"Duct Tape man"

Duct Tape Man

As I was preparing for today’s message, I was torn on 2 different topics to talk about. While I think both are good, I found the information for what I’m going to talk about to be a little more intriguing and thought you would too.

As I was doing some research, I found the government center for homeland security has tons of information for us when there is virtually any type of disaster. In fact, one document was 29 pages. Admittedly, I only scanned the document. But it looked interesting. And as I looked at it, what struck me was one of the items they recommend us having in times of a natural disaster.

There are lots of really good ideas of items to have in times of a disaster, including a hand cranked or battery powered radio. Hand cranked? But one of the items that caught my attention was something that no home should be without, it came in one of the final paragraphs, saying this . . .

Our advice is to start now by gathering basic emergency supplies — flashlight, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, prescription medicines, toilet articles, and duct tape.

DUCT TAPE!!!

That’s right . . . the government believes it is important to have duct tape. Well, this got me thinking and reading about duct tape. So today, I’m going to talk about the fact that every man should be a DUCT TAPE MAN. Of course, we know there are 1000’s of uses for duct tape.

 You can put it on appliances

 You can put it on tools

 You can make sure your injured thumb is well wrapped.

 Here’s my favorite, you can put it on a car to keep the plastic on your broken window up or to replace the broken plastic that covers our taillight…laughing

Besides the crazy number of uses for duct tape. There are specifics I want to talk about this morning as we think about being DUCT TAPE MEN.

The government knew they had to get men to buy in to emergency preparation and they used the irresistible force — duct tape.

We keep hearing and I really believe there is a serious crisis in our families. Whether you’re a Christian or not, we’re at war to preserve the family. Statistics are staggering regarding divorce, abuse, drugs, promiscuity and absentee fathers.

When we consider fathers today, we see that the world makes fun of fathers, the culture downplays the roles of fathers, feminist have gone as far to say that fathers as completely antiquated and unnecessary except as sperm donors.

It is estimated that a third (33%) of all our nation’s children do not live in a home with their biological father. This breaks down to 57.6% of black children, 31.2% of Hispanic children, and 20.7% of white children are living absent their biological fathers.

According to 72.2 % of the U.S. population, fatherlessness is the most significant family or social problem facing America.

The statistic for families without fathers are grim. The presence of a Father in the home makes a tremendous difference in a child’s future. Did you know that children from a fatherless home are:

 5 times more likely to commit suicide;

 32 times more likely to run away;

 20 times more likely to have behavioral disorders;

 14 times more likely to commit rape;

 9 times more likely to drop out of high school;

 10 times more likely to abuse chemical substances;

 And 9 times more likely to end up in state-operated institutions?

Father in the home is important, despite what the world says, a home without a father is a disaster waiting to happen.

We hear about it, we lament these statistics, but they stay in the background. I truly believe as the man goes, so goes the family. When a dad or husband says, ‘let’s go to church,’ you know what, the family goes to church. When he sits at home enjoying the paper and doing yard work, the family tends to stay home. That’s a generalization, but it’s more true than not.

 93% of the time, when a man comes to church so does the rest of the family

 17% of the time when a woman comes to church so does the rest of the family

 However, on any given Sunday there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s churches.

 Churches overseas report gender gaps of up to 9 women for every adult man in attendance.

 You see, men have given up their role to women

We don’t think those statistics will hit us, but they do. On a good day we thank God we’re not in crisis, on most days the thought never crosses our minds. So, men, what do we need to do to help keep our families out of crisis and to hold things together? Even if you’re on your own, how can you show others what a man of God looks like?

Here’s the first key to being a great duct tape man – You must be available. That’s it. You see, this isn’t really hard stuff. Have you ever needed some duct tape or let’s say electrical tape, and you can’t find any? Is that not frustrating? You see, we need to be available. A big part of being a man is BEING PRESENT!

Being present is a start. But it goes beyond that. If we’re going to be part of the solution, then we have to be available to our families, but more importantly than being available to our families, we have to be available to the Master Craftsman . . . and that’s God.

Whether you like the responsibility or not, the Master of this universe has set things up in the family in such a way that dads are tasked with holding things together, keeping the family operating effectively for the good of each other and the glory of God. You see the hierarchy is God, then Christ, then man, then woman. It says so in 1 Corinithians.

1 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV), Paul lays out this principle of God’s hierarchical relationships in a much broader context: “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

We are only capable of doing our part when we place ourselves in the hand of the Master, as we allow God to guide us.

As Joshua was about to lead the people for the first time, as they were about to cross the Jordan River and enter into Israel, he must have been anxious and nervous.

In Joshua 1, God told this to him and I believe it is true for all of us –
Joshua 1:6-9 (NLT)
      “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.  7  Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.  8  Study this Book of Instruction
continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.  9  This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Amazing words from God!! Do you see what God is telling us? Three times in 4 verses God says be strong and courageous. That’s part of the calling!! Be strong! Be courageous! Don’t be afraid! Don’t be dejected or depressed, all because the Lord YOUR God will be with you wherever you go! So you can be filled with strength and courage because of that.

