Leadership 101
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Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.
Introduction: Today, my message is about leadership 101. I felt that this was appropriate seeing as we are preparing to begin a new church year...
I ran across a few quotes about leadership that I thought you might enjoy. Many of these quotes are from well known people.
Franklin D. Rosevelt once said, “It’s a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you are trying to lead - and find no one there.”
George Patton said, “Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”
Lewis Grizzard once said, “Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain’t the lead dog,the scenery never changes.”
Zig Ziglar said, “Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker.”
John Naisbit said, “Leadership involves finding a parade and getting in front of it.”
Robert Bloch said, “The man who smiles when things go wrong has thought of someone to blame it on.”
Will Rogers said, “Always drink upstream from the herd.”
And lastly...
A quote from the movie, A Bug’s Life, “The first rule of leadership; everything is your fault.”
Today’s passage is part of a farewell address that Paul Gave to the leaders of the church in Ephesus. In his message to the Ephesian elders, Paul gave them some leadership principles that I believe apply to us today - to any leader.
Paul is leaving behind three incredible years of ministry in Ephesus. We know the work he did there was impactful because at one point, it generated a riot; many Ephesians were turning away from their idols to serve Jesus Christ and this had a financial impact on those who made and sold idols.
Paul had departed from there and he called for the elders of the church in Ephesus to meet him in Miletus where he gave them his farewell speech, knowing that he would never see them in this life again. Their love for him and his ministry was so great, Paul had to tear himself away from them. His face was set toward Jerusalem, and ultimately to Rome.
The first principle that he gives to these leaders is to...
Take Heed (vv. 28-30)
Take Heed (vv. 28-30)
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23
The first and most important task of a leader is to guard their own heart and mind. To keep a watchful eye on themselves first, then the flock second.
You can’t lead and feed others without first leading and feeding yourself. There is no auto-pilot for your spiritual life.
Illus. “The godly leader knows that effective leadership flows from a life, not just knowledge.” ~ David Guzik
First, a leader must guard their own personal relationship with Christ.
There is always a temptation to get so busy and involved with serving that we neglect our own walk with God. I’m preaching to me this morning.
Leaders may still read and study the Bible, but only in their effort to prepare to teach. We no longer read it to hear from God.
We may stop singing praises to God or praying in order to enjoy God and do so only because it is required of us.
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
Not paying attention to our own spiritual walk makes us vulnerable to attacks from the enemy and to temptation.
That makes us vulnerable to attacks from the enemy and to temptation.
Illus. I used to love to watch nature shows. I was fascinated with how the lions would stalk their prey and would single out the weakest antelope from the herd and inevitably take it down for his dinner. Well, we are told that our adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He will take out the weak one first and we are at our weakest when we don’t guard our personal relationship with Christ.
Second, a leader must make sure that they are not living in the very sin that they are condemning.
you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?
You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
Romans 2:
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:
In no way does this mean that a leader will be sinless…it does mean that a leader deals with their own sin by confessing and repenting of their sin when they are convicted of it.
To borrow a phrase from the Puritan, John Owen, You best be killing sin or sin will be killing you.
Paul pointed the Ephesian Elders to the manner in which he lived his life among them.
And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;
Acts 20:18-19
As leaders, we ought to be able to do the same provided that we lead with integrity. What manner of life are you leading before the flock?
He also pointed out that leaders are to take heed over the spiritual condition of their flock. Even though Paul was addressing the elders of the church, I believe that this applies to any leader that God has called to serve his church, but especially to those who teach.
Dangers from outside the flock - Paul describes them as fierce wolves who will not spare the flock. False teachers who would not teach sound doctrine. How do you guard against these false teachers?
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
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,
Dangers from within the flock - “Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure disciples after them.” I think this is referring to people who are seeking position and power within a church - many times in opposition to the pastoral leadership of a church.
I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.
So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.
I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.
So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.
Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
Godly leaders will see this kind of divisive spirit and they will speak against it. They will do all that they can to put an end to this kind of behavior and preserve the unity of the local body.
