Leading like Jesus Part 1
Selected Passages
October 28, 2007
Evening Message
This message was birthed out of several sources
The Top Ten Leadership Principles of Jesus by John Maxwell
The Management Methods of Jesus by Bob Briner
The Leadership Secrets of Jesus by Mike Murdock
Jesus CEO by Laurie Beth Jones
When you hear the word leader, who comes to mind? For many of us, we might think of politicians like Abraham Lincoln or George W Bush. We might think of church leaders like Martin Luther or John Wesley. We might think of military commanders like George Washington or General Patton. We might think of industrial or technological innovators like Bill Gates.
What positions in the church would you consider leadership positions?
Board Member Ministry Director
Sunday School Teacher Praise Team Member
Volunteers for Outreach Give to support various ministries
The Bible is filled with men and women who were great leaders. Here are just a few who came to mind:
Noah Abraham Moses Joshua
Gideon David Nehemiah Isaiah
John the Baptist Peter John Paul
Before we can really think about people being leaders, we have to first define leadership.
Definitions of Leadership
Leadership is influence. John Maxwell
Leadership is the art to of influencing and directing people in such a way that will win their obedience, confidence, respect and loyal cooperation in achieving common objectives. U. S. Air Force
The ultimate test of practical leadership is the realization of intended, real change that meets people’s enduring needs. James MacGregor Burns
"Leadership appears to be the art of getting others to want to
do something you are convinced should be done." — Vance Packard
Leadership is the ability to influence others to achieve positive results
Why do we need to discuss leadership within the church? Jesus Christ was the most powerful leader in history. If we are going to make an impact on those around us, we need to influence them for Christ. Every person is a leader in some way, we all have influence with others in some manner.
Leadership matters in the life of the church and if it matter to the church we need to lead like Jesus led.
Leadership begins with Service
The greatest among you will be your servant. Matthew 23:11
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45
There is no way to lead like Jesus without the willingness to serve. This does not mean that you let others control what you do, but rather that your actions are controlled by the desire to serve God and others.
Before you can be a servant, you have to first be secure with who you are.
Security is nothing more than freedom from fear or anxiety. Many Christians are incredibly anxious about serving in ministry or taking a leadership position.
Jesus had a divine position but He never used His authority against people. Jesus had a divine mission and He never stepped away from it. Jesus had a divine plan and He never forgot to submit to it.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7
Jesus understood who he was, what he came to do and why He came to do it. When you understand who you are in Christ, what Christ wants to do through you and why you are here, you will find amazing security.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:3-5
Insecure people will destroy ministry in a church. They are focused on things of little importance. They are focused on what they get to do or what they get recognized for. People who are insecure search for something, anything they can secure in life. Insecure people look for what they can control.
Secure Insecure
Towels (service) Titles
People Positions
Add Value Receive value
Prioritize your life around your purpose
Once you understand and define your purpose in life, it allows you to get the right priorities in place.
Basic Definition of Leadership terminology
Vision – Where you want to go in life
Mission – What you want to do in life or how you will accomplish your vision
Purpose – Why you want to do things in life
Jesus gives incredible advice on how to figure out all of this priority business. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33. Jesus understood that when you get your priorities in place, everything else in life comes together.
Purpose improves focus
Over and over again, Jesus allows His purpose to set His agenda for life and ministry. He never allowed others to dictate what He did or when He did it. Jesus dealt with a number of things that would be classified as distractions. He dealt with impure motives, political power plays and bickering among His closest followers. Throughout all of this Jesus stayed on target with His life and ministry.
Purpose allowed Jesus to handle rejection
There were times and places where Jesus was simply not welcome. Jesus never stayed where He was not wanted. There were times when Jesus was asked to leave certain areas and he did so. We see that people who were most loyal to Jesus rejected and abandoned Him in His time of greatest need
Purpose gave Jesus the strength to suffer pain
Jesus understood that His purpose required Him to pay the ultimate price. Jesus set Himself to go to Jerusalem, even though He knew what waited for Him there. Jesus was willing to go through pain to give us eternal gain
Purpose gave Jesus great passion
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, Colossians 3:23
Passion gives us power for living. Only when we become passionate about what Jesus wants to do in us and through us can it become part of who we are. Passion drives us to success in ministry and life.
Leadership must not be driven by the whims of the people, but by a God given purpose
Leadership starts through living
Jesus understood that character and integrity were required to be a great leader. Jesus did not waste time with His critics. People need to see principles at work in your life before they will follow those principles.
Character is communicated through conduct. You will never be able to give what you do not have. Stop trying to appear good, just be good. Stop trying to look truthful, just be truthful. Stop trying to have a good reputation, just live with character.
Character is created through our daily decisions. Character is demonstrated through our discipline. Lack of character is seen through the bad decisions we make and our lack of discipline.
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons." Matthew 12:24
Jesus was being accused of being in league with Satan. Did Jesus get upset and defend Himself? No. Did Jesus verbally attack those involved? No. Jesus simply corrected the Pharisees and went on casting out demons. Jesus continued to keep Himself on track and lived each day with character. Live your life in such a way that when people throw mud that it doesn’t stick.
Go Where the People Are
The true impact of leadership is not seen in the positions that a person holds but the relationships that they build.
Jesus pursued people with the intent of building relationships. Jesus called Matthew to be a disciple, He stayed at the well to wait for the woman and He went to the house of Zaccheaus. Jesus knew that there were people who desperately needed what He had for them. The same thing is true today. There are many people here that desperately need what only Jesus can give to them.
Jesus never expected people to come to Him. Nowhere do we see Jesus creating a base of operations and telling everyone to come to Him. Jesus was exactly the opposite. The words “Jesus went” appear together 43 times in the gospels. Jesus showed an incredible level of commitment to others. Jesus went to where the people were and met them at their point of need in life.
Jesus went to the markets, he went to the sea shores, He went to the synagogues, he went to people’s homes, He went to the countryside and towns. Jesus made an intentional effort to go where the people. Why do we think that the church cannot do the same?
One of the biggest set back most churches experience is the come to us mentality. Clearly, this is not the example that Jesus sets for us.
You will never be able to experience true success without involving others. You will never be able to see an impact for the Kingdom of Christ without others.
