Following the Leader

​1 Peter 2:13a (NKJV) - Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…
 
There was a Christian businessman in North Carolina who told me something I will never forget. He was in retirement at the time and had managed all kinds of people in his life. He had been a great church leader as well for decades. He said, "Followers are simply leaders who have chosen to let someone else lead." We might think, “Some are followers, and some are leaders,” but he would disagree. He explained, "We're all leaders, but followers are simply leaders who have chosen to let someone else lead."
 
We see this exemplified in the life of Christ as a 12-year-old at the temple. Jesus was talking to the religious leaders - asking and answering questions. They were amazed because here was a 12-year-old boy. Afterwards, Luke 2:51 says, “Then He [Jesus] went down with them [Joseph and Mary] and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.” Though He astounded the religious leaders, Jesus lived in subjection to His parents. No one would ever say that Jesus was of any lower class of individual than Mary and Joseph, but yet it says that Jesus Christ was subject to his parents. Why? Well, He served here as an example to His followers. He would be telling us as children to be subject to our own parents and that there is order in the home.
 
Jesus was up in heaven and he condescended as an example to us. Philippians 2:5–8 says, “5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” He did not have to come down, but He condescended. He came down to rescue humanity on the cross, and it says that He became obedient even unto death, the death of the cross.
 
Jesus taught this to His disciples. Matthew 20:25–28 says, “25 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.’”
 
Jesus sought to teach a leadership model to His disciples that could be called “servant leadership.” He exemplified this servant leader when He took a towel and basin, knelt before His disciples and washed their feet.  John 13:3–5, 14-16 says, “3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. … 14 ‘If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.’”
 
Think about the fact that when we get to heaven and see Jesus, we are going to fall on our face and worship Him. However, here, we see Jesus kneeling before His disciples washing their feet as an act of humble servant leadership. Jesus is our model of not just servant leadership, but he's also our model for humility and submissiveness.
 
Remember the garden of Gethsemane? Jesus knows the stripes, the crown of thorns, and the cross are before Him. Jesus is praying to the Father in Matthew 26:39, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” He knew what was ahead, and if there's any other way to rescue humanity, He says, “let this cup pass for Me.” Then He ends that with a prayer of consecration, “yet not My will, but Your will be done.” Jesus shows submission to the Father’s will.
 
First Corinthians 11:3 describes order in the Trinitarian Godhead: “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” Imagine God the Father saying, “This is My plan. This is My purpose.” Jesus then listens and submits to the plan of the Father. All of these examples in the life of Jesus show that He lived a life of submission, and He is our model. Do we call ourselves Christians? The word “Christian” simply means “like Christ”.
 
Peter commends the followers of Christ in 1 Peter 2:13 to “submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.” He did not say, “because the ordinances are worthy of submission.” He did not say, “submit to some ordinances of man.” He said Christians are to submit to every ordinance of man because of Jesus.
 
Americans often coil against the idea of submitting to any kind of authority. In a democracy, the citizens certainly can speak into unjust laws and take an active approach in government. However, submission should be the posture of every Christian in society once those laws are in place. Americans are often too quick to say, “Well, I’ll submit when I like the government that’s in place. I'll be submissive when the ones I voted for are in charge. But I won’t follow them if I didn’t vote for them. I won’t honor them.” This reasoning is to our shame. God's people are to exemplify the same submission that Jesus Christ exemplified when He came to this earth and humbled Himself. Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind [attitude] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
 
“Dear God, thank You for showing me the life of humility and submission to authority in the life of my Lord, Jesus Christ. I pray that as I continue to learn from You, I will follow in Your footsteps. I will submit to those who are in positions of authority over me. Thank You for sovereignly placing me in America. I pray that righteousness would reign in our great country. I pray that my respect and honor for the laws of my country would be an example to others and draw people to You. I love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”