2023_11_08 Insight Post- Rusty Coram
This week’s reading- Isaiah 52:11-15, Isaiah 53:1-12, Romans 15, Jeremiah 23, John 10
Over the past several years it has been interesting to see how American business leaders have embraced principles from the Bible, whether they intended to or not. For example, the term “servant leadership” is very common in the business community and finds its roots in the Bible and Jesus’ example. One of the reasons for this is simply because leaders who see themselves as serving their people and customers build trust over time, and trust is vital for corporate health. When leaders use their power and influence primarily for their own gain, they may succeed for a while but sooner or later they will lose trust.
In our reading, we see the stark contrast between leaders who are mostly interested in their own good and those who are committed to the good of those they lead. Unfortunately, in political and business arenas we regularly see leaders pursue self-interest at the expense of others. Even worse is when this is found in the church. Sooner or later God will deal with pastors, leaders, and teachers who mislead others as we see in Jeremiah 23: “Look! The Lord’s anger bursts out like a storm, a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked. 20 The anger of the Lord will not diminish until it has finished all he has planned. In the days to come you will understand all this very clearly. 21 “I have not sent these prophets, yet they run around claiming to speak for me. I have given them no message, yet they go on prophesying. 22 If they had stood before me and listened to me, they would have spoken my words, and they would have turned my people from their evil ways and deeds.” (Jeremiah 23:19-22 NLT)
Because of this, we see the warning in the New Testament that says, “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.” James 3:1 (NLT) God takes this very seriously and so should we. Leadership is a privilege and it carries significant responsibilities that our Commander-in-Chief expects to be carried out in humility and integrity. As we read in John 10, Jesus is the ultimate role model for true servant leadership.
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor