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17Mar11 Walking in Holy Anticipation

Father, may I grow in my desire to love and honor Your name in all things. I want to be faithful to You in this fallen world and not be lured away by cheap substitutes and futile hopes. I will fix my hope completely on the grace that will be brought to Your people at the revelation of Jesus Christ. I want to live in holy anticipation and long for the fullness of Your purposes. The only sure anchor for my hope is in the promises You have made to those who have made You their refuge and confidence. Your lovingkindness and compassion will never diminish, but will go on into eternity. In spite of the adversities and uncertainties of this life, You have offered me a living hope that will never disappoint or fade away. My hope is in Your perfect character and Your steadfast faithfulness, and these will never let me down.

• Living in holy anticipation and longing for the fullness of God’s purposes.

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16Mar11 The Cost of Commitment

- This is the first of a series on the theme of commitment. -

A chicken and a pig were walking down the road together. They passed a sign for a local diner advertising its breakfast special: “Ham and Eggs – $2.95!” The chicken said, “That’s our whole contribution to society: breakfast food!” The pig replied, “For you, it may be a contribution. For me it’s a total commitment.”

Life in the modern world has programmed us to expect a life of ease. It’s not merely that we want everything to be easy; who wouldn’t want that? What is troubling is that we now expect to receive abundant rewards with minimal effort. If something requires effort or time, it must not be meant to be, and we feel thoroughly justified giving up. Worse yet are those who believe legitimate goals may be sought through illegitimate means, provided that those means offer a short-cut to the goal in mind.

Take, for example, the professional athlete who chooses to illegally enhance his performance through the use of steroids. Not only has he cheapened himself, he has robbed his fellow athletes of any kind of fair competition. He does this simply because he does not want to put in the time and effort necessary to better himself.

This is a dangerous road to travel. Common sense reveals that some of the best things in life demand effort and prove worthy of whatever amount of labor we endure in the pursuit. The best relationships require work. The best businesses have been built on the blood, sweat and tears of their leaders. Even our spiritual growth is reflective of our faithful investment. G.K. Chesterton once quipped, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult, and left untried.”[1]

• The best things in life demand effort and prove worthy of whatever amount of labor we endure in the pursuit.

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[1] G.K. Chesterton, The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton ed. George Marlin (San Francisco: Ignatius, 1987), 4:61.

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15Mar11 The Sympathetic Leader

- This is the conclusion of a series on the theme of servant leadership. -

In his exalted heavenly position, as in his humble earthly role, Jesus leads by serving. He sits at the Father’s right hand, exalted above all other beings. Yet his concern and passion is for the good of his followers. He can sympathize with our weakness because he was willing to be tested as we are tested. He paid a terrible price so he can say, “Come boldly before my throne of grace. I understand. I’ve been where you are.” In Hebrews the writer elaborates again on Jesus’ tenacious pursuit of our good. This passage should be required reading for leaders.

In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers….

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendents. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted….

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 2:10-11, 14-18; 4:14-16

We should allow the passage to soak deeply into the very root of our being. It is essential truth.

All who want to be great leaders must develop the ability to serve as best they can. A prolonged and concentrated meditation on the passage above would provide an excellent starting point for shaping the values needed for genuine service. Allow the greatest Servant Leader the world will ever know to serve you by teaching you how to lead through service.

• All who want to be great leaders must develop the ability to serve as best they can.

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14Mar11 Forging Proven Character: A Prayer

God of redemption, You have given me the inexpressible grace of being justified before You through faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. You have overcome my enmity and given me the gift of peace with You and the hope of Your glory. But You have also taught me in Your Word that I will encounter tribulation in this world, especially as I seek to live godly in Christ Jesus. In spite of my natural disposition to the contrary, please make it more evident to me that affliction can be redemptive, because it can forge proven character and draw me away from misplaced and ill-defined hopes. I want to hope only in You and not in the goods and benefits of this passing world. My experience of suffering will be brief in light of eternity, and I know that You will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish me in Christ.

• Affliction can be redemptive, because it can forge proven character and draw us away from misplaced and ill-defined hopes.

