Thanks for being with us for this teaching from God’s Word. The Bible is an awesome book, and we love the author. You see the Bible is living, it’s more than just words on a piece of paper. These Words were God breathed and they are powerful.
In our last time together, we learned a lesson in leadership from Paul. Today our title is A Godly Leader’s Judgement, someone is probably thinking, “Another lesson on leadership, well this won’t apply to me.” Not so fast, before you go there, think about what leadership really is.
I have a question, are there others who are influenced by you? You may not be an official leader with a big title, but I am almost positive you have influence. In that respect you are a leader. You may not be popular, or you might be very young, but if others know you and look up to you, you are a leader to them. I realize not all of us lead in the same capacity, but very few have no influence on anyone. So don’t be afraid to lead right where God put you.
Here in I Corinthains 11 we will continue learning from Paul. J Mark had divided the lesson into three actions we can take which show wisdom in our leadership. Let’s learn from him together.
In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” Is Jesus forbidding you and me to exercise judgment in any circumstance?
The foundational definition of the word judgment is “to decide or to discern.” You and I exercise judgment daily. Every time we face a choice, we weigh the options and decide. Judging is making a distinction between two things. Jesus isn’t forbidding that kind of judgment.
From the context of Matthew seven, we can see that Jesus isn’t forbidding all kinds of judgment, only unfair or unjust criticism. The illustration of the speck and the log in one’s eye clearly shows that.
As I said earlier, we make many judgments every day. Some carry consequences that affect only us, but some affect many people. Whether I wear a red shirt or a blue one affects only me. Driving recklessly can have life-altering consequences for myself and others.
In today’s teaching, we’ll learn how judgment can be positive and godly. Remember that the basic definition of judgment is to discern or decide. So, as I read today’s text, look for the actions that show us how Paul exercised judgment. Our text is Second Corinthians 11:7 to 15.
7 Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.
9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything, I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
15 Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Leaders at every level face many situations where discernment is needed. This text highlights several ACTIONS that showcase a godly leader’s judgment.
The First ACTION (that showcases a godly leader’s judgment) is,
They Serve Selflessly
Paul refused to accept financial support from the church in Corinth. Why? In his first letter, he spent one whole chapter, chapter 9, on the importance of the church caring for and supporting the needs of their leaders. He reminded them from Scripture and common sense that the laborer is worthy of payment for his services.
So, why did Paul judge that accepting support in this setting would be unwise? He said, “Have I committed a sin by abasing myself that you might be exalted because I preached the Gospel to you without charge?” Some in Corinth saw Paul’s practice of a trade, tentmaking, as humiliating for an apostle or church leader. But was it a sin?
The false teachers and their followers became factions in Corinth. Some accused Paul of not following his teaching: “Do you think we don’t have the financial means to care for you? You offend us with your lack of confidence.” Others accused him of enriching himself through his tent-making trade. They said his disinterest in their support was just a camouflage for his greed!
But what was Paul’s goal in setting aside his right to be supported? His goal was to remove anything from his relationship with the Believers in Corinth that could be the basis of an accusation of impropriety.
As we’ve seen, Paul uses sarcasm and hyperbole when writing in response to his critics. In verse 8, he says, “I robbed other churches…” Was Paul wearing a mask and carrying a dagger to force others to hand over their money? Not really! He points out that he accepted from other churches more than their fair share of his support because “I don’t want to be burdensome to you…” He said, “I will continue this practice.”
Paul had every right to expect support from the Corinthians. Making tents to provide for his needs took the time he could’ve spent sharing the Gospel or teaching. But because of the situation at Corinth, he judged and decided that the best course of action was to exercise a spirit of selflessness and forego what was rightfully his.
A godly leader or any godly person understands this action of serving selflessly. He will weigh each situation in light of the circumstances and the facts. It takes wisdom and discernment to make the best choice for everyone involved. Like Paul, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us in our desire to serve selflessly for His glory and the good of others.
The Next ACTION (that showcases a godly leader’s judgment) is,
They Love Deeply
Paul introduces this point with another question. “Is it because I don’t love you that I have made this decision not to burden you with my support?” Absolutely not! God is my witness, and I love you deeply. He understands my motives.
