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| Volume 22 Number 12 December 2020 | Page 5 |
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| Volume 22 Number 12 December 2020 | Page 5 |
Hiram Kemp
God is a God of order and structure (1 Corinthians 14:33). God in His infinite wisdom and knowledge has always provided guidance and direction for His people. From the time of creation, God has led mankind and given commands and prohibitions for the overall good of humanity. While God possesses all authority and He is the One who governs the world, He often delegates authority to other individuals (Psalm 62:11). God has chosen certain people or groups to represent Him as the leader to His people. Ungodly leadership can be a hindrance to the work of the Lord. We should be thankful for godly leadership whenever we see it (Isaiah 9:16). In both the Old and New testaments there are examples of godly leadership and how it benefited the people of God. We should study the lives of godly leaders from the past, appreciate the godly leadership provided in the present and be sure to continue to develop godly leaders for the future.
Moses: Leading through the Wilderness
Moses is no doubt one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen. Moses knew God in a unique way that few others ever have (Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10). Though Moses grew up in the palace in Egypt, there came a day when he surrendered the pleasures of Egypt in order to stand with God’s people (Hebrews 11:24-27). God called Moses at the burning bush near Mount Horeb to lead God’s people out of Egypt and into Canaan (Exodus 3:1-10). Though Moses was fearful initially, he soon garnered the necessary courage to stand before pharaoh and perform the signs that led to the deliverance of God’s people.
Moses was a great leader and a blessing to God’s people because he was a meek and a selfless man (Numbers 12:1-3). The children of Israel were habitual complainers and grumblers, and yet, Moses always interceded with God on their behalf. He was willing to be blotted out of God’s book if God was not going to preserve Israel (Exodus 32:30-32). He was wise enough to delegate to others when certain jobs were overwhelming. Moses sought out others who could judge smaller cases when he was busy with more pressing matters (see Exodus 18). He also trained Joshua to take his place when he was forbidden from entering into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 31:1-8). Israel had many great leaders, but Moses must always be mentioned among the greatest of her leaders. While Moses enjoyed a special relationship with God, he never allowed that relationship to make him arrogant or superior to others. He spent his time serving the people even when he was unappreciated.
David: A Man After God’s Heart
After Saul failed as the king of Israel, God promised that the new king would be a man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). As God looked on the hearts of Jesse’s sons, He chose David to be the new king in Israel (1 Samuel 16:7, 11-13). David was a great king for many reasons. He was a king that would engage in battle with the people and not simply sit back and watch others do the work. He was close to God as he prayed frequently and wrote many of the Psalms that would be sung and prayed by Israel (2 Samuel 23:1; Psalm 55:17). David’s reign is described by the Holy Spirit in a positive light as his reign is summarized in Kings and Chronicles (1 Kings 2:10-11; 15:5; 1 Chronicles 29:26-30).
David was the standard that other kings were to look to and to follow. In the years following David’s reign, kings were said to be righteous if they followed God like David and wicked if they did not follow the good example set by David (1 Kings 11:6; 15:3).
David was far from sinless. Anyone familiar with the account of David and Bathsheba knows well about his adultery, orchestrating the death of Uriah and his abuse of power (2 Samuel 11). However, David was also extremely penitent when he fell (Psalm 51). He was not above making mistakes, but when he did, he was willing to repent, ask for forgiveness and do his best not to commit the same mistakes again. He was loved by the people he led, but he was also loved by his God. David was a great king and a godly leader.
Jesus and the Apostles:
New Testament Leadership
Of course, when leadership is considered, Jesus is in a class all by Himself. No one ever spoke like Him (John 7:46). No one could do the miracles that He did (Mark 2:12; John 9:32). Jesus led the apostles and showed them how to be great by serving others rather than themselves (Mark 10:43-45). After Jesus’ sacrificial death, burial and triumphant resurrection, He possessed all authority in Heaven and in Earth (Matthew 28:18). He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). We are to follow His leadership from Earth all the way to Heaven as He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).
Jesus gave His apostles authority on earth. As He was ascending back to Heaven, the Holy Spirit was to descend on the apostles in a miraculous measure (Matthew 16:19; John 16:13; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4). The apostles would be leaders in the church, write the New Testament as they were led by the Holy Spirit and serve as pillars in the church (Ephesians 2:20). The apostles showed great leadership as they helped the church through problems (see Acts 6 and 15). They were willing to teach, suffer and give their lives for the cause of Christ. Knowing they would not live on Earth forever, they appointed elders in local congregations to shepherd and lead God’s people (Acts 14:23).
The Leadership Under Whom We Serve
Because Jesus is the Head of the church, we look to Him for guidance (Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 1:18). The elders of local congregations have biblical authority over congregational matters of judgment. They are to provide leadership, spiritual nourishment and an example for members of their congregation to follow. Additionally, they must give a godly defense of the truth (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:9-11; 1 Peter 5:1-4). The eldership is made up of a plurality of men who meet the qualifications and is not to be dominated by one man above the others (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-8). Alongside the elders, deacons are special servants who assist the congregation in various capacities to ensure the work of the Lord goes forth (1 Timothy 3:8-13).
We all have a role to play whether we are an elder, deacon or a member in general (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Every Christian is to abound in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). Nevertheless, godly leadership is a blessing to be enjoyed. Thank God for it. As we look to Scripture and notice godly leadership and how God’s people flourished, may we do all we can to stand with our leaders so that we might do the same.