 Okay, we'll pray and then get started. Yeah, okay. Let's pray. Father, we want to thank You, Lord. Thank You for this day. Thank You for this opportunity to call upon Your name. Thank You for this opportunity that You've given us to draw close to You, Lord, so that we can experience, Lord, You drawing close to us, Master. Master, we thank You, Lord. We commit this time into Your mighty hands, Father God. We pray that You would speak to our hearts. We pray, Father God, that it be a time of establishing of Your word, Lord, it be a time of establishing our lives, Lord, deeper, Lord, in You, Father God. Yes, Master, we pray that we'll continue to draw life, Lord, from Your word and may that affect and change and transform all areas of our lives, Father God. But everything that needs changing, everything that needs establishing, Father God, everything that needs even removing of Father God. Lord, we pray that Your word will, Lord, do that, Father God. And I just thank You, God, that, as the word says that, let faith have its perfect work in us, God. That You would have Your perfect work in us, Master. We just surrender and yield, Lord, and even as You perfect us from the inside out, we thank You. In Jesus' matchless name, we pray. Amen, amen. Okay, so, welcome back to Christian Leadership. Okay, let's take just maybe two minutes. Maybe you can share what you learned last class. Oh, what stayed with you. One thing that stayed with you in last class. Okay, Nikhil, welcome back. One thing that, you know, that stayed with you that stayed with you that you recall, yeah. Yeah, right, right. Leadership is influence and for either for good or bad and all are called to influence so that for all are called to be leaders, yeah, okay. Okay, leadership is also about serving. So it's not about being served, but about, you know, serving because that's what the Lord said for us as an example. Anything else? So, yeah, so we may not be even aware of whom we are influencing, right? It can be, so what is that about stage two things, right? Yeah, right, right. So it need not be always that a senior person or a formal, somebody with that formal title as a leadership who's influencing it can also be the other way, right? Okay. You can even influence people who are overseeing you who are, you know, yeah, that's also, you know, anything. Francis. Probably into the position, but somehow people are influencing the way. Yeah, yeah, so, so which means that, you know, there are several situations and circumstances in which people rise up to be an influence, people rise up to lead, you know, in the course of the day, you will see that, okay, maybe there is some kind of a, let's say a crisis and you see that, okay, somebody rises up and takes the responsibility, takes the position of leading people through that crisis or, you know, providing solutions and so on. So, yeah, so everybody is a leader. So it doesn't mean that everybody is leading all the time. You know, sometimes there could be these moments where people rise up and lead because it's, maybe it is their area of expertise. Maybe it's just something that they are called to do at that moment. But the fact is that everybody, you know, is called towards this, right? Okay. So anything on Christian leadership? Okay. As leaders, there's no question of misusing it. It's a stewardship, right? Okay. Right. Anybody online? Anything that you want to add? Okay. So, um, so let's look at, we started with the, this first section of leading through time, right? Leading through time. So, um, which means that, um, an extended period of time, a season, right? So as we look at that, we see that a lot of things happen in a season, right, or through a season, um, in, in the position of leadership, right? And so we just going to look at that. But first of all, you know, we started by looking at how the Lord Jesus modeled leadership. So what we can learn, uh, from the way the Lord Jesus led. In fact, there's a whole ministry called Lead Like Jesus. Uh, I don't know if you've, uh, been, you know, attended any of their meetings where, you know, I forget who started it. I think this Ken Blanchard. Lead Like Jesus. And it's, uh, it's a weekend thing, you know, two days and, um, it's wonderful. Uh, they're considering. Uh, so the whole thing is about, you know, how Jesus led and, uh, and how we can lead just like Jesus, right? It's very, I would say very transformational, you know, workshop, right? You can, I mean, if you have an opportunity, sometimes to do that, be part of it, it'll be nice. Okay. So we're going to look at, uh, we started by looking at, okay, as, uh, when we, when we focus on Jesus, when we learn from the Lord, how he led. So first thing we see is that, um, he knew the purpose for which he came and it was so strong in him, ingrained in him, right? Why did he come? Why, uh, uh, you know, the why of his life. Why am I here? Why am I doing what I'm doing? Right? So if that is clear, then no matter what happens, right? No matter who tries to distract or take us away, like we will always come back because that why is very strong. Why am I doing this? Right? So the purpose for which I'm doing it, like, when you say, okay, what are we doing? You know, it's about the details of what we go through. You know, it could be our, maybe a job title, maybe the things that we are, our responsibilities. You know, that is the what the details of it, you know, it might be whatever in ministry, you know, a pastor, a teacher, you know, a homemaker. Uh, so you go about the details of what you have to do, right? You know, the responsibility. You need to be there at a certain time, have a certain expertise and do that. So that's