VIII) BOLDNESS IN THE FACE OF CRITICISM

Luke 5:17-26
A great leader must be humble, even gentle and perhaps even self-effacing on occasion. However, a great leader must also be bold. At times this appears to be a paradox as we endeavor to be a servant and yet also to stand as a teacher, a shepherd, and an authority figure. Leaders must be willing to accept the authority that they have been given and use that authority to advance the mission of the organization.

Some leaders fail precisely because they do not have the emotional or spiritual maturity to handle authority. Some use their authority for selfish reasons. Some are too timid to exercise their authority. And others simply surrender their authority to others and thereby surrender their ability to lead.

Jesus was tender, meek and mild, but Jesus was no pushover. When a man was brought to Him who needed both forgiveness of sin and healing, Jesus knew that there were those in the crowd who would criticize Him if He forgave this man of his sins. It was understood that only God had the authority to forgive sins, so for Jesus to tell the man his sins were forgiven was for Jesus to claim Divinity. He knew that there were those who would not accept that. There were those who would use this event to garner support for themselves against Jesus. But Jesus knew His mission and He was bold in His willingness to embrace this mission even in the face of criticism.

Jesus looked at the man and said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Those five words were powerful. They were a bold affirmation of His call and His claim to fill the Messianic role. Great leaders do not shrink in the face of criticism. When the cause is right, when the need is great, when the opportunity is before us we must be bold even if it will open us up to criticism. The greater good was that while there would be those who became more resolute in their resistance to Christ, many more saw, heard and believed in Him.

Jesus knew their thoughts. He knew that criticism would come, but He made the decision anyhow. Great leaders are not naïve. They do not stick their head in the sand and think that everyone is always going to agree with every decision. But great leaders are not motivated by what is popular. Great leaders move by what is right, what is for the benefit of the organization and by the greater good. Great leaders are willing to put their own interests on the line for the benefit of the organization.

Then, to put an exclamation point on the moment, Jesus looked at His critics and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sin . . .” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” And immediately the man stood up in front of everyone, picked up his mat and went home praising God.

When we do what is right, and we continue to do what is right regardless of the critics or the armchair quarterbacks who second guess every decision we make, then truth will out and we will be vindicated in time. The success of the organization, the changes in people’s lives, the growth of the company, whatever it may be, there will be vindication if we have boldly made the right decision.

No one will ever be a great leader by trying to please everyone all the time. The question we must ask is, "Is this the right decision for this time and this organization?" If it is, then make the decision and trust God with the results.

VII) LIFTING THE LIVES OF OTHERS

John 4:4-30

Great leaders seek to lift others up. Jesus chose to go through a region that most self-respecting Jews avoided. There is a sense that Jesus knew what was ahead and that there was one women whom He could help. The fact that she came to the well at the sixth hour (noon) to draw water, and that she came alone suggests that she was something of a social outcast. This was probably due to the fact that she had had five husbands and was currently with a man who was not her husband.

Still, Jesus chose to take this route, to stop at this well, and to talk to this woman. He gave her the privilege of hearing the good news of the "living water" that He offered. He also gave her, a social outcast of dubious moral history, the honor of announcing the arrival of the Messiah.

She went to the town declaring the works of Jesus and asking rhetorically, “Is this not the Messiah?” Then she brought the city to Jesus. Jesus certainly lifted her up in the eyes of the town's folk and gave her dignity.

Great leaders are able to identify potential in people who may not even be able to see it in themselves yet. Great leaders invest time and training in people so that they may grow and become better people, workers, volunteers, etc.

Leaders never become great by putting others down. The failure of others does nothing to make us better. Our goal is to lift others up, to help them stand. If we make it our business to lift others up, and to create a climate within the organization where the potential leaders we are mentoring are lifting others up, the entire organization gets a lift.

Jesus lifted people out of sin, out of sickness, out of social distain, and into the kingdom and family of the Father. This is mark of a great leader and it is a quality that breeds loyalty and respect on the part of those we lead. Look for ways to lift others and in the process you too will be lifted to a higher level as a leader.

Check out my recently published book, The Third Level

VI) MENTORING

Luke 6:13 tells us that Jesus “called unto Him His disciples: and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles”. Jesus had many disciples. On one occasion He sent out seventy disciples in pairs to go into the towns and villages ahead of Him. But of those who were His disciples He chose twelve to be apostles. Jesus chose twelve men who would be closest to Him and who would see and hear things from Him that others did not see or hear. These were men whom Jesus was going to mentor and upon whom He would give the responsibility to continue to propagate the gospel.

Jesus invested Himself into these men. One of them would eventually betray Him, but even this was predicted and expected as Jesus fulfilled His role as the Messiah and the sin sacrifice for humanity. The lesson here is that even Jesus recognized the need to mentor others who would continue the work here on earth after He had ascended to the right hand of the Father.

Great leaders look beyond the moment and have the future in mind with every decision. This means that the leadership of the tomorrow must be mentored today. We must be able to identify those men and women who have the gifts and talents necessary to fill future leadership roles and to continue to take the organization forward.

When Jesus chose the twelve apostles, He chose a diverse group of men. He chose a zealot, a tax collector, and fishermen. He chose men whose temperaments were diverse as well. From the outspoken Peter, to the reserved and somewhat negative Thomas, to the Sons of Thunder, Jesus selected men with unique perspectives, talents and personalities.

