Lead Like Jesus: Finding And Becoming Leaders Of Faith

Who are the greatest leaders of all time? Googling the list will include all types of people. For some, its’s political leaders like Winston Churchill, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Queen Elizabeth, even Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII.

For others its famous reformers: Like Martin Luther, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr,, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mother Theresa, and even Theodore Roosevelt.

In church history there is a list of the most influential Christians of all time. It includes names like; George Whitfield, Dwight L Moody, Jonathan Edwards, Billy Graham, and others.

Yet, Forbes Magazine recently did a story of all known people of all time and (hands down) said this: “It is not a stretch at all to say Jesus Christ was the greatest leader the world has ever seen.”

Transition:

What kind of leader is Jesus? The writer of Hebrews consistently points us to Jesus saying: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...” Hebrews 12:2

In this statement, we see that the greatest goal, aim, and desire of Jesus is to bring faith to us (He’s the author) of our faith, yet, His work does not end there; He then becomes the perfecter of our faith.”

The word “perfecter” (Teleioten) means: “Finisher” or “completer.” This same word is used by Jesus when he said on the cross; “It is finished” as well as, it is used to describe the power of Jesus resurrection to “finish His work in us.”

As Jesus led His disciples, He made them into leaders that would carry on His work and mission and interesting enough, when you get to heaven you will see a symbolic reminder of this.

Revelation 21:14 reads: “And the wall of the city (New Jerusalem) had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” I believe this is the name of all the apostles of Jesus minus Judas, and Paul the apostles name will be the twelfth.

From the symbolism of heaven; God obviously highlights the value of having Godly people in our lives to help build your faith.

Part of God’s plan for your life is for you to find and follow spiritual leaders. What should they look like?

Transitional Sentence: What should I look for when looking for a spiritual leader to follow?

I. Look for a Biblical Leader

vs. 7- “Remember those who led you....”

Explanation:

Verse 7 starts with a command. It’s orders from headquarters. Jesus commands us to get a leader. He says: “Remember those who led you..”

The word “remember” means: “keep in mind those who are leading you.” The word is actually assumes that you have actively sought out a leader to help you grow in your faith.

Jesus initiated leadership as he went and called the disciples to Himself. In other words, Jesus assures us that we are not designed to “grow alone.” You need a godly influencers in your life.

How do you find a godly influencer? Changing starts with choosing. How do I chose an influencer?

1. Choose an Influencer whose Greatest Interest Is the Bible

In verse 7 we read: “Remember those who led you (now don’t miss this) who spoke the word of God to you...”

When we get to heaven no one is going to ask you: “How much money did you make? Instead, Jesus is going to ask you, Did you make your life count? Did my Word dictate your decisions?”

Every day you make decisions that shape your life. As you journey you need leaders and influencers in your life who are following someone themselves; they are following Jesus.

The way we test our teachers is to compare what they teach to what Jesus taught.

This summer, I went to a little village where Paul taught. It was a small mountainous community in Greece where Paul went on his Second Missionary Journey. In Acts 17 we are introduced to these people as we read: “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message (of Paul) with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul was saying was true.” Acts 17:11

Who you listen to matters. Therefore chose an influencer whose greatest influence is the Bible.

“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you...” vs. 7

2. Choose an Influencer of Character; Not Charisma

In verse 7 we continue reading: “and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith” Vs. 7

Our world has become accustomed to following people and being influenced by people who ignore the importance of character. In America, we struggle to find leadership in government, at work, and even in many churches because character has taken a back seat to charisma.