the what, but then the why is very important. Right? The question, why, why am I doing this? Why am I, you know, doing what I'm doing? Why am I in ministry? Why do I want to, you know, shepherd this church? Why do I want to plant this church? Why, why do I want to do this? The purpose is very important, right? Because if the purpose is not clear and strong, then we'll be misled. Um, if there's anybody to do that, we'll be distracted. Uh, and when things get difficult, we will stop. Right? So we will say, okay, this is too, too difficult. I'm going to stop. Right? So in the life of the Lord Jesus, when we see, um, the Lord saying, you know, John chapter 12 and verse 27, we saw that verse where the Lord in the garden, right? He's saying, Lord, my soul is troubled. He's speaking to the father and he's saying, my soul is troubled. It's an anguish. He's saying, what shall I say? Shall I say this to you? Father, save me from this hour. But for this purpose, I came, right? For this purpose, I came to this hour, meaning that this is the time for which I have come. Oh, this is the purpose for which I have come. So how can I, excuse me, how can I say that Lord, you know, save me, Father, save me from this hour. And even, uh, when he was having this conversation with Peter, he tells Peter, you know, and the disciples, he's saying that I, I must go to Jerusalem. I will suffer many things and this is how I will, you know, I will die. And, and also he was talking about his resurrection, right? So he's telling them about that. Then, um, if you look at Matthew 16, right? It talks about that. Matthew 16 verse 21. From that time, Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised the third day. Okay. So this is much before the crucifixion. He's, he knew it already. He knew the details of it. So he's just telling them, this is how it must be done. This is, this is what will happen. Excuse me. Then verse 22. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. Right? That might be something to watch. Now Peter's taking him and he's rebuking Jesus. Now he's saying, Jesus, what's wrong with you? And then he's rebuking him saying, far be it from you Lord, this shall not happen to you. But he turned, Jesus turned and said to Peter, get behind me Satan, you are an offence to me for you are not mindful of the things of God but things of men. Sorry, excuse me. Yeah, let's, let's try and continue. So, so when Peter says, Lord, this shall not be. Okay. So it's something that Peter, in his all sincerity, he wants to, he wants to actually comfort the Lord. He wants to protect the Lord. Right? So it's, it comes from a place of sincerity. Right? In, according to Peter, but the Lord knew the source of that. So he's saying, you know, get behind me Satan, for you are not mindful of the things of God. So he knew the source and even just before that, we know that Peter gives a revelation. What is that? He's, he receives that from God. Yeah, you are the son of God. Right? And then the Lord says that, yeah, flesh and blood is not revealed. So the Lord was able to discern the source and also not just discern, but also to go with what the Father wanted, even though it was a, not a very convenient thing, not a very comfortable thing. It is about what, it's about life. It's about danger. It's about, you know, very painful things happening. Right? And by nature, you know, we want to protect our lives from pain. We want to protect our lives from danger and so on. But then in this case, the Lord is very clear. And that happens when we have a clear sense of purpose. So that's something that we learned from the Lord, right? That as a leader, he knew the purpose. So as leaders, that's an example that we, we take a strong grip of what our purpose for that role of leadership is. Why, the why of it? Why am I doing what I'm doing? It's good to question that and, you know, ask the Lord and, and when the Lord speaks, when the Lord reassures, okay, when the Lord speaks and reassures and gives us, you know, that revelation in our hearts, then we'll be strong. We'll be rooted. The Lord is spoken. So no doubt, no turning back that the Lord is in it. And that's the greatest reassurance that we can have. Right? Okay. The second thing, as a leader, you can follow in your notes as well. As a leader, be selfless. Okay. Selfless, which is the opposite of selfish, right? Be selfless. Now, hey, thanks. Thank you so much. That's a lot of water. Thanks. So as a leader, be selfless. Okay. So Philippians two was three to five. There is this exhortation. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or concede, which means pride, but in lowliness of mind, this means humility. Let each esteem others better than themselves. It means to honor others better than ourselves. Okay. So the focus is not on our cell or what I can get out of this or what benefit can I receive out of what I'm doing. It's not that all the time. Verse four, it says, let each of you look out, not only for his own interests. Okay. But also, no, you need, you can notice two phrases, right? Not only verse four, right? If you'll get it, but let each of you look out, not only, but also, right? What does that mean? You do this, but you don't restrict yourself to this alone. Not only this, but go beyond it, but also. So what does he say? Say, let each of you look out, not only for your own interests. Okay. You need to do something. You need to, you need to be blessed in certain ways. Okay. But also for the interests of others. So it means let your focus just not stop with yourself. I mean myself, right? And the thing is that look out also for the interests of others. And it goes on to say, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, right? So it means that being selfless, just the opposite of selfish ambition and pride and, you know, honoring oneself, just the opposite of all that. So the Lord Jesus was a personification of this very thing that we're talking about, right? He personified, he lived that in his life. So ask Christian leaders who want to understand Christian leadership. No, this is a very important thing, very important lesson for us. We look at Jesus and say, okay, the Lord, this is how you live. Therefore, I'm going to follow, I'm going to do this. Help me to do this in the right way, right? So, like sometimes we can, we can say, okay, I'm humbling myself, I'm humbling myself, but it can be a sense of self. I mean, it's going to be a sense of false humility, right? False humility. Somebody says, okay, I think that's a good thing that you're doing. And then you want to say, no, no, no, that's not. It was good. What you spoke was good. What you shared was good. But then you want to say something negative about it to undermine it, right? Like, suppose you cook something and then somebody says, hey, that's a very nice dish. You cook really well. But then if you turn around and say, you know, actually this time it was not that great, you know, I think this also should have been a little better. Last time it was good. Something, you know, they want to say something to bring down the weight of what others are saying. Yeah, it can be true. It can be true. Maybe, you know, the factually thing is, maybe you just say, hey, thank you. But actually, last time was, you know, so that can be true. I'm saying, you know, as getting, we're all Indians in this class. We have that as a thing, you know, like, for example, if somebody asks, invites us home when you go there, and then maybe they offer some snack or some coffee, what will you have? We say, you know, no, we just had. Right. We say, no, thank you just had and came. But, you know, but we don't even think about it because you didn't have it. It's been a long time. But you still, but you, but you still say, no, no, no, we just had. No, it's okay. I'm full. It's okay. We say it and we think that, you know, it's a cultural thing. Right. So, yeah. So, and it kind of creeps into all areas of our lives and yeah. So that is not humility. That is not being selfless. We think, okay, I'm putting myself down like this is humility. No, it's not. It actually is the opposite. Like, so what would happen is when, you know, of course, I'm just digressing a little bit. What would happen is if, if the Lord were to declare something over you and say that you are victorious or you are precious to me and, you know, you are so-and-so. You are this, you are the head and not the tail and all those things that if the Lord were to declare, we would still continue to cancel that out by saying that, Lord, no, I'm not that. I'm actually not that lot because we feel that when we put ourselves down, even though the Lord is elevating and putting us in the right place, you know, that's the truth. He's declaring this, you know, you are a new creation. You are sanctified. You are justified. And we say, no, Lord, I am, you know, I'm worthless. You know, and we think that is humility where it need not be. It cannot. It is actually false humility. Right. So if you look at, let's look at Philippians two and about the talks about the humility and of the Lord. So if it goes down to verse six, verse five says, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Verse six, 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 bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. Right. Verse eight, 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. So verse seven versus six and seven and seven and eight, sorry, talks about how the Lord made himself of no reputation. Right. The Son of God, who was, who is, who will be, who is to come. And, and he, you know, the scripture talks about how nothing was made that was made through, you know, everything that was made was through the Son and all that. So he was a pre-existent one, but he made himself of no reputation. He, you know, laid aside that glory and came in the form of man. Right. So, so he became, in other words, he became a servant. And we don't find that anywhere. You don't find that in any other worldview. We don't find that God becomes man and in this manner too, so that man can be redeemed, man can be lifted up and man can be seated with him in the heavenly places. Right. So it's something beautiful, something wonderful, something powerful. Right. So it is something that actually protects the person, protects the leader, being selfless, right, being humble, being selfless. It's, it's actually a weapon. It is like a shield for the leader. Okay. Right. Third thing, as a leader, be obedient. I think Francis asked that question. So if everybody is leading, who's following? Right. You asked. I don't know. So what is, you know, how can, how can everyone lead and not have anyone follow? So I think we kind of address that, right? We have spheres of influence. We have, you know, circumstances and situations where people are leaders. We have formal leaders and so on. Okay. But as a leader, the Lord was obedient. He was obedient to the voice of the Father. Right. So that's something that we see. Hebrews 10 and verse seven says, then I said, behold, I have come in the volume of the book. It is written of me to do your will. Oh God. Right. Verse eight that we saw just now, Philippians two, he humbled himself and became obedient. Philippines two eight. Okay. So being obedient to the will of the Father, being obedient to the voice of the leading of the