Leadership and Response

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 29

TOPIC: Leadership and Response

Bobby Earls, First Baptist Church – Icard, May 19, 2002

BIBLE SURVIVORS SERIES – Message 29

There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “He who thinks he leads when no one follows is only taking a walk.” Leadership is meaningful because people respond to a leader.

In the Old Testament account of the building of the first temple, David appears as a leader who effectively moved other leaders and followers to accomplish a task, the task of preparing the materials which his son Solomon would later use to construct the Temple of God in Jerusalem.

For a leader to lead effectively, he must have both vision and task. A vision without a task, and followers who accomplish the task, is only an illusion, a dream unfulfilled.

On the other hand, a task without a vision is a drudgery. A task without vision becomes a never-ending cycle of repetition without ever clearly understanding why one does what they do or even, if they are doing what they do well. A vision without a task is a rut. And, as I heard one man recently say, “After so long, digging in this rut, it’s about six feet deep and all they have to do is fill the hole in with dirt and bury you.” Someone else said, “Choose your ruts carefully. You may be there awhile.”

But when a task is coupled with vision you have leadership. Leadership that gets the job done.

First Baptist Church, Icard has a vision of turning attenders into members, and members into ministers. In short, our purpose is to help every member of this church become fully committed followers or disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are looking for a church where you will be challenged to grow in your faith, and challenged to use your spiritual giftedness to serve God, then this is the church for you. If you’re looking for a church where you can be comfortable just where you are, then you’re going to have problems here.

But here’s the point. Our vision, or our purpose, to make fully committed disciples, requires tasks. It requires structures to accomplish those tasks. And it requires leaders to lead the structures of ministry-related tasks throughout the church. So, what I have said then is this. Leadership calls for both vision and tasks.

LEADERSHIP CALLS FOR A VISION AND A TASK

Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the Lord God. 1 Chronicles 29:1

David had the vision of a building that was “not for man but for the Lord God.” The visionary dream of a temple for God’s work fired the life and imagination of David. He was clear in his motive that the purpose of the structure, the temple building, was for God and not for man.

Do you have a vision for life? Do you have hopes and dreams of what you would like to accomplish? If so, might I ask, do your dreams, your goals, your vision that fires you include God or preclude God?

Our vision must include a life’s purpose that builds up God’s Kingdom! My personal vision as pastor of this great church has not changed. I still envision building a disciple making church. I still dream of turning around dead and dying churches and transforming them into Great Commission churches that make disciples as their chief end.

Although that vision has been often battered and bruised, it is still there. Our vision may seem, at times, to take a back seat, when the tyranny of the urgent takes over, but it is still there.

Not only must we envision building for God’s kingdom and His glory, but we must also make provision for that vision. That’s what David did. Look at verse two.

“Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance.

1 Chronicles 29:2

David so wanted his vision to become reality that he made regular and consistent contributions to the work. Along with the vision is the task of paying for the vision. In other words, the vision comes with a cost.

ILLUSTRATION—When Penny and I were first married we had the vision of one day having children. We wanted a family. We knew there would extra costs involved in having children, additional demands on our time and attention, as well as additional financial expenses, but we were ready, or so we thought.

I have fond memories of shopping for our first nursery. I remember how excited we were shopping for the crib, the bassinet, the baby blankets, clothes, bottles and all the other stuff babies and moms need.

Then July the 31st of 1983 came, and oh my, only mothers and fathers, can understand the joy in our lives when God blessed us with our first child. After a few days, we took him home. We were so happy.

A few weeks went by and we received a letter from the hospital. I thought, well, how nice of the hospital to follow-up with us to congratulate us on the birth of our son. Whoa!!! It was the bill for services rendered. It was then that I learned that our major comprehensive medical coverage didn’t include “well baby care.” Because Penny had a Caserean we had a higher birth cost and five days of “well baby care,” not covered by our insurance.

When Josh was born, our vision to become parents was fulfilled. But our costs were just beginning. He’s 18 now, but he still costs us! College, truck payment, etc.

Don’t miss verse three and what else David did because of his vision to build God’s building.

“Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver:

1 Chronicles 29:3

Again, vision comes with a cost. We are all called to give regularly and consistently to the work of God’s house, but on special occasions or for extraordinary opportunities, God calls us to do more in the face of need.

Of course a wonderful example of that is what happened two weeks ago, on our Faith-Seed Sunday. $33,000 on one Sunday is cause for continued celebration!

David’s vision was to build a temple for his God. The task was to prepare for that vision to become reality through personal sacrifice and appeals for others to do the same.

LEADERSHIP CALLS FOR RESPONSE

Then the leaders of the fathers’ houses, leaders of the tribes of Israel, the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the officers over the king’s work, offered willingly.

1 Chronicles 29:6

By definition, a leader is a leader because people respond and follow. Every level

of leadership should respond to the commitment of the principal leader. When David made his pledge to the building of the temple, the other leaders in the congregation responded. This included the heads of families, the officers, commanders, and every level of officials.

Please see here that the call for response involved first and foremost, a giving of oneself. In verse 5, David asked, “Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?” And it’s a great question. The ultimate response of those who follow God is total sacrifice. God demands “a living sacrifice.” Pauls said of the Christians in Macedonia, “they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”

That’s another great verse. Because it teaches the priority of giving. First, we give ourselves to God and then to those who lead us in doing God’s work. Do you ever stop to think that when someone approaches you and asks you to consider giving yourself to a new assignment of ministry in the church, or you are asked to become a supporter, or partner, an assistant, an apprentice, a teacher, a worker, a leader, a learner, a member of a small group, or whatever, that it might very well be God at work through that approaching leader, giving you an opportunity to consecrate yourself to the work of God?

But notice also that the response of all the people was one of joy and generosity when they saw their leaders give to the work. All of the people were moved to sacrificial giving in light of the leaders’ example. The result was a total effort of leaders and followers which created a great joy in the congregation.

LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSE CALLS FOR GREAT PRAISE

Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the Lord; and King David also rejoiced greatly.

1 Chronicles 29:9

Verse 9 indicates the result of such unanimous collaboration of leadership and

followers. What was it? Great Praise!

Such praise results in….

THE MAGNIFICATION OF GOD, (10-13)

THE POSITION OF PEOPLE, (14-15) We are a dependent and disappearing people.

THE CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S PRESENCE, (22)