Spiritual Gifts
Part 9
Administration
Old Testament Lesson: 1 Kings 3:4-14
4 King Solomon went to GIBEON to offer a sacrifice, because that was the most important place for worship. Solomon offered a thousand animals, burnt on that altar.
5 In that place the Lord appeared in a dream to SOLOMON that night. God said, "Ask for anything you want, and I will give that to you."
6 SOLOMON said, "YOU showed kindness to my father DAVID, because he was-honest and true to YOU, and obeyed YOUR commandments. And now YOU continue YOUR kindness to him because YOU let his son follow him for king.
7 O Lord, my God, YOU made me king following my father DAVID, but I am same-as a little child and don't-know how to reign over YOUR people.
8 Here I am among YOUR own people, a great nation, many, many people, I can't count.
9 Give me understanding so I can reign over YOUR people and know the difference between right and wrong. Because without YOUR help no one can judge the many people!"
10 The Lord was-pleased to hear SOLOMON'S prayer.
11 The Lord said to him, "Because you asked for wisdom to reign over MY people, and you not ask for a long life or riches for yourself, and you not ask for the destruction of your enemies,
12 Yes, I will give you the thing you want. I will give you wisdom and understanding more than anyone else in the past or in the future.
13 I will also give you things you did not ask -- riches and honor. During your life no other king will become important as you.
14 If you follow ME and obey MY laws and commands, as your father David did, I will also give you a long life."
Epistle Lesson: Romans 12:6-8
6 Now, we must use our different gifts according to the grace God gave us. If God gives us the gift to preach HIS message, then we preach as our faith leads us.
7 If God gives you the gift of serving others, then serve them good. If you are a teacher, then do a good job of teaching.
8 If your job is to encourage others, then do that with eager understanding. If God gives you money, feel kind to help others. If God gives you skill for leading and managing other people, then work hard and work with responsibility. If God gives you the gift of showing mercy, then comfort people with Christian cheer.
Gospel Lesson: Mark 10:35-45
35 JAMES and JOHN, sons of ZEBEDEE, came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we want YOU to do something for us."
36 Jesus asked, "What do you want ME to do for you?"
37 They answered, "Happens YOU sit on YOUR throne in the glorious kingdom, let us sit with YOU, one on YOUR right and one on YOUR left."
38 Jesus answered, "You don't-know the thing you ask. Can you drink the cup that I must drink? Can you get baptized in the way I must be-baptized?"
39 They told-him, :"We can!" Jesus said, "You will drink the cup I must drink, and you will be-baptized in the way I must be-baptized.
40 But I don't have the power to choose those sitting on MY right or left. These seats are prepared for someone God will choose."
41 After the other ten friends heard about that, they became angry with JAMES and JOHN.
42 Then Jesus called HIS friends together and said, "You know that among the nations those reigning have power over people and the leaders reign over the people.
43 But your life together is different. If one of you wants to become the leader, then he must be the servant of the other people.
44 And if one of you wants to be first, then he must become the slave for all.
45 Because the Son of Man didn't come for other people to serve HIM, No HE came to serve and give HIS life same-as a payment to free many people."
Now we change our focus from Holy Spirit gifts that help us announce God's message, now focusing on gifts the help us serve other people.
The first gift is ADMINISTRATION -- leading and managing.
Any bookstore has many books giving advice for organization leaders.
Those books teach about vision for the future.
They teach about establishing goals.
They teach about time management.
Etc.
But one important thing those books overlook: God's gift.
The Bible says that God gives some people skills for managing and for leading.
Not all people who become leaders have those skills.
Not all pastors are skilled managers.
And that's fine.
Pastors for large congregations should have this gift.
Other pastors have better skills for serving people individually
or serving people in small groups.
It is interesting that the Spiritual Gifts lists in
Romans 12 and
1st Corinthians 12
both name ADMINISTRATION [managing]
-- that is a special ability gift from God the Holy Spirit.
And the Bible describes other skills that managers should have.
#1.
Leaders & managers must have the Holy Spirit's gifts of WISDOM and DISCERNMENT.
Remember from our previous study that WISDOM means:
knowing the right thing to do in a difficult situation.
DISCERNMENT means recognizing
what is right and what is wrong,
what is true and what is false.
When King Solomon confessed to God
that he didn't have skills for ruling over Israel,
and he prayed:
The first gift is ADMINISTRATION -- leading and managing.