3 john 1:9-11
Feed and Lead (v. 28)
Feed and Lead (v. 28)
Feed and Lead (v. 28)
Feed and Lead (v. 28)
Paul told these leaders to care for the church of God. He continued image of a shepherd and his sheep.
Leaders feed the flock by leading them to places where they would find good food. That good food is the Bible.
We ought to be able to do the same provided that we lead with integrity.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Illus. Someone once said that the Bible was bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions.
Paul told the Ephesian Elders...
for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
As leaders, our job is to declare the whole counsel of God.
I can assure you that when I preach, I will be preaching the Word.
I promise you I will never preach a longhorn sermon…You know what a longhorn sermon is, don’t you? I point here, a point there and a whole lot of bull in between.
Some preachers preach like Pharoah…they won’t let God’s people go either. I promise not to be like that.
A Shepherd also tends to the wounds of the sheep. You will recall in the 23rd Psalm, the image of a shepherd anointing the sheep with oil. This anointing was done for a number of reasons, but particularly whenever a sheep was injured or affected by certain parasites. Oil, mixed with sulfur and other ingredients we applied to the wounds to provide healing.
Illus: In a British weekly called the “Glass Window” this letter was published: “It seems ministers feel their sermons are very important and spend a great deal of time preparing them. I have been attending church quite regularly for 30 years and I have probably heard 3,000 of them. To my consternation, I discovered I cannot remember a single sermon. I wonder if a minister's time might be more profitable spent on something else”
For weeks a storm of editorial responses ensued which was finally ended by this letter: “I have been married for 30 years. During that time I have eaten 32,850 meals—mostly my wife's cooking. Suddenly I have discovered I cannot remember the menu of a single meal. And yet, I have the distinct impression that without them, I would have starved to death long ago. I received nourishment from every single meal.”
You may never remember a sermon that I preach or a lesson that a Sunday school teacher teaches, but without those who faithfully preach and teach the Word, your soul will go hungry.
A Shepherd also tends to the wounds of the sheep. You will recall in the 23rd Psalm, the image of a shepherd anointing the sheep with oil. This anointing was done for a number of reasons, but particularly whenever a sheep was injured or affected by certain parasites. Oil, mixed with sulfur and other ingredients we applied to the wounds to provide healing.
A Shepherd also tends to the wounds of the sheep. You will recall in the 23rd Psalm, the image of a shepherd anointing the sheep with oil. This anointing was done for a number of reasons, but particularly whenever a sheep was injured or affected by certain parasites. Oil, mixed with sulfur and other ingredients we applied to the wounds to provide healing.
A wise leader cares for the wounds of his flock. In the words of
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Plead (v. 31)
Plead (v. 31)
Plead (v. 31)
Plead (v. 31)
Plead (v. 31)
Plead (v. 31)
Twice, Paul has now mentioned pleading with the Ephesians with tears in his eyes. That tells me that he had such a great burden for the church.
Plead (v. 31)
Plead (v. 31)
You can’t hold any kind of leadership position in the church without having a burden for the church and it’s people.
Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.
Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.
Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea.
On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers;
toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.
Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.
2 Corinthians 11:23-
Paul was essentially saying that his daily concern for the church outweighed all of the suffering that he had experienced as an apostle.
Paul also had a tremendous burden for the lost - especially his fellow Jews.
Romans 9:1-
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—
that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
I believe that Paul has such a heavy burden for the church and for the lost for a good reason…Let’s go back to verse 28 again and see the reason.
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Paul recognized that a great price had been paid for the church. Christ shed his blood for the church. Therefore, the church is a precious treasure to God and leaders should be good stewards taking care of the church.
The church is important to God because it bears his name…Paul referred to the church of God.
The church is important to the Holy Spirit because he is calling and equipping leaders to minister to the church.
It is important to the Son because he shed his blood for it.
Leaders, this is the ultimate reason for faithful ministry. These sheep were bought with the blood of the precious Son of God.
Therefore, no pains, effort, and toil are too great to make sure these souls arrive safely in His heavenly kingdom.