“Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” Philippians 1:17-18
Beloved,
Leadership is a very challenging task. Although all leadership can be difficult, biblical leadership is particularly daunting. The Bible makes tremendous demands of leader, but godly leadership should produce a glad and joyful heart. The Apostle Paul provides a picture of this odd combination of being a sacrifice with great joy.
The Apostle Paul labored hard for the Lord Jesus Christ. He labored to present everyone mature in Christ (Col 1:28). He even defended all that he did for the Lord against false apostles in 2 Corinthians 11:23-30. He was shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned and stoned. But even after all his hardships, he writes, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Biblical leadership counts it a joy and a privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ and His gospel.
Paul says to the church that even if he is being poured out for the sake of their faith, he is glad and rejoices. WOW!!! That is a heart of a leader. Paul realized that he was a slave to the Lord Jesus Christ to be used anyway the Lord deemed necessary. Paul is a leader who is confident in the Lord and His sovereign plan.
Paul not only has a glad and joyful heart, but he urges others to have that same heart. Beloved, do you serve the Lord with a glad and joyful heart even if you are being poured out as a sacrifice for the sake of others? Beloved, we are not our own, but have been bought with a price. The Lord chose to use Paul through imprisonments and beatings and yet he rejoiced. How is the Lord choosing to use you? Whether through blessing or hardship, let us say with the Apostle Paul: I am glad and rejoice!!!
In Christ,
Pastor Dave
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