 Yeah, I just wanted to remind us, reading from Matthew chapter 4 and verse 19, like Matthew 4 and verse 19 with the words of the Lord Jesus, Then he said to them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. The words of the Lord Jesus, and he's talking to Simon Peter, Andrew, his brother, and the Bible also talks about the kind of response to these words. But the important thing is that the Lord Jesus said, you follow me and I will make you. What is he making you as we follow? He's making them somebody who will lead others, who will lead others to follow Christ. And that he will make them to be leaders, who will lead other people, who will help others in following Christ. And he says, I will make you fishers of men. And in fact, last class, we learned about how each of us, all of us, we are influencers or we are. The Lord has placed us as leaders in our realms, fear of influence. So the key thing is this, that we follow him. And as we follow him, he is making us, there is something he's fashioning us to be leaders who will lead others to follow him. That's very important. So our following is crucial. I would say critical to us being fashioned to be leaders. Our following Jesus is crucial to us being fashioned as leaders who lead others to follow Jesus. So let's pray and say God, whatever it takes, whatever needs to be done on my part, on our part to be followers, to be such followers who would be fashioned, who would be shaped by you to lead others. We want to be that. So let's pray. Father God, we thank you for this day Lord, even as we just come before you. Lord, we thank you that as we follow you, you are making us, fashioning us, changing us, Lord, and shaping us. Lord, to be the ones who would lead others, the ones who would disciple others, Lord, to follow you. God, for you said Lord, to go into the world, to preach the gospel and to teach others to observe, Lord, all the things that you have taught us. And so God, as we follow you, Lord, as your sons and daughters, as we follow you, God, we thank you that you are making us. And even today Lord, I pray that you would make us, that you would fashion us, Lord, that you would change us, Lord. To be people, Lord, who would represent you, Lord, who would draw others to you, Jesus, and make us into such people. We thank you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Okay. So, yeah, so last class we started with leadership, Christian leadership, and we looked at some concepts, the definition rather, definition and description of who a leader is. And we also looked at, you know, how, when we consider Jesus, what are the lessons that we can learn? And we looked at about four of them, how, as a leader, we need to know our purpose, and that will really help us, no matter what we go through. We will stay the course when we know this is the purpose, and we will not be deterred from it, and that we see in the life of Jesus. And as leaders, we need to be selfless the way the Lord was, and he came to serve and not to be served. So we see that aspect of leadership that the Lord Jesus brought in, and we also saw that we need to be obedient. He was obedient to the Father. So we need to be obedient as well. And the fourth thing we saw was that as a leader, that we are here to serve others. This is closely in line with the fact that we have come to serve. We have come to be selfless as leaders. The Lord Jesus, he was a servant to all. He was a leader, and in fact, we saw in Matthew chapter 20 how he says that, you call me Lord and it is right. But then, even as I have done this, you need to do to others. So the Lord Jesus set an example of humility, of servant leadership, which we ought to emulate and follow. He said very clearly in Matthew chapter 20 that this is how the world's style of leadership is. He made a difference. He said, this is how the world's style of leadership is, but it shall not be so among you. So it's very tempting. We are drawn to the world's style of leadership. I'm not saying that everything about the world's style of leadership, everything that we read generally on leadership, on management and all that is bad. There's a lot of wisdom there. There's a lot of truth there that we can actually follow. We can put to practice in our lives, things that are valuable. But at the same time, in practice, when we are in, let's say, in a corporate setting, maybe you're working for an organization and you may not see that kind of an example in leaders who are above us. And so the thing is to follow that in order to get the work done, to intimidate in order to get the work done, to be as authoritarian as possible to get the work done, to threaten in order to get the work done. But the Lord says, no, it shall not be so among you, which means that there is another way of leading and that is what the Lord wants for us as leaders who follow Him. So as much as it might be attractive, we might say, okay, that gets the job done, that keeps people in check, that gives oneself a sense of control and so on. It is not the Lord's desire. And in the long run, we see that in the long run, it does not benefit the situation, it does not benefit the people. It definitely does not benefit