Abounding Grace

Pastor Ed Taylor: The best thing you can do for yourself and your relationship with the Lord and for the church in which you attend and are a part of is just to serve. And serve with joy. Serve with happiness. You remember what Jesus did? The Bible says it very clearly that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. One of the many verses I memorized early on, Mark chapter 10, verse 45. It's beautiful. If my Lord came to serve and not to be served, then that's what my life is. I'm here to serve. That's my role. What the Lord has me to do is to serve in the giftings and the talents that he's given to me.

Larry: Great to have you with us today as we present Abounding Grace. Pastor Ed Taylor is in the middle of a series of studies based in 1 Samuel. Today, we're going to draw your attention to the difference between effective and ineffective leadership in the church. Maybe God has you in a place of leadership, or you believe he's calling you to that. What should your attitude be and what's the right way to lead? Let's see what 1 Samuel chapter 11 has to say about that.

Pastor Ed Taylor: With all this movement it says, therefore the men of Jabesh said, tomorrow we will come out to you and you may do with us whatever seems good to you. And so it was on the next day that Saul put the people in three companies. They came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered so that no two of them were left together. If you like to write in your Bibles, you can just write there, victory. That's victory.

Here are these that are wanting to make a treaty, but they're going to gouge out your eyes and permanently humiliate and cripple you. But with God's authority, Saul leads the army into their first victory. God elevated Saul here in a way that now establishes his kingship and establishes his oversight of the kingdom. And that is the way that God works. That's the way of God when it comes to the men and women of God. He will establish your leadership and he will establish your oversight and he will establish your calling.

You see it over and over again in the scriptures of God establishing the leadership of a man or a woman in the eyes of his people. Let me show you what that looks like. Turn over to Psalm 75 for a minute. Psalm 75. And while you're turning there, in 1 Samuel chapter 2, verse 7 it says, the Lord makes poor and the Lord makes rich. He brings low and he lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's and he set the world upon them.

This is the pattern of God. He lifts up one, he puts down another. Notice Psalm 75, verse 7. It's a very important passage of scripture to grasp in our lives as we walk by faith, trusting God with our lives, all of our lives. With every promotion that we seek, with every new position we're looking for, with every place of service within the church, wherever it is, listen. This is what the Bible says. Psalm 75, verse 6, for exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south, but God is judge. He puts down one and he exalts another. Mark that in your hearts, would you? Mark that.

Because we happen to live in a culture that may have rubbed off on you and certainly rubbed off on me in times, that really emphasizes jockeying for position. It really emphasizes the idea that we live in a dog-eat-dog society. And if you don't take care of number one, then you're just going to be run over. And if you want to climb the corporate ladder, every rung of that ladder is someone that you need to step on to get one.

And there's just this move of, and it doesn't have to be huge, it doesn't have to be some journey to be a CEO. It can just simply be, "Hey, I think that I should make more money." Or, "The person next to me just got a raise. I know it was only three cents, but I deserve four. And I'll do whatever I need to do to get four. It's just not fair. I've been here longer than that person. I do a better job. All that person does is read all and play on the internet all day."

It's just bizarre how we have been ingrained to take care of ourselves. Me, myself, and I. And in the mentality of wanting more and even demanding more and even very greatly disappointed when we don't get in more. When our coworker got that promotion, or when the layoffs came and the seniority list was there, they didn't even pay attention to the seniority list. They just laid off whoever they wanted to and you happened to be one. Of all the years that you gave yourself to the company, of all the years that you put in.

And you really thought that things were going to happen when they called you in for the appointment. You thought, man, it's got to be a promotion. I've been working so hard and instead it was the exact opposite of what you expected. One of the comforting things in a very difficult time like that is to remember that God raises up and he puts down. Another way that we may refer to that in Christian language is that God closes a door and he opens doors. He provides a way for us in our needs and sometimes he causes things to be withheld from us for a season. God raises up and puts down.

Now take that back into now your own church family. Too many people in churches today get hung up with positions and titles and even places of prominence. There is a tendency not to be satisfied where we are, or to be satisfied without a position or a title. And there's a tendency not to be satisfied just being known as a servant. What do you do in your church? I'm just a servant. No, no, no, you've got to, what are you? A deacon? Are you an elder? Are you, and you can name it. What are you? I'm just a servant. I just ask the folks what they need to be done and whatever they tell me to do, I do it.

