Leadership carries a heavy responsibility for the affairs of others and significantly influences the thoughts and actions of those who follow. Worldly leaders exercise considerable sway over society, often displaying traits of poor leadership such as pride, arrogance, dishonesty, and unethical behavior, while lacking goodness, empathy, respect for others, integrity, responsibility, and vision for the future. Bad leaders rarely learn from their mistakes, continuing to dominate and impact society negatively. By observing these negative traits, one can avoid making similar errors in families and within the church. God carefully examines the integrity of a leader, with a direct correlation existing between a leader's integrity and the safety of their tenure. Righteousness guards a leader, while wickedness leads to their overthrow. God sets up leaders or takes them down, allowing them into office or preventing their rise, rewarding the righteous and overthrowing the wicked. Leaders are held responsible for being faithful to justice and providing wise instruction, ensuring protection for the innocent and executing justice against those who oppress the poor and helpless. Breaking moral law, even by followers, can bring judgment upon a leader, as they are inextricably bound to those they lead. Throughout biblical examples, leaders honorably maintain their convictions despite opposition from peers, followers, and enemies. Good leadership often requires great sacrifice and the courage of conviction. A good leader does not lord over others but acts as a humble servant, faithful in small matters. A true leader is not merely a hired hand but a servant who recognizes that ultimately, God is at work and seeks to be proven faithful.

Poor leadership in government, business, religion, education, and family life has greatly contributed to the moral and cultural decline observed in nations. This deficiency drives the confused and immoral conditions that persist, creating pressure to make choices about personal involvement in these systems. One option is to change oneself, striving not to contribute to the poor leadership within the present system. God is creating righteous leadership in His children to prevent the leadership failures of the past from recurring in His Kingdom under Jesus Christ. Those called into the church, who remain faithful and grow in the image of Jesus Christ, are destined to be given rulership with Him in His Kingdom. Jesus is the greatest leader who ever walked this earth, the Light of the world, showing and teaching the way of God. He led by perfectly following the way of God, setting an unequaled standard for us to follow. The development of godly leadership requires submissive cooperation with the Father and Son, who mold and shape us for positions in the government They are forming. We must use vision, planning, sacrifice, wisdom, study, ingenuity, patience, cooperation, perseverance, and frequent testing as we voluntarily submit to Their efforts. The fruit of following Jesus' example will be the development of leadership that God can trust to be used in His Kingdom. Meeting the challenges of living God's way in this evil world is essential to develop quality leadership suitable for serving with Jesus Christ. God is expanding His Family, the church, and filling positions of responsibility to be faithfully performed by the elect, training and fitting us into the Body to follow Christ wherever He leads.

Throughout Israel's history with God, godly leadership was often scarce. Occasionally, leaders like Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, and David emerged, but many, as described in Ezekiel 34, were shepherds who prioritized their own well-being over that of the people. Such self-centered leadership yielded poor outcomes. A shepherd, in this figurative sense, represents a human leader in authority, while sheep symbolize the citizens under their guidance. This concept of shepherding extends beyond religious roles to include leadership in government, education, business, entertainment, media, and even parenting within the family. Humans, much like sheep, require quality leadership in vital areas of life. Without it, due to satan's influence on the carnal mind, community life often deteriorates into a survival-of-the-fittest scenario, where many live as virtual slaves to the more powerful, trapped in a hopeless existence. Isaiah 3:12 highlights this decline in Judah, stating that leaders caused the people to err and destroyed their paths. A leader, by definition, goes ahead to show the way, guiding, influencing, and motivating others by example, encouraging teamwork to achieve objectives without necessarily forcing compliance. Isaiah 59 further reveals the cultural collapse in Judah due to self-centered leadership, portraying a society steeped in chaos and immorality. Despite the people's appeals to God for relief, no righteous shepherds arose to provide guidance or instill peace, as the very individuals crying out were guilty of the same sins contributing to the crisis. God awaits a sincere change, desiring obedience to His Word and the restoration of justice. Leadership remains crucial for those in the church, as God's focus has shifted from physical Israel to the spiritual Israel of God. Christians are being prepared for future roles in God's Kingdom, which include both ruling and priestly responsibilities requiring leadership training. Revelation 5:10 indicates that Christ has appointed His called ones to serve as a kingdom of priests, bearing rulership, a preparation happening now in their lives. Moses stands as an exemplary leader, serving Israel as prophet, priest, political governor, judge, and military leader under God's guidance. His greatness is marked by humility, kindness, moderation, and fairness, never allowing his high positions or decisions to inflate his ego. He remained approachable and just in all dealings. Joshua, another great leader, faithfully assisted Moses and later led Israel with steadfast humility, submitting to God's authority and earning the epitaph that Israel served the Lord all his days. Similarly, the apostle Paul transformed from a zealous enemy of the church to a humble, courageous servant of Christ, laboring abundantly through God's grace to lead and guide others.