Paul had poured his life into this group of people for a year and a half, and he must have had many close relationships there. Imagine the pain of having those whom he loved so profoundly turn around and question his motives. Few things are more painful than having others assign wrong motives to your expressions of genuine love.
But notice what Paul said in verse 12. “What I am doing, I will continue to do. That will cut out or undermine the accusation of monetary gain from the other complaints against me.” He desired that his motives and the motives of his critics in Corinth would become clear to all.
If you’re in leadership, you know there are always those looking for occasions to criticize what you do, what you don’t do, or how you do it. Loving your critics deeply with the love of Jesus is the only antidote to discouragement, cynicism, and defeat. Like Paul, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
No one loved more deeply than Jesus. Paul embraced that love and extended it to others. Let us commit to doing the same in our judgment of others. Serving selflessly and loving deeply will lead us logically to the final action.
The Final ACTION (that showcases a godly leader’s judgment) is,
They Warn Specifically
We live in a time where it’s considered “unloving” to confront sin, to expose error, or to identify false teachers. However, leaders must call out false teachers and false doctrine if they are serious about protecting those under their authority and responsibility. As godly leaders, we need to exercise careful judgment without being harsh and vindictive, but we also must be specific enough so people know what we’re talking about.
Paul says his critics in Corinth are pseudo-apostles, which means false or counterfeit. They claimed the title but lacked the calling or authority. They were deceitful workers. Paul’s description comes from an old word that means to ensnare. In Corinth, these false teachers were attempting to trap people so they could add them to their faction. There are many false teachers like this today.
Some years ago, I was walking in the woods on a narrow path, moving slowly, looking for wildlife. Something caused me to look down at my feet, and there was a snare. That snare was nearly invisible. It blended in so well that if you didn’t know it was there, you’d walk right by it. Whoever placed the snare was using their knowledge of the animal’s habits to their advantage.
These false teachers in Corinth were using their knowledge of people’s weaknesses to ensnare them in their trap. Further, they were masquerading as apostles. A masquerade is a disguise—a false face or clothing that hides the real person. So, these false teachers were passing themselves off as something they were not.
And Paul says, that really shouldn’t surprise us. Satan, the prince of darkness, clothes himself in the garb of light to deceive the saints! As you may recall, Satan even quoted Scripture to Jesus during the temptation in the wilderness. True to form, Satan twisted it for his purposes, but to the unsuspecting, he might have been able to pass it off. We see a lot of this today.
So then, it shouldn’t seem strange that Satan’s servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Remember, just because someone quotes Scripture doesn’t prove they’re a genuine Christ-follower! The twisting of Scripture to deceive people is a primary tactic of Satan and the false teachers he inspires. And it is rampant today.
Paul’s description reveals the depths of his feelings about the conduct of these leaders in Corinth. Some would accuse him of being judgmental, unloving, or harsh. But if you notice, Paul sticks to the facts. Like the false teachers, he doesn’t attack personalities, physical appearance, or intellectual ability. He simply but urgently warns the church in Corinth to beware of these false apostles and their false teaching.
Today, more than ever, we need godly leaders who, through wise judgment, can serve selflessly, love deeply, and warn specifically. As was true for Paul, this kind of leadership won’t always be appreciated, but it is necessary.
Thanks J Mark for sharing this challenge to be better leaders. I couldn’t agree more, there really is a great need for godly leaders who use wise judgement. Even if you are not a famous or big leader, let’s apply these lessons where we are, no matter who you are.
If you have any questions about today’s teaching or if you want to contact us for any reason here is how you can reach us. Email is a great way. Our email is hope@heraldsofhope.org. Or you can connect with us on our website which is heraldsofhope.org. And you can write to us. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. We would love to hear from you, we don’t care which method you use to reach us.
Again, thank you for being with us, be blessed and may all of us grow in our leadership. Here is a challenge from my favorite leader. In Matthew 20 verse 28 Jesus said, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” Go be a leader like Jesus and serve.