the leader himself or herself. So to be a servant leader, that's where we stop last class. So today, let's follow through and let me just present the notes. So as a leader, the other big aspect of leadership which we see in the life of the Lord Jesus is that of sacrifice. Is that of sacrifice? So what is sacrifice? You know, sacrifice could mean two things, right? One is it means to give up certain things, right? It could be giving up or it could mean to take on, okay? To give up certain things that are maybe comforts, rights, privileges, things that are legitimately yours, legitimately mine. I have a right to this. You know, this is mine. I have a right to enjoy this, comfort, privileges and so on. But sacrifice would mean to give up that for the sake of getting the job done, for the sake of leading the people, for the sake of Christ, right? So a sacrifice in that front. So as a leader, we see, you know, if we look at the life of Jesus and we read in Hebrews that he, this is what he did. And Hebrews 2 and verse 10 to 11, let's read that. As it was fitting for him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he who sacrifices and those who are being sanctified and those who are being sanctified are all of one. For which reason he's not ashamed to call them brethren. Look at verse 10 says that, you know, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, right? In bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings, right? So which means that it's talking about the father, it's talking about the son who has went through those sufferings. Some things that, you know, he had a right to, but he just did not walk in it, right? He gave it up, he gave himself up, right? And so says that this is what he did. Hebrews chapter 5 says, talks about the Lord Jesus again, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, but was heard because of his godly fear, though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And having been perfected, he became the author of eternal salvation to those who obey him, right? The kind of life that he lived, the kind of sacrifice that he made. So our sacrifice is nothing compared to, you know, whatever the Lord Jesus did, our sacrifice is nothing. So when we look at sacrifice, it's not a grudging thing. It's not saying that, oh, you know, our attitude is that, okay, I'm willingly giving up certain things, certain rights privileges, certain comforts, willingly, joyfully giving up in order to be a leader, right? Sacrifice also means the other part of it is to take on certain things. Maybe responsibilities, maybe tasks, maybe certain things that need to be done. It also means to take on certain things. It's not just giving up, but also to take on. Actually, in taking on, we are actually giving up a few things, right? Maybe the freedom to, or maybe the time to do certain other things. Should we give that up because we have taken on this responsibility, maybe. So as a leader, we need to be acquainted with sacrifice. So it doesn't mean that, you know, as leaders, we cannot enjoy or we cannot, you know, as believers, as leaders, that we cannot really truly enjoy life to its, you know, the abundant life that he came to give no. But this sacrifice is a part of it. It's a very important aspect of it. So the sooner we kind of embrace that truth and say, okay, it's going to be, this is going to be part of me. And I'm not going to, I'm going to be comfortable with it. The sense I'm going to be comfortable with the truth with the fact that there will be sacrifices and I need to make sacrifices. And then the sooner we do that, the sooner we come to terms with it, you know, we will actually be able to focus on the job, focus on the responsibility, the ministry, everything, and joyfully knowing that, yes, this is part of it. Otherwise, it's going to be a big struggle. We're going to be always asking that question, why me? And we might even, you know, compare, look at other leaders and say, if they have it easy, I have it difficult or the other person or the people whom I'm leading, they have it easy, I have it difficult. Right, we're going to be constantly doing that. Right. But the sooner we come to terms with this, meaning come to terms, meaning that, okay, you understand, you accept. And say, okay, if the, when the opportunity comes, that I need to take on certain things or give up certain things, we just do it. Okay. So that's one aspect of leadership that we see in the life of Jesus. Okay. One more is that as a leader, we are called to be examples. Okay. We are called to be examples. So as a leader, the idea is not that we are just giving information, giving advice, being visionaries, solving problems or suggesting solutions, you know, leading the team, directing the team, maybe correcting, it's all that is there. But first and foremost, we set an example. We set an example through our life, through our speech, through our action, everything. We set an example. And, you know, Paul in his instruction to Timothy, let me just read that. Timothy, first Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12. So this is what he writes to Timothy. He says, let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers. And