During the Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The gifts of the Holy Spirit (8)/ Her main scriptures were taken from the Books 1 Corinthians 12:1-28; Rom 12:3-8; Psalm 23; John 10:1-16; 24-30.
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – INTRODUCTION
These gifts are special supernatural abilities given by God, the Holy Spirit. By using them we resemble Jesus and God, our Father. They are a witness that our salvation is supernatural. These abilities are not natural. The Christian is not born with them. They are not gained thru the study of the Bible or education in general. A pastor can pray and lay hands on a believer, but no man can give these gifts. They manifest the atmosphere of heaven on earth. These gifts are not rewards for labor and are not merited. They are free gifts from King Grace! The Holy Spirit is sovereign in distributing these gifts. He gives them according to His will and depending on the need in the local church. God can give them to baby Christians or to the mature ones! The gifts give glory to God! They increase the unity of the Body and the manifestation of miracles.
The gifts or the Holy Spirit are given to edify, beautify, and strengthen the unity of the Body of Christ. Ignorance about these gifts and about the Body of Christ has caused much damage. The Church is described as the Body or the Bride of Christ. Like the human body, the Church has only one Head. That Head is Christ and He is in heaven. The Body is partly visible on earth and partly invisible in heaven.
These are some principles that explain the way the Body works.
*All gifts and ministries are given by the Holy Spirit and are gifts of grace. Each one is unique and essential to the working of the Body. The parts of the Body are many, but they all work together in unity under the direction of the Head. The unity of the natural body comes from the fact that all the body has the same blood vessels, the same blood and the same nerves coming from the brain. In the same way, the Holy Spirit keeps the Body in ‘the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace’ (Eph 4:3).
*The body is one but there are many members. Each believer has a different gift or function in the church. Some gifts are more visible and have a greater value than others. But all are essential to the working of the church. There is nothing like an ‘unimportant’ Christian. Many Christians desire to outshine others with their gifts. They think of their gift as their ‘own personal gift’. But all gifts are just that: gifts to be used to the glory of God and for the edification of the church. All leaders are helpers and servants at heart!
*Just the way no member of the body works independently, so no Christian should be isolated or idle. We all submit to the Head who is the Lord Jesus Christ, and we serve one another.
*Sin in one member affects the whole church. Pride, competition, ignorance, or jealousy are deadly sins that make the church sick and weak.
*It is the duty of each Christian to repent of known sins and walk in the Spirit; to stay spiritual healthy and active; to identify and use his gift in the church. Healthy Christians make a healthy church. May God grant spiritual health, peace, and joy to us and to our local church!
*Preaching the true doctrines of the Bible, prayers, coming together for fellowship, helping, and caring for one another, strengthen the church.
The Holy Spirit does four vital things in the church:
1-The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus. This is His main work. He gives the believer eternal life; makes you born again. Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:5).
2-The Lord Jesus fills you with the Holy Spirit (the first filling is called the Baptism with the Holy Spirit). “John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Lk 3:16). “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18).
3-The Holy Spirit baptizes you (welds you) into the Body of Christ “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor 12:13). Only the Spirit can make you a member of the Church.
4-The Holy Spirit gives different gifts, ministries, and responsibilities. These are given to strengthen and keep the unity of the church.
No man can save you, fill you with the Holy Spirit, baptize you into the Body of Christ or give you spiritual gifts. Only God can do that. Therefore, the Church is not just a gathering of people. It is not a human invention or man-made organization. The church is not a democracy. It’s a spiritual organism, a supernatural entity. There is only one Head. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head. There is only one Body, made of all believers, from the Old and New Testament, the ones who have died and went to heaven and the ones who are alive on earth. The Body is made up of many members because each one has a different gift, or work in the Body. God does not command us to produce the unity of the Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can produce that. But we are commanded to keep, to protect and maintain the unity that the Holy Spirit has produced (Eph 4:1-5).
THE GIFT OF LEADERSHIP
“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Cor 12:28).
In Greek the word ‘administrations’ means governors, leaders, or managers of an organization; it also means the skillful pilot of a plane or the shipmaster of the ship. Only God appoints leaders in the Church. Leadership is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The brethren who have received this gift have the supernatural ability to speak to people and to organize them, maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the church. Any leader who divides the church is not called by God. Most of them are pastors, teachers, evangelists, and also manifest the gift of helps. The greatest leader of men is our Lord Jesus Christ! “Leaders emerge” (R. S. Leigh).
