All across the world, ministers of the Gospel are struggling daily to tend to the flock and feed the sheep of God. Many think that the job of a pastor is a one-day-a-week job – only on Sundays and maybe a Wednesday or Thursday night service thrown-in as a bonus. However as every minister knows, the demands of not only time but also patience, and faith are extreme.
I read a book some time ago, which told the story of several different church leaders, all of whom became burnt-out and ultimately quit their ministerial positions because of frustrations, stress and an inability to deal with problems effectively. One leader even became so stressed that he manifested physical sickness. Now God never designed this to be, and while the book cited the problem-people to be the cause of the turmoil, I am inclined to point-out that none of the leaders were taking advantage of the provision that God has given to deal with such situations. And this provision is what we will be studying today. If you are a minister or even a layperson who is dealing with stressful people or situations, this study will benefit you today.
Before we begin, let me be clear that nothing can ever be accomplished from either a position of leadership or laity if Christ Jesus is not in the midst – that is the center – in the place of authority and chief honor in a person’s life. You would think that would be automatic, especially dealing with churches and ministers, but you would be surprised how often that is not the case.
To this point, we must begin by examining a basic quality on the part of the leader. Please understand that this will not be a study on the qualifications of leaders today, but this basic rule will help determine what we are dealing with. Turn now to Judges 9:8-15:
“The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.
But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us.
But the fig tree said to them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Then said the trees to the vine, Come you, and reign over us.
And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.
And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”
In a number of places in the Bible, people are often referred to as trees, and here also is it so. The Bible is using imagery to make a point. The trees want a king so they begin asking various kinds of plants to come and rule over them. In verses 8 and 9, we see the olive tree which is asked first, but it declines because it already has a good position for itself where it is serving both God and man effectively.
In verses 10 and 11, we see the fig tree then being asked to rule. However it too declines because it has a place of honor serving both God and men, bearing good fruit.
Then in verses 12 and 13, the trees ask the vine to come and rule over them. The vine also declines however, because it has a pleasant position giving joy to both God and man.
Finally in verses 14 and 15, the trees ask the Bramble to come and rule. But unlike the others, the bramble takes advantage of the opportunity and we think “At last! Someone accepted!”, but look at the attitude of the bramble… It is egotistical and threatening. Bramble is a harsh and prickly shrub.
The other trees are pictures of true Godly men and good leaders. They are not self-promoting, instead they are secure in the positions that God has placed them and they are wise enough to remain in those positions where they are both being honored and effective.
The Bramble however is aggressive and self-interested. It tells the others to “be in my shadow”. This is a picture of someone who does not really have Jesus as the center of their life because in Christ there is no shadow (James 1:17). The bramble also is a threatening personality. True leaders that are of Christ will feed the people; false leaders will often threaten in order to get or maintain control.
So if you find yourself under the leadership of a bramble, the best thing to do is withdraw, because that leadership is not of God and in the end it will be burned down.
Now for the leaders who are here today, let’s turn to 2ndTimothy 2:1-10:
“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
The farmer that labors must be first partaker of the fruits.
Consider what I say; and the Lord give you understanding in all things.
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even to bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
This is Paul, writing to the young minister Timothy, to help him grow and encourage him in Christ. Even a minister advanced in years can still be new in spirit. Never think you have it all together just because you have what the world calls “experience”. Age does not equal wisdom, and youth does not equal foolishness. True wisdom comes only from Jesus, and foolishness comes from a lack of Jesus.
We see here right in verse 1, the best and most important of all advice that Paul could give to Timothy: Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Followed by the confirmation of Timothy’s mission in verse 2, telling him to entrust what he has learned from Paul to other faithful men so that they can also teach others. This is the ultimate joy of any true minister – not to keep people under subjection, but to create future ministers that will proceed to teach others. My greatest joy is to see other people so hungry for Jesus and so filled with Him that they can not help but to share the revelation of Christ with others. And if I had some role to play in that, then that is by the grace of God to my credit.