BUT . . . and this is what is really crucial here, it’s what God tells Joshua in verse 7-8. Do what the law commands you to do. Don’t turn from it to the right or to the left. Know the word of God, meditate on it during the day, and meditate on it at night. In other words, have God’s words, His law, on your heart at all times. 

Why? So that you do what He commands you to do. And as you do this, know and trust and believe that…

 He is the one who gives you strength and courage during the difficult moments of life.

 He’s the one who empowers you to give that sound advice.

 He’s the one who helps you to be compassionate, to be a good listener, to be a faithful partner, parent, child and friend.

 God gives that to you when you’re available to Him.

If we’re not available to God and ultimately to your loved ones, then we will not have the power to do what God is calling us to do. You can’t be available to God when you want to — some nights and weekends. It requires daily communication with God. Duct tape is on 24-hour call, and you are too. If you aren’t available all the time you can’t truly call yourself available.

Here’s the second key to being a great duct tape man-

Duct tape is sticky and it’s flexible. For Duct Tape men – – stickiness is about carrying and delivering God’s message so that it sticks. But what I think is really important in the stickiness factor is that stickiness isn’t predicated on the message, but on how the message is modeled. The only way for it to stick is if you are living it. Listen to Paul’s words to the church in Corinth – –

For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.  16  Therefore I urge you, imitate me.  17  For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. – 1 Corinthians 4:15- 17 (NKJV)

Paul’s point is that he has become a spiritual father to the new believers. That is so important for us to get. He spoke the words, but then he lived the words that he spoke. That’s why we say – ‘we should walk our talk.’ They need to match. You can’t say I am a Christ follower, but not act like one. That’s not sticky, that’s teflon. It slips and slides off.

So, Paul is urging the people to be sticky. Our messages must be sticky because of how we live our lives and demonstrate the love of Christ.

We can’t hold our families to some standard that we’re not willing to live up to ourselves. If we want our children to:

 love God and His church, then we have to demonstrate God’s love and serve in His church

 love and respect their mother, we have to love and respect their mother

 to guard their hearts, you have to guard your heart

 be generous and share, then we have to be generous
and share

 to listen to us, we have to listen to them.

We can go on and on, but I think you get the point. It’s true at home, it’s true at school, it’s true at work, and it’s true with friends. Remember, the way you live your life as a Christian – the way you live your life may be the only Bible someone will ever read. So what are they reading when they see you living your life? Is it sticky? 

Paul added this in chapter 11 –

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ – 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NKJV)

He had a right to claim a lot of things, but what he wanted more than anything was to have the opportunity to preach Christ and he did that through his words and actions. That’s why in Colossians 3, Paul said – –

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. – Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)

Whatever you do, whether you speak it or do it . . . do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. That’s about as clear as it can get so that you can leave that sticky message about who Jesus is. Stickiness comes from the message, but more than that, it comes from the authenticity of the messenger.

Lastly, a duct tape man must be flexible. One of the things that you have to love about duct tape is it’s flexibility. I mean it does more than tape ducts right. It can be harnessed into a belt, a suit, a dress, a bandage. There’s even duct tape wallets. Being flexible is part of its effectiveness.

The same thing is true with duct tape men. We must be willing to stretch, give, and adjust as the situation demands it for the good of others.

In Philippians 2, Paul tells us – – –

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  4  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. – Philippians 2:3-4

For me that is a sign of being flexible. You see in our world we are told to worry more about ourselves, to look out for our own interests, not to worry much about others or we’ll get taken advantage of . . . yet, the sign of a flexible man is someone who looks out for himself and family, but also has his eyes open to care for others and has the guts and belief in practicing humility.

It’s seeing a need and being flexibly enough to not just stand there and think someone else will do it, but to get his hands dirty.

I believe that’s what Micah was talking about – –

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?- Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

What does the Lord require of us? To be a man of justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. That causes us to be flexible. But in the end . . . I don’t have to answer to any man or woman . . . I have to answer to God.

I will stand before the throne of God.

But to get there, and get there with confidence, I need to be available to God and to others. No more guilt and shame. I will never be what I can be to the Master Craftsman, God by carrying guilt and shame. This is what the word says…

1 John 1:9  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 Confess whatever is making you feel shame, guilt, and regret.

Micah 7:19  “…he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

 Let them go because you have been forgiven.

Brothers, we too often insist on guilt when our weaknesses are exposed. We will roll in the mud of guilt at the expense of allowing the cleaning water of grace to wash us. We must realize we are guilty, but grace reminds us we are forgiven.   Men, God wants to help you. He loves you! Take advantage of His words, bearing in mind, that He is with you, every step of the way. He loves you!