LEADERSHIP TRAINING JESUS STYLE

Notes by: Rick Sink

 SELECTION

“We’re looking for a few good men”, says the Army. Jesus was interested in finding men multitudes would follow, not reaching the multitudes with programs and formulas. Jesus was gathering men before the ministry ever started, or he preached his first sermon. Men were His way of winning the lost to God. Jesus’ plan was to gather men who could bear witness to His life and carry on the work that He had begun after He returned to the Father.

John and Andrew were the first to be invited

John 1:35-42

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter). NIV

The next day Jesus found Philip

John 1:43-51

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.

"Come and see," said Philip.47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that."  51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." NIV

 Jesus is looking at the character of Nathanael.

There is no sign of Jesus being in a hurry to choose His disciples. But He was determined to have the best available.

James, John’s brother is not mentioned as one of the group until the four fishermen are called a few months later along the Sea of Galilee.

Mark 1:19-20

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. NIV

Matthew 4:21-22

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. NIV

Shortly afterward Matthew was called.

Matthew 9:9-13

 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." NIV (Mark 2:13-14; Luke 5:27-28).

Details concerning the call of the disciples are not certain, but it is believed that this occurred over the first year of the Lord’s ministry.

A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN

These were not men of prominence. They did not hold positions in the synagogue, or belong to the Levitical priesthood.

             These men had no formal training outside their knowledge of their personal profession. They were common laboring men. A few may have come from families of some considerable means, but were probably not considered wealthy. There were very likely no formal degrees. Their education likely consisted of the synagogue school like Jesus. Most were raised in the poor section of the country around Galilee.

            They were impulsive, temperamental, easily offended, and had all the prejudices of their environment. They represented the cross section of society of their day. None would seem to be key men or have the ability to impact the world.

These were the potential leaders for the Kingdom of God, but unlearned and ignorant men according to the world’s standards.

Acts 4:13

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. NIV

 They were teachable.

They were honest men, willing to confess their needs. Their ways of doing things may have been awkward, and their abilities limited, but they had a big heart. (Except for one traitor). They were eager for God and the realities of His life. They were fed up with the hypocrisy of the ruling society. Some had already joined the revival movement of John the Baptist. They were looking for a leader to take them to salvation. Jesus could mold them into a new image. Jesus can use anyone who wants to be used.

CENTERING IN ON A FEW

We cannot transform the world except the individuals be changed and molded in the hands Jesus. The apparent idea was to select a few helpers and be able to work effectively with them. As the number of disciples grew it became necessary to focus on a select few. This change may have happened in the middle of the second year of His ministry.

Luke 6:13-17

3 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, NIV

Mark 3:13-19

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve — designating them apostles-that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. NIV

Jesus intended these men to have unique privileges and responsibilities in the Kingdom work. This does not mean others were excluded from following Him, and many others were effective workers in the church.

The seventy:

**Luke 10:1-2

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. NIV

James, the Lords brother:

1 Corinthians 15:7-8

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. NIV

Galatians 2:9-10

James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. NIV

 We begin to see a diminishing priority given to those outside the twelve.

Let’s look at the twelve.

Within the select apostolic group Peter, James, and John enjoyed a special relationship with Jesus the others did not partake in:

1.                  They were invite to the sick room of Jairus’s daughter:

Mark 5:37

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.

NIV

Luke 8:51-52

51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. NIV

2.                  They saw His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Luke 9:28-29

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. NIV

Matthew 17:1-3

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. NIV

3.                  They waited close by while Jesus prayed.

Mark 14:33-35

He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. NIV

There is no record of the others being jealous of the three. They did complain about other things. This is proof where preference is shown in the right spirit and for the right reason offence need not arise.

The more concentrated the size of the group being taught, the greater the opportunity for effective instruction. The world could be indifferent to Him and still not defeat his strategy.

In John 6:66 many of his disciples left him because they could not bear his sayings. They said they were too hard.

He could not have his closest followers miss his purpose. They had to understand the truth and be sanctified by it or all would be lost.

John 17:16-19

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. NIV

He prayed not for the world but for the few God gave him out of the world (John 17:6; 9) All depended on their faithfulness if the world would believe in him “through their words” (John 17:20).

MINISTRY TO THE MULTITUDE

Jesus continued to minister to the ones that followed his ministry.

1.                  He taught them.

2.                  He fed them when they were hungry.

3.                  He healed their sick.

4.                  He cast out demons.

5.                  He blessed their children.

Many times he spent the whole day ministering to the crowds to the extent that he had no leisure time.

Mark 6:31

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." NIV

These were the ones he came to save. He loved them, wept over them, and finally died for them.

His popularity among the large groups of people could have moved him into earthly power and authority.

John 6:14-15

After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. NIV

Jesus would have no part of this. This was not the reason he came. This was not the things that mattered in the Kingdom. Jesus never tried to draw attention to himself.

John 2:23-3:3

 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.   24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.  Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." NIV

Mark 9:9-10

 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant. NIV

THE STRATEGY OF JESUS

Jesus concentrated on the few. But hadn’t he come to save the world? With the influence he had and the following of  multitudes he could have had a crusade that would have swept the entire known world. So why didn’t he?

His purpose was to usher in the Kingdom of God and not impress the crowds. This would mean training people who could lead multitudes. It had been demonstrated on several occasions that the crowds were easily influenced and would fall prey to false gods when left without proper care.

Mark 6:34

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. NIV

Matthew 9:36-38

 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, " "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. NIV

The people were willing to follow anyone who promised to help them. It did not matter who they were or what the intent was. Jesus could easily draw a crowd, but the religious leaders quickly thwarted them by deceit and deception.

A small  group controlled the masses.

2,000,000 people lived in the region.

There were, about 6,000 Pharisees made up of well to do lay folks and rabbi’s; while the Sadducees made up of the chief priests, and Sanhedrin families of Jerusalem numbered only in the hundreds. Thus a small group, less than 7000 or 1/3 of one percent, controlled the spiritual destiny of a nation. This small percentage completely dominated the people.

Matthew 23:1-39 THIS IS A SMALL PART OF WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.5 "Everything they do is done for men to see: NIV

We can now begin to understand why Jesus spoke so much about them, while teaching his disciples a new and better way of leading.

Unless competent men were trained to lead the people and protect them in the truth they would fall into confusion and despair. Before the world could be permanently helped, there had to be people raised up who could lead in the things of God.

Conclusion:            We must decide where we want our ministry to count. In the recognition of today or in the reproduction of our lives in a few chosen people, who will carry on our work after we are gone. It is a simple question. Which generation are we living for?

(Some notes were compiled from “The Master Plan of Evangelism” by Robert E. Colman)

Rick Sink