Some thoughts for all of us from Matthew provided by Michael J. Wilkins in his NIV Application Commentary (pp. 761-768). For those in leadership positions, especially preaching, I recommend reading the whole of the content from that section of Wilkins commentary.

I believe that we as Christian leaders may be more like the Pharisees than we want to admit. I don’t say this in a totally negative way, for the Pharisees had many good things about them: their personal godliness, their commitment to the Scripture, their belief in a coming Messiah and in a resurrection, afterlife, and spirit world, their leadership role in the synagogue, their desire to be separate from the sin of this world. We should all relate to those characteristics.

Nevertheless, one of the most humbling aspects of reading the Gospels (Matthew in particular) is recognizing that many of the criticisms that Jesus lodges against the Pharisees can also be lodged against us. This is especially true of Christian leaders. We have seen how Jesus pointed out many troublesome, indeed sinful, characteristics: pride, public showmanship, one-upmanship, bull-headedness, politicizing of one’s position, and, of course, hypocrisy.

1. Live by example God’s message of grace (23:1-4)
2. Earn respect and honor, don’t demand them (23:5-7)
3. Wear titles lightly that point to God (23:8-10)
4. Serve God’s people to empower them to advance the kingdom of God (23:11-12)
5. Be a signpost to the doorway to the kingdom (23:13)
6. Make converts to the kingdom, not to yourself (23:15)
7. Maintain personal accountability (23:16-22)
8. Major on the majors of the kingdom (23:23-24)
9. Promote motives for leadership-ministry from the inside out (23:25-26)
10. Develop personal identity as a leader from the inside out (23:27-28)
11. Choose carefully the traditions you will represent (23:29-32)
12. Listen to God’s other messengers, because leadership has stricter condemnation (23:33-36)

Tags: lead, leader, leadership, pharisee