You Are a Leader for Christ
Nov 22
If any of you has read Mark Twain, would you describe his writing as being content and complimentary with how life worked in 19th century America or cynical and combative with it? He was quite cynical and often combative. And his criticism extended to religious life, especially when he witnessed hypocrisy. He grew up as a Christian, but he eventually turned his back on God when he listened to ministers use the Bible to justify slavery and even abuse slaves. He heard men using foul language and saw them practice dishonesty during the week after speaking piously in church on Sunday. Although he saw genuine love for the Lord Jesus in some people, including his mother and his wife, he was so disturbed by the bad teaching and poor example of church leaders that he became bitter toward the things of God.
As we talk about leadership as a spiritual gift today, you might wonder why anyone would want to take on a leadership role when they know full well that they are sinful and make mistakes like anyone else. We can learn quite a bit from how God dealt with a man to whom he had given the gift of leadership—Joshua.
Joshua 1:6-9: 6 “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
We first met Joshua about 40 years before this, right after the Exodus from Egypt. As the Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land, they were attacked by the Amalekites, and it was Joshua who was the commander of Israel’s army in that battle. Joshua was Moses’ aide as they traveled to the Promised Land, and went at least part-way up Mount Sinai with Moses when he got the Law there. When they got to the Promised Land, he was one of the 12 spies that they sent in to check out everything in the land of Canaan, and he was one of only two who came back with a good report—that the people were powerful, but with God on their side, they could take them. When the people refused to even try to go in because they were afraid, Joshua was one of only two that escaped God’s judgment that everyone 20 years old and older would die in the desert before they could enter the Promised Land. And for the 40 years of wandering in the desert, Joshua was at Moses’ side, witnessing all the things Moses did.
Our text represents a turning point, a significant day in Joshua’s life and really in the whole history of the people of Israel. Moses—the great leader who led Israel out of their slavery in Egypt, who led them to the gates of the Promised Land, not once but twice, both before and after he led them through 40 years in the desert, who wrote the first five books of the Bible, whom the Bible says that the Lord knew face to face—Moses was dead. He wasn’t allowed to enter the Promised Land, but died just before the Israelites were to finally enter the home that God had promised to them. And now the mantle of leadership passed to Joshua. What are some of the things Joshua might have been thinking? Those were some pretty big shoes to fill, don’t you think? How many of you can tell me who the second President of the United States was? Who coached the Green Bay Packers after Vince Lombardi? Those are names that are easy to overlook, because they were trying to replace someone who was pretty irreplaceable. Can you imagine the pressure Joshua must have been feeling? This great man, this great prophet, this great leader Moses, had just died, and now it was all up to Joshua. He was going to lead them across the Jordan River. He was going to lead them into the Promised Land. He was going to lead them as they took possession of the Promised Land, drove out all the people that lived there, divided it up among the twelve tribes. This whole nation, probably over two million people, was looking to him for guidance and direction. No pressure there, huh?
And that probably explains what God said to Joshua in our text. It’s not too hard to find a dominant theme in what God tells Joshua here. Three times he uses the phrase, “Be strong and courageous.” This was most definitely a challenging time for Joshua as he tried to replace someone who was irreplaceable, but God had a simple message for him: be strong. He didn’t need to shy away from what stood before him. He didn’t need to be afraid; he didn’t need to be worried. That’s what God was telling him, but how could he believe that? Was he up to the challenge? Was he a good enough leader? Could he handle it? Would the people listen to him? What if he messed up? What if he wasn’t strong enough, smart enough, good enough?
Look again at what God told Joshua. He didn’t say anything about any of those things. He didn’t focus on Joshua at all—on how good of a leader he was, or could be, or on what he had done, or could do. He didn’t point Joshua to Joshua. He pointed Joshua to God and to his promises. How did he know that he would be able to do all this? Because God said so. God had promised that his people would inherit this land, and now he was promising Joshua that he would be the one to lead them. God had promised it, and that’s all he needed. And that’s the reason he could be strong and courageous. And that’s really the key for any Christian leader—trust in God’s promises. It can be so tempting to rely on ourselves, on what we’re able to do. And that temptation isn’t limited to leadership, is it? How often aren’t we tempted to think that God loves us, or should love us, because of what we do? But then God’s law hits us between the eyes, and makes us realize what God should think of us, and it lays us low. And what’s the only thing that can save us? God’s promises—his promise to send a Savior to live and die in our place, a promise that he fulfilled 2,000 years ago; his promise to cover over our sins with the blood of Jesus, which is the only thing that could earn his favor; his promise to bring us back from the dead and give us the eternal reward Jesus won for us—these things are the basis for our confidence, the basis for our faith, the basis for our salvation. And they are also the basis for our leadership.
That, then, also gives us some of the “how” of leadership. What should a leader be doing? Since the foundation of our leadership is on God’s promises, it is imperative that Christian leaders be found in the Word. That was part of God’s encouragement to Joshua as well. “Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night.” God says the same thing to us today as he said to Joshua all those years ago. There are dozens, maybe hundreds of different books on leadership, even Christian leadership, but one is more important than all the others, because only one comes from the mouth of God himself. Christian leaders must be in the Word, regularly, so much more than just one hour a week. “Meditate on it day and night,” God says. That’s the only place we find guidance on where to lead. That’s the only place we find the strength to go on no matter what lies before us. That’s the only place we find Christ’s forgiveness for all those times we were poor leaders, and the only place we can find reason to offer forgiveness when others are poor followers. To strengthen our own faith, and to find the strength to lead in the ways God would have us go, Christian leaders need to be constantly in the Word.
But you might be saying, “That’s all fine, but I’m not a leader. What does this say to me?” And my answer would be, not so fast, maybe you are. Are you a husband? Then you are the leader to your family. Are you a parent? Then you are a leader to your children. Does anyone ever look up to you— maybe at work, or among your friends, or others in your family? Then you are a leader, at least at times. And even if none of those are the case, even if you are never a leader in any way, that’s ok, too, because good leaders need good followers. Good leaders need encouragement. Good leaders need prayers. And what God tells Joshua is something we can all take, even if we’re not a leader. Be strong and courageous. God will give you the strength to make it through whatever he puts in front of you. Stay connected to him through his Word. Never be discouraged, because God will be with you wherever you go.
Leadership is difficult. It would be easy for any Christian leader to focus on what disqualifies him or her for leadership among God’s people—weaknesses, failures, sins. Most of us today have a hard time even imagining what Joshua must have been thinking as he was taking over for Moses. But God had some powerful words to him, filled with some powerful promises. Whether you are a leader or not, God speaks those same promises to you today. Whatever you may be facing, whatever you may be struggling with today, be strong and courageous. Don’t give up! Don’t be afraid! Don’t get discouraged! Trust in God’s promises. As you continue to meditate on his Word, he will continue to give you the peace of forgiveness through Jesus, the joy of a new relationship with him and the hope of an eternity with him in heaven. If you are a leader, lead with courage. If you are not, follow with conviction. And through it all, know that the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:6-9 sermon preached at Living Word Lutheran Church in Waukesha, WI on 11/20/2011 on the 4th Sunday of End Times as the 4th part of our Different Gifts, Same Grace Stewardship series.
