SERVANT LEADERS

In my last post I had given a few examples of Jesus' teachings on sacrificial living through his own example, as found in Gods' living Word. Gods' "Living Word" that is God breathed, empowered by the Holy Spirit, inerrant in all respects, we all truly believe jealously. The shorter Catechism says,

Q 1:What is the chief end of man?

A:Mans chief end is to glorify God , and to enjoy Him forever.
1.Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31, KJV).
2.Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? and [there is] none upon earth [that] I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: [but] God [is] the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. (Psalms 73:25-26, KJV).

Q 2:What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

A:The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
1.And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone]; (Ephesians 2:20, KJV).
All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16, KJV).
2.That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1John 1:3, KJV).

Q 3:What do the Scriptures principally teach?

A:The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.1
1.Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:13, KJV).


Q 74: What is required in the eighth commandment?

A:The eighth commandment requires the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others. 
1.Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (Romans 12:17, KJV).
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. (Proverbs 27:23, KJV).
2.If thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him. (Leviticus 25:35a, KJV).
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (Philippians 2:4, KJV).

Q 75:What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?

A:The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor's wealth or outward estate.
1.If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1 Timothy 5:8, KJV).
2.He that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. (Proverbs 28:19b, KJV).
Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly. (Job 20:19-20a, KJV).


Q 76:Which is the ninth commandment?

A:The ninth commandment is, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." (Exodus 20:16, KJV).

Q 77:What is required in the ninth commandment?

A:The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor's good name, especially in witness-bearing.
1.Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour. (Zechariah 8:16 b, KJV).
2.Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. (1 Peter 3:16, KJV).
Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong. (Acts 25:10 a, KJV).
3.Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record. (3 John 1:12 a, KJV).
4.A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. (Proverbs 14:5 a, KJV).
A true witness delivereth souls. (Proverbs 14:25 a, KJV).

Q 78:What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?

A:The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name.
1.Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit. (Romans 3:13 a, KJV).
2.God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. (Job 27:5, KJV).
3.He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. (Psalms 15:3, KJV).

Q 79:What is the tenth commandment?

A:The tenth commandment is, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." (Exodus 20:17, KJV).

Q 80:What is required in the tenth commandment?

A:The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his.
1.Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have. (Hebrews 13:5 a, KJV).
2.Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. (Romans 12:15, KJV).
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. (1Corinthians 13:4-6, KJV).

Q 81:What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?

A:The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his.
1.Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. (1 Corinthians 10:10, KJV).
2.Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:26, KJV).
3.Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5, KJV).

Q 82:Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

A:No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.
1.For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. (Ecclesiastes 7:20, KJV).
2.The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. (Genesis 8:21b, KJV).
3.The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8, KJV).
4.In many things we offend all. (James 3:2a, KJV).

Servant Leaders

In my previous post I tried to show the example of Jesus as a servant leader unhindered and uncluttered by worldly possessions. Using his seeming possessions for the good of the community. Firstly his small group of disciples and than the larger community. To day let me give you biblical references to support my assertions with the context in which they were said. 

1. Mathew 8:20 ref. Luke 9:58 - Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” The context is Mathew 8:19 - 21 and Luke 9:57 - 59.
2. Mathew 10:9&10 - “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.. The context is Mathew 10:8-10
3. Mathew 6:25 ref Luke 12:21-23 - “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? The context is Mathew 6:24-26
4. Mathew 6:28 - “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. The context is Mathew 6:27 - 29
5. Mathew 6:31 ref Luke 12:28-30 - So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ The context is Mathew 6:30-32. Especially note verse 32.
6. Mathew 6:34 - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. The context is Mathew 6:33 & 34.
7. Mark 10:17- [ The Rich and the Kingdom of God ] As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” The context is Mark 10:17-29 ref Luke 18:18-29
8. John 13:29 - Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. The context is John 13:21-30
9. John 12:6 - He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. The context is John 12:1-6
10. Mathew 26:14-16 - Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
11. Acts 5:3&4- Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” The context is Acts 5:1-10 
12. Mathew 6:19-21 - “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

There are many other references in the Bible that you can look up about worldly wealth and possession and its pitfalls.

Servant Leadership

Many people misunderstand the term "Servant Leadership". The biblical view of servant leadership is a far cry from its interpreted version touted out by teachers, preachers and trainers in the Christian community in India. Majority of the teachings only deal with the ethical and the moral behavior and sadly leave out its practical application.

Jesus set the example of a servant leader by spurning all individual materialistic possessions. And all his disciples followed him to the 'T'. They were thus never hindered in their ministry because of money. Judas thought otherwise about Jesus' example and paid the price. There are other biblical examples of individuals who garnered or focused on individual wealth and compromised their ministry through ignominy and disgrace, even resulting in death.

Jesus commanded his disciples, when he sent them out for spreading the love of God for his creation, not to carry, or have provisions in place for, any earthly possessions along with them. He commanded them to find their daily bread, place of lodging and need for finances by completely depending on the goodwill of the people with whom they shared Gods' love. From all the people who professed Gods' sovereignty and suzerainty in their lives. He told his disciples to go to the house of the man of peace in the town they were ministering and if they were received to bless the house and if they were not offered hospitality to dust their sandals at the door.

Jesus further commanded that his disciples must not store treasure on earth. In other words, he clarified that, they must not worry about the tomorrow. Their future is taken care of by God himself, for what they must eat, wear, and have a shelter to live in. God would provide for all their needs in their faithfulness of serving him and sharing his sacrificial love for his creation. He gave the example of his creation that he cared for to the minutest detail.

Jesus was asking his servant leaders to have implicit faith, trust and hope in God his father for all their provisions.