Christian Leadership

Introduction -Hudson Taylor

Have you ever heard of the British missionary Hudson Taylor? At his birth his parents prayed that he would be a missionary to China and at the age of 21 he left Liverpool for Shanghai. He had learned mandarin, and learned many different medical techniques, and studied his bible.

When We arrived he did something that was controversial at the time for protestant missionaries. He dressed up like a Chinese man!

Hudson Taylor would found China Inland Missions which did not pay it's missionaries. He also made a goal of recruiting 24 missionaries to go back with him to China effectively providing 1/4 missionaries to China!

Taylor when recruiting people didn't take the super stars, he recruited normal people. He followed the Lord's example when recruiting fishermen. What he wanted was men and women with zeal.

"China is not to be won for Christ by quiet, ease-loving men and women… The stamp of men and women we need is such as will put Jesus, China, souls first and foremost in everything and every time--even life itself must be secondary." Taylor

He would leave the country of China go the UK, Canada, and here in America recruiting men and women to go. He lost his first wife and 4 of his 8 children. HE suffered from constant depression, but he never wavered in the mission of God. He would go home to the Lord in 1905.

CIM now Overseas Missionary Fellowship still operates today. They officially had to leave China after the Communist takeover, but they operate in countries all over East Asia.

Text

Mark 9:33–37 ESV

33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Observations

This text is radically different from our culture. We don’t strive for humility we strive to be seen and heard. This text put the child at the center, our culture values youthfulness, but not children. We strive for first place not for last place. This is totally in contradiction to what our culture believes.

Background

Child in that time were only useful so long as they made it to their teen years. A little child was worthless as he could die at anytime. In Roman culture a father could have his child killed if he so pleased, post-birth abortion or murder! Imagine hearing this as a gentile. In Rome like today this was a real hard pill to swallow.

Leadership as a Christian

This is one of my favorite topics, real king stuff here and As Christians we are Son’s and daughters of the King.

Every thing rises or falls with good leadership, you’ll wonder why things have gone astray, your family is falling apart, your country, your business. God has given us good methods of leadership! We just need to take them for ourselves.

I was listening to a British Pastor in the church of England speak about Christendom in the the UK and the Western world in general and he said paraphrasing a bit “Trust God and raise your kids to do the same and it will all work out.” Biblical leadership will help that happen. Look at what Jesus says

Humble and Servant Leadership

Mark 9:35 ESV

35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

The word servant here is the same word in the NT for deacon in the Greek. In our church our deacons do a wonderful and noble service. In my family I’m asked about how the baby is coming along, and for those of you who are members you have these men who are praying for you and care about you.

We are to do likewise for one another. The 12 were arguing and disputing and Jesus turns that right on it head.

The World’s view of Leadership

Matthew 20:25 ESV

25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

That is leadership still today, we are encouraged to Lord over one another, to beat the boss, to be bossy. No one likes someone who is bossy and yet that is what our culture tells us to be.

The Christian leader

is to be a meek man and women and God.

The Bible says this:

Psalm 25:9: "The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way."

Psalm 37:11: "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."

Psalm 147:6: "The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground."

Philippians 2:3-4 "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."

The Christian leader while not making much of himself will receive the whole world.

Application:

Leadership at home

For men put your families before yourself. Dad is out front, lead from the front. Husbands put on the boots and go. Christ loves the church and is willing to die for her, likewise men we’re to do the same for our wives, for our children.

Is your family life messed up you need to be willing to let everything die to fix it. You can’t serve God and mammon. You must choose. Serve God and that major step will put your family back on the right track, it’s never to late.

For the ladies The Bible shows that the church submit to Christ, it also says that it is more desirable to sit on your roof then to have a quarrelsome wife. A meek woman is submissive Remember 1 Peter 3:1-2

1 Peter 3:1–2 ESV

1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

For those that are single, for all of us, the Bible commands us to live quietly and peaceably.

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 ESV

11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

These actions are enough for us to build a brighter future on, because they’re God’s will for us. We know what

Leadership Outside the Home

Simply put it is help those around us accomplish the same things.

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 ESV

11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

This sounds like great policy for business, for organizations, for nations. When you get into a position of leadership this is what you need to implement.

Create a quiet environment. Peace in the home, in the church, at the job site, on the streets. This is done through encouragement and correction. Leaders don’t seek self aggrandizement, but the making of everyone great. How much more can be done at work in a peaceful, quiet environment.

Work with your own hands is another sermon for another day, but good policy would make it easy to work.

Creating a place that others could live decently or in a way that is pleasing to outsiders. Have you ever met that family with well behaved kids? Gone to a resturant that is just so well run? A Mechanic that is fair and gets his job done well? An company that doesn’t have any sneaky fees? That is to be well though of by outsiders.

Not owing anyone anything is another sermon!

