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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. Reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

So take your Bible and turn to the book of Matthew chapter four. Matthew chapter four. I want to talk to you about some thoughts on leadership. Thoughts on leadership. Might be a little bit different than what you would expect, but it’s okay. Matthew in chapter four, looking verse 18. Verse 18 to verse 20 says, “‘And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren. Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, but they were fishers.

He said Mulcair to them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Those two words follow me. You ought to underline those two words because that’s what I want to talk to you about tonight. You see, everyone is programmed to follow. Everybody’s programmed to follow. We’re always following somebody, some hero, some singer, some golfer, some football player. We follow somebody, some preacher, some girl, some guy. Everybody follows somebody, something. So I don’t follow anything. Yes, you do.

There’s only two leaders in this world, two leaders. One is Jesus Christ, the other one is Satan. Everybody else are followers. So we’re either following the Lord or we’ll follow in the devil, but you are following. So we’re programmed to follow. Seek not to be a great leader. Seek to be a great follower. You never have to worry about being a leader if you just be a great follower. Find out who is a leader that you want to follow.

Is it the Lord? Is it the devil? If it’s the devil, then follow him. Do you think he’s your God? Let him be your God. But Joshua made the statement, if God is God, then I’m going to serve a Lord as for me in my house. So you got to make a decision, and all of life is making a decision on who you’re following. You see, there is the truth that comes from Christ. There is the lies that comes from the devil.

And you are like a little baby feeding upon the breast of your mother. You’re either going to drink in the truth or you’re going to drink in the lie. What everyone you drink from is what’s going to take its toll upon you. So therefore you just need to make sure that you’re following the Lord. And you don’t have to worry about being a good leader. That takes care of itself. Because as you follow the Lord, you automatically become a leader.

If you follow Christ, you’ll automatically be a leader because then somebody else could follow you. As you follow Christ. So you want to be the best follower you can be and as you are becoming a good follower of the Lord, the Lord can be able to use you. And it’s neat when you understand it this way, because then you don’t have to try to manufacture some kind of a leadership ability. If you follow Him because you’re faithful and you’re loyal, everything else to take care of itself.

But I believe it’s important. People generally follow the person that meets their needs. Now take your Bible look in Matthew chapter 7. Matthew and chapter 7. And verse 28, down to verse 1 of chapter 8, just three verses. But I just want you to see something about Jesus Christ. You see, Jesus Christ says that everything that He came to do was to please His Father. So as he pleased the father, then he became a great leader by the fact that he was a great follower.

Even Jesus says, I did not come to do my own what? My own will. But the will of him that sent me. So he makes a statement in verse 28, and it came to pass when Jesus had ended these saints, the people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as describes. See the closer you follow the Lord and you get your message from the Lord and you obey the Lord the more power of authority you will have in your own life.

You’ve got to make up your mind who is it that you follow and remember that can change day by day believe it or not. You see yesterday you might have followed the Lord and did everything God wanted you to do. Does that mean you automatically are going to do that today or tomorrow? And you might have been in peace of mind because you did that which God wanted you to do today. And tomorrow it’s a battle that starts all over again.

Every day is a new day. So instead of dedicating your life to the Lord, just dedicate the day, the moment that you have. Now, look in chapter 8 verse 1, when he was come down from the mountains, great multitudes followed him. Those two words followed him. Did you know you and I cannot determine how many people follow us? You don’t know. Jan can be running the O’wanna program, but he can’t make all the kids that he wants come. Brad Pinnah can’t make all the kids that he want to come to Sunday school, he can’t make them come.

James can’t make everybody he wants to come to Reformers, you know, come. Peter cannot make all those teenagers that he would love to have come to ranch, show up. I got news for you, neither can I. I can’t make people come to Sunday night or Wednesday night or Sunday morning. Can I? You can’t make anybody do anything. The only one that I can really control is who? Yourself. You can only control you. Yee-yee your members as instruments of righteousness.

