for you in the bulletin as we study God's word, what is a woman? And as someone reminded me, like I didn't know that already, Pastor. But it has to be asked and it has to be said and answered in our society. And there's an outline of the message for you in the bulletin to study along and track with me as we open the word of God in First Corinthians chapter 11. I get that question from Matt Walsh's documentary. He's with The Daily Wire. What is a woman? And he went around the country asking a lot of, A lot of people, put it that way, in the medical community, in colleges, professors. doctors and didn't get a lot of answers. He went to Africa. The people in Africa told him the right answer to the question, what is a woman? And we have the answer for us here in First Corinthians 11 as well. And we had some memory work to hide the truth of God's word in our hearts from the Heidelberg Catechism, page 212. If you turn with me in the Forms and Prayers book, we want to answer the question there on the providence of God and why it's so comforting. and relevant and timely for us to know this gospel truth. I'll ask the question, let's reply with the answer there. Christians, how does the knowledge of God's creation and providence help us? We can be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and for the future, we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that no creature will separate us from his love, for all creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will, they can neither move nor be moved. Praise God for that good confession. And we have Lord's Day 11 for next time, Q&A 29. We're memorizing that, not only as adults, for children and young people in the catechism classes. So Lord's Day 11, Q&A 29 for next Sunday. If you're able, please stand with me for the reading of the word of God. Let's stand with, and at attention to hear God's word. First Corinthians 11, beginning at verse one. Be imitators of me as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I deliver them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short, but since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man, nor man of woman. For as woman was made for man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. Judge for yourselves. Is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is a disgrace for him? But if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? for her hair is given to her for a covering. If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God. You may be seated. So far, the reading of God's word. Please keep the Bible open and handy for the message on what is a woman. Your congregation of Christ and brothers and sisters in the Lord, what is a woman, what is a man? What is a woman? Is a woman just a thought you think? Is that what it means to be female? Just a thought that you think? Is it just a feeling inside of you that you feel? These are many of the popular answers to the question, what is a woman? Or maybe a woman is a machine. This is the politics congregation we're dealing with when you believe in Darwinism or that man just evolved. This is what we're dealing with today, that man is just a machine, woman is just a machine, so just reprogram it. You have the power to reprogram and identify however you want. If you're a man, you can identify as a woman, a woman you can identify as a man. What is a woman? There was a daycare attendance busy telling little boys and girls in North Carolina, I don't know if you saw this, a clip a couple of weeks ago, daycare attendants were pretty much telling boys and girls they can be whatever they want to be. This is happening in daycare programs, congregation, and we need to be aware of these trends in our society. Or maybe a woman is someone who can take a punch just like a guy can. She's got the best drop kick just like guys do on the movies. Is that what it means to be a woman? Or to have this influential career? Is that what it means to be a woman? A woman, a woman can do just what any guy can do. Or what is a man? Is the man, okay, he gets to have the clicker whenever the TV's on and just bark out commands, you know, give me a drink. Give me some chips. Is that what a man is? What is it to be a man? What is it to be a woman? Or can a man be a better woman than a woman? These are some of the, it's insane what's going on in our society today. And we need to have clear direction from the word of God in these very, very confusing times. What is a man? He is the glory of God. What is a woman? She is the glory of man. I preach you the word of the Lord as it comes to us here. Gender flows from your understanding, your view of God. Gender flows from your view of God. And we wanna take a look at men and women. We wanna take a look at the nature of it all. And then finally some application points for us as we consider to gather the question, what is a woman and what is a man? Congregation, gender differences must always be reflected in our appearance. Gender differences must always be reflected in our appearance. And that's what Paul is picking up on as we left off, verse 7 of 1 Corinthians 11. Verse seven, for a man ought not to cover his head in public worship where men and women are praying and prophesying. A man ought not to have his head covered since he is the image and the glory of God, but a woman is the glory of man. And these gender differences in public worship must be clearly seen in how men and women dress. Their appearance must reflect, in some way, shape or form, their particular genders. Remember, congregation, how Paul already said your gender differences reflect The Trinity. God chooses to be God in such a way that he is one God in three persons. One God in the person of the Father, the person of the Son, and the person of the Holy Spirit. The Father is not superior to the Son. The Son is not inferior to the Father. Remember this from 1 Corinthians chapter 5. 