SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP IN AFRICA

Ambassadors of Christ Relearn

Theme: A Leader with Conviction

SUBJ: Tried, Tested, and Trusted by God

Text : Joshua 5:10-12

INTRO

One if not the Most Powerful Empire which Ruled the Mediterranean, Much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa =: Is the Roman Empire.

What is an Empire: It is a political organization where a single ruler or state controls many territories;

a. Or a country that controls many other countries.

b. The countries that are controlled are outside the borders of this one country which controls them

There have been many Empires, but we will focus on the Roman Empire because of it’s unique impact in the world even today

The empire per-excellence for the western world (The national Interest).

RE impacted the western world and the western world has impacted the African continent. (therefore, we must know this).

What was the secret to the success of the RE

1. They expanded upon Hellenistic (Greek) Culture: Hellenistic culture if the Greek culture which was mainly championed by Alexander the Great who had a vision for one language for the known world.

2. The RE embraced Christianity: The empire’s conversion to Christianity under Constantine the first, further shaped the future of western religious culture.

3. The Roam law influenced all subsequent legal systems in the West

4. It inspired the governing system of Democracy

5. The RE System was tenacious and could bounce back from setbacks, it could patiently strategize for years to get back at people

6. They were strong in Infrastructure: making roads, aqueducts, and Massive buildings that would scare the other kingdoms

7. The RE Became so powerful that no army could defeat it until internal Crisis

a. civil wars

b. Sin within

Colonization

Countries were colonized in Africa and other places because of the Roman Ideology or system of governing

a. Many of the Western countries are fragments of the Roman Empire:

b. And because these countries had the Blood of the RE in their system, they began to do exactly what the RE was doing.

c. It was the most attractive system of organization because there were a lot of benefits

Driven by this leadership Mentality:

1. Zambia was colonized by Britain:

We were called Northern Rhodesia in the 19th Ce. 18th Ce.

The European explorers, came 1911-1924 BSA,

And in 1964 we became independence (first President Kenneth Kaunda) again as a people group infected with the same Roman system

2. Likewise, Zimbabwe was also colonized by Britain in the 19th Ce. 1889 - 1970: it was called Southern Rhodesia: Became independent in 1980 April 18.

3. Malawi was likewise colonized by Britain in the 19th Ce. July 1964 but became a republic in 1966 under Hastings Kamuzu Banda, the first president;

Formerly called Nyasaland

4. Mozambique was colonized by Portuguese for four centuries; 1498 - 1975. Got independence in 1975 June 25. First president - Samora Machel But the one who led to independence in 1975 was Frelimo while Machel serving as president

Before the main Text Some important thoughts In Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 10:16 (ESV)

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,

and your princes feast in the morning!

Why? In the context we find some characteristics

Ecclesiastes 10:1–2 (ESV)

Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right,

but a fool’s heart to the left.

A. A Child is anyone who is ignorant of their history; If you do not know where you come from and what influences what you do, you are a child: You must know the philosophy of your leadership concepts

B. The writer in Ecclessiates here says that the country or kingdom ruled by a child is in trouble: that applies to any organization whether political, religious, business, and family

Church and Politics

True Leadership

How can you tell when you see a true leader? What are the characteristics of a true leader? What is it that they do? What is it that they do not do? And what is their attitude to Life? Of course leaders come in different styles but what is the common denominator?

1. They Challenge the status quo: They ask difficult questions, sometimes very unpredictable, have courage to cause change.

2. They do not give themselves Titles in fact praise makes them very uncomfortable;

3. True leaders are genuinely over-joyed to see others become better, growing in influence especially for God’s Glory.

4. Leaders have no time to be jealous of the other people because they are busy fulfilling their God given purpose.

4. But the major reason why leaders have this attitude is they know where they are from, where they are and where they are going:

The reason they know is because Leaders and readers: They have an accurate understanding of what is happening in the present as a result of the past, and what is expected to happen in the future because of the present.

5. This knowledge give leaders the sense of responsibility that super-ceds any one person and that is why they are never disturbed by another person’s success because their vision is based on transcendent and eternal significance

On A Personal Level

5. True leaders have an accurate view of themselves: they know their weakness and they feed on their strengths.

A. And that makes them excellent in knowing other people,

B. and Because they know people, they have the competence to lead.

C. And since humans can smell competence they follow them.

Re-learning: The New Generation going into the Promised Land, and the Old remaining because they could not relearn.

Joshua Chapter 1: God commissions Joshua and He is told to be strong and courageous; Be a man Joshua and in verse 10 Joshua assumes Command

Chapter 2: He sends spies as in obedience to God: And the promised land is surveyed so that he could strategize on how to conquer and yet God had a plan

Chapter 3: Joshua with the people of God Cross the Jordan in a miraculous way that resembles the crossing on the Red Sea in the time of his Mentor Moses

Chapter 4: Joshua and Israel set up twelve stones from the Jordan as a memorial

In Chapter 5: where our focus is today, The New Generation is circumcised; This is the second chance given to God’s people in reestablishing as a faithful people: But more, God gives them the nation of their own.

Joshua 5:1–9 (ESV)

As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

Major Lesson Verse 10 to 12 is a text of our focus:

Joshua 5:10–12 (ESV)

While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

CONCLUSION

Why did the Manna stop?

A. Because they were in their own land: they were independent, no longer under slavery

We in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique and other African countries have dates we call independence day: We have been set free from colonization, and we must no longer be babies.

B. God stopped treating them like babies: they needed to become responsible

C. They needed to plant their own food, dig their own wells, make their own clothes, crush their own wine and fight battles.

D. God was still with them, but they were no longer children. They knew where they came from, where they were and where God wanted them to go.

Evil under the Sun

Ecclesiastes 10:5–7 (ESV)

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

THE SOLUTION TO THIS ABNORMALITY OF OUR WORLD CAME IN CHRIST.

ISAIAH:

Isaiah 9:6–9 (ESV)

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The Lord has sent a word against Jacob,

and it will fall on Israel;

and all the people will know,

Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria,

who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:

What is the End of It All

Revelation 5:1–14 (ESV)

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.”

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!”

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.