Leaders Follow Through
Notes
Transcript
WHAT? What are we talking about today?
ACTIVITY | Reverse Charades: Most Likely To . . . Edition
Welcome to the first week of our four-week series called Most Likely To . . ., through which we'll discover what it means to be leaders. In a yearbook, there's usually a section highlighting people who stand out for their unique qualities, called superlatives. It's an exaggerated way to recognize and celebrate people. Often, we see superlatives pop up at the end of the year to celebrate graduates. They often say things like Most Likely to Succeed, Most Likely to Invent the Next iPhone, Best Dressed, or Class Clown. If this is a new idea for you, no worries! There's a way to help us understand why we might say someone is "Most Likely To . . . "
INSTRUCTIONS: For this activity, you'll need the blank slides provided and a screen. To play, split your group into two to four teams, depending on your group size. Each team will choose one person to guess on behalf of the team. Put a few superlatives on the blank slides, and show the crowd the first clue on the screen. Encourage them to act out the clue for the guesser. The key is that only the team can act, and they are not allowed to speak or make noises. They must say "Most likely to. . ." to get the point. The first guesser to correctly guess earns their team a point. Tell each group to switch guessers and play another round. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins!
Superlatives can often set some expectations for people who receive them, but what if those expectations feel too high? What if we are expected to be the next big innovator or creative influence, but all of that seems like it's too much? You may want to be a leader like that, but following through on those expectations can feel like a lot of pressure.
VIDEO | A Clip from Never Have I Ever
I'm sure we've all been in situations in which we get caught up in a debate, but then one thing leads to another, and you're starting a nuclear war. Well, maybe not that exactly, but that's what Davi did in the Netflix show Never Have I Ever.
INSTRUCTIONS: This is a clip (0:05–3:52) from Napoleon Dynamite, in which Napoleon's friend, Pedro, gives his class presidential campaign speech, and Napoleon dances.
When it comes to being the leader we all hope to be, it's more than just empty talk. It comes with making hard decisions and doing what you say you will, even when it might cost you something.
SO WHAT? Why does it matter to God and to us?
SCRIPTURE | Matthew 21:28–32
Jesus told a story that can help us figure out why there is more to leadership than empty promises. It happened when Jesus was nearing the end of his ministry and had spent three years investing in people, healing them, and teaching them. Right before the story we're going to read, we see he was welcomed into Jerusalem by the people of Israel as a king. He was at the height of his popularity! The most important thing about this story is that Jesus knew he didn't have much time left until his death, and for the last few years, he had been teaching what it meant for people to continue to live as his followers after he was gone. So, Jesus entered the temple, the most important religious landmark of his day, and began teaching the people there. The religious leaders of the day started asking him questions and tried to trip him up. Jesus knew that these religious leaders had been focusing on religious laws and weren't following through on what God truly cared about. So he called them on it by telling this story. I
NSTRUCTIONS: Read Matthew 21:28–32
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
“ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
*TITLE SLIDE*
In this parable, the first son told his father that he would not follow his instructions, but after changing his mind, he did follow through. The other son said he would do what the father requested, but did not. The one who changed his mind, Jesus said, was "righteous," or faithful, to what his father asked. He was the one who heard what the father was saying and actually did it. Living for Jesus meant that, like this son, people would follow through on their word. Everyone could be part of this —
Jesus says no matter how spiritual we seem on the outside, the thing that truly matters is following through on how God is calling us to live.
For Jesus, part of what it means to be righteous is that we understand how God is asking us to live and then do our best to live it out.
QUESTION | "Which son are you?"
INSTRUCTIONS: Ask the following questions. Allow a few students to answer and, if you feel comfortable, comment briefly on their answers that help emphasize the Big Idea.
Which of the sons do you most relate to?
Why do you think it is important that Jesus pointed out that the marginalized people in their community were more righteous than the religious people?
Jesus isn't impressed by people who say they'll follow God but don't actually do what God says. Jesus wants us to follow his lead by acting on his words. This is what leaders who follow Jesus do. Part of what it means to be "righteous" isn't just saying the right thing — it's doing it.