Diversity in our leadership team is a positive thing. It requires skill on the part of the leader to help the team mesh together and to appreciate one another’s strengths, but the variety bring the possibility of more than one perspective to any given challenge.

Jesus kept these men close to Him. They were privy to miracles that others never saw. They heard teaching that others never heard. Jesus was investing Himself into these men and He expected them to take the church forward. He empowered them with the Holy Spirit and He sent them out to expand the reach of the gospel.

In this process, there were moments of failure on the part of these men. We know of Judas’ failure, but Peter, Thomas, James and John all had their moments as well. Jesus, however, anticipated that they would stumble and was ready to pick them back up and help them learn from their mistakes. That’s what great leaders do. If we are simply going to kick them to the curb every time they trip, then we will never develop tomorrow’s leaders. Our job is to help them learn from their failures and encourage them to do better the next time.

Insecure and weak leaders are afraid to develop or mentor tomorrow’s leaders. They are afraid that these leaders will one day take their place. That’s the point of mentoring. If we have done our job as a leader and a mentor, then when we are away or when we step down, there will be someone ready and prepared to take the organization forward. And that is the mark of a great leader, namely, that the organization outlives the founder or the current leader. If the church dies with the pastor, then the pastor has failed to do his or her job as mentor of leaders.

Look around you and identify men and women who have the potential to be great leaders. Then begin to teach them and equip them to fill leadership roles in the organization. In this way the reach of the organization is expanded beyond one man or woman and growth can occur.

V) CLEAR COMMUNICATION

If there is one area of leadership that stands out above all others as a source of conflict and confusion it would have to be communication. The ability to clearly and concisely convey a message to those who follow is a mark of a great leader. Whether it is communicating the vision, communicating directions, or communicating instruction, the failure to effectively communicate will undermine all the other favorable attributes of a leader.

Misunderstanding and miscommunication can be costly. It causes frustration for the followers and this frustration often leads to complacency and apathy. So the ability to get the message to those we mentor and lead is essential.

As the Word made flesh Jesus was both the message and the messenger. Jesus was God’s media through which He spoke of His love. The message of God’s love could not have been spoken any clearer or louder than the cross. This love brought forgiveness to the guilty, hope to the hopeless, and life the lifeless.

In John’s Gospel chapter 2, Jesus is attending a marriage feast with His disciples. Here Jesus’ mother tells Him that the host of the feast has run out of wine. It is clear that she intends for Jesus to do something about this social faux pas. Indeed, it seems she would like Jesus to use this opportunity to make a public display of His power as Messiah. Jesus, however, knew that this was neither the time nor the place.

Understanding that Jesus was not going to use this occasion for a coming out party as Messiah, Mary still desires that Jesus do something about the lack of wine. So, she turns to the servants and says, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Jesus gave the servants very clear instructions. His directions were simple and concise. “Take those six waterpots and fill them with water.” There isn’t much room for misunderstanding here. And then He said, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” When the master of the feast tasted it, he found that it was good wine. Clearly communicated instructions led to a miraculous outcome.

It is true that Jesus often spoke in parables to the masses. Many times they did not understand what He was saying. However, Jesus always took time to explain and to clarify His words to His disciples. He wanted those who believed, who followed Him, to understand clearly what He was saying.

We need to take time with staff, boards and councils to make sure that they understand our vision, our expectations and our directives. If the people consistently fail to get the message then the fault most likely is that of the leader. We always need to give our people the freedom to seek clarification and to gain more insight if they need it to be effective in their role.

Often our frustration with those we lead is, in fact, a failure of leadership. If our people are not accomplishing what we expect, it is easy to assume that they are not motivated or that they are lazy, when in fact, it may simply be that the did not understand our directions. Clear communication will work miracles in the workplace, in the home and in the church.

As a leader we must be willing to accept feedback from others, allowing them to assess our communication skills. If we need to improve, then we should do ourselves and our people a favor and work to improve.

THE POWER OF WORDS

I’ve recently been studying the message of many of ministries (especially those on television) and I’ve been hearing a theme that I feel is doctrinally in error and one which sets sincere believers up for disappointment. I will continue my reflections on the "Leadership Lessons of Jesus," but today I want to explore a few things that address the error being propagated by too many preachers and self-proclaimed prophets and apostles.

That there is power in our words is indisputable. I can testify to an incident in my childhood where some of my aunts were gathered with my mother in my grandmother’s living-room. (We lived with grandma while my father was serving in Vietnam.) I remember my aunts telling my mother how bad of a child I was. I was only four-years-old but they felt that I was a spoiled mommy’s boy who needed to be disciplined more. The truth is that if my mother whipped me any more or any harder than she did, she would have been arrested. Nevertheless, they were convinced I needed more discipline because I was, in their opinion, a very bad little boy.

Finally, when my mother could no longer endure their criticism, she picked me up in her arms and stormed out of the room with these parting words, “You just watch he’ll be somebody great someday.” She spoke those words forty years ago but they continue to have a powerfully positive impact on my life. So I would never dispute the fact that words have power. What I do dispute, however, is that our words have some kind of magical mystical power to create and work like a spiritual force independent of some context of communication.

Far too often verses have been ripped bleeding from their context and then pieced together in some Frankensteinian fashion to form the monster known as “Word of Faith.” Let me give a few examples. One that is common, and which I hear quite often, is that we are to “call those things which are not, as though they are.” To use this phrase, torn from its context, and to suggest that if we have enough faith we can simply speak things into existence is a total misrepresentation of the verse.

