The Model Leader, Part 5

As we lead into our communion time this morning, I don't have a lot of time, but that's okay. I don't need a lot of time. I just need enough time, right? Because everything is a divine appointed time anyway, right? There's always enough time to do the will of the Father. And so, you know, I just want to be able to share with you some things about the Apostle Paul. As we move in from the model leader to the model follower, there was something about Paul's life that was extraordinary. Not because he was an extraordinary man, but because there was a certain zealousness about his life.

When you read about the Apostle Paul, he was consumed with zeal. He was consumed with passion. He was consumed with purpose. But Paul was never in a search for identity. He was never in a search for meaning. He's not like Solomon. Solomon went on this journey under the sun to find some kind of significance in life, some kind of meaning in life under the sun. Paul was too busy living beyond the sun to live below the sun, right? Because he was so consumed with Christ that there was a zealousness about his leadership that marked him as unique.

I love what he says in the book of Titus when he says these words, verse 14, that Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds. If you've been redeemed, you are excited, enthusiastic, inspired, motivated, instigated to live for Christ. It moves you like nothing else. And that's the way Paul was. That's why he says in Romans chapter 12, if you're going to lead, lead with zealousness. And then he goes on to say that you can't be lagging behind in your diligence, but you must be fervent in spirit in your ministry to one another.

There's a fervency about his life. And as Christians, that should mark us out from the world. There's a certain excitement about our lives that supersedes situations and circumstances and people because we want to live for the Lord. So in the brief moment that we have, that leads into our communion time this morning, let me help you understand what was behind the zeal of the apostle Paul.

And ask yourself, why is it I am not zealous for the Lord? Why is it I'm not fervent for the Lord? Why is it I am kind of ho-hum about the Lord? I don't think I've ever been ho-hum about things concerning the Lord. Maybe I was one time when I was 15 or 16, but I can't remember being a ho-hum about the Lord. There's always been something about the Spirit of God who is within you that motivates you to live for Christ. And I would hope that that's you today, that there's a zealousness about your life.

It all began with his conversion. If you go back to Acts chapter 9, the Bible tells us these words as the Lord talks to Ananias. He says, the Lord said to him, you go for Paul is a chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel, for I will show him how much he must suffer from my name's sake. It all began with his conversion. He was a chosen instrument of God's. Now, if that doesn't get you excited about serving the Lord, then there's a problem. He was a chosen instrument.

He was specifically chosen by God. That's why in 1 Timothy chapter 1, verse number 4, he told those in Thessalonica that they were beloved to the Lord, knowing God's choice of them. They were chosen. And that's why Peter says in 1 Peter 2, 9, that we are a chosen people, a chosen possession. We are his possession. We are owned by God. At the moment of your conversion, Christ buys you back from the slave market of sin. He buys you back for his own purposes, because you now are a chosen instrument of his.

Paul began to realize that more and more. And so what happened? And when he writes Ephesians chapter 1, he says, look, you were chosen before the foundation of the world. Listen, get excited about his calling and choosing of you, because this was done in eternity past. Past. And now you are a chosen instrument of his to bear his name. So not only his conversion, but his commission. He was chosen to bear the name of Christ, to carry the name of Christ. That's whose name we bear. That's whose name we carry.

I know you have a name, a first and a last. Sometimes you have a middle name, but that's not the name you bear. If you're a Christian, you bear the name of Christ. The name that saves. Jesus. That's what you're going to call his name, for he will save his people from their sins. You're going to bear the name of Jesus because he is a saving God. You're going to bear the name of Jesus because he's El Shaddai. He's El Gabor. He's the mighty God. He's the almighty one. You're going to bear the powerful name of God.

You're going to bear the name that provides, Yahweh Yireh, the God, my provider. And therefore you're bearing that name, the name that is above all names, that one day at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow for there's no other name in heaven, given among men whereby you must be saved. Paul knew the name. Knew the name. And Christ said, unless you believe that I am, John 8, 24, unless you believe in my memorial name from Exodus chapter 3, that I'm the saving God, you will die in your sins. Paul knew that.

So at his conversion, he recognized that he was a chosen instrument of God. He recognized that he was commissioned by God to bear his name. But the third thing that Paul was engaged in, and that's this, contemplation.

After he was converted, Galatians chapter 1 tells us he spent three years in Arabia, doing what? Contemplating upon God, learning, meditating, studying everything he could about the Old Testament. Because he wanted to know his God. And the more he knew him, the more zealous he became for him. So there was this contemplation upon God that consumed him. That's why God told Joshua in Joshua chapter 1, be strong and courageous. Well, how are you going to do that? By meditating on the law of God day and night.

