Jim Brenneman
What is biblical leadership all about? For Christians, leadership must be “all about” whatever the Bible is all about. Not very good grammar, but you get my point.
What is the Bible all about? Jesus Himself made it clear that the Bible is about Him!
The Lord challenged the religious rulers of His day when He told them, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5:46). He later explained to His disciples that the whole Old Testament was about Him, referring to the three main sections of the Tanach, an acrostic word identifying the Law (Torah), the Prophets (Nevi’im), and the Writings (Kituvim).
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms [the Writings] concerning Me.” (Luke 24:44 NKJV)
I was helping to train an overseas group of emerging leaders and seeking to impart skills to them for understanding the New Testament. Together we were noticing how Jesus, at first, hid Himself from a couple of disciples (Luke 24:13-16). Then as they walked, while His identity was hidden, He showed them how all the Scriptures spoke of Him (v. 25-27).
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25-27 NKJV)
Then when Jesus blessed the bread, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him (v. 28-31). With that, He vanished from their sight, but they had now seen with their hearts and they knew Him. We concluded that this same Jesus does not want to hide Himself from us either – not at all.
The participants in the training were directed to go to three others and say to them, “Jesus wants to reveal Himself to you.” In an instant, my work as a trainer was done. The presence of God was powerful, as everyone was in a profound cloud of holy awe. As with the two on the road to Emmaus, our hearts burned within in us. Jesus talked with us.
Many were in tears, as they affirmed one another in their callings and prayed fervently for one another. This was not an “ah-hah” moment. It was an Ah, Lord God moment.
Effective leader development is initiated and accomplished as we connect with Jesus in this way.
Pause and Reflect:In a group of leader trainees, or in a meeting between accountability partners, or with a leadership team, prayerfully read this passage: Luke 24:13-32.
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- Then, affirm one another with these words:
The Lord Jesus wants to reveal Himself to you.
- Then, affirm one another with these words:
(State this quietly, calmly, confidently and let it sink in.)
- Next, pray for one another that Jesus will be seen by the eyes of your hearts.
- Finally, pray that He will shine out through you to others in a manner that uses who you are for His great glory.
– LeaderSource SGA