1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 • Perspective on Leadership

When you think of the best leaders you have had in your life, what qualities come to mind? What makes some people worth following? Jesus gave us a totally different perspective about leadership from what the world teaches us. Servant-leadership. Do you know what that looks like? In the last article, we looked at what the light of the Gospel does for people and how we can spread that light. This is post #4 in the Thessalonians series. In this article, we will gain the biblical perspective on leadership.

Listen to this blog as a similar podcast from the Perspective Bible Study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians:

“We” Not “Me”

All believers are united into the Body of Christ. We call it the Church with a capital “C” to represent everyone who has trusted in Christ since the day of Pentecost around 33 A.D. The Church as the Body of Christ is not an organization but something living. It transcends all cultures, languages, national boundaries, and time periods. Knowing we are part of this unity gives us radically different reasons for behaving well in our relationships with one another. What each of us does can affect positively or negatively the other members of this organism, the universal Body of Christ represented to us in our local church body. We are to preserve and encourage that fellowship among all believers produced by the Spirit who is indwelling each of us.

It is so easy to approach a local church as we do an organization or business—as a consumer. We shop around for the best church with the most to offer our children and ourselves. We come to our classes, expect childcare for our children, enjoy the fun, sometimes leave a little money, and then go on to the next shopping or activity. A consumer mentality. Not good. The Church is a living organism, not a store. God designed the Church to depend on the individual members serving one another.

But this calls for a radical lifestyle, opposite of the “it is all about me” our western culture teaches. It is not all about me. It is not all about you. It is all about God. Our aim in life is to please God.

Living for an “Audience of One”

Our mindset should be that we have an Audience of One. In the lesson, I told you that the Christian sports ministry, Athletes in Action, teaches college and professional athletes to play for an “Audience of One” (AO1). The intent of the phrase is to help Christian players remember that everywhere in life—even in a stadium full of people—we are to live to please God, not men. The same is true of every Christian in any endeavor of work. We live for an Audience of One—to the glory of God not of ourselves. Every Christian should always keep in mind the “Audience of One.”

Leaders serve

Jesus is the one who demonstrated for us how to serve one another, especially in a leadership role. He demonstrated how a leader is to serve rather than be served.

In Mark chapter 10, Jesus spoke these words,

“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)

Jesus taught His followers an upside-down approach to authority. Authorities are not to be pampered dictators. Anyone in authority should be a servant-leader to those they are leading. Jesus demonstrated what He meant by that throughout His ministry and in His death on the cross. But He gave His followers a visual picture of what it means to be a servant-leader.

Jesus’ example

In John chapter 13, Jesus—God’s Son, the Messiah, the teacher who astounded them with His words, the one who worked miracles among them daily—this Jesus put on the towel of a house servant, grabbed a basin of water, and began washing His disciples’ feet. When He finished, Jesus said this to them,

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. [TRUTH] Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.’” (John 13:13-17)

No servant is greater than her master nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent her. If our Master Jesus served His flock with humility, we are called to do the same with anyone over whom we have a leadership role. No exception. We are to be servant-leaders.

The good news is that we can have this serving attitude because God is doing the work in us. We are not conjuring it up on our own but are partners with Him to get it done. And we can look to Jesus’ example to get ideas.

Following Jesus’ example of servant-leader involves choices. So, what would it look like to be a servant-leader like Jesus? Actually, it starts with the choices we make to do so.

Choice #1. Think of others before yourself

In Philippians chapter 2, we read these words,

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul repeatedly emphasized that he and his team did nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. (1 Thessalonians 2:3-6)

No flattery. No greed. No tricks. They did only what was good for those to whom they were sharing the gospel and their lives as well. It is not that we should not take care of our own needs. To be a servant-leader involves taking care of ourselves so that we can give more effectively in serving others. Paul had to support himself. He did not begrudge that but did it willingly so he could serve the Thessalonians well.

Jesus had privileges as God, but He did not consider His equality with God as something to hold onto selfishly.

