While there are many examples of Godly leadership in the Bible, there are some you are probably more familiar with than others. Another example of a servant leader in the Bible is Stephen, who was known for his selfless love and care for others. Some Christians are inclined to live their lives sloppily, believing that because God is sovereign He will, on demand, produce a miracle to deliver us from the fruits of our own foolishness. All in all, it would be best to wait out the storm at sea. The need is great. He did get disgusted. They were not going to get to Rome until after winter was over anyway, and they could stay right where they were, with no real problems. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. Whether you realize it or not, we are all called to lead. The great leaders of the Bible, men like Joseph, Moses, David, and Daniel, were men who had an impact because they were men of God, men of great skill and ability, and men who God raised up. They were not in control of the ship. I believe leadership must be positive influence . Not one soul was lost. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. His sarcasm showed his disdain for those who had forsaken God. His church was a murmuring people. The wise leader will work hard at blinding his or her eyes to the pettiness of church members' criticism. He only said that their remaining on ship was necessary if these soldiers wanted to survive. (2) The Sovereignty of God and Mans Safety. During the night, an angel of God had appeared to Paul, with a sure and certain word about the future, a word that would bring encouragement to all on board ship. The short version is that there was a plot to destroy the Jews, and Mordecai got wind of the plot. They were also able to build a church that met in their home. Because of their very limited visibility, they might not see the land until it was too late. The passengers were not to lose hope, but to keep up their courage. It opens to the East and Southeast, but is not fit to winter in. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. Bruce writes. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Verses 14-20: A Sudden Storm and Lost Hope, Verses 21-26: Pauls Night Visitation and Words of Encouragement, Verses 30-32: Sailors Stopped From Abandoning Ship, Verses 33-41: Pauls Encouragement and the Ships Grounding, Verses 42-44: Prisoners and Passengers Spared From Death. As Paul had already informed them, neither the ship nor its cargo would survive, only the passengers. 1 Timothy 3:5. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:3-6). Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. He has surrounded himself with executives that are experienced and insightful. They boarded this ship and set sail. When the ship was far out at sea, and no one knowing how far they might be from land, abandoning ship was no temptation. His military role came at a pivotal time in world history- World War II. In a democracy leaders. "He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. There will come a time, however, when God will take His own to the full and final safety of heaven. Just so you know, the person they are talking about in Acts 18:26 is Apollos. Some are not as visible; all are useful. Humanly viewed, Paul was constantly in grave danger, but he was never more safe or secure than when he was on his way to Rome. To sail on, therefore, was a foolish decision in Pauls opinion, and thus he discouraged it as strongly as he could, but to no avail. He was not an "out front" kind of person, but rather stayed in the background as a fan and supporter of Paul. But once the sailors discerned that land was nearby, staying on board ship became increasingly dangerous. Second, the majority of those who voted on this issue favored going further. God used this two-year delay of Felix and the bungling of Festus to bring Paul to the point where he would appeal to Caesar. In spite of this fact, one man, Paul, emerged as the leader. He had had enough. He took Pauls warnings seriously here, too. Pauls caution is rather interesting. You are the devil's advocate. He must live wisely and be just. Is there not a kind of parable here? Priscilla and Aquila were hospitable. It is only when all hope is lost that Paul addresses his fellow shipmates.557 Much time had passed, the storm had not diminished, the ship was being constantly mauled by the storm, and the passengers had gone a long time without food. 31 What then shall we say to these things? Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Until now, they had been trying to save the ships cargo, but now some of it555 was thrown overboard, lightening the ship and reducing the stress on the hull. If their safety was assured then let them do what they could to help themselveslet them eat. 4. They planned to slip away, on the pretext of laying out anchors, but they were going to take the lifeboat (as it were) and leave the people to fend for themselves in the ravaging storm, in a ship drifting ever near the rocks of the approaching shore. modern political leaders are good examples (Tony Blair, Geogrge Bush, Sarcosie, JFK, David cameron) What is a sentence with the words democracy and democratic? Examples have not been reviewed. As a church staff or volunteer ministry leader, you can learn valuable and unique lessons from several biblical characters. God has given each leader specific gifts. In the sea of Adria (en toi Hadriai). We're sorry, an error occurred. Obedient Daniel. There was some level of favoritism going on. The God who was to rescue them was Pauls God, the God whom he served, and to whom he would bear testimony before Caesar. A friend of mine, Jonathan Leath, wrote a book he titled You Only Lead One (YOLO). He refused to bow to the king and ended up in the lion's den. Looking at leadership honestly means looking at the best and the worst. They did not know exactly where they were and they could not recognize anything familiar about the land, but they did resolve to run the ship aground in a bay which they could see ahead. The following post is adapted from my personal academic coursework. Too often, I hear leadership spoken of as a place of status, rather than a place of service. They would hardly wish to be close to shore in the storm anyway, for there was more danger of the ship breaking up on the rocks than of it breaking up in the open sea. Paul and a number of other prisoners were put aboard an Adramyttian ship,542 which was setting sail for ports along the coast of Asia. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Paul assured them that not a hair from their head would perish (verse 34). From here on, sailing will not be smooth. Fourteen days have passed since they left Fair Havens and the storm first struck the ship.558 The sailors now have little idea as to where they were, or how far they might be from land. Some call it a tough mind and a tender heart. Luke now passes over the details of a number of the days that followed, indicating only that many days passed, and that the storm continued to abuse the ship and to terrify its passengers. And also for Pauls sake, all of the prisoners were spared from execution by the soldiers. When you are walking in accordance with Gods purposes, whatever obstacles to the accomplishing of His will are encountered, He will overcome. It is as certain as the salvation of His own. A true leader has to be brutally honest with all those he comes in contact with. Their objective was to work with two groups of people from different cultures and make sure one did not feel slighted over the other. Jesus (Luke 5:16) Of course, one cannot talk about godly leadership without pointing to the ultimate example: Jesus Christ. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? Unsaved men do not have the answers. How does Pauls safety relate to you? A democratic leader encourages open conversation and helps their employees set goals, evaluate their own performance and motivates them to grow. In other words, your leadership style should be authentic to you. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. If there was ever a time for Christians to emerge as leaders, it is now. He was right in that a great storm had swept down on this ship, and that both the ship and its cargo would be lost. If we are not in Christ, who has weathered the storm, then we must endure the storm ourselves, to our eternal destruction. All one needs is a clean needle or a condom or possibility an abortion and theyre off and running, seeking a little pleasure, at the cost of the loss of their life, and of their soul. This necessitated sailing close to the coast of Cyprus, which, to some degree, sheltered them from the contrary winds (verse 4). Tim Cook, for example, hires people who challenge and inspire him. I take it that this was a form of democratic rule. At the beginning of the chapter, Paul is the object, the one who is acted upon. If Gods sovereignty is the source of comfort to the Christian, it is the source of terror for the unbeliever, for God has warned of His coming judgment. In Acts 20:35, we see him say to the elders of the church in Ephesus, "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more . After all, a number of the passengers could not even swim (see verses 43-44). If Paul was completely right in his previous warning, then many were about to die. That safety is only in Christ. This was a Jewish couple who were deported from Rome. In spite of Pauls words of encouragement, the passengers had still not eaten. He was both blessed and disgraced almost in the same breath. The stern of the ship began to break up. He is the author ofThe Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. Joshua had been in the presence of God. He portrays Paul in many roles throughout Acts, but here he shows him standing out as the practical man in a critical emergency--keeping his head when all about him are losing theirs. Here are seven whose leadership played a significant role in leading the early church and furthering the gospel. 16:8, 16-20). Paul is one of a number of prisoners, on his way to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. The Fast is the day of atonement (Yom Kippur), which falls on Tishri 10. What kind of leadership did Paul exercise, and how did this impact the gospel? They invited Apollos into their home and spent time explaining the truth to him. Paul once again stepped forward, speaking out to all aboard, so as to assure and encourage them, as well as to persuade them to prepare themselves for the rigors and physical demands of the hours that were to follow. Godly leadership is honest leadership that allows you to lead out of who you are. Handling the ship in this storm was almost impossible, and any attempt would require an expert crew. It was a coasting vessel, which was to call at various ports of the province of Asia; at one of these Julius knew he would find a ship, preferably a grain ship, bound for Italy. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 477. When the outcome is known, and the One who determines it is both faithful and sovereign (in control), the danger of harm is removed, along with the need for fear. The journey was delayed by unfavorable winds. Imagine this, they would have Paul to thank for their deliverance. The sovereignty of God will then result in the overthrow of His enemies and in the judgment of the wicked. He had the courage to speak to the evils of his day. Now they were ready for the days activities. 4. "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. No one followed Paul because he was a man of God, or even because they concluded the God was with him. So, says Luke, they lowered the instrument, not being more specific perhaps because he did not know, or did not remember, the technical name for whatever it was that was lowered. Isnt it true that men do those things which they know to be risky, partly for the love of the risk, and often due to some small gain they wish, prompted by a false sense of assurance, and by the hope for some small gain? Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning, Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act toward achieving a common goal. Susan Ward. Even when John Mark was being severely ostracized by Paul, Barnabas stood by John Mark. They took bribes and perverted justice. Thus, the sailors continually took soundings, measuring the depth below them, so that they could discern, far in advance, their approach to land (which would be indicated by progressively diminishing depths). Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Their arrival had not been without difficulty, but things were only to go from bad to worse. The centurion respected and trusted Paul a great deal, as can be seen by his previous dealings with him (see verse 3). Did Paul pray for their meal, as well as his own? The decision that faced these sailors is not an uncommon one, even in our day. These are questions that we shall seek to answer in our study of Acts chapter 27. A theophany had taken place in Joshua 5:15: "The commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." The angel of God told Paul not to be afraid, which would indicate that he was afraid. They followed Paul because he knew where he was going and inspired confidence in others to follow him. 1. Paul encouragement the passengers to trust God to do all that He promised. Smith suggests that the mainyard is meant; an immense spar, probably as long as the ship, which would require the united efforts of passengers and crews to launch overboard. Bruce p. 486. Paul was kept safe, and as a result, all of those with him were saved as well. The otherstwo hundred and seventy-six in allfollowed his example. Let me suggest a few characteristics of Pauls leadership in this crisis, which may provide fuel for future thought. And so they were strengthened, both in spirit and in body. I do not agree. 1 Timothy 4:12. Clearly the answer is yes. What did Paul do to bring about such a change? Hence the battle to maintain a westerly course, aided, it appears, by a veering of the wind to the east, as the cyclonic disturbance shifted its centre. Blaiklock p. 190. They intended to put all the prisoners to death,563 thus eliminating the risk of an escape. They were so sure of the wisdom of their decision that they did not even draw up the small boat attached by a rope to the vessels stern (verse 16). It was needlessly endangering others that Paul was trying to avoid. One of the most outstanding examples of leadership in the Bible is the example of Moses. The safety of the passengers, involved their actions, in eating a good meal, in lightening the ship, and in swimming to shore or in clinging to some wreckage and floating to shore. I do not believe that Lukes central purpose in Acts 27 is to teach us about leadership, but I do think that Pauls leadership is very apparent in our text. An Uncorrupted View of Godly Leadership from Jude, 10 Women in the Bible God Used to Save Lives and Lead Others. As time went on, as Paul was better known, and as the crises on board the ship became more pronounced, Paul stepped forward, giving both direction and hope to all the others on ship. They want to use numbers and influence decisions based upon voting power. Several days before, Paul had told the passengers, who had lost all hope, that they would all be saved, although the ship would run aground (verses 21-26). Allow me to make one last observation here. The sovereignty of God means that He is not at our disposal, to carry out our whims or wishes, but that we are at His disposal. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. Democratic leaders: Encourage group members to share their ideas: The leader asks for and considers employee input. Remember this applies whether you are leading one or many. Lets examine some of these, because whether you lead one, a few, or many we all have to lead. The sovereignty of God means not only that God is able to intervene supernaturally, but that He is also able to work naturally, through human instruments (like the Roman soldiers, and in our story, like the centurion, in Pauls behalf). Your Bible study. Vision Statements of 12 Great Leaders in the Bible An elder must live a blameless life. Pauls skillfulness and leadership gave the gospel a credibility it would not have otherwise have had in the eyes of these people. In Matthew 16, Peter was both a "rock" and a "stumbling block." If God {is} for us, who {is} against us? 561 Before, adrift in the sea, they made no effort to guide the ship. Titus would be a good place to start, and there are other scriptures as well. The final verses (42-44) tell of the plan of the soldiers to kill the prisoners, of the intervention of the centurion, and the safe arrival on land of all 276 passengers. Mordecais words influenced Esther to take an action that she would have otherwise not taken. Born a Cypriot and reared a Levite, he linked the Hellenistic world and the Jerusalem church. [1] It is important to note that he learned leadership principles and faith from his parents (Hebrew 11:23 . There is no thus saith the Lord here, but Pauls words were worth heeding. 549 Smith observes that Fair Havens is so well protected by islands, that though not equal to Lutro [Loutron, a port some 40 miles farther west along the coast], it must be a very fair winter harbour; and that considering the suddenness, the frequency, and the violence with which gales of northerly wind spring up, and the certainty that, if such a gale sprang up in the passage from Fair Havens to Lutro, the ship must be driven off to sea, the prudence of the advice given by St. Paul may probably be supported even on nautical grounds. Bruce, pp. Examples of democratic leaders. The dangerous season for sailing began about September 14 and lasted until November 11; after the latter date all navigation on the open sea came to an end until winter was over.

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