What is a Godly Leader?

Sunday, 17 October 2021 by

Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 17 October 2021

What is a Godly Leader?

On the one hand, the church is God’s church – it is the body of his Son, Jesus. Gathered, and sent out, it is commanded to display the nature of God to the world. And to this end, it is led: it has leaders. Its chief leader is Christ. And he delegates this shepherding role to under-shepherds, for the good of leading God’s people to reflect him more fully. A leaderless church is not God’s design. On the other hand, as we see in Acts 19, the leaders of God’s people have a very particular role: they are to teach God’s people the truth of Jesus so that they grow in godliness. And this ‘knowledge of the truth … leads to godliness’ (Titus 1:1). Godliness does not stand only in public or hide in the bedroom – godliness is always, in every facet. So, the leaders that God appoints to lead his people must themselves display godliness at home as they lead the house of God. They must teach the truth in such a way that God’s people grow in godliness, in public and private. And all this so that the world knows God, through Jesus!

Scripture References: Titus 1:5-9, Acts 20:17-38, 1 Peter 2:21-25

From Series: "Service - Sunday Morning"

More From "Service - Sunday Morning"

Powered by Series Engine

Sunday, 26 November 2023
God has Provided Salvation
from Bernard Gabbott
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is sent a dream from God. Basically, God saying “This is what the future holds, get ready!” How will Pharaoh respond? Will he listen and act? We see Joseph reach a semi-climax in his story. The young boy who has suffered for 13 years has now grown into a man who fully relies on God. He trusts in God’s greatness. He trusts in God’s word. He trusts that God is with him. How will that play out as he is brought in front of the most powerful man in all of Egypt? Will he succumb to the pressures around him, or stand firm in the power of the covenantal God? As we look at the story of Joseph we see a template for ourselves, a way that we can, and should, respond to God and His goodness. But there is more to Joseph. We also see the image of One who would bring salvation to all nations. One who would endure unjust suffering but then be raised to glory. We see Jesus!
Sunday, 19 November 2023
How Do You Interpret Life?
from Bernard Gabbott
In Genesis 40, the summary statement ‘after this’ (although this section really starts in Genesis 39:21), shows that the LORD’s presence remains. These are important to notice and remember because they raise our eyes from a basic morality tale to the plans and promises and commitment of the LORD to this broken world. In this instance, it is in verse 8: ‘Don’t interpretations belong to God?’ Joseph has come to realise that, as he navigates life (and he has now been enslaved for eleven years!), the only interpretation that works, that makes sense, is that of the LORD committed to him. Isn’t this the truth we are encouraged to return to time and time again – just read of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38-42).
Sunday, 12 November 2023
The LORD is Always with You
from Dan Rowe
The repeated phrase in this chapter is the “the LORD was with Joseph”. While never coming into the story, the LORD is central to the Joseph narrative. In both feast and famine, the LORD is with Joseph. Even Potiphar could see the LORD’s hand on Joseph. Our experience of life is often not too dissimilar to Joseph. We may not have been sold into slavery but our world is enslaved and under the yoke of sin. In the midst of living in a broken world, we might ask “where is God?” Genesis 39 reveals not a distant god but the LORD, our covenant-keeping God, who is ever present. That was Joseph’s reality and, even more so, our reality as we look to Jesus who is Immanuel, “God with us”, who has promised to be with is to the very end of the age.