Introduction

The last few decades have seen an exponential increase in teaching about leadership in the church, with seminars and sermons on laws of leadership, principles of leadership, stages of leaderships, levels of leaderships, servant leadership and so on. The language of vision, growth and success is prominent, yet our general spiritual state seems to consistently decline.

My experience is that leadership has caused most of the problems in the contemporary Western Church. Everywhere I go I meet folk who have been hurt, abused, misled and betrayed by their leaders. This has led to conditions as serious as burn out, heart attacks, PTSD, fear of associating with any organised Christian group and so on. Personally, I simply brush off those well meaning but naive folk that try to speak to me about my “leadership”. Nevertheless, this topic that must be confronted in a series on the blessings of God because the life of Jesus confronts us with it unavoidably.

Going back to the feeding of the 5,000, the first thing we hear about Jesus is that, “When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” His compassion is at the deep heart of his ministry, and the expression “like sheep without a shepherd” is a repeated Old Testament refrain for times when the people of God suffered grievously through a lack of godly leaders (Num 27:17; 1 Ki 22:17; 2 Chron 18:16; Ezek 34:5; Zech 10:12. Cf. Matt 9:36).

The solution to this ever recurring problem is contained in the words spoken by the people of Israel to David at his anointing, ““Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’”” (2 Sam 5:2). The ultimate leader that God always sought for his people was someone who would unite in themselves the role of shepherd and king[1], the one true Shepherd-King is Jesus. Ruling without pastoral care degenerates into abuse; pastoral care without leadership cultivates passivity. These are the crises of our time that can only be healed by a restoration in our midst of the radical distinguishing features of Jesus own leadership.

The Hiddenness of Leadership

As you approach the very unspectacular surrounds of the baptism site of Jesus you are confronted by a new mural of John the Baptist baptising Jesus. What drew the focus of my attention was a small detail that could easily be overlooked; John has a staff in his hand with a cross at the end. As I observed this I sensed that this prophetically signifies symmetry between the baptism of Jesus and his death in the realm of the hidden nature of the kingdom of God[2]. Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field (Matt 13:44) and often remarked that the things of the kingdom were hidden from those filled with worldly wisdom (Matt 11:25; Luke 18:34; 19:42). If the kingdom of the God is his divine rule, and the Father rules by the action of his Word and Spirit[3], it follows that the place where these are most intensely concentrated is hidden from normal human understanding. This particularly connects the baptism and death of Jesus.

The passages to do with Christ’s baptism indicate that the crowds did not see the descent of the Spirit on Jesus or heard the audible voice of the Father. Whilst this is Jesus messianic anointing as king with power to lead his people out of slavery and into the land of promise (Acts 10:38), there is a hiddenness to his kingship that will persist throughout his entire ministry. Until the resurrection, not even Christ’s closest disciples, and especially Peter, could accept that their leader needed to be crucified[4]. This is the true Messianic Secret and the key to all godly leadership.

Even though the reader of the Gospels knows that Jesus was sent to die at the command of his Father (John 12:27-32), to those witnessing his crucifixion he appears to be a man forsaken by God[5] and devoid of the blessings of the Spirit. The truth hidden from public gaze is that Jesus was never closer to the Father and more filled with his Spirit than in the most loving of all actions of God in humanity, the sacrifice of the cross. “Christ…through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God” (Heb 9:14), “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph 5:2).

The mystery of the cross is contained in the depths of the Good Shepherd’s identification with lost humanity. As they are devoid of the indwelling Spirit, ignorant of the intimate depths of Fatherhood and unaware of the depths of the divine love for them, this too must become his condition. As the bearer of the divine wrath Jesus must be struck by the sword of God so as to lose all conscious awareness of the LORD as his own Shepherd (Zech 13:7; Matt 26:31; Ps 23:1). This act of ultimate compassion is the key to all of Jesus kingdom leadership. We need to look past the immediate attraction of powerful words and wonders into the compassionate heart of God who unites himself to the suffering of lost sheep; this is the place, hidden deep inside the life of God, where the fullness of the Word proceeds in the power of the Spirit to bring pleasure to the Father. This is the sort of authentic kingdom leadership the Lord is raising up today.

In this series I have spoken several times of the Coptic orthodox priest Father Saaman, of the Christ-like teaching, miracles, deliverances and the crowds that attend his ministry in Garbage City, Cairo. When a godly pastor heard me talking of Saaman he asked, “What is the key to his ministry?” I replied, “Identification, he lives with the people, this is what brings to them the blessings of the presence of the Father.”

