Gracepointe Church (Dover, OH)
Gracepointe Church (Dover, OH)
Servant Leadership | Shawn Miller
Embarking on a journey of generosity and leadership, we share inspiring stories of community spirit in the wake of recent hurricanes in the Carolinas. Our initial goal seemed ambitious: one semi-load of relief goods and $20,000. Yet, the response was awe-inspiring, with four semi-loads and over $100,000 raised. This episode reflects on how such acts of kindness tie into the timeless teachings of 1 Peter 5:1-5, where the call to shepherd extends beyond church walls to roles as diverse as parenting and teaching. We invite you to ponder how these principles can shape your own life and community.
Imagine leadership that listens deeply and embraces vulnerability—this is the path of servant leadership exemplified by Jesus. Through personal anecdotes, such as our family's transformative experience serving at a nursing home in Virginia, we explore how authentic relationships and humility redefine greatness. The story of the mother of the sons of Zebedee serves as a poignant reminder that true leadership is found in serving others, not seeking power. Our discussion reveals how a shepherd's heart, marked by authenticity and relational depth, can be a guiding force in leadership.
We turn inward, examining how self-awareness is a cornerstone of impactful leadership. Inspired by King David's life, we discuss the "crucible moments" that forge resilience and growth, encouraging us to embrace both strengths and weaknesses. Trust, deep listening, and self-sacrifice emerge as essential traits, drawing parallels to the shepherd-like qualities of Jesus. By shifting the narrative from "practice what you preach" to "preach what you practice," this conversation underscores the power of integrity and self-discovery. Join us as we conclude with a heartfelt prayer, seeking guidance to lead with humility and service.
It is good to be here with you this morning. It seems our family has been through the month of September. We've been here kind of sporadically with all camping and family gatherings and everything else we had going on, but it looks like maybe that's over now, so hopefully we can be here a little bit more regularly. So I'd like to, before I go into the sermon this morning, give you a little bit of an update on the text that I had sent out last week concerning the Hurricane Relief Fund that is started by some area men, and we had put out a text if anybody has any goods that you'd like to send to South Carolina or North Carolina, that there's some avenues of doing that. So last week it was totally amazing to me of the generosity of our community if I can say that God works through his people and there was four men that got together and decided let's open this up and see if we can maybe get a semi-load of goods to send to North Carolina and maybe raise $20,000 as far as monetary support. And by Friday they sent the fourth semi-load and I believe they had raised over $100,000 in funds from just people bringing things, bringing funds to share with those in need. That is still open If anybody would like to donate. I think it is still open. But I was just blessed by how God works through his people. Even if we're hundreds of miles away, we can bless somebody by giving of our time, by giving of our money, by giving of our goods. So if any of you were involved in that, thank you and God bless you for that. So I just wanted to give you an update on that, since I had sent out an announcement last week Turn your Bibles to 1 Peter. I hope you're not getting tired of 1 Peter. We've been in 1 Peter for a long time and I do see the end coming as far as our preaching out of 1 Peter. We've been in 1 Peter for a long time and I do see the end coming as far as our preaching out of 1 Peter this morning.
Speaker 1:I'd like to look at five verses. I had initially started in with thinking today we're going to do all of chapter 5, and as I was studying and as I was looking at my word count on my word document as far as my notes, I decided we can only do five verses. These verses are loaded this morning and after we read the text, I'll kind of give an outline of who the target audience is this morning. If you think of shepherding, if you think of leading, you might think, well, I'll sit back and I'll take a Sunday morning off and I'll just kind of tune one ear in and one ear out, because it doesn't involve me If you're here this morning, it involves you, and we'll explain a little bit more about that.
Speaker 1:1 Peter 5, verses 1 through 5. Let's read the text. So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed. Shepherd, the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock, and when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer, god, as we look at this scripture this morning. I pray that you might show us what you mean by these words. I pray that you might show us what you mean by these words. I pray that you could show us what you have intended by giving us these words this morning. Help us to apply it to our life and to serve you by doing this. I pray this on your name, amen.