Wait a minute. How many hours do you put in at church? You're always there. You don't even work there? No, I just, this is what I do. I just serve God. I serve God at church. I serve God here at work. I serve God in my neighborhood when I mow my neighbor's lawn. I serve God when I'm helping at the food bank. I just serve God. That's, yeah, but they don't give you any titles there? They don't put your name up on a wall somewhere? Track your hours? You don't ever get a title? I'm just a servant.

And if you haven't struggled with this in your personal relationship with the Lord, you are a blessed person. It's a blessing. If you don't struggle with this and it's just you have that personality where servant is just fine for you, bless you. May your tribe multiply. But most people struggle with this in one area or another in their lives, even within the church. As if it's not enough just to be a servant of the Lord, a faithful servant. As a pastor, I see this sad scenario play out all too often. More than I wish. Being the responsible person to have to look someone in the eye and talk to them about their desire for prominence and desires for titles and positions.

Watching them, a lot of the same things that happen in the world happen within the church and having to get involved and go, no, I don't think that's wise. I think what you're doing is wrong. I think you should just be satisfied. I think you should just be satisfied with what the Lord's doing in your life right now and just wait on him. As a matter of fact, while people are actively seeking prominence and wanting attention and accolades, they'll probably never get it from God. They may attain it within the church, but it's really just an empty because God hasn't put you there. You want to be where God puts you and you want the title that God gives you.

You're a beloved child of God. You're well-beloved. You're a servant of God. I am a child that has been saved. I'm a new creation. Those are great titles to have. And yes, there are those roles in the scriptures of pastor and elder and deacon and there are those positions, but we prefer to be known as servants here. Because you can have a title and not have the blessing of God. You can take a title upon yourself.

I remember the time after a service as I was greeting and everybody was done, there was a guy that was walking in many years ago. He had a big trench coat and so the security people were all a little concerned. That was not a good sign. I think it was a little hot outside. And he comes up and it was no big deal. He just handed me his card. And on his card, he printed them out himself by the way, on his card he was the Angel so-and-so. I'm like, "That's pretty prominent. Wow. You're an angel and he even has a card to let me know." No harp, no wings, nothing. Not even a Bible, but he had a card and letting me know that he's an angel and that God sent him to destroy this church. Nice to meet you.

And so I looked him in the eye and I said, "Where's your Bible? I think an angel from God would come with his word, don't you?" Angels don't need, I was in one of those playful moods that day. And let's just say he didn't leave too happy. He came in as a happy angel, left as an angry angel. Obviously he was not an angel. He printed his own card out. He took a title upon himself that somehow I think even he believed. He didn't come with any validation of the Holy Spirit.

He didn't have any desire as angels do. You know the Bible says that angels are ministering spirits. He had no desire to serve the people of this congregation. He had none of the marks that the Bible would refer in case, because the Bible also says to be careful to entertain strangers because you entertain strangers, you may entertain an angel unaware. So I'm cool if that was an angel, but he had no markings of the angel. I think I still have the card somewhere. Maybe I, I don't even know if it had a phone number on it. I don't know if angels carry cell phones or not. I don't even remember now.

But the reality is simply this. Of course, I use an extreme example, although I've met quite a few people over the years that have walked through the doors very disappointed that the title they took upon themselves was not validated by the community of believers and the leadership here because it's simply something they took upon themselves. But pulling away from the exaggerated example and just think about your own heart. Just know the Lord's going to, if the Lord's going to raise you up, he's going to raise you up.

The role of the leadership of the church is just to ratify what God's doing in your life already. We don't control that. We don't control raising up someone artificially and we don't control sending someone down artificially. If we're truly as leaders of the church being led by the Spirit, then the Spirit's going to make evident what he's doing in a person's life. And again, it's another opportunity for you and I to walk by faith. The giftings and the ministry in people's lives are very, very evident. It's very evident the many hundreds and hundreds if not thousands of people that have served here at Calvary that currently serve. It's evident the giftings, but it's also evident equally when someone takes a title upon themselves. When someone's seeking prominence. When someone just wants to lead for the sake of leading and try to take something upon themselves.