Leadership has always presented a vexing problem for mankind at every level, from national affairs to the family and workplace. This difficulty originated in the curses pronounced after Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3, when God explicitly noted that Adam had heeded his wife's counsel instead of obeying the command not to eat from the tree, thereby placing her guidance above God's and committing an act of idolatry. That single failure in leadership by the appointed head of the human family introduced sin and its consequences to all subsequent generations, as Romans 8:18-23 later confirms through the ongoing groaning of creation. The pattern of deficient leadership continued through Adam and Eve's descendants, producing a murderer in Cain and leaving only rare exceptions such as Enoch and Noah who followed God's leadership faithfully. In Israel's later history the same pattern persisted among its kings, as Rehoboam failed to prepare his heart to seek the Lord, Jehoram murdered his brothers and walked in the ways of Ahab, and Manasseh rebuilt the high places, practiced abominations, and led Judah into greater evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed. Although Manasseh later repented, the overall record shows repeated corruption at the highest levels. Prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel broadened the indictment to encompass leaders throughout society, whom Ezekiel 34 designates as shepherds charged with feeding, strengthening, healing, and protecting the flock yet who instead fed themselves and ruled with force and cruelty. These failures produced national desolation and scattering. In contrast, Hebrews 11 presents individuals whose consistent faith enabled them to exercise consequential leadership despite imperfect records. The text emphasizes that genuine leadership consists in following God's way, a principle illustrated supremely by Jesus Christ, who declared that His doctrine came from the One who sent Him and who never deviated from perfect obedience. Thus the material connects the recurring problem of poor leadership directly to the necessity of following the way of God in every sphere of responsibility.

Leadership, as a vital aspect of both human and divine contexts, is deeply tied to character and the responsibility to guide others toward a higher purpose. Many leaders in the political sphere often fall short, resembling the ignoble men described by Walter Savage Landor, who cast long shadows of failed policies due to their selfish ambitions and lack of worthy ideals. Abraham Lincoln's insight that power tests a man's character underscores the importance of moral integrity in leadership, a quality often lacking in contemporary figures who prioritize appearance and compromise over substance. In contrast, God's standard for leadership, as revealed in His calling, demands a transformation into His image. He has called His children to become leaders in His Kingdom, to serve as kings and priests, indicating that the sanctification process is fundamentally about leadership training. This preparation involves growing in grace and knowledge, putting on the New Man, and being transformed into the likeness of Christ, who embodies perfect character as the ultimate leader. God will not permit anyone without His perfect character to rule in His Kingdom, ensuring that only those who meet His standard, as judged by Christ, will hold authority. Leadership without character is not true leadership; it is merely the blind leading the blind. Personal conduct inevitably affects public leadership, as one's inner traits, whether good or evil, will manifest in actions and decisions, impacting those under their influence. Jesus Christ provides the model of servant leadership, teaching that true greatness comes through service, not dominance. Unlike worldly leaders who seek power and control, Christian leaders must prioritize the needs of others, making sacrifices to help them advance toward the Kingdom of God. This model rejects self-interest and focuses on equipping and uplifting others. Christian leaders exhibit specific characteristics reflective of Christ's nature. First, they speak the truth, equipping the saints for service and fostering unity and growth within the body through honest communication. Second, they uphold standards, maintaining integrity and sound doctrine to encourage spiritual progress. Third, they listen to those under their authority, following Christ's example of engaging with others to grow in wisdom and understanding. Fourth, they give gifts and helps, sharing time, attention, wisdom, and comfort to support and encourage others, mirroring Christ's generosity even in His darkest moments. Finally, they remain humble, assuming lowliness and serving others as Christ did when He washed the disciples' feet, recognizing that true honor comes from God in due time. Ultimately, the process of sanctification is about becoming leaders conformed to the image of Christ, growing in character through learning, recovering from mistakes, and pressing forward to achieve the perfect leadership exemplified by our King and High Priest, Jesus Christ.

