The Power of Love in Christian Leadership

This teaching explores the paradoxical nature of true spiritual power - found not in control and domination but in surrender and service. By examining Christ's counterintuitive leadership model, we discover that authentic influence comes through sacrificial love rather than manipulation or intimidation. The message challenges believers to relinquish the illusion of control and embrace God's sovereignty by leading with love that transforms lives and communities.

Key Scriptures:

Matthew 20:25-28
John 10:16-18
2 Timothy 3:1-14
1 Peter 3:13-17
Romans 8:35-39

Who Has the Power?

Remember that 1990 dance hit "The Power" by Snap? "I've got the power!" they proclaimed with infectious confidence. (And if you're now hearing that bass line in your head, I apologize in advance for the earworm.)

But when it comes to spiritual life, we face a fundamental question: Who really has the power? And perhaps more importantly, what kind of power are we pursuing?

There are two distinctly different types of power available to believers:

Earthly power - based on position, control, and authority over others
Spiritual power - based on surrender, service, and submission to God

The path we choose reveals a great deal about our understanding of the kingdom of God and how it operates.

The Counterintuitive Power of Jesus

In John 10:16-18, Jesus makes one of His most profound statements about power:

"No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

Think about that for a moment. Jesus isn't claiming He needs authority to reclaim His life (though He does have it), but rather that He needs authority to surrender it. This is completely backward from our natural thinking!

In our world, we're conditioned to believe that power means never having to surrender, never having to yield, and certainly never having to sacrifice. But Jesus flips this understanding upside down. His greatest display of power wasn't in avoiding the cross but in willingly embracing it.

Moving Over to Make Room for Others

Jesus begins this passage by saying, "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also." This is the first place we must relinquish our idea of power - recognizing we're not the only ones on the team.

Many of us operate with an "insider" mentality, feeling special, elite, or privileged. Jesus shatters this thinking by reminding us that we're simply the first of many. True power in God's kingdom means making room for others rather than securing our exclusive status.

Whose Voice Are You Listening To?

Jesus says His sheep recognize His voice. But here's the uncomfortable question: What voices are you tuning into throughout your week?

Let's be honest - many of us are being discipled by:

The relentless news cycle
Social media algorithms
Friends who, bless their hearts, might not be the wisest influences
Cultural norms that run counter to kingdom values

We claim to follow the Good Shepherd, but our ears are often turned to other voices. And then we wonder why we're confused at life's crossroads! When one voice tells us to pursue ambition, wealth, and power while another calls us to humility, sacrifice, and service, our direction becomes muddled.

Jesus says that recognizing His voice isn't just about hearing it - it's about obeying it. Many of us are exposed to truth but never embody it. We attend services, listen to messages, highlight our Bibles, but then live as though we never heard a word.

The Difference Between Intimidation, Manipulation, and Surrender

In 2 Timothy 3:1-14, Paul outlines the characteristics of false leadership - people who have "a form of godliness but deny its power." This passage reveals two primary strategies of worldly power:

1. Intimidation - The Aggressive Approach

Intimidation is the aggressive side of false power. It's about displaying force and compelling others to submit through fear, threats, or overwhelming presence. It's loud, obvious, and in-your-face.

2. Manipulation - The Passive Approach

Manipulation is the subtle, passive approach to exerting control. Rather than direct force, it relies on deception, suggestion, and emotional leverage. Remember Satan in the Garden of Eden? He didn't appear as a terrifying dragon but as a subtle serpent, asking the innocent-sounding question, "Did God really say...?"

This subtle strategy targets those who are vulnerable - "weak-willed" men and women "burdened with sins and swayed by various passions." Manipulators know exactly who to target and how to leverage their weaknesses for control.

3. Surrender - The Kingdom Approach

In stark contrast to both intimidation and manipulation stands surrender - the true path to kingdom power. This is modeled perfectly by Jesus, who didn't use His divine authority to control others but instead surrendered Himself completely to the Father's will.

This approach seems foolish to the world. How can surrendering power actually increase it? How can laying down your life lead to taking it up again with greater authority?

The Power of Persecution

Here's another counterintuitive truth: persecution isn't personal; it's positional.

Persecution isn't about your personality quirks or social awkwardness. It's not about being disliked because you're difficult to get along with (though some Christians conveniently confuse the two!). True persecution results from your allegiance to the kingdom of God over everything else.

When Jesus says, "No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down," He's demonstrating a willingness to let others seemingly win the battle so that He can win the war. Think about it - is there anything more intimidating than someone who can take your best punch and still stand?

