This podcast covers Lesson 3 of Perspective Bible Study by Melanie Newton.
Gain Biblical Perspective on Leadership-S13Ep4
All believers are united into the Body of Christ—the Church. The Church as the Body of Christ is not an organization but something living. It transcends all cultures, languages, national boundaries, and time periods. Knowing we are part of this unity gives us radically different reasons for behaving well in our relationships with one another. What each of us does can affect positively or negatively the other members of this organism, the universal Body of Christ represented to us in our local church body. We are to preserve and encourage that fellowship among all believers produced by the Spirit who is indwelling each of us.
But this calls for a radical lifestyle, opposite of the “it’s all about me” our western culture teaches. It’s not all about me. It’s not all about you. It’s all about God. Our aim in life is to please God.
Living for an Audience of One
Our mindset should be that we have an Audience of One. We are to live to please God, not men. We live for an Audience of One—to the glory of God not of ourselves.
Jesus is the one who demonstrated for us how serve one another, especially in a leadership role. He demonstrated how a leader is to serve rather than be served. Mark 10:42-45
Anyone in authority should be a servant-leader to those they are leading. Jesus demonstrated what He meant by that throughout His ministry and in His death on the cross. But, He gave His followers a visual picture of what it means to be a servant-leader. John 13:13-17
Following Jesus’ example to be a servant-leader involves choices
Choice #1. Think of others before yourself.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)
In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul repeatedly emphasized that he and his team did nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. They only did what was good for those to whom he was sharing the gospel and his life as well.
Jesus had privileges as God, but He did not consider His equality with God as something to hold onto selfishly. He thought of us and our needs. He did this so we didn’t have to continue living selfish lives. He has enabled us to be others-oriented.
Choice #2. Serve out of love and worship for God.
Our service is to be an extension of the worship we render to God. Romans 12:1
God dwells in people. So, there is no sacred/secular division in any Christian woman’s life. What you do at church is no more sacred service than what you do at home, at school, or at work. Everything you do is service to God within His temple, which is your body.
Remember that the focus of serving is not to earn favor with God or with people.
Choice #3. Willingly sacrifice as you serve.
Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. His body, His reputation, His time, and His glory. Serving others usually costs something. Time, money, mental energy, physical work.
The difference between sacrifice and suffering: Suffering is usually imposed on you by someone or something else. Sacrifice is something you are willing to give through time, money, skills, and physical labor. Paul willingly sacrificed for the Thessalonians as his spiritual children.
Choice #4. Glorify God more than yourself as you lead.
Jesus glorified God. Paul, as a servant-leader, declared his goal was teaching people to live lives worthy of God, not him. For God to be glorified. That will lead to pleasing one another if God’s glory is the goal of everyone involved. 1 Thessalonians 2:12
We are living, breathing, walking, talking representatives of the living God. They are watching us. We are living letters to the world around us. They are reading us. We are telling the truth about who God is by the way we live as well as by what we say.
To live is Christ means to live as Christ, which means to let Christ live His life through you. The world sees Him through you. And, that glorifies God. Philippians 1:21
Serving one another is not the main goal, letting Christ live His life through us as we serve is the main goal. Serving one another is the means. Serving Jesus is from the heart, not a task. It means you willingly sacrifice and don’t whine about it. Be the best servant-leader you can be for your Audience of One—the Lord Jesus Christ. He showed us how. Choose to do it His way!
Let Jesus satisfy your heart with His perspective on life in the present and in the future. Then, live securely in Him during this time of waiting.
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