Leaders Go Last

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Intro

This week we will be finishing up our Leadership series. So far we have talked about how leadership is a choice, and if we are going to be a leader then we have to decide how we are going to lead people, and last week we discussed how leadership is more about who you are vs what you do. Today we are going to be discussing what it means for leaders to go last.

Tell a story about when you were picked first or last for a game or sports team. How did it make you feel?

Leaders build others up

Unfortunately it isnt difficult in todays world to find someone who is in leadership for all the wrong reasons. However if we are truly going to be in leadership we have to understand that Leaders build others up and must be willing to put others needs infront of their own.

Matthew 20:20–24 (NIV)

A Mother’s Request

20:20–28pp—Mk 10:35–45

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.

Here we see a conversation between Jesus and the mother of James and John. She was asking what to us seems like a very prideful request, but lets be honest she was merely wanting the best for her children. Which any parent should want, but as Jesus said to her, she really didnt understand what she was asking.

Also we see in verse 24 what happens when people try to use their leadership as a means to lift themselves up, the rest of the disciples got upset. Im sure they were probably thinking something along the lines of who do they think they are, we are spending just as much time with Jesus, doing just as much work. Why should they be the ones at his right and left.

Leaders are Servants

Not only do leaders build others up, but leaders are also servants. We can see this in the next portion of Scripture.

Matthew 20:25–28 (NIV)

25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus here reminds us that it is the unbelievers that hold the authority and leadership over people, however there is a quote by Jerry Falwell Sr. who said “If it is Christian then it should be better” and that includes in our leadership. If you are claiming to be a Christian than you need to make sure that instead of trying to become a leader to have other people serve you, we should understand that leadership requires serving other people.

Leaders Dont Wait

So we see that Leaders build other people up, and that Leaders are servants but lastly as we wrap up this series I want to leave you with this. Leaders Dont wait. So many times people say Im going to wait until Im older, or I have more money, or I have more influence. True leaders dont wait to do the right thing, they dont wait to serve other people they start setting the example now, no matter how old they are.

1 Timothy 4:12–14 (NIV)

12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

This passage was Paul talking to Timothy who was kind of like Paul’s intern. Paul was reminding him not to let anyone think less of you because you are young, because here is the thing right is still right no matter how old the person is that is telling you about it, and wrong is still wrong no matter how old the person is that is telling you about it.

Paul is telling us that no matter how old we are, we have a responsibility to be the best leader that we can, and tells us that we can do this by setting the example for others to follow. Which means doing the right thing even when no one else is looking.

Paul also tells us how to achieve this command. Mentions devoting ourselves to the public reading of Scripture. That means we cannot be ashamed to call ourselves Christians. That means we should not be hiding the fact that we go to church. That also means that we have to actually be reading the Bible.

Finally he talks about not neglecting his gift. Each one of you have some kind of gift or talent that you are able to use to help glorify God. It is our responsibility to figure out what that is, and then do our best to use it for God’s glory.

What will you use to glorify God?