he writes a few things there, right? In word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Right. So it says, in all these things, be an example. Example to who, to the people whom we are leading. Now he's a young person, he's a young leader, and he's leading people who are younger than him, he's leading people who are older than him. And so Paul says, you know, let no one despise your youth. You know, if you do this, they're not going to look down on you or look down on the fact that you're a young person. If you lead by example, if your life is an example to them, then, you know, they will follow. Right. So he's saying, you model this kind of life. So let's look at, you know, if you look at John chapter 13 and verse 12 to 15. The Lord Jesus, he not only spoke about servant leadership, but he also modeled it. It says in verse 12, 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, 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. So he led by example. He let he practiced it. He showed it. He demonstrated it through that one instance and also throughout his earthly ministry. So he led by example. And, you know, just think about it. He's, you know, ministering to a whole lot of people. He knows that he knows that, yes, here he knows the hearts of people. He knows their thoughts. Just imagine, you know, as he was washing Judas's feet, he knows what's going on in Judas's life. He knows his thoughts. Just over and over again, we see that, you know, the word of knowledge and the word of his prophecy was by the spirit. It was working in his life. He looked at Nathaniel and said, here's a man without guile and so on. He knew what was in people's hands. So as he was washing Judas's feet and just imagining his feet dirty and dust and all that and he's pouring water and he's just washing. And he knows this is the person, you know, who's soon after he's going to do something against him. He's going to betray for money. The one for whom he, you know, the one whose feet he's washing. And yet he did it. Yet he did it. As he was washing Peter's feet. Yeah. Probably he, you know, even at that time, the spirit of God would have prompted him and this is what because he told Peter that he will deny. He will deny me twice before the rooster crows. Right. So he was washing and then and Peter's just saying God, you know, you say, not my, not my feet, you will not wash my feet. But the Lord says, okay, I need to wash feet. And we know that conversation that happened. Then he's Peter saying, Lord, you wash my entire self, not my feet only, but my entire self. And he's washing his feet and he knows what he's going to say. He's going to say, I don't know this man. I don't know this Jesus. Yet he washed. Right. So, you know, this is a very high level of leadership. It's a very high level of leadership leadership that literally impacts people and, you know, maybe on the face of it, it might seem like it might seem like this is a losing strategy. It's a losing strategy. What will you gain out of it? Some people are getting the upper hand. Some people are gaining the upper hand. It's a losing strategy. Even though on the face of it, it might look like that, but it's a transforming, life-changing style of leadership. A way of living that the Lord brought in. He says, you do this. You serve one another. If you want to be great, you be the servant. And in doing so, you will be great in the eyes of the Father. So, that is what he brought in. And Luke chapter 15 talks about persecution and how the response of the world, irrespective of the response of the world, go ahead and do what you need to do. Serve how you need to serve. Luke 15 verse 18, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. So, the serving is not only when things are good, not only when things are ideal. The serving is even when things are not good, even when things are hostile, even when things are going our way, not going our way. That is an important lesson because when you look at humility, when you look at serving, it is easier to be humble before people who are humble. It is easier to serve others who are nice to us, who say thank you and appreciate what we are doing and acknowledge what we are doing. We are so gracious to come back and thank and it is easy, it is nice, it is comfortable. But it is uncomfortable and it is difficult when you serve others who maybe do not even acknowledge, who maybe do not appreciate. There is no one around to appreciate and say, wow, wonderful, good job. It is difficult in such circumstances. That is at one level. At another level, it is like when people whom you serve, very people whom you serve turn around and persecute. When we say persecution, it ranges from maybe just ridicule to imprisonment, maybe it ranges. It is a wide range of things that could happen in persecution. It could be in a family setting, it could be among friends, it could be in an office environment, it could be in a ministry environment, church and whatever. But this is the example that we have set by the Lord. Having said that, I also want to add that we need to be discerning and do it in the right way. Of course, we are going to talk about that, about