A leader is responsible to carry and direct those under his authority towards a goal. It may be to win a battle in a war; or to build a winning team; or to govern a country to preserve its freedoms and values.
An elder or overseer or pastor in a church is responsible to rule the household of God and to bring God’s children to maturity, to function as ‘adults’, and for them to carry on the integrity of the process.
What is the goal, though? A leader can not lead beyond what he himself knows or understands to be the purpose. There may be different ways of reaching the same goal, but these all need to conform to the character of the one who has set the goal.
There is much in what I, as pastor/elder of Nachalat Yeshua Cong., am limited. But we are a body that is supposed to build itself up in love towards the goal which God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ has set before us.
There is spiritual power from the Holy Spirit when we are seeing what God’s purpose is, and have the willingness to obey Him with persevering faith and love until we get there. To God be the glory!
Heb 11:8-10,13-16 Abraham saw City of God; dwelt in Land of Promise as in a foreign land; dwelt in tents
Gen 13:9 Abram and Lot: go wherever you (Lot) see and want; the whole land was given by YHVH to Abram
Rev 1:7 revelation of Jesus Christ coming in great power and glory, and all shall see Him and mourn
Phlp 3:3-8 to know Messiah, Son of Man/Son of God
Num 9:15-23; Ex 40:34-38 In the wilderness, the cloud would move – sit – move at different intervals, leading the people onward through the wilderness to the Promised Land — not to settle down too much in the wilderness, since the goal was/is the Promised Land.
The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again to establish the Kingdom of God on Earth – and throughout this universe – for 1000 years. His coming is that towards which all history and current events are converging. This, too, is God’s work to bring about the ultimate purpose of this creation and His redemption through the cross: the new heavens and new earth, with the heavenly New Jerusalem, the city with foundations, whose builder and maker is God, planned for all those who love the Father and His Son: that which is perfect to come.
