God or King?
Pastor Glenn Newton November 11, 2002
9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose
hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chron. 16:9a
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given
to you as well. Matt. 6:33
George Barna, who is the recognized guru of studies and trends, says this:
“the American church is dying due to the lack of strong leadership. In this time of
unprecedented opportunity and plentiful resources, the church is actually losing influence.
The primary reason is the lack of leadership. Nothing is more important than leadership.”
I think George Barna is right.
You may ask, Pastor why are you talking about the need for strong leadership.... Aren’t
you the leader?
The answer is Yes, God has called me to lead this church, But..... there’s always
one of those around isn’t there?..... God has called me to lead this church, But as our
church grows God is going to raise up some Men and some Women, some teens to be
strong leaders in our growing church..... If we are to break 75 and 100, and 200 and
beyond.....the call for strong, committed leaders must be answered, must be answered.
The great need for leaders is the call for the day, even in the secular world, in Politics we
need some strong leaders to lead our nation through these dangerous days we live in. In
our Business world, we need some strong, ethical, moral upright men and women to lead
the companies in our country so our finacial system can be built on solid ground.
The Corporate world is desperately looking for CEO’s to lead their companies..... In 1996
Apple Computer was in desperate need of leadership. The company was losing hundreds
of millions of dollars annually. It needed a CEO who could turn the company around. In
February, Apple Computer hired a new CEO. From Feb. 1996 to July 1996, Apple
Computer lost $884 million as sales plummeted 27%. What caught the public’s attention
was not that the CEO was eventually fired, but that he was subsequently paid $9.3 million
in salary and severance! This man was paid $9.3 million for losing $884 million in six
months! Only if they would have hired me, I could have lost them $884 million probably
sooner.... I would take that severance, wouldn’t you?
Labor experts claimed these salary and benefit levels were not out of line for
CEO’s of major corporations. Companies are willing to spend enormous amounts of
money in an effort to enlist effective leadership.
As your Pastor, my prayer is that you who are being called to help lead this church, will
hear God’s voice, and will choose to commit yourself 100% to the cause of Jesus Christ.
9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose
hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chron. 16:9a
Being a leader in the church is not an easy task, it requires picking up your cross and living
like Jesus.
Pastor Edwards could barely withhold his tears. He could still hear the deacon’s voices as
they walked down the hallway, away from his office. The group had arrived unexpectedly
and lambasted him, blaming him for all the church’s problems. And problems there were
-- lots of them.
Two years ago Edwards had enthusiastically accepted the call to serve as pastor of the
church, fully aware of some of the difficulties. After all, every church has issues. He was
young and his faith was strong. He sincerely believed that prayer, biblical preaching, and
loving guidance would bring the ailing church back to health. But now things were
actually worse. Landmines seem to explode under him no matter where he stepped.
Several families requested more modern music in the services and he willingly obliged. In
doing so he inadvertently alienated several others who were now withholding their tithes
as well as their service in the church until the music was changed back to the style that
they enjoyed.
One of the deacons was rumored to be in an adulterous relationship. An attempt to
confront him had set the entire deacon body in arms. They accused him of being on a
witch hunt. They argued that this man had great influence in the community; they pointed
out the sad truth the church could ill afford another public scandal. When Edwards
proposed hiring a youth pastor, a battle erupted. Various interest groups in the church
clamored for more ministry --- more for seniors, more for college students, for the
divorced, for the children... Even his preaching had come under fire.... too long, not
enough humor. Edwards had been growing tired under the stress, but he remained strong
in his belief that, if he persevered, the problems would eventually sort themselves out.
That was before this visit. Their words cut like a knife: “As representatives of this
church, we feel obliged to tell you we can no longer follow your leadership. Perhaps you
should begin circulating your resume’ to other churches. There are churches out there
who might appreciate your style of leadership.”
He had sacrificed time with his wife and children, spending most evenings at
church meetings, counseling people in distress, or visiting potential members. He knew
where the church should be heading, but he simply could not get the people to support
him. He felt like a total failure.
WoW. Those called to lead can find doing so a daunting task. That pastor’s experience in
not uncommon in the ministry, but thank God not all churches are like that, Amen! You
can know this today friends, you are truly a blessing to Lead....
But today what I want you to understand is that God is calling all of us to be spiritual
leaders in the sense that we need to live our lives in such a way that people will see us and
know that we are followers of Jesus Christ, We are %100 sold out for Jesus.
Is that what people see in your life? In your actions? In your work? In your play?
In your Family Life? We lead by example....if you can’t do that then you can’t lead at all.
This morning I also believe that God is going to call and raise up a number of men
and women who will become leaders in our church in the days to follow.
