While at the gym this morning, attempting to lose weight and shape what I have been given by God back into something that resembles a human body (a common personal thread here on this blog), the following lyrics streamed from my playlist and coursed through my ear canals,

“Show me a leader that won’t compromise

Show me a leader so hope never dies

Show me a leader that knows what is right

Show me a leader so hope can survive.”

The band is Alter Bridge. The song is titled, “Show Me A Leader.”

Written and released during the 2016 Presidential election, the song comes with politically charged words from musicians writing from inside a politically divided nation.  To those watching the debates, tweets, smear campaigns, and verbal attacks of the candidates and their respective representative political parties, all hope seemed to be lost for a truthful, just, and upright leader.

What the boys in Alter Bridge are asking to see is impossible to find when looking only at finite men and women.

Every man and woman is brought into this world corrupted by sin and separated from God.  When these men and women are put into positions of leadership, they will only do what comes naturally.  They will act selfishly.  They will put themselves and their personal needs above others. They will lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead in the race.  They will hide, deceive, and bend the truth to accomplish their agendas.

When looking at candidates from the human race,

you will not see a leader who won’t compromise,

you will not see a leader with whom hope never dies,

you will not see a leader who knows (and does) what’s right,

you will not see a leader with whom hope survives.

However, when you look at the Godman, Jesus Christ, you see the perfect leader sent to take you back to your Father in Heaven by forgiving your sins and giving you eternal life.

Jesus came proclaiming, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1.15).  Jesus also offered leadership to those who heard and believed the good news of God’s grace when he spoke the words, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4.19).

While Jesus was alive and active in the flesh of His human body, He trained the men and women who answered the call to be led by Him, with words and deeds of mercy and then commanded them to follow His example as they lived their individual and corporate lives (John 13.1-20).

In the person and work of Jesus Christ, God has given you a truthful, just, and upright Savior.

Jesus is the leader that won’t compromise and who knows (and does) what’s right.  When offered the riches, power and status of the world, in exchange for denying God the Father’s goodness, Jesus spoke the truth of God’s provision for all of His needs  (Matthew 4.1-11)

Jesus is the leader with whom hope never dies and with whom hope can survive. The hope that you have in Jesus as a leader comes from the fact that He is unchangeable.  You are reminded by the author of Hebrews that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13.8).  You will not wake up tomorrow or the day after that to find that Jesus has lied to you, given you false hope, or harmed you.  Because of God’s love for you, you can live confidently knowing that Jesus is leading you every day to His cross for forgiveness and out of the grave for eternal life.

God has shown you the leader that won’t compromise.

God has shown you the leader with whom hope never dies.

God has shown you the leader who knows (and does) what’s right.

God has shown you the leader with whom hope can survive.

Today, follow Jesus (Matthew 16.24-25).

Today, perform acts of grace and mercy out of the love with which you have first been loved (1 John 4.19).

Today, lead others to the cross as you have been led to the cross for the forgiveness of sins.

Today, lead others out of the grave as you have been led out of the grave into eternal life.

Amen.

Pastor Fred

July 5, 2017