Matthew 4:18-22; 9:9-13; Matthew 10:1-11:1
Goooood morning Covenant Church.
I’m glad to be here, and I know that you are, too.
This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice in it and be glad.
A pastor was greeting folks in the lobby after the service … he saw a man he hadn’t seen for long time, and he said to him, “Sir, you need to join the army of the LORD.”
The man said, “What do you mean? I am in the army of the LORD.”
The pastor said, “Well how come I only see you at Christmas and Easter?”
The man leaned close to the pastor and whispered, “I’m in the secret service.”
There are no secrets when it comes to Jesus … he’s building a new community … and Jesus has a strategy …
It’s all about leadership.
Ultimately, everyone of us is someone’s leader.
Parents lead children.
Older children lead their siblings.
Spouses lead spouses.
When you pray for someone, you’re leading them.
When you’re ordering a hamburger at In ‘n Out, you’re a leader for the young lady taking your order … you smile and bless her, you see more than a teen; you see a real person with a real story, wondering where life will take her … you see her family, her hopes and her dreams … bless her with a smile; ask her how it’s going today … it’s amazing what we do for the folks who cross our way, even for a moment.
Hold doors open … pay attention to the person pushing the shopping cart down the ramp at Trader Joe’s … nod your head and say good morning … set the pace; show the way … let your light shine …
We’re all leaders.
We help someone stand a little taller.
We push them along the road a little further.
We help them take a deep breath and start all over again.
It’s all about leadership …
Jesus calls leaders …
But let’s ask one giant question: “What are their qualifications?”
Dianne Carlyle sent this to me the other day … a “memo” from a management firm:
Addressed - TO: Jesus, Son of Joseph
Woodcrafter Carpenter Shop, Nazareth
FROM: Jordan Management Consultants, Jerusalem
Dear Sir:
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the 12 men you have picked for management positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests; we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.
It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education, and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the “team" concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.
Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.
We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau. James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings. They registered a high score on the manic depressive scale.
One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious, and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.
We wish you every success in your new Venture.
Sincerely yours, Jordan Management Consultants
Let’s take a look at the story of the fisherman again:
Peter and Andrew, James and John, had already been turned away from further education to be rabbis … being a rabbi was the dream of every young man and his family … and young women, too.
Like the old Irish families of Boston – to have a son be a priest, a daughter a nun.
The young men in the boats had already gone through basic Hebrew school, but only the best and the brightest were accepted by the rabbis to go on with their education and training.
If you didn’t make the cut, you were sent back to your family to take up the family trade.
These young men had already been passed over.
So when Rabbi Jesus comes along and invites them to take up His yoke – that’s rabbinic language to join His school and learn from Him – there’s no hesitation!
They know who He is … a rabbi of unusual authority … to be invited by Him, goodness sakes alive … like getting an invitation to study at Stanford on a full-ride scholarship … of course, they’ll go with Him!
Amazing how God works!
There’s a remarkable story about this in the Bible (1 Samuel 16).
After King Saul fails, God asks Samuel to anoint a successor.
God sends Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have provided for myself a king among Jesse’s sons.
When Samuel arrives, arrangements are made for dinner and worship, and when Jesse’s sons arrive, Samuel says to himself when he sees these strapping young men: Surely the LORD's anointed is here.
One of the young men catches his attention – he’s everything a king should be.
But the LORD says to Samuel, Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance; but the LORD looks on the heart.
Jesse brought out his sons – seven of them … God said no to all of them.
Samuel asks if Jesse has any more sons.
I do have one more son. But he’s the youngest; he’s out keeping the sheep right now while the rest of us are here for the party.
Samuel says, Bring him here. We’ll not sit down for dinner until he comes.
You know the rest of the story … the one ignored by Jesse, the last so, the youngest and the least … that was the one God choose to be the king.
God said, He’s the one.
God at work on two levels …
For the sake of the world … and for the sake of the church.
Talent for the world … gifts for the church.
Common grace for the well-being of the world … supernatural grace for the spiritual formation of the church.
God began by giving David worldly talent – talent and ability to be a shepherd; a leader of sheep … David knew how to fend off predators, how to guide the sheep to good pasture and safe water … David had only a sling for a weapon, but David knew how to use it expertly.
When Samuel anointed David, something happened.
The Spirit came upon David … his natural abilities were transformed: David became a leader of God’s people.
In the very next story, David defeats Goliath … a remarkable combination of natural talent – David knew how to wield a sling – and supernatural grace – so that talent becomes a servant of the Most High God!
Not even David’s father could know it … not even Samuel the prophet could see it!
Amazing how God works!
The fisherman knew a lot about fishing; that’s how God prepared them.
The common grace of love that flows out to the world.
They knew how to make nets and raise a sail … they could read the sea and smell the wind … they could handle their boats in the worst of storms … they knew the markets, how to move their product and win the best price … they were very good at what they did.
But no one thought they could be spiritual leaders.
Amazing how God works!
How do you see yourself today?
I mean, really see yourself?
We may see ourselves as failures …
We may see ourselves as successful …
Chances are, we’re a little of both.
We hope we’re better than we are sometimes, and sometimes we know just how crummy we can be.
But Jesus takes folks just like us …
Amazing how God works!
It’s a spiritual thing … and only God can do it!
Only God can make David into a king.
Only God can make Peter into a preacher of the gospel.
Only God can make us into elders and deacons, Sunday School teachers or youth leaders …
Water needs heat to become steam.
Carbon needs pressure to become a diamond.
Knowledge needs time to become wisdom.
Our common grace talents and abilities need spiritual transformation to become spiritual gifts.
This is the word of the LORD … Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts (Zechariah 4:6).
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives (John 14:27).
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).
It’s a spiritual thing!
And that’s the good news for all of us!
It’s a level playing field at the foot of the cross.
Starting from scratch.
Bank presidents and single moms … CEOs and construction workers … Harvard graduates and Hispanic immigrants … liberals and conservatives … Republicans and Democrats … folks at the top of their game and folks not even sure where the game is played.
It doesn’t make any difference to God, because God changes all of it, transforms it, rebuilds it, makes all the necessary adjustments … God replants us and prunes the tree; God takes our talent for sheep or fishing and transforms it talent into gifts for the people of God (Ephesians 4:12).
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love (Galatians 5:6).
Have you see Kung Fu Panda?
Great family fun – grandparents, take your grandkids.
It’s all about a fat little panda voiced by Jack Black … a fat little panda named Po, who dreams of being the Dragon Warrior …
By accident, Po ends up with the Furious Five who are all training to be the Dragon Warrior … he doesn’t fit; he doesn’t belong; they don’t want him; he’s overweight and out of shape, and his father wants him to be a noodle soup expert.
As far as the world is concerned, he’s no Dragon Warrior.
But Oogway the Master looks at the Furious Five – they’re all good, they’re fast, well-trained … and then Po, the fat little panda … all he has are his dreams, and his noodle soup … but he’s the one … he’s the Dragon Warrior who will bring peace to the land. The world can’t see it; even Po can’t see it. But the Master sees it!
When the Master calls the fishermen, who would’ve guessed?
It’s a spiritual thing.
Amen!