This phrase, or something like it, is in Scripture. However, it is never applied to man speaking something out of nothing. It is referring to God. Read the verse again:

17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. (Rom 4:17, KJV).

Some will try to twist the verse to suggest that it is Abraham who “calleth those things which be not as though they were” and since God is no respecter of persons, we too can speak something out of nothing. Such a translation shows a basic ignorance both of the Greek and of sound biblical exegesis. Every translation available makes it even clearer that it is God who is calling things which are not as though they are.

The danger of the Word of Faith theology is that it attempts to give man authority that God has reserved from Himself. In fact, many will unashamedly say that God has given us all His authority on this earth. Let me give just one example where such a claim breaks down. Jesus could forgive a man of the sins that would condemn that man to hell. We cannot speak that, therefore God has authority that we have not been given.

Another argument is that Jesus said, “We shall have whatsoever things we speak.” This comes from Mark 11:22-24

22 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. 23 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. NIV

This looks fairly straightforward. If we have faith when we pray, whatever we ask for will be ours. Here are some questions that have to be addressed: 1) Does this verse say that can ask for whatever we want? 2) Does this verse say that the creative power is in our words, or does the power reside in the One to whom we pray? 3) Is our faith in our words, or is our faith in the one to whom we pray? These questions are often ignored in a rush to take Jesus’ words as support for faulty doctrine.

The context begins with the words, “Have faith in God.” This means that we trust Him, we obey Him, and we serve Him. Then Jesus uses a figure of speech known as hyperbole to make a point. Jesus often used hyperbole as it was a common form of illustration used in rhetoric in that day. The failure to recognize the use of this form of speech has resulted in many ridiculous mistranslations of Scripture. For example, Jesus was using hyperbole when He said it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of needle than it was for a rich man to be saved. He uses an extreme example to make a point. The point is that it is difficult for the rich to be saved because they tend to have more faith in their money than in God. He was not talking about a gate in the wall around Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” that was a tight squeeze for camels. Such a gate never existed.Check out this Bible Study on "The Needle's Eye"

The point of Jesus in the message on speaking to the mountain, which was a fairly common rabbinic phrase, is that it takes faith in God for our prayers to be effective. It means that even the greatest of difficulties can be overcome through prayer and faith.

Still, the Word of Faith folks will insist that this be taken literally and that with enough faith we can simply go around speaking to mountains and they will move. If the mountain doesn't move it is a lack of faith on our part. It is interesting that these folks will insist on the literal when it supports their doctrines, but will readily explain away verses dealing with opulent attire and the silence of women in the church. I’m simply saying that every text has a context and that entire scope of Scripture must be in agreement with any single verse.

Asking and receiving must be understood in the light of other verses dealing with this subject, such as:

John 14:12-14
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. NKJV

The caveat is that we must ask in His name. That doesn’t mean we simply tag the name Jesus at the end of our prayers like some hocus-pocus, and then presto-chango we get what we want. Praying in the name of Jesus means that we pray in accordance to His will and His plan for our lives.

James says:
15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:14-16, NKJV)

Then, again Jesus gives us this condition for asking and receiving:

John 15:5-8
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. NIV

Our asking and receiving has everything to do with God’s will and God’s Word. When His Word and His life are flowing through the vine into the branches, then when we pray we should be praying, “Not my will, but thine be done.” It isn’t our shopping list that we are to bring to God, but surrender and submission to His work through us. The vine gives the branch the power to produce fruit, and not the other way around.

The key to answered prayer is God’s desires in our heart, God’s word in our mouth, and God’s will in our mind. The Word of Faith movement seeks to put man’s words in God’s mouth. This is the mark of a false prophet. The false prophet says, “Thus saith the Lord,” when God has not spoken. A true prophet has God’s Word in his mouth. He only speaks what God wills.

Do I believe that God hears and answers prayer? Sure I do. But I do not believe that praying for things that are outside of the scope of the plan of God for our lives is a prayer that God obligates Himself to answer.

James 4:2-10
2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

"God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble."

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. NKJV

The danger of the Word of Faith message is that it tries to give man prerogatives that are God’s alone. It promises that with enough faith our health and wealth are assured. Therefore, it sets men and women up for spiritual crises in their lives. No one dies of health. There is a sickness unto death and to live in denial of that fact only makes the end more painful. Furthermore, it implies that people who have achieved wealth have more faith than those who are poor, that those who have had the benefit of a great healthcare plan and have been healthy are somehow greater examples of faith than those who live in countries where disease is a daily reality, regardless of your “faith.”

There is the power of influence through our words, the power to positively or negatively affect the lives of others and ourselves through “self-speak.” There is the power of speech in prayer when we pray according to God’s will. There is the power to rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus and gain the victory over temptation and trials. There is power, but is not a creative power that is mirrored in creation. That is God’s power and is demonstration of the Creator’s omnipotence in contrast to our limitations as created beings.

IV) A MARVELOUS MISSION

Luke 4:14-21

After overcoming Satan and triumphing over temptation in the wilderness, Jesus returned to His hometown and to the Synagogue. It was there that Jesus received scroll of Isaiah and He found the place where it was written:

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-9, NIV)

After reading the text Jesus told those listening, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21, NIV). Jesus was clearly applying this Messianic text to Himself. The verses which follow reveal that those listening understood that this was what Jesus was doing and they were having trouble accepting it.

