Leadership Lessons

You may have noticed, as we work our way through this series on the gospel of the Matthew, that we are covering some sections with broad strokes because when you examine larger passages of scripture at a single time, you notice some things you might not notice when you're dissecting a passage one verse at a time.

This can be said about today's text. We're looking at the entire 9th chapter of Matthew, and it teaches us some interesting things about the ministry of Jesus.

The section we are currently in is called Impacting Your World. In Jesus, we see the epitome of influence and impact — and this is something he challenges his followers to strive for.

Make three statements about yourself: two true statements and one lie. Have the group try to guess which statement is the lie.

How is “Leadership is influence” a good definition for Leadership today?

The section we are currently in is called Impacting Your World. In Jesus, we see the epitome of influence and impact — and this is something he challenges his followers to strive for.

When you read the 9th chapter of Matthew, you see Jesus at work, going about his ministry. He's healing, teaching, responding to critics, building leaders, and motivating his followers.

Here we see Jesus as the quintessential leader, and these stories teach us a great deal about how to be the leaders God called us to be.

What shines out to you about Jesus’ leadership style generally?

What is the hardest part of leadership for you?

In there are six leadership lessons that we'll look at today. Applying these lessons to your life will help you on the job, they'll help you be a more effective parent, and they'll help you in which ever area of ministry you serve.

God called you to be a leader, and by following the example of Jesus, you can become an effective one. So, let's look at the six principles of leadership we can learn from .

First of all...

1. Great leaders mean what they say.

Great leaders support their words with action.

In other words, he walks his talk. begins with the story of a paralyzed man who is brought to Jesus by some of his friends. Matthew writes...

Read

Matthew 9:2–7 ESV

And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home.

Baker New Testament Commentary: Matthew The Healing of a Paralytic

That the case must have been rather serious is however implied in the circumstance that the afflicted one was unable to move about and had to be carried. He is pictured as lying on a pallet or a sleeping pad. Jesus, on the basis of what he could observe with his eyes, namely, that this man was being brought to him, and also because of his power to read the secrets of men’s hearts (John 2:25), “saw” the faith of the entire little company, that is, of the paralytic himself and of those who had brought him.

How serious was the condition of the man in this passage?

Baker New Testament Commentary: Matthew The Healing of a Paralytic

Before attempting to explain Matt. 9:2–8 it may be well first of all to furnish a brief harmonized story, one that with a minimum of comment includes all the main features of the three reports: Matt. 9:2–8; Mark 2:1–12; and Luke 5:17–26.

Before attempting to explain it may be well first of all to furnish a brief harmonized story, one that with a minimum of comment includes all the main features of the three reports: ; ; and .

That the case must have been rather serious is however implied in the circumstance that the afflicted one was unable to move about and had to be carried. He is pictured as lying on a pallet or a sleeping pad. Jesus, on the basis of what he could observe with his eyes, namely, that this man was being brought to him, and also because of his power to read the secrets of men’s hearts (), “saw” the faith of the entire little company, that is, of the paralytic himself and of those who had brought him.

Jesus was saying to the skeptics that day, "Listen, anyone can say 'your sins are forgiven.' But when I say it, it means something, because I have the power to forgive. And I'll prove it...Get up and walk!"

What was Jesus saying to the Skeptics of that day?

The biggest mistake that a leader can make — whether it is a parent, or a boss, or a coach, or a teacher, or any other kind of leader — is to make a promise (or a threat) that they don't have the power to implement.

Baker New Testament Commentary: Matthew The Healing of a Paralytic

As far as the record is concerned, in the New Testament, with a single exception, the only one who says “Take courage” or “Be of good cheer” (A.V.) is Jesus. In addition to 9:2 see verse 22; 14:27; Mark 6:50; 10:49 (the one exception)398; John 16:33; and Acts 23:11.

What made their faith so visible?

What has to happen before you believe a person is genuine?

What is Jesus saying that the biggest mistake a leader can make?

Years ago I worked at a restaurant. Charles, the assistant manager, got into an argument with the cook one day. It ended with Charles screaming at the cook, "You're fired!" Later, when the manager came in, we learned that the cook wasn't fired after all; it wasn't Charles' call to make. He knew it wasn't in his job description to fire people, but he tried to do it anyway. Whatever credibility Charles had with the crew was lost forever, because he had made a threat that he didn't have the power to carry out.

==> Effective leaders don't make threats or promises or give orders that they don't have the power to keep.

Much too often, I see parents make this mistake. Just last week I was visiting someone's home, and their toddler, Michael, decided he wanted to play with a computer part that had been sitting on the table. At least three times the mother said, "Michael, don't touch that."

The third time she said, "Michael, if you touch that again, I will spank you." A few minutes later, Michael picked it up and began to play with it, and she said nothing. She did nothing. He carried it around the house for awhile, and finally misplaced it.

There was no punishment or scolding; she just said with a laugh, "Well, you know how kids are."

Actually, I do know how kids are...and I know that if they live in a house where the parents don't follow through on what they say, the parents lose their effectiveness.

The flip side of this mistake is to promise our kids things that we never give to them.

In high school, one of my best friend's parents promised him that if he got a job, they would give him a car. He got the job, but they never bought the car. He finally bought one for himself.

Parents who make this mistake wonder, "Why don't children listen to me? Why don't they mind? Why don't they respect me?"

Bosses and coaches and teachers and managers ask this same question. It's as simple as this: If you want to be an effective leader, don't say something unless you mean it, and be ready to back up your words.

A great leader supports his words with actions. That's the first lesson in leadership we learn from .

-----------------------------------------

Baker New Testament Commentary: Matthew The Healing of a Paralytic

The inference seems altogether justified that the matter about which the paralytic was concerned more than about anything else was not the paralysis of his body but the perilous state of his soul.

-----------------------------------------

William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew, vol. 9, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 418.

Was the paralytic more concerned about the paralysis of his body or the perilous state of his soul?

The inference seems altogether justified that the matter about which the paralytic was concerned more than about anything else was not the paralysis of his body but the perilous state of his soul.

What is blasphemy and what was the punishment for it? (Read )

What was Jesus’ response to their accusation? Would it have convinced you? What was the reaction of the crowd?

Baker New Testament Commentary: Matthew The Healing of a Paralytic

But now their thinking arrives at the fork in the road, and they make the wrong turn. Either: a. Jesus is what by implication he claims to be, namely, God; or b. he blasphemes, in the sense that he unjustly claims the attributes and prerogatives of deity. The scribes accept b.

Not only do they commit this tragic error, but, as the following context indicates, they compound it by reasoning somewhat as follows, “It is an easy thing for him to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ for no one is able to disprove it, since no one can look into his neighbor’s heart or enter the throne-room of the Almighty and discover his judicial decisions as to who is, and who is not, forgiven.” As they see it, therefore, Jesus is both blasphemous and flippant.

Secondly...

2. Great leaders see potential.

Not only do they commit this tragic error, but, as the following context indicates, they compound it by reasoning somewhat as follows, “It is an easy thing for him to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ for no one is able to disprove it, since no one can look into his neighbor’s heart or enter the throne-room of the Almighty and discover his judicial decisions as to who is, and who is not, forgiven.” As they see it, therefore, Jesus is both blasphemous and flippant.

Read 9:8-13

William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew, vol. 9, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 419.Secondly...

Leadership Lessons

Broad Strokes

Impacting Your World

Quintessential Leader

1. Great leaders mean what they say.

2. Great leaders see potential.