Julius and the others did not seem to look upon Paul in religious or spiritual terms, but only in terms of practical and proven ability and knowledge. He was generous and that in itself bridges the gaps of selfish and greedy people if God's grace is given the opportunity to be operative. A late date for the day of atonement is required also by the time notes of the subsequent journey to Italy. The smaller boat, was much more easily handled, and would have been the logical choice when trying to make shore, especially in such circumstances. This inside information was, I think, a factor in their plan to abandon ship. The angry mob, which the Asian Jews had incited in Jerusalem, were trying to kill Paul, but God used Claudius Lysias and his soldiers to save his life. It was the crew of the ship who lived dangerously, foolishly risking the ship, the cargo, and the lives of all on board, just to get ahead a little. If there were but ten righteous in the city of Sodom, God would have spared the city for the sake of those righteous (Genesis 18:22-33). Paul once again stepped forward, speaking out to all aboard, so as to assure and encourage them, as well as to persuade them to prepare themselves for the rigors and physical demands of the hours that were to follow. 72-73, p. 480. Pauls faith and his courage were contagious. Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. He only said that their remaining on ship was necessary if these soldiers wanted to survive. In one of the more popular set of verses in the Bible, here is what Mordecai told Esther. 33 Who will bring a charge against Gods elect? 565 In particular, much may be learned from Lukes portrayal of Pauls character and behavior in circumstances in which the real man is most likely to be revealed. Given all these factors, the ship set sail from Fair Havens. in 1971. He sold his land and gave it to the church treasury. Paul had a fair bit of experience with sea travel. "Perhaps he's sleeping and will wake up!" Paul lived dangerously, in one respect, but no one could have been any safer. There is nothing wrong with a healthy fear of danger. With renewed strength, the passengers set about lightening the ship by throwing the remainder of the cargo the cargo of wheat overboard. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? To Paul (in my opinion) this would be akin to jumping off the pinnacle of the temple, and thus putting God to the test (Luke 4:9-12). Today's nomenclature calls it tough love. As peoples personalities are different, so are the leadership styles. The bottom line is that everyone leads in some fashion, be it great or small. Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. I think not. Leaders in this category encourage creativity while members are highly engaged. Examples. They may have the power, but they do not have the trust. The wise leader will work hard at blinding his or her eyes to the pettiness of church members' criticism. You can learn valuable and unique lessons on leading the church and furthering the gospel from these men of the Bible. You are the devil's advocate. Paul was kept safe, and as a result, all of those with him were saved as well. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your fathers family will perish. The sovereignty of God is no excuse for us not to work, but the assurance that our work is not in vain, in the Lord. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? If their safety was assured then let them do what they could to help themselveslet them eat. As the song goes, More secure is no one ever, than the loved ones of the Savior. The ship did not make it all the way to that beach toward which they were steering it. That safety is only in Christ. I read in the paper the other day that when faced with the decision as to whether he should change to an alternate airport or press on to the original destination, the pilot of a commercial airliner left the choice with his passengers. How often, I wonder, are others benefited by the presence of a believer? He has surrounded himself with executives that are experienced and insightful. The potential gains were minimal, while the potential loss was great. In every effective leader's life, there is a time for love, but also a time for courage. In spite of this fact, one man, Paul, emerged as the leader. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. The first 8 verses of the chapter take Paul from Caesarea to a harbor named Fair Havens, not far from the city of Lasea. A true leader has to be brutally honest with all those he comes in contact with. 7 Best Democratic Leadership Examples to Know 1. Godly leadership is honest leadership that allows you to lead out of who you are. There would be no one left who was an experienced sailor, who could help land the crippled ship. You can look at the qualities and simply see how you measure up. It was only some forty miles to Lutro. Robertson, p. 461. As it was the middle of the night and the storm was still fierce, the sailors put out anchors, to drag along the bottom, to slow down their drifting. Because of their very limited visibility, they might not see the land until it was too late. modern political leaders are good examples (Tony Blair, Geogrge Bush, Sarcosie, JFK, David cameron) What is a sentence with the words democracy and democratic? Paul thought of himself as nothing in the total scheme of things. Examples of democratic leaders A few specific examples of leaders who have demonstrated this style of leadership include: Former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, demonstrated how much she valued her team members by writing personalized letters to their parents. Whether you realize it or not, we are all called to lead. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong (Titus 1:9). There is no thus saith the Lord here, but Pauls words were worth heeding. But Paul did not presume to have God on tap and thus to be able to perform some miracle any time his wished. Here, Julius, the centurion in charge of Paul and the other prisoners, allowed Paul to go to his friends and be cared for by them (verse 3). The sovereignty of God means not only that God is able to intervene supernaturally, but that He is also able to work naturally, through human instruments (like the Roman soldiers, and in our story, like the centurion, in Pauls behalf). All rights reserved. But we can still have hope, even when we are afraid. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company [photolithoprinted], 1966), p. 191, quoting Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and Roman Citizen, p. 319. 31 What then shall we say to these things? They followed Paul because he knew where he was going and inspired confidence in others to follow him. The doctrine of Gods sovereignty is multi-faceted, something which careless and thoughtless Christians often forget or set aside. (The term Augustan, i.e., His Imperial Majestys, was a title of honor bestowed on several cohorts of auxiliary troops.) If God {is} for us, who {is} against us? Second, the majority of those who voted on this issue favored going further. Our world, like that ship of Pauls, was headed for destruction. Pauls safety and deliverance was so certain that it was sufficient for others as well. What has happened over the course of these events, so that a lowly prisoner, a man at the bottom of the ladder, so far as position and influence are concerned, is now the outstanding leader? This necessitated sailing close to the coast of Cyprus, which, to some degree, sheltered them from the contrary winds (verse 4). Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. They were not men who manipulated people or their circumstances in order to further their own power or position. Imagine this, they would have Paul to thank for their deliverance. If this was all that Paul said to these soldiers, he did not tell them that these men were attempting to abandon ship. 562 St. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? The hour is hopeless. He was right in that a great storm had swept down on this ship, and that both the ship and its cargo would be lost. Related Topics: Issues in Church Leadership/Ministry, Leadership, Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. They would hardly wish to be close to shore in the storm anyway, for there was more danger of the ship breaking up on the rocks than of it breaking up in the open sea. Moses. Pay attention to the type of men they chose to handle this problem. The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. An Uncorrupted View of Godly Leadership from Jude, 10 Women in the Bible God Used to Save Lives and Lead Others. Some things dont change. Progress was slow, due to wind conditions. The meeting's facilitator will be acting democratically if they actively seek out the team's thoughts and opinions and encourage them to voice them. I do not agree. Democratic leaders: Encourage group members to share their ideas: The leader asks for and considers employee input. . His sarcasm showed his disdain for those who had forsaken God. This journey began on an Adramyttian ship, which took them as far as Myra, where they boarded an Alexandrian ship, headed for Italy. Apparently Paul discerned that those in charge were predisposed to sailing a little further. He was courageous as indicated by the spy scenario in Numbers 13:31. Jesus (Luke 5:16) Of course, one cannot talk about godly leadership without pointing to the ultimate example: Jesus Christ. This was probably due to seasickness, and perhaps to the difficulty of cooking under such circumstances. Far to the south, off the African coast, lay the notorious Syrtes (17), the graveyard of many ships, as underwater archaeology has vividly revealed in recent years. He doesn't mince words when he calls them "a brood of vipers.". God has given each leader specific gifts. Had they heeded his warnings, this would not have happened. Examples of delegated authority include parents and their children, masters and their servants, priests serving in the temple, and Christian leaders, as Christ's servants, with the members of a church. Beyond this, God is free to act or not to act in any way that He chooses. When this happens, there will be no protection for the lost. The time which had been lost, due to unfavorable winds, made it evident that they would not be able to reach Rome, not without wintering at some port, and finishing the journey in the Spring.550 The only question now was where they would winter, and whether or not they would press on to some more favorable port. This harbour would protect them for a time from the winds. With great difficulty, the dinghy was hoisted on board, and then supporting cables were used to undergird the bottom of the ship, so that it might not break up under the weight of its cargo and the stresses of the storm. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:3-6). Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. The death penalty is certainly one possibility. A ship can be tossed about in the sea and survive much better than it can survive being dashed upon the rocks. Resilience may be the cornerstone of effective leadership. What he recognized was the person who had the ability to help bring deliverance to the Jews was Esther. Democratic leadership style fosters high job satisfaction and productivity because followers are involved in decision making. Obedient Daniel. His leadership was built not so much on ancestry from the Jewish lineage as by faithfulness. Too often, I hear leadership spoken of as a place of status, rather than a place of service. The safety of the passengers, involved their actions, in eating a good meal, in lightening the ship, and in swimming to shore or in clinging to some wreckage and floating to shore. {For I am} confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). For some, your leadership responsibilities are limited to yourself and your home. Here are 12 examples of inspiring leaders in the Bible who teach us what a great leader could and should be as well as how leaders should carry themselves. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. The sovereignty of God will then result in the overthrow of His enemies and in the judgment of the wicked. When the ship set sail, they began to encounter unfavorable winds. Just so you know, the person they are talking about in Acts 18:26 is Apollos. The passengers were not to lose hope, but to keep up their courage. Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. In spite of Pauls words of encouragement, the passengers had still not eaten. Gods power and His sovereign control are no pretext for carelessness or recklessness. Are You Expecting Too Much of Your Pastor. What are some examples of democratic leadership? This centurion was to develop a deep respect for Paul, so that he would extend considerable liberties to him, take seriously his advice, and make every effort to protect him. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. The final verses (42-44) tell of the plan of the soldiers to kill the prisoners, of the intervention of the centurion, and the safe arrival on land of all 276 passengers. Is there not a kind of parable here? Since leadership happens inside and outside the church, these examples are good wherever you lead. Except for Paul, they had all reached the conclusion that the situation was hopeless and that they were doomed. The assassination conspiracy was still the main hope of the Sanhedrin as Paul was imprisoned for two years by Felix, but God kept Paul from Jerusalem. A crucial decision had to be made at Fair Havens.549 Sailing was not safe in the winter, due to wind conditions and seasonal storms. Paul was as secure as any man could be. Paul reminded his shipmates that they should have listened to him sooner. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. The stern of the ship began to break up. It has long been acknowledged as one of the most instructive documents for the knowledge of ancient seamanship. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 474. And also for Pauls sake, all of the prisoners were spared from execution by the soldiers. Paul was frequently the instrument through which Gods power was manifested. When they set sail from Fair Havens, fifty or sixty miles brought them under the lee of Cauda (v. 16); on the fourteenth night from Cauda they drew near the coast of Malta (v. 27), and the next day (v. 39) they landed on that island, where they spent three months (28:11). *Indicated Required Field See ourPrivacy Policy. Simply put, Paul warned those making the decision about whether or not to press on that continuing on was not wise. Nevertheless, he did not presume that God would intervene in this instance. It was Paul who showed caution, warning those in charge of the dangers ahead. Doing so would be certain death, for the larger vessel offered more protection, so long as it held together. It was time for another word of encouragement. 556 The following day, a more drastic measure was necessary: the spare gear had to go if the ship was to have any chance of surviving. They took bribes and perverted justice. 2:2). 4. He was not an "out front" kind of person, but rather stayed in the background as a fan and supporter of Paul. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. 542 The ship in which they embarked belonged to Adramyttium (modern Edremit), a seaport of Mysia in northwest Asia Minor, opposite the island of Lesbos. Their safety was relative, however. Read Chapter All Versions. Because it was a part of Gods sovereign plan, God did purpose to spare Paul and the ships passengers, but in a way that would to some seem only like good luck. The miraculous aspect is seen in Pauls prediction of what happened in complete agreement with all that did happen, even to the minute details. When Esthers words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: Do not think that because you are in the kings house you alone of all the Jews will escape.