The sooner you settle this in your heart, the more contentment you'll enjoy in your relationship with the Lord. The sooner we settle this, trying to canvas for position, gather a following, or any of the other things man tries to do to gain a place of leadership and oversight in the church is just sinful. You want the Lord to raise you up. The best thing you can do for yourself and your relationship with the Lord and for the church in which you attend and are a part of is just to serve. And serve with joy. Serve with happiness.

You remember what Jesus did? The Bible says it very clearly that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. One of the many verses I memorized early on, Mark chapter 10, verse 45. It's beautiful. If my Lord came to serve and not to be served, then that's what my life is. I'm here to serve. That's my role. What the Lord has me to do is to serve in the giftings and the talents that he's given to me. My title, if you use it from time to time, someone introduced themselves recently, I think it was after Sunday and said, "Are you Pastor?" And I said, "It's all right to call me Ed. I don't need the title. It's okay to call me Ed. If that makes you comfortable, call me Ed. You can call me a lot of things, but Ed I prefer."

But I don't need the title. I'm just a servant. I recognize my role and I recognize my responsibility and I take it very seriously. But I'm just a servant like you. The difference between you and I right now is just a few feet off the ground. That's about it, just so that people can see in the room. And the difference is the amount of responsibility. That's it. And if the Lord for some of you has that calling of missionary or have that calling of pastor or church planter on your heart right now, it won't be long before you have the same responsibility that I do in the Lord's timing.

But ultimately, we all have the same responsibility and that's to be good stewards of the ministry and the gifts and calling and things that God has given us to serve him with. So be careful when you prop up men and make them more than they really are. Be careful when you look to man more than you look to God because of a title. Be very careful of men and women that would demand you look up to them and emphasize the title and make sure that that title is emphasized even over and above their name. Be careful. That's not the way of the Lord.

Remember when James and John's mom came to Jesus and said, "Can you give my boys a, can you connect them and give them the seats of prominence? One on your right and one on your left." Jesus said, "No, that's not mine to give. You misunderstand." Now, one more thing before we close up with the last verses about authority. There are different types of authority in the church. Different types of authority really in anything, but inside of the church. Number one, there's an authority that man will take upon himself. We've talked a little bit about that. This is when someone sets themselves up to be in charge. That is not blessed. You don't set yourself up to be in charge.

Secondly, there's the authority given by God and that's what God blesses. This is key as God does it as he makes it evident. And then thirdly, there's an authority that's earned through servanthood. And really two and three go together. Because if God has really raised you up, then you have that authority that's been given to you by God. But then through your compassionate, loving service and leadership, then you begin to earn respect from those that you're serving and not only do you have God's approval, but you also have man's approval. You see God begins to reveal like Saul. He's established before the people as the king.

Even in his weakness and failures at this point, God has established him by giving him victory and he's showing the people this is, now I know what Samuel said and I know the anointing, but this is my king. This is who you asked for. This is who you get. God's heart for the ministry is both to serve in the authority that comes from God, but also the authority in the relationship that you and I build by serving one another in love and selflessness. It is a very, very humbling thing to be served. I would say I bet you if you look at your life, it's easier for you to give than it is to receive. It is. Jesus said it's even better to give than receive.

And if you're a giver, you totally get this because your natural response is to give. And there's a need, I give. And there's something, I'm going to give. And something happens in your life and people are try to give to you and it's very hard for you to receive it. You go, "No, no, I give." I know you give really great, but now this season in your life, God wants to show you what it feels like to receive. So he moved it in someone's heart to bless you and you have that, no, I want to give and even what somebody gave you, you might even want to give away so you want to re-gift it because you just love giving.

But we need both in that relationship with the Lord. We give and we receive. And I believe it's safe and biblically accurate to say that God is not looking for bosses, he's looking for servants. He's looking for someone to show himself strong on behalf of. Effective leaders use their authority that's been given by God and earned through their selfless service. Effective leaders use their authority to honor God and edify people and grow them into maturity. On more than one occasion today in the conversations that I have had, I reminded those that I was talking to and by way of reminding them, I was reminding me that the role of the pastor's very simple.