This body that we have, as a living sacrifice holy unto us, God wants you to do what you can do. You see, you can’t make anybody else do anything. But if you will follow the Lord It’s amazing how God may want to use you To have other people follow the Lord because of you and they’ll follow you And you never know how many people’s going to do it. I Never in Colorado I had all these ranch medians and so forth going on and had a lot of kids coming out But I never spoke on discipleship.

I Never don’t know think about discipleship I just always had them do it without using the word. We did it, but we didn’t use the word. I said, if you just listen to me and do what I tell you to do, only because you want to do it. But if you’ll do it, this is what will happen. Kids, 14, 15 years old, they did it. And they built a tremendous youth ministry. Peanut, junior high kids. And then the next year, see those junior high kids, and they became senior high kids.

And you can’t get some of those senior high kids to do what you wanted to do. Junior high kids, they’re crazy. They do anything. They’re bold. They don’t have the fear like older kids do. If you can get them on the right track, it’s wonderful. Difficult to do them. Take your Bible, look in the book of Matthew, chapter 9. Matthew and chapter 9. And you’ll notice here in verse 35 and verse 36, something about leadership. And verse 35 and Jesus went about all the cities and the people of the church.

villages teaching in their synagogues and preaching, teaching and preaching. He went alone. See, he didn’t have anybody when he first started. He did what he did alone. Sometimes we think, well, I’d serve a Lord and I could be a great person someday if everybody followed me. Or a guy saying, you know, I’d build a great church if I had a lot of great workers. Well, you might have to build them. Sometimes you have to start where you are with what you have.

And see, the idea is not to build a great church. It’s not to build a great ministry. You just want to build great people. And then whatever they produce, that would be wonderful. So you see, you take people and use the ministry that you have to build them. The only reason you want certain things is so that you can help people to become strong. And the more people get involved doing something, it builds them. It builds them. And so I praise the Lord for that.

But look in verse 35, he says, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. One is, he saw their need, what he could do and he healed them. But in verse 36, when he saw the multitude, he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd, there was no leader. You see, nobody knew who to follow. So Jesus told his disciples, follow me, because if he can get his disciples to follow him, he can get others to follow the disciples.

When Christ left this earth, He had His disciples, and He told them to follow Him. And He told them what He wanted to do. And so they listened, they followed, and lo and behold, they turned the world upside down. You’ll see, you don’t have to look back to see who’s following. You just keep looking forward to the one that you’re following. You don’t see who’s following you. You just see who you’re following. Are you still following the Lord? Or have you gotten discouraged and down in despair?

And you’re looking at the devil now and listen to a bunch of lies. Or you still believe in the truth and the promises of God. Because see, year after year, the devil wants to wear on you and wear you down until he can destroy you. And you don’t want that to happen to you. I wrote a few things down that I thought would help.

Followers. Make leaders. No followers. No leaders. If I didn’t have anybody who followed me, then I wouldn’t be a leader. Why? Because there’s no followers. You see, you have to have some followers to be a leader. And so you want to follow the Lord, and if you’re a great follower, I’ve had some people that they just want to be the leader, but they’re a terrible follower. They hate being disciplined, told what to do, what not to do, and so therefore they just want to be the leader.

But you don’t know where they’re going to lead. They’re not the kind of an example that you want. But I find that over the years, the people that I say do this and they do it. Don’t do that and they don’t do it. Those are the kind of people you want to make leaders. see, others will follow. If they follow you well, they become good leaders only by the fact that they follow well. So if you want to be, and I hate to use the word, a great leader, you want to be a great follower.

Follow, follow. And I want you to do what Paul says, follow me as I follow Christ. If the person doesn’t follow Christ, then you don’t need to follow them. So that’s why you need to know the Word to see whether or not is he following the Lord, is he following, if he’s not following the Lord, I’m not following. And so you’re always discerning. Every day brings new surprises. Things you never thought about, can’t get done or didn’t think you could accomplish.