11 at verse two, but I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. And Paul continues that theme. Our gender differences as men and women, male, female, they reflect the truth of the Trinity, how God decides he's going to be God, how God chooses he is God. And with that in mind, Paul says, look, when men and women are in church praying publicly, we do that in the Lord's Prayer, for instance, when they're prophesying, I take that congregation as we are all anointed, men and women, boys and girls, with the Holy Spirit of Jesus to tell the truth. That's what it means to prophesy, to tell the truth of the word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ. So we did that when we just recited and said together, the Heidelberg Catechism, L'Or Satan, when we sing, we unite our voices together, telling the truth of the gospel of God. So this is what it means to be praying and prophesying, and when we're doing that, we need to be showing publicly, showing off who God is by dressing appropriately. The customs change, but there are certain biblical principles that we are to apply in terms of how we appear with respect to our genders. Gender differences must be reflected in our appearance. Both man and woman, male, female, they are made in the image of God. And so men are reflectors of the image of God and so are women. Males, we read together, men are to reflect the image of the glory of God, but women is the glory of man. Paul doesn't mean that women are not a reflection of the glory of God, they are. He's simply making the point because of a conflict in the church at Corinth to make sure that men are the ones who are responsible in leading, and women are responsible in their role of submission and respect to their husband's leadership. And this glory congregation reflects goodness, this glory. Woman is the glory of man, for man was not made from woman, but woman from the man, verses seven through eight. What does that mean? The glory of God is reflected in these gender differences. Well, glory reflects goodness. The woman as the glory of man reflects the goodness of God in a man. The goodness of how God has created men and women equal in worth, but just different in roles and responsibilities. Equal in worth, equally reflective of the image of God, but given by God different roles and responsibilities. This is the glory of God on display. as we identify with the biological identity with which God created us, by which God created us. Think of the glory of God this way. A woman is the glory of man, man is the glory of God. What does it mean to show off the glory of God? It reflects the goodness of God and how he has made us. You think of a tree, an apple tree, an apple tree produces apples and you make apples, you make an apple pie with apples and the apple pie reflects the goodness of apples. And the apple reflects the goodness of the apple tree. You wouldn't say the apple pie is superior to the apple tree. No. You wouldn't say the apples are superior to the tree or the tree is superior to the apples. It simply means that the apple or the apple pie reflects the goodness of the tree itself. I think that's a good illustration to get across what Paul is saying when it comes to these gender differences. Men and women. It's not a matter of who is superior or inferior. Man is not superior to the woman. Woman is not superior to the man, or inferior for that matter. There's equality reflecting the image of God, and yet God has created certain genders to reflect his goodness. God is good in creating these differences. Maleness, congregation, is not a social disease. Masculinity, in and of itself, is not a social disease. Femininity, femaleness, is not a social disease. Maleness and femaleness can go all wrong when sin messes these differences up, when we become selfish and proud and think we are superior to the other gender, for instance. But nevertheless, these are good gifts that reflect the goodness of our triune God. And congregation, God has created us then for cooperation as husbands and wives, made in his image, cooperation, not competition, cooperation between, when it comes to the relationship of a husband and wife, or men and women in the church of Jesus Christ. Men and women then are interdependent. Men and women are interdependent. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. And what Paul is doing here, he's saying you gotta back up. The Trinity reflects these timeless truths about gender differences. The Trinity reflects the timeless truths when it comes to gender differences. But Paul is saying you gotta back up and get a better story. You gotta go all the way back to the beginning of how God created human beings. Genesis chapter two. Let's turn back in the Bible to Genesis chapter two. And Paul is just echoing the teaching of Genesis chapter two. These gender differences are invented by God, made by the Lord. Genesis chapter two and verse 18, page 12, page 12 in the Pew Bible. Men and women are interdependent. They depend on one another. And you see how God has made a man in his image. He's created Adam in his own likeness to take care of the garden, to take dominion. Just, I think it's important, Genesis 1.27, Genesis 1.27, so God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created him male and female. He created them. Now Genesis 2.18, Adam is alone, he needs help to take care of the garden, to take dominion. Then the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helper fit for him. Now out of the ground the Lord God made had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man. And while he slept, took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he had made, and the footnote there is literally it's God builds a woman out of the rib of man. He made into a woman and brought her to the man. And then Adam is like head over