Followership Lame Leadership Awards

Numbers 12 - 24

The book of Numbers offers several “lame leadership” illustrations. It’s important as followers that we “learn” from the mistakes of others! Consider just a few acts of indiscretion, foolishness, lack of judgement, poor choices, and just plain old sin.

1. Korah (Num. 16) Korah recruited two buddies and 250 henchmen to stage an insurrection against Moses. Results? The earth swallowed them up!

2. The Prophet Balaam (Num. 22-24) King Balak paid Balaam to put a curse on Israel. God interceded, even to the point of giving Balaam’s donkey a human voice to reason with him. Result? God rebuked Balaam.

3. Balak (Num. 22-24) King Balak thought he could buy his way into success. He paid Balaam to curse God’s people, hoping his plan could override God’s sovereignty. Result? It didn’t.

4. Miriam and Aaron (Num. 12) Moses’ own sister and brother decided they wanted a bigger piece of the power. Result? Miriam got a case leprosy, and both got a bigger piece of humble pie.

5. The ten fearful spies (Num. 13, 14) These men led their clans. They had witnessed God’s provision. Yet they turned chicken at the edge of the Promised land. Result? They destroyed the faith of the people.

6. Moses (Num. 20) Even Moses had bad days. Once, in a fit of anger, he disobeyed God and struck a rock twice. Result? He forfeited his right to enter Canaan.

Sunday Morning

Followership

21 Christian Growth Issues in the Bible

2 Timothy 4:6-8

I. Good Leaders Are Great Followers First

a. 2 Timothy 4:6-8

II. Daniel Finds A Way to Follow While Maintaining His Values

a. Dan. 1:1-21

III. Authority and the Chain of Command

a. Luke 7:1-10

IV. Submission to Governing Authorities

a. Rom. 13:1-7

Sunday Evening

I Don’t Want To Go to Hell!

Mark 9:42-48

I. It Will Be Filled with the Worst People

a. Rev. 21:8

b. Rom. 3:23

c. Matt. 25:41

II. It Will Be Absolutely Miserable

a. Matt. 13:41-42

b. Matt. 25:30

III. It Will Be Everlasting Punishment

a. Marl 25:46a

b. Mark 9:43

c. Rev. 14:11

d. Mat. 25:41

IV. It Will Be Entirely Removed From the Presence of God

a. 2 Thess. 1:9-10

b. Matt. 5:45

c. Matt. 7:13

Followership God’s Leadership in the World

Habakkuk 3:1-16

Who can fully grasp God’s method of dealing with the world around us? He truly is the Ultimate Leader who governs the affairs of mankind. Habakkuk shows how God influences the nations to perform His will. Consider His methods of influence:

1. He sometimes exerts a restraining influence. Through this, He prevents people from doing what they feel naturally inclined to do.

2. He sometimes exerts a softening influence. Through this, He causes them to move contrary to natural inclinations and to promote His cause.

3. He sometimes exerts a directing influence. Through this, He causes good to result from the evil that others intend.

Followers must Learn from Leadership Pitfalls

Do you ever make promises to God? Scripture advises caution before we commit something to God – good advice for any decision a leader must make. Solomon describes three major pitfalls lying in wait for careless leaders:

1. Hasty Speech (vv. 2, 3) – Leaders must listen as much as they speak. It takes more than words to fulfill dreams.

2. Empty Promises (vv. 4, 5) – Leaders tend to say what others want to hear. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver.

3. Lame Excuses (vv. 6, 7) – Leaders diminish their influence when they try to reverse a mistake with a lame excuse.