Generally, a leader is someone who is in charge of a group of people. He gains the trust of others who become followers. He has authority and influence over others so that together, they achieve a common goal. For example, the president is the leader of a country. The conductor is the leader of an orchestra. A leader without followers is not a leader. Leadership in the church is more than a title or an office. It is a gift from God.
These brethren are not just official title holders in the church. They have a gift to counsel people and direct the affairs of the church. These men are wise, responsible, spiritually mature, self-disciplined, patient, focused, courageous, and creative. They do not rule by force. They lead others so that they work better. In the early church, it was clear that God appointed leaders. It was not by voting or by striving. It was by prayer, and through the leadership of the Holy Spirit. These leaders had authority and the rest of the people submitted to their counsels. Rebellion against the leaders was seen as rebellion against God who appointed them. This spiritual order maintained the unity of the Spirit in the church.
There is a close relationship between a leader in the church and the people. We are commended to remember, respect, and help the pastors and the leaders in the church. We are to submit to them, help them, pray for them, and imitate their faith. “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct” (Heb 13:7). “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Heb 13:17). “Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you” (Heb 13:24)
LEAD WITH DILIGENCE
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Rom 12:3-8)
In Greek, the spiritual gift of leadership is ‘proistemi’. This word means to lead, to assist, to protect and to care for others. A Leader is a servant. Leadership is to be done ‘with diligence’. This word means ‘speed’. A leader is to be busy, hardworking, never tired, focused, persevering, careful in all the details of his work and determined to succeed. Therefore, in the church, leaders lead others with passion, joy, zeal, and enthusiasm. A bad leader is slow to make decisions, passive, idle, lazy, ignorant, and careless with details. “Resist the idea of ‘leadership from the rear.’ True leadership is always out front” (Oswald Sanders). “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor… Work hard, and you will be a leader; be lazy, and you will end up a slave” (PV 12:24; NKJ/ CEV).
LEADING IS A GOOD WORK
The work of a bishop, pastor or leader in the church is ‘a good work’. A spiritual leader must be a godly husband and father. He leads his family well. He must be a serious and mature Christian, humble, faithful, and hardworking. He must be of blameless moral character, not violent, and not greedy for money. He must have a good reputation even with the unbelievers. Pride is a strong temptation for leaders. “If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Tim 3:1-7).
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men… And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful” (Titus 3:8; 3:14). The same word ‘to lead’ is translated here as ‘maintain good works’. Leadership is seen as energetic spirituality and kindness to people. The leader of any organization is extremely important. The followers cannot rise above the level of their leader. As the head is, so that body is. If the leader is spiritual, the congregation will become spiritual. If the leader is a hypocrite, the congregation will be the same.
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE PERFECT LEADER
Our Lord is the perfect leader. He is also the perfect model that we should imitate. You have to be saved and filled with the Holy Spirit to be able to imitate the Lord. You have to obey His Word and grow in knowledge and grace. The first thing we observe is that the Lord had authority over men because, as a Man, He totally submitted to God the Father. His basic desire was to glorify the Father. He only did the Father’s work and only spoke the Father’s Word. The authority He received from the Father was over all men; the ones who will believe and the ones who will not believe in Him. His authority over men came from the gift of giving Himself for men. He died to give eternal life to sinners. Self-sacrifice was His basic attitude. Lesson: Authority is a product of self-sacrifice. The reward of self-sacrifice is glory. The humble servants become leaders!
These holy words are from His high priestly prayer: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (Jn 17:1-5).
Our Lord loved all people, especially the children. He helped the needy and He healed the sick. These are all works of help. He was a Servant-King. He led through kindness and by example. The group of people He greatly opposed were the religious rulers. Lesson: the evil religious spirit is the greatest enemy to true leadership in the Church. Jesus always spoke clearly and with authority. He never spoke in undertones. If He wanted to hide the meaning of His words from some people, He spoke in parables, but He never gave two meanings to one sentence. He was totally free from hypocrisy. He is our greatest example as servants of God and leaders in the Body of Christ! May God help us to follow Him!
A TRUE LEADER IS SPIRITUAL. HE INSPIRES PEOPLE TO DRAW CLOSER TO GOD
These are some basic qualities of a leader in the Body of Christ: first, he is a spiritual person; he has a godly character; he feeds people with the Word of God; he prays for people; he counsels them; he is humble and faithful. A spiritual leader is more than just a person who gathers people and tells them what to do. Thru his words and actions, he is first of all a leader who inspires people to draw closer to God and to be like Jesus. True leaders encourage and inspire others to be future leaders. God inspires men to fear Him! “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me” (Jer 32:40; NIV).
