OceanSide church of Christ
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LEADERSHIP IS…
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
Leaders are absolutely
essential in all aspects of life.
B.
God knows this and His Word
speaks of leadership in many places:
the church, the home, society.
C.
Many people are leaders, and
they do not fully comprehend that fact.
1.
Parents.
2.
Teachers of
children.
3.
The
elderly.
4.
Members of the church whose
personality and knowledge and compassion for others enables them to have an
influence.
D.
Not all leaders, both
professed and unprofessed, fulfill the essentials of
leadership.
E.
In this lesson, we want to
remind us of these essentials.
We’ve entitled the lesson, “Leadership Is…”
I.
LEADERSHIP IS A MATTER OF COMMITMENT.
A.
A
leader is one who pledges and obligates himself to a group of people and to a
course of action.
1.
The group can be small or
large.
2.
The course of action,
however, is almost always great (See Heb. 13:17).
Obey them that
have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they
that must give account…
B.
Most rational, humble people
feel overwhelmed by the task (Moses, Exo. 3:10-11).
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that
thou mayest bring forth my people the children of
C.
Leaders choose to obligate
themselves to their followers and they accept the obligations and
responsibilities of their position.
True leaders “man up.”
II. LEADERSHIP IS A
MATTER OF AUTHENTICITY.
A.
Yes, character is very
important for a leader.
B.
A
leader must be genuine, real, authentic, and bonafide.
1.
Note: We are not talking about
perfection.
2.
We are talking about talking
the talk and walking the walk.
C.
Some want the position, but
they do not want the post.
Some want the title, but
they do not want the toil.
Some want the office, but
they do not want the obligations.
D.
The contrast between Saul
and David.
1.
Saul ceased to be little in
his own eyes.
2.
David remained a man after
God’s own heart.
E.
Paul’s leadership was
authentic. He could always call
upon his followers to testify to his genuineness (I Thess.
2:10-12).
Ye are
witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblamably we behaved
ourselves among you that believe:
as ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as
a father doth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called
you unto his kingdom and glory.
III. LEADERSHIP IS A MATTER
OF SERVICE.
A.
Every leader is called to a
task, a work (I Tim. 3:1).
This is a true
saying, If any man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good
work.
B.
Basically, the work involves
service to others. Jesus taught
this to His apostles in the upper room when He washed their feet (John
13:14-15).
If I then, your
Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s
feet. For I have given you an
example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
1.
Jesus’ act was a common,
useful service for those in His day.
Wearing only sandals, the feet would often get dirty from
walking.
2.
We are not being called to
literally wash feet. Leaders are
being called to render common, useful acts of service to their
followers.
IV. LEADERSHIP IS A MATTER
OF RELATIONSHIPS.
A.
The leader has individuals
behind him who are following.
1.
Each one of these
individuals is different.
2.
Each one has different
needs.
B.
To truly serve them, the
leader must get to know them. He
must have close relationships with them.
C.
In John 10, Jesus describes
His relationship with His people.
He describes it with the figure of a shepherd and a
sheepfold.
1.
In John 10:11, He states:
I am the good
shepherd.
2.
He was the leader. As the
shepherd, He knew each one of His sheep.
a.
He is able to call them by name (John 10:2-3).
But he that
entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep
hear his voice: and he calleth his
own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
b.
In verse 14, He states that He knows His sheep.
I am the good
shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
D.
A
good leader will get close to his followers. He will talk to them, visit with them,
help them, and teach them.
V. LEADERSHIP
IS A MATTER OF EXAMPLE.
A.
The eyes of the followers
are always on the leader. They
watch him because they believe that he knows what he is doing and where he is
going.
B.
Leaders do not just point to
the way; they show the way by the kind of life they live. The quickest way for a leader to lose
his influence is by failing to lead by example.
C.
Examples.
1.
We have already seen Jesus
leading by example. He specifically
said: I
have given you an example (John 13:15).
2.
Paul offered himself up as
an example to his followers.
a.
I Corinthians 11:1.
Be ye followers
of me, even as I also am of Christ.
b.
Philippians 4:9.
Those things,
which ye have both learned, and received and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with
you.
3.
Paul also exhorted Timothy
to be an example of the believers (I Tim. 4:12).
Let no man
despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers in word, in
conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
VI. LEADERSHIP IS A MATTER
OF EQUITY.
A.
A
leader deals with a fair hand to every person.
1.
He is not influenced by any
ties, including blood-kin.
2.
He is not one who can be
diverted from justice by money and power.
B.
James
2:9.
Be if ye have
respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as
transgressors.
C.
There are several areas
where this can be difficult.
1.
When one needs to be
confronted about low performance.
2.
When one needs to be
disciplined due to sin.
3.
When one must render
assistance to another.
4.
When one is being considered
for a certain position.
D.
Paul sets the standard for
us when he wrote to Timothy in I Timothy 5:19-20.
Against an elder
receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that
others also may fear. I charge thee
before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe
these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by
partiality.
1.
The preacher-elder
relationship should be a close relationship (See Acts
20:17-38).
2.
It is also a relationship
that impacts the preacher’s employment.
3.
Yet, when elders sin and
that sin is confirmed by two or three witnesses, they much be
rebuked.
4.
This must be observed without preferring one before another, doing nothing by
partiality.
CONCLUSION
A.
Every leadership position
comes with a title. Leadership,
however, is not about a title. To
call a man something does not make him that thing.
B.
Leadership is about how one
acts and how one is perceived by those he leads.
1.
It is a matter of commitment.
2. It is
a matter of authenticity.
3.
It is a matter of service.
4.
It is a matter of relationships.
5.
It is a matter of example.
6.
It is a matter of equity.
LEADERSHIP
IS…
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
Leadership is ___________ is
all aspects of life.
B.
Many people are leaders in
the church and do not _________ it.
C.
Some do not fulfill the
____________ of leadership.
I.
LEADERSHIP IS A MATTER OF ____________________
A.
Definition:________________________________________
B.
Most rational leaders will
be ___________ by the task (Exo. 3:10-11).
II. LEADERSHIP IS A
MATTER OF _____________________
A.
____________ does
matter.
B.
Definition:
_______________________________________
C.
The Bible contrasts king
____________ and king ___________.
D.
I
Thessalonians 2:10-12.
III. LEADERSHIP IS A MATTER
OF ______________________
A.
Every leader has a
__________ that must be done (I Tim. 3:1).
B.
Jesus taught His disciples
___________ when He washed their feet (John 13:14-15).
IV. LEADERSHIP IS A MATTER
OF ______________________
A.
Every leader has
_____________ behind him.
B.
To serve them, the leaders
must get to __________ them.
C.
Jesus taught this in John 10
in the figure of a _________ and his __________.
V. LEADERSHIP
IS A MATTER OF ______________________
A.
The _________ of the
followers are on the leader.
B.
Leaders do not just ________
the way; they _______ the way.
C.
Three leaders who were
examples.
1.
____________ (John
13:15).
2.
____________ (I Cor. 11:1;
Phil. 4:9).
3.
____________ (I Tim.
4:12).
VI. LEADERSHIP IS A MATTER
OF _____________________
A.
A
leader is __________ to every person.
B.
James
2:_______.
C.
Paul set them standard for
equity when he wrote to _________ (I Tim. 5:19-20).
CONCLUSION
A.
Leadership positions come
with a _________, but it is not important.
B. Leadership is about how one _________ as a leader.