team dynamics and interaction with others and so on. It needs to be done in the right way. When we serve, when we do this, it needs to be done in the right way. Even when we love people unconditionally, it has to be with truth. Truth is spoken, truth is demonstrated and there are times when it involves bringing forth correction and so on. We will probably look at that when it comes to teams and working with people and so on. This is quite important, serving respective of the response. Lastly, I am sure there are many things that we can actually draw from the life and the ministry of the Lord Jesus. One thing that we see is that He trusted the team. He forgave them another chance, He trusted, encouraged them. Look chapter 10 verse 1. After these things, the Lord appointed 70 others. First He sent the 12, then we have 70 others, sent them 2 by 2 into every city and every place where He Himself was about to go. So He is just delegating, commissioning them, saying, this is what you need to do, enter into every city. Go heal the sick, raise the dead and preach the good news of the kingdom and they go. They saw wonderful things, they saw the ministry, the power of the Spirit, operational as they obeyed the Lord. They came back rejoicing, they said, wow, even the demons are subject. The very same people deserted the Lord, the very same people ran away and the Lord Jesus did not disqualify them immediately. He forgave them another chance. Look chapter 24, we go back to that chapter and then we see that the Lord has actually called them, restored them and recommissioned them into the purposes of the kingdom. And we read from verse 47, 48 and 49 talks about how He is sending the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit upon them and so on. 47 and 48 and then that repentance and remission of sins, we preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem and you are the witnesses of these things, He says, and He sends them out. So this is something that He did. And in that group, of course, there was Peter who had denied him and the Lord's conversation with Peter, we find it in John chapter 21, and the Lord speaking to Peter, the Lord asking him thrice, Peter, do you love me? And then the Lord saying, Peter responding, yes, Lord, I do. And the Lord saying, feed my sheep, tend my sheep, feed my lambs, feed my sheep. So the Lord restoring that ministry to Peter, the task, the responsibility to Peter. The Lord knew that there was something in Peter. He calls them, you know, on that revelation, you are Jesus, the Son of the Living God. And then on that revelation, the Lord Jesus said, on this rock, I will build my church. And even though at that time it seemed like everything was scattered, everything was, this whole thing of this commission, this plan and everything was completely destroyed. The Lord restores it back, you know, reaffirms, forgives, reaffirms and entrusts with this great responsibility of changing the world. It's amazing how the Lord would do it. And so when we look at the Lord and we look at the example that He said, we see that, okay, this is something that is for us as well. We cannot write out, we cannot rule out somebody. We can always extend grace. You can always extend grace. So the Lord's question, you know, it's interesting that we consider John chapter 21. Sorry, John chapter 21. So we see, I'll just come back to that question, your question. I see that. So the Lord is asking Peter, you know, what do you love me? And then the word that he uses is agape. Okay. And Peter, when he responds, he says, Lord, I feel you, which means friendship. How you'd love a brother. You know that I love you. The Lord is asking, do you agapao me? Do you love me with that unconditional God kind of love? The second time also, you know, he asks that same question. The second time, sorry, he asks in verse 17, John chapter 21 verse 17, verse 16, he asks, do you love me? The second time he asks agapao, do you love me? And Peter says, Lord, you know that I feel that friendship kind of love. I'm fond of you. And then again, the Lord says, okay, feed my sheep. The third time he asks the question, do you filayo me? He changes it now. From agape, he says, do you filayo? Are you fond of me? Do you love me? He just comes down to Peter's level and he asks, do you do this? And Simon Peter responds, yes, Lord, I do. And the Lord says, okay, you know, tend to feed my sheep. So we see this great exchange. We see that the Lord is actually coming down to, okay, this is only so much that you can. You're able to extend asking even that can you do, but, you know, he's restoring that. So it is difficult. It's not an easy thing to restore trust once when it's broken. But it is possible. And yes, there are certain things that there are certain guidelines, which, you know, which are, which is there to deal with other others. And we need to be aware of that. Okay, so, so the question is, if we, if we understand that those whom one is serving are taking advantage of the leader and other people within the group, how does one handle that? So if one is doing something, so that's, that's where the whole aspect of truth in love, right? So we cannot, we