The speaker discusses the meaning behind the phrase 'play the man' and looks at five historical moments that illustrate this concept. The phrase appears in various translations throughout scripture and emphasizes the importance of courage and masculinity. The speaker argues that we need strong and courageous men like those in the Bible and history, rather than feminized men who are afraid of the world's troubles.

I'm just gonna walk through a couple of things just for maybe five five or ten minutes and then we're gonna do some more scripture memory So drive the nail drive the nail of gladness that God recreated you a man drive the nail as a newborn man, drive the nail deep and hard as a pure man. I want to speak about a term that appears in the Word of God and in other places. It's Characterized by the words, play the man, play the man. And I'd like to stop on five historical moments that illustrate what the Word of God speaks of when these terms, play the man or quit you like men." What does this mean? And I'd like to stop first of all in 1 Kings, we're memorizing it.

1 Kings 2, 1 and 2, act like men. Now, the days of David drew near that he should die and he charged Solomon his son saying, I go the way of all the earth. Be strong therefore, and prove yourself a man." It appears here. Now, my son just reminded me that I wouldn't let him get an email address until he memorized this text. So this was his email address, 1 Kings 2 on 2.

That was it, for a year, for maybe a decade, that was his email address. I totally forgot about that. Prove yourself a man, 1 Kings 2 to 2nd Isaiah 46, 8 and 9, really emphasizing the great element of courage, translating this word In verse 8, show yourselves men, show yourselves men. And it means to show masculinity. It means to show a champion.

It means to show greatness. The whole idea of quit you like men or act like men is translated in some really interesting ways around scripture. I'll get to that in a minute. Third Paul, the apostle, in 1 Corinthians 16, 13, quit you like men. And the word quit you like men really means a courageous man, and it means that all over the Bible.

These same words are translated in the Greek Septuagint, having to do with courage. Like for example, in John Joshua 1-9, be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. The idea be strong and of good courage is this idea of act like men, quit you like men. You can go to Joshua 1 18 where Joshua and his officers and leaders are speaking to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh and Joshua says to them, only be strong and of good courage. In 1 Chronicles 28 verse 20, be strong and of good courage and do it.

Do not fear nor be dismayed for the Lord God, my God, will be with you. In 2 Chronicles 32 verse 7, Hezekiah is under the threat of a devastating attack by this massive army of Assyria, and he says, be strong and courageous, do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Israel. This is the very same translation of what we read in 1 Corinthians, quit you like men. In Nehemiah chapter two verse one, it's translated in a very interesting way where Nehemiah is before King Artaxerxes and the wine was before him and he gave the wine to the king and then there's this phrase, it's very interesting, now I had never been sad in his presence before. Be of good courage, never been sad.

Be of good courage, never been sad. The world does not need sad men. Men are tempted to be sad about the things that are happening, but godly men don't get too sad. The fourth illustration from history is Polycarp, the first martyr after the apostles killed in Smyrna, which is modern day Izmir. We're sending missionaries there at the end of the year.

Paul Karp was discipled by the Apostle John at the same time of Ignatius and was also a teacher of Irenaeus. He was martyred, of course. It's a dramatic story. I wish we had time to tell it. But he was preaching before the people in his house and he was finally arrested.

He's 86 years old. And It's reported by the crowds that were around that when he was being martyred, a voice from heaven was heard, be strong Polycarp, play the man. And then fast forward to October 16th, 1555, Latimer and Ridley's martyrdom in London. And Latimer was age 70 at that time. Latimer was burned at the stake right along with Nicholas Ridley.

And he is quoted as having said to Ridley, Play the man, Master Ridley. We shall this day light such a candle by God's grace in England, as I trust shall never be put out." Well, these are displays of manhood. These are displays of men who are willing to die. These are displays of men who don't find themselves despondent because of the troubles of this world. These are men who are strong and courageous.

These are the kind of men that we need. We really do. We don't need feminized men who are afraid of every shadow, every attack, every slander, every disappointment that takes place. We don't need men like that. We need men like Jesus Christ.

And God has set him before us. You know when Polycarp was being martyred, He was being pressed by the authorities over and over again to take an oath. The proconsul said to him, Take the oath and I let you go. Revile Christ. Polycarp said, for eighty and six years I have been his servant and he has done me no wrong and how can I blaspheme my king who saved me?

Play the man, Play the man.