Broken Leadership

Experiencing God won't guarantee your leaders will be faithful to him.

Exodus 32:1-4 When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. "Come on," they said, "make us some gods who can lead us. We don't know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt." 

2 So Aaron said, "Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me." 3 All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron.

4 Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, "O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!"

---

In the previous post from the book of Exodus, we saw how quickly the nation of Israel turned away from their understanding of God and what he requires of his people. He knew they were weak and unfaithful but he still chose them to be a light in dark places.

They should have recalled their recent experiences with God and how amazing he has proven himself. They were saved by God's mighty power from the kingdom of darkness, they made promises to be his redeemed people that would not have any other gods but as Moses was up the mountain talking with their amazing God, the people were talking to their future High Priest about making a new god.

During the 40 days that Moses was receiving instructions from God the people broke their promises. Aaron's appointment as High Priest seemed questionable from the start because of his lack of allegiance to God when the people asked for a god. It seems like it way too easy to get him onboard with their terrible idea despite the fact that there didn't seem to be any significant pressure put on him as he went along with their idea without hesitation.

They told Aaron to "Make some gods that can lead us!" What an impossible request! They should realize that the being that does the creating has the most power, how could anybody possibly make anything that would be powerful like our God? How could a mere mortal make their own god? 

Thousands of people already saw the proof that the man made gods of Egypt were completely powerless but God's people still wanted that kind of god. 

Thousands of people witnessed God's love, protection and his ability to redeem a people from the kingdom of darkness, yet there wasn't anyone that showed any skill as a leader by standing for what is right.

Exodus 32:8 How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live!

Nobody in this group of thousands stood up for what is right even after all the time and effort it takes to melt gold so that is can be molded and also takes time and effort to build an altar. And then, after all of the preparations are made, Aaron tells them tomorrow is the big day.

Next morning they wake up and nobody said oops! Nobody stepped up to lead. All of the people continued to go on with their plans, including Aaron. God's people quickly proved to be no different from the rest of the world. Was their God different or was he just another god?

Aaron failed the leadership test

Exodus 32:22 "Don't get so upset, my lord," Aaron replied. "You yourself know how evil these people are.

Aaron denied responsibility and blamed the "evil" people even though he was the one that made the molds and poured the gold and built the altar. Aaron wanted Moses to believe that it all “just happened."

Moses passed the leadership test

Exodus 32:10,30 Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation."

30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin, but I will go back up to the LORD on the mountain. Perhaps I will be able to obtain forgiveness for your sin."

God’s people need leaders like Moses that will stand up to God's people and refuse to allow them to follow the rest of the world. We need leaders that will be appalled at evil, pray for us and confront our sin. 

God's people needed a man that was willing to die in their place in order to save them from their sin. Moses wasn't qualified to die for his people but the day was coming when God himself would come to be the only qualified substitute for his people.

Jesus came to lead God's people as the greater, ultimate Moses, to do what Moses desired but he could not. Jesus came and died so that I would not have to pay the price that I would never be able to pay off. My death can't pay the price for my sin because I am not a perfect sacrifice.

Revelation 1:17-18 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look-I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

The only leader of God's people that could die as our substitute is not dead! Jesus is the living one that holds the only keys that can release you from the kingdom of darkness! When we follow his leadership we will be able to stand before our creator and hear him say "Don't be afraid."

RELATED ARTICLES

Jesus, Our Substitute (ligonier.org)

Stop Following Me

Does your ministry glorify Jesus or yourself?

John 3:22-30  Then Jesus and His disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people.

23  At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism.  24  (This was before John was thrown into prison.)

25  A debate broke out between John's disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing.  26  So John's disciples came to him and said, "Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the One you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to Him instead of coming to us."

27  John replied, "No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.  28  You yourselves know how plainly I told you, 'I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for Him.'  29  It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at His success.

