003 Who Is a Leader?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Would you agree that a disciple-maker is a leader?
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
In this context a teacher is a leader.
So let’s look at who Jesus says can be and what Jesus said a leader is.
Are leaders born or are leaders made?
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Who can be a leader?
Who can be a leader?
This is fundamental to disciple-making.
1. A leader must be identical to Christ in his degree of yieldedness to the Father’s will.
1. A leader must be identical to Christ in his degree of yieldedness to the Father’s will.
vs. 22 “Are you able to drink the cup I will drink?
There must be personal surrender to God.
There must be personal surrender to God.
20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Living in such a way that people see God through your life.
There must be personal development in the will of God.
There must be personal development in the will of God.
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
We can’t effectively lead others if we can’t effectively lead ourselves.
We can only leaders others as far as we are.
2. A leader must identify with Christ in His suffering.
2. A leader must identify with Christ in His suffering.
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
The disciple-maker’s life is a life of suffering.
A glorious agony.
When done right it is messy!
Why?
We are required to not hold back anything good and to not shrink from the whole counsel of God.
We will wade through the sin and mess of someone else’s life.
We will hurt when they hurt.
We will feel failure when they fail.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Know that just as not every redemptive opportunity goes the way you would like, the same is with discipleship relationships.
Just as much suffering there is joy!
3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
But a leader must identify with the sufferings of Christ.
3. After the previous two qualifications, a leader can be anyone.
3. After the previous two qualifications, a leader can be anyone.
“whoever” - This word shows the scope of opportunity.
“whoever” - This word shows the scope of opportunity.
Two thoughts...
1 - We can’t make excuses about NOT being a leader or a teacher.
2- Discipleship creates PUBLIC leaders...
Here is why...
“would be” or “would become” - This word denotes that becoming a leader is a process.
“would be” or “would become” - This word denotes that becoming a leader is a process.
Public leaders should be spiritually mature or maturing.
Discipleship creates mature believers.
A natural progression from leading one is to lead more!
Also - not everyone is ready to lead one.
That is ok.
We will make a habit of asking your discipler before we ask you to lead someone.
If you want to lead someone but don’t feel like you can, find someone to follow.
This also reminds us that building up a leader can take an extended period of time.
Doing what God has called us to do and seeing it through to the end can take a lot of time.
Think about how long it took people in the Bible to see God work.
Noah waited decades enduring mocking and humiliation.
Abraham waited 30 years for God to fulfill His promise.
Joseph waited 11 years and endured being put in a pit and jail time.
I have known Rich for 10 years.
I have known Bill for 5 years.
Time for a little encouragement...
22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
Jesus had authority as a teacher.
30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
Jesus authority over sickness.
40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
Jesus exercised His authority and power over disease.
A doctor does not have the power or the authority to heal.
We know that Jesus has authority over the weather.
We know that Jesus has authority over the dead.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
Jesus had the authority to SPEAK the world into existence.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go make disciples.
Not only the authority to command us to go.
But He gives us the authority!
He authorized us through His authority.
If you want to know that you are doing something of worth, live the great commission.
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We are never closer to Jesus than when we are doing what He has called us to do!
“among you” - These words show that the origin or leaders comes from the ordinary populous.
“among you” - These words show that the origin or leaders comes from the ordinary populous.
Where are we going to find people to teach or lead others?
Where are we going to find people to come behind ministry leaders?
In two weeks… We will revisit our cruse ship chart. And talk about the importance this being culture.