Joshua and Judges: The doctrine of leadership part 21 - Essential qualities of leadership: Humility, humor, righteous anger, patience, filling of the Spirit.

Title: Joshua and Judges: The doctrine of leadership part 21 - Essential qualities of leadership: Humility, humor, righteous anger, patience, filling of the Spirit.

 

Announcements / opening prayer:  

 

 

7. Essential qualities of leadership.

 

F. Humility: obeying the Lord and serving others, considering them as more important than yourself.

 

Humility is a base virtue that all other virtues rely upon. If we were to consider a large house, humility would be the foundation and agape love would be the roof while everything in the house comprised the other virtues.

 

We have already seen the Master's master principle of the leader being the servant and slave of all.

 

Humility is one of the least admired traits in the political and business world, but the spiritual leader will choose the path of humility and service over the boisterous and self-promoting pride of the world.

 

John the Baptist was widely known and people traveled for miles in order to hear his fiery and eloquent sermons and to be baptized. But the secret of John's greatness was in his humility.

 

JOH 3:25 There arose therefore a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification.

 

JOH 3:26 And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have borne witness, behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him."

 

The arrogant man would feel threatened by this statement, but John is not because he understands who he is and who Christ is. Why should he feel threatened that all are going to Christ? John was sent by God to proclaim that very thing. We are all here to serve God and others. If we feel threatened by the success of another then you are not functioning within the purpose for which you have been called.

 

JOH 3:27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.

 

JOH 3:28 "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.'

 

JOH 3:29 "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. And so this joy of mine has been made full.

 

JOH 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.

 

Paul's humility grew with his years.

 

1CO 15:9

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

 

EPH 3:8

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ

 

1TI 1:15

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost.

 

The spiritual leader will gladly work as an assistant or associate in humbly helping another to achieve great things. A famous missionary in China once wrote, "The great fault, I think, in our missions is that no one likes to be second."

 

G. Humor: the best way to relieve tension is good laughter. The leader should be relaxed and enjoy the ride, having proper and timely humor.

 

Charles Spurgeon was once criticized for writing humor into his sermons. He replied, "If only you knew how much I hold back, you would commend me." He later said that it is better to cause momentary laughter while teaching than a half hour of slumber.

 

To some unfortunate believers good laughter is frowned upon and thought to only be in the camp of the enemy.

 

Php 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

 

GAL 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is… joy

 

H. Righteous anger without sin at injustice and evil that enslaves mankind.

 

MAR 3:1 And He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there with a withered hand.

 

MAR 3:2 And they were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, in order that they might accuse Him.

 

MAR 3:3 And He said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise and come forward!" 

 

MAR 3:4 And He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent.

 

MAR 3:5 And after looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

 

MAR 3:6 And the Pharisees went out and immediately began taking counsel with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

 

Christ became angry at the evil that was in their hearts. Because of that evil many in Israel were enslaved. It is imperative that this only occurs without sin.

 

A sinfully angry leader is cruel and despotic. Righteous anger is a hatred for the sin and evil that opposes God and His plan at every turn.

 

EPH 4:26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

 

EPH 4:27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.

 

Paul makes it clear that righteous anger should not be continuous. This anger may prompt the leader to act in a certain way, but he must not let it continue in his soul for longer than it should or else he will fall into sinful anger, which opens up opportunities for the devil. 

 

Righteous anger carried on for too long will result in sinful anger. It must be without sin and controlled.

 

JOH 2:13 And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

 

JOH 2:14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated.

 

JOH 2:15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the moneychangers, and overturned their tables;

 

JOH 2:16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a house of merchandise." 

 

JOH 2:17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Thy house will consume me."

 

MAT 21:12 And Jesus entered the temple and cast out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves.

 

MAT 21:13 And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making it a robbers' den."

 

We don't read of Christ brooding over their evil for days on end. His anger caused Him to act in a certain way and then He moved on. We are going to be surrounded by sin and evil always, but as God hates it so should we, yet our righteous anger should be short lived or it will turn into sinful anger. If you are of the type that has a bad temper, this point should be approached with the greatest caution.

 

I. Patience: Victorious endurance and constancy under trial. Patience is not simply doing nothing.

 

William Barclay taught about patience: "The word never means the spirit which sits with folded hands and simply bears things. It is victorious endurance and constancy under trial. It is Christian steadfastness, the brave and courageous acceptance of everything life can do to us, and the transmuting of even the worst into another step on the upward way. It is the courageous and triumphant ability to bear things, which enables a man to pass breaking point and not to break, and always to greet the unseen with a cheer."

 

Patience meets one of its most difficult tests in personal relationships.

 

Hudson Taylor, a British missionary to China, once confessed, "My greatest temptation is to lose my temper over the slackness and inefficiency so disappointing in those on whom I depend. It is no use to lose my temper - only kindness. But oh, it is such a trial."

 

Our Lord had to deal with disciples that were so often unfaithful. Peter's big mouth, John and James' desire for the highest seats in the kingdom, Peter, James, and John sleeping in Gethsemane, Judas' treachery were all handled by Him with the utmost patience.