Speaker 1:Who does this apply to this morning? Well, it applies to me as a pastor at Grace Point. It applies to Randy as a pastor of Grace Point. We have an ordination coming up next spring, so this could be a little bit of a prelude sermon for the ordination. If you are a parent this morning, it applies to you. If you are a school teacher, that means you're in leadership. It applies to you. If you are one of the youth group and you lead one or two or three or maybe 10 people, or two or three or maybe ten people. It applies to you. If you're on stucco or you're on a committee at work or you're in any type of position at work to where you lead someone. Shepherding applies to you. If you're a person of influence, which we all are at one point or another, it applies to us. So I would venture to say it applies to all of us here. As I was studying this and I was thinking about shepherding, my mind went to the mothers that are represented here this morning. You might think that your husband's the leader of the home, and in his rightful place he is. But during the day when your husband might be at work and you're at home with the children, you are the shepherd. You are the leader. During that time, this applies to you.
Speaker 1:Let's get into the text. So this is Peter writing, and I'm sure the Holy Spirit is telling him what to write. He is writing to the different churches, the five different areas that the people were sent to. He is writing to the elders of these churches and he is encouraging them. As a fellow elder, peter himself is designating himself as an elder, as a leader in the church. He has been given the responsibility to lead a group of people. It might even be the responsibility to lead the elders of the five different groups that were sent out in 1 Peter 1.
Speaker 1:Secondly, he reminds them that he had the opportunity to personally witness and be with Jesus while he was here on this earth. In verse 1, as a fellow elder and as a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed. How awesome would it have been, as a leader today, to have had the privilege of walking alongside the chief shepherd, of walking alongside Jesus day in and day out. Yes, I realize that we have Jesus here with us right now, but we can't actually see him, we can't tangibly feel him. How awesome would that have been to have had that opportunity. Peter says I had that opportunity. He was a witness to the death and suffering of Jesus. Again, in the context that he was in at this point. This was real for him. There is no doubt in my mind that they were facing persecution from the Roman government. This was real for him. And he was saying I witnessed Jesus, I witnessed the chief shepherd going through this. He was a witness of both the transfiguration and the resurrection. He was a witness of both the transfiguration and the resurrection, actually I should say of three the transfiguration, the crucifixion and the resurrection. And now he was anticipating the glory to come when Christ will be revealed, called to be shepherds.
Speaker 1:Is there anyone here this morning that has a flock of sheep, that owns a flock of sheep. Anyone? Myrtle, your brother has some. Okay, yes, you have some. So we had a small flock of sheep in my growing up years at home and they're fascinating creatures. They can be led easily and then they can be very stubborn as well.
Speaker 1:Sheep are meant to be led. Never try chasing sheep. It doesn't go well. Sheep are meant to be led. Never try chasing sheep. It doesn't go well. Myron, when you lead or chase your cattle, which do you do? Do you lead them or do you chase them? You have to chase them. It's interesting that they're both animals. God created both. One is meant to be led and the other you have to chase in order to get anything done with them. God calls us his flock. People are meant to be led. Peter mentions this right in the middle of this passage. He mentions this right in the middle of this passage Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
Speaker 1:If you're in any type of leadership, or if you're in charge of any group of people and you're quote chasing them, or if you constantly have to tell them what to do, or if you're domineering as a dictator would, then you're not a leader and you're not a shepherd, shepherds, lead, leaders, lead. A shepherd is one who feeds. A shepherd is one who feeds. A shepherd is one who protects. And a shepherd is one who watches over his sheep, over his flock.
Speaker 1:This morning, as I mentioned, we have a lot of different leadership capacities here at Grace Point. This could also be just to bring it down home a little bit further. This could be small groups, families, business, as I mentioned, school teachers. If you're a school teacher here this morning, your capacity of leadership is amazing. You, as a school teacher, probably spend more or just during the summertime. You spend just as many waking hours or almost not quite as many waking hours, but a lot of waking hours with our children. You are in an amazing leadership position, an amazing opportunity of being a shepherd.