To inspire means to give someone the desire and confidence that he can do something. To inspire is similar with the word ‘revive’. You inspire another when you encourage him, when give him a fresh idea and the strong desire to do something new. To inspire is to breathe new life into another; to guide another by the power of God. Successful people often trace their success to someone who inspired them to be great. Successful men appreciate their mentors. One of the greatest gifts is to inspire others to have hope! “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 1:3; NIV).
THE LEADER IS A SERVANT TO ALL
The spiritual leader has a godly moral character. He is a humble person. Both Apostle Paul and James, the half-brother of our Lord Jesus, introduced themselves as ‘servants of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”. They were truly humble. A godly leader knows that he did not call himself. He knows that God called and appointed him. That knowledge keeps him humble. Like His Lord, the leader is both a King and a servant.
Our Lord said that the worldly leaders oppress their followers. They desire the followers to worship them. At the same time, in public, worldly leaders want to be seen as humble, kind, and generous to their followers. All unbelieving leaders are hypocrites. Our Lord said: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt 20:25-28)
A spiritual leader has the gift of bringing people together. In the church, people have different gifts, and they are of different social and economic status. The leader has the skill to bring them together in the unity of the Spirit. The leader has the ability to know the true needs from ‘fake’ needs. All true leaders submit to their own leaders and promote the unity of the Spirit in the Body of Christ. True leaders are humble and faithful. They are never selfish, overambitious, or divisive. The test of success of a leader is not seen in material things. His success is seen in how many people he has drawn closer to God!
THE SHEPHERD/SERVANT TYPE OF LEADER
In the Bible, a leader is seen as a shepherd taking care of his flock. The shepherd cares, feeds and protects his flock. He loves his flock, and he is ready to die to protect it. God is seen as a Shepherd. “Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young” (Is 40:10, 11).
The godly leader serves God by taking care of His people. He does not serve because of money. He does it willingly, for the glory of God. His reward is in heaven. “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Peter 5:1-4). Christ is called ‘The Chief Shepherd’. He commanded Peter to show his love towards Him by taking care of and feeding His flock (Jn 21:15-17).
The people of God in the Old Testament testified that for 40 years in the wilderness they lacked nothing. “For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing” (Deut 2:7). “Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell” (Neh 9:21). Lesson: Jesus is my Chief Shepherd. My pastor, my leader, is an under-shepherd. I lack no good thing. Amen!
In the early church, the leaders had servants/shepherd hearts. They felt responsible for their flock. The result is that great grace was given to them all and no one lacked. This is a wonderful picture of godly leadership. “The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need” (Ac 4:32-35).
GOOD AND BAD SHEPHERDS
“I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken. I will make a covenant of peace with them and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. 30 Thus they shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people,” says the Lord God.’ “You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God,” says the Lord God” (Eze 34:23-31)
God expects the leaders to behave as good shepherds to their flock. They should feed the flock, strengthen the weak, heal those who are sick, seek the lost, bring back those who went astray, be patient and gentle with the flock. God is angry when the shepherds behave like hirelings; when they feed only themselves and do not feed the flock; when they take the wool from the sheep but do not care for them; when they do not strengthen the weak or heal the sick; when they do not look for the lost sheep, when they rule over them with harshness, force, and cruelty. Because the bad shepherds are careless, the flock is scattered, and the wolves (the enemies) eat them. God vows to remove the wicked shepherds and to punish them.
God promises to give the flock a new type of shepherd, His servant David, a prince of God, a man after God’s heart. David is a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ. True pastors, true leaders in the Body of Christ are appointed and established by God. These God appointed leaders feed the flock with God’s Word and pray for the people. Under godly leadership, there shall be peace and safety in the church. The people are protected from enemies. The people are blessed. The work of their hands is blessed. They shall not be oppressed by the devil’s agents. They shall not be bullied, intimidated or afraid of enemies. They shall not be poor. They shall not beg for bread. They shall not be ashamed of their past sins. They shall be free to serve God who dwells among them. These are covenant promises. Good godly leaders are a sign of blessing from God! Praise the Lord!
Mordecai is a good example of a godly servant leader. “Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad” (Esther 8:15).
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan” (PV 29:2).
Jospeh is another good example of godly servant leader. During the time of Joseph, God’s people were free citizens of Egypt. Later, the new Pharaoh made God’s people slaves. He had no pity on them. He overworked them to death. He commanded that all the baby boys should be killed. “The Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. They appointed brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down with crushing labor. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king. But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread, and the more alarmed the Egyptians became. So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy. They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands“ (Exo 1:11-14; NLT). “Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people” (PV 28:15).
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness, For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord, Forever” (Ps 23:1-6).
Psalm 23 is one of the most loved pieces of literature in the Bible. It is written by King David. The sheep are foolish animals. They cannot find food for themselves. They cannot fight. They easily get lost. They totally depend on their shepherds and his dogs. They are docile and follow their shepherd. The flock was wealth to the shepherd. They produced milk, wool, and meat. They were also used for the sacrifices in the temple.
The functions of the shepherds (godly leaders):
*They care for their flock. This care manifests as feeding the people with the Word of God and praying for them. The shepherd leads and guides his flock to green pastures and clean water. Leading is caring. It also manifests as restoration of the backsliders. Many Christians go astray. They are deceived by false teachers. Jesus said that when the sheep goes astray, the shepherd leaves the 99 in the care of another and goes to look for the lost sheep. He will not rest until he finds her, and he brings her back into the fold (Luke 15:4-7). The godly leader does not stop praying for the backsliders until they come back to God. As God uses a doctor to save the life of a dying man, so this praying saves the soul of the backslider. “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Jam 5:19, 20). This faithful praying for backsliders is part of the duty of a leader, is a manifestation of great love and it is surely rewarded by God.
The resurrected Christ commands Peter to care and feed His flock. This is True Love and leadership! “Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep” (Jn 21:15-17).
The shepherd leader feeds the Lambs with the milk of God’s Word. These are the basics of salvation. Later, as the lambs become sheep, the shepherd leader feeds the sheep with fresh green grass. He preaches the doctrines and teaches the people so that they mature spiritually. In this way, they can protect themselves from the enemy and become leaders of others.
*The shepherd gives water to the flock. In Palestine, water is very precious. The well is covered with a big stone so that nothing will pollute it. The stone must be removed before the shepherd gives water to his flock. Leadership is hard work. “Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth” (Gen 29:3). The water in the well is a type of the Holy Spirit. The shepherd leads his flock to the still clean waters or to the well. The godly leader leads his people to the presence of God, to be baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. He also leads them to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
*The shepherd pours oil on the head of the sheep. This is a form of healing and anointing. The shepherd shears the wool from the sheep. If not, the sheep will be too heavy and cannot walk well. The godly leader disciplines his people. He helps them to repent from sins, to receive more power to move on. True leaders give the right advice to the people. Godly counselling is a major ministry for a leader.
*The shepherd is like a midwife. He helps souls to be born. It is only the Holy Spirit who can convert a sinner to become saved. But the godly leader facilitates this process thru preaching the Word and praying for the baby Christian. He disciples the young Christians. “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matt 28:18-20). As a Man, Jesus has received all authority in heaven and on earth, He has the power to rule and reign over all creation. The revelation of His omnipresence and total authority is the source of confidence to the goldy leaders to disciple other believers. Glory to God!
*They true shepherds (godly leaders) lead the flock ‘in paths of righteousness’, away from the world and closer to God. Along the way, they protect the flock through their ‘rod and staff’. They drive away the wolves, the enemies. They help the sheep who fall. The godly leaders lead the people into the presence of God. They help them do spiritual warfare. They discipline the disobedient. They are alert to dangers. Lesson: There is an organic relationship between the leader and the followers, in the unity of the Spirit. People learn to trust their leaders. Trust is not forced. It has to be earned. It takes time. The prayers and the encouragement of the leaders, especially during trials, build this trust. The submission of the people to their godly leader is essential for the maturing of the relationship.
*Godly leaders protect their people. The good shepherd is ready to lie down and close the gate with his body during the night so that the sheep will not go astray, and the wolves will not enter the pen. Spiritual covering is a major blessing. True godly leaders are watchmen at the gate. They see potential danger from afar. They fight for their people. As a young shepherd, David learns how to fight the wild animals to protect his sheep. This was his only training as a fighter. It was enough for him to kill the giant. David told King Saul: “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it” (1 Sam 17:34, 45).
*Godly leaders are courageous and inspire others to be courageous. They take responsibility for their people. Courage is a quality of spirit that enables one to face danger or pain without showing fear. A cowardly leader is a terrible sight. It leaves the followers confused, scattered, afraid and discouraged. A coward runs away from battle. That is the behavior of a hireling and not of a true leader. King Saul was afraid to fight Goliath. All the people of God became afraid. Only David had faith and courage to fight and kill the giant. Selah!
