Summary: If you insist on controlling those under your authority rather than serving them, you will sacrifice the joy of leadership on the altar of power -- Just Like Jezebel.

Just Like Jezebel

TEXT:

INTRODCUTION

1. If you insist on controlling those under your authority rather than serving them, you will sacrifice the joy of leadership on the altar of power.

2. Nearly nine centuries before Christ, Ahab, king of Israel, married the daughter of the pagan king of a neighboring country. During the 22 years of his reign, the name of his wife became a household word – more accurately, a household curse! Jezebel.

3. Jezebel manipulated everyone she met and repeatedly defied the Word of God spoken through the prophet Elijah.

4. Jezebel always got her way, and woe unto those unfortunate enough to get in her way!

5. Her happiness depended on being on the top of others.

6. Even to this day, she abides with the record of Scripture as an embodiment of a power-hungry and unreachable heart.

7. Conversation with Marilyn about what I was going to preach about.

DISCUSSION:

I. Consider the way she treated others.

A. The prophets of God (1 Kings 18:3-4).

B. The false prophets of Baal and Ashera (18:19).

C. The elders at Jezreel (1 Kings 21:5-14

D. Her husband (21:7,15-16,25).

E. Elijah, the prophet of God (1 Kings 18:40, 12:1-4).

II. There was at least one character like her in the New Testament church.

A. 3 John 9-11.

III. We must be on guard that we do not act the same way.

A. Phil 2:3-4; Col 3:19-4:1; 1 Peter 5:2-3.

IV. Jesus set forth the model for real leadership.

A. Luke 22:24-27

CONCLUSION:

To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less Andre Malraux