Lead by Example
As leaders, we have a serious responsibility to represent God's authority effectively by maintaining close fellowship with Him and following His example.
K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the profound responsibility of being an ambassador for God, highlighting that our actions and words reflect His character and authority. He stresses the necessity of maintaining a close relationship with God through prayer, fasting, and the Word to effectively lead and represent Him. Just as Jesus relied on the Father for guidance, leaders must also seek divine input to fulfill their roles. The sermon encourages leaders to be examples worth following, as Paul instructed in 1 Corinthians, urging them to live lives that mirror Christ. Ultimately, the call is for leaders to embody godliness and proven character in their leadership.
Text
An ambassador to another country carries the responsibility and weight of properly representing his or her homeland. Everything communicated and done is received as a reflection of the policies, beliefs and wishes of the government. This is a heavy responsibility, and failure to accurately represent his or her country is a serious matter. Now, as a delegated authority of Almighty God, think how serious our responsibility is. What we say, what we do and how we take care of those He has entrusted to us are a reflection on Him.
Godliness and proven character are supremely important for all leaders. Unless we maintain close fellowship with God through the Word, prayer and fasting, how will we properly represent the Authority? How will we know what instructions He is giving us? How will we know how to exercise authority over the people and the work God has appointed to us? If Jesus needed to stay in such close contact with God that He could say He only did what His Father showed Him to do, how much more do we need the same?
How can we assume that we can get by even for a moment without involving the Father, if Jesus could not? If He desperately needed the Father's input, don't we even more so need to hear from the Lord in all we do? As leaders, we need to be people who can be watched and followed. In 1 Corinthians Paul says, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." He didn't say, "Follow me. I have knowledge." No. He simply said, "Follow me--my life, the example you have seen in me as I have followed Christ." As we follow Christ closely, others should then be able to follow us.
Sermon Outline
- The Serious Responsibility of Leadership
- Representing God's Authority
- The Importance of Godliness and Character
- Maintaining Close Fellowship with God
Key Quotes
“Unless we maintain close fellowship with God through the Word, prayer and fasting, how will we properly represent the Authority?” — K.P. Yohannan
“If Jesus needed to stay in such close contact with God that He could say He only did what His Father showed Him to do, how much more do we need the same?” — K.P. Yohannan
Application Points
- As leaders, we must prioritize maintaining close fellowship with God through the Word, prayer, and fasting.
- We must follow Christ closely and maintain a godly character in order to represent God's authority effectively.
- We should strive to make decisions that align with God's will, rather than relying on our own knowledge or experience.