During our three months in Africa we all
got to do quite a bit of preaching. Even here in Europe that opportunity
continues. Sometimes you are speaking from a pulpit to a Sunday congregation,
maybe it’s at a church for a weekday bible study, and there is also the home
setting for smaller churches and villages.
In the past I have shared some devotional
entries and I think one of my sermon notes, but I would like to share more with
you.
This blog and the following three blogs
will be my notes along with some thoughts to go along. I hope you enjoy them
and hopefully they speak to you as they have spoken to me. God bless.
Below are my notes from a sermon the Lord
laid on my heart. I knew I would be preaching for 45min-1 hour the following
service in Kenya and I had no clue what I would speak on. The day before, as we
were doing door-to-door ministry, I saw the words “WE LEAD. OTHERS FOLLOW”
written on the bottom of a calendar of one of the homes we went in to.
We Lead?
·
Personal testimony with Psalm
71 – how the Lord has kept me protected throughout my life.
·
How I picked my topic. Lord,
“that’s what you’ll talk about.”
o
“We lead. Others follow.” – the
poster I saw on a wall in a home we visited.
§ I thought it was backwards
§ We do need to follow, but are also called to lead
§ Before we can lead we need to be able to follow
·
Life of Jesus – people wanted
to follow Him
1. Matt 9:9 – Disciples called to
follow
a. These men left everything and followed right away
b. Are we willing to do that?
2. Matt 4:19 – Transition to lead
a. They followed and learned how to lead
3. Matt 28:19-20 – Commission
a. After 3 years following, they got sent out
4. Psalm 27:11 – Ask the Lord to
lead you
a. Pray to get guidance every day
5. Psalm 143:10 – Lead along
level ground
a. God knows the best path for us
6. Proverbs 4:11 – Lead along
straight paths
a. He promises to guide us
·
Now it is our responsibility to
lead others toward Christ
§ As a gymnast I had to follow direction of coach to succeed
§ As a coach I had to not just teach, but teach well
·
If they didn’t know something I
needed to teach them
·
Back to we lead – Are you living a life
worth following?
o
People are following us(whether
we want them to or not), where are we leading them?
1. Moses and Joshua: good examples of leaders
2. Exodus – Moses leading
a. Some are called for long term, public leading; not easy
3. Joshua 1:6 – strong and courageous
a. If God calls us, He’ll give us what we need.
4. Daniel 12:3 – shining stars; leading others to righteousness
a. What an honor we have and a blessing it is
·
Do people want to follow us?
·
Be a light: Luke 11:33-36 &
Matthew 5:14-16
·
In His image: Genesis 1:27
o
Are we refracting?
o
Mirrors show outward light(reflection),
prisms shine from within (diamond)
·
We are leading someone; the
question is, where?
·
If we’re walking with God can
others see that?
·
I Corinthians 11:1 – can we say
that?
