Jesus & His Leaders

Today’s reading helpfully carries on from last week when we looked at Christian leadership

In this passage Jesus with his disciples escape the crowds by heading north to Caesarea Philippi

Its away from all people Jesus decides to see what the crowds been saying about his identity

And test disciples understanding of who they thought Jesus was

This leads to Jesus talking about disciples & their future role as leaders (slide)

So let’s see what this passage might reveal to us today

Christian Leaders Know Who Jesus Is

Remember last week I said that we can all consider ourselves leaders of some sort

From Ministers, Parish Council, Op-shop, Friendship Group, Youth, leading a group of any sort

Parents, Grandparents are leaders, even sharing faith in Jesus with others - we all lead in some capacity

So if we’re Christian leaders - our faith, hope, trust should be in Jesus...

It’s Jesus example we’re following - his example of leadership of humble service to others (Slide)

OK... but are we all following same Jesus? Have we all put our faith / trust in same person?

Matthew 16:13–17 NIV84

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

In passage disciples reported back to Jesus what crowds thought about who Jesus was - number of views

Mostly people thought Jesus some sort of prophet - someone who spoke God’s word to people

It was clear people didn’t have complete understanding of Jesus true identity...

Because people had wrong understanding of who Messiah - God’s Chosen King - would be

They thought he’d come to over throw Romans in battle & set up God’s Kingdom immediately as King

So when Jesus appeared saying/doing amazing things - people thought he’d lead them into battle/victory

But God’s plan was opposite different - victory was to be over sin, death, devil through Jesus suffering & death

We read through all gospels Jesus trying to get disciples to understand this - eg Mark 9:31

Mark 9:31 NIV84

because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”

But both crowds & disciples didn’t get it - they wanted Jesus victorious leader & King

In end Jesus tried hide his true identity to prevent crowds forcing him be king & starting revolution against Romans

Jesus tried explain to religious leaders who he was but they too believed Jesus was a revolutionary/troublemaker

Inaccurate understanding lead people turn on Jesus as mob, condemn him to death...

And religious leaders to hand Jesus over to Romans to be killed...

And disciples abandoned Jesus, ran away & hid - all of them having a false/wrong view of Jesus identity (slide)

illus - who’s seen Steven Spielberg movie called Catch Me if You Can?

About man called Frank Abagnale - professional fraudster who impersonated a Pan Am airline pilot at age 16-18

He flew as passenger dressed as pilot (1,600,000 km) on more than 250 flights and flew to 26 countries

He pretended to be a sociology teaching assistant at Brigham Young University for a semester

For 11 months impersonated chief resident paediatrician in Georgia hospital acting as supervisor to resident interns

At 19 forged Harvard University law transcript, passed Louisiana bar exam...

Got job at Louisiana State Attorney General's office spent 8 months as fake attorney

Was eventually arrested in Montpellier, France, in 1969 by French Police - 12 countries wanted him in jail

He was so good at fooling people & creating false identities - FBI used his help to catch other criminals!

We can also be deceived into thinking we believe in real Jesus - when in reality he’s fake Jesus / not Jesus of scripture

We can either be duped into believing in a Jesus that someone else told you about - e.g. some US TV evangelists

We choose not to bother checking if what person says is true - ‘it sounds right so must be true?’

Or we decide we don’t like Jesus read in bible - we want a Jesus who’s our best friend - who gives us stuff...

who accepts everyone, doesn’t worry about lies, stealing, anger, unforgiveness, prejudice etc.

Peter received start of his understanding of who Jesus really was through Spirit of God’s help (slide)

Matthew 16:17 ESV

And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

If we want to understand who Jesus is - we need to spend time with him by reading our bibles

Only way to know if you’re following real Jesus - by allowing God’s Spirit reveal his true identity through God’s Word

Anything I say, or anyone else says about Jesus - must be checked with scriptures to ensure it’s true

Paul praised the Church community in Thessalonica for doing just that - it’s your responsibility too

If we’re to be Christian leaders of our homes, our teams, our work, our small group, or our friends… (slide)

We need to know if we’re modelling ourselves after or following example of real Jesus of scripture

So question is this - Who’s Jesus am I following? Is it my Jesus or the Jesus of scripture?

Christian Leaders Know Where Their Authority Comes From

If we’re to be Christian Leaders in our homes, our teams, our work, our small group, our friends...

What authority do we have to say we’re leaders?

Who gives us that authority? What do we model our authority on? (slide)

Matthew 16:17–18 NIV84

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

When Peter blurted out Jesus identity - he still didn’t understand everything - if you read next part of Matt 16 you’ll see!

