A Model for Leaders
When I was a boy, models of classic cars were a big thing. They came in a box unassembled, and you had to glue all the plastic parts together and then paint the model whatever color you wanted. In my memory, I can still smell the glue we used to assemble them. They accurately represented real cars, and the details were pretty amazing.
In the spring of 2023, my wife and I had the privilege to visit Israel. Among the many attractions we visited was the model of the city of Jerusalem during the time of Herod the Great. The model shows what the city looked like in AD 66, about 30 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. It was fascinating to see a detailed model of what the city looked like during that time. The model covers about 4,000 square meters, almost an acre.
Other models serve as patterns to be followed. Jesus gave His disciples a model prayer in Matthew chapter six. It’s not so much that we repeat that prayer verbatim but that we use the ideas in it as a pattern to help us pray effectively.
In our continuing study of Mark’s Gospel, we’ve come to chapter three, verses seven to nineteen. This is the continuing narrative of the life and ministry of Jesus. Sometimes, when we teach from narrative portions of the Scripture, it can be challenging to apply it to our lives. But as I studied and prayed, the Holy Spirit showed me in these verses: “A Model for Leaders.”
Now, don’t let that title scare you away! If you’re not in a formal leadership position, you can still benefit from this teaching. The actions we’ll observe Jesus taking to model leadership apply to everyone to some degree. Action is a defining characteristic of Mark’s Gospel.
Follow along now as I read our text, Mark 3:7 to 19, and see if you can pick out some of the actions of Jesus that model leadership.
In this narrative, we find several ACTIONS taken by Jesus that can be used as a model for leaders.
Before we begin exploring this text, don’t forget what happened in the preceding verses. Context is very important. Jesus had healed a man in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. As a result, the Pharisees and the followers of Herod began exploring ways to put Jesus to death. That sets the stage for our text.
The First ACTION is,
Exercise Prudence
Our text opens with Jesus withdrawing from the synagogue and going to a remote area somewhere along the shore of the Sea of Galilee with His disciples. Luke’s narrative adds that Jesus went to this remote region to pray.
Do you think Jesus was fearful of the threats of His enemies? I don’t think I ever considered that possibility before. I hope you don’t think that’s blasphemous. After all, what does the writer of Hebrews mean when he wrote that “…we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin”? Being tempted in EVERY way certainly includes fear.
One thing we know for sure is that Jesus knew that His time to die hadn’t yet come. So, He exercised prudence or caution. He wasn’t going to needlessly antagonize the opposition. Proverbs 27:12 says, “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished.” Jesus foresaw the outcome of the opposition and prudently removed Himself to the open countryside around the Sea of Galilee.
To be sure, Jesus didn’t run away and hide, abandoning His ministry and purpose. But He set an example for us on how to exercise prudence. Knowing when to do this calls for wisdom. Sometimes, we must take a bold stand for truth, and Jesus did that many times. But at other times, we can step back, like He did here, and let the opposition cool down for the long-term health of our position and relationships. We see this pattern in the life of the apostle Paul.
All of us face conflict, regardless of our position in life. From Jesus, we learn how to exercise prudence and how to choose our battles carefully to ensure the greatest effectiveness. Are you facing a tense situation? Withdrawal is often a good first option; it gives time for our emotions to cool and allows us to process things in a more relaxed atmosphere. Take note of Jesus’ example and learn to exercise prudence.
Another ACTION is,
Evaluate Pressure
Even as Jesus is withdrawing from the pressure of the religious leaders, He is followed by a great multitude. These words are used twice in verses 7 and 8. But the interesting thing to me is, in the original language, their order is reversed – great multitude vs. multitude great. Verse 7 emphasizes the greatness of the multitude, and verse 8 emphasizes the mass of people itself.
This double use of the word great most likely indicates thousands or even tens of thousands of people. And that shouldn’t surprise us because look at where they came from. Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, east of the Jordan, and from Tyre and Sidon. In other words, people came from all over the country and beyond. It’s no wonder that Mark highlighted the size of the crowd. Some of them must have traveled for days to reach Jesus.
So, how did Jesus respond? What did He do? He evaluated the pressure. He realized a crowd this size could be dangerous. Crowds can be unpredictable. Every year, people are trampled to death or injured in crowds. So, He told His disciples to prepare a small boat for Him and to keep it in readiness in case He needed it. He feared the multitude would crush Him. That’s what the text says. Paul uses this same word in Second Corinthians 4:8, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed…”
This crowd wasn’t hostile; they were just intensely eager to have their case attended to by Jesus. Verse 10, “For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.” The word pressed means “to throw oneself upon” something or someone. They wanted to be healed from their diseases and the afflictions of their bodies and minds. We know from the other Gospels that Jesus sometimes used a boat to separate Himself from the crowd so He could teach them.
