Is this principle of extended deliverance perhaps an explanation of Pauls comments in 1 Corinthians 7, that the unbeliever is sanctified on account of the believer? Their troubles to this point would seem insignificant compared to what was soon to come. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. Pauls caution is rather interesting. They were not going to get to Rome until after winter was over anyway, and they could stay right where they were, with no real problems. 16:8, 16-20). I think not. Pauls leadership enhanced the preaching of the gospel. You may be familiar with the story of Esther. When the ship is grounded and the passengers must swim for their lives, the soldiers plan to kill Paul, along with the other prisoners, to prevent any from escaping. Sweden, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Netherlands are a few others. If the sailors didnt believe Paul, the soldiers did. Paul assured them that not a hair from their head would perish (verse 34). Because of one prisoner on board that ship, all the other passengers were spared. To sail on, therefore, was a foolish decision in Pauls opinion, and thus he discouraged it as strongly as he could, but to no avail. The seas were closed to sailing until the beginning of February at the earliest; the three months spent in Malta must therefore have corresponded roughly to November, December, and January, so they must have left Fair Havens not much before mid-October. If Gods sovereignty is the source of comfort to the Christian, it is the source of terror for the unbeliever, for God has warned of His coming judgment. It has long been acknowledged as one of the most instructive documents for the knowledge of ancient seamanship. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 474. If there was ever a time for Christians to emerge as leaders, it is now. But Moses brought him to the table of leadership because he was the best person for the job. Pauls leadership emerged in a time of crisis, in an hour of need, when no one else seemed to have any answers.565 Functional leadership (as opposed to formal leadership) emerges in times of need. The decision that faced these sailors is not an uncommon one, even in our day. Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969) - The 34th President of the U.S. Eisenhower was the Supreme Command of NATO before he served two terms as the U.S. President. Pastor Appreciation Month and Pastor Appreciation Day are great opportunities every October to show how much you care for your pastor and church leaders. Simply put, Paul warned those making the decision about whether or not to press on that continuing on was not wise. The God who was to rescue them was Pauls God, the God whom he served, and to whom he would bear testimony before Caesar. You can look at the qualities and simply see how you measure up. He left this to God. And Joshua did so.". Paul was frequently the instrument through which Gods power was manifested. As time went on, as Paul was better known, and as the crises on board the ship became more pronounced, Paul stepped forward, giving both direction and hope to all the others on ship. He would build the walls on faith. Nobody said it would be easy. The storm caught the ship in its force, and so they could do nothing but allow the ship to be driven along by it. They complained and whined at every inconvenience (Ex. 1. Here, Julius, the centurion in charge of Paul and the other prisoners, allowed Paul to go to his friends and be cared for by them (verse 3). The most memorable aspect of effective leadership of a pastor is when he has survived the polarities of differing opinions and modeled having each side respect the other's. nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. Did he do anything? Gods Word gives us those answers. So, says Luke, they lowered the instrument, not being more specific perhaps because he did not know, or did not remember, the technical name for whatever it was that was lowered. Would any have heeded Paul or the gospel as seriously as they did, had the trip to Rome gone quickly and smoothly? The approaching land brought a new temptation to the sailors, who better than anyone else knew they were coming upon land.559. 545 This seems to be the same Aristarchus mentioned in Acts 19:29; 20:4; Colossians 4:10 and Philemon 24. Paul had courage in the face of opposition because he had limitless horizons in his mission. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Leaders in this category encourage creativity while members are highly engaged. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:8-10). It was needlessly endangering others that Paul was trying to avoid. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who dont have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. Photo Credit: Sparrowstock. In verses 27-29, Luke describes the ships approach to some body of land. Consider these two things: Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home (Titus 1:8). He has been beaten by the storm of Gods anger toward sin. That sounds like leadership to me. Their objective was to work with two groups of people from different cultures and make sure one did not feel slighted over the other. Since leadership is important, how does Godly leadership fit into the equation? There are also plenty of real-life examples of leadership in action. When you are walking in accordance with Gods purposes, whatever obstacles to the accomplishing of His will are encountered, He will overcome. