Follow the Leader

Introduction

Theseus and the Labyrinth

In the days of ancient Greece, Athens lived under a dark shadow. As punishment for a past offense, King Minos of Crete demanded a gruesome tribute: every nine years, seven young men and seven young women were sent to Crete, only to be cast into the Labyrinth—a sprawling, twisting maze designed by the master craftsman Daedalus. At its center lurked the Minotaur, a terrifying creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull. No one who entered had ever returned.

When the third tribute came due, Theseus, the prince of Athens, refused to let his people suffer any longer. He volunteered to go, not as a victim, but as a champion determined to end the terror. His courage was matched by preparation—he sought every possible advantage. Upon arriving in Crete, he caught the attention of Ariadne, King Minos’ daughter. Moved by his resolve, she secretly gave him a ball of thread and told him how to use it: tie one end to the entrance, and let it unwind as you journey inward. That thread would be the lifeline back to safety.

Inside the Labyrinth, darkness closed in and the air grew heavy. The twisting corridors disoriented the senses. Yet Theseus moved with purpose, the thread unspooling behind him, his companions close at hand. Deep in the maze, he confronted the Minotaur in a brutal fight. With strength and skill, he struck the killing blow, ending the monster’s reign of fear.

Then, retracing the thread, Theseus led the Athenians out of the Labyrinth into the light of day.

Without Ariadne’s guidance, they would have wandered endlessly until exhaustion or the Minotaur found them.

Throughout the biblical record, God always led his people, guiding them, and giving them instruction for living.

He still does today.

Led by the Father

In the OT, the faithful were led by the Father in the pillar of fire/cloud

Exodus 13:21–22 “21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”

Exodus 40:34–38 “34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.”

Numbers 14:14 “14 and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.”

Nehemiah 9:12 “12 By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go.”

Led by the Son

In the NT, the faithful were led by Jesus

Matthew 9:9 “9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.”

Matthew 8:19–22 “19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.””

Matthew 10:38 “38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

Matthew 16:24 “24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Matthew 19:27 “27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?””

John 10:27 “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Led by the Spirit

Today, the faithful are led by Spirit

Acts 8:26–29 “26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.””

Acts 11:28 “28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).”

Acts 21:10–11 “10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ””

Acts 13:2 “2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.””

Acts 16:6–10 “6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

Romans 8:14 “14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Galatians 5:16–18 “16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Conclusion

God also leads through his written and revealed Word, prophetic voices, and spiritual manifestations, but at the root of each avenue is God himself.

Throughout history, God’s presence has led his people. The question always revolved around their willingness to follow him