Authentic Leadership

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP

INTRODUCTION:

Diamond Ring – Jewelery  … lots of cubic zircona…. Lots of sparkle….  But cheap…

Leadership… a lot of Imposters….

Apostle Paul was concerned about

2 Timothy 3:1-27 (ESV)
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. …

13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Paul warned friends to AVOID impostors…. In the passage we note that women are particularly susceptible to being deceived by them….

Three Necessities to avoid impostors and stay real in leadership…

Necessity # 1 LEARN TO DISCERN

18 Traits…. Can be divided into 4 categories:

A. Fakers have problems with Affection

v    Towards God

“lovers of money” (can’t serve God and Mammon)

“lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

“unholy” – love sin

“not lovers of good”  (despisers)

v    Towards Family

“disobedient to parents”

“without love” –

Greek phrase is actually “without family love”

v    Towards Others

“lovers of themselves”

“unforgiving” (resentful

“Treacherous”  (unfaithful – backstabbing)

Who or What we love the most is evidenced by our priorities… how we spend our time….

B. Fakers have problems with Authority

They are unsubmissive & unteachable

v    “conceited” (high-minded)

v    “proud” (haughty)

v    “reckless” (headstrong)

v    “disobedient” (unyielding)

God says that rebellion is akin to idolatry…  a genuine leader doesn’t have problems following… in fact, true leaders are the best followers… They don’t HAVE to be in charge….  Don’t have control issues….  Humble, teachable spirits….

Like Jesus… who emptied himself and took on the form of a servant…. (Phil. 2)

C. Fakers have problems with Affliction

v    “unthankful” (attitude of entitlement)

v    “lovers of pleasure”

v    “railers”  - complain if something isn’t going their way….

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

Facing problems and responding to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity...is one of the primary characteristics of authentic leaders.

THEY REALIZE THAT THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY THEM USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS THEM!

Brent – newspaper headline…. “if it bleeds it leads…”

Genuine Leaders accept suffering as part of the cost….They know that if it leads it bleeds

Self-Sacrificial leadership is just that…. Sacrificial… it hurts…

Paul’s afflictions:

2 Corinthians 4:8-17 (ESV)
 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. … But we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Imposters aren’t willing to suffer…  Genuine leaders are…

D. Fakers have problems with Abrasion

They don’t have control of their tongues…

v    “boastful” (bragger)

v    “abusive” (evil speaker)

v    “slanderous” (whisperer)

v    “without self control” (temper)

v    “brutal” (mean, fierce)

v    Paul says that Imposters will be exposed:  their folly will be clear to everyone.” Vs. 9
Lana Nguyan – hired in 1998 as professor of software and systems engineering at the University of Regina

v    phD in Science – computer engineering, but the dgree actually belong to her ex-husband, who had returned to his native country.

v    Taught for several years

v    Member of association of professional engineers and geoscientists

v    Started a research company – had students investing thousands of dollars… grants

v    But she couldn’t teach… she called her students stupe is they didn’t understand her explanations…

v    She knew how to talk the talk… but it didn’t last, and she eventually got caught, because her walk didn’t match her talk

v    She was an imposter

Easy to point fingers…. Most of you are sitting here nodding… no doubt you’ve encountered imposters in church leadership… but the question I want to challenge you with is this…

Is there an imposter in your mirror?

Necessity # 2 TRASH THE MASK

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Paul was an open book…. Willing to be scrutinized….

v    Teaching

v    Conduct/Character

v    Aims/Goals

v    Relationships

v    Problems

He was real and open… about his victories and struggles…

v    Jesus Christ came to save sinners among whom I am the worst… I was violent, murderous…

v    2 Cor 11:30  If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness

v    2 Cor 12 Christ gave me a thorn in the flesh to keep me from becoming conceited

v    Romans 7  I am unspiritual… sometimes I have the desire to do what is good but cannot carry it out.

Real.  Masks Off… Transparent

“Are you real, or are you trying to present an image of someone you’re not?

Do you practice what you preach?

The thought of discontinuity between what I teach and my life scares me…. (eg. Conversation Peace… just a couple of days ago…)…

Walk in humility and BE REAL

Being real is what keeps you safe…. Keeps us walking in humilty and reliance

Because were it not for the grace of God, we would ALL be guilty of being imposters.

What masks do
YOU
need to trash?

What are you hiding?  What mask do you need to pull off?

Shame?

Blame?

Denial?

Anger?

Fear?

Doubt?

Problems with your marriag… a sinful habit…?

James 5:16… Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other that you may be healed… the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective….

STORY OF MOULD…. MATTs Bed…. Towel had trapped big black mould spot

When exposed to light the mould started to die….

Necessity # 3 STRIVE TO ABIDE

Training people to detect counterfeit currency…. Hand & study real money…. When the counterfeit comes… they just know that the “texture” is wrong…. It feels wrong….  Need to stay close to what’s real…. That’s the best way to be able to recognize the fake….

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4:1-8 (ESV)
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Paul urges his friend to “continue in”… same greek word, meno, as “abide”

To abide is….

v    To take up one’s abode

v    To remain firm 

v    To remain satisfied with

v    To Continue with

ABIDE IN: 

The word  (Greek : meno) is used most often in John chapter 15 – some of the instructions of Christ before his impending death….

John 15:4 ff: 

Abide in me and I in you…. I am the vine; you are the branches.. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit… If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you…Abide in my love… If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love….

ILLUSTRATION:  MISS KITTY & NEWSPAPER….

v    ABIDE in Christ (Cross) (Abide in me and I in you...  cross-centered life… place where you are willing to be poured out…… that place of humility… of self-sacrifice…. Of grace…

v    ABIDE in the Truth (Word)  Grounded in the Word….

Verse 14:   Continue in (ABIDE IN) what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

v    ABIDE in Faithfulness….. Faithful to the Ministry of the Gospel…. The ministry of reconciliation….

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV)
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, …and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

(verse 5) 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Those words are for all of us…..

v    ABIDE in Hope

When we fight the good fight and finish the race, we will receive the crown

crown of righteousness…. Our eyes are fixed on the prize …. The hope to which we are called….

Killer Illustration:

Pool in Fairmont…. Waterfall…. Cool evenings… mountain hot spring….

Crashes down…. The warmest spot is right in the waterfall…. Not always easy to stay in that stream… sometimes you can take a pounding….