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Titus would be a good place to start, and there are other scriptures as well. Examples of democratic leaders. Paul was spared so that he could go to Rome, and there proclaim the gospel. 4. As it was the middle of the night and the storm was still fierce, the sailors put out anchors, to drag along the bottom, to slow down their drifting. Not the Adriatic Sea as we now call the sea between Italy and the mainland of Illyricum, but all the lower Mediterranean between Italy and Greece. Robertson, p. 469. To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. There were no petty thieves on board this ship. The ships crew tried to hug the shore of Crete, until they could reach Phoenix, a harbor not all that distant. Priscilla and Aquila were hospitable. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate them this year. . I read in the paper the other day that when faced with the decision as to whether he should change to an alternate airport or press on to the original destination, the pilot of a commercial airliner left the choice with his passengers. They intended to put all the prisoners to death,563 thus eliminating the risk of an escape. They were not in control of the ship. I am not certain that anyone ever thought of Paul as the leader, but he did lead and they followed. They could not handle the ship in the stormy waters. Another example of a servant leader in the Bible is Stephen, who was known for his selfless love and care for others. Lukes remark has point only if it fell rather late in the solar calendar that year. For our examples, I want to look at leaders that may be a little more obscure. True leaders aren't afraid to call a spade a spade. Democratic style on the other hand refers to leadership style in which leaders are the final decision makers with the input of followers. (5) The storm, and the gospel which leads to salvation. They were not men who manipulated people or their circumstances in order to further their own power or position. This harbour would protect them for a time from the winds. In so doing, the sailors would not only be abandoning ship, they would be abandoning all the passengers on board ship, leaving them helpless. Furthermore, Paul was an apostle, a man through whom God had worked many signs and wonders. They all waited for the morning light. They made port in Sidon, a city about 70 miles north of Caesarea. He was right in that a great storm had swept down on this ship, and that both the ship and its cargo would be lost. The sovereignty of God is the basis for our safety and security, but it is not an excuse for our sloppiness. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. Just so you know, the person they are talking about in Acts 18:26 is Apollos. What he recognized was the person who had the ability to help bring deliverance to the Jews was Esther. Humanly viewed, Paul was constantly in grave danger, but he was never more safe or secure than when he was on his way to Rome. Pauls execution was sought by the Sanhedrin, which first tried to execute him legally (like Stephen) and then by assassination, but God used Roman soldiers once again to spare His servant. They were also able to build a church that met in their home. He turned to the centurion and the soldiers and gave them what were really orders: Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved (verse 31). In fact, it seems that virtually everyone voted against him when the decision was made. They invited Apollos into their home and spent time explaining the truth to him. Luke now passes over the details of a number of the days that followed, indicating only that many days passed, and that the storm continued to abuse the ship and to terrify its passengers. A democratic leader encourages open conversation and helps their employees set goals, evaluate their own performance and motivates them to grow. I could talk about David, Moses, or Nehemiah, but I want to talk about three lesser-known leaders who make great examples of Godly leadership in the Bible. Paul accomplishes all this without any formal leadership position or authority. Democratic leaders: Encourage group members to share their ideas: The leader asks for and considers employee input. Moses. He doesn't mince words when he calls them "a brood of vipers.". [1] It is important to note that he learned leadership principles and faith from his parents (Hebrew 11:23 . But we can still have hope, even when we are afraid. While there are many examples of Godly leadership in the Bible, there are some you are probably more familiar with than others. The soldiers were acting, as it were, on Pauls orders. Indeed, the fate of the ship was not exactly as Paul had warned, for there was no loss of life.551 He simply spoke as a seasoned traveler, an astute observer, and one who had experienced dangers at sea. They followed Paul because he knew where he was going and inspired confidence in others to follow him. Paul did not have a formal position as leader, but was rather a functional leader. The otherstwo hundred and seventy-six in allfollowed his example. Bureaucratic leadership is defined as a form of leadership in which there is a hierarchy of authority that creates rules for management and decision making. Thus, he did not expect a miracle, nor did he even ask for one. He was obscure in comparison to other great Old Testament heroes, but faithfulness separated him from mediocrity. He was most likely the envy of other young leaders. It opens to the East and Southeast, but is not fit to winter in. (1 Kings 18:27). Read Chapter All Versions. He is the author ofThe Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. Had they heeded his warnings, this would not have happened. This necessitated sailing close to the coast of Cyprus, which, to some degree, sheltered them from the contrary winds (verse 4). Pauls faith and his courage were contagious. The lives which Paul warned would be lost were those lives which were spared by God, for Pauls sake (see verses 22-24). In the early church there was a problem. Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. There is nothing wrong with a healthy fear of danger. There was some level of favoritism going on. Not one soul was lost. Doing so would be certain death, for the larger vessel offered more protection, so long as it held together. An elder must live a blameless life. They just happened to run aground at the place where two seas met.562 It seems that the action of the water created some kind of sandbar or shallows, on which the ship stuck fast. One of the most outstanding examples of leadership in the Bible is the example of Moses. The meeting's facilitator will be acting democratically if they actively seek out the team's thoughts and opinions and encourage them to voice them. 72-73, p. 480. Petty criticism wears on the leader. Imagine this, they would have Paul to thank for their deliverance. You are the devil's advocate. The angry mob, which the Asian Jews had incited in Jerusalem, were trying to kill Paul, but God used Claudius Lysias and his soldiers to save his life. And who would not be afraid in such a storm. A theophany had taken place in Joshua 5:15: "The commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." (1) A look at leadership. And so Paul was correct, though not speaking at the moment with prophetic inspiration, authority, or inerrancy. Myra lies due north from Alexandria, and its bay is well calculated to shelter a windbound ship. Bruce quoting J. Smith, Voyage, pp. "He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Moses is remembered as the liberator, the leader, the law-giver, the prophet, and the intermediary in the covenant between God and the Jewish people. In all of this God protected Paul. It has become an untenable situation, a burden no man can bear. If you remember the qualifications of a leader that we looked at earlier, you will see why this is a great example of Godly leadership in the Bible. Nevertheless, he did not presume that God would intervene in this instance. It is not surprising, though, that he would take the advice of the ships captain and its pilot as being more expert. The centurion respected and trusted Paul a great deal, as can be seen by his previous dealings with him (see verse 3). . They eventually connected with Paul and became his partners in the ministry. Verse Concepts. But more than this, God had already assured Paul that he would reach Rome. At the beginning of the chapter, Paul is the object, the one who is acted upon. They hoped that daybreak would come so that they could visually navigate the ship, rather than to attempt to make port (or even to ground the ship) in the dark. Paul thought of himself as nothing in the total scheme of things. Peter: Leaders recover from failure. This centurion was to develop a deep respect for Paul, so that he would extend considerable liberties to him, take seriously his advice, and make every effort to protect him. What was it about Paul that made him a leader among men, even in matters pertaining to sailing and storms? Related articlesHow and Why Should I Pray for Leaders?An Uncorrupted View of Godly Leadership from Jude10 Women in the Bible God Used to Save Lives and Lead Others, Photo credit: Getty Images/monkeybusinessimages. But once the sailors discerned that land was nearby, staying on board ship became increasingly dangerous. Regardless of where you find yourself, you have to lead. The dangerous season for sailing began about September 14 and lasted until November 11; after the latter date all navigation on the open sea came to an end until winter was over. The soldiers who were guarding them were not as concerned about their survival as much as the possibility of an escape. The final verses (42-44) tell of the plan of the soldiers to kill the prisoners, of the intervention of the centurion, and the safe arrival on land of all 276 passengers. (4) The Sovereignty of God and Human Responsibility. The ship ran aground on a reef, where it would be broken up by the action of the still raging waves. One church member compliments your Sunday morning message, the next complains about your quoting Carl Jung because he is not a Christian. "I have appointed you as a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47). What has happened over the course of these events, so that a lowly prisoner, a man at the bottom of the ladder, so far as position and influence are concerned, is now the outstanding leader? All rights reserved. Hence the battle to maintain a westerly course, aided, it appears, by a veering of the wind to the east, as the cyclonic disturbance shifted its centre. Blaiklock p. 190. Because of his special blessing, he was appointed as one with judicial powers and responsibilities in Joshua 14:6-15. He has surrounded himself with executives that are experienced and insightful. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:3-6). Proud member The centurion did not seem to be concerned with any of the prisoners, except one Paul. Their arrival had not been without difficulty, but things were only to go from bad to worse. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not send her husband away. It is as certain as the salvation of His own. Elijah had both. It was his responsibility to persuade her to use the position she had to make a difference. Allow me to make one last observation here. I see leadership held out to men and women as a prize, rather than as a humbling responsibility. He did not claim to have a certain (prophetic) knowledge of what was going to happen. I would say that is a great example of Godly leadership. 556 The following day, a more drastic measure was necessary: the spare gear had to go if the ship was to have any chance of surviving. They planned to slip away, on the pretext of laying out anchors, but they were going to take the lifeboat (as it were) and leave the people to fend for themselves in the ravaging storm, in a ship drifting ever near the rocks of the approaching shore. It was Paul who showed caution, warning those in charge of the dangers ahead. It seems that there was no protest from the sailors when the ropes to the lifeboat were cut. (2) The Sovereignty of God and Mans Safety. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. This proposal pleased the whole group. You are the foundation. He arose, then, for two reasons: (1) his shipmates were in desperate need of encouragement, and (2) he now had a word from God for them. First, those who were considered the experts favored doing so. Examples of democratic leaders A few specific examples of leaders who have demonstrated this style of leadership include: Former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, demonstrated how much she valued her team members by writing personalized letters to their parents. Moses. Too often, I hear leadership spoken of as a place of status, rather than a place of service. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. Paul was a leader here because people followed him. Looking at leadership honestly means looking at the best and the worst. Now, in our text, Paul is again in great danger. It was too late in the sailing season to travel on to Rome by sea. I see people working for a place a leadership, rather than working to serve others, and letting leadership develop or not on its own. It would seem that they had fasted nearly two weeksthroughout the entire time the storm was raging. Pauls leadership emerges on board the ship, on which he was headed toward Rome. In doing so, he cites Romans 15:4 (NKJV), which states, "whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the . And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:12-14). He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. If they were to have the strength necessary to make it to shore, they would need to start the day with a good meal. I know it sounds more like mother or a TV commercial, but Paul was dealing with a very practical necessity. Airline pilots must constantly monitor weather conditions, and make decisions as to the route they will take, their altitude, and even their destination. He believed in himself, but he believed in something bigger than himself, namely, "Jesus Christ and Him crucified," (1 Cor. 1 Timothy 3:5. He had a special place. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:28-39). Let us consider just a few: 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. A centurion of the Augustan cohort by the name of Julius543 was placed in charge of the prisoners. In other words, your leadership style should be authentic to you. Let me suggest a few characteristics of Pauls leadership in this crisis, which may provide fuel for future thought. 482-483. Obedient Daniel. It was a coasting vessel, which was to call at various ports of the province of Asia; at one of these Julius knew he would find a ship, preferably a grain ship, bound for Italy. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 477. Salem Media Group. Where is your God, he asked. As the journey to Rome continues, there are yet to be more signs and wonders accomplished through the hands of Paul (see 28:3-10). 557 This is not to suggest that Paul now emerged because he knew that this was the low-point of his fellow-passengers, but because the night before the angel of God had appeared to him. The smaller boat, was much more easily handled, and would have been the logical choice when trying to make shore, especially in such circumstances. Here are seven whose leadership played a significant role in leading the early church and furthering the gospel. Here is a list of famous examples of democratic leaders: Dwight Eisenhower, The 34th U.S. President Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple Larry Page, Co-founder of Google Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter Read more about these Famous examples of democratic leadership and feel inspired. I have always looked upon the Apostle Paul as a godly man, a zealous servant of Jesus Christ, and a powerful preacher of the gospel. Democratic