Expressing Christ-like Character & Building Servant Leadership
Icebreaker: If you could spend a day with any famous person (living or passed), who would it be and why?
Share your thoughts
When have you seen the qualities of Jesus in someone else? What are some ways you could know if you’re becoming more like Jesus?
Expressing Christ-like Character
As we grow as Christ-followers, we become more like Him in exhibiting qualities such as kindness, humility, joy, gentleness, patience, self-control, love, peace, forgiveness, etc.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The more we spend time with someone, the more we begin to look like them and talk like them. This is also true of our relationship with Jesus. The more we walk with Him, the more He transforms us to look like Him. Our desires start to become His desires. This daily journey of walking with God and becoming more like Him is referred to as discipleship.
Through discipleship, He begins to shape us and teach us how to surrender more of our lives to Him. As we allow God to work in our lives over time, God transforms us so that we begin to express Christ-like character.
One way to evaluate if we are becoming more like Jesus is by asking ourselves: “How do others observe Jesus in me?” It’s one thing to believe we are expressing Christ-like qualities in our own life, but another for people around us to actually see it. As much as we would like to flip a switch and magically become more like Jesus, this is a daily process of growth. While some things change in our lives right away, other parts of our lives take time. That’s why in 2 Corinthians 3:18, the Apostle Paul wrote, “And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” This process isn’t always easy, but as we walk with God and learn to submit every part of our lives to Him, He helps us every step of the way.
Building Servant Leadership
We all influence the thinking, behavior, and development of others. And we choose to engage those opportunities by following Christ's model of serving others to help them grow into who God calls them to be.
Mark 10:34-45 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
One main way God wants to develop Christ-like character in us is by helping us become servant leaders. Jesus addressed this time and time again with His disciples. In Mark 10:43-45, Jesus says, “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Christ set the example of what it looks like to serve others first. He could have led with force and power, but He chose to lead with humility and love. As we follow Jesus, remember that people would rather follow someone who is always real, than someone who is always right. When we learn to develop Christ-like character and model servant leadership, people will see Jesus living in and through us!