One thing is evident, and that is that Jesus knows who He is and He knows what He has come to do. He has declared a marvelous mission. In other words, when Jesus came out of the wilderness, He knew where He was headed. He had a direction, a mission, a purpose to fulfill. It is one thing to have a general sense of purpose, to know that you’ve been called to accomplish more with your life than what you are doing at the moment. But it is another step in the journey to know what it is that you’ve been called to do.

It is frustrating for both the leader and those who attempt to follow him or her, when there is no clear direction to travel. Who would want to follow a leader who rallies the people with the cry, “Come and follow me!” But when they ask where he is leading, to here him say, “I’m not sure.” This isn’t very assuring.

However, when a leader has a mission (and it may be the mission of the organization he or she represents) at least the people who follow have the security of a direction. Jesus was saying, “Here is who I am (the Anointed One) and here is what I’ve come to do (preach to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners, bring sight to the blind, release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.)"

That mission should have resonated with the people who heard it. They were looking for Messiah. They were seeking someone who would do these very things. Unfortunately, because they had known Jesus for most of His human life, they had a difficult time accepting Him as Messiah. (Tomorrow I will address the issue of overcoming the contempt of familiarity.) As mission statements go, however, this was a marvelous one. Leaders need to offer those who follow, a mission that will inspire. Leaders should hear from God, know where He is leading, and then paint the picture of a marvelous opportunity to achieve greatness together as a team working toward a common goal.

People want to be inspired, they are willing to follow someone who can build confidence and who will embrace a mission that leads the team to a higher level. Give them a mountain to climb, give them the training and the equipment to climb it, and then lead them to the top and they will follow.

III) TRIUMPHING OVER TEMPTATION

After being baptized Jesus experiences His wilderness temptation (ref. Matt. 4:1-11;.Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). The same Spirit who descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove, now moves Him to go into the wilderness where Jesus goes on a forty-day fast and afterward He was tempted by the devil. There are two lessons on leadership that the account of the temptation of Jesus provides. First, there is the issue of the wilderness experience, and second, there is the issue of triumphing over temptations.

A. Walking in the Wilderness

When we look at great leaders of Scripture we find that many of them had a wilderness experience—Moses, David, Elijah, Elisha, etc. Being elevated to a position of leadership can sometimes be a lonely experience, at least initially. Our relationship with people who were once our peers will change once we are placed in a position of authority over them. It doesn’t mean that we have to change, or that we begin to treat them as though they are inferior to us. It simply means that the relationships change. They will look at us differently. The people we lead have expectation of us as a leader that they did not have when we were their peer. As a leader we are suddenly responsible for them. We are responsible for equipping them, motivating them, providing vision for them, modeling good work habits, and so on.

As a leader we often find ourselves feeling isolated and alone. The old adage that “it’s lonely at the top” has some truth to it. The wilderness experience is not necessarily a bad thing. It was in the wilderness that Moses had his burning bush experience. It was in his wilderness that God was training David to be a warrior and a military leader. It was in the wilderness that Elijah saw God give miraculous provision and he learned to hear the still small voice of God. Jesus in the wilderness identified with the human struggle with temptations.

There are lessons to be learned about trusting the Lord and standing strong. In the wilderness we cannot lean upon others, we can only lean upon God. In the wilderness we learn more about who we are and what we are made of, because there is no one there to take up our slack. And we find that if we will keep walking, keep moving in the direction toward which our moral compass points, we will come out the other side of the wilderness stronger and more prepared for leadership than we were when we went into the wilderness.

B. Triumphing over Temptation

It is often in the wilderness where we are tempted to quit, to compromise, or to engage in self-aggrandizement. Jesus was hungry and He was tempted by Satan to use divine power to turn stones into bread. Jesus was tempted to use His authority and His power to serve Himself. Unfortunately we see far too many leaders fall to this very temptation. It happens in business and it happens in ministry. We begin to rationalize and to reason that we deserve this because, after all, we are the leader. Leaders holding lofty positions have come tumbling down because they used their position for personal gain and lost sight of the greater good.

Often a leader does receive some “perks” that they did not enjoy before being elevated to a new position. Such benefits should always be received in humility and never with arrogance. But the pay raise, the new office, or the company car does nothing to make us better than those we lead. These things are provided so that we may be more effective and efficient as a leader. Using our position to gain greater privilege for self, and viewing ourselves as separate from the organization we lead, is a big mistake and it can only lead to trouble.

Jesus overcame this temptation by putting things into perspective. He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4, NJKV). In other words, “There are some things more important than meeting the immediate desire of the flesh.” When tempted to use our position for personal gain we should always consider the implications beyond the moment. The impact upon those we lead, when we appear to be self-serving, can be devastating and we begin to lose respect in their eyes.

The second temptation Jesus encountered was to take a shortcut to attain the goal. Satan promised to give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would bow down and worship Satan. Jesus had already been promised this by the Father. However, the path that would take Jesus to this end was to go through Calvary and an old rugged cross. Satan was telling Jesus that there was an easier way.