And lo and behold, the Lord is going to bring something in your way to help guide you, bring you alongside. But Lord knows what he’s doing. Look at Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12 and look at there in verse 13, 13. Then said he to the man, stretched forth thy hand, and he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and held a council against him how they might destroy him.

Why would you want to destroy somebody who could do something like that? I mean, what a doctor. I mean, somebody can do that. Hey, we need to get everybody over to hit this guy. Isn’t it a shame that these leaders weren’t good followers? See, they were in positions of leadership, but bad leaders, because they didn’t follow the Lord. They were not filled with compassion and mercy and kindness and goodness. They weren’t gracious. They were jealous and envious and feel with bitterness.

Then it says there in verse 14, then the Pharisees went out, held a council against them, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence and great multitudes, and here’s two words you ought to unwind them in your Bible. They followed him, multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. You see, they followed him because they had a need, and Jesus could meet that need. That’s really all leaders do. I said one time, a leader is nothing but somebody who gathers all the information from all the followers and organize it, and then does that.

And it becomes a path of righteousness. So you learn from the people that you’re trying to help. See, what is their need? How can I help? Teenagers have a need. How can you help? There’s people that have a need. How can I help? People in Sunday school, they have a need. How can I help? People that come to church, they have a need. How can I help? And you’ll find out that people will come to those they believe can help them meet their need.

We’re needy people. We’re needy people. And so, he says here in verse 15, great multitudes followed him and he healed almost all of them. He healed them all. So whatever anyone of them needed, when it comes to serving the Lord, You and I are supposed to try to help every individual that we possibly can. Some people you can’t, but try to help those that you can. It’s the will of God. So, next statement, look at Matthew 19. Matthew chapter 19.

Matthew 19 and look in verse 1. Verse 1, not everybody who followed the Lord wasn’t loved with Him. Everybody who thought of the Lord wasn’t because they loved God, the Father. Some of them followed because of what they could get. And when they no longer wanted what they could get, they stopped following. Let me mention this. myself, I come here to Calvary Community Church. There’s so many people that were here when I came.

Not everyone will want what I have to offer. We’ve had some people come and we’ve had some people go. I cannot and do not meet the needs of everybody. I wished I had the miracle one that I could just wave it and meet everybody’s need, but I cannot meet everybody’s need. Some people need a shot in the arm. Some people just want it nice and quiet, and I may not meet that need. Sometimes I like to shake things, and some people don’t like to be shaking at all.

So not everybody is the same way. I shake people up a little bit because I want to wake them up and I want them to be busy for the Lord. I want you to accomplish something. I’m not interested in just church being packed, but nobody doing anything. I’d rather have a lean, mean machine where I have fewer people doing more for the Lord than a lot of people who don’t do as much for the Lord. And so, A, there’s a thing that you have to weigh in the balance.

Right now, you that are here, are you doing more for the Lord right now than you were before I came? Or are you doing less? That’s something you have to decide. But not everybody is the best leader. God uses different people with different abilities and talents. methods, motives, mannerisms, whatever it is God has given to you, you cannot affect everybody the right way. You cannot get everybody to follow the Lord because of the way you are. There’s some people who are going to love the way you are and think there’s nobody like you.

But there’s other people, and I hate to say this, there are people that don’t like you. There are people who do not like you. Now, I don’t know who they are. But you see, God says, be careful when the world speaks kindly of you. Not everybody’s going to love you. If they hated Him, they’ll hate you. They persecuted Him, they’ll persecute you. everybody is on the same page. Not everybody loves the same thing. Not everyone is following the Lord perfectly.

Sometimes we make mistakes and we fail. And some people will hold that against you for the rest of your life and never forgive you. So you have to go through that. Why? But my biggest goal is not to be the greatest leader in the world. I just want to be a good follower of Jesus Christ because that’s the only thing I can really determine. I can’t make people follow me. I can’t make people yield to my authority and rule.