Whilst “hiddenness” is an essential element of kingdom leadership, there is yet a deeper level of insight into its unique character. All kingdom leaders are future men who see the coming of the kingdom of God with power and exhort their hearers to “cross over” from one order of reality to another. Whilst the kingdom of God impacts all levels of life on earth it is essentially a heavenly and future reality – in other words, kingdom leadership is essentially eschatological[6]. It draws its character from the presence of God’s eternal kingdom

Kingdom Leadership Is Essentially Eschatological

The key to understanding Jesus’ leadership is not that he is God living in our present time[7] but that he is the ultimate future man who transitions humanity into a new creation through death and resurrection. In calling others to follow as disciples by taking up their cross and following him (Matt 16:24-25), Jesus is calling men and women into a new authority, the authority of the coming kingdom of God. Just as Jesus himself entered into the joy of resurrection life through faith (Heb 12:2), so disciples by faith see into the glory of God, into those blessings prepared for us by the Father from eternity and for eternity (Matt 25:34).

In his discussion with Nicodemus, Jesus made a strong distinction between the earth born and the Spirit born, only those born “from above”[8] can see beyond the here and now into the kingdom of God (John 3:1-15). Those seeking “treasures on earth” and whose hearts are earth bound (Matt 6:19-21) cannot have “the eyes of their hearts enlightened” to see the riches of a glorious eternal inheritance (Eph 1:18). It is this seeing into the heavenly realms which gives the disciples of Christ their present spiritual authority over earthly realms. All kingdom leaders are prophetic men and women of an essentially future orientation, not just in terms of time but also in terms of moral life. They are holy men and women because they are praying to God in the terms Jesus taught them, ““Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt 6:9-10). Heaven born leaders see the future community of God and lead the church in the direction of this future[9].

When these leaders read the blessings of the Sermon on the Mount they do not see something impractical they see inner beauty, for the goal (telos) of the beatitudes is open to their sight. What they see is not an abstract set of attributes/experiences/sensations but an ordered life, the life of Jesus himself in community with the saints of God.

Kingdom leaders “see” into heaven, they see heaven over the earth not as some mystical experience but in order to see the powers of heaven rule[10]. This is what it means to have an “open heaven”. Those blessed of God- Abraham, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, the righteous sheep of Matthew 25 see into heaven, and what they see laid up is the fulfilment of all of God’s words and wisdom in the fruition of its blessedness[11]. This is to see all that Jesus promised his disciples: comfort, inheritance, satisfaction, mercy, sonship, the vision of God himself (Matt 5:2-10). In seeing such things these “Men of the Future” speak, minister and live in the unity of the heavenly Spirit and Word so that the kingdom of God comes on earth as it is in heaven. Such things can sound terrific, but why are they so rare? The answer is necessarily found in the scandal of the cross, but, intriguingly, the person who helps us understand this most clearly is Peter.

A Broken Rock

Peter is the most controversial person in the history of global Christianity. By the shores of the Sea of Galilee is “The Church of the Primacy of Peter”, this is the reputed site where the resurrected Jesus restored Peter and gave him the commission, ““Feed my sheep.”” (John 21:17). For Roman Catholics, this constitutes the time when Peter was elevated to first place in authority over the worldwide church. The crucial biblical episode to do with Peter’s ministry occurred earlier, in the pagan territory of Caesarea Philippi 40 kilometres north of Lake Galilee. We highlighted this place on our trip as one of the most important blessing venues in Israel. Here is the key text in Matthew.

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.” (Matt 16:13-20)[12]

Jesus pointed question to Peter, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” is a means of reaching into Peter’s heart so that he may confess, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16). When Jesus replies to the apostle, “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you” he emphasises that the testimony of mortal humanity cannot bear witness to the things of the kingdom of God. Put simply, flesh and blood as such – Jewish, Aboriginal, European, Arabic, American, has no revelatory value. As Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63). If Peter, or any of us, have a profound insight about Jesus, the rest of the story teaches us that “no flesh might boast in the presence of God” (1 Cor 1:29).

In praying at Caesarea Philippi I sensed a central factor in Jesus travelling into this unfamiliar territory was that he was conscious of his coming death[13] and was seeking the blessing of the Father on his chosen successor. Peter’s bold testimony is a clear witness from God that he will be the anointed leader of the apostolic band. This is what draws out of Jesus the famous words, ““Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”” (16:17-19) Whether Peter understood it or not, the Spirit had spoken through him; recognising Jesus as Messiah and Son of God meant agreement between this man on earth and the Father in heaven[14]. The kingdom of heaven had come to Peter.

