Bro Andrew Richard Article: 10 Layers of Leadership Modeled by Jesus in Matthew 10

Bro Andrew Richard Article

A quick read through the first nine chapters of Matthew offers a synoptic overview of the life of Jesus from his genealogy and birth to the introduction and application of the core message for his ministry, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matthew 3:17

From his baptism by John to his hand-selection and calling of the men who would be known as his disciples, Jesus is preparing all those who would believe in his message of good news to carry the kingdom of God to a needful world. He is modeling a form of leadership that is the embodiment of “Do I as do, and I will go before you and be with you as you do it.”

The women and men who followed Jesus closely, listening as he spoke, witnessed the working out of his kingdom message as he healed, fed, forgave, and brought conviction and hope to a world waiting for the Messiah. In the after moments of itinerant preaching done throughout the synagogues and villages, where he healed every disease and sickness he encountered and exhibited care and empathy toward the helpless and oppressed crowds he encountered as he journeyed, Jesus spoke these words :

    Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37

With this simple call to prayer, Jesus commends his disciples to the work of the ministry. He instructs them carefully in ten powerful layers of transformational leadership that he has modeled by example as he has walked out his ministry in their presence.