Leadership, as God desires in His children, is a critical quality that must be built through a deliberate and consistent yielding to Him. God establishes in Ezekiel 34 that the Israelites suffered under self-centered shepherds, a term encompassing leaders across various domains who failed to guide people according to His will. These leaders prioritized personal gain over their responsibilities, stunting the spiritual growth of those under their care. True leadership, however, begins with following Christ, requiring discipline to maintain a vision of hope and to achieve it, as exemplified by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 9. Leadership is not merely about directing others but involves guiding oneself along the righteous path while following Christ. It is a composite quality made up of many traits, created by God as we submit to His way of life. Isaiah 3:12-14 highlights the failure of leaders who caused the people to err, crushing the poor and leading astray. To lead, as defined, means to go ahead, guide, conduct, or influence others without forcing them, setting an example that inspires followers to willingly follow, which can be for good or ill. The importance of leadership is evident in God's purpose for His people, as seen in Revelation 5, where Christ, the Lamb, is qualified to open the scroll due to His past accomplishments, setting an example for us. Those redeemed are appointed as a kingdom of priests to serve God and bear rulership responsibilities, necessitating preparation now to fulfill these roles. Leadership does not happen magically; it is built through following God's pattern, ensuring we are ready for future responsibilities under Jesus Christ, as reiterated in I Peter 2:5 and 2:9. Revelation 14:3-4 emphasizes following the Lamb wherever He goes, underscoring that the leadership God seeks is created as we emulate Christ. This preparation is vital, as the period before transformation into God's Kingdom is meant for developing the ability to serve at a higher level after Christ's return. Leadership is primarily by example, not coercion, and is essential for every Christian to develop through understanding God's covenants, which provide foundational direction for His purpose. Christ Himself exemplified this principle by following the Father's doctrine, as seen in John 7:14-17 and Luke 4:32, becoming the greatest leader by first being a follower. This sets the course for us to imitate Him, as Paul urges in I Corinthians 1:26-29, reminding us that God calls not the already mighty but those with potential, remaking them into leaders with His stamp of approval. God creates this leadership within us, regardless of worldly accomplishments, shaping us into new creations for His family.

The series on leadership and covenants opens by underscoring how the quality of leadership profoundly shapes those who follow, as seen in the contrasting impacts of Israelite kings such as David, Hezekiah, and Josiah against Solomon's spiritual decline, which ultimately divided the nation permanently. This principle applies directly to family leadership, the universal context in which every person exercises influence. Parents, whether aware or not, cast a spiritual influence upon their children for good or evil, bearing responsibility for its outcome. God's repeated evaluations of leaders center on whether they did what was right or evil in His eyes, establishing spiritual influence as the priority He respects and requires within His family. This standard is reinforced by the call to abide in Christ so that disciples bear much fruit, with living by faith presented as the means God supplies through every needed grace. Noah exemplifies such leadership. Though neither warrior, king, nor priest, he is repeatedly praised by God for doing all that was commanded, a description repeated five times in Scripture. His consistent faith enabled him to build the ark over 120 years amid universal evil, preaching righteousness without visible converts, and to emerge from the Flood by first offering thanks and atonement. God ranks him alongside Daniel and Job as one whose righteousness would have preserved a nation, placing him first in Ezekiel's short list of the faithful. Noah's leadership flowed from humble submission rather than charisma, and this same pattern connects to the covenants. The Noahic covenant, the first explicitly named in Scripture, reaffirms humanity's responsibilities while introducing adjustments such as formal human government and the rainbow sign, yet it leaves unchanged the requirements of obedience, faith, and grace that have operated from the beginning. Each covenant progressively clarifies God's purpose without altering mankind's core duty to submit to the Creator, demonstrating that faithful leadership under covenant remains essential to participating in that purpose.

Leadership, whether local, national, or global, remains a constant focus as it greatly influences the course of life. Human nature often leans toward rebellion against leaders, yet such actions bear bitter fruit. God is sovereign in the affairs of men, deciding who will lead and the quality of that leadership to fulfill His will. He appoints authorities, and resisting them brings judgment, for no power exists unless given from above. The heart of a leader is in the hand of the Lord, turned wherever He wishes. While humans cannot choose their leaders, even in democracies, they can beseech God for good leadership. The true question is whether individuals or groups live in a way that inclines God to bless them with wise leaders rather than curse them with those who lead astray. History shows that God grants delivering leaders only when people repent and cry out to Him. This principle applies not only to nations but also to smaller bodies, where leadership reflects what has been earned. If change is to come, it must begin with the individual, in the hope that God will grant leadership to guide rightly.

Rooted in Matthew 20 and Luke 22, this message demonstrates that true greatness in God's Kingdom is measured not by rank or authority, but by Christlike, self-sacrificial servant leadership. Christ contrasts the world's pursuit of status with His own example of humble service, warning that ambition for position reflects a diminished view of His supreme authority and is closely linked to betrayal, as illustrated by Judas at the Passover. This biblical principle is powerfully reinforced through the D-Day examples of Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and Sergeant Walter Ehlers, whose courage, humility, perseverance, and unwavering concern for those under their care exemplified leadership that placed others above self. Drawing from these accounts and numerous scriptural passages, the message identifies seven essential qualities of faithful servant leaders—including maximizing God-given gifts, enduring hardship without complaint, caring diligently for others, knowing those entrusted to one's care, persisting in service, exercising humble self-awareness, and seeking wise counsel. Ultimately, it challenges every believer to embrace Christ's pattern of sacrificial service, faithfully using whatever God has entrusted to them in preparation for His coming Kingdom.