Father is something that we see in the life of God. That we see in the life of the Lord. Right. He being aware of the, of the timing and what really the Father wanted him to do everything. Right. He was so in step. So as a Christian leader, there is, this is something that we need to aim for because we see it in the life of the Lord Jesus. Right. That we will be obedient to the will, obedient to the voice, the ways of God all the time. Okay. And again, it's not the most convenient thing. Right. It's not the most convenient thing. It's something that we need to intentionally set our hearts towards. It's something that we need to seek. Right. And as a leader to keep this as priority. Hey, this is something of great importance for me. Right. That I need to obey the will of God. So what is the obeying the voice of the Lord, obeying the will of the Lord? What is it against? Sorry. Yeah. If you would say, what would, what would, what would this be the opposite of? So we can say, I should not do that. Yeah. So it's, so we see that the spirit always the talking about the Holy spirit. The flesh lusts against the works of the spirit. Right. So, so when I say, you know, when we say against whatever I will or I wish, what we're saying is that, you know, it's good to have your desires. But if it is contrary to the will or the wish of the father, that's what we're saying. It's good to have your desires. It's good to have. Okay. I have this desire. I want to do this. It's good to have ambition, you know, and, and plans and dreams and say, I want to do this. It's good to have that. You know, we're not saying that, you know, I should be like a robot. You know, the Lord himself says, you know, what is, you know, he himself wants to hear what's in our heart. And so it's good to have our own desires or thoughts and everything and take it before the Lord. And, and for that to have that to be brought under the Lordship of Jesus. Right. So, so that's the thing. So if it is contrary to the Word of God, if it is contrary to the will of God, if it is something that is off the flesh, so that is what we're saying. Right. And I think we looked at that, right? I think earlier sessions also, we looked at now, you know, and we always say the Lord's ways are higher than our ways. Okay. So his way, his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. And so that does not mean that every thought that you have or every step that you want to do is against God's ways. It is not because of you look at that scripture in context. It talks about the wicked person. It talks about the person whose ways are contrary to God's ways. It talks about the person whose thoughts are not in line with God's thoughts. Okay. And that's when the Lord says my ways are not your ways are my thoughts are much higher than your thoughts. Okay. So let the wicked man, you know, forsake his ways and let the wicked man forsake his thoughts. And then the Lord goes on to say this. So, yeah. So just a thing to know that, that as long as it's contrary, that is what, you know, we're saying that it cannot be in line with God's will, God's ways. Okay. So being obedient, being sensitive, if we would keep that as priority, I'm going to obey the Lord. So it would also mean that when we set our heart to do the will of the Father, and we set our hearts to be obedient to God and His voice, that whatever the other voices are, the will of man, the will of man again, contrary to the will of God. When you say contrary, it's opposite of not in line with the will of, because sometimes, you know, we hear counsel, how does counsel come from the heart of man, God actually confirms, right? There's a word of wisdom. God confirms what is in our heart. God confirms that through other people. So we're not saying that other people saying some things, other people instructing is inherently bad in itself. But only when it is not in line, when it's opposite of what God is saying, you know, that, that is the thing. And it can come in all sincerity. It can come like how Peter came and said, God, let it not be so. It will not be far be from you, Lord. It comes in all sincerity, but when it's not in line with the will of the Father, then we cannot be obedient to that, right? Okay. The fourth one we see is be a servant. This is something that we saw earlier also that this is, you know, a fresh paradigm or which means a very drastic thing that the Lord brought about. About leadership, right? That one needs to be a servant to the people who are whom they are leading. Okay. Let's look at that versus again, those scriptures again, Matthew 20, 25 and 28, right? Okay. So let's turn to Matthew 20 and just look at the context of why would Jesus say this? Okay. Matthew 20 and let's look at verse 20, Matthew 20 and 20. Okay. Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons. Okay. So the mother's bringing the two disciples full on recommendation. So kneeling down, asking something from him, and he said to her, what do you wish? And she said to him, grant that these two sons of mine may sit one on your right hand, another on your left in your kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, you do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I'm about to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I'm baptized with? And they said to him, we are able, the sons of Zebedee, so they are there. So the picture, the scene, the mother's kneeling down, probably they made, made the sons also kneel down, right? Somebody's there. And then, you know, are you able to do this a lot saying, you know, are you able to go through what I'm able to go through? And then they said, yes, Lord. So, so I don't know how this