Posts
The last opportunity that I had to speak to the V Class, I talked about leadership and how Jesus was absolutely the greatest leader that ever lived. Well today, I will continue on that theme but talk about a leadership quality that is sometimes overlooked and that quality is followership. I have had the opportunity over the years to work with some of the world’s greatest leaders and one thing that I am convinced of is that you cannot be a good leader without being a great follower. There is no gray area in Jesus’ teaching about this. In John 14;15, Christ says “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
So let me start this discussion of followership by saying that I love a good story. Growing up in southern Appalachia, a great part of our Scotch-Irish heritage is the handing down of history through the oral tradition. In fact, the little town that I am from hosts the National Storytelling Festival every year. Every year, people from all over the world pour into this little town to hear world-renowned story tellers. I could get the same thing by sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen or the local country store. And the good thing about those options, in addition to being free, I was usually able to eat what was left in a mixing bowl or have someone buy me a grape or peach Nehi. In fact, Susan’s and my alma mater now offers a storytelling program of study, so hopefully this tradition is not going away in our modern times,
I say all this because this year, I am reading through the Bible using a chronological version and I am constantly amazed at how fascinating God’s word is as a literary work. And what you have to appreciate is that all those great stories and historic accounts began with an oral tradition, generations and generations passing these stories down. So, this morning, I would like to use two stories from the Old Testament as examples of good and bad followership.
The first story is the account of Saul as the first king of the Israelites in the book of 1st Samuel. The fact that Saul is the king of Israel is even an account of corporate bad followership by the entire nation of Israel. If you remember, before Saul becoming king the affairs of the nation were overseen by judges whose job was to interpret the will of God for the people. But like so many times in our lives, we have God’s perfect will but we think we know what is best. So the people of Israel come to Samuel and say “well all the other nations have a king why can’t we have one.” The problem was that they already had a king. God was their king and by wanting a king they, in turn, were telling God that he was not good enough. Do we ever do that? Do we say to God, “well this person has this and that, and I want it, too.” When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, remember that he taught them to ask for their daily bread. Trust God for exactly what you need because not only is He Jehovah Jireh that can provide it, he is the God of Infinite Wisdom and he knows exactly what you need. So fast-forward a few years. Saul has been doing a pretty good job as king. After claiming the land that God had promised to them, there was one nation that continue to be a thorn in the side of Israel and that was the Amalekites. So let’s pick up the story in 1 Samuel 15.
15 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy[a] all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
Now that sounds pretty rough, doesn’t it? It does to me and I have had the unfortunate opportunity to experience ground combat. But, remember that this about followership, obedience to a perfect God, with perfect wisdom.
So let’s pick up the story again:
7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
Did you catch that? Everything that was good they kept, everything that was despised and weak they destroyed. Saul has got clear instructions from God Almighty and he’s following those instructions right down to the letter. Nope. Sound like anyone you know? Sounds like someone that lives in your mirror?
I love the next part of the story. I think Samuel must been just a really cool old guy.
11-12 Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night. He got up early in the morning to confront Saul but was told, “Saul’s gone. He went to Carmel to set up a victory monument in his own honor, and then was headed for Gilgal.”
By the time Samuel caught up with him, Saul had just finished an act of worship, having used Amalekite plunder for the burnt offerings sacrificed to God.
13 As Samuel came close, Saul called out, “God’s blessings on you! I accomplished God’s plan to the letter!”
14 Samuel said, “So what’s this I’m hearing—this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?”
Yes, you heard that right. Saul had gone to erect a monument to his own honor. Oh, but he’s not done. He’s standing in a hole already and shoveling as fast as he can. He goes on tell Samuel:
15 “Only some Amalekite loot,” said Saul. “The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to God. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban.”
Of course, we know the rest of the story. God decides that Saul’s descendants will not serve as the king of Israel and Samuel will go on to find their next king. He’ll find a country boy, Jessie’s youngest son, a kid named David. But listen to what Samuel says to Saul after learning about what he has done.
What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,he has rejected you as king.
