8 Concepts that Define Leadership from the Life and Ministry of Jesus - Part 3

Review:

1.  Distortion - “You have heard it said – but I say to you”

2.  Drama – Mark 6:31

3.  Disruption – Matthew 22:15-21

4.  Disagreements Matthew 16:21-22

5.  Doubts – Luke 7:17-20

6.  Discouragement.  John 14:9

Last two concepts from the life and ministry of Jesus:

7. Difficult Conversations - John 6:66

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

You can’t let fear of what might happen prevent you from standing on and saying the truth.

Jesus doesn’t change the standard. He turns to the disciples and has a moment - a tough moment. A difficult conversation.

John 6:67-68

67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.  68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

8. Departures - Judas

Not everyone will make the whole journey. Some will drop out prematurely. Some will quit. Some will turn away.

A. Judas’ Chance - Jesus knew what Judas was - who he was - yet he loved him, walked with him, taught him and ate with him.

Jesus gave Judas a chance to change.

Look at the teaching that Judas sat thru with Jesus:

  • Luke 16:1-13 – the lesson of the unjust steward

  • Matt 22:11-14 - the lesson of the wedding garment

  • Matt 6:19-34 – lessons on money

  • Luke 12:13-15 – lesson on greed

  • Matt 23:1-12 – lessons on pride

  • Jesus even said – one of you is a devil John 6:70 – all this to warn Judas.  

Judas never listened. He never applied the lessons to his own life.

It all comes to an incredible climax when at the last supper Jesus says,

"After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon." (John 13:21-26, NIV) 

Jesus was honoring and loving Judas.

Judas left the meal and betrayed Jesus.

B. A private Place.

Matthew 26:16 “From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”

Mark 14:11 “They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”

C. The Price.

Matthew 26:15 ‘and asked, “What are you willing to give me if i hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.‘

This transaction is exactly what Zechariah wrote in his prophecy almost 500 years earlier.

‘I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter” - the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.’ Zechariah 11:12-13

1.  Distortion - “You have heard it said – but I say to you”

2.  Drama – Mark 6:31

3.  Disruption – Matthew 22:15-21

4.  Disagreements - Matthew 16:21-22

5.  Doubts – Luke 7:17-20

6.  Discouragement.  - John 14:9

7.  Difficult conversations - John 6:66-68

8.  Departures - Judas