30  He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

---

Have you ever met a follower of John the Baptist? Eventually his following disappeared but when he first told them that they shouldn't settle for less and that the ministry of the Messiah was far greater than his many of them stayed with him. Instead of leaving many of his followers were eager to promote and even protect his ministry.

It would have been easy for John to adopt the same attitude as his followers and ignore the Messiah just like they were doing. He could have become prideful that the Holy Spirit was with him before he was born. The crowds were coming from all over to hear him preach, there aren't very many preachers that get to enjoy that, even Jesus testified how great that John the Baptist was. (Luke 1:15-17, 76, Matthew 3:5-6, 11:11)

Competition in ministry is wrong but it isn't anything new. On one occasion when the Holy Spirit came on two young men, Joshua, who was Moses’ helper, said, “Moses, my lord, restrain them.” But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:28-29)

A similar thing happened when the apostle John saw someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name and tried to prevent him, because he wasn't a part of their group (Mark 9:39). Paul had to deal with the idea of competition in ministry. Some people tried to promote the superiority of one ministry over another but Paul didn't let their opinion of his work go to his head.

1 Corinthians 3:5  After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God's servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.

The Bible makes it clear that a Christ follower is supposed to be a minister but they are also supposed to be a servant. We do not like the concept of being a servant but that is the life that we are supposed to live. A servant is the most submissive lifestyle that we can understand, they don't have rights that are owed to them, they can be told what to do and how to do it at any time.

What servant has a right to claim that their ministry is better than another? If God is doing a greater work somewhere else is he calling you to terminate your current ministry and join him in that new work?

I Am God's Servant
Ephesians 3:7  By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving Him by spreading this Good News.

God gives me a work to do and he gives me the power to do it. I don't have anything apart from God, as his servant I have been given a job to do and I receive the power to do that job through him. Our pride gets in the way and we forget that we received a commission from God, he gives me the power to do it, and he can easily tell me to stop and serve somewhere else.

Success in ministry comes from God and if he isn't working where you are working then maybe it is time to look at where he is working and go join him there. I have to wonder how many ministries are still operating long after God has asked them to stop. We try to direct God and keep him in line with our plans but sometimes God is doing a new work and we need to let go of what he was using yesterday.

Humility comes from knowing who God is and keeping our focus on him. The clearer our vision of His majesty and greatness and power and glory, the more we will be humbled in His presence and obey his will for our lives.

Thank you Lord for allowing me to serve you, I pray that everything that I do exalts you and encourages others to do the same. I want to serve where you want me to serve. (1 Timothy 1:12)

Perfecting The Saints

The body of Christ cannot grow without some assistance.

Ephesians 4:11-16 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

---

Before Jesus left earth he provided the leadership that the new organization called the church would need so that the church would be sustainable throughout the ages. The church leaders included apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.

The two main purposes of these leaders is to help the believers grow and to help them get along and work together in unity. Don't fall for the lie that these are the "professional" Christians that are employed to do all of the work of the church.

Ideally, if the leadership is successful then the work of the church will get done efficiently and the people in the church will be very happy doing their part. We don't usually take it very seriously but our maturity in the body of Christ is very important for two reasons:

1. Without maturity in our faith we will fall for the devils lies, he will send people that will try and trick us into believing something that is almost the truth, something similar to the deception that he used on Adam and Eve.

2. The world needs to see the body in a mature condition because a lack of maturity will result in behavior that will not be appealing. We must be mature so that we can be attractive to the world, if they see fighting and childish behavior and an absence of love then they will be repelled from us, love and unity are the best reasons for them to notice us.

Becoming like Jesus.
1 John 3:2  Dear friends, we are already God's children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is.

The work of perfecting the saints is a job that will not be finished until Jesus returns and takes us home to heaven. Until then the leaders of the church are here to equip us and help us grow to maturity. They will work along with the Holy Spirit and the Bible to help us grow more like Jesus. (Galatians 5:16, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 13:17)

Thank you Lord for the men of the Bible that show me how to live, thank you for the guidance of pastors and church leaders that help me know you better and help me apply your teaching to my life.

