I Samuel: Leadership Traits and Leadership Mistakes
Introduction:
· I have been watching the upcoming primaries very closely, I am a political junky and a news addict, so I am in cable news heaven right now with all the coverage, debates, and analysis.
· One thing is for certain as we watch this historical election unfold: Leadership Matters.
· The question for us today is, What makes a good leader? Is it the person who is the best motivational speaker? Is it the individual who has the right look to fit the part? Is it a person who is the best motivator, the hardest worker? What makes a great leader?
· As we look at I Samuel, we are going to look at the Leadership Traits and Leadership Mistakes of four men – Samuel, Saul, David, and Jonathan. When we are finished, we will see the most important Characteristics of Godly Leadership emerge.
· Samuel contains 31 chapters, 10 verses, and will take you about 2-2.5 hours to read in one sitting. This book contains some of the most well known stories in all the Old Testament.
· I Samuel picks up where the book of Judges end and It begins with the story of Hannah, a woman who desperately wants a child, who vows to give her son to the service of the Lord. Samuel is born and serves with Eli the priest. We see God remove his hand from Eli and place it upon Samuel, the final judge of Israel. Samuel judges the people, who eventually ask for a king, and God gives them their wish and chooses Saul. Saul, an impressive man, has brief moments of successful leadership that are overshadowed by carelessness, disobedience, and disregard for God. The kingly line is given to David, who eventually serves in Saul’s court, slays goliath, befriends Jonathan, and is eventually forced to run for his life, until the death of Saul. This book is filled with great material for Hollywood…but it is not fiction.
I. Samuel: A Man of God’s Word
a. Samuel listens to God’s Word (3:1-14)
b. Samuel is faithful to proclaim the whole counsel of God in the midst of dark times.
i. He proclaims the truth to Eli (3:15-21)
ii. He preaches repentance to Israel (7:2-4)
iii. He seeks the Lord when the people ask for a King (8:4-22)
1. Was it wrong for the people to want a leader? No, remember in Deuteronomy, God made a provision for a King. The problem is that their motive was to be like the other nations.
2. What does this tell us about the importance of how we govern ourselves in the local church? We must be careful to distinguish between leadership as defined by the world vs. leadership as defined by God’s word.
3. Spiritual leadership in the home and the church must be marked by hearing, speaking and obeying the Word of God.
a. Did you know that Mormons are more likely to read the Bible daily than protestants.
b. Did you realize that young men raised up in Islam typically memorize that entire Koran.
c. True worship is marked by us being moved by the Word of God to live our lives in such a way that will bring the Lord Praise.
II. Saul: An Impressive Man, A Horrible Leader
a. Saul Was Impressive: He looked Presidential (9:2)
b. Saul Was Impulsive: He was destroyed by self-reliance (13:5-14;15)
c. Saul Was Irate: He devoted most of his kingship to murder of God’s anointed.
III. Jonathan: A Man of Faith
a. Jonathan Leads By Taking a Risk Rooted in Faith (14)
b. Jonathan Leads By Showing Loyalty to David (20:30-42)
IV. David: A Leader After God’s Own Heart
a. David is Impressed with God, not himself. (17:45-57)
b. David demonstrates Integrity, not pragmatism. (24:8-12)
c. David is patient, seeing everything from God’s Perspective
i. David lives among the Philistines for the last 5 chapters of the book. He was safer among his enemies, then the nation of Israel
ii. True leaders are led by God, trying to see every event from His point of view.
iii. David’s life points us to a perfect king, Jesus.
1. Jesus came from David’s direct line and did for us something we can never do for ourselves.
2. I Samuel 16:6-7: What is the condition of your heart?
a. “When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look, and see him there who made an end of all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul in counted free; for God the Just, is satisfied to look on him and pardon me.”
b. In Romans Paul quotes David from Psalm 32:1-2
c. Revelation 5:1-14 – Chris is our Redeemer King
V. Conclusion: God alone is Lord, he is our Necessary Leader
a. At the very beginning of this book, Hannah prays and amazing prayer. God uses her prayer to preach the truth that no king, not even David, is the special blessing God has promised to His people. Only Jesus would be exalted and anointed by God to judge the ends of the earth.
b. Do you worship the King of the Universe, Jesus?
