Adult Bible Study Online

Trustworthy leadership

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Lesson text: Hebrews 12:1-13
By: Omar Eby
Email: ebyo@emu.edu

One must not forget the theme for the first unit of this quarter: “Images of Christ in Hebrews.” This Sunday the image of Christ is a “trustworthy” leader. Yes, maybe. I do not doubt Christ’s leadership; that is portrayed. But my confusion comes with the gap between theme and title. Who are being addressed in these Scriptures? Are they not Christians who are suffering? Does how they cope make them “trustworthy” leaders? In what manner is this applicable to North American Christians, comfortable with our consumer culture and our national pride?

Today, what is the “everything that hinders” that “clings so closely” (12:1 NRSV)?

Might “the sin of nationalism” be one such “entanglement”? Commentators on Hebrews suggest that one of the hindrances for the Jewish Christians of Palestine was that they could not imagine a faith free of temple rites and sacrifices. Some still thought that Jerusalem, their beloved city, would become the capital of the world under the Messiah’s reign. Yet, later for the Jews, one strike by the Roman army wiped their Holy City from the political landscape. Temple rites ceased. So in Judaism, the state religion was a thing that hindered their development.

Any parallels for North Americans? How do spiritual shocks and suffering make us better leaders? Americans are now in a feverish political period when we are urged to believe that one of our presidential candidates will save Christian America. (Canada, too, has had its periods of political spasms, so its citizens should try not to feel superior these months!)

And shake off the silly national distractions of the summer Olympics? Our faith is not tied up with whether our prayers are answered for our nations’ teams. I doubt that God cares whether a Canadian or an American Mennonite swimmer wins a medal.

And about leadership, Henri Nouwen writes in The Wounded Healer (Darton Longman and Todd, 1994) that “the great illusion of leadership is to think that people can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there... No one can help anyone without becoming involved” (p. 72). If we live without suffering, how do we earn the right to become “trustworthy” leaders?

This message relates to the Adult Bible Study. For additional information on Adult Bible Study or Adult Bible Study Teacher, send email to info@mpn.net. To order either publication call Mennonite Publishing Network at 1 800 245-7894.