Sent: Monday, July 29, 2002 2:39 PM Subject: Thought-29/07/2002
> > >Looking at Jesus the Leader >========================== > > >Let's look at Jesus as the Leader. A leader is one who leads. >Jesus is our Leader and he leads us. > >Firstly, we see him as a Teacher - one who has the authority. He >was well-versed in the scriptures. When he was tempted, he did >not yield to temptation. The secret of his victory was his >knowledge and ability to use >the scriptures effectively Matthew 4:4-10, Luke 4:4-12. Whenever >he spoke,people wondered from where he got his wisdom. We also >see him as one who had answers to all questions. In Matthew >22:15-33, we see that various >groups of people wanted to trap him by asking him various >questions. Again we see his knowledge of the scriptures and the >way he used it to silence all >of them. >How much we need to study the Word of God and have the ability to >use the Word of God in different situations. > >Secondly, we see him as a Role Model for us. He did not just >preach. His life itself was an example. When he talked about >love, He said, 'As I have loved you' John 13:34, 15:12. His love >is not a reciprocal love but an >unconditional love. Though I am not worthy of his love. He loves >me, he also expects us to love one another. > >Thirdly, when he talked about Service, he demonstrated that in >the upper room. As a leader, he should have waited for the >disciples to wash his feet. >But instead, He took off his outer clothing, wrapped a towel >around his waist, and began to wash his disciple's feet, drying >them with the towel that wrapped around him. He also declared >that He did not come to be served but to serve. Matthew 20:28. He did not give up on anyone. He did not write > >off anyone, we see that his handling of Judas and Peter. He did >not give up > >Judas till the end, though Judas was a traitor as we read in Luke >6:16 and John 18:5 and the one who betrayed Jesus. Yet he loved >him till the end. > >In the upper room, he gave him the important place and warned >him. He did not give up on Peter. Yes, he had to rebuke him >saying, "Get behind me satan! >You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the >things of God, but the things of men. Matthew 16:23. > >Fourthly, Jesus also planned things well. Jesus and Peter had to >pay temple > >tax. He organized a fish to give that amount to Peter. The donkey >was arranged for his triumphal entry into Jerusalem Matthew >21:2&3. The upper room was already arranged for Passover Matthew >26:18. There was no >confusion, no last minute running around here and there. He also >lived a life of Discipline. > >Fifthly, look at Jesus's humility. When Paul writes to the >Philippians he says, "being in very nature God, did not consider >quality 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 > >- Phillipians 2:6-8 > >Sixthly, let's not forget his obedience. Does a leader have to >obey? Is he accountable? Sometimes we feel that the leaders are >leaders and they can do anything the way they want. That is not >true with Jesus. HE OBEYED HIS >FATHER IN EVERYTHING. He did not pick and choose, from coming >down to the earth to the cross he obeyed. > >You & I are also called to be Leaders to lead others not only >with our words but also with our life. Others may not recognize >us as leaders. We may not have any designation against our name. >Yet we are leaders in one-way or the other, Let him be our Role >Model. Let us grow like HIM in all aspects of our lives. God >Bless you richly! > >Writen by by V. Sitther - IEM,Bangalore **************************************************************** This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. To unsubscribe, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to this mailing list, visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet For automatic help, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ****************************************************************