Any bookstore has many books giving advice for organization leaders.
Those books teach about vision for the future.
They teach about establishing goals.
They teach about time management.
Etc.
But one important thing those books overlook: God's gift.
The Bible says that God gives some people skills for managing and for leading.
Not all people who become leaders have those skills.
Not all pastors are skilled managers.
And that's fine.
Pastors for large congregations should have this gift.
Other pastors have better skills for serving people individually
or serving people in small groups.
It is interesting that the Spiritual Gifts lists in
Romans 12 and
1st Corinthians 12
both name ADMINISTRATION [managing]
-- that is a special ability gift from God the Holy Spirit.
And the Bible describes other skills that managers should have.
#1.
Leaders & managers must have the Holy Spirit's gifts of WISDOM and DISCERNMENT.
Remember from our previous study that WISDOM means:
knowing the right thing to do in a difficult situation.
DISCERNMENT means recognizing
what is right and what is wrong,
what is true and what is false.
When King Solomon confessed to God
that he didn't have skills for ruling over Israel,
and he prayed:
"O Lord, I am same-as a little child and don't-know how to reign over YOUR people.
Give me understanding so I can know the difference between right and wrong.
I need Your help!"
God was pleased, and He gave Solomon wisdom.
Another example:
Remember that story about Joseph and the Egyptian king.
The king had strange dreams, and Joseph explained to the king the meaning for his dreams...
that Egypt will have 7 good years – plenty of food,
then they will have 7 bad years – no food.
Then, when Joseph finished explaining the dreams,
he offered advice to the king:
Another example:
Remember that story about Joseph and the Egyptian king.
The king had strange dreams, and Joseph explained to the king the meaning for his dreams...
that Egypt will have 7 good years – plenty of food,
then they will have 7 bad years – no food.
Then, when Joseph finished explaining the dreams,
he offered advice to the king:
“You should choose a man who is very wise and understanding.
Set [establish] him over Egypt.
Then choose lower officers over the land.
They should take one-fifth of all the food
that grows during the seven good years.
They should store the grain and guard it.
Save that grain for the seven years of hunger that will hit Egypt.
Then our people will not die during the seven years of hunger.”
The king thought that was a very good idea,
and all his officials agreed.
Whom did the king choose for managing that program?
Joseph!
Joseph!
The king asked, “Can we find a better man than Joseph
to take this job? God's spirit is truly in him!”
So the king said to Joseph, “God showed you all this.
No one is wise and understanding as you,
so I will establish you over my government.
All people will obey your orders.
Only I will be greater than you.”
The king recognized that leaders must have wisdom,
and Joseph showed that he had wisdom from God.
The king also knew that leaders must understand
how to make goals
how to plan
how to establish organization
how to give responsibilities to assistants.
And Joseph showed that he understood all that.
Where did Joseph learn that?
Not from books in Barnes and Nobel.
God gave him skills. Then God gave him practice:
first, in slavery for a government official,
and then in prison.
This story about Joseph also teaches us about other gifts that God gives to successful managers.
#2.
Good leaders recognize skills that God gives to other people.
The king did not try to manage that food program himself.
He was smart enough to know that if he managed it,
his people will starve to death.
But he chose someone who had the necessary skills -- Joseph.
#3.
Good managers accept advice from people under them,
same-as the king accepted Joseph's advice.
Another good example is David.
People who served under King David knew that they could offer him their advice, and that he could accept it.
Good leaders understand their weaknesses.
They understand that they need help.
And their EGO – their pride – is not connected with their authority.
Good leaders can accept criticism and learn.
#4.
Successful managers recognize that when someone complains about a problem, the best person for fixing the problem maybe is the complainer himself.
Joseph told the king about his problem,
so the king hired Joseph to fix it.
So when you see something in the church that needs improving,
and you tell us about that,
we will choose you for managing that issue. [smile]
#5.
The Bible emphasizes that people who have authority,
they must understand that they work under authority.
Joseph had authority in Egypt,
because he was under the king's authority.
Joseph couldn't act independently.
If he didn't serve under the king,
his commands mean nothing.
#6.
Managers SERVE the people under their authority.
Jesus said,
and Joseph showed that he had wisdom from God.
The king also knew that leaders must understand
how to make goals
how to plan
how to establish organization
how to give responsibilities to assistants.