Speaker 1:Remember, whatever flock you're shepherding, it's not our flock, it is God's flock and he is stewarding us with the responsibility of leading that flock. We are responsible to take care and give oversight. We are to exercise those responsibilities willingly. Peter says don't do it through compulsion, don't be coerced into being that leader, don't do it because you have to. Now I realize, in any leadership capacity, in any leadership responsibilities, there's times when we would just rather not be that person. There's times when leaders just simply get tired of leading, get tired of the responsibility.
Speaker 1:Our brother, this morning that opened the service, you said you've been a pastor for 35 years. Morning that opened the service, you said you've been a pastor for 35 years. I imagine there was many times when you were you eagerly did that. I imagine there was times when you were like God, why did you give me this responsibility? All leaders face that. But we are called to do it eagerly and willingly. Willingness and eagerness releases the true potential of a leader. I'll say that again Willingness and eagerness releases the true potential of a leader. If we do it because we have to, if we do it because there was nobody else to do it, if we do it because I nobody else to do it, if we do it because I guess I'm called to lead, we will never reach our true potential because we're not looking for opportunities to excel, because we have to do it. We are to lead, not domineer or dictate.
Speaker 1:So for the rest of this sermon I like to look at the life of the chief shepherd, jesus, the chief shepherd. How did Jesus exemplify leadership through? In the four gospels there are certain attributes and principles that Jesus demonstrated perfectly, and we're not going to touch on all of those attributes, but I'd like to summarize those into two attributes this morning. Jesus was humble and Jesus was authentic. Jesus was humble and Jesus was authentic. He had nothing to hide. Who you saw is who you got. There was no need to question is he real? Yes, the teachers of that day, the Pharisees, the scribes, the Sadducees, they all questioned him on are you really the son of God? But Jesus as a person, he hid nothing. He was authentic.
Speaker 1:Turning your Bibles to Matthew 20, I'd like to read verses 20 through 28. Matthew 20. Matthew, chapter 20, verses 20 through 28. I'm reading this scripture to bring out the illustration of Jesus knew who he was, jesus knew what his mission on earth was and Jesus knew his identity. Matthew 20, verse 20.
Speaker 1:Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him and, with her sons and kneeling before him, she asked him for something and he said to her what do you want? She said to him say that these two sons of mine are to sit one at your right hand and one at your left hand in your kingdom. Jesus answered you do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink? They said to him we are able. He said to them you will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, for it is for those for whom it has been prepared. To my father, and when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you, but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.
Speaker 1:Even as a son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a. For many, jesus knew his identity. Jesus knew why he was here on this earth. He knew his mission. He knew that he was God and the form of a human being, but he was willing to, for three years, be human. He knew his purpose. He knew he was here to serve others and also to teach the model of servanthood, and the ultimate purpose of him being here was to save us as his people.
Speaker 1:In years past, I have oftentimes put most of the emphasis on Jesus being on earth, on the fact that he came to die for our sins, and truly that he did. But I do believe that another great part of his being on earth for three years was to teach the servant leadership model to prepare man to take on his work after he's left his physical presence on earth after he ascended. And that he did. He showed by what he did and not just by what he said. Jesus operated from a base of principles rather than making up rules as he went. Many times he went back to the Father to get his instructions for what to do next. He operated through a base of principles rather than making it up as he went. Rather than making it up as he went, jesus showed submission to the Father. We are all reporting to someone. There is no position here on earth to where the leadership or the leader is not accountable to someone, and that someone might be God himself. But even besides that, there are very few people on this earth that aren't accountable to someone, even if it is their peers.
Speaker 1:Jesus substituted power for relationships. Jesus substituted power for relationships. Jesus substituted power for relationships. He could have tapped into his all-knowing divinity, he could have persuaded everybody that came against him by telling them because I am this, you have to do this. There's very few times that Jesus used his divinity as a fact to conquer the matter. If he would have tapped into that more than he did, he would have separated himself from the ordinary people. He walked and he worked with those he served.