Saul had a pretty good gig going. The first king of Israel and he lets his pride get in the way and blow it for him. You see, there is a major difference in following the instructions of God and the instructions of man. When you follow the instructions of another person, there can be that little sliver of doubt as to whether or not this is really the right thing to do. When following God there is never a reason to doubt his instruction, it’s perfect. Many folks would tell you that The Bible is an antiquated book full of instruction and wisdom for people that lived a long time ago and in times very different than others. I will tell you that they are wrong and will further say that there is not a conflict or crisis in your life that the Holy Spirit and the words of God himself in this book aren’t answered. Followership is so easy but still so hard.
I am a big fan of the movie, Forrest Gump. I especially love the scene when he has just assembled his M-16 and the big drill sergeant asks him “Gump, why did you put that weapon together so fast?” Of course, his reply was “Because you told me to Drill Sergeant!” Do you think God would like to hear us justify our actions by saying, “because you told me to God?"
I told you that I would give you a good and bad example of followership from the Bible. Obviously that was the bad one. Not only do I love stories as a result of my childhood, I also have a tendency to express myself using euphemisms. That’s just the way people communicate where I’m from. I went my whole childhood wondering who Cooter Brown was and why he didn’t get help for his drinking problem. And while I didn’t know who this guy named Dick was, I certainly wondering why he never adjusted his hatband. Southern mamas have some of the best ones. My mother used to tell me to “get next to myself” and I never understood what that meant. Anyway, one of my favorite metaphors is that “you have to drink upstream from the herd” and really no explanation is required for that one. So this story is about a guy who drank upstream from the herd both figuratively and literally.
Our next story takes place before Saul back in the time of the judges and begins the way that so many stories begin in the Old Testament, “The Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord.” He we go again. I think I could write my autobiography starting chapters that way. “Then John did evil in the sight of the Lord.” Then just like Scott talked about last week, God’s gotta do a little work on me. Now a man named Gideon is chosen by God to be the judge for Israel. Now unlike Saul, who struggled with his pride, Gideon is like so many others who doubt their own abilities when God promises to side with us to do his own will. For seven years, the people of Israel have been tormented by the nation of Midian. So God tells Gideon that he is going to deliver the Midianites into the hands of the Israelite army. Preparing for battle, Gideon receives his first order from God:
Judges 7
2The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain[a] and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.
Oh, it gets better. The last time you heard this story might have been on a flannel graph in Sunday School and if you don’t know what a flannel graph is, I’m sorry your childhood just wasn’t complete.
4 But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
If I’m Gideon, I’m thinking, “OK, surely God is going to tell me to send those 300 home and I’ll take the 9,700 left and go defeat the Midianites.” Right? Nope
7 The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” 8 So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.
But God did something very special for Gideon. He encourages him just like he will encourage you through the Holy Spirit when you resolve to do his will. Like any great military leader, He instructs Gideon to go on a little recon. So Gideon and his servant, Purah go creeping down to the Midianite camp where they overhear this conversation:
13 Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!”14 His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!”
Well, the rest of the story is pretty simple. Gideon and his 300 troops go on to totally annihilate the Midianites.
Do you notice the difference between Saul and Gideon? Both leaders were faced with huge tasks that can only be accomplished with the help of God. And unlike Saul, every time Gideon was given instruction he followed it with complete obedience. You see not only was Gideon displaying obedience in his personal life, the fate of the entire nation of Israel rested on his decisions. Think about the leadership roles that you have assumed (mom, dad, teacher coach, manager) and how your ability to follow God affects those around you.
In the latter chapters of John, Jesus had just washed his disciple feet and he is preparing for this terrible death that he will soon face. This is what he tells His disciples:
John 14:
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!15 “If you love me, obey[d] my commandments.
When you read this that this whole concept of followership seems so elementary. Why wouldn’t we follow God with complete obedience? But there’s good news. In the same passage, Jesus goes on to say
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.
Folks, never forget that when you become a Christian that the Spirit of God lives within you. After Saul’s sin with the Amalakites the Bible says that the Spirit of God left him. How sad does that sound? But Jesus promises us that if we belong to him the Holy Spirit will never leave us.
No comments:
Post a Comment