Leaders are often faced with the temptation to take the easy way. To take shortcuts and to make compromises. We can cut a little quality here, save a little there, cut back some benefits here, increase the workload there and “presto chango” we’ve reached our goal. But at what expense? Nothing is worth selling our soul for. No profit margin, no advancement in ministry, nothing is worth our soul. What have we profited if we gain the whole world and yet lose our soul? (Mk. 8:36)

Jesus responded, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Luke 4:8, NKJV). I do not believe that it is possible to be a great leader apart from God. We always need to be aware that we will answer to a higher power. We need to remember that we are not God, we do not deserve worship and all the glory should go to Him. There is no one who should ever have more influence over our lives than God and His Word.

The third temptation Jesus encountered was to throw Himself off the pinnacle of the temple and see if God the Father would dispatch angels to catch Him. There is a difference between a leap of faith and a fool’s rush. Wisdom, is knowing the difference.

Jesus told Satan, “You shall not temp the LORD your God.” Leaders are sometimes tempted to make decisions that have not been carefully considered or analyzed and then expect someone to catch them if they fall. In many Christian circles this has been equated with faith. But faith is not about devising plans independently of God’s will and expecting Him to bail us out if it looks like it is going down. Faith is, first and foremost, about hearing God, getting His direction and then (and only then) moving forward with the trust that if He calls us to it, He will see us through it.

Jesus overcame these temptations, and many others, to live the life He had come to live, and to become the leader He had come to be. If we cannot endure through the wilderness walk, and if we cannot triumph over the myriad of temptations we will face as leaders, we will never be a great leader. Instead, we will more likely be a fallen leader.

II) THE NECESSITY OF HUMILITY

Matt 3:13-17

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
NIV

The next major event in the life of Jesus was that He was baptized by John in the Jordan River. This event is of major significance, as evidenced by the fact that it is recorded in all four Gospels. John was a man of some renown in his own right. He was drawing large crowds who came to see this rough wilderness man who wore camel’s skins and ate locusts. What they found in John was someone who had no patience for hypocrisy and compromise. His was a call to repentance.

Instead of focusing on himself, however, he was preparing the way for the coming Messiah. He spoke about the one who would come who would baptize people in the Holy Spirit and with fire. John humbly confessed that he was not worthy to even unlatch the sandals of this one. And then, one day as John was speaking, his cousin Jesus began to make His way to the river to be baptized by John.

How John knew that Jesus was the Messiah is not known. It could be that his mother, Elizabeth, told him the story of her visitation from Mary. It could be that there was the witness of the Holy Spirit in John himself. But it seems that even before the confirmation by the Holy Spirit and the declaration of the Father, that John knew that Jesus is the One. He said to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Consider what Jesus was doing. He was altogether holy. He was righteous through and through, and yet He came to the river in witness of the crowd to allow John to baptize Him in the Jordan. Why? He had no sins. He did not need to repent of anything. He created the very ground upon which He stood and the river into which He would be baptized. It is no wonder then that John should be reticent to baptize Jesus.

But Jesus said, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.

Consider those words, “It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” This phrase has been the source of much conversation through the years of theological reflection. There are some who believe that the word “us” refers to Jesus and John and that they needed to follow through on this to bring righteousness into reality. If this is the case then point may well be that just as the cross gave meaning to all the types and symbols of sacrifice in the Old Covenant, the baptism of Jesus gives legitimacy and reality to the baptisms that John had previously performed. Just as Jesus knew no sin, and yet become the sin sacrifice in order to bring fulfillment to the Old Covenant sacrifices, Jesus who knew no sin is baptized to bring the power of righteousness into the lives of those who have repented and who were baptized.

As second understanding, is that the word “us” refers to Jesus and those whom John is baptizing. It was the proclamation of the prophets of old that the people of God repent in order to be reestablished in His favor. If Jesus this is reference, then it may be that Jesus is identifying with the people to the extent that He is willing to step into their shoes and be baptized with them. In this, they are fulfilling the call of the prophets and are embracing righteousness through repentance and forgiveness.

Either way, what Jesus is willing to do here is an example of profound humility. Though many modern leaders are portrayed as brass and arrogant, it occurs to me that humility is a necessity for great leaders. Scripture makes it clear that God will exalt the humble but He resists the proud.

Humility is not weak and placating, but is honest and empowering. Humility is willing to suffer the loss of acclaim for the greater good of others. Humility is the expression of a personality that is secure and confident. The lack of humility is often a smoke screen for insecurities and fear.

Consider the humility that Jesus displayed. Paul writes in Philippians 2:5-11:

5 Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 7 He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. 8 And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. (NLT)

Jesus embraced humility as a decisive aspect of leadership. He was willing to take on the role. He was willing to sacrifice the grandeur of heaven to embrace the humility of humanity. Great leaders understand the need to identify with those whom they lead. Jesus did not stand off at a distance and decree salvation, but Jesus came to us, became one of us, and became our salvation. Great leaders understand their people. They know what they need and what their best interests are, even when the people may not understand it at the moment. They are willing to put their own self-interests on the line to serve the people as a leader.

Some leaders simply put their finger in the wind and whatever is popular is the decision they make because they fear that they may lose some popularity. But real leaders do what is right, even when there may be negative consequences for themselves personally. Jesus was a real leader.

What is the result of humility? People are much more willing to forgive the imperfections of mere mortal leaders when they are humble. A proud and arrogant man or woman who fails is often portrayed as someone who got what was coming to them. But leaders who have led with humility usually find forgiveness comes easier.

