What couldn't they resist? The disciples newly energized love that came through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Leadership understands that technical methods are important, philosophy of leadership vital, but it will go nowhere unless Pentecostal love is blown into its very core. If a leader doesn't love of what earthly good is he?
III. Leadership is Building the Community of Believers By Service
The idea of serving is giving oneself to others. Service is unlimited in its scope of giving oneself to the community in need. Service is unlimited in its scope of giving to those in need of the gospel. Service is unlimited in its scope of giving to those in need of spiritual equipping. Service is unlimited in its scope of giving to those in poverty materially. Service is unlimited in its scope of giving to those in isolation from the world.
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IV. Leadership is Building the Community of Believers By a Humble Walk
Humility is the watchword and song of leadership. Dag Hammarskjold, former United Nations General Secretary, once said, "Be grateful as your deeds become less and less associated with your name, as your feet ever more lightly tread the earth."2 (Derl Keefer)
1Bill Hybel, Courageous Leadership (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 17-18.
2Albert M. Wells, Jr., Inspiring Quotations (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998), 91.
Proper 27 (A)
November 10, 2002
Jesus is Coming Again
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
The Thessalonians would have been happy to have sung the John Peterson song, "Jesus Is Coming Again." I can just hear them now, "Marvelous message we bring; Glorious carol we sing! Wonderful word of the King: Jesus is coming again! Coming again, coming again! May be morning, may be noon, May be evening and may be soon! Coming again, coming again! O what a wonderful day it will be -- Jesus is coming again!"1
After belting out that beautiful song somebody raised the question about his Uncle Josiah who had died recently. Would Uncle Josiah be left behind since he was already dead and in the ground? What would become of him and in fact what would happen to anyone who had died? This was a legitimate concern for the first generation Christians of that day.
Paul feels their genuine concern and answers them in this section of the letter. He tells all of the Thessalonians (and all Christians) not to worry, for when Jesus comes again, everyone -- dead or alive -- will be gloriously taken to be with their loving Jesus! The Lord led the way to the resurrected life, and for those who have accepted Him and live for Him, nothing can take away eternity with Him.
I. Christ's Return Offers Courage to the Christian
We need not be afraid of death for it is the entrance into heaven. The early church understood death and constantly lived under the threat of martyrdom. Glenn Hinson comments that as costly and painful as the age of the martyrs was it "laid the foundations for Christian spirituality. Living under threat forced the faithful to strengthen and deepen their commitments to God."2 Courage to live and courage to die is what Jesus gave them.