These past few weeks, I have really been pondering what it means to be a leader in the Kingdom of God. What is Jesus' outline and definition for a leader? I have come to this conclusion... Jesus Himself is our outline and definition of a leader. Everything we need is in Him. Being a leader means to follow Him and His example as others follow you. That is the very thing Paul said in 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ
Over the next few days, I want to look at some attributes that Jesus displayed as the true King over all, our example of real leadership. The first characteristic of Jesus' unique and supernatural leadership is His devotion to spreading the word of God so that we, as imperfect humans, could be saved. Today we call this evangelism.
Throughout the entire gospel, Jesus traveled from town to town, telling of His Father. During one of His messages, Jesus shared these three wonderfully-crafted parables with those who had gathered to hear him, sinners and Pharisees alike.
Luke 15:3-7 (NIV)
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
This parable really shows how much Jesus cares about saving people. He seeks out the lost to rescue them. He doesn't even want one to go astray. He rejoices with the angels in Heaven over every person saved! No one is left out.
Luke 15:8-10 (NIV)
The Parable of the Lost Coin
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Jesus makes it clear through this parable of the great value He places in us all,whether saved or not. How much he rejoices when when one is saved! How valuable He finds just one person! This speaks to how He created us each individually with our own unique giftings for our own unique purpose in Him. He created each of us to fulfill the plans He has for us. He wants to see His works of art in action for Him!
Luke 15:11-31 (NIV)
The Parable of the Lost Son
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
This is arguably one of the most well-known parables. "The Prodigal Son" as its other name. But I challenge you to read into it again today and see if the Holy Spirit will not reveal more to you. The theme of this parable is of the Father's great love and mercy for us when we come into salvation. Instead of reprimanding His son in this story, the Father embraces Him with open arms and receives Him even after all the wrong he had done. His love for his son overshadowed it all. It is the same way with us and our Father in heaven. When I last reread this parable, the Lord revealed something new and beautiful to me. This verse jumped off the page: But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. What magnificent love the Father has that while we are still a long way off from Him, far from perfect, He runs to us and embraces us.
These parables clearly display God's burning desire for all to be saved. To further prove this point, I will leave you with these verses, the last of which are also the last words of Jesus to His own disciples before He ascended to Heaven.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (NIV)
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (ESV)
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (ESV)
1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ
Over the next few days, I want to look at some attributes that Jesus displayed as the true King over all, our example of real leadership. The first characteristic of Jesus' unique and supernatural leadership is His devotion to spreading the word of God so that we, as imperfect humans, could be saved. Today we call this evangelism.
Throughout the entire gospel, Jesus traveled from town to town, telling of His Father. During one of His messages, Jesus shared these three wonderfully-crafted parables with those who had gathered to hear him, sinners and Pharisees alike.
Luke 15:3-7 (NIV)
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
This parable really shows how much Jesus cares about saving people. He seeks out the lost to rescue them. He doesn't even want one to go astray. He rejoices with the angels in Heaven over every person saved! No one is left out.
Luke 15:8-10 (NIV)
The Parable of the Lost Coin
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Jesus makes it clear through this parable of the great value He places in us all,whether saved or not. How much he rejoices when when one is saved! How valuable He finds just one person! This speaks to how He created us each individually with our own unique giftings for our own unique purpose in Him. He created each of us to fulfill the plans He has for us. He wants to see His works of art in action for Him!
Luke 15:11-31 (NIV)
The Parable of the Lost Son
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
This is arguably one of the most well-known parables. "The Prodigal Son" as its other name. But I challenge you to read into it again today and see if the Holy Spirit will not reveal more to you. The theme of this parable is of the Father's great love and mercy for us when we come into salvation. Instead of reprimanding His son in this story, the Father embraces Him with open arms and receives Him even after all the wrong he had done. His love for his son overshadowed it all. It is the same way with us and our Father in heaven. When I last reread this parable, the Lord revealed something new and beautiful to me. This verse jumped off the page: But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. What magnificent love the Father has that while we are still a long way off from Him, far from perfect, He runs to us and embraces us.
These parables clearly display God's burning desire for all to be saved. To further prove this point, I will leave you with these verses, the last of which are also the last words of Jesus to His own disciples before He ascended to Heaven.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (NIV)
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (ESV)
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (ESV)
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