The Church Needs Good Shepherds

Shepherds have a difficult task but the rewards are awesome.

1 Peter 5:1-4 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:  

2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.

---

The secular example of leadership in world history is one of domination, from the Philistines to the Babylonians to the Romans, they all ruled with an iron fist. Even the Jewish religious leaders took up this autocratic leadership style of force and intimidation. Authority was not usually associated with concern, forgiveness or mercy.

Peter is writing this book to the persecuted church, the leaders in Judaism and the Roman government are intimidating the followers of Jesus to try and get rid of this new movement, Peter is telling the church leaders that in the face of persecution the church needs leaders to lead.

Peter found out the hard way that leaders are made and they are proven when times are tough. Peter failed when the pressures was on, he blew in no time right after boldly announcing his allegiance, Jesus forgave him and he also gave him a fresh mandate to take care of the flock. After that Peter went on to become the solid rock that Jesus had said that he would become.

Matthew 20:25-26 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant.

The world had never seen leadership done the way that Jesus did it, the world had never seen a servant be a leader, the only thing that servants did was perform the jobs that nobody else would do. Jesus example shows us that we need to take care of the flock that God has placed in our care and serve them with the right attitude, cheerfully eager to serve God with Christlike humility, self-sacrifice, and affection for the sheep.

Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

If you read the entire twenty third Psalm you will catch a glimpse of the perfect shepherd, one that supplies every need, one that leads his sheep to safety, feeds them, brings them through the darkest days and prepares a place for them to live with him in his presence for eternity.

We must remember that the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will one day return and review our work. Will you be found following his example?

Related articles

• Seven Warning Signs of a Leader's Fall (thomrainer.com)
• Serve By Leading (wisdomhunters.com)
• The Believer's Survival Guide (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

Remember the Lord, Who is Great and Glorious

How great is our God?

Nehemiah 4:7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. 8 They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. 9 But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.

10 Then the people of Judah began to complain, "The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves."

11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, "Before they know what's happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work."

12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, "They will come from all directions and attack us!" 13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.

14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, "Don't be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!"

15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 16 But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. 18 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.

19 Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, "The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!"

---

The task of rebuilding the walls and the gates of Jerusalem was a huge task and to make it more challenging the builders had to worry about being attacked. So now this gigantic task is being done by half as many men so that the other half can stand guard with their weapon and then for a bigger challenge the workers had to carry a weapon in one hand while they did their work with the other hand.

Maybe God was trying to tell them that they were not the ones building this wall but it was Him that was making it happen. Lest they become prideful about what they had accomplished, it becomes a job bigger than they are so that the people will "Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious."

We have an awesome God that will take care of the things that are way too big for us to handle, Nehemiah was a leader that knew where the vision came from to build this wall and he knew where the power would have to come from to make it happen. God would be faithful to his people if they would "Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious."

When the going gets tough help us to "Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious." Thank you for your faithfulness to your people, help us to be faithful to you.

Serving The Ugly Bride

The bride of Christ doesn't always look too pretty.

1 Peter 5:1  And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:

2  Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

3  Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4  And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.

5  In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." 6  So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.

7  Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

---

If you think it is difficult as an ordinary everyday Christ follower to keep yourself on the straight and narrow, try being a leader of the church with everybody watching you.

They have been entrusted with the care of the bride of Christ, a bride that is supposed to be beautiful but at times this bride is downright ugly. All the bickering over petty junk and all the quarrels about what the music should sound like and how the sermon should be preached cause the bride to get far from being beautiful.

Still they must lead by example and they must lead cheerfully, eager to serve God, so that the bride of Christ will learn by example to serve with humility. If our leaders are not joyful in their walk with Christ how can they ask other people to join them in serving?

I will encourage my pastor and other church leaders so that they will be eager to continue serving God.

Help your bride Lord to see how ugly she can be, help us to serve humbly as we seek to make you famous one person at a time.