Covenantal Leadership Pastor Jared Gustafson 12/06/2015 Last week? Follow Jesus When hanging from the cross as a victim of the most heinous form of violence, persecution, and terrorism, Jesus cried out, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. His very killers had been created by Him, in the image of the triune God, and counted worthy of Him paying the ultimate price for their salvation. So, naturally, he looked upon them with compassion, love, mercy and grace. HE CALLS US TO DO THE SAME! Acts 20:17-38 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. Acts 20:17-38 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. Acts 20:17-38 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given methe task of testifying to the good news of Gods grace. Acts 20:17-38 Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Acts 20:17-38 Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Acts 20:17-38 Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyones silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. Acts 20:17-38 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive. When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. Covenant Typically made up of four elements (William F. May): 1.A primal gift, a costly sacrifice, that both marks and changes life Covenant Four elements: 1.A primal gift, a costly sacrifice, that both marks and changes life 2.In response to the primal gift, promises are made and obligations accepted Covenant Four elements: 3.Life is then lived within the bonds of gift and promise, a life that has fidelity (faithfulness, loyalty, trustworthiness, devotion, etc.) as its prime descriptive quality Covenant Four elements: 3.Life is then lived within the bonds of gift and promise, a life that has fidelity (faithfulness, loyalty, trustworthiness, devotion, etc.) as its prime descriptive quality 4.There are occasions and events for renewing the covenant Covenantal Leadership 1.A primal gift, a costly sacrifice, that both marks and changes life Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. v.28 God took the initiative! He reached out to us with love through Jesus Christ while we were his enemies. Covenantal Leadership 1.A primal gift, a costly sacrifice, that both marks and changes life The response of Paul, and the only right response is to joyfully serve the Lord out of gratitude for His incredible gift which has saved and transformed our lives Covenantal Leadership 1.A primal gift, a costly sacrifice, that both marks and changes life Leadership can be in fact, often is thankless. It is thus better for us to understand leadership not as a way we will gain thanks or recognition or praise but as a way of giving thanks and as an expression of gratitude. -Robinson Covenantal Leadership 2.In response to the primal gift, promises are made and obligations accepted However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given methe task of testifying to the good news of Gods grace. (v. 24) Gods call and charge to Paul shaped and directed his life and ministry Covenantal Leadership 2.In response to the primal gift, promises are made and obligations accepted Leaders do require some ground that doesnt shift, some foundation amid the shifting sands of success and failure, of perception and reality, whether or not people are happy and satisfied. Sometimes leaders, by definition, will have to challenge their followers, their communities, and their constituencies. Rob. Covenantal Leadership You appear dangerous to people when you question their values, beliefs, or habits of a lifetime. You place yourself on the line when you tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Although you may see with clarity and passion a promising future of progress and gain, people will see with equal passion the losses you are asking them to sustain. Ron Heifetz Covenantal Leadership 3.Life is then lived within the bonds of gift and promise, a life of fidelity As we see in Acts 20, and in so many other places, Paul sought to be faithful in every dimension of life living with humility and passion in the face of trials (v.19), teaching/preaching (v.20, 27), obeying the Spirit (v.22), completing his assignment (v.24), not coveting (v.33), and working hard so that he could be generous and care for others (v.34-35) Covenantal Leadership 3.Life is then lived within the bonds of gift and promise, a life of fidelity There is no substitute for being faithful to the work that God has given each of us Even in the face of challenges (widows overlooked), controversy (gentiles in?), or opposition (wolves), we must remain faithful to God and the divine calling on our lives Covenantal Leadership 3.Life is then lived within the bonds of gift and promise, a life of fidelity Leading in the way of Jesus requires great humility and courage Leading in the way of Jesus requires faithful stewardship of money and possessions Leading in the way of Jesus requires trustworthiness, transparency, character and integrity Covenantal Leadership 4.Occasions and events for renewing the covenant Pauls time with the Ephesian elders ends in a time of prayer, tears and embrace Covenantal Leadership Leadership is not dominating others or disempowering them. On the contrary, good leaders empower their followers and the communities and organizations they lead. But leadership can be very challenging for just that reason. True leaders point the way to the future and mobilize people to take on their toughest problems and challenges. Sometimes, it seems, we prefer leaders who tell us that were Covenantal Leadership great, that everything is just fine, that theres no need to take any risks. But that is not leadership. Leadership, especially in the church, will be deepened when we become aware of its covenantal nature: leaders are in covenant with the communities they serve. And in the church, leaders are in covenant with God. These covenantal understandings of leadership remind us that it is not about us Covenantal Leadership its about God and what God has done and is doing. Like all Christians, leaders have also made promises. I have decided to follow Jesus, we sing, no turning back. We are people under promise and we have promises to keep.As leaders, then, in response to the gift and under the promise, we are to live lives characterized by fidelity. Covenantal Leadership LEAD LIKE JESUS