People also like to see humble people promoted and advanced, more than they do in seeing the proud moving up the ladder. In fact, Paul goes on, in Philippians 2, to tell us that God the Father responded to the humility of Christ by exalting Him:

9 Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NLT

We are never too big to be humble. In fact, the greater the role and responsibility we have, the more humbled we should feel. We should never fain humility, but be genuine and honest in the expression of humility in our lives as leaders.

I) AN INNATE SENSE OF PURPOSE

There are not many biblical accounts of the childhood of Jesus. Luke alone preserves one account of Jesus as an adolescent. Luke says Jesus was twelve-years-old traveling with Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem to observe Passover, as they did every year. On this occasion, however, Joseph and Mary started home thinking that Jesus was with them. Instead, He had remained in the temple listening to and asking questions of the religious teachers. By the time Joseph and Mary realized that Jesus was not with them and returned, Jesus had been there for three days. During this time he astounded the teachers with His depth of understanding and with His answers to their questions.

His parents, like most parents would be, were very anxious and perhaps a bit angry that Jesus had stayed behind and allowed them to travel on without Him. Luke writes in verse 48:

So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously." NKJV

The childhood of Jesus is wrapped in silence. This silence has elicited many questions over the years, and more than a few apocryphal accounts. The truth is that there is more that we do not know than we do know. We know that Jesus took on the full form of humanity. He was born an infant and grew and matured as all babies do. He wasn’t born talking, but cooing and crying, soiling his diaper and so on. Luke tells us in verse 40 that as a child, Jesus “grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”

What we don’t know is at what age or time Jesus fully understood who He was and what His mission was. We don’t know if it was a gradual understanding (“grew in and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom”) or if there was a day, perhaps when He was twelve, when it He had an “Ah-ha” moment and He suddenly understood who He was and what His purpose was.

We do know, however, that by the time He was twelve He understood who His Father was and that His mission was to fulfill the Heavenly Father’s will for His life. In response to Mary’s question Jesus replied:

And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" (v. 49, NKJV).

It seems to me that one of the qualities of great leadership is an innate sense of purpose. Jesus was born into a carpenter’s home, and may well have been an apprentice under Joseph, but Jesus never resigned Himself to being a carpenter. He knew His purpose in life would take Him in a different direction. He made a distinction between His adoptive father Joseph and His Heavenly Father and He always placed a priority on the Heavenly Father’s will over that of any other person in His life.

Great leaders, it seems, have an innate sense of purpose. They may take a menial job, but they know that it is only temporary and that they are on a journey toward significance. There is, in the heart of leaders, a sense of destiny and there is an accompanying drive that never loses sight of that purpose even when their lives may seem at any given moment to be far from where they know they are going.

There are some popular books being written about finding one’s purpose and about directing our lives, churches, or businesses according to that purpose. Many people will wait until late in life to ask the question, but anyone who has achieved any level of success as a leader has to come to grips with the question of purpose. Good leaders may develop a purpose out of a mission statement or some personal creed. But great leaders have an innate sense of purpose that begins with a whisper in their lives even at a young age and it becomes clearer and more focused as they mature. Some people never embrace their purpose and simply try to silence the voice in an attempt to be satisfied with good instead of reaching for greatness. Such satisfaction, however, is fleeting and will eventually give way to frustration at having failed to fulfill the purpose of life that was calling them.

If I find myself asking the question, what is my purpose? I know that it isn’t something that I create but something that I remember. It is innate, God-given. It is the will of the Father, the plans He has for me, the destiny He has established for me. Unless and until I embrace that purpose, and by faith walk in that purpose, I will never find fulfillment or satisfaction in life. I must never settle when I have been called to pursue. I can never accept mediocrity when I have been called to excel. I will not trade my purpose for comfort. There is something within me, something that God has placed within me, which calls me to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling.

I’ve met so many frustrated people—pastors who are defeated; business leaders who are burned out; and parents who have given up. It may be that the source of the problem lies in the lack of purpose. How do you discover your purpose? Chances are that you don’t discover, as much as you recover. You have probably had that inner voice, that witness of the Spirit with your spirit, that you have a purpose. The noise of life, the busyness of business, and the tyranny of the urgent have conspire to drown out the still small voice of God who has been speaking purpose into your heart since you were a child. To rediscover and to recover your purpose, you may have to be still and know that God, He is God, and that if you will listen He is still speaking. Hear Him and allow your faith to embrace His plans for your life.


SERMON OUTLINE

BORN ON PURPOSE
By Mark E. Hardgrove, D.Min.
Text: Jer. 1:4-8

Jer 1:4-8
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."
7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. NIV

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever felt as though God had a plan for your life? I’m talking about a purpose, a plan, a destiny. There’s a good chance that what you are feeling is God’s calling. When we talk about God’s call we often think of it in prophetic terms, or some type of pulpit ministry. But such narrow view of "calling" leaves many people frustrated and unfulfilled. In fact, God does created each of us with the potential to achieve a destiny that is both fulfilling and inspiring. It may be as a nurse on the pediatric ward ministering to parents. It may be as a teacher in a public school bringing order and hope in the midst of chaos. It may be as a financial advisor helping people plan and prepare for their future. But God’s call certainly isn’t limited to the space behind a pulpit, or even within the four walls of the church. God has a call for people in almost every walk of life.