But Jesus acknowledged that Peter would have special role to play in Jesus new community

So Jesus gives him new name to go along with his new role - he literally calls him Rocky! (slide)

Peter held key role as leader of disciples & recognised as leader of Church in Jerusalem

Galatians 2:7 NIV84

On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews.

In book of Acts Peter was first to preach good news of Jesus to non-Jews - Roman centurion

Paul - later acknowledged as Apostle - recognised Peter’s importance in early

It was disciples / became Apostles - God inspired to write scriptures we know as NT

So all Disciples / Apostles & their inspired writings were important elements of Early Church beginnings

BUT - It’s Jesus church - he is true foundation Church is built upon - he’s one who gave authority to disciples (slide)

Both Peter & Paul saw Jesus as one who is ultimate authority & only one who gives authority to others in Church

1 Peter 2:4–6 NIV84

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

1 Corinthians 3:10–11 NIV84

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

So commission leaders in all sorts of areas today based on foundation of Jesus & Apostles - like PC members (slide)

illus - having a right foundation is so important when building something that lasts

Today we build houses with same materials - steel, concrete, and polystyrene

This ensures its strong enough to take weight of building, but flexible enough to handle earthquakes

If we don’t keep to same foundations of leadership that began Church (Faith in biblical Jesus & scriptures) then it won’t last

Our leadership in our homes, teams, work places, small groups, friendships will eventually fail / fall apart

we loose friends, our kids leave home & we don’t hear from them, our work mates quit, people stop turning up...

But Jesus does give us encouragement as Christian leaders - no matter what happens...

Nothing anyone will destroy or end the Church Jesus started - Jesus promises it will always exist (slide)

Matthew 16:18 NIV84

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

That’s what he mean’t - Jesus is literally saying his church will never die

There will always be Christians & Christian leaders in the world - living examples of leading humbly serving others (slide)

Christian Leaders Know What Their Role Is

So if Jesus given us authority to be Christian Leaders in our homes, our teams, our work place, our small group, our friends...

We need to understand what it means to be a leader - what is our role to be as leaders?

Now we’ve looked at this in depth but here’s an overview of what Christians leaders role is (slide)

Matthew 16:19–20 NIV84

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

So Jesus says he gives Peter & disciples keys to kingdom - this sounds a little weird

In those days keys = symbol of authority - you have the ability to open & close doors right?

Usually in Ancient World keys to a palace were given to special administrators commissioned by King or Ruler

They were responsibility for who could get into palace, & which people were allowed in which parts of palace

Peter & Apostles were given responsibility for what was allowed in Jesus Church & what wasn’t allowed

When we read book of Acts this happened a few times where Peter & Apostles had to make important decisions

But notice weird phrase Jesus says here - whatever you bind / loose on earth will be bound / loosed in heaven

Sounds weird to us now but what Jesus meant - decisions Apostles would make were already decide by God

I.e. Jesus promising that in their role as Leaders God would help them to make right, godly decisions

So God gave Peter & apostles authority to be leaders & promised to help them make right decisions as leaders

So Peter & Apostles were able to act as God’s representatives as leaders in Church through God’s help (slide)

illus - This idea isn’t that different from way we run our Governments today

We’re heading towards general election - our government is representative democracy

i.e. NZ public vote for people they want to represent them as leaders for their region in Government

Their Authority is given to them through NZ laws & Queen (technical) & voting public to lead country

Then they use law & wisdom they have to make decisions on our behalf

As Christian Leaders God gives us authority to lead & helps us to do this

Through God’s Spirit within us & reading / understanding scriptures both helping us make right godly decisions

So being a good Christian leader - whether its with our family, friends, neighbours, work places, clubs, church...

It all starts with who we say / believe Jesus is - from there faith in Jesus plus bible gives us foundation for leading

Then recognising you’re only a leader because God’s made you one & so trusting God’s leading when making decisions

These are fundamentals of good Christian leadership - is these aren’t right, your leadership won’t work well

So key question you need to answer is same Jesus asked his disciples - who is your Jesus?

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father - we want to be good Christian leaders at home, work, & in our community

We recognise that you have given us the responsibility to lead others, just as we follow Jesus as He leads us

Please reveal to us if we there’s any misunderstanding of who Jesus is

Stir in us a desire to read the bible so the Holy Spirit can reveal an errors in our understanding

And helps us to trust in your wisdom through your Spirit & your word that we may make good decisions that bring you glory

In our saviour Jesus name we pray