God has given the church pastors and teachers for the edifying of the saints so that they might do the work of the ministry. It's very simple. The pastors are the chief servants of the church and through that servanthood, our responsibility is to equip the saints, to edify them and build them up and equip them for the work of the ministry so that we can learn not to take advantage of them, not to use them for some selfish ambition. But a pastor that is faithful to his calling is going to build you up, teach you the word of God, feed you God's word and stir you up in your gifts so that you will do the work of the ministry so that together we're all doing the work of the ministry because some pastor ministered to that pastor like I have a pastor and what did he do with me?

He built me up, taught me the word so I could do the work of the ministry and it just gets repeated over and over and over again. See true leaders use their authority to honor God, to edify the people and grow people into maturity. But ineffective leaders love to build up their own authority and edify themselves. Most won't admit it, but almost everybody can see it. And those are distinguishing marks that even early on with Saul, God is doing a work on his behalf. It's just too bad in so many ways that Saul did not live up to the high calling of God in his life and that we see these early victories end up being a lifetime of failure because his heart really wasn't in it.

Doesn't that stir you just a little bit? Doesn't it put a little bit of holy fear in you that even if your heart's not right with the Lord, God will still use you? Because a lot of times you look at your validation and you go, "Well I'm doing all right because God's using me." Man, you better make sure that your heart's right with the Lord because God will use you even if your heart's not right. You know why? Because he loves people. And in this case, he's willing to use Saul to bring victory for the nation even though Saul's not all in. Even though Saul's not all there.

And so as we're looking at this, remember God raises up one and puts down another and praise God that he raises up those in ministry, so many of you serving, so many of you going to start serving not just in the church, which is a great place to begin, but you really catch the vision of your life matters to the Lord. Everywhere you go and everything you do, God desires to use you. God wants to use you to connect with your neighbors and your friends, taking the love of God and bringing it into their lives.

Larry: Well, today on Abounding Grace, we brought you a portion of our study in 1 and 2 Samuel. Pastor Ed Taylor is our Bible teacher. Would you like to hear this again? If so, just visit us online at aboundinggraceradio.com or 1place.com. You can also download the Calvary Church app as well. And today, we'd like to tell you about a book from Ron Rhodes titled The End Times in Chronological Order.

Think of it as a complete overview to understanding Bible prophecy. You've probably heard about the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, Second Coming, Mark of the Beast, but how do they all fit together? This chronological tour through the Bible's most important predictions will help you connect the dots. We'll gladly send you a copy for a gift of $25 or more to Abounding Grace. Call toll-free at 877-30-GRACE. That's 877-30-GRACE or order it online at calvaryco.store.

Please remember this ministry is made possible through the support of our listeners and we are grateful for whatever the Lord leads you to do. It would be great to hear from you. Call toll-free at 877-30-GRACE. Donations can also be made online at aboundinggraceradio.com. Pastor Ed, as you were describing both effective and ineffective leadership in the church, I couldn't help but think of your podcast, Lead to Serve. What can you tell us about it and where to find it?

Pastor Ed Taylor: Larry, the Lead to Serve podcast has been used in incredible ways and we want to invite you to be a part of our Lead to Serve family. I started it a few years ago because we were talking about something in my office and I'm like, this would be really good to share. So we got together, put a microphone in front of me and we just started talking. And that's really what it is. It's like being in my office, talking life and ministry together.

And over the years we've improved it and now I have Pastor Bob and other pastors with me where we get to talk about the things of the Lord together and I'm working on the next season right now. We're taking some Q&A questions and answering them, working through them, wanting to grow in grace. Go to Lead to Serve on, just put in Lead to Serve wherever you get your podcast. Lead, then T-O, then serve. Three words. It'll pop up. It's a very popular podcast. We're very encouraged by that. So join us, grow in grace. I know the Lord will bless you.

Larry: Look for the Lead to Serve podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Well, glad you taken time out for our study in 1 Samuel. This has been Abounding Grace with Pastor Ed. We'll look for you next time as we open the word together in search of God's abounding grace. Abounding Grace is brought to you by Calvary Church Colorado, here in Aurora.