I) FORMED FOR A FUTURE

God told Jeremiah that before he had been formed in his mother’s womb, God knew him. This doesn’t mean that God knew Jeremiah as a spirit before conception. It means that God knew the plans He had for Jeremiah before Jeremiah was conceived. It means that when God formed Jeremiah as a fetus in the womb of his mother, God formed him with a future. You are not an accident. You are part of the plan of God and before you were even born, God formed you with a future hope, a destiny. I’m not talking about being predestined to hell or to heaven, but about the possibility of a wonderful future that is ours if we will walk by faith and will embrace the plan of God for our lives.

II) SET APART FOR A PURPOSE

God told that Jeremiah that he had set him aside for a special purpose. There were probably many other babies born on the day that Jeremiah was born, but Jeremiah had been set apart by God. His purpose was unique. There is no one else in the world that is exactly like you. Even if you are an identical twin, your experiences and your destiny is unique to you. Jeremiah was not to run with the pack, but to fulfill the purpose for which he had been set apart. There comes a time when we have to break with the pack, to refuse to go along with the flow and step into our unique God-given purpose.

III) APPOINTED AS A PROPHET

Jeremiah had been formed, set apart, and appointed to be a prophet to the nations. God had ordained Jeremiah to fill a specific role and to function in a fashion that satisfied the plans of God. Some folks want to be anointed, but they are not willing to be appointed. They want God’s blessings, but they will not do God’s bidding. We were born with a purpose and we will never fulfill that purpose until we accept our appointment. We talk about ordained ministers, but God ordains people for other ministries as well. He ordains or appoints people in all walks of life to make a difference, to have a positive impact in the kingdom of God. God has an appointment for your life. Don’t ignore Him and wake up to find that you’ve lived an unfulfilled and meaningless life simply because you missed your appointment.

CONCLUSION

Jeremiah, like Moses before Him, tried to excuse himself from his purpose. But God gave Jeremiah a promise, and it is a promise that every child of God can stand on. “’Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the LORD” (v. 8, NIV).

If you will find and fulfill your purpose, God has promised to rescue you, to take care of you, to insure your success in your God-given call. Jesus said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” You were born with a purpose. You were formed with a future, set apart and appointed by God to fulfill a greater plan. Will you embrace that purpose today?

LESSONS ON LEADERSHIP FROM JESUS

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM JESUS
By Mark E. Hardgrove, D.Min.

Introduction

I have spent many years studying the topic of leadership. I used to read every book that I could get my hands on that dealt with leadership. In fact, the thrust of the doctoral program I finished last year was on the topic of Pentecostal Leadership. But when we consider the topic of leadership it seems to me that no one could claim more success than Jesus Christ. Even if one did not believe in Jesus as God incarnate, he or she could not deny the scope and the power of His influence throughout the world over the last 2000+ years. So I’ve laid aside John Maxwell’s books (which are inspiring), and I’ve laid aside the top business books on the topic. I’ve laid aside the business and leadership magazines and I’ve gone back to the Bible to study the leadership skills and genius of Jesus. I know that others have done the same and books are written on the subject, but I’m not using any other source than the Bible, the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit and my God given powers of insight and reflection.

When I look at my own leadership skills I can honestly assess both my strengths and weaknesses. God has used me in various leadership capacities and I am often called upon to assume leadership roles. However, I am often frustrated by several weaknesses I see in myself. I've read some books that say we can learn and develop leadership skills. Other books suggest that leadership is an innate quality. I must say that while reading the works of others on the subject I have been able to maximize my strengths, but I find that my weaknesses are still weaknesses.

I question whether it is possible, by an act of sheer will, to simply change and transform ourselves into great leaders. My premise in this study is that (1) Jesus was a great leader, (2) that through the Holy Spirit and faith we can become more like Jesus, (3) therefore, it is possible through Christ to become a better and more effective leader.

I welcome your response to these reflections over the next few weeks. I will try to develop my points in a systematic fashion that will be accessible to pastors for sermon or teaching material and I will try to keep each point “bite sized.” I will also try to leave you with a brief outline of a biblical text for you to develop into a sermon.

SERMON OUTLINE
ARE WE THERE YET?
By Mark E. Hardgrove, D.Min.
Text: Ex 13:17-18

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle. NIV

INTRODUCTION
When we have a vision of where we want to go in life we often envision the quickest route. It may be, however, that God will take us the long way. His promise is that if we endure to the end, we shall be saved. Often we are like our children in the back seat of the car on a long trip. We grow impatient and irritable as we keep asking, “Are we there yet?”

I) THERE WAS A SHORTER ROUTE BUT GOD SENT THEM THE LONG WAY
The shortest route may not be God’s plan. Our success may not come overnight, but may be a process that takes a long time. The journey, if we approach it with the right attitude and with faith, will be a part of the plan for our development to succeed once we reach the vision.

II) THERE WOULD BE BATTLES THEY WERE NOT PREPARED TO FIGHT
God could have led them through the land of the Philistines, which was much shorter and quicker, but the Philistines were fierce warriors who were more than a match for these slaves coming out of Egypt. The Israelites did not have the military skill necessary to fight these people. Those skills had to be developed in smaller battles. But perhaps more importantly, the faith of the Israelites was still very fragile. Before they faced a major conflict, God would use a series of miraculous interventions to build their faith in Him. He took them to the Red Sea and allowed them to be trapped between the enemy and the deep red sea. Why? So that He could prove Himself strong on their behalf and begin the boot camp of faith development. Furthermore, God knew that in the face of the Philistines the Israelites would be tempted to return to Egypt. So by taking the longer route, God put a sea between them and Egypt.