Verses 3 and 4, separates the pretenders from the genuine leaders straight-away. As a minister of Christ, you will endure hardship, scorn and mocking. People will say that you are wasting your life following Jesus and studying the Bible when you could be out enjoying yourself. But they don’t understand that for a genuine believer that has a real relationship with Jesus, spending time with Him and studying is enjoyment, and it is more refreshing than you could possibly imagine. A few weeks ago, we studied about the dangers of distractions and how the enemy tries to pull us away from focusing on Jesus. In verse 4, we see the same sentiment repeated here. We are cautioned not to entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life. Don’t let anything in this world distract you from Jesus. And that won’t be difficult if you truly are receiving His love and He is your true focus.
Verse 5 is especially interesting. I remember that back in the early nineties there was a news report about a cheater in a marathon footrace. She won the gold medal with a record time, but there was suspicion because none of the checkpoints throughout the course spotted her during the race itself. It was later discovered that she traveled by vehicle for most of the course and only ran the last bit. Her medal was taken-away and she is shamed even to this day. Pretenders want the glory and recognition of being a leader, and having prestige and honor, but they don’t want to actually perform the service of serving and caring for the sheep, and they don’t really want to study the Word of God either. They want the glory, without the work that comes with it; that is what this verse is showing us. Which brings us to verse 6…
Paul says that the farmer is worthy of the first produce of the crop. I will be the first to admit that even though I study the Bible, the teachings that I share with you are first given to me by God. And I am blessed by His teachings and I receive the benefits from them first even before I ever share them with anyone else. And it is the same for every single minister who receives Words from the LORD. And it is a marvelous blessing that He gives to His under-shepherds.
Verse 7 contains a pearl of wisdom. Meditate on the Word and God will give you understanding on it. Not everything comes as a flash of lightning, some of it requires meditation.
Verse 8 reminds Timothy and us what the focus of the Gospel is – the very reason it is called the Gospel (Good News) is because of Jesus, not only dying for our sins, but the fact that He was raised for our justification. If He died only and never arose, then we would still be stained with our sins (1st Corinthians 15:17).
Verses 9 and 10 display the marvelous attitude and outlook of Paul towards his calling and the truth of God’s Word. He says that even though people are mistreating him and even threw him in prison, he maintains hope that the Word of God can never be imprisoned. I think of it this way… even if someone were to throw me in jail, I’ll still preach to them from the other side of the prison bars.
This brings us to another very important realization for ministers of Jesus Christ. The fact that we are not called to convince anyone, only to share the Gospel. Many ministers sometimes get side-tracked and preoccupied with trying to convince someone, instead of simply conveying the information as we should. My friends, this leads only to frustration and mental anguish.
Let’s move one chapter forward now to 2nd Timothy 3:1-7:
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
As we get closer and closer to the final days, these kinds of people are what we will be faced with. Remember that we can not convince them just as we can not convince anybody! Only the Holy Spirit can lead someone to repentance. We are only called to scatter the seed, which the Holy Spirit waters.
Verses 5 through 7 here is the very definition of a pretender, a wolf in sheep’s’ clothing. One who displays an outward appearance of godliness and obedience to Christ, but inwardly denies its power… and also drags away others with him. Preying on weak women and keeping them from the knowledge of the truth even though they want (and need) to learn. Notice that verse 5 says to turn away from these pretenders and not to try to stay with them and convince them.
However God does not leave us in doom and gloom, let’s close the study tonight by reading from the same chapter, 2nd Timothy 3:10-14:
“You, however, have followed my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,
as well as the persecutions and sufferings that happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. I endured these persecutions and the Lord delivered me from them all.
Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
But evil people and charlatans will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves.
You, however, must continue in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know who taught you”
God is concerned with each of us personally, and He will always deliver us. In verse 11 we see that the Lord delivered Paul from all of his persecutions, and He does the same for each of us who faithfully stay focused on Him. Yes, persecutions will come (verse 12); they will come from evil people who are hostile towards Jesus. But as verse 13 continues, their rejection of Christ will be their own undoing in the end. Our job as stated once again in verse 14, is to remain steadfast and and focused on Jesus, simply scatter the seeds for any and all who are willing to receive, nothing more and nothing less.
This is true Grace in Leadership. This is a life centered on Jesus Christ.