whole thing happened, right? Whether the sons asked the mother or the mother said, you know, I won't, I'm going to ask Jesus, if you're, if you're not asking, I'm going to ask. And about the kingdom, you need that special place. You're doing so many things you're serving. I'm going to just think about that, you know, it's not just one day they decided, hey, let's go and ask. Jesus. They've been talking about this, about the kingdom and about the position and all that. So they come and ask. And the Lord says, you will indeed, verse 23, you will indeed drink the cup and be baptized with the baptism. I'm baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give. But for those two, it is prepared by my father, verse 24. And when the 10 heard it, they were greatly displeased. Okay. And they heard that this has happened. The other 10 disciples, they were greatly displeased with these two brothers. They was like, you know, how can you guys do this? You know, we're all in it. It's a team. How can you suddenly go? And probably they said, you know, no, my mother only asked, you know, my mother said, you know, how can you do that? Very displeased. But Jesus called them. So this whole commotion is happening. And they were like, you know, maybe, maybe Peter gave it to them. You know, Peter's highly volatile. He just gave it to them. He shook them and maybe pushed these guys. And I'm just imagining all kinds of things. And why, why did he do this? How can you do this? And then the Lord calls them. And then this is what he says. You know, the rulers of the Gentiles, Lord it over them. And those who are great exercise authority over them. Okay. So the rulers of the Gentiles, so he's making a, you know, distinction between spiritual rulers and he's talking about rulers of the world or, you know, rulers of the Gentiles. They're saying that they Lord it over them. They boss over them. And those who are great exercise authority. Okay. Now leadership comes with authority. Okay. Authority to speak into people's lives. Authority to correct authority to maybe issue instructions. You know, saying, okay, let's do this and not that. So, so the Lord is acknowledging there is authority that comes with leadership. But he says that they, what do they do? They use authority, great, sorry. Those were great exercise authority over them or boss over them. And then the Lord says in verse 26, yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great, let him be your servant. So he, excuse me. So he makes a distinction between what kind of leaders we are to be, right? To be a servant leader. Okay. So, which means that in our heart, we humble ourselves and we want to serve. So what does it mean to serve? It's good to say I want to serve. But what does it mean to serve in, you know, various, yet to minister itself means to serve, right? Yeah. To consider, you know, sorry, to work. What is the thing? What is the thing? Yeah. Yeah, we can, we can do that. No, the verse that we just read, you know, I think it's first period too, that we say, well, about, not for, sorry, just a minute, about Philippines 2, sorry, Philippines 2-3. It says, so this should be our outlook. Okay. Your needs are important. Yeah. Okay. Your needs are important because that's what helps you function, like needs like food, water, shelter, whatever your needs are important. But it says, let you look out not only for your needs, but also, also for the needs. So which means that others are also in that thing, you know, and you're honoring is steaming others better than yourself. So which means that you're going to look for their needs first, put their needs first. That doesn't mean that you are, you know, your needs don't matter at all in life. Right. Okay. So, so when you think of serving as a leader serving, what is it that we can, what are the different ways that we can think of? Okay. Yeah. Google says be obedient to be obedient. When you say server, give a helping hand. Okay. So you're bringing benefit into people's lives, right? When you're serving. So when we have someone who serves us, right? See, let's say you have someone who's helping at home or, you know, they are serving, they are bringing benefit, right? Some kind of benefit, whatever it is that they're doing, they are helping, they are bringing some kind of benefit. Right. So we are comfortable. We are helped. We are able to do our things better, whatever. So in all our ministering and all our leading as Christian leaders, the Lord is saying, you know, you will be a servant. You serve, you take care of your esteem, you look at, which means that you first of all be sensitive and be aware of the needs of people. Yeah. And only then can you actually take care of it. Okay. So that's a, you know, and we'll see, you know, there is a, there is a line. As we look at the second, section two and section three, right? Winning with people and as teamwork, there is, there is a thin line, you know, between serving and being people pleasing, right? So there's a thin line. Okay. So yeah, as a, as a, as a, as a leader, the Lord's example is that we serve, serve in humility, let that be the, let that mindset be there. I'm here to serve. I'm here to bring benefit. Okay. And it's not by my building myself, taking care of my needs or it's not that. So it's, it's totally opposite of how the world would look at leadership. Right. Okay. Okay. We'll stop here and we'll continue with the two, three other things. Right. Okay. Thank you, Nina and Jack in for your inputs. Thank you. We'll stop here and we'll meet next class. So next class is next week only because we have the leadership, Chris leadership conference, 17th, 18th and 19th. Thank you.