leadership style fosters high job satisfaction and productivity because followers are involved in decision making. Reminder: You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. It was simpler, it seems, to forbid them from killing any of them. The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Flee to safety today. An Uncorrupted View of Godly Leadership from Jude, 10 Women in the Bible God Used to Save Lives and Lead Others. To Paul (in my opinion) this would be akin to jumping off the pinnacle of the temple, and thus putting God to the test (Luke 4:9-12). God does not jump through our hoops and thus Paul never presumed that he had Gods power on tap to use when and how he chose. I do not think that Pauls words were meant as a typical I told you so so much as they were spoken to motivate his peers to listen to him now. The bottom line is that everyone leads in some fashion, be it great or small. Examples. As Paul had already informed them, neither the ship nor its cargo would survive, only the passengers. The Fast is the day of atonement (Yom Kippur), which falls on Tishri 10. They also loosened the ropes which lashed down the rudders and hoisted the sail.561 They were on their way toward land. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. The most probable account is that they dropped a floating anchor or drift anchor, which was dragged astern at the end of a rope of suitable length so as to offer the maximum resistance every time the ship plunged down from the crest of a wave. Bruce, p. 486. of Jesus (Luke 5:16) Of course, one cannot talk about godly leadership without pointing to the ultimate example: Jesus Christ. In one of the more popular set of verses in the Bible, here is what Mordecai told Esther. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong (Titus 1:9). This may have been the case, and if so the calculations upon which the shipmaster (not owner as AV and RV, according to Ramsay) based his rash advice are less apparent. E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Wm. The storm threatens not only the life of Paul, but also the lives of all on board his ship. Paul was kept safe, and as a result, all of those with him were saved as well. 36 Just as it is written, For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. From here on, sailing will not be smooth. Born a Cypriot and reared a Levite, he linked the Hellenistic world and the Jerusalem church. Paul was as secure as any man could be. Smith suggests that the mainyard is meant; an immense spar, probably as long as the ship, which would require the united efforts of passengers and crews to launch overboard. Bruce p. 486. He had had enough. The gospel sustains men in the greatest storms of life. 550 As they waited for a change of wind at Fair Havens, it soon became clear that they could not complete the voyage to Italy before the onset of winter. Discouraged by the disapproval of Jesus, yet blessed by the warmth and affection of Jesus. Nelson Mandela (1918-2013).South African political leader victim of the racial policies of Apartheid that segregated black and white, in favor of the former. If you want to know what type of leader God wants you to be, there is your answer. His church was a murmuring people. Finally, in the following chapter, there will be the snake bite, from which Paul will be spared as well. Since leadership happens inside and outside the church, these examples are good wherever you lead. This is influence and leadership in action. It was only some forty miles to Lutro. Robertson, p. 461. These people saw first hand the hope of the gospel in Paul, when all hope was lost. If you want to be a godly leader, I encourage you to focus on the qualities that God identifies as necessary in a leader. It seems as thought they had left it in the sea, towed along behind, when the storm suddenly came upon them and swamped it. Even when John Mark was being severely ostracized by Paul, Barnabas stood by John Mark. in 1971. Now, no one had the use of this boat. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Fourteen days have passed since they left Fair Havens and the storm first struck the ship.558 The sailors now have little idea as to where they were, or how far they might be from land. In a democracy leaders. The stern of the ship began to break up. I do not agree. Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. He was not the captain of the ship, nor one of the soldiers. It is enough to discourage any pastor. Nevertheless, they decided to press on to a better harbor. He had God on his side. His God was in control of all things, including the sea. Now they were ready for the days activities. This was a Jewish couple who were deported from Rome. The centurion found an Alexandrian ship,547 laden with wheat that was headed for Italy. With difficulty, they finally arrived off Cnidus, but were then forced by the winds to sail under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone. It was the crew of the ship who lived dangerously, foolishly risking the ship, the cargo, and the lives of all on board, just to get ahead a little. No one followed Paul because he was a man of God, or even because they concluded the God was with him. His previous warning did not take into account the intervention of God, resulting in the escape of every person on board the ship.

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