Sermon by – Pastor Mike Schnepp – Vox Church

My Personal Event Notes …

Session 2: Take Courage

Speaker: Pastor Mike
Theme: We need to be men of courage.

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Opening Verse

1 Corinthians 16:13–14 (ESV)

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”

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The Call to Courage

Pastor Mike opened with a gripping story from Paris:
A child was dangling from a fifth-story balcony. People below screamed in fear—except for one man. Without hesitation, he scaled the outside of the building, floor by floor, pulling himself up like Spider-Man. He reached the boy and pulled him to safety, all before emergency services could arrive.

We cheer stories like this—movies like Gladiator or Saving Private Ryan stir something deep in our souls. Why?

Because God put that there.
There’s something in us that longs for courage. For sacrifice. For strength.
We want to be that man.

But then—like the father in the Paris story who wasn’t able to save his son—we’re reminded of our own failures.

That moment of judgment becomes a mirror.

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The Sin of Passivity

We’re not the first to shrink back.
Adam did the same in Eden. He had everything—intimacy with God, his wife, paradise. But when the serpent came for Eve, Adam did nothing.

Instead of stepping in to protect, he watched.
Instead of owning his failure, he blamed:

“The woman you gave me…” (Genesis 3:12)

That same sin—passivity—haunts us today.
It shows up in apathy, in shrinking back from what’s hard, in choosing comfort over calling.

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Illustration: The Wolf Spider

Take the male wolf spider. To attract a female, he does an elaborate dance.
Once he mates, he immediately runs away—terrified she might kill him.

That’s what fear does. Even when we succeed, it makes us run.
As men, we often retreat.
We’ve been hurt—by our fathers, our kids, our wives—and instead of seeking healing, we wallow in our wounds.
We hide in work, in hobbies, in busyness—spending our time and energy anywhere but home, anywhere but the little kingdom God gave us to lead and love.

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The Battle We Face

So do we just give up?
No.

We fight.
We don’t repeat Adam’s sin—the sin of doing nothing.
Instead, we stand together and say:

“Pursuing God is worth it.”

Hebrews 10:39 (ESV)

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

Do you want to be the kind of man who shrinks back in a moment of need?

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Mindset of Courageous Men

1. Be Watchful

Be like a lookout on a fortress wall—eyes wide, always scanning.
We are in a real spiritual war.

1 Corinthians 16:13 again:

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

We are under attack.
John 10:10 says:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

The first half is the reality of Satan.
The second half is the promise of Jesus.

Stay alert!
Ephesians 6 teaches us to armor up.
This isn’t symbolic—it’s survival.

Ephesians 6:11–12 (ESV)

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

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2. Stay Alert

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (ESV)

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,
and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

Satan’s strategy isn’t just violence—it’s distraction.
He overwhelms us with good things that steal our focus from God.

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Signs you’re not staying alert:

• You stop faithfully pursuing Jesus.
• You don’t know your loved ones’ greatest fears.
• You can’t name the sin Satan is using to take you down.

Live with vigilance.

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3. Stand Firm

Standing firm means resistance. It’s pressure against pressure.
You don’t float through spiritual warfare—you fight.

It’s a daily choice to show up, especially when it’s hard.
What’s your plan to stand firm?

1 Corinthians 9:27 (ESV)

“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

This is war.
We need discipline.
When the moment of battle comes, it’s too late to start training.

Embrace a lifestyle of spiritual discipline.

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4. Embrace Sacrificial Love

1 Corinthians 16:14 (ESV)

“Let all that you do be done in love.”

1. Agape (ἀγάπη) – Unconditional, self-sacrificing love

• Definition: The highest form of love; God’s love for humanity. It is volitional and self-giving, regardless of whether it is returned.
• Example: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8
  “Let all that you do be done in love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14

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2. Phileo (φιλία) – Brotherly or friendship love

• Definition: Affectionate regard between friends, equals, or family. It involves emotional connection and companionship.
• Example: “Philadelphia” (brotherly love) appears in Romans 12:10 — “Love one another with brotherly affection.”

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3. Storge (στοργή) – Familial love

• Definition: The natural affection felt between family members—parents and children, or between siblings.
• Example:
  Though the exact Greek word “storge” is rare in the NT, a compound form appears in Romans 12:10, combining philostorgos (family affection) with brotherly love.

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4. Eros (ἔρως) – Romantic or passionate love

• Definition: Physical, sensual love or desire. While the word itself doesn’t appear directly in the Bible, the concept is clearly present—especially in Song of Songs.
• Biblical Presence:
  Eros is reflected in marital desire and intimacy, intended by God to be holy and expressive of covenant love. “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine.” — Song of Songs 1:2

Paul uses the Greek word agape—the love that lays itself down.
Not emotional love. Not romantic love. Not even brotherly love.
But sacrificial, unselfish, covenantal love.

Alyssa’s quote (GOAT-level wisdom):

“Agape love moves you to act, even when it costs everything, for the good of someone else.”

Paul ties masculinity to sacrifice.
To act like men is to live in agape.
It means stepping into discomfort and saying:

“I will do what is hard, so they are safe.”

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Conclusion

We fight against apathy.
We reject passivity.
We pursue vigilance.
We stand firm.
We lead with sacrificial love.

We do not shrink back.
We take courage.