Speaker 1:One of the true characteristics of a good shepherd is knowing his flock, and in order to know your flock, you need to spend time with them. Whatever group of people you're leading, we need to spend time and we need to invest time in those people. We had announced previously this week that we were going to take Brent and Loretta in as members this morning and unfortunately Brent got a bad cold this week and couldn't be here this morning, so that's why we're not doing that. But a few weeks ago we had the opportunity of Mernita and I meeting with Brent and Loretta. We spent about two hours over at Wall House and I'm not going to speak for Brent and Loretta, but I'm going to speak for Mernita and I. We really enjoyed that evening in hearing a lot of their life story. We shared some of our life story and in just connecting. And that evening I came away from that meeting and I felt like I knew Brent and Loretta a lot better, two hours after we had just met them. We need to spend time with our sheep. We need to spend time with our flock.
Speaker 1:Jesus didn't look at this as a long-distance relationship. He was right there. He was right there. At times he could not get away because people wanted to be with him. He was not afraid of vulnerability. Jesus was not afraid of close friendships. He was not afraid of people discovering the real Jesus. He was authentic. What people saw is what they got. So how do we acquire the heart of a shepherd? How do we at all? How can we be Jesus here on this earth? It starts with a shepherd understanding him or herself. A shepherd understanding him or herself.
Speaker 1:Excuse me, so a number of years ago, back in 2008, marnita and I had the opportunity of serving at Mountain View Nursing Home, and when we got the call and they asked if we'd be willing to come over, we decided that we feel God is calling us to go. So we went. We moved our family. I think Bo was 10 months old and Ben was 8 years old. We moved our family to Virginia and we lived there for 2 years. The job that they assigned us to was to care for the staff, discipleship leader, for the voluntary staff, for the youth that were there. After we were there for a few months, they informed us that one of the requirements for this position is to go over to Life Ministries in Pennsylvania and go through their Core 1 training, and they labeled it as to go learn how to counsel, how to take care of people. Okay, that doesn't sound that bad. So we went. It was nine days, it was three weekends of three days.
Speaker 1:After the first three days, mernita and I discovered that, hmm, they sent us to learn how to take care of people and how to understand people. But it became very apparent to us that the first thing we have to do is learn how to understand ourselves. The first three days there we had to write our life story, start writing our life story, writing it out on paper. I think that first weekend I had to write out. I wrote out five legal tablet pages full of my life story, and that was only the first of three times that I had to write about my life story. My facilitator came back with questions that I ended up writing another three pages just to answer those questions. After those nine days we decided Life Ministries. Core One is more about getting to know who I am, and through that they give you some tips on how to work alongside people.
Speaker 1:Being a shepherd to your flock starts with being willing to be vulnerable and look inside my own heart. Who is Sean? Who is Mike? Who is Myron? Who am I? We need to understand ourselves and take a deep look within. We all have and you've heard me talk about this before we all have those crucible moments, those moments in life that we look back and say from that moment on I was able to do this because I learned that Am I willing to go back and visit those crucible moments or is there still too much pain there?
Speaker 1:A crucible moment is a situation where we endure the often painful trial that leads to either a renewed confidence in God and ourselves or a significant diminishing of self-confidence. I trust this morning, when you look at your crucible moments, that you can testify that it was a time that drew you closer to God and not push you away from God. It is a time that you can now use to minister out of and to lead out of and maybe help somebody else that might be going through that same thing. A shepherd seizes the opportunity to grow and learn from the experiences that God brings. My mind goes to King David. We look at Jesus as a chief, second as a chief shepherd, and I would make the case that maybe David was second to the chief shepherd as far as shepherding. Here, a while back, I had preached a series on the life of David and how his life was shaped by the years that he spent in the back 40 taking care of sheep, by the years that he was out there all by himself it was just him and his sheep, all by himself, except for being with Yahweh, being with God himself. Some of his crucible moments were probably when the lion and the bear came to attack his flock and he killed them, preparing him for the next giant, which was Goliath, preparing him for the next thing and the next thing and the next thing. His adultery with Bathsheba was probably a crucible moment.
