Is Jesus A Leader?

The Bible is full of leaders. There is even a whole book called “Leaders”. It has traditionally been called “Judges” but the word means leaders. In some ways, leadership is one of the most prominent themes in the Bible – not so much because of explicit teaching about leadership but because of the multiple stories and examples of very good leaders and very bad leaders. There are patriarchs, judges, prophets, military leaders, kings, Pharisees, Moses, Joshua, Nehemiah, Paul, and dozens of others.

Should Jesus be in that list? Was Jesus a leader?

Jesus is called a teacher and we have lots of instances of Him teaching. He is called a miracle-worker and we can see that clearly. He is called the Saviour and we see Him dying on the Cross for our sins and rising again from the dead. It is very clear. But He is never called a leader in the Bible. And, if we look for examples, in what ways did He lead?

My very simplistic definition of leadership is: helping people get from A to B. Moses led the people on a 40 year journey from Egypt to almost into the Promised Land. Joshua led them over the Jordan into the Promised Land. The kings didn’t lead the people from one geographical location to another; they led the nation from one condition to another. Sometimes they led the nation to a better condition; often they led it to a worse condition. So, what about Jesus? Did He lead people from A to B? If so, what was the A and what was the B? Or, should we not call Him a leader?

It is true that Jesus is nowhere called a leader, but He is called “Master” and “Lord” and “teacher” which are all leadership-related. Jesus Himself said...

John 13:13

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.

He is called the Good Shepherd – clearly a role of leading the sheep.

To my mind the clearest evidence that Jesus was a leader was that he had followers. Rick Warren used to say, “If you want to know if you are a leader, look over your shoulder. If there is no one there you are not leading, you are just going for a walk.”

Matthew 4:25

Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

Jesus had followers. He wasn’t just going for a walk. Large crowds followed Him. They came from all over the region. Galilee is in the north of Israel. The Decapolis was on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. Jerusalem and Judea were in the south. But people came from across the Jordan, the region that is now the country of Jordan. They came long distances to follow Jesus. And they literally followed. They followed Him from place to place. Even when Jesus tried to get some rest, the crowds turned up. Five times, Matthew talks about crowds following Jesus, three times calling them large crowds.

We know about the crowd of 5,000 men plus women and children. We know about the times the crowds were so great, Jesus was in danger of being crushed (Luke 8:42).

Jesus unashamedly assumed the role of a leader. Repeatedly, He said, “Follow me”.

Down through 20 centuries, people have continued to follow Jesus. Reports earlier this year said there are 2.6 billion people who identify as Christian – 31% of the world’s population. Jesus has a lot of followers. By that measure, Jesus was clearly a leader.

I guess we all know the incident when Jesus invited Peter and Andrew, James and John to follow and they left everything and followed Him. They clearly were drawn to follow this leader.

He said he would make them fishers of people and they said, “yes, please”.

Jesus made following Him a prerequisite for salvation.

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Following is a very interesting word. Literally, of course, it means travelling behind someone. The disciples and many others literally followed Jesus – where He went, they went. When He moved on, they moved on. They literally followed in His footsteps. They did not determine where they would go; Jesus did, so there was some sacrifice in that. But, clearly, it was a very willing sacrifice. Vast crowds chose to literally follow Jesus.

But follow also has several related meanings. If someone said that he follows the news or the rugby, it would mean that he is focused on those things. Followers of Jesus focus on Jesus.

If someone said she was a follower of Karl Marx, it would mean she has adopted the teachings of Karl Marx and was living them out. Again, there is a sacrifice. A follower of Jesus gives up her right to believe whatever she likes because she has chosen Jesus’ teaching. Jesus is her teacher.

Following Jesus means Jesus is the boss – He is Lord. He is the leader; I am the follower. I give up my right to make my own decisions. I submit to Jesus’ leadership.

Following someone might mean imitating that person – like in the game of Simon Says. We follow a person’s example. Jesus said we are to imitate Him.

Is Jesus a leader? He is given leadership titles but even more tellingly, He had, and still has, followers.

John Maxwell, a Christian leadership expert, says that leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less. Even the staunchest atheist would acknowledge that Jesus has been influential. He started a movement that conquered the Roman Empire and changed the world. 2,000 years later, Jesus remains massively influential. Nobody has had more influence than Jesus. If having influence indicates a leader, then Jesus is a leader.

Ok, so we have leadership titles, we have followers and we have influence. What else would indicate a leader?

Did He actually achieve anything? Did He help people move from A to B?

John 17 is the chapter in which Jesus prayed for unity amongst His followers. But there is something else very important in that prayer. Let’s read verses 1 to 19. (Move on to the slide with v.1-5)

John 17;2        For You granted [me] authority over all people…

Interesting!

John 17:4        I have brought You (Father) glory by finishing the work You gave me to do.

That is a bit odd. This was before the Cross. How could Jesus say that He had finished the work God had given Him to do?

It seems He was referring to the work He had been sent to do in the lives of the disciples. See what He said He had done.

John 17:6a      I have revealed You to those whom You gave me out of the world.

John 17:8a      I gave them the words you gave me.

John 17:9        I pray for them…

John 17:12      While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by the name You gave me.

John 17:14      I have given them your word…

John 17:18      As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

John 17:19      For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Jesus had invested in the disciples and they had been changed. Jesus listed the results:

• • They now belonged to God. (v.6)

  • They had obeyed God’s word (v.6)

  • They now knew that everything Jesus had had come from God (v.7)

  • They accepted what Jesus, inspired by His Father, had said. (v.7)

  • They knew for certain that Jesus had come from God, sent by God. (v.8)

  • Jesus had received glory through them. (v.10)

  • Jesus had protected them. None had been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. (v.12)

  • They no longer belonged to the world. (v.14, 16)

  • They had been commissioned to go into the world. (v.18)

Let me paraphrase each of those:

• They were now children of God.

• They were people who obeyed God’s word.

• They recognised God in Jesus.

• They accepted Jesus’ words. They saw the God-given authority of Jesus.

• They believed that Jesus was the Son of God, sent by God.

• They knew that their calling was to glorify Jesus.

• By the power of God, they had remained faithful.

• They had given their allegiance to God and no longer belonged to this world.

• They had been sent out as missionaries.

That is a radical transformation. Born again, trusting, obedient, ready to continue Jesus’ ministry.

Had Jesus taken them from A to B? Is Jesus a leader?

In some strange way, Jesus does not look like a leader like a king. His leadership is utterly different. And yet, He has leadership titles, He has billions of followers, He has massive influence and He continues to move people from A to B. I think He is the greatest leader. He is not a king; He is the King. In fact, He is the King of all kings.

The question is not really “Is Jesus A Leader?”, it is “Is Jesus Your Leader?” Jesus invites us to follow Him – to make Him our leader. What has been your response? Are we willing to say that out of all the options in front of us, we choose Jesus. We choose to be followers of Jesus? Let’s say together… “Jesus, You are my leader. I give my allegiance to You. I will follow You. Where You go, I will go, and where You stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and Your God my God. What You say, I will do. My desire is to be a faithful follower, and to bring You glory.”

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