heels in love, singing the first wedding song. Bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh, this is my alter ego. This is my alter ego. He says, now I have someone to help me take dominion and glorify God with our gender differences. Men and women are interdependent. God has made man in his image to take dominion, and God has made woman, the wife in his image, to help the man, help her husband take dominion, fill the earth. And this is what it means, right? The woman was taken from man, but ever since, every man is born from a woman. Every boy comes from a woman. A mom, a woman. So there's interdependence here. It's not a matter of superiority or inferiority. Not at all. There's cooperation to glorify God in the making of disciples of the taking of dominion of creation. Help her. What does that mean? It's the very name that God identifies with when he says, I have come to help you. I am your helper. Women are not being demeaned here at all by Paul or Moses in Genesis chapter two. They're called to help their husband. God has created women. females with this emotional intelligence, this intuition, this nurturing ability required if you're gonna bring every single human being into this world. You're gonna need those qualities and gifts. And they are to be honored and given thanks to God for and celebrated. God has made woman to be the helper, the wife to be the helper. So that's not a demeaning ID or marker for a woman at all. It reflects God himself who has come to help us as his people. And God has created man in his image to take responsibility. Remember that from last time. In 1 Corinthians 11, man is to be the head of his wife. The head of the wife is to take responsibility for what happens in a marriage and a family, to head up and to, that means to provide and protect, to serve and to sacrifice. Just as our Lord Jesus Christ didn't feel like he was being inferior at all to the father when he obeyed the father's will to love his bride by serving us and sacrificing his life for our salvation. Boys and girls, what if Adam was taking care of the garden and he found this rabbit and he took the rabbit and said, hey rabbit, I want you to help me plant this garden. I want you to help me take care of these trees. You think the rabbit would be helpful? Thank you, who said that? No, that's right, no. A rabbit would not be much of a help at all. The rabbit would just eat maybe everything. That's not a whole lot of help. Boys and girls, your mom and dad's marriage was made by God. God did something very, very special when he made your mom and gave your mom as a wife to your dad. Something very, very special. He made a friendship between them. And together, they serve Jesus and they serve you. They reflect who God is. And God said that it was good. So we need to be thanking God for making mom and dad a husband and a wife. This is how God designed it from the very beginning. And congregation, I just wanted to read from Deuteronomy 22, five as well, if you care to look that up with me. Deuteronomy 22 at verse five. I think that it gets across this principle as Paul is talking about gender differences being shown in their appearance. We read something similar in Deuteronomy 22 at verse five, page 274, page 274 in the Pew Bible. Deuteronomy or the second law, the second giving of the law. Deuteronomy 22 at verse four, excuse me, verse five, page 274. A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. You're gone. And as we get back into 1 Corinthians chapter 11, Paul is saying the Trinity should be reflected in our gender differences. The story God has written from scriptures in Genesis all the way forward showing that there are gender differences must be honored and this must never ever be compromised. Gender differences reflect the glory of God. And it's according to nature, according to the Apostle Paul here in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. We read together. Neither was man created for woman, verse nine, but a woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head because of the angels. And as we noted last Sunday, there's all kinds of curve balls here in this passage. It's difficult to understand, I think, what exactly Paul is getting at. Is the head covering an actual veil? I don't believe it is. The word veil never comes up in the original language here. Was it this kind of, you know, put your hair in a bun? Maybe that's what Paul means. Maybe it was some sort of covering. And the question then is how does that translate in our own society today? One way would be, look, it's like a symbol of authority. It's the wedding ring. that shows, hey, I belong to this man, I belong to this woman, and we want to be showing that as a congregation in an androgynous world that blurs the differences and the distinctions between the genders. What is a woman? A woman is the glory of God and the glory of man. What is a man? A man is the glory of God made in his image together with a woman. Because of the angels, what does that mean? Some say it could be translated just as a messenger, a pastor, some messenger sent into this church. There's all kinds of curveballs here, congregation. I tend to think it's an angels. When we come to worship, we worship with angels. We are caught up into the heavens with the angels and the church triumphant to glorify the Lord and the angels cover their faces in the presence of the Holy God. So some sort of covering or acknowledgement of gender differences in our appearances honors the angels who worship the Lord together with us. Nevertheless, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man, nor man of woman. Verse 12, for as woman was made for man, so man is now born of woman, and all things are from God. So judge for yourselves. Is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature, verse 14, itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is