Speaker 1:We all have those crucible moments that we need to go back to and see what have I learned here and how can I use this in my leading capacity or to help people? We need to embrace our strengths and recognize our weaknesses. I think if there's one fault that or there is a fault that we as conservative Mennonites have at times and that is to actually be okay with acknowledging our strengths and embracing our strengths. We don't want to come across as proud or as thinking we have it all together, but God has given each one of us gifts. God has given each one of us talents and gifts to be used for his glory and in order to be effective, by using those gifts. The first step is to embrace them and to acknowledge them and to be okay with admitting that, yes, god has given me some gifts, but then using them and we all have weaknesses. We also need to recognize our weaknesses, but not let those weaknesses dominate us, but to work on those weaknesses. But not let those weaknesses dominate us, but to work on those weaknesses, but to embrace our strengths and then to use that in a leadership capacity wherever you're leading.
Speaker 1:Jesus was very self-aware. He had external self-awareness and he had internal self-awareness. Some of you have heard me talk about the visual gospel and if you go on YouTube and you search the visual gospel of John, it's basically the gospel text in story form. I'm not sure which translation they use, but literally they follow the translation or the text. But they put a lot of animation with it and a lot of just a lot of energy, a lot of emotion with it. And it changed my way of looking at some of the gospel passages.
Speaker 1:When Jesus was talking, I have a tendency of reading Scripture in a monotone voice in my head In listening and watching some of the visual gospel when Jesus was reprimanding some of the people that came up against him. According to them, his voice was not always calm. He raised his voice at times. He used emotion. He was human. While he was here on this earth, jesus used emotion. He was connected with his emotions. He was self-aware of his external appearance. God gave us physical, spiritual and emotional. Use the emotional. Be aware of how you come across in your leadership capacity Internal awareness, thoughts, intentions, actions. Be authentic. Don't do something with an ulterior motive. A shepherd does not deceive his sheep. A leader is not to have ulterior motives in anything that we do. Be aware of your internal intentions.
Speaker 1:The next point is a shepherd understands and knows his flock. The first one was a shepherd understands him or herself. The second one is a shepherd understands and knows his flock. Jesus was a listening leader. Jesus didn't do all the talking, jesus listened and I believe Jesus listened to understand and Jesus did not always listen to respond. There's so many times when I catch myself listening to respond. Austin might be, we might be in a conversation, austin and I and Austin is saying something and as he's speaking, I've got my answer ready the minute he's done talking and I launch in with my answer. Versus while Austin's talking, trying to understand what he's saying and trying not to miss something he's saying. As I'm preparing my answer, I'm probably missing 50% of what he's trying to tell me. Listen, a shepherd listens to his flock. A shepherd listens for dangers that might be coming in to his flock.
Speaker 1:Jesus was a listening leader. He listened without being condemning. My mind goes to the woman that was in adultery. She was led up to him by a number of men and he listened before he gave his answer. Jesus had others' best interests in mind, even if it meant rebuking and reproving somebody. John 18, verses 10 and 11.
Speaker 1:Then Simon Peter having his sword this was when they came to arrest Jesus. Then Simon Peter having a sword. This was when they came to arrest Jesus. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. So Jesus said to Peter put your sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me? I am convinced that Peter had good intentions the Father has given me. I am convinced that Peter had good intentions. Peter was looking out for Jesus. Peter wanted to protect Jesus from what was about to come. But Jesus says Jesus rebuked Peter. Now, because Jesus had a relationship with Peter, he is able to rebuke Peter and it was effective.
Speaker 1:Relationships are just like bank accounts If there's nothing in your account, there's nothing to draw out of your account. If your bank account is filled up with good relationships, then when the hard times hit, there's things to withdraw out of that bank account. Good relationships make it possible for the awkward times or the times of rebuke or the times of reprove. If there's no relationship, it's like bouncing a check there's nothing there, it's not effective.
