FROM ELDER WARREN BECKES
I have had several Saints give me kind and encouraging comments after the message on April 14th. I am so blessed to have you all in my life. Thank you for the feedback. God bless you all.
As I mentioned from the pulpit last Sunday, I watched the April 14th message, as difficult as it can be to watch yourself, by myself and with Pastor Johnson. This exercise revealed that I hadn’t fully communicated the key points.
Most of us have left a conversation and later felt that we could’ve made a more complete or convincing argument. That’s what I’d like to try to accomplish with these leftovers.
So, let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of it.
The big idea that I wanted to draw out of the Hebrews 13:7-9a, and 17-19 passage is that leadership has always been part of God’s creation and that’s why it matters. Not because the author of Hebrews says so but because God uses it for our good and His glory.
From Adam to Moses and Abraham, all the Prophets as well as many others throughout the OT, God uses Jew and non-Jew to lead and accomplish His plan.
But it doesn’t stop there. We see in the NT with the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus and the fulfillment of many promises this leadership pattern continues.
Our Savior raised up leaders to do the work of building and leading His Church and raising up more leaders. Most of the NT is focused on this work including right into Revelation 19:11-21 where it tells of Jesus’ return to set up His millennial kingdom.
From the creation story to the end of Revelation where Jesus returns and through His leadership He ushers in the New Heaven, New Earth and New Jerusalem. As Pastor Johnson has been teaching of Jesus’ supremacy here is another example. He is supreme over all leaders and leadership. Philippians 2:9-11 expresses this point better than I could.
God gives us leaders in our lives including the home and church. Hebrews gives us clear instruction that we are to “remember our leaders, consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”
Hebrews 13:17 is a verse that the elders hold tightly to because when this is done God’s church works harmoniously. This glorifies God and we get the joy. This is how the Body of Christ is supposed to function.
So, let’s all do our jobs. Leaders are supposed to lead through the qualification Paul has provided us in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The body is supposed to hold them accountable to those qualifications and nothing more. To God be the glory forever.
In Christ Jesus,
Warren Beckes