And Joseph showed that he understood all that.
Where did Joseph learn that?
Not from books in Barnes and Nobel.
God gave him skills. Then God gave him practice:
first, in slavery for a government official,
and then in prison.
This story about Joseph also teaches us about other gifts that God gives to successful managers.
#2.
Good leaders recognize skills that God gives to other people.
The king did not try to manage that food program himself.
He was smart enough to know that if he managed it,
his people will starve to death.
But he chose someone who had the necessary skills -- Joseph.
#3.
Good managers accept advice from people under them,
same-as the king accepted Joseph's advice.
Another good example is David.
People who served under King David knew that they could offer him their advice, and that he could accept it.
Good leaders understand their weaknesses.
They understand that they need help.
And their EGO – their pride – is not connected with their authority.
Good leaders can accept criticism and learn.
#4.
Successful managers recognize that when someone complains about a problem, the best person for fixing the problem maybe is the complainer himself.
Joseph told the king about his problem,
so the king hired Joseph to fix it.
So when you see something in the church that needs improving,
and you tell us about that,
we will choose you for managing that issue. [smile]
#5.
The Bible emphasizes that people who have authority,
they must understand that they work under authority.
Joseph had authority in Egypt,
because he was under the king's authority.
Joseph couldn't act independently.
If he didn't serve under the king,
his commands mean nothing.
#6.
Managers SERVE the people under their authority.
Jesus said,
"You know that among the nations
those reigning have power over people and the leaders reign over the people.
But your life together is different.
If one of you wants to become the leader,
then he must be the servant of the other people.
And if one of you wants to be first,
then he must become the slave for all.
Because I, the Son of Man, didn't come for other people to serve Me.
No I came to serve and give My life same-as a payment to free many people."
A good manager has first concern
not for his power,
not for his organization,
but for his people.
…same as Christ has concern for us.
#7.
Good managers know how to make an APPEAL to the one in authority over them.
The secret for making a successful appeal is
first, understanding the goals of the person in authority,
second, offering a solution that satisfies his goals.
The Bible is full of many examples –
Joseph, Daniel, and many others.
The best example is Christ Himself,
appealing to God our Father,
praying for our forgiveness,
offering Himself for our salvation.
#8.
Leaders can make many various mistakes that will destroy them.
But their greatest temptation is PRIDE.
When a leader recognizes that his work belongs to God,
praise for success first belongs to God,
and second:
the leader should praise
the people who serve under him,
and the person in authority over him.
Without their help, the leader could never succeed.
Servant leaders in the church must always remember
that the church is not OUR institution,
not OUR organization,
not OUR kingdom.
The church is the love-fellowship for all who recognize that
Christ died for us, and Christ Himself is our Head.
Supplemental Scriptures
Joseph (Genesis 39-41 in Potiphar's house, in prison, in Pharaoh's court)
Genesis 39:1-6
Joseph (Genesis 39-41 in Potiphar's house, in prison, in Pharaoh's court)
Genesis 39:1-6
Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar was an officer to the king of Egypt and the captain of the palace guard. He bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. He lived in the house of his master, Potiphar the Egyptian.
Potiphar saw that the LORD was with Joseph and that the LORD made Joseph successful in everything he did. So Potiphar was very happy with Joseph and allowed him to be his personal servant. He put Joseph in charge of the house, trusting him with everything he owned. When Joseph was put in charge of the house and everything Potiphar owned, the LORD blessed the people in Potiphar’s house because of Joseph. And the LORD blessed everything that belonged to Potiphar, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left Joseph in charge of everything he owned and was not concerned about anything except the food he ate.
When Jesus finished saying all these things to the people, he went to Capernaum. There was an army officer who had a servant who was very important to him. The servant was so sick he was nearly dead. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some older Jewish leaders to him to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. The men went to Jesus and begged him, saying, “This officer is worthy of your help. 5 He loves our people, and he built us a synagogue.”
So Jesus went with the men. He was getting near the officer’s house when the officer sent friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, because I am not worthy to have you come into my house. That is why I did not come to you myself. But you only need to command it, and my servant will be healed. I, too, am a man under the authority of others, and I have soldiers under my command. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, this is the greatest faith I have found anywhere, even in Israel.”
Those who had been sent to Jesus went back to the house where they found the servant in good health.