24th Apr 26 | 05:42
Studies by Book
Serving our communities
📖 Acts 15:25-27
Acts 15 - Series 2/Episode 16 - Wed, 22nd Apr 2026 - Serving our communities - Acts 15:22-35 - THE ANNOUNCEMENT - Matthew 20:25-28
Acts 15:25-27 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, (26) men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (27) We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth.
The Jerusalem Council gave confidence to the churches that they were fully engaged with their issues and concerns and that they have done and will continue to do what is best for their growth. This is leadership.
Leadership is to serve for the godly, good and beneficial permanence of the group. This is what Jesus came to do. He made this clear to His disciples, who were vying for positions in the organisational structure of His kingdom.
Matthew 20:20-22 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. (21) And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." (22) But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able."
The disciples were squabbling over who was the greatest among them. Luke 9:46-47 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.(47) And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him,
The Lord explained to the disciples what leadership was. He also contrasted His way of leadership to that of the ways of the world. Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. (26) Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. (27) And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- (28) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." The Jerusalem Council considered the churches as their audience and community whom they served.
God has placed each of us in a context. We have a community that we serve. It could begin with our own family. Leadership must never be confused with titles and positions. We do have titles and positions in every structure, including the family. The husband is the head of the wife and the family. Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Yet, we are all in the family to serve one another. Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Titles and positions may be given to us when we are leaders. Thus, what each of us must desire and choose to be is to be leaders. Leaders and leadership should not be seen as an egotistical or derogatory word. I have heard many sincere people say that they do not want to be leaders, but that they choose to be disciples of Jesus. They are not realising that choosing to be a disciple of Jesus will cause them to be a leader. This is because Jesus came to serve the people, and we, too, as disciples of Jesus, will be serving the people to whom the Lord send us.
Why did Jesus come to the world? Luke 4:18-19 "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; (19) TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."
When we look around us, this is the situation of the people. People around us need to be served so that they come out of their predicament and move to the Shalom of God. Serving people, which is to be a leader, is mandatory. We need not be concerned with titles and positions, which the society and community that we serve will confer on us.
Yes, we must fulfil the obligations of the titles and positions, but they should not stifle us. We are here to serve people for their godly, beneficial permanence. When we see that titles and positions that the community confers on us are limiting our task of serving our target audience, we must take appropriate action and set priorities right.
Sadly, within the church and church-related organisational structures, we who call ourselves disciples of Jesus are doing the very same things that the first disciples did. We are vying for titles and positions.
Will we set this right and follow the example of the Jerusalem Council? Will we be those who serve our communities?