Again, we all face pressures in life, but some pressures are unique to leaders. Leaders have authority, and they have power. People seek them out for answers to their questions or help with problems. Wise leaders evaluate that pressure and take steps to ensure that it doesn’t overwhelm them. Parents and business leaders face similar situations. Jesus modeled for us how to evaluate pressures and prepare to deal with them.
As we exercise prudence and evaluate pressure, there is another action in this model for leaders.
Another ACTION is,
Eschew Popularity
I realize the word eschew isn’t one that we often use. It’s old English. It means to avoid something habitually, especially for moral or practical reasons. Another word would be shun. Why do leaders need to eschew popularity? What temptation often comes with popularity?
You may recall that in chapter one, Jesus healed a man with leprosy and specifically warned him not to tell anyone. In his exuberant joy, the man disobeyed Jesus’ command and began to publicly announce what Jesus had done for him. I’m sure his intentions were good, but they had negative consequences for Jesus. He could no longer openly enter the towns and preach the Gospel because the people thronged Him for physical healing.
In our text, not only did you have the crowds with physical ailments, but you had people who were tormented by demonic spirits. When the demonic spirits saw Jesus, they kept falling at His feet and crying out, “You are the Son of God, or You are the Messiah!” And He warned them repeatedly not to make Him known. Jesus didn’t want their testimony!
Do you think Jesus ever struggled with the temptation of pride? If He didn’t, then He wouldn’t be tempted in every way like we are. Since I accept the Bible as truth, I must also submit that Jesus, in His humanity, had to deal with pride. And pride is a very real temptation for leaders.
Whenever someone is given a position of authority and responsibility, there is always the temptation to become proud. As I said earlier, people seek them out for answers to their questions or help with problems. Because of their leadership roles, they are more visible; they’re “in the public eye,” we say. Leaders need to understand how subtle and pervasive this temptation is and find others to hold them accountable for how they’re doing.
Authority and responsibility must be joined with accountability. A common thread in the spiritual and moral failures of well-known leaders is the lack of accountability. They felt that their popularity and their position elevated them above the rules they had set for others. The testimony of Jesus was that He did only those things which pleased His Father. He was accountable to Him. As mere humans, we need other people to help us be accountable to God and the commands of His Word.
In the time of Jesus, uttering the words, “You are the Messiah,” was explosive. The time came when Jesus accepted that acclaim, but not now and not from demons. If Jesus had fallen to the temptation of pride, it would have destroyed His entire ministry. Thankfully, He was tempted in every way like we are – YET WITHOUT SIN!
As we exercise prudence, evaluate pressure, and eschew popularity, there is a final action in this model for leaders.
A Final ACTION is,
Execute Preparation
Wise leaders prepare for the future. That’s what Jesus did in choosing His twelve disciples. He knew His time on earth was limited, so He prepared based on that reality. Every one of us has limited time to be here, and Jesus models for us how to prepare for the future.
Jesus withdrew from the seaside and went up into a mountain. Luke adds that He went there to pray. That is certainly an important part of the preparation, perhaps the most important part.
Evidently, Jesus took a select group with Him to the mountain. The original text emphasizes that “He Himself selected” this subgroup and they went off with Him into the mountain. Out of that select group, gathered from the large crowd, He chose the Twelve. There were no self-appointed “volunteers” in Jesus’ inner circle. The Twelve were specifically called by Him.
These twelve were appointed “that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons…”
Those details are important. They were not ready to be sent forth until after they had been with Him for a significant period of time. In this case, approximately three years. There was a lot that Jesus needed to train into these men and a lot He needed to train out of them. The same is true for us today. There are new things for us to learn and old things for us to unlearn as disciples of Jesus. Before anyone can become an effective leader, they need to learn how to follow well.
I suppose it would be profitable to spend some time looking at the names and personalities of the Twelve. But I don’t plan to do that other than mention that Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ betrayer, was the only one of the Twelve not from the region of Galilee. The important thing is that Jesus modeled for us as leaders how to execute preparations for the future.
Let’s recap Jesus’ actions that provide a model for us to follow. First, He exercised prudence. He evaluated the situation and took appropriate action. When you face conflict, do you exercise prudence in your responses? Do you step away to avoid a rash response?
How well do you evaluate pressure? What are the stress points in your life? Do you have contingency plans like Jesus did? Do you shun popularity, knowing that it contains great temptations to become proud? Jesus warned His followers, “Beware when all people speak well of you.” It is a warning we should take seriously.
And finally, what preparations are you making for the future? Are you willing to face your mortality? Are you willing to train and equip others to carry on the work you have begun?
If you and I are willing to take these actions that Jesus modeled for us and integrate them into our lives, I believe we can bring Him glory now and into the future through the lives of those we disciple. Will you join me in pursuit of that goal?