I can’t make anything happen. you see, God’s work is done only by love. And if it’s not done by love, it is of no purpose. It avails nothing. It’s just a lot of sounding brass and tinkling thimble, compasses zero. So you and I have a responsibility to study the word of God and do what God wants us to do. See there in verse one of chapter 19, came to pass that when Jesus had finished these saints, departed from Galilee, came into the coast of Judea beyond Jordan and great multitudes, followed him and he healed them there, but they followed him.

But did they always follow him? No. So there were times when Jesus had a big crowd. There might be times I could say, hey there’s been times in my life when I’ve had a big church. I could say there’d been times when I had a lot of youth ministries. There’s been time when I have, see, you didn’t determine those people to follow you. That was their decision. It’s not that you’re doing something wrong. It’s just because nobody comes to here you speak.

Peter can’t make those kids come to ranch. James can’t make people come to reformers unanimous, all we can do is provide an opportunity to help meet the needs of those that believe we can help them. And not everybody believes that you can. Or some people don’t even know you exist. So we’re always working, letting people know, hey, I’m here to help you. Not everybody believes that I can help them. Many believe in any churches, just they’re all the same.

All the priests, well, but they’re all the same. And so, and they’re might, you’re not different, you’re not unique. Do you realize how clear on the gospel you are here at Calvary Community Church? But if you get mad at me about anything, you realize how fast you can go to another church, it’s not clear and it’s okay? And it won’t matter because was the gospel the most important thing in your life? Or you just didn’t like the way the preacher parted his hair?

I came and parted. Take your Bible and look in the book of John chapter 6. The book of John chapter 6. John chapter 6 and verse 66, look what he says in verse 66, from that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Now, if this happens to the one that we’re following, and for a time when he performed the miracles, they flocked out to hear him, walked on the water, fed the 5,000, All these wonderful things, but he taught something that offended them.

And because they got offended, they forsook him. Now if this happens to him, can it happen to you and I? Look at what she says. And they walked no more with him. Didn’t they change your mind later and come back? No, they walked no more. No more. He never got them back. And you know why? He says they’re in verse 60. Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, they said, this is a hard saying, who can hear it?

When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, does this offend you? Are you trying to tell me that Jesus said something that offended them and they didn’t want no more to do with him? Did you know there’s always that possibility? The preacher’s not perfect, but there’s times when I might offend you. I will promise you this, I will never try to purposely humanly speak it, try to offend you. I don’t do that.

That doesn’t mean that I won’t. Because I’m not always in control of myself. Sometimes I get riled up. Sometimes I get angry and mad. Sometimes I like to call it just plain old right to signify. And you can accept that, right? No, but we’re dealing with people. We’re dealing with people. Mark chapter 6, go to Mark chapter 6. The book of Mark chapter 6. And look in verse 5 and 6. Mark chapter 6, verse 5 and 6. He says, and he could there do no mighty work.

Saved that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and heal them. And he marveled because of their, and you ought to underline that word, he marveled because of their what, their unbelief. They could not believe what he said or the reason why he did what he did. And they could not believe that he did it by the power of God. they said, well, it’s by the power of the elves above. And yet look who he was. Even God Himself can’t please some people.

Do you understand what I’m saying? God can’t please everybody. Jesus Christ, when He came into this world, Mr. Perfection, that knows no sin can do no wrong with no wrong motive. Couldn’t please everybody he talked to. So you and I are not going to please everybody. Are you ready to learn how to live your life as a strong Christian, lead others to Christ, or excel as a church worker or ministry leader, then look no further, then Florida Bible College of Tampa.

With traditional and online classes taught by instructors with years of experience, Florida Bible College of Tampa can help you grow in your Christian life. Whether taking individual classes or working toward a one-year degree, Florida Bible College of Tampa is here for you. To learn more, visit online at floridabiblecollege.us or call the Registrar Bob Gilbert at 8502275325. That’s 8502275325. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634.

And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Hot up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon, you just keep looking up.