In Matthew chapter 14 Jesus feeds the five thousand. As a leader, no one compares to Christ. The miracles he did were signs of his authority... that often left him sighing of the fact many people saw these miracles and still didn't believe who he was.
What comes after in Matthew 14:23-32 gives us an idea of spiritual leaderhsip, rest, prayer, and helping foster other spiritual leaders.
A. Matthew 14:22-23; Jesus often, after crouds were dismissed would go to a quiet place to pray.
1. It says Christ dismissed the twelve "immediately" and stayed apart from them for quite some time, because it also says "Later that night, he was there alone," and the boat was a good distance from the land. Mark 6 says they were in the middle of the lake, and Jesus could see they were straining at the oars. He was within distance to know if they were struggling or not, but they had space from him to try to live their own faith. They were the fishing experts afterall.
2.It says Christ stayed on this mountainside for a long time. A considerable time for any spiritual leader. I know some ministers who can't go an hour without someone from their congregations giving them a call or asking for assistance in something... so why would Jesus leave his twelve followers... and send them on a lone voyage to Bethsaida?
3. His followers were trained at what they were doing. Most were fisherman. They were well prepared for the voyage ahead. Jesus gave his twelve a task he knew they could succeed within and this kind of gives them a push in what it means to lead. This was a faith building tool, and Christ was never far behind them. At dawn he headed out to them, walking on water.
B. Matthew 14:25-32; When we are around followers, as spiritual leaders, we need to be able to help people get out of their "spiritual boats"
1. Peter felt he was ready to step out unto the water. Jesus invited him to do so.
2. It looks like Peter failed, but he had a healthy place to fail. - Jesus said he would meet them and he meant it. - Even before they got the other side of the lake, because they had been straining against the wind for quite some time. Jesus kept them in sight and in distance to reach them, but also left them to carry out a task they were professionals at.
3. Jesus had them all at a safe place to fail, to grow and succeed
C. What this means for the leader:
1. People need to be equipped to handle certain tasks on their own.
2. Leaders simply need opportunities to get away for a time.
3. Leaders need to ready to answer the call or check up with their congregations.
4. Christians need to be introduced to new experiences out of their "boats" or gifts, skills, or professions that will equip them ever more.
5. They need chances to paddle out with other followers
6. They need chances to step out and have their faith stretched.
7. They need reminders of why they worship God, that He is worthy of praise, and that He needs us to not grow stagnant in our walk. - vs. 33
8. People need a safety net, Vs. 31 "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him..." Petter didn't drown hahah
- Immediately people need to be sent out to be salt, and the be light and to use their gifts vs. 22
- Immediately we need to be ready to be a source of encouragment to them. vs. 27
- Immediately they need to be picked up before they fall. God will never leave or forsake them. vs. 31
- Healthy experiences "whether a failed attempt or successful attempt" can be spiritual triumphs and periods of worship for those involved.
Last but not least... get some rest and then get back to work: vs. 34-36 "When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Trying to add in vs. 25-27. Don't have anything yet to write beyond "immediately."
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Why do we fall Bruce?
I saw the Dark Knight Rises a few weeks ago... the midnight release actually. If you haven't seen it yet you are sorely missing out. Nolan does this amazing job capturing the essence of the first movie,Begins and drawing a firm conclusion for the trilogy in Rises. One of the critical moments of the trilogy happens in Begins. It's where Bruce Wayne, as a boy falls into a well. His father comes down the well, and these bats have just busted out over Bruce. His father reaches out his hand and asks, "And why, do we fall, Bruce?" The young Bruce is terrified and is effected by the trauma from the bats all the way into adulthood.
The reason I even bother to mention this quote is because throughout the three movies this scene shows at important points. Usually when Batman is fighting a villain or has to do some daunting task that many would be too scared to take on. Batman loses a battle or gets beaten down mentally, and then the memory of the well plays back. Bruce is left with the choice to get up or to stay down.
Generally, there is nothing significant going on before these pitfalls. Like the young Wayne falling down the well, we are usually just minding our own business, and then we feel ourselves get ripped away from our securities. This happens all the time in the church. This could be caused by people, worship styles, buildings, leadership changes, or any number of things. Maybe you are leaving youth group into adulthood, but you don't want to leave the youth ministry behind you. Or maybe something that we've had all along with our faith becomes tarnished or doesn't seem all that important anymore. All of a sudden we have a pitfall. These pitfalls are frantic and they happen at times when we don't feel ready for them, but we need to learn to get back up. "Why do we fall Bruce?" "So we can learn to get back up again?"
It's reminds me of the story about Joseph in the Bible who also ended up in a hole/well. Joseph was the favorite son out of his brothers. His brothers envied what Joseph had so they threw him down this well and he got sold off into slavery. Joseph didn't lose faith or purpose despite his circumstances. Rather, he worked hard, grew in favor of God, and was blessed during his time away from his family. Later it would be Joseph who would bring his family to come stay and have a place in Egypt, and would save them from a severe famine.
The church can end up focusing a lot on it's members, and meeting their wants and needs. We have become a society that is often catered to by our leaders. We are all Joseph's in this sense. We are the favorites and we all have something resembling a "coat of many colors." The difference between Joseph and many Christians is he never lost his faith after he was stripped of his coat and had his pitfall.
Bruce feared bats and the darkness they lived in, but then they became a symbol to him. He embraced the nature of the bats and became Batman. He learned to serve the people of Gotham, and not fear the darkness around him. We fear losing our luxuries and traditions, people, and places. God fears that we will never learn to stand up when these things get taken away.
The reason I even bother to mention this quote is because throughout the three movies this scene shows at important points. Usually when Batman is fighting a villain or has to do some daunting task that many would be too scared to take on. Batman loses a battle or gets beaten down mentally, and then the memory of the well plays back. Bruce is left with the choice to get up or to stay down.
Generally, there is nothing significant going on before these pitfalls. Like the young Wayne falling down the well, we are usually just minding our own business, and then we feel ourselves get ripped away from our securities. This happens all the time in the church. This could be caused by people, worship styles, buildings, leadership changes, or any number of things. Maybe you are leaving youth group into adulthood, but you don't want to leave the youth ministry behind you. Or maybe something that we've had all along with our faith becomes tarnished or doesn't seem all that important anymore. All of a sudden we have a pitfall. These pitfalls are frantic and they happen at times when we don't feel ready for them, but we need to learn to get back up. "Why do we fall Bruce?" "So we can learn to get back up again?"
It's reminds me of the story about Joseph in the Bible who also ended up in a hole/well. Joseph was the favorite son out of his brothers. His brothers envied what Joseph had so they threw him down this well and he got sold off into slavery. Joseph didn't lose faith or purpose despite his circumstances. Rather, he worked hard, grew in favor of God, and was blessed during his time away from his family. Later it would be Joseph who would bring his family to come stay and have a place in Egypt, and would save them from a severe famine.
The church can end up focusing a lot on it's members, and meeting their wants and needs. We have become a society that is often catered to by our leaders. We are all Joseph's in this sense. We are the favorites and we all have something resembling a "coat of many colors." The difference between Joseph and many Christians is he never lost his faith after he was stripped of his coat and had his pitfall.
Bruce feared bats and the darkness they lived in, but then they became a symbol to him. He embraced the nature of the bats and became Batman. He learned to serve the people of Gotham, and not fear the darkness around him. We fear losing our luxuries and traditions, people, and places. God fears that we will never learn to stand up when these things get taken away.
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