After Moses died, God appointed Joshua to be his successor. God commanded Joshua to be a strong and courageous leader. God said: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9). A leader needs to be strong and courageous in making decisions that will give glory to God and help the people.
*The true leader has the heart of a mother or of a father. Paul said: “I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you, imitate me” (1Cor4:14-16). “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1).
JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD (John 10:1-16; 24-30)
The sheep stay in a pen during the night. The Good shepherd protects his flock. Thieves can scale the wall and steal sheep, especially during the night. There are two types of enemies: the thief (who steals quietly) and the robber (who uses violence to steal). Religious leaders are like these thieves and robbers. Read John 9 and see what they did to the blind man that Jesus healed. They just refuse to celebrate the miracle. They refuse to give glory to Jesus. They rudely interrogated the man about the miracle. He insisted that Jesus healed him. Then they ‘cast him out’ from the synagogue. Later, Jesus finds him and encourages the man. Here you see that these are false shepherds, hirelings, and selfish men. They are totally unfit to be pastors or spiritual leaders. They oppress, they intimidate, and exercise illegal authority over the people. Jesus saw these false teachers and leaders as the greatest threat against the believers. The duty of a true leader is to expose, confront and rebuke the evil spirit of religion and the false leaders. The true Christians, by the power of the Holy Spirit in them, are able to detect false teachers and false teachings. The true believers run away from false leaders. Occasionally, they are deceived and backslide. But not forever. The true Christians do not love sin. They genuinely love truth and God’s Word. Eventually, they find their way back to the fold. They miss the voice of their shepherd. They miss hearing the truth. The Holy Spirit leads them back home.
The false leaders are known by false motives and false methods for doing ministry. The motives for ministry for false teachers are always love for fame and love of money. Jesus said: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Lk 16:13-15). The methods of the false teachers are always worldly. The world loves political, entertaining, and religious leaders. They offer sermons that only affect the emotions, and not the mind or the conscience. The sermons do not change people. The leaders care for the bank account of the people and not for their souls. They do not preach against sin. They flatter the people. They avoid telling them about the Cross of Christ. False leaders keep men in permanent anxiety about their souls. To have some level of peace about their future, the people pay money and labor to ‘make heaven’. This salvation by works is a false doctrine and it is quite common in many churches.
Lesson: Do not be ignorant of the danger of false prophets! When you go to the hospital, you would not like to meet a fake doctor. When you go to court you would not like to hire a fake lawyer. When you go to school, you would not like to listen to a fake teacher. If all these things are important, how much more important is your eternal soul? The choice of a local church should be a priority for you and your family. I am not saying that you should entrust your destiny to a human being. But keep in mind that there are true leaders and false leaders. Each leader imitates his master and uses his methods. Doctrine determines behavior. It is extremely important to attend a church where the true Gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected is preached. There should be no compromise in that area. Jesus is the true shepherd. The doorkeeper is the Bible. The scriptures open only to Jesus!!! True revelation comes only by the Holy Spirit to the true leaders!!!
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He calls His sheep by name. There is an intimate relationship between Jesus and His people. These are the elect of God. The true Christians love truth and honor the true leaders. They run away from deceptive people and liars. The church is like a sheep pen. The true Gospel offers eternal salvation. Once a sinner repents of his sins, and becomes converted, he is eternally saved. He is safe in the hand of Jesus. Listen to what the Lord Jesus says: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one” (Jn 10:28-30). This is the doctrine of salvation, a free gift from God the Father, because of the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross. Salvation is by grace alone and through faith alone. It is the doctrine of the eternal security of the saints. The true leader assures the believer that once in Christ, he is eternally saved. He can’t lose it! The devil cannot ‘snatch’ him away from the hand of the Father of the hand of Jesus.
“And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thess 5:12, 13).
DANGERS AND TEMPTATIONS TO LEADERS
The devil knows the value of a leader. He attacks the leaders more than the followers. Once a leader falls, the followers become defeated. “Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered “(Matt 26:31). The leader is more visible than the followers. He must lead by example. These are some temptations that attack the leaders in the church: pride, hypocrisy, excessive anger, lustful thoughts and adultery, love of money and fame, manipulating the people to gain money, desire to control others for personal benefit, being careless with your reputation and testimony, becoming distracted by little things and losing the spiritual focus, greed, cowardice, backsliding, people pleasing, bitterness, and unforgiveness. These are genuine dangers that can destroy any leader. Pray for your leaders!
