How to Lead So People Will Follow

Jesus Invited Men to Follow Him Matthew 4:18-20 “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

Jesus’ Leaders Need to Invite Others to Follow Them 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” Hebrews 13:7 “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.”

Jesus’ Leaders Need to Invite Others to Follow Them 1 Peter 5:1-3 “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

Jesus Was a Servant John 16:4-5, 12-17 “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

Jesus Was a Servant Matthew 23:11 “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Jesus Did the Father’s Will John 4:34 John 6:38 John 7:16 John 8:25-29 John 9:4 John 12:44-45, 48-50 John 15:15b

Jesus Did the Father’s Will John 17:4, 8 Luke 22:42 He knew the Father’s will. John 7:29 Luke 24:27 Acts 20:32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

Jesus Was Obedient Hebrews 5:8-9 Matthew 3:15 Matthew 7:21 John 14:15 He did as well as taught. Acts 1:1 Acts 10:38 The scribes and Pharisees constantly watched, but could find no wrong in him or his teaching.

Jesus Was Compassionate Isaiah 40:11 “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.” Matthew 9:36-38 “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”

Jesus Was Compassionate Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

Jesus Was Compassionate He cares for our physical needs. Matthew 14:14 (Compassion, or splanchnidzomai–to be moved as to one’s inwards, the seat of love and pity) Matthew 15:32-38 Fed 4,000 with 7 loaves & few fish Even our need for touch Matthew 20:29-34 Two blind men outside Jericho Mark 1:14 Touched a leper Luke 10:37b “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus Was Compassionate He feels our sorrow in death (Luke 7:11-15; John 11:35; Hebrews 2:14-15). 1 John 3:16-18 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Jesus Was Forgiving Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Jesus Was Forgiving Colossians 3:13 “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Jesus Was Perfect Hebrews 4:15 1 Peter 2:22-23 We should strive for perfection. Matthew 5:48 Colossians 1:28 (perfect is distant future)

Jesus Was Prayerful Luke 6:12-13 Luke 9:18 Luke 9:28 Luke 11:1

Like Jesus, Other Great Leaders Were Prayerful Joshua 7:6-9 After the defeat at Ai 1 Samuel 12:23 “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.” Nehemiah 1:5-11 He asked for a good reception from the king after he heard of the condition of Jerusalem.

Like Jesus, Other Great Leaders Prayed Nehemiah 2:2-5 He prayed desiring that the king would allow him to remove the reproach of his people. Philippians 1:9-10 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.”

Jesus Delegated Authority Matthew 28:18-20 Exodus 18:13-27 (Deuteronomy 1:9-18) Moses was advised by Jethro to delegate authority. Verse 21 “rulers” Verse 25 “heads”

Jesus’ Apostles Delegated Authority Acts 6:1b-4 “…there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Jesus’ Apostles Delegated Authority Philippians 2:19-20 “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.” Titus 1:5 “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you.”

Jesus Recognized Levels of Maturity Vary John 16:12-13 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

Levels of Maturity Vary in Every Church 1 Timothy 3:6 “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.” Hebrews 5:12-14 It is possible to have years as a Christian without having maturity.