Information Related to "World-Transforming Leadership"
| Audio/Video |
Have you ever considered how much of Jesus Christ's message revolves around leadership?
His gospel, the good news of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15), centers around two major aspects of leadership. One is how this world will be transformed by right leadership-the leadership He will exercise as King of Kings at His return.
You've probably read the famous prophecy of His coming in Isaiah 9:6: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
But have you focused on the next verse? "Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever" (New International Version, emphasis added throughout).
At the heart of Christ's gospel is the message that He will return to to earth establish the Kingdom of God as a literal world-ruling empire, saving the human race from the cumulative effects of several thousand years of bad leadership.
The prophet Daniel saw, in vision, God the Father giving this Kingdom to Jesus Christ: "Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:14).
A second major aspect of Christ's good news is the awesome future in store for those who surrender their lives to Him now and learn the right kind of leadership. To them He offers this promise: "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne" (Revelation 3:21). And also: "He who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations" (Revelation 2:26; see also Daniel 7:27).
The message of good news that Jesus brought isn't well understood. He promises a future not of sitting around heaven playing harps, but of a paradise on earth, with the world transformed by right leadership-His right leadership first and foremost, but also the right leadership of those who will reign with Him in justice and righteousness.
Will you be a part of that fantastic future? You can if you begin to learn the kind of giving, serving leadership He requires of His followers: "Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28).
This is the kind of leader God wants to see. He wants us to truly love our neighbors as we love ourselves. He wants leaders who are motivated by outgoing, outflowing love for others-the kind of love described by Christ in John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
Jesus exemplified this kind of leadership by laying down His life for others, giving of His time, energy and love to others in the wonderful works He did. As described in this issue, this is the kind of leadership He will show to the entire world in the not-too-distant future.
And best of all, He wants to share it with you! Will you take Him up on His offer? GN
| © 1995-2022 United
Church of God, an International Association Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@gnmagazine.org. Send inquiries regarding the operation of this Web site to webmaster@gnmagazine.org. |
|
Related Information:
Table of Contents that includes "World-Transforming Leadership"
Other Articles by Scott Ashley
Origin of article "World-Transforming Leadership"
Keywords: leadership
Leadership: