Choose Your Leader Wisely

In recent months, we here in Australia, have had our federal elections and have subsequently, after many months of being inundated with political advertising, news coverage of achievements and accusations and insults between political parties, and above all promises – (of which their actual execution is questionable), elected a Prime Minister.  As it happens, not a new Prime Minister, but a re-appointment of our last one.
 
We are probably all aware that Britain has recently gone to the polls regarding Brexit (the exit of Britain from the European Union).  And of course, we have seen the huge amount of commentary about this, the ebb and flow of markets and the tensions that arose within the debate