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10Mar11 Leadership by Serving

- This is part of a series on the theme of servant leadership. -

The pages of human history are stained with the disastrous consequences experienced by people who have misused their privileges of power, wealth, exceptional intelligence, strength or honor. From Samson to Solomon, our fallen race has been unable to use these gifts in ways that honor God and benefit others. But Jesus is different. He is not only worthy of all these wonderful gifts, but he also uses them to express his love for his Father (1 Corinthians 15:24) and his beloved children (2 Thessalonians 2:14).

The description of the exalted Jesus in Revelation 15 inspires awe in the thoughtful reader. What a magnificent picture of the supreme position held by the risen Christ! To refer to him merely as a “leader” might sound rather demeaning. But to call him a servant? Such a label might appear blasphemous – were it not for the fact that he went to such unspeakable lengths to achieve that very title.

Isaiah prophesied that Jesus, God’s own Son, would be the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). And Jesus lived his life as the definitive statement about service as the path to greatness (Matthew 20:28). What’s more, Paul identified Jesus as the ultimate example of servant leadership. He told the Philippian church that, “Jesus Christ…being in very nature God…made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:5-7).

It is absolutely correct to state that no one else has ever influenced the world as Jesus did…and does…and will. Bishop Stephen Neill asked this profound and thought-provoking question: “What kind of a stone could it be that, once thrown into the pool of human existence, could set in motion ripples that would go on spreading until the utmost rim of the world had been reached?”[1] John Stott appropriately answers the question:

Only the incomparable Christ. And if we are prepared to take the risk of familiarizing ourselves with his story, and exposing ourselves to his personality, example and teaching, we shall not remain unscathed. Rather we too shall feel the power of his influence and say with Paul that the love of Christ tightens its grip upon us, until we are left with no alternative but to live – and die – for him.[2]

The earliest followers of Jesus bear witness to this claim. John exalts him as the Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 17:14). Paul attests that “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).

Jesus led in such a way that none who came into contact with him remained unchanged. In turn, he insisted that his followers lead as he did: by serving. No one could – or can – argue with his command, because he modeled the kind of service he was advocating. And he certainly models greatness. Jesus Christ is the ultimate servant leader.

[1] S.C. Neill and N.T. Wright, The Interpretation of the New Testament 1861-1986 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), p. 19.

[2] John Stott, The Incomparable Christ (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), p. 166.

• Jesus led in such a way that none who came into contact with him remained unchanged.

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4Mar11 The Great Renouncing of Privilege

- This is part of a series on the theme of servant leadership. -

The scene in Revelation 5 opened with John grieving deeply because it appeared that no one would be able to deal with God’s wrath against the sin of humanity, to break the seals, unveiling the mystery of the consummation of all history, and open God’s scroll of judgment: “I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside” (v. 4), wrote John. One of the elders who was present was quick to reassure the distraught apostle, however: “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” (v. 5).

At this point John looked up and perceived the Lamb of God (John 1:29), Jesus Christ, standing in the very center of the throne room, surrounded by citizens of heaven. Jesus reached out and accepted the scroll from his Father’s hand. At that moment the four living creatures and 24 elders who were with him broke forth into a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (v. 9).

Jesus is the Root of David, the Messiah whom God had promised to send into the world. He was willing to renounce his heavenly privilege for a time in order to come down to earth (Philippians 2:6-8) and offer himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 2:2). The book of Revelation provides us with a unique glimpse into the future, when Jesus Christ will reign forever as the righteous, eternal King over a renewed creation. Jesus is indeed deserving of our unqualified adoration and devotion. He is the One to whom we also can sing “a new song” every day of our lives – and we will never run out of reasons to praise him.

• Jesus is the Root of David, the Messiah whom God had promised to send into the world.

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3Mar11 God’s Kingdom Will Endure: A Prayer

Lord of history, Your name is to be blessed and exalted forever. Your dominion is everlasting and Your kingdom endures from generation to generation. Wisdom and power belong to You and You rule over all the times and the epochs of human history. It is You who removes kings and establishes kings, and no one can withstand Your will and purposes. Therefore, in spite of all appearances to the contrary in this rebellious time in history, I know that You will bring about Your kingdom of righteousness even upon this earth. I ascribe all glory, majesty, dominion and authority to You and exult in hope of the fullness of Your reign. I will embed my time and my culture in this larger whole as I wait on You to fulfill Your glorious promises. Maranatha—come quickly, Lord Jesus.

• The Lord removes and establishes kings, and no one can withstand His will and purposes.

