Luke 12:42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. ESV
Being a leader in a church is a wonderful thing. Paul said: The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. (1 Tim 3:1). And yet James said: Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. (James 3:1).
In this study I want to use Jesus’ word to leaders to talk about the responsibilities of a leader, and use that as a jumping off place to talk about how we as Christians should also care about our own lives as Christians; making sure we are healthy and growing. It’s not a leader’s responsibility to make you mature as a believer-it is our responsibility to create an atmosphere where that growth can happen.
After I talk about some things to look for in a good and a bad leader, I want to use the illustration of a plant to talk about how to care for our own growth and health as a Christian.
The responsibility of a leader
Feed & Protect
1. Feed. We have a wide range of people-from pre-Christians to those who have been walking with the Lord for decades. So in my teachings I try to give something to every group, hopefully a challenge to those just considering Christ, but also perhaps an insight to the mature believer as well.
Someone once said that if they were stranded on a desert island and could bring with them only one book of the Bible it would be Romans because you could literally study it your entire life. The Bible is like that, it is so deep that you will never fathom it all.
The teachings are designed to be historical, theological, and practical. If we don’t understand the context in which something was written we will misinterpret the message. Though all the books of the Bible are God’s Word they were written by men and women to other humans. There is tons of theology in the Bible. We need to understand the doctrines of our faith in order to tell the difference between truth and error. But the Bible is also filled with practical advice on living a life of faith in Christ. Head knowledge can only get you so far without application.
I also strive to have more than one learning environment. That’s why we have Bible discussion times on Tuesday mornings with the man, and Tuesday afternoons and evenings with the women.
In addition as leaders we try to encourage maturity amongst the flock by one on one discussion, discipleship, resources, prayer, counseling, and facilitation.
One of our themes here is this verse:
Ephesians 4:12-13 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ NKJV
2. Protect
Let’s look at by contrast:
Ezekiel 34:1-6 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. 6 My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. ESV
2 Timothy 3:1-9 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. ESV
Looking for bad leaders
Luke 12:45-47 But if that servant says to himself, ’My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. ESV
Four things to look for:
1. A lack of respect for the Lordship of Jesus over the church (master delayed - opposite of "faithful" in 42)
2. Lack of proper feeding (assumed - not given food at proper time)
3. Presence of improper leadership (beat the slaves)
4. A life that does not glorify God (eat and drink and get drunk)
5. Not watching out for the flock (the drunk part)
The Care of the Believer
Growth Medium
Type of soil - hard, rocky, weedy, tender = condition of your heart
Is your soil too acidic? Add gypsum - break up the fallow ground
Matthew 13
Growing Zones
What is your latitude? What are the conditions of your life as a Christian - is there persecution, rampant sin, not a lot of Christians? You adjust accordingly.
Moisture
The Word of God. Don’t apply too much too fast but in the proper amounts and taken down deep into the root system.
Not enough and the plant dies.
Ephesians 5:26 encourages husbands to cleanse their wives by "the washing of water with the word."
Tomatoes will not produce fruit if over watered. They will have lots of foliage, like the externals. Christians will sometimes not bear fruit if they get so much teaching that they never have a chance to put any of it to use. Christians are like plants in that fruit often appears as either a way for the plant to reproduce (evangelism) or as a way to survive (tomatoes put in just a little distress will produce better fruit).
Sunlight
Fellowship. When we live our lives alone as a Lone Ranger we get picked off by the enemy, and we can end up holing ourselves up in a dark place spiritually. We need each other to keep us accountable, to pray for each other and sharpen each other. Could also be the Spirit of God on our lives.
Lack of moisture, too much sun
Trials.
Drought and waterlogging produce many of the same symptoms on the above-ground parts of the plant, mainly chlorosis (yellowing leaves), abscission (shedding older leaves), and wilt. Waterlogging of the root zone also results in oxygen deficiency, leading to a halt in root growth and metabolism, death of the roots, and wilt. So too many trials or too much taking in without giving out creates a weak believer. There needs to be a good balance - who is in charge of that? Party the Lord and partly us. Keep giving out, sharing the word, serving.
Transpiration
Could be worship/prayer. The result of the presence of the water and sunlight in our lives naturally produces prayer and praise lifted up to God.
2 Corinthians 2:14-16
15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. ESV
Fertilizer
Discipleship. Fertilizer gives plants the nutrients they need for photosynthesis. Established plants often don’t need fertilizer. New plants need it. Just as new believers need extra nutrients to help them assimilate the teachings into their lives.
Pests & Disease
Sin & Temptation
How to you fight against disease? Keep the environment clean around the plant, and add systemic materials - like asking the Holy Spirit to fill your life, and by having your garbage detector on at all times.
Pollination
Vital for flowering plants and fruit trees and vegetables. In a way, that is fellowship, the cross pollination that occurs when we rub elbows with other Christians, sharing our lives with theirs, our experiences and trials and triumphs.
Fruit Management
When should fruit appear, looking for fruit wood, too much fruit can be as bad as no fruit at all.
Luke 13:6-9And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ’Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ’Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’" ESV
John 15:5-8 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ESV
Pruning
Discipline - not just negative either
John 15:1-3 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes , that it may bear more fruit. ESV
Hebrews 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. ESV
Combine a good, weed free, growing medium - planted deeply - just enough water, sun, fertilizer, pollination, pruning (including fruit management), and protection and you get a good crop and a healthy plant that naturally resists drought and disease and lasts for many years.
