Romans 12:8, Matthew 23, Revelation 17:14, Philippians 2:3-8

Matt Summerfield considers a leaders ability to follow, serve and love.

Jesus, the Son of God, models this Himself in His darkest moment in the Garden of Gethsemane. It's the night before He is about to be brutally tortured and put to death on the cross and He knows it. He's about to go through a level of suffering that we cannot imagine and not because He's done anything wrong, but for the sins and selfishness of the whole world, including you and me.

What He's facing is causing him such HUGE distress that he sweats drops of blood. He prays to God the Father, "Is there any other way that people can be saved without me having to go to the cross? If there's any way at all that I can skip what's coming, then I'd really appreciate it."

But in a cold dark garden in Gethsemane, He says, "Not my will, but your will be done."

Church leader Alan Scott reminds us that, 'God is more interested in your obedience than your influence. Don't focus on becoming a better leader, focus on becoming a better follower.'

We need to wake up every day and say to God, "Whatever you're doing today, show me and help me join in."

2) To Lead is to Serve

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:3-8)

Paul is saying that if Jesus, who was secure and clear about his identity (he was fully God), is willing to give it all up and become someone of no reputation and humbly serve others, then I should do the same as a leader.

This is not easy, because as leaders, a lot of the time the spotlight is on us and the Christian world is just as able to make celebrities out of it's leaders as the world is. We need to remember that leadership is a function. It's not a better role than anyone else's role. It's just a different role. We need to walk humbly.

3) To Lead is to Love

The problem with the religious leaders, is that they cared more about rules than relationships. More about performance than people. That's not the way Jesus works.

Some of us might say, "I'm not religious" and that's good, because Jesus has no interest in religion; Jesus is all about relationship.

Jesus healed people, who took their miracles and walked away from him.
Jesus fed people, who walked away with their full stomachs and ignored him.
Jesus died on a cross for people, who laughed as his life ebbed away and mocked him.

Why?