a disgrace for him? Naturally, yes, it is a disgrace. Men back in the Church of Corinth in the Corinthian culture, men who had long hair congregation were seen as effeminate. They were seen as girly. They were seen as weak. In fact, statues of men with long hair were often depicting slaves who were, you know, just slaves. And if you had long hair as a man back then, naturally people would think you had homosexual orientation. So Paul is saying, judge for yourselves according to nature. This should be wrong. Men should have a short hair in that culture and according to those customs. But if a woman has long hair, it is for her glory, yes. Long hair naturally depicts the glory of God. And that's how women would wear their hair back then. and it would reflect the goodness of God. They should have their hair worn long. And my brothers and sisters, we shouldn't get... buried and overwhelmed by all of the details, focusing on all of the details here. I don't believe at all the Apostle Paul is telling you how long you should wear your hair, ladies, or how long. I don't believe that's the point whatsoever. The principle here is we need to be reflecting the differences between the genders according to our customs today. And gender identity requires the church to guide and safeguard her unity. If anyone wants to argue about this and be contentious and create a lot of conflict over this, the Apostle Paul says, look, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God have this practice. Dear friends, do you think your morality is just about you and me and your feelings and your thoughts? You and Jesus, that's all it is. Your morality, what you think, how you should do you and what your desire should be. It's just how you make the decisions and it's about your choices. God says, no, it doesn't. It involves everybody in the Church of Jesus Christ. You do life together. And to navigate these insane times of so much a blurring of the distinctions between men and women. We need the generations that go before us. We need older men and women and young men and women doing life together, interfacing, connecting each and every Lord's Day to speak truth into one another's lives. The unity of the church will be broken down, and we do see it breaking down. when sinners rebel against how God has made them. So we need a community of mutual trust and loving support for us as husbands and wives and as parents and children to reflect the image of our triune God. And stay in the story that he is written as the author of gender distinctions. In congregation, our Lord Jesus Christ has come to do what? To build a bride himself, and his bride came from his side, as it were, just like Adam. Eve came from Adam's side, and our Lord Jesus Christ is the last, the second Adam who has come to have his side split open, and from his side he poured out water and blood to forgive you and me of our sins, and he built out of a whore A spotless bride thanks be to God for his amazing grace. And what does that mean specifically, congregation? If you read the recent Christian Renewal article on the back table, and once again, I highly recommend you reading through it. Rosaria Butterfield, who knows a thing or two, a lot about gender differences, is a lesbian, saved by Jesus Christ, and now, a pastor's wife in an RP church. She knows a lot about this and she says, what's behind all of this gender blurring and lesbianism, homosexuality? What's behind all of this insanity around us in terms of men identifying as women, women identifying as men? She says it's this, it's envy. It is envy. Envy is a deadly sin. You need to, and I need to, repent of. Let us be satisfied with God. Unsatisfied, in her words, with the world. But satisfied with God. And we can run to Jesus and find forgiveness for our sins of envy. And there is a new beginning. There can be a new story told in your life and mine. There can be a transformation made by the love of Jesus Christ. When you repent of your sin, you turn your back on it and go to Jesus for forgiveness and he will rebuild you and transform you to show off who he is by you obeying your identity. as a male or as a female. So what are some of the applications for us? Congregation number one, men must look like men and women must look like women. We need to be communicating appreciation for who a man is and what a man is to do and who women are made in the image of God for the glory of God and showing his goodness. But men must dress like men here in the church of Jesus Christ. Women must dress like women. And what that means is that if a man shows up in church who has mascara on with long hair and lipstick, God is not being seen. And the story of Genesis is not being honored. And so that person needs discipling. Congregation, let us never ever look at someone with disgust who walks into this church like that. Let us welcome them with a warm smile because they'll never know the love of Jesus Christ if they don't feel the love of Jesus Christ, because you were just as broken and so was I, as they are by sin and envy. They'll only change bit by bit. You did too, right? I did too. And we're still changing bit by bit. They're not gonna change overnight. You don't either and I haven't. But we do need to speak the truth. of gender differences with the love of Jesus Christ. And that means men must only marry women. Women must only marry men. Men will never nurse. Men will never have babies. Women have babies. Women nurse. And that's the glory of God. Men must look like men. Women must look like women. And dear friends, we need to also, by way of application, to head it up as men, give your wife tulips. We've been learning this as a biblical counseling class. These two last points of application come from a biblical counselor, Jim Neuhauser, and he says that the role of head of the house, men, is to give their wives tulips. Give