SABBATH

God's Gift to Us

Sermonette: What Type of Leader Are You?

Servant Leadership
#1543s

Given 09-May-20; 18 minutes

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description: Ted Bowling relates a story about Israel Putnam, a general during the Revolutionary War who taught a prideful corporal a lesson about servant leadership by engaging in manual labor. Part of the leavening of the Pharisees consisted of pride in their status in the community, pride which rendered them unwilling to serve the people. Jesus Christ did not teach the pyramid model of leadership, prevalent in business, the military and schools, where successive levels of leaders provide direction to those in the lesser ranks, further down the pyramid. Jesus inverted the pyramid, teaching that those who aspire to greatness must become a slave, washing the feet of others. Sadly, some ministers in God's people's previous fellowship had not internalized that principle, ruling over their flocks with rigor. Thankfully, after its break-up, shepherds who had not forgotten Christ's teaching of servant leadership rescued the remnant flocks from exploitation. God has called His people to serve one another. As we serve, the get way of life must not motivate us, driving us to be in the spotlight. All glory belongs to God. Emulating Jesus Christ, we realize there is no greater authority than to assume the stance of a lowly servant.