Joshua wasn't a priest. Joshua wasn't a prophet. Joshua wasn't a pastor. Joshua was a commander. He was the leader of Israel, right? Yet he was to meditate day and night on the law of God. Then God says, I will make your way prosperous.

I will make your way successful. But you need to contemplate me. Think only upon me. Because when you know me, then you can function for me. That's what made Paul so zealous. His conversion, his commission, his contemplation. Number four, his comprehension of God. That's why he cried, oh, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. Because he contemplated upon God, he knew his God. He comprehended his God. Did he know everything? No. That's why in 2 Timothy 4, sitting in that prison, he asked for the books and the parchments to be brought by Timothy because he wanted to know more and more about his God.

He was consumed with knowing God. That's why Daniel says in Daniel 11, verse number 32, those who know their God, right, shall do great exploits for their God. Those who know him would do great things for him. And that's why Paul was so consumed with zeal. His conversion, his commission, his contemplation, and his comprehension of God. Next was his conviction about God. He just became more and more convicted about God. So he would say, I know in whom I believe. And then persuaded that he is able to keep that, which I've committed unto him until that day, 2 Timothy 1, verse number 12.

There was deep conviction about the apostle Paul. For to me to live is Christ to die is gain. I'm living for Christ. That was his conviction. He says, I know that all things work together for good. I don't think they work together for good. I don't wonder if they work together for good. I don't hope they're going to work together for good. I know that all things work together for good to those who love God and call according to his purpose. He knew that. He was a man of conviction. Why? Because he was a man of comprehension.

Why? Because he was a man of contemplation. Why? Because he was a man of commission. Why? Because he was a man who was converted by God. See that? That's why he was such a man of zeal. So excited. I love this one. He was a man of contention. He would fight for his God. Second Timothy 4, I have fought the good fight.

First Timothy 6, he told Timothy, Timothy, listen, flee. Flee the love of money. Follow the spiritual virtues and fight for the faith. He was a fighter. A man of zeal is a contender for the gospel. I love what Charles Mackey said, he says, you have no enemies, you say? Alas, my friend, the boast is poor. He was mingled in the fray of duty that the brave endurer must have made foes. If you have none, small is the work that you have done. You've hit no traitor on the hip. You've dashed no cup from perjured lip.

You've never turned the wrong to right. You've been a coward in the fight. I just love that. You have no enemies. You better have enemies. Paul had enemies. Christ had enemies, right? You live for Christ. You got enemies because they want to come against your Christ. If you have enemies, it's because you're a man of conviction, right? A man of conviction is a man of contention, not because he wants to be contentious, but simply because he's going to defend and protect the faith of Christ. And lastly, he was a man of celebration, man of celebration.

Philippians 4, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. He said that while in prison, writing to people in Philippi who were going through difficulty. He told those in Thessalonica, 1 Thessalonians 5, 16, rejoice always. Philippians 3, 1, rejoice in the Lord always. Notice this.

Listen carefully. Rejoicing is not an emotion. You think it is. I'm not going to rejoice. I don't feel like rejoicing. Rejoicing in the Lord is a command to be obeyed. It's not a feeling that I have in my life. It's a command. It's like forgiveness. You don't forgive because you feel like forgiving someone. You forgive because it's a command given to you by God, and you obey the command. Paul says, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Why? It's a command. He doesn't say, if you feel like rejoicing in the Lord, go ahead.

Rejoice. Give praise to his name. Be joyous. No. He says, this is what you do. You rejoice in the Lord. Why? Because you're in the Lord, and the Lord is in you. Christ in you, the hope of glory. See, get this way. Paul was zealous because without Christ, he was incomplete. With Christ, he was completely complete. Right? Christ in you, the hope of glory. We are complete in him. Those outside of Christ have incomplete lives. Those who are Christians, because Christ lives in them, they are complete people because Christ fills their soul, which allows them to rejoice.

By the way, he would say, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. And then he says, the Lord is near. The Lord is at hand. That could refer to his presence. Because He's always there, you can rejoice. Or by the fact that He's coming back. To be translated, the Lord is next. He's coming again. That's why when you partake at the Lord's table, He says, as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do proclaim the Lord's death until He comes, because He's coming again. Let's pray.

Father, we thank You, Lord, for the opportunity You give us to partake at the Lord's table, realizing, Lord, that we are here today because You have saved us from our sin. You did it, Lord. We didn't do it. You did. And we come to thank You for that. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.