No conversation about leadership is complete without discussing Jesus. He was the most influential leader in the history of the world. He calls his followers to lead like he led.
We’re coming to the last conversation in our leadership principles for men series, and we’ve saved the best for last. Today, we’re going to talk about how to lead like Jesus. This isn’t going to be a comprehensive conversation. We’d have to spend several podcasts discussing all of the amazing things that describe Jesus’ leadership and its effectiveness. We’re going to focus on three characteristics of Jesus’ leadership that we work to incorporate as we lead at home, in the church, and in the workplace.
Laser Focus
Jesus had absolute clarity on the mission. He didn’t let the desires of others, or even his own preferences, get in the way of accomplishing what he was sent to do.
Luke 2:49-50 (ESV) And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
Set context of the scene - The family was in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. He’s 12. They left assuming Jesus was with their group that had traveled. They get a day away from Jerusalem and realize he is not with them. Talk about pressure - you lost the Son of God. They look for him for three days and when they find him, he’s interacting with the teachers of the law in the temple. He’s listening and asking them questions.
Jesus’ response is so telling - didn’t you know I must be about my Father’s business? Mom, Dad, you know who I am. You know what the angel said about me. Would you expect anything less than this? You should have known that I’m going to be on mission.
Jesus was on mission at a young age. I think we do our young people a disservice when we don’t give them opportunities to be on mission while they’re young. Dad’s, are you encouraging your kids to pursue God and to help others pursue God while they’re young?
As Jesus began his earthly ministry and grew in popularity there were people, who were sometimes well meaning, that sought to get him distracted from the mission.
John 6:14-15 When the people saw him[b] do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”[c] 15 When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.
Jesus had just finished the miraculous feeding of the 5,000. The crowds see this amazing miracle and they want to make Jesus king by force. For most of us, it would have been so tempting to get carried up in the emotion and adoration of the crowd. Jesus is rightfully king so why not let the crowds do what they want to do? He knew the Father’s plan was the plan. He knew his time hadn’t come. He knew he wasn’t going to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords by going man’s way.
Do we have clarity on the mission? Is it to accumulate the most wealth? Is it to provide a comfortable home and upbringing for our kids? Is it to have the most fame, power, pleasure? Those things aren’t necessarily bad in and of themselves, but they can get us off track. As a husband, my mission is to love my wife as Christ loved the church. It’s to give myself up for her. It’s to make her holy - set her apart - It’s to wash her with the Word. As a dad, my mission is to raise my children in the fear and understanding of the Lord.
As a follower of Christ, my mission is to go full circle in my pursuit of him and help the next person do the same thing. The great commission. A co-mission with Jesus.
Mark 8:31-33 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man[c] must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about...