cannot forsake truth. And we say that we love someone and we say that we are demonstrating love. It is always tempered with truth. It is not devoid of truth. So which means that if, if it is tempered with truth, it needs to be pointed out. It's neat. It needs to be shared. Okay. There is love. There is grace. But you share confront. If something is not confront in love and on a, you know, not in a very, not in a, not kind of robbing the dignity of the person, you know, breaking the person down, you know, to say that this is what we agreed upon, and this is not followed. Or, you know, right now, you're taking advantage of whatever, you know, opportunities have been given advantage of whatever grace was extended. You're taking advantage of, you know, of me, of the others. And well, whatever, you know, of course, we're looking at very generally, but then, you know, whatever was expected of that person is not being done, or the person is doing something which is causing damage, you know, to the group, to the team. So that needs to be pointed out. That needs to be correction and consequence need correction needs to be done in firmly in love. Sorry. And also the consequence of the action. If you continue, the Lord Jesus said that, you know, to the, to the person who we heal, he said, you know, you repent less, the worst thing will fall you. Right. So the consequence has to be communicated saying, you know, if you continue on this, then maybe we need to, you know, we cannot continue having you on the team. Or we cannot continue. Maybe it's a time for you to maybe step out, take a break, whatever, you know, that consequence of it has to be spelled out. Right. That is also love and action. Right. Okay. So Jeffy, now you have a question. Yeah. Go ahead, please. Yes, pastor. So about this, John chapter 21, where you told like this Agape and Philly. Yeah. Right. So does it mean like Peter loved the Lord very less? Because he's asking like, do you Agape love me? And he's responding like, I just love you as a friend immediately in English. Yeah. And does it mean like Peter loved him less? And is it okay for the Lord if we love him less? So definitely, see, we are on a journey and Peter also, you know, at that point, Peter definitely responds by saying, using a word for love, which is definitely less than Agape. Agape is the highest unconditional in spite of everything that kind of a love. Definitely Peter here uses Philly or friendship and companionship and that kind of brotherly love kind of thing. So, but we also know that he rose up to be a leader. He rose up to be a very sacrificial leader who martyred his life, you know, for the sake of Christ. In fact, the Lord Jesus says in verse 18, John 21, most assuredly I say to you when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wish, but you are old. And when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. And this he spoke signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me, right? And then it goes on. So, well, he came to a place where so we can just conclude and say, okay, he came to a place. You know, all our love as human beings, all our love is deficient compared to the love of God. But, but we also know that, you know, with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Romans chapter 5 says that the love of God has been poured out into our hearts. Now we know that this was the Lord was with them during this time at the conversation and had the conversation. And then we see that Romans 5 and verse 5, right? So, where the love of God is poured out by the Spirit of God. So, well, he was filled with the Spirit. And we can say that, yeah, the love of God being poured out into his heart by the Spirit. And, yeah, and all that changed. So, yeah. Yeah, I have one more doubt. So, so is it, is it right if we say to God, I mean, if we say to our like, I love you with your cup of love. I mean, we can't do it. I mean, it's that most form of love, right? So, if we say to God, like, God, I love you with the love of God, is it right to say like that? Or it's not. I mean, only God can say that to us. Yeah, only God can actually assist that love. You know, he can, he can really evaluate. And we know that love is, love is a verb in the sense it's, it's an action, it's translated in action. Maybe with the choices you make, and every time you make a choice to honor him and say no to, you know, things of the flesh, it actually demonstrating and saying, God, I love you in the highest form. Yeah, so it's not wrong to, to tell him that he love him and, you know, but what would we, what would be even more important? Or, you know, of value would be the way we live it. And of course, he would actually evaluate it. Yeah. Okay, thank you best. Okay, I think Rosalind wants to say something here. Says, we humans can never love Jesus with agape love, I guess the highest form of love, only God can love us that way. Yes, Rosalind, true. But also when we look at Romans 5 and verse 5, the Bible says that by the Holy Spirit, the love of God has been poured out into our hearts. Right, so we have been recipients, we have become recipients of the God kind of love. Yes, it's, it's originates from him. He is