Leadership Receives Others

Mark 9:36–37 (ESV)

36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

I want to focus in on this point. Leadership has a goal that is protecting, raising, loving, and reaching into the next generation.

Last Sunday many churches celebrated Pro-life Sunday. I want to state publicly here again that children matter to God. That is worth an Amen

God is the giver of children Gen. 30:22

Genesis 30:22 ESV

22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

Christ as we see in this text cares about children.

To be a good and effective leader you must realize that everything you do is about Christ and sharing him with your loved ones.

True leaders know that this side of heaven our mission is to pass Christ to our children, When you are in a position of leadership, in the church, at work, in government, at home we are to build places that value children and teach them about God.

Leaders love children, because Jesus loves children. If your in an environment that hates or doesn’t care about family you need to reform it or leave it.

This looks like in your homes creating a Deut. 6:4-8 home.

Deuteronomy 6:4–8 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

If you don’t have kids at home anymore then when they come to visit they still see that, and if you have grandchildren, them to.

If you don’t have children building a place that receives new babes in the faith.

Children matter to God and so they matter to us.

Jesus cares about children so much that he curse those who hinder children to him would be worthy of being milstoned

Matthew 18:6 ESV

6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

So what does that look like for our church

Application

Give diapers

Give casseroles

Be supportive (use older couple story)

Help your kids get into Christian education, The God of the school is on the building.

Build for them Proverbs 13:22

Proverbs 13:22 ESV

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

This command isn’t cancelled by the way, even if Jesus comes back this afternoon you should still set up your finances in a way that accomplishes that goal.

Leadership is future oriented, Christian leadership thinks in generations not 4 year cycles. We’ve been hear sense Adam and will be here until the second Adam Christ returns. Will he find us like the the servants who took the talents and made ten more or like the one who did nothing?

Christian leaders, Dads, Moms, workers, owners. We are called to the highest calling to build and strive for Christ. To be Nehemiahs’ who build the walls to protect the city, to be like Ezra and rebuild the temple. We do this for worship, we do this so that those after us my worship.

Transition

Sustenance is needed to be a good leader, we need the spiritual food to obey Christ well and so let us transition to the Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper

Brethren,

We are now about to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. This is a spiritual meal for the household of God. And Scripture commands us to examine ourselves before coming to this table and eating this bread and drinking this cup.

There is great benefit if you receive this meal with real repentance and a living faith. It will be to you a source of spiritual nourishment and further growth in Jesus Christ.

Requirements And Dangers

And yet there is potential danger if we come to this table in an unworthy manner.

So I must remind you this is a meal only for the covenant family of God.

You must profess Christ as Lord to have God as Father.

You must be baptized in His name into the visible church.

And you must be living in line with these two facts.

Practically, that means you aren’t harboring any unrepentant sin in your heart and that you have demonstrated your submission to God by joining or actively seeking to join yourself to a biblical church and submitting yourself to the elders of that church.

Examine your conscience. Is this you? If not, remain seated this time around and please let us know how we can you partake next time.

That being said, this table isn’t for perfect people. It’s for sinners. And if you are a repentant sinner who trust in Christ alone for His Salvation and love the household of God, I invite you to be strengthened by this meal.

All you weak, all you needy, all of you who hope alone in Christ come to this table in faith and be blessed by our merciful and gracious Father.

The Biblical Grounding of the Meal

Now, beloved, listen to the words of the institution of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, as they are delivered by the Apostle Paul:

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

Join me in prayer:

‘O most merciful God and Father, we call out to you, that you will be pleased in this Supper (in which we celebrate the glorious remembrance of the death of your beloved Son Jesus Christ) to work in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, that we may daily more and more with true confidence, give ourselves up to your Jesus Christ, that our afflicted and contrite hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit, may be fed and comforted with his body and blood; yes, with him, true God and man, that only heavenly bread; and that we may no longer live in our sins, but he in us, and we in him, and truly be made partakers of the new and everlasting covenant of grace.

Grant us also your grace, that we may take up our cross cheerfully, deny ourselves, confess our Savior, and in all tribulations, and with uplifted heads expect our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, where he will make our mortal bodies like his most glorious body, and take us unto him in eternity.

O Father, fill our hearts with comfort, gratitude, and celebration! For you son has conquer the world!

Amen.’

Now some instructions…

As I call the deacons forward to distribute the elements. You will see that I have one of these men pray over the element followed by us singing Let us break bread together, this is a church tradition here and we would welcome you to join our church family as we sing God the praise. Then these men will distribute the elements. I’ll read the Text from the Lord’s supper and then I’ll say take and eat or drink and you may do so at that time. We will repeat the same thing for the cup.

After the elements are consumed one of these men will give God the praise that He so rightly deserves. We will then sing the last stanza and I’ll finish the gospel reading.

eric - bread

Les - cup

Ed - praise