Jesus did not set a model for leadership, he abolished it. His model of leadership was as an enabler, not as a "leader" in current usage. He forbids his followers from acting like kings, instead offering himself as an example of servant leadership (Mt 20:25-28, Mk 10:42-45).
This continues to grow on me. It relates well to the Old Testament stories as well. For example, when the Israelites asked for a King. God didn't really want one (1 Sa 8:4-22). It all fits.
One of the Godfather films has the subtitle Power cannot be given. It must be taken. The power and authority Christ gives, offers and uses is the opposite of this. Having the authority of King of Kings available (Phil 2:6-8), Christ explicitly rejected it (Mt 4:8-9, Lk 4:5-6), and still stands at the door and knocks (Rev 3:20), and waits for it to be opened.
As I write this, I am planning a special service, with all the old organisational problems, which seem to all stem from our failures to follow Jesus' model of leadership. When we take people for granted, we imply "my time is more important than yours". When we allow them to turn up to do a job that isn't needed, we are saying this very eloquently indeed.
This is opposite to Jesus' example and teaching, valuing the time of others. Lives are made of time. This means valuing people's lives, and the people themselves. The greatest example is Jesus giving his life (Mt 20:28, Mk10:45). When he calls us friends not servants (Jn 15:15), he is saying that our time is equally important to his. YiCaa
See alderspace for a longer version of this line of thought.