the source of that love. But the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has given to us. So we are, you know, we are recipient of it. But the problem is this, you know, in our expression of this agape love, because love has to be expressed in our expression of it. Well, you know, varying degrees, right, because our flesh comes in the way. It's a barrier and our unrenewed thinking that comes in the way of expressing this kind of love to God and to people. Yeah. Okay, so Paul, you have a question. Yes, first I have a question. Yeah. What does the washing of their feet, when Jesus washed the feet of the Apostles, what does it mean? Yeah, so does it mean we physically also now wash the feet of the followers? So what does it mean? Yeah, so it was a physical act that he did. And, and when we, when we looked at, look at the text, we see that, yeah. And in that time and culture, this would be done by a servant. So that's why he said it took on the form of a born servant. A servant would do that, take off the outer garment and then go about and washing. So in the culture and time. So, so that is what, so more than the physical, the Lord is saying this should be your posture. Because right through he's been saying, you know, if you want to be a leader, you need to be a servant of all you need to serve. So he's talking about the posture of our heart. And of course, there's nothing wrong in doing it in a literal sense. But in your culture, you know, what is it that that a servant would do? What would demonstrate, you know, this kind of this, this attitude, right, in order to serve others? So what, what did it mean? So do that, right? So, so the message is to serve others. There's nothing wrong in doing it literally. And of course, it also conveys a powerful message. And we see it, you know, some people have this foot washing ceremony, maybe as part of a workshop, maybe as part of a, you know, church service. Or recently, you know, we've seen in weddings as well, like the husband and wife washing each other's feet and as soon as they make that covenant with each other. It's a beautiful picture symbolizing and it's, it stays with you when, when, when you see something or when you do something like that. But the most important thing is in the daily course of life, right? Okay, the husband and wife, you know, they've made the covenant, they watched, watched each other's feet and well, it's in the, you know, maybe they've gone to bed and then the husband is feeling drowsy and about to sleep. And the wife says, you know, can you, can you get me a glass of water? And it's in the kitchen. So to serve could be to go to the kitchen and get the glass of water rather than saying you get it yourself, I'm sleepy. So maybe they watched the feet of each other. But then at that moment, the little washing of the feet is to go and get that right. So that would, that would be the actual practical working out of washing of the feet. So yeah, I hope that helps Paul. Yes, I understand it. Okay. Any other questions? Okay, so we see, you know, all these examples and also, like you were saying, you know, the trust once broken. Yes, it is difficult to rebuild that trust. It is difficult to rebuild. But it's something because why, why is it difficult because you're always suspicious. Is this person going to do me harm? Can this person be trusted? What is going on in this person's life? What is, what is he or she thinking? It's only natural that these thoughts come up, right? But the thing is, we need to go beyond that. And like we were saying, you know, we have to be discerning. We have to be discerning. Let's say it's a big thing that happened and the person betrayed the trust in a big way. Then we cannot handle directly some very critical functions or critical responsibilities immediately. Let's say somebody swindled money. Okay, somebody in the team swindled money. They took the money that was not belong to them. They took it. Now, yes, the scripted thing to do would be to forgive and to, you know, forget and to go back. But we need to do it in phases, right? Now we need to make sure that the person doesn't have those tendencies. We need to make sure, you know, practically speaking, because it's maybe the organization's money. It's the people's money and so on. So we need to make sure we need, there need to be some safeguard. Maybe there's some time given to see whether the person is completely restored, whether the intentions are. Why did that person do that? Why did that person do it in the first place? So then comes the whole thing of addressing that, correcting that and bringing that person, you know, well, is the person being restored? Or is the person still struggling with those kind of temptations? Then putting that person back in that place is actually detrimental to that person, right? So we need to think of all that, right? Before we actually put that person in that place, again, place of temptation, right? Build strength and then give that person, again, a good start so that maybe that person is completely restored in order to carry it out to the best way possible. Okay, so we'll stop here. Take a little break and then we'll come back. Thank you.