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2Mar11 The Influential Leader

- This is part of a series on the theme of servant leadership. -

As we have seen, while the concept of servant leadership has recently become very popular it is by no means new. Jesus required it as a foundational character trait of any who would follow him. Dr. Frank Davey has written:

Jesus reversed the social priorities of his day by demonstrating and teaching a special concern for the poor, the disabled, the outcast and the underprivileged. Such people had no special claim to attention until Jesus became their champion…. One cannot imagine Hippocrates showing much interest in a prostitute in trouble, a blind beggar, the slave of a solder of the occupying power, a psychotic foreigner clearly with no money, an old woman with a chronic spinal condition. Jesus not only did so, he expected his followers to do the same.[1]

But Jesus didn’t merely talk about serving others; he was – and is – the ultimate model of one who serves. Now, as when he walked on earth, Jesus serves those he leads.

Jesus is deserving of our complete and uninhibited worship because he is God the Son. In Revelation 5:11-12 the apostle John heard in his vision the incredible sounds of thousands of angel voices lifted together in song. The melody reached a spine-tingling crescendo and reverberated throughout the heavens: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” This angel host was soon joined by every other living creature, both in heaven and on earth, shouting out their praise: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!” (v. 13).

What exactly had Jesus done to deserve this adulation?

• Now, as when he walked on earth, Jesus serves those he leads.

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[1] S.G. Browne, T.F. Davey and W.A.R. Thomson (eds.), Heralds of Health: The Sage of Christian Medical Initiatives (London: Christian Medical Fellowship, 1985), p. 7.

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1Mar11 The Counter-Cultural Leader

- This is part of a series on the theme of servant leadership. -

At some point in the future, every knee will bow at the name of Jesus. In a true sense, then, the question is not “Will you acknowledge Jesus as Lord?” but rather “When will you acknowledge Jesus as Lord?” Yet Jesus came to earth in the form of a servant, and he expects those who serve him in this world to express that service to him through their ministry to others. Following the model of our Savior, we are called to be willing to give up our rights and position in this life and live in a way that will enable others to experience God’s love.

A biblical view of servant leadership makes evident that the service we render to others is really a measure of the service we render to God. Christ himself is the model of this servant mindset, and he commands his followers to imitate his service to them. Thus, putting ourselves in the position of a servant brings us forward in our goal of becoming more Christlike. Jesus certainly had every right to be served by all of creation, yet he chose to be a servant throughout his earthly life and ultimately to die for our sin. And he asks each of us to follow this servant model: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:43b-44).

On more than one occasion, Jesus’ disciples argued over “which of them was considered to be greatest” (Luke 22:24; cf. Matthew 20:20-28). As they jockeyed for the highest position in the kingdom, Jesus had to encourage them to turn their thinking upside-down. He informed them that the way of God’s children must be radically different from the way of this world. Few statements Jesus made could be considered as counter-cultural as this. Earthly rulers seek power and control, but for the followers of Christ, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

Taking on a servant role will quickly squelch a competitive spirit. A servant mindset compels us to involve ourselves in the mundane and disagreeable tasks of everyday life. We often like to set our sights on the big and impressive tasks we desire to undertake. But living as Jesus lived means serving others in the seemingly insignificant areas too. It may mean stopping along the roadside to help someone change a tire, purchasing a cup of lemonade from a child’s sidewalk stand, allowing the busy mother with an armful of groceries to move ahead of us in the line and countless other acts of kindness. Jesus advised his disciples that deferring to the needs of others in such seemingly trivial ways demonstrates respect for God and will be rewarded (Mark 9:41). Our Lord’s gracious rewards are given to those who serve him as they offer themselves to others in simple, yet profound, ways.

• A biblical view of servant leadership makes evident that the service we render to others is really a measure of the service we render to God.

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28Feb11 Living for the Long Term: A Prayer

Faithful Father, as I reflect on the redemptive history recorded in the narratives and oracles of Scripture, I see so many surprising setbacks and breakthroughs. The wisdom of Your Word invites me to view events and circumstances with a long-term perspective. When I only look at the short term, I get muddled, confused and doubtful, because I allow my immediate circumstances to shape my understanding. But when I contextualize the events of my life in the long term, I can see that You are indeed causing all things to work together for good to those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. Teach me to affirm that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to Your children in Christ.