This week the blog is sponsored by Desiring God and the post is written by David Mathis.

It is one of the filthiest lies Satan whispers in the ear of our comfortable and entitled generation. From before we can even remember, we have been indoctrinated with the idea that being “a leader” means prestige and privilege. Why would you settle for anything less? Why follow when you can lead? Leadership means privilege, and no generation has considered itself more entitled to privilege than ours.
As novel and inspiring as it may seem, it’s a very old deception. From the garden to the modern world, the natural, human, sinful way to think about leadership is to be king of the hill — to view leadership as the ascent to honor and comfort, rather than the descent to attend to the needs of others. One of the distinct marks of Satan’s influence in society — evidence that the god of this world is blinding unbelievers en masse — is that leaders lord their leadership over those for whom they are supposed to care.
Not Lording It Over
The voice that calls most clearly for the true path of leadership — leadership as a sacrifice, not a privilege — is Jesus himself. He warned sharply against both the pagan and religious leaders of his day who sought to use their people for their own benefit.
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:25–28; also Mark 10:42–45)
For a follower of Jesus, greatness in leadership is not defined by how many you have beneath you, but how consistently and significantly you are led by the Holy Spirit to take initiative and make personal sacrifices to serve the true needs of others.
And why do Christlike leaders take such initiative at such cost to themselves? According to the apostle Paul, they labor for the joy of those in our charge. “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith” (2 Corinthians 1:24).
Sacrifice for Joy
Christian leadership is fundamentally about giving, not taking. Christian leaders are not empty, immature individuals looking to prop themselves up with new privileges. Rather, they are those in Christ who have become secure enough, and mature enough, to empty themselves for the good of others.
Mark this, fellow husbands, dads, and pastors, the very essence and heart of leadership is taking initiative we otherwise wouldn’t take and make sacrifices we otherwise wouldn’t make, to guide our people somewhere good they otherwise would not have gone. We are among those who are learning that life’s greatest joys come not in private comfort and ease, but in choosing what is uncomfortable and hard for the sake of others’ joy, and our joy in theirs. Like the Son of Man, we lead not to be served, but to serve. We die to self so that others might live, and in that dying, we find true and lasting life. It is our great joy to be workers for their joy.

Blessings to you today.

Logos users will want to be sure to grab this month’s free book and take a look at the other discounted items. You’ll also find lots of Mobile Ed courses significantly marked down.
(Yesterday on the blog: The Year of Our Dreams or the Year of Our Nightmares)
Look Out! Preparing for ‘23!
“Solomon wrote thousands of proverbs. So when he writes, ‘Above all else…’ – that should get our attention. What is ‘above all else’ from Solomon’s perspective? In Proverbs 4:23, he tells us: ‘guard your heart.’  That is huge.” It is. And it gives us something to ponder at the beginning of a new year.
Trusting through Trials and Tragedies
“Each year, for some reason, we buy into the belief that next year will be different. As December concludes, we have high hopes that a change in the calendar will end the struggles and hardships that we are facing. However, as the new year dawns, it usually doesn’t take long for such happy hopes to be dashed to pieces by the less-than-romantic reality before us.”
Was The Pope a Catholic?
Stephen McAlpine considers the death of Pope Benedict XVI and reminds us of something obvious—that the pope was Catholic.
Dangers of Self-Revolution
“Imagine for a moment year 2023 gives you exactly what you want. What if your ambitious resolutions are reached and your year is a year of growth unlike any other?” That’s worth thinking about.
A Foolproof Discipling Program: Corporate Worship
“Churches make disciples. Okay … but how does a church do this? How does your church do this?”
John Piper’s Favorite Things
This one is a bit silly but still fun—John Piper talking about some of his favorite things (e.g. movies, food, etc).
Flashback: The New Year — A Poetic Prayer
I’ve been exploring the poetry of Marianne Farningham who wrote the bulk of her works in the late 1800s. Among them was this poetic prayer for a new year.

When God calls a man to pastoral ministry, he calls him to deal exclusively in the glory of God. God’s glory is our trust, our means, our end. —Jared Wilson

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.

All My Not-Enoughness
Britt reflects on her “not-enoughness” in this poignant article.
Caesar Said to Brutus
Zach and Maggie (whom you’ll recognize from The Gettys’ live shows) have released a fun and quirky album. Here’s a video from it. You can find the full album on all the usual apps and platforms.
Come, Lord Jesus by John Piper
Crossway has published an important new book by John Piper entitled Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Second Coming of Christ. For the launch, Desiring God has partnered with Westminster Bookstore to offer the hardcover edition at 40% off. (Sponsored Link)
Pastors Around the World Apply Romans 13
I found this article from Elliott Clark very interesting. “I reached out to church leaders from around the world, asking how they apply Paul’s command to ‘be subject to the governing authorities’ (Rom. 13:1). These believers hail from all sorts of countries—where persecution is overt and political or more social, where Christians are an extreme minority or nominalism is normal, where there’s relative peace and security or rampant political instability.”
Some Thoughts on the Dating of the Book of Revelation
Kim Riddlebarger considers the dating of the book of Revelation.
If We Do Not Give Up
“How long must a wife bear witness to Christ before her unbelieving husband? How long must parents pray for a child who hasn’t trusted Christ? Why does so much sowing not result in reaping? Why do the due seasons seem to come later than we’d expect, if ever?”
Ivan Provorov and the Pressure to Punish LGBT+ Dissent
Trevin Wax: “Why are these battles so heated? Why do so many in our society demand everyone show their support for LGBT+ causes? Why the insistence on preferred pronouns? Why the expectation there will be ‘consequences’ for someone who, out of religious conviction, respectfully dissents from the prevailing view?”
Flashback: A Few Practical Pointers on Marriage
No one is more harmed by your sin and no one is more blessed by your sanctification than your spouse. If you love your husband or wife, then give them the gift of holiness. Be holy for the benefit of that person you love the most.

A man has no more right at table to talk all than to eat all. —C.H. Spurgeon