bible passage: Genesis 14
As we celebrate the ordination and installment of our new elders at Trinity, we consider the relationship between faith and leadership. The story of Abram is not only about him learning to live a life of faith for himself but also about leading by faith as one called to bring God’s blessing to all nations. His example of leadership in a challenging context of kings, conflicts, and family provides three leadership lessons for our new elders and for us.
1. The Motive for Leadership
In the midst of a conflict, Abram is pressed to help his nephew Lot ( and others) trapped in a terrible situation. We find Abram is willing to go out on a long and dangerous journey on their behalf. Why would he go through that?
The answer is found In v.14. The word for kin or relative is the same word for “brother” from Cain’s infamous question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Abram’s motive for taking leadership is simply that Lot is his brother, his family. Despite previous tension and the fact Lot got himself into this situation, he saw Lot as his brother, which meant looking out for him in all circumstances.
Abram’s response ultimately points us to Jesus, whose motive to take leadership for our redemption was the same. He did it for his family, his “brothers and sisters” (Heb 2:14-17). The example of Jesus reminds us that church is family, and our leaders are called to be, in essence, like older brothers. Elders are the first to say, “I will be your keeper,” in the way that Abram did for Lot and the way that Jesus did for us. The motive for leadership is not whether or not others “deserve it” or even whether we “feel like it”. The motive for leadership is the value and importance we place on other people. If they are family - their needs are ours, their predicament ours.
2. The Call to Leadership
We often think of the call to leadership as the call to take charge, get people to take orders, and be at the top while others do the hard work from which you have earned your way out. The Bible presents a very different picture of the call to leadership. Abram’s call to lead was not a call to comfort and safety but a call to risk, suffer, step out; to make himself vulnerable when he could have chosen otherwise. The other leaders (kings) mentioned in this passage risked much by going to war, but they did it to take advantage of spoils for themselves. Abram even refused the spoils of victory, displaying the sincerity of his leadership.
For Abram to be his brother’s keeper meant he had to choose situations that would bring him pain instead of staying nice and safe in Mamre, where things were well. The call of leadership for him, our elders, and all Christians is to take risks, become vulnerable, and suffer on behalf of others. The Bible teaches us that this how God chooses to bless others through us. We see this in Jesus, for whom the call to lead was the call to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.
3. The Choice of Leadership
We carry a lot of suspicion and lack of trust these days toward leadership. It doesn’t help that stories about abuses in leadership abound, whether political, corporate, or religious. The behavior of several kings in this passage reminds us that this issue goes far back in history. Most bad leaders don’t begin with intentions to harm others, so how do they get there? The answer is recognizing that every kind of leadership comes with a choice (or temptation). What did Abram choose? He made a vow to the righteous king, Melchizedek, over the king of Sodom, who represents the world’s way of leadership. He vowed that no one except God would get the glory for his leadership success.
Immediately after his call to ministry, Jesus faced the same choice in the wilderness. He could have led by the world’s ways, taking his place as Most High over the splendor of all the world’s kingdoms by making a vow to Satan. No. Jesus made a vow to God - “Not my will, but yours be done.” He chose to empty himself of all divine rights to be made a servant, humbling himself to the lowest point possible, choosing to become a gift to bless others.
Melchizedek taught Abram a fundamental lesson, one that is central to all Christian leadership: we are not the hero; God is. God deserves all the glory. It is not our wisdom, gifts, abilities, strategies, skills, meetings, or decisions that win the victory. Our greatest victory is pointing people to Jesus – the real hero – with our lives of faith and our leadership in faith. Our elders made significant vows before the congregation, choosing not to receive glory but to give it all to the Lord and become a blessing for others. May they be filled with the grace of God to live out this high calling and help us to do the same.
QUESTIONS
What about the sermon most impacted you or left you with questions?
What kinds of motives drive people to seek and take positions of leadership? How is Abram’s motive for taking leadership different?
If leadership according to the Bible is the being the first to say in a community (family) I am my brother/sisters’ keeper, what does this look like practically?
How does Hebrews 2:14-17 describe the motive of Jesus in becoming our leader for our salvation? How might this passage from Hebrews provide us with a description/traits of biblical leadership? Come up with as many traits as you can from the text.
How does a leader's willingness to suffer, be vulnerable and risk pain for you relate to your ability to trust that leader? How is this true of your ability to trust in Jesus’ leadership over your life? How should this look in church leadership? other forms of leadership (parents, workplace, coaches)?
It was said in the sermon - all leadership comes with a choice. 1) Use the position for your own advantage/glory OR 2) Use the position to give glory to God? Do you agree? How have you seen this play out?
We see how Abram was able to make the choice to give glory to God by the intervention of Melchizedek. He reminded Abram of the central lesson of spiritual leadership - God is the hero, not us. How might this truth help us in our leadership to be a blessing to others (and not take from them)? to make it about God and not ourselves?
Listen to the sermon on SoundCloud here.