Speaker 1:Leading with power versus influence, there's a big difference. Power is the ability to get others to do your will against their will, based on the position you have over them. Influence, on the other hand, is when people do what you are requesting because of trust and the relationship you have with them. Power versus influence Anybody can lead with power. Anybody can dictate Not being effective, but anybody can dictate. It takes relationships that then bring trust in order to be influential.
Speaker 1:A highway patrol probably leads with power versus influence. I've had my fair share of tickets over my years. I'm not proud of my driving history. Quit laughing Bo. The officer has never come up to me and tried to influence me to take a ticket. He has always told me that this is what you're going to do and I had no choice but to obey. And I'm not being disrespectful to the authorities of our land because they need to rule with power.
Speaker 1:Some are influential, but mostly they rule with power. As a shepherd, we are not called to rule with power. Yes, that option's there if you're in leadership, but we are not meant to lead through power, but we are meant to lead through influence. The deeper the relationship with your flock, the less rules and regulations that are needed. Now, I don't know if all of you agree with that or not, and that is not original with me, but as I thought through that, I've discovered that it is true. The deeper the relationship with the people that you're leading, the fewer rules and regulations are needed. Influence relies on mutual purpose and mutual respect between two people.
Speaker 1:The people you are leading will ask themselves two questions, and this is I found this to be true. The people you are leading will ask themselves two questions, and this doesn't matter if it's leading at work, if it's leading at school, if it's leading here at church. The first question they will ask you or they will ask themselves about their leader is does he know what he's doing? Does he know what he's doing? And the second question they will ask themselves about their leader is can I trust him? Can I trust him? Can I trust him? Leader is can I trust him? Can I trust him? Even if they answer the first question does he know what he's doing with a no, they will forgive that if they can answer the second question with a yes. There is a lot of forgiveness for leaders that make mistakes if trust is in place. If trust is gone, it's pretty much over, and I'm sure you've all heard the saying that it takes a lifetime to build up trust, but it can be gone in a minute. The people that you're leading are they trusting you? Trust me, it's quite vulnerable to be preaching this sermon in front of the group that you're appointed as a lead pastor to. Have I earned your trust? What can I do to earn deeper trust? That's the question that we need to ask ourselves as leaders for the flock that we're leading, in whatever capacity that might be ourselves, as leaders for the flock that we're leading, in whatever capacity that might be.
Speaker 1:Number three a shepherd is self-sacrificing. So the first one was a shepherd needs to understand him or herself. The second one was a shepherd needs to understand his or her flock. And now, number three a shepherd is self-sacrificing. Jesus put himself in his own needs second and focused on the needs of others. And this is where I'm again going to bring our moms into this picture. Moms represent this principle of self-sacrificing, I'm going to say, better than any of us others here in this building. Moms are a wonderful example of self-sacrificial being self-sacrificial. A mom's influence is oftentimes stronger than us as fathers in the growing up years of the children, children.
Speaker 1:Are we willing to give up our own ideas for the sake of finding the best solution? Am I as a leader, am I as a shepherd, willing to give up what I thought might be the best solution if actually somebody else comes up with a better solution. Where is my humility, the level of humility better solution when is my humility, the level of humility? This I heard from a local business president. Their people, their company, was going through a disastrous time and he had just mentioned or he mentioned that during the time of crisis, the best thing that he could do was listen to his people. And I say this to everyone here that finds yourself in a leadership capacity when crisis hits, listen to your people. Oftentimes, the people that are closest to the crisis will have the best solutions because they're in it. This is not long-distance leadership. We need to listen to our people.
Speaker 1:A 30,000-foot view and I'm sure most of you have heard that term a 30,000-foot view to look over the whole organization or look over whatever you're leading, to cast vision, to direct into the future. A 30,000-foot view is good for casting vision, but not good for solving problems. To solve problems with your flock, we need to be in it, we need to be present, we need to have relationships. Number four a shepherd takes responsibility. A shepherd takes responsibility. Jesus knew how to involve his disciples If you're the leader of an organization or if you're the leader of a church, if you're the leader of your family. We can't do it all by ourselves. We need help. We need help. I challenge you as school teachers. Even though your kids might be younger, what can you give them to help? What can you give them to do that will help you as a leader?