I want you to know that New Hope Church of the Nazarene is blessed with Good
leaders right now, on our church board, we have men and women who are without a
doubt in my mind, the kind of spirit filled leaders that our church needs to go where God
wants us to Go. But the fact is, if we are going to grow, we need others who will answer
the call... it’s a call to Holiness...... it’s a call to Commitment..... it’s a call to Integrity.....
it’s a call to follow Mathew 6:33 which says, But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matt. 6:33
Who will be in the next generation of leaders for this church? God will raise up his
leaders... I do know that, it will either be you.... or He will find someone else who will
hear his call..... His promise is that He will build His church.... And I claim that promise
everyweek..... this church will march on..... so don’t miss out on what God wants to do in
you, and through you for the Kingdom.
We learn from history that God wanted His people to look to Him for leadership. God
had brought the Israelites through so many hardships, through so many victories, yet there
came a time in their history where they looked around and saw that all of their neighbors,
the countries around them all had Kings..... Not only did they have a King, but they had
big armies.
During this time, the Israelites were a small nation compared to the superpowers
that surrounded them. But they had been content to have Samuel as their Spiritual guide
and God as their King. But as Samuel grew old, his ungodly sons abused their leadership
positions. And soon the Israelites were comparing themselves to neighboring nations and
envied their powerful armies, their magnificent cities and the glory of their monarchies.
Rather than trusting in God to win their battles, to direct their economy and to establish
laws for their land, the Israelites wanted to be just like all the other nations with a king
who would do this for them.
They took their request to Samuel. In response, Samuel gave them God’s
appraisal of where this pursuit for a king would lead them. Listen to God’s word’s:
1 Sam. 8:10-22
1SA 8:10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a
king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your
sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his
chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of
fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make
weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be
perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and
olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of
your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and
maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He
will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that
day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will
not answer you in that day."
1SA 8:19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king
over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out
before us and fight our battles."
1SA 8:21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22
The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."
Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to his town."
God warned the people what it would cost them if they pursued this worldly leadership,
but like we do, they persisted.
It’s interesting, God granted them a perfect specimen of a worldly leader. Saul
was handsome and physically impressive, yet he was insecure and incredibly vain. He was
decisive, sometimes making on the spot pronouncements -- but many of those had to be
rescinded later because they were foolish. He was a passionate man -- but he was also
prone to violent temper tantrums. Saul was a hands on General who spent most of his
time chasing after his own citizens. The Israelites clamored for a leader who would lead
them by worldly principles..... God gave them one, and the results were disastrous.
What was the problem? The Israelites assumed that spiritual concerns, such as
righteous living and obedience to God, belonged in the religious realm while the practical
issues of doing battle with enemies, strengthening the economy, and unifying the country
were secular matters. They had forgot that God himself had won their military victories,
brought them prosperity, and created their nation. He was as active on the battlefield as
he was in the worship service. When the Israelites separated spiritual concerns from
political and economic issues, their nation was brought to it’s knees. Scripture indicates
that it is a mistake to separate the spiritual world from the secular world.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THAT TODAY.... WHAT CAN NEW HOPE
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE LEARN FROM THIS TRUTH THIS
MORNING?
This week we have celebrated because God has again blessed us with a gift for our
Building fund.... $7,500..... that’s worth praising God for isn’t it?
My prayer is that as a church who believes that God is our source, that Knows that God is
the reason were here...... is that we will Praise God with the same excitement that we did
this week, on those weeks where nothing extra comes in.... but we will praise Him before
the blessing comes...... Because we know, by faith that it’s going to come..... We Believe.
In the Movie Santa Claus 2, there is a saying that the children say as their trying to get
their parents to believe in Santa Claus... it says, “Seeing is not believing, but Believing is
Seeing.” We hope for what we do not see....... because our Faith says it is already on the
way.
Will you trust God with me, that He’s enough.
You see it’s not the gifts that are going to build our church.
It’s not all our figuring, and planning, and analyzing that’s going to get this church
built..... those are important.... but friends, God’s going to build this church, through you
and through me. One person at a time.
You see the church is not this building... or our future building.... the church is you
and me... it’s people who have come home and been saved. You want to be a spiritual
leader.... share Jesus with someone this week.... Invite someone to come to church with
you next week, and then pray all week long that God would help them find Salvation.
Is God enough? Or are we looking for some King, something thing...... like a barrel of
money or more property; or are we looking for someone... someone who can somehow
magically help us overcome all our problems? Are we praying, Lord send us someone
allot smarter than our pastor to help us figure this out?
Hey, I’m all for smart people, maybe they’ll rub off on me some....But it is still
God. And He is still looking for You and for Me to be obedient and to be committed
100% to him... Why? So he can use us for His Kingdom......
Are you where you want to be this morning in your relationship with Him? If not, why
not?
Are you running from the call God has placed on your life? I’ve been there, that’s a
miserable place to live, and can I tell you a secret.... it doesn’t get anybetter..... Sell out or
prepare for misery.
Closing with Alter call.