III) GOD SENT THEM OUT ARMED BUT IN NEED OF TRAINING
Notice, that God did not lead the Israelites out of Egypt unarmed. They were “armed for battle.” They had the arms, but they were not yet prepared to use them. They were like college graduates who have the degree, but no experience. Like new Christians who have been provided with an arsenal of spiritual weaponry, but who need to learn how to fight the good fight of faith.

CONCLUSION
If achieving your vision is taking longer than you thought it would, don’t fret, don’t grow weary, and don’t quit. Instead, realize that God may have taken you the long way so that you can learn some things on the journey that will be beneficial to you when you reach the destination. So when you ask the question, "Are we there yet?" You may just hear the Lord say, "No. You're not there yet. But you're on your way."

A Little Sermon Outline from Matthew 13:24-30

I am in currently in the process of outlining the entire Gospel of Matthew into sermon outlines/manuscripts. I've been working on this for a couple years now and today I outlined a sermon from Matthew 13:24-30. I welcome you to look at this, comment on it, and use it for yourself if you should so choose.


I do want to state for the record that I maintain the copyright on all my work, including the BLOGS. This means that while I am happy to have others print out and use the material I provide, credit for sources should always be given and should never be used in any publication without my prior consent.


With that said I turn to the Word.

Title: "The Wheat and the Weeds"

By: Mark E. Hardgrove, D.Min.

Text: Matt. 13:24-30

INTRODUCTION

I grew up in the church during a time when the church was very strict. Legalism was a problem. The view of the church was that of a very sterile spiritual environment. It often seemed to me that everything was wrong, everything was a sin, and the only real Christian was a miserable Christian.

We seemed to be all too eager to weed out the sinners, to get the Achans out of the camp. It seems perhaps that we lost a lot of good, sincere, seekers who weren't quite there yet, but who could have been nurtured into a closer walk with God.

Jesus said that that Kingdom of Heaven is like a field where wheat and weeds grow together.

I) THERE IS NO PERFECT CONGREGATION

Over years of pastoral ministry and as a layman, I have come to realize that there are no perfect congregations and it is a farce to think that we can ever get every person in the congregation to arrive at perfection. Christian perfection is a journey as much as it is a destination. The Apostle Paul himself admitted that he had not yet arrived, but he was in the press. The truth is that we are all in the press. There are some who are mature Christians, others who are carnal Christians, and still others who are merely seeking for something. Realizing this is a liberating insight. My expectations for members becomes much more realistic and my role in their lives as minister becomes clearer.

II) THERE IS A PROGRAM FOR THE KINGDOM

When the servants saw the weeds growing in the field they wanted to know if the owner of the field wanted them to go and pull the weeds out. He said, "No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat."

This is not an endorsement of sin, or an invitation to "let anything go" in the church. But it is wisdom. We have communion each first Sunday of the month and the elders distribute the elements. One of the elders was concerned that some of the people who were partaking seemed to be less than committed to the Christian walk. He suggested that the elders be given the authority to deny giving the elements to these people. As a pastor I saw all kinds of trouble with this approach. It places elders in the position of judges, it will potentially offend both weak Christians and anyone related to them. It is a case of pulling up weeds at the expense of the wheat. I think Jesus is saying that there are time when we have to tolerate the weeds to preserve the wheat.

I told the elder that I would make it very clear before the elements are distributed that each person should examine him or herself and make sure that their walk with God is what it should be. Then I will pause for a time of personal reflection, prayer, repentance and forgiveness. Beyond that I would not want to sit as judge for each and every person partaking of communion.

III) THERE IS A PROMISE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Some will insist that the church should do all that it can to remove the weeds. I would suggest that we should do all we can to see a tranformation of weeds to wheat. God turns sinners into saints, the lost into the found, and the darkness into light. The role of judge and jury belongs to God. He said, "Let them both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn" (RSV).

A) The weeds will be separated by reapers (angels?), who will then bind them and burn them. No one is getting over on God. They may be in the church for years, may even be charter members, but if their lives do not produce the fruit, if they have been weeds hiding among the wheat, the day will come when they are identified and dealt with. That day and that punishment is in God's hands.

B) The wheat will be taken into His barn. The weeds do not prevent the wheat from being wheat. There is nothing and no one around us who can keep us from being committed Christians. We may sometimes feel like we are a lone shoot of wheat in a field of weeds, but God knows who you are and where you are. When the day comes for harvest, He will find you and take you home.

CONCLUSION

Let me ask you today, Are you a weed or are you wheat? I lived in Kansas and saw massive wheat fields. The thing is that when wheat initially begins to grow, it looks a lot like grass. Weeds may be able to hide among the wheat for awhile, but notice that when the wheat began to bear grain, the distinction was obvious. We will know them by the fruit they bear. Are you wheat or are you weeds. Does your life show the fruit that distinguishes you from the weeds?

If you are here today and are not sure that you would be ready to go to the barn when the harvest comes, I invite you to come and find that assurance. Don't think that simply going to church and doing churchy things will save you. You must be born again. Why not come today and allow God to transform your life?