Pastor Kyle continues that the next key is to “lead enthusiastically”. Enthusiasm is intense enjoyment, interest, or approval. Another word for enthusiasm is godly passionate. The word was originally used to refer to a person possessed by God’s essence, or someone who exhibited intense piety. The word originates from the Greek ἐνθουσιασμός, from ἐν (en = in) and θεός (Theos = God) and οὐσία, (substance or essence). The Apostle Peter’s passion for Christ is obvious in the pages of the New Testament. When asked by Jesus, “Who do you say that I am?” in Matthew 16:16-18 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” The Lord Jesus literally builds His church on the passion of Peter’s confess here.
Give it 100%, and if you get it wrong you’ll realize it quickly and be able to correct it. The Apostle writes: “serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly.” We should be enthusiastic in how we love and lead others. What about the times when we do not feel enthusiastic about the things of God? Whenever we are tired, stressed or frustrated, it can rub off on our faith. The important distinction that I want to make though, is that those events don’t actually change our faith, they just change how we feel about our faith. There is a bad difference between those two things. Sometimes, our passion for God feels “red hot”; sometimes, it doesn’t. Once and awhile, the wind gets knocked out of our sails. Passion and enthusiasm for God do not always translate into smiles and feeing great all the time. We have been called by God, so we should always have a reasonable demeanor of hope, even when things are not perfect. Hope is the bridge that can take us from hurt to blessed. We need to work to get ourselves into a better, positive and more hopeful place.
Lead with an extra dose of humility, be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” In ethics, the word humility means freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth. In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will. Just as you put on clothes daily, put on humility and cover yourself. Our humility should be so genuine that others around you can sense it. People can smell authentic humility or not. The Apostle is talking about an internal attitude and character that naturally come out of the heart.
One way of putting on humility is by exercising joyfully submission and service to authority. In the church, by principle, willingly respect and be subject to the Elders as shepherd leadership. All of us are called to belong to a body of Believer. We need to body of Christ to keep us on track with God, on the Christ’s mission and commission in this world and to keep us humble. Submission teaches us what we are not willing to let God of; surrendering personal preferences so that God can prevail and the kingdom of Christ advances. It is a heart issue.
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
I saw a lot of tension in the church today in America, and it is unnecessary. Humility dispels tension. The church needs to carve out a third viewpoint, reminding people that they do not need to look left or right; they need to look up. We need to look inward to see if there is any wicked way in us and repent, so that Jesus can lead us in His everlasting ways. We need to stop looking to donkeys, elephants and institutions for hope and wisdom, and start looking to the Lamb of God. Secular division is destroying our country right now. Unity is in one nation under God and we can be light in the darkness and humbly say that Jesus offer a better way through the Gospel message. In this way, we need to be sheep in God’s flock, who know our Shepherd’s voice and follow.
Our Chief Shepherd Jesus Christ is speaking and we need to tune out the distracting noise around us to hear Him. Know your Good Shepherd’s voice from the others and respond to it in humble submission and obedience. Do you hear the Lord calling you? When you focus on listening, hearing and following the Shepherd’s voice, you’ll always be where God wants them.
In Christ, Brian
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