Topic: Leadership

Self-interested leaders will frequently manufacture frightening images of an angry dangerous God to silence opposition and maintain their grip on power, but Jesus opens our eyes to these abuses and to the reality of a God of incorruptible love.

The abusive use of anger to manipulate other people’s behaviour is, Jesus says, on the same spectrum as physical violence, and Jesus calls this preacher to repent of it.

Whatever the future may hold, in rough places AND in smooth, in dark valleys and on sunlit hillsides, the Lord is our shepherd, and will lead us finally to green pastures and still waters.

Jesus calls us to follow his lead in bringing healing, hope and positive leadership to others, and not to be too worried about anxious and vexatious criticism.

The culture of God’s beloved Son is born at the cross and takes root amidst a hostile world, spreading forgiveness and hospitality.

The task of being changed into what God calls us to be involves a radical break with the established norms of our world.

In the face of a politics grounded in nationalist arrogance and fake news, Jesus proclaims a ‘kingdom’ grounded in shared humanity and truth.

The things that make Jesus the perfect leader to lead us into new life are probably the same things that would make us turn our backs on him and seek to follow others.

God is most likely and able to work through those who accept their own weakness and don’t try to forcefully assert their own power and influence.

We all have different roles within the ongoing ministry of Christ, but that ministry is ultimately not dependent on the success of individual leaders.

Jesus does not burden us with crippling moral expectations, but humbly takes our burdens on himself and frees us to relax into the life of God.

A sermon on Psalm 23