DAVID, TRUE LEADER OF MEN (1 Sam 22:1-4; 2 Sam 23:1-4; 13-17)
During the time of King Saul, things became extremely bad in Israel. At that time, David was a fugitive in the desert. King Saul tried to kill him many times but failed to do so. King Saul became worse, possessed by an evil spirit of envy, and hatred against David. With such a leader, many people lost their hopes for the future. Some men decided to abandon Saul and run away into the desert to join David. These men were leaders in their communities, and soldiers. But they became depressed being under Saul. These were needy, desperate men. The word ‘distress’ means someone who is in a tight place, a disabled man. Other men came who were in debt. They took loans to survive but they could not pay them back. Now, the money lenders wanted to kill them. Lesson: ungodly leadership weakens the people. The word ‘discontented’ means a man who is depressed, bitter, and disappointed with his life. These men appreciated David as a true leader. It is possible that King Saul persecuted them for loving David. About 400 men went to David in the desert. They became known as David’s ‘men of valor’. David did not reject these angry men. He took responsibility for them as their leader. He organized these refugees into a proper army. They were loyal to David and submitted to him, even unto death. They all had the gift of helps. When David became king, they became his servants and soldiers in the army of Israel.
This is one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. David was longing to drink water from the well of Bethlehem, his hometown. At that time, David was in serious trouble. King Saul wanted him dead. He and his men of valor were staying in the Adullam cave. He was a fugitive in the desert. Suddenly, he remembered his childhood when he was a shepherd. In the evening he would go to the well near Bethlehem and water his flock. These were sweet memories… Now, David wanted to drink water from the well at Bethlehem… He expressed his secret desire to his men.
Three of his men of valor decided to fulfill their leader’s wish. They took the risk of passing through the army of the Philisties, went to Bethlehem and took water from the well. They came back and gave it to David to drink. David was greatly touched by his men’s love, but he could not drink the water. The water to him looked red, stained with the blood of his dear men. He poured it on the ground, as a drink offering to the Lord. He said that the price of this water is the blood of his men. The water is too precious for him to drink, to satisfy his personal desires. Their love was too much for David. He could not accept that. Only God is worthy of such a sacrifice. This is the reaction of a true worshipper. The best belongs to God. David’s worship was like a rose blooming in the desert.
Lesson: Many Christians miss this precious moment of worship. They drink that expensive water. They satisfy their flesh with some passion, of alcohol, drugs, or sex. The lusts of the flesh make them blind to the opportunity of seeing a diamond in the trash and worshipping God!
David wanted to drink the water from the well of his childhood. But then, he realized that his longing is not for a childhood memory, but for the eternal God who alone can quench the thirsty soul. Later, David wrote: “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore, in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me” (Ps 63:1-8).
The three men of valor are also an example of true worshippers. They did not tell David what they wanted to do. They broke the rules of their commander to make him happy. These were rough men who tasted from David’s romantic holy courage to please God. Their fearless sacrifice is the language of love few men understand. They were once in debt, and disappointed with life. But now, like eagles, they rose to the sky of agape love. They laid their lives to please their leader. Only God could have given these rough men such high desires. King Saul in his palace knew nothing of such a devotion from his paid servants. Nobility is not always found among royalty on earth. It is found where God moves among men, no matter how low class they may be. These men are a symbol of Jesus, who broke thru the devil’s ranks to bring the water of life to us. Jesus said: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (Jn 7:37-39). “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt 5:6).
David could not drink this precious water. He poured it unto the Lord, as a sacrifice. By doing that, he overcame the desires to please the flesh. He also worshipped God with the best he had in his hand at that time. He also rewarded the three men with a greater joy than if he drank the water. The men’s labor of love was a sacrifice dedicated to God, who will reward them so much more than David can ever do.
Lesson: there are sacrifices that are too big for us to receive. We have no right to accept such acts of love. The best is always for God. If David drank that water, he would have been a selfish proud man. The devotion of his followers was a test for him as a leader. Many fail this test. They become proud and they accept men’s worship. That is the beginning of their fall.
David could not drink the water because it was stained with blood. God commanded that no man should drink the blood of animals. The Blood of men and animals belongs to God alone. The best we have belongs to God! He will receive it and bless us beyond our dreams. This story makes us remember the greatest sacrifice. Jesus died for us. During Holy Communion, He wants us to drink His cup and remember His sacrifice.
Worship the Lord!
Green Pastures 