Description:
This study guide examines the concept of “macho man” and how David and Jesus are related. Looking at the nine “Beatitudes,” we see that machoism is not a prerequisite for blessings. We learn that God’s grace and power is often revealed in weaknesses, and the most important thing any man can do is the simple choice of believing in Jesus. In doing so, we receive the gift of God’s grace, which means our sins are forgiven and our place in heaven is guaranteed.
Message from Marsh: “May your personal walk with the Lord lead you to be transformed, renewed and blessed.”
Marsh
Founder/President
Thank you for coming to: mensgroup.org
MACHO MAN
(www.mensgroup.org – “Original Study”)
PRAY: A suggested opening prayer for small group members or individuals to invite God to connect as we seek Him in His Word and bless us with guidance, clarity, and humility in our lives.
In Micah 6:8 You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Our prayer is that we can learn to walk humbly with You. Please guide us to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk humbly with You. In Jesus name, Amen.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “macho” is a relatively new word, with its origin dating back to the 1920s. That’s only 100 years ago! It comes from the Mexican culture, and is defined as, “masculine or vigorous.” For this study, we’d like to start with the following poem, which was written by the founder of Men’s Group Foundation, Marsh Bull:
Macho Man
Guys like to be macho
Looking for manly things to do
Searching for the ultimate strong man challenge
What is the ultimate macho achievement?
What do YOU say is the ultimate macho act?
I propose a challenging act certainly not classified as macho
A masculine act driving strength from its very simplicity
A guy act so subtle, it blows away potential contenders
A daring decision appearing on the surface to be,
just the opposite of power and strength
A macho act yet so simple yet only a few can achieve it
A macho act revealing our greatest power from weakness
A macho act giving us enormous nonhuman strength
A macho act few men have the humbleness to do
The few men who say, “I accept you into my life”
The rare men who can say, “I’m yours”
The few special men who say,
“I’m not in control, you are”
Accepting Jesus into our lives
Accepting Jesus as our Savior
The ultimate macho act
Though we won’t find the word “macho” in the Bible, there are certainly many illustrations of masculinity and vigor. One example is the story of David and Goliath. Like a big bully for the Philistines, Goliath was a terrifying macho monster who threatened to enslave the Israelites. David learned, “The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:25) David had confidence that he (and the Israelites) had the Lord’s favor, which they did. He stood up to Goliath and with his sling, a single stone, and the favor of God, Goliath was taken down. David slayed the dragon. He rescued the princess. He would eventually be crowned as king. Can you get any more “macho” than this?
Yes, you can, but it’s not at all what one would expect....
Mark 12:35-37
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
³⁵ While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet.”³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”
The large crowd listened to him with delight.
ʜᴏʟʏ ʙɪʙʟᴇ - ɴᴇᴡ ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ
Jesus had been previously identified as “Son of David” by Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:48) just before Jesus healed his eyesight. Later, Jesus explained that the Messiah must be much more than merely David's son. He points out Psalm 110, where David refers to the Messiah as “Lord.” This means the Messiah is more than the physical son of David. As David’s Lord, He is greater than David.
Jesus also says in Revelation 22:16, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Thus, Jesus is the Descendant of David. This lineage is outlined in Matthew 1:1–16, and in Luke 3:23-38, which both show that Jesus was born as a descendant of King David. Interestingly, a similar name for the Messiah is “root of Jesse” as David was the son of Jesse and then many generations later is Jesus. Note the word “root” was used to mean something, such as a shoot, which sprouts off or branches out. This “root of Jesse” lineage was also prophesied about 700 years prior by Isaiah (see Isaiah 11).
Jesus wasn’t muscular, tough, and full of bravado, like the stereotypical “macho man.” In fact, he was kindhearted, caring, and humble. But, at the same time, he possessed unlimited strength and power. With the power of God, he could walk on water, control the weather, heal the sick... he had the powers of Superman, and then some! With all that power, he certainly wasn’t a show-off, and was very reserved about when, where, and why he used his miraculous abilities.
SCRIPTURE LESSON
Matthew 5:3-12
Just prior to the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches nine “Beatitudes” (aka blessings):
“The Beatitudes”
He said:
³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
ʜᴏʟʏ ʙɪʙʟᴇ - ɴᴇᴡ ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ
In a world where the blessings that many men seek include wealth, happiness, pride, victory, strength, domination, popularity, and power, Jesus turns all that upside-down. He’s telling the early Christians that they're going to suffer when the Roman authorities see that they’re not worshiping Caesar. And as followers of Christ, they're going to be seen as disgraceful by their fellow Jews who don’t believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Yet through all of this, Jesus is telling them not to be discouraged because the reward will be well worth it. In fact, it will be “great!” All of the Beatitudes have good endings, and these same blessings can apply to us today, too.
In 2 Corinthians, we learn that Paul was tormented by a “thorn” in his flesh. Though he pleaded to God and asked that it be removed, God’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So, Paul accepted and embraced this weakness, deciding (in verse 10), “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Does this mean we shouldn’t strive to be strong and healthy? Of course not. But we all have weaknesses in some form and knowing that we have God’s grace where we ourselves are deficient is certainly reassuring. But how do we receive God’s grace?
The key to God’s grace is Jesus. It’s not something that we get by being good or following the rules. God’s grace is a free gift to us. All we need to do to receive is to accept the gift. It is a one-of-a-kind, truly amazing gift that cleanses us of all our sin and grants us eternal life in paradise. Though this gift is free to us, the actual cost was immense. It was paid by Jesus on the cross. This is summed up in the popular verse John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How do you define your own macho manliness?
2. How does David compare to Jesus? (differences and/or similarities)
3. Which one of the Beatitudes resonates with you the most, and why?
4. Which do you think is better, reliance on self power or reliance on God's power? Why?
5. Can you think of an example of a “macho man” who became a believer? What was his story?
APPLICATION
In this study, we look at the concept of “macho man” and how David and Jesus are related. In the nine “Beatitudes,” we see that machoism is not a prerequisite for blessings. We learn that God’s grace and power is often revealed in weaknesses, and the most important thing any man can do is the simple choice of believing in Jesus. In doing so, we receive the gift of God’s grace, which means our sins are forgiven and our place in heaven is guaranteed.
What practical application will you apply to help you live out the Beatitudes in your life?
SUGGESTED CLOSING PRAYER
Lord, thank you for these teachings. Thank you for your gentleness and Love. May the peace of God guard our hearts and minds. May we trust you every day in every situation we face AND the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with us. Amen.
All our Blessings,
Men’s Group Foundation, Inc.
(A mensgroup.org - “Original Study”)
Note: If you’re not experiencing true fulfillment in life, visit to the following website for more information on how to make certain you are getting the most out of this life:
https://www.cru.org/us/en/how-to-know-god/would-you-like-to-know-god-personally.html
Did you find this study useful?
We’d love to hear your success story, ideas, or other feedback. Please send us an e-mail addressed to mensgrouptopics@gmail.com or use our contact page.
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EXTENDING THIS STUDY
We’ve partnered with 365 Christian Men to provide additional content to supplement and extend this Bible Study.
This short video tells the true story of Franco Santoriello, US Bodybuilder and “macho man” who was in the top 20 in the world and well on his way to winning Mr. Olympia, the top competition in bodybuilding. Franco’s story reveals how he came to the realization that “self-glorifying talent leads to destruction, but God-glorifying talent leads to life and healing.”
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
Think about your talents, are you using them to glorify yourself, or Christ?
Supplemental video provided by 365 Christian Men, a project providing short stories about men who have fought their battles, are overcoming their obstacles, and are using the lessons they’ve learned to help others.
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