SCRIPTURE | Proverbs 9:9
Proverbs is a book of wisdom sayings compiled by some of the best leaders in the long history of God's people, who knew that leadership was more than just saying you were going to do something.
INSTRUCTIONS: Read Proverbs 9:9
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
Wise and righteous people are called faithful because they choose to follow through on their growth. When they hear wise advice or instruction, they do something with that wisdom. When they learn, they follow through by acting on what they've learned. Think about a leader who says one thing and does another. Can they be trusted? Being a leader who is following Jesus means we want to follow him not just in our words, but also in our actions. Leaders listen to what God is saying and do it. Rather than simply having good intentions with their words, they recognize how impactful their actions are and follow through.
NOW WHAT? What does God want us to do about it?
POLL | Everyone Can Lead & Follow Through (Part 1)
Whether we realize it or not, we're all leaders, which means we've all had an opportunity to build on the words we say and follow through with action.
INSTRUCTIONS: Have students respond to these questions by raising hands or using a service like Slido:
I told someone I would pray for them, and then forgot.
I told a friend that I would text or call them, and I never did.
I made plans and canceled without communicating beforehand.
Maybe you're starting to see that at one point, you always intended to be a great leader like Jesus — someone who follows through — but you've been more like the second son than you have been the first.
REFLECTION | I Will Commit To . . .
Today, you might feel a little more motivated to make good on your word. To be leaders who follow through, we need to commit to three things:
COMMIT TO KIND WORDS:
Kind words are all about being mindful of the impact that comes from what we say to others and being careful not to promise things we can't follow through on. Our words can build someone up, or tear them down. As you go through this week, commit to things you know you can follow through on, and speak kindly to others in the process.
COMMIT TO PRAYER:
Spend time with God to discover how you can partner with God. You might even consider praying for someone who asked you to follow through on something this week. Put a reminder in your phone or write it into your calendar. Ask God to help you save space for the things that matter most.
COMMIT TO APOLOGIZING:
When you fall short, apologize. There will come a time when you will promise something and forget to do it or do something you didn't mean to do. Sometimes, following through includes acknowledging where we have made a mistake and moving forward. No matter whether you intended to hurt someone or not, own up to the reality that you didn't follow through and make amends.
*TITLE SLIDE
RESPONSE | A Plan To Follow Through
Being a leader who follows through can cause those who look up to us to trust, believe, and feel confident not only in who we are but also in who we are learning to be. Being a leader who follows through isn't just something we do for others.
It's something we do to model what we value.
This week, I challenge you to practice being a leader who is intentional with their time and follows through. Commit to one of the following, and then do it:
INSTRUCTIONS: Before your program, print and cut the handouts provided in your Week 1 folder. Place one under each seat, along with a pen, and encourage students to write down the answers to the prompts that correspond with the teaching in this module. Play some quiet, reflective music while they write and reflect.
POLL | Everyone Can Lead & Follow Through (Part 2)
Being a leader seems like such an exclusive thing, reserved for the captain of the team, class officer, prom royalty, or theater lead, but what if I were to tell you that everyone in this room is a leader and called to lead the way Jesus did?
INSTRUCTIONS: Have students respond to these questions by raising their hands:
Who here looks up to someone they don't know, like an athlete, a musician, or an influencer who helps others?
Who looks up to someone they know personally but isn't considered a celebrity, like a coach, teacher, parent, friend, or teammate?
With that person in mind, raise your hand if they know you look up to them.
Who here has someone they look up to in this room? Is it a student? A leader?
Take a look around. You could be one of the people who motivates someone in this room to raise their hand. We're all leaders in different ways. We all have someone we influence. Maybe it's a friend or sibling, or someone you're helping in some way. The reality is we all look up to someone, and there is likely someone who looks up to us — even if we don't know who it is. We all have the potential to lead, which means we're all invited to start thinking about ourselves as people who follow through on what we say we'll do. We are all leaders who are most likely to change the world in meaningful ways, and we all have an opportunity to be faithful to how God calls us to be
great leaders who follow through.
great leaders who follow through.