Speaker 1:In John 17, we often call it the high priesthood prayer, and I read through that this week and I really decided I really want to focus just on what Jesus was saying to the Father during this prayer, and it was such a blessing to read through that, with trying to block everything else out and just really taking in what Jesus was praying. In John 17, jesus prayed for three types of protection over his disciples. He prayed to keep them from separation and discord. In other words, father, keep them from fighting amongst themselves. No flock is effective when we fight amongst ourselves and oftentimes a flock disintegrates from fights within more than from danger outside of the flock. So he prayed keep them from separation and discord, protect them from physical harm until their appointed time and give them spiritual protection against Satan. I think that is something that we, as leaders, should all be praying for for our flocks, whoever that flock might be, to keep us from separation from within and from discord, to keep us from physical harm until their appointed time, which would mean could be martyrdom, suffering that Jesus knew was coming and for spiritual protection against Satan. We are responsible for the well-being of our flocks. Working together as a team is more powerful and efficient than trying to be a one-man show. I have never seen this happen, but I have heard that sheep, if they sense danger, they will gather together in a circle and face outward. In other words, they'll have a large ring, a smaller ring, they'll group together in a circle and they'll have a ring outside that faces outward just to watch for danger. If they sense danger, do we do that for each other? If we work together as a team, it is far more powerful than trying to be a one-man show.
Speaker 1:Jesus trusted his followers enough to share his work with them. Jesus could have done it all by himself, but that doesn't teach. That's not leadership. Teaching that doesn't prepare the next generation for what's to come. That doesn't prepare the next generation to take on the work that has been started. Developing successors is one of the most important parts of leadership. It's interesting that the text I'm using this morning is out of Peter, and Peter was one of the big three in Jesus' inner circle. Most people saw Peter as a fisherman. Jesus saw him as a powerful, courageous, religious leader that would leave his mark upon much of mankind. That's what Jesus saw in Peter and that was because he knew his flock. He knew who Peter was.
Speaker 1:The last point I have is a shepherd embraces accountability. A shepherd embraces accountability John 8, verse 28 and 29. So Jesus said to them when you have lifted up the son of man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him. Jesus embraced accountability.
Speaker 1:A godly leader is accountable to God as well as those he leads. We report to the group that we lead. The shepherd reports to the flock. Our teams are a mirror of ourselves. We need to teach by doing, not by saying Our teams, our flock, is going to be a mirror of ourselves.
Speaker 1:We often say the term practice what you preach. I'm going to flip that on its head and I'm going to use it as preach what you practice. Preach what you practice. Do what you say you're going to do. In conclusion, understanding ourselves, be confident and embrace the person God created you to be Understanding others. Build influence by listening to understand others at a deep level. Sacrifice, be self-sacrificing. Serve others by putting their needs first, take on responsibility, teamwork, get others involved, develop successors for the future and, lastly, embrace accountability. People perform to standards set by their leaders. This morning, the heart of a shepherd, jesus, exemplified this on a high level. View yourself as one of them. Don't set yourself on a pedestal above the group that you're leading Relationships. Be humble, be authentic, be who you are, be who God has called you to be.
Speaker 1:Let's pray Our fathers this morning. We commit everything that was said into your care and I pray that you might grant the increase. Lord, thank you for this scripture in 1 Peter, as Peter admonishes us to lead the flock, not in a domineering fashion, but as a chief shepherd. So, lord, I pray that you might take what we heard this morning, starting with myself, and put it to use. It is your word and thank you for being here this morning. I pray this on your name Amen, I'll turn the time back over to use. It is your word, and thank you for being here this morning. I pray this on your name Amen. Turn the time back over to Randy.