Who, being in very natureGod, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)

Jesus thought of us and our needs. He did this so we did not have to continue living selfish lives. He has enabled us to be others-oriented. Those who live as Christ think of others before themselves.

Choice #2. Serve out of love and worship for God

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

We are to take our everyday, ordinary life—sleeping, eating, going to work, and just walking around—and place it before God as an offering. This is our spiritual act of worship. And our service is to be an extension of the worship we render to God.

God does not dwell in buildings anymore. He dwells in people. So, there is no sacred/secular division in any Christian woman’s life. What you do at church is no more sacred service than what you do at home, at school, or at work. Everything you do is service to God within His temple, which is your body.

If we confess Jesus as Lord, then serving others will develop as a very natural way of life. For example, if you live in a family, routine jobs around the house are no longer boring chores but instead are “opportunities to serve one another in love.” I used that phrase with my kids. One of my daughter’s friends heard me say that and told her mom that she would do her chores as serving her family in love. The mom loved that change in attitude!

Remember that the focus of serving is not to earn favor with God or with people. Those who live as Christ serve out of love and worship for God.

Choice #3. Willingly sacrifice as you serve

Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. He sacrificed His body, His reputation, His time, and His glory. Serving others usually costs something—time, money, mental energy, and physical work.

I read somewhere that humans are more likely to buy into an idea that costs something. Wise Christian leaders know that sacrifice is necessary if there is going to be true growth and ministry. Service cannot always be easy.

Sometime over the past few years, I heard a sermon that clarified the difference between sacrifice and suffering. Suffering is usually imposed on you by someone or something else. Sacrifice is something you are willing to give through time, money, skills, and physical labor. The humble mind does not talk about how much you sacrifice but how much you receive back from the Lord. You do not whine and complain.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul reminded the Thessalonians of his willing sacrifice for them.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. (1 Thessalonians 2:7-10).

Paul compared himself to a nursing mother caring for her child. If you have ever taken care of an infant, you know how demanding they can be. Night feedings are brutal because you cannot usually catch up on sleep during the day. But you do what it takes to nurture that baby to grow and develop.

The Scriptures teach that God holds high regard for the nursing mother and the milk with which she nourishes her baby. In Isaiah chapter 49, God compares Himself to a nursing mother with Israel as His child.

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15)

He uses that strong relationship of love to declare that as a mother never forgets her nursing child, neither does He forget Israel. In Isaiah 66:10-13, God describes a nursing mother as someone who comforts, lovingly carries, and satisfies her baby. It is a beautiful picture of sacrificial love. Those who live as Christ willingly sacrifice as they serve others.

Choice #4. Glorify God more than yourself as you lead

Paul declared to the Thessalonians that his goal in leading them was as a father to them.

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

Paul did not say they should live lives worthy of him—Paul—but lives worthy of God. The aim was for God to be glorified. There is that Audience of One again. Please God first. That will lead to pleasing one another if God’s glory is the goal of everyone involved.

We are living, breathing, walking, talking representatives of the living God. People are watching us. We are living letters to the world around us. People are reading us. We are telling the truth about who God is by the way we live as well as by what we say.

Paul declared this in Philippians chapter 1,

For to me to live is Christ (Philippians 1:21)

To live is Christ means to live as Christ, which means to let Christ live His life through you. The world sees Him through you. And that glorifies God.

Serving one another is not the main goal. Letting Christ live His life through us as we serve is the main goal. Serving one another is the means. Serving Jesus is from the heart, not a task. It means you willingly sacrifice and do not whine about it.

Be the best servant-leader you can be for your Audience of One—the Lord Jesus Christ. He showed us how. Choose to do it His way!

We learn His way from the Bible. So in the next post, we will look at the Bible being God’s Word and completely trustworthy to gain the biblical perspective about any issue of life.

Let Jesus satisfy your heart with His perspective on life in the present and in the future. Then, live securely in Him during this time of waiting.

The above information is covered in our Perspective Bible Study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

Related Resources:

• Satisfied Series 13 Podcasts on 1 and 2 Thessalonians
• Wipe Out the Narcissism Infection
• Pathway #4: Choose Whom You Will Serve

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