beneficial Happy With Servant Leadership

[Michael37]

John Chapter 13

 

¹² So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Do you know what I have done to you?

¹³ You call me Master and Lord: and you say well; for [so] I am.

¹⁴ If I then, [your] Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet.

¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

Years of study, attending Bible college, doing courses, getting qualifications, going to conferences and seminars, paying lots of money, all to be an officially recognized, elevated, prominent, powerful leader...but all the time "you just supposed to serve...humbly like Jesus".

What happened? "We was corrupted, deceived, and exploited … heaps of us sabotaged by selfish desire". That's what happened.

Thank God that He prunes the vine and chastises those he loves, in this case so that they remember His servant leadership example.

The fruit of servant leadership may not be as popular as the alternative, which is selfish leadership, but it is eternal, unlike the alternative which is temporal, decadent, and futile.

I'm praising God for His faithfulness in leading me out of bondage to and into freedom from styles of leadership that dominate, intimidate, manipulate, and seduce, all for selfish goals.

A word in season from the Word for all seasons:

 Heb 4:10-16
(10)  For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
(11)  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
(12)  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
(13)  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
(14)  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
(15)  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
(16)  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
 

[Pekoudah]

Amen. We tend to invert the words of Jesus and do the very opposite of what He said we were to do as His followers. How many "servant" conferences are there? Compared to "leadership " conferences?

How popular is humility these days? In the world, if you don't blow your own horn you basically go unnoticed. But that's a good thing in the kingdom. We are to embrace obscurity for ourselves and not even consider the good we are doing.

How conscious are we of the inverted message of Jesus Christ? The upside down kingdom? If we are not then we tend to invert His message in our practice.

 

¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

 

Edited July 7, 2019 by Pekoudah

[Michael37]

10 hours ago, Pekoudah said:

How conscious are we of the inverted message of Jesus Christ? The upside down kingdom? If we are not then we tend to invert His message in our practice.

Thanks for your comments, Pekoudah. I really like the phrase "upside down kingdom" as you put it. I'm sure there were many quite bamboozled by Christ's crucifixion at the time, not comprehending His eternal act of supreme servanthood. 

[Michael37]

10 hours ago, Flowersun said:

Serving the Lord,brings great joy to my heart....

Aha, Yes Flowersun. The joy of serving the Lord is such an amazing thread running through the Word of God that it warrants daily meditation upon. Sometimes the joy is delayed but it always arrives on time. 

 Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Psa 30:4-5
(4)  Sing unto the LORD, O you saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
(5)  For his anger endures but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

[Michael37]

1 minute ago, Cletus said:

2Co 3:1  Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2Co 3:2  Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
2Co 3:3  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2Co 3:4  And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
2Co 3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2Co 3:7  But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
2Co 3:8  How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

Thanks for bringing this exhortation, Cletus. It warms my heart to have a knowledge of the truth shared with me by fellowservants of Christ. Our sufficiency is of God indeed. Reliance on the flesh proves to be a mistake every time. 

2Co 12:9-10
(9)  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
(10)  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
 

[Neighbor]

17 hours ago, Flowersun said:

Serving the Lord,brings great joy to my heart....

 

For me it's far greater to give than to recieve!...

im addicted to the joy of the Lord...nothing on this earth can compare.

 

Praise His Holy Name.

 

Hi, May I add: For me it has become a delightful privilege to simply say thanks to a person extending kindness to me. It takes as much grace to say thanks as it does to give. I feel no greater for giving. I feel no less for accepting a gift of any kind. I simply try to give and to receive in the name of Christ Jesus so that all that is done is  to the glory of God alone and so that I allow others to do the same without hindering their kindnesses.