Leadership that Honors God – Candidate Sunday
Pastor Phil Derstine 10-18-26
Our Nation’s Heritage of Godly Leadership
Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…”
- Declaration of Independence – “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
- Pledge of Allegiance – “One Nation, under God…”
- U.S. Capitol Prayer Window – Psalm16:1 “Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust.”
- Washington Monument (555’ high) – Laus Deo (Latin) “Praise be to God” (on the top)
Proverbs 14:34 “Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.”
- U.S. Supreme Court Building – Carved into the exterior East Pediment is a Marble sculpture of Moses holding the two tablets of the 10 Commandments.
Exodus 18:21 (How Jethro instructed Moses to choose Leaders) “But select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain.”
- Capable – Having competence, knowledge, ability, good judgement.
- God-Fearing – Having humility and accountable to a higher moral authority (God).
- Trustworthy – Having integrity, demonstrated by actions.
- Hate Dishonest Gain – Having honesty, to resist personal gain at the public’s expense.
Great Leadership is Measured by Service
- Leadership (Defined) – The capacity to influence others, through inspiration, generated by a passion, ignited by a purpose.
- Inspiration (def.) – A divine influence on a person.
- Leadership is about Vision (Knowing where you’re going) and Values (Principles that guide how you get there.
- Vision without Values can lead in the wrong direction.
- Jesus showed us the highest value of leadership: SERVING OTHERS
- Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
- The greatest Leader who ever walked this earth washed His disciples' feet.
Leadership that Honors God Begins with Us
- II Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
- Our Responsibility: PRAY – PARTICIPATE – SERVE
- “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.”
