"Proven Spiritual Leadership" Pt 2
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For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit with you was not without result.
On the contrary, after we had previously suffered and were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition.
For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive.
Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.
For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives—God is our witness—
and we didn’t seek glory from people, either from you or from others.
Everybody recognizes the tremendous need for capable, enthusiastic, and inspiring INFLUENCE which is the primary role of leadership.
The question is, Is there a path to, or model of genuine spiritual effectiveness for the leader today?
YES! — (1 Thessalonians 2:1-6)
In these six verses we learn at least five principles for an effective ministry! Last week we explored the first two:
I. PAUL was CONFIDENT in GOD'S POWER! – (2:1-2)
I. PAUL was CONFIDENT in GOD'S POWER! – (2:1-2)
Paul was confident in God's power and that gave him tenacity! – (v.2)
(Romans 8:31) – “…If God is for us, who is against us?”
Opposition to the Gospel does not change the message, or method (preaching)!
“…great opposition” – from πολλῷ ἀγῶνι – ‘opposition, struggle, conflict, fight.’ The term refers to a life-or-death struggle, an agonizing.
In the ministry there's always pressure to compromise, to not offend someone, to soften the message, to make it acceptable to sinners. But that wasn't Paul's strategy, and it should never be ours!
II. HE WAS COMMITTED TO GOD'S TRUTH! (2:3)
II. HE WAS COMMITTED TO GOD'S TRUTH! (2:3)
Paul’s confidence in God's power gave him TENACITY; his commitment to God's truth gave him INTEGRITY!
If the ENEMY can’t destroy you by OPPOSITION, then he’ll try to destroy you by questioning your integrity and having people lose their confidence in you.
Paul’s straightforward response was to declare his message was true, his motives were pure, and his method was straightforward!
III. HE WAS COMMISSIONED BY GOD'S WILL! (2:4a)
III. HE WAS COMMISSIONED BY GOD'S WILL! (2:4a)
Not only did Paul have TENACITY and INTEGRITY but he had AUTHORITY.
“Why do you speak, Paul? Why are you doing this?” TWO REASONS:
A. He was QUALIFIED to PREACH THE GOSPEL! – (v.4a)
A. He was QUALIFIED to PREACH THE GOSPEL! – (v.4a)
The phrase, “we have been approved by God...” is the Greek verb dokimazo which means to be tested and found valid, found good, to be approved after testing.
It's a perfect tense verb which means it indicates a lasting approval. We have been and continue to be approved by God. God tested us, we passed, and we are the authorized ministers of the gospel.
(Ephesians 3:8) – “This grace was given to me…”
God gives the grace to do it! I am NOT worthy apart from grace, but I am worthy IN his grace.
B. He was ENTRUSTED with the GOSPEL! – (v.4b)
B. He was ENTRUSTED with the GOSPEL! – (v.4b)
that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.
In his own time he has revealed his word in the preaching with which I was entrusted by the command of God our Savior:
So here you have a man who is under command, under authority and has delegated authority. And I believe that we have authority in our ministry when we speak as those who have been chosen, approved, and placed by God in this world to preach His truth.
What gives authority to our ministry? Speaking the Word of God powerfully and clearly.
Your authority doesn't go beyond the Scripture, but, boy, when you come you better come with the message entrusted to you and know that when you preach it with power and conviction you carry the authority of God.
IV. Paul was COMPELLED by GOD'S KNOWLEDGE! – (2:4b-5)
IV. Paul was COMPELLED by GOD'S KNOWLEDGE! – (2:4b-5)
Paul’s ministry was marked by tenacity, integrity, authority. He also had a ministry marked by ACCOUNTABILITY!
And that's the BALANCING POINT to authority in many ways. The AUTHORITY of a pastor-teacher, or minister-preacher (whichever your preferred title) is our ACCOUNTABILITY TO GOD!
“What's Paul saying?” He’s saying, “I am compelled by GOD'S KNOWLEDGE.”
I mean God knows everything. What motivates me is His omniscience. He examines my heart. He witnesses everything about me. And that is a great measure of accountability, as well as assurance when the attacks come!
For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul understood the danger, or consequences, of trying to please men!
Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.
“Why, Paul? Why are you so consumed with pleasing God?”
Because God examines our hearts—to the inner self, the real you, where thought and feeling and will and motive all meet.
God knows those deep things and He knows whether I am seeking to please men or Him. And I am compelled by that knowledge.
A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God.
In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful.
It is of little importance to me that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I don’t even judge myself.
For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. It is the Lord who judges me.
So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.
Paul’s desire to please God manifested itself in TWO WAYS:
A. He wasn’t motivated by POWER! — (v.5a)
A. He wasn’t motivated by POWER! — (v.5a)
"…flattering speech”– Do you know what flattery is? It's a form of exploitation.
Flattery is since everybody's ego loves to hear good things about themselves!
Now if you say a good thing about a person and you have no intent other than to say good about them, that's not flattery. If you say a good thing about a person and have in your mind some purpose for that which will come to your benefit, that's flattery.
You say something good to someone as a ploy to win them to yourself for self-interest and personal gain. You set them up for your own deceptive purposes.
A person who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
People are so egotistical, when people say nice things about them, they get sucked in!
May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks boastfully.
The purpose of flattery is to gain power over people, a common ploy among religious charlatans, and Paul says we didn't do that because God's watching.
B. He wasn’t motivated by POSSESSIONS! — (v.5b) – “…or had greedy motives”
B. He wasn’t motivated by POSSESSIONS! — (v.5b) – “…or had greedy motives”
Lit., “We didn’t come putting a coat over our greed!”
I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me.
V. Paul was CONSUMED with GOD'S GLORY! (2:6)
V. Paul was CONSUMED with GOD'S GLORY! (2:6)
Paul didn't look for honor. He didn't want praise. He wasn’t a Diotrephes!
I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive our authority.
“Seek” -- ζητοῦντες is from the root zeteo, which means to habitually seek.
We weren't habitually seeking honor, habitually seeking awards and laurels and stroking and appreciation dinners and attention and accolades, and applause and plaudits and prestige.
The only glory Paul ever sought was eternal!
For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake.
For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
He never sought what belonged to God! His only desire was for them to see, “…the face of Jesus Christ.”
In essence, Paul is saying, “Even though as Apostles we could have asserted ourselves, we were too preoccupied with all the glory going to Him!”
I’m still learning how to handle the praise of men—the “glorification of the worm” (Howard Hendricks)!
It's kind of a three‑legged stool that you sit on. If you have a throne, it has three legs: AUTHORITY, yes, delegated from Christ to speak His Word boldly and powerfully. ACCOUNTABILITY, yes, you better know that God knows everything you're doing and every thought and intent of your heart. HUMILITY, be sure you seek not the praise of men but that you give all the glory to God.
CONCLUSION: “WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE MINISTRY?”
CONCLUSION: “WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE MINISTRY?”
Tenacity, because you trust totally in the power of God.
Integrity, because you're fully committed to the truth of God.
Authority, because you know you have on your life the commission of God.
Accountability, because of the knowledge of God, He knows everything.
Humility, because you are consumed with the glory of God.