your wife tulips. And the acronym for that is for TULIP. First of all means this, totally commit yourself to loving your wife. Don't hold back on peacemaking. Don't hold back on conversation. Don't hold back on initiating love. Don't hold back, totally commit yourself in terms of affection for your wife. Give her tulips, you unconditionally sacrifice for your wife's needs and interests. And so congregation, as we were reminded in the biblical counseling class, remember that Garth Brooks song? She knew her, I think it's her husband's, love was in Tulsa. And that old rodeo. He leaves his love in Tulsa in that old rodeo. Guys, what would our wife say where our love truly is? Is it our hobby, our sports, our jobs, our phones? What is it for us? totally commit yourself, unconditionally sacrifice yourself, that our love for our wives remind us of the love of Jesus Christ for her. Irresistibly draw her with love that purifies, strong love, strong love is attractive, that's how God has designed women, that's attractive for women, a strong love that says, you know, it's just not in the budget right now. So we're not gonna make that purchase. But a strong love that says, hey, it's time for prayer. Let's open the Bible up together and pray for one another and for the cause of Christ's kingdom. And then persevere in providing. Don't procrastinate on what's called the honey-do list, right? Our wives tend to think, well, if you don't get around to it, yeah, I'll get around to it later and it's like a month after. What do they think? They don't, he doesn't love me. because the honeydew list isn't getting done. Let's not procrastinate in providing. Steadfastly endure when marriage is difficult, when your wife feels judged and mistreated. When your wife feels judged or mistreated. I'm not even talking about you, just in general, right? And all the things that they go through. Let us Show them unconditional love and that love does begin to transform them. Gals, find a man to give you tulips. Don't settle for anything less. Find a man to give you tulips. And wives, nurture those tulips, pray for them. Maybe you only have one. And so-and-so has a lot of tulips. And you might be a little envious. Pray for God to grow the tulips into a larger bouquet. And then honor, honor your husband. Honor your husband. What does that mean for wives? The glory of their husbands. What does it mean to honor your husband? H, it means hold on to the role that God has called you and has equipped you to do. Follow his leadership. You don't have to be in charge, quote unquote, to be great. Our Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest servant of all and reserves for himself that title of the greatest servant. You don't have to be in charge to be great. It is Christ-like to hold on to this role. Obey, honor, H-O, obey. Obey your husband as the head of the family, and it will go well with you. Trust the Lord. in obeying him and respecting his loving leadership insofar as he is imitating our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Notice and notice how you can be his helper. How can you make him successful in his calling in life? Wives, you have a tremendous influence on your husbands, don't you? A tremendous influence. Use that influence for good. Organize your life, oh, organize your life around your responsibilities in the home. Organize your life around your husband and children. Your husband and your children come first and then restore. Restore your husband when he goes astray from the Lord. No husband has the right to command his wife to sin, No husband ever, ever has the right to make his wife go against her conscience. No husband ever has the right to abuse his wife, verbally or otherwise. Wives are not obligated to endure physical abuse. or abandonment or marital unfaithfulness. A wife is made in the image of God and may follow and must follow the steps of Matthew 18 in seeking to restore her husband from straying from the Lord. What is a man? What is a woman? A man is the glory of God. A woman is the glory of her husband. What is a man and what is a woman? I close with these words from Elizabeth Elliot. Elizabeth Elliot. Quote, what sort of world might it be if Eve refused the serpent's offer and had said to him instead, let me not be like God. Let me be what I was made to be. Let me be a woman. Amen. Let us pray. Father in heaven, would you please apply this message to our hearts and our lives as husbands and wives, as men and women, boys and girls. We may reflect you, the triune God, how God does God, how you choose to be God and to reflect the story in which you have written us from Genesis onward. Help us as husbands to give tulips to our wives. Help us as wives to give honor to our husbands. And we pray that as boys and girls in this confusing world, we as parents may train them to see in our relationships the glory of your goodness. Lord, we pray for those who are confused. Give them clarity. And Lord, we thank you for Jesus, our bridegroom. who had his sides split wide open to build us as his bride. Lord, we confess our envy. Help us to repent of it. We pray, Lord, that we may sin less and love you more according to your redeeming love. Lord, we thank you that you are the great matchmaker of husbands and wives. And we pray, Lord, for our boys and girls to meet and marry in the Lord, and we pray, Lord, that we may think through these matters and these truths together as a church family, and may we offer one another mutual encouragement and loving support. We ask, Father in Heaven, that you would use us as a church community as a light in this neighborhood and throughout this nation and around the world. to show off the glory of God in Jesus Christ, the head of his church. We ask that you would hear and answer our prayer and bless this offering. For Jesus' sake, amen. Let's give our gifts to the Lord at this time.