Jesus next words, ““you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church””, have divided the church for centuries. There are at least three major interpretations of their meaning. Roman Catholics insist that Peter is the rock upon which Christ will build his church; as such he is the first pope. Many Protestants say Peter’s confession of Jesus as Messiah and Son of God is the foundation for the church. Some charismatic Christians teach that the rock is the Holy Spirit’s revelation/inspiration of Jesus identity to Peter.

Prophetically, this is what I sensed whilst we were at Caesarea Philippi. The topography of the region is unusual and dramatic; it is dominated by Mount Hermon which receives snow for much of the year. This melts and seeps into channels and pores feeding springs at the base of the mountain that flow out of solid rock that merge and become the Jordan River. In Jesus calling Peter a rock my mind was taken to Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians, “(Israel) drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ” (10:4). This was the rock that when struck and cleaved by Moses’ staff poured forth from water to save the people (Ex 17:6; Num 20:11; Deut 8:15; Neh 9:15; Pss 78:16, 20; 105:41; Isa 48:21). Prophetically, the rock was a sign of the pierced body of Jesus from which water flowed (John 19:34). First and foremost, Jesus is the rock that must be cleaved that the water of life/Holy Spirit might flow.

Jesus senses in Peter’s inspired words about his identity the testimony of the Spirit that Peter is the chosen successor who will be the broken rock through whom the impartation of the Spirit of the kingdom of God shall come. The proudly confident apostle, the once great confessor of Jesus’ identity, is totally shattered when after denying Jesus three times, “the Lord turned and looked at Peter...and he went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61-62). As a broken rock, the Spirit could now pour through him. This is exactly what happened at Pentecost – through Peter’s words proclaiming Jesus as “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36) the Spirit came with power on thousands. Such a unity of Word and Spirit paralleled the event of Jesus baptism and hinged on the one central factor about kingdom leadership, it is broken leadership. If there is to be a relational and functional unity across the body of Christ between Catholics, Protestants and Charismatics, it can only be a unity between broken men and women.

Irresistible Presence

This is also the key to Jesus further proclamation, ““the gates of hades [the realm of the dead] shall not prevail against it.”” (Matt 16:18). There are various interpretations of “the gates of hades/death [15]”. Some commentators connect it to the idol worship that dominated the area from the time of Jeroboam’s worship of the golden calves at nearby Dan through to the Pan worship of Jesus day. Others link it to the myth that Baal would emerge from the underworld through a cave at the base of Mt Hermon. These all have plausibility but lack connection with the life of Jesus and Peter himself.

The realm of death was conquered once and for all by Jesus through death and resurrection. At the beginning of the Book of Revelation he says, ““Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”” (Rev 1:17-18). Death, particularly death through persecution, will not prevail against the church because instead of being a cause of dishonour it has become the point of entry into the blessed realm of the Father[16]. This explains why the climax of the beatitudes is, ““Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matt 5:10-12).

Peter, who feared death and lied about his knowledge of the Lord, is totally transformed by his own experience of being restored by Christ to a place of leadership amongst the disciples[17]. Shame no longer has power over him, so when later the rulers of the Jews “beat them (he and John) and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 … they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” (Acts 5:40-42). Suffering with Jesus had become a vehicle of heavenly blessing.

Conclusion

This brings to my summation point of kingdom leadership, Jesus promised Peter,““I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”” (Matt 16:19)

Following in the way of Christ, the keys of the kingdom are given only to men and women who have died to an old order of existence. In the memorable words of Leonard Ravenhill, “the man who has died to self… has no ambitions – and so has nothing to be jealous about. He has no reputation – and so has nothing to fight about. He has no possessions – and therefore nothing to worry about. He has no “rights” – so therefore he cannot suffer any wrongs. He is already broken – so no one can break him. He is already “dead” – so no one can kill him. He is less than the least – so who could humble him? He has suffered the loss of all things – so none could defraud him.”[18]

When the Lord kills us in this way he does so in order to bring us alive again into a new order of existence with which we become intimately familiar. He gives us manifest authority to usher people into God’s kingdom, or to exclude them, on the basis insight into their confession of Christ. This is the sphere of Christian leadership that will “prepare the saints for the work of ministry” (Eph 4:12) on a truly kingdom scale, for our work is not limited to the church but is extended to preparing all the nations for the Final Judgement (Matt 25:31-46). This is the sort of leadership that grows obedience to the Great Commission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19). It is the only sort of leadership that can ever give adequate glory to our crucified and resurrected King.