This is the power of surrender in action. It's being so secure in God's sovereignty that temporary defeats don't shake you. You know who ultimately wins, so you can endure present suffering with future hope.

Paul guarantees in 2 Timothy 3:12 that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." This isn't a maybe - it's a promise! Yet how often do we react with shock and offense when facing opposition for our faith?

Recognizing False Leadership (Including in Ourselves)

Paul's warning about the "last days" in 2 Timothy 3 isn't about distant future events - it's about the church! He's describing people who claim to be followers of Christ but demonstrate exactly the opposite in their character.

Let's be honest - this mirror is uncomfortable to look into. It's much easier to think about all the "other Christians" who fit these descriptions:

Lovers of self
Lovers of money
Proud, arrogant, abusive
Ungrateful, unholy
Without self-control
Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

But the real growth happens when we ask: "Lord, where might this be me? Where do I need transformation?"

Many believers are "always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." We've been in church for years, decades even, but are we maturing? Can we look back at our lives and see substantive change, or are we taking the same spiritual tests over and over again?

The Battlefield of Relationships

Relationships provide another arena where true power is tested and revealed. In Mark 8:31-33, when Jesus predicts His suffering and death, Peter takes Him aside to rebuke Him. Jesus' response is startling:

"Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."

Jesus identifies the true source of opposition - not Peter himself, but the satanic influence working through Peter's worldly perspective. Our closest relationships can sometimes become channels for the enemy's schemes, especially when they counsel us away from God's purposes under the guise of love or protection.

This is why Jesus didn't pull Peter aside privately. He rebuked him publicly because the lesson was essential for all the disciples to learn. When you're engaged in spiritual warfare, you can't afford to be polite about identifying the enemy.

Faith Requires a Fight

Here's a sobering truth: What requires faith often requires a fight.

Many believers sign up for the "believing" part of Christianity but balk at the "fighting" part. We want the blessings without the battles, the crown without the cross. We pray fervently for things but then fail to fight to protect what God gives us:

We pray for healing but neglect the discipline to maintain health
We beg for a godly spouse but resist the counseling that would prepare us for marriage
We ask for ministry opportunities but avoid the difficult conversations that would resolve conflicts
We desire spiritual growth but run from the very trials that would produce it

Things worth praying for are worth fighting for. As the old saying goes, "Easy come, easy go." What comes without cost is rarely valued or protected.

The Big Idea: Control is an Illusion if Christ is Sovereign

Here's the transformative truth at the heart of this message: Control is an illusion if Christ is sovereign.

Many of us spend years of our lives seeking control, often because the most painful experiences we've endured were those beyond our control. We develop elaborate systems and behaviors to protect ourselves, believing that if we can just maintain enough control, we'll be safe.

But control itself is an illusion. If God is truly sovereign - in total control - then our attempts to wrest control are not only futile but counterproductive. If God is sovereign, couldn't He do a better job with our lives than we could? Don't we remember the chaos that ensued when we tried to run things?

The irony is that we seek control because we're afraid, yet Scripture tells us "perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18). The antidote to our control issues isn't more control but more love - specifically, resting in God's perfect love for us.

Practical Steps to Embrace the Power of Love

So how do we move from control to surrender, from fear to love? Here are some practical steps:

Identify your control triggers - What situations make you grasp for control? These often reveal your deepest fears and wounds.
Practice intentional surrender - Start with small things before moving to bigger areas. Daily surrender your plans, relationships, and desires to God.
Shift from defense to offense - Don't wait until you're attacked to engage in spiritual warfare. Proactively pray and stand in faith.
Cultivate godly relationships - Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth, even when it's hard to hear.
Embrace persecution as normal - Rather than being surprised by opposition, recognize it as confirmation you're on the right path.
Respond with gentleness and respect - Even when defending your faith, maintain the character of Christ in your interactions.
Remember nothing can separate you from God's love - As Romans 8:38-39 reminds us, neither hardship, persecution, famine, danger, nor sword can separate us from Christ's love.

Conclusion: From Control to Surrender

The world teaches us that the path to power is through asserting control - over ourselves, others, and our circumstances. Jesus teaches us that the path to true power is through surrender - to God's will, God's ways, and God's timing.

When we try to control everything, we end up controlling nothing. But when we surrender everything to Christ, we discover a power greater than anything we could have achieved on our own - the power of love that transforms us and those around us.

Remember, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37). This is the paradox of kingdom power - not through controlling others but through being controlled by love.

The Power of Love: Why Control Fails and Care Flourishes