest-looking girls on your left, on your right, and dead ahead, but I was committed to honoring God and remaining loyal to Him. I made that commitment public; I let other people in on the fact that I was a Christian.
Discussion Questions
An opening question: Which parts of these chapters were most helpful or encouraging to you? Why?
A. What do you really want more than anything? How can you tell?
B. Review the story of Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:1-6. What does this story tell you about a loyal heart? If you were to do a quick heart check right now, what would be your L.Q. (Loyalty Quotient)?
C. Have you ever lived in—or visited—Babeville? Was that cool for you? How hard or easy is it for you to go public with your Christian identity in that town? Talk it over!
D. Together, review the closing paragraphs of chapter 1 in the book, which tell what you’ll be learning in the coming chapters. Share about which one or two topics you most want to explore.
E. Kenny talks about admiring guys who work hard on their sport or craft in order to be successful. But we don’t get it when it comes to training to become God’s young men. What kinds of practical training brings this kind of success? (Tell about what has helped you the most.)
F. To close out this first session, ask one of the guys to read aloud Proverbs 10:9 and 11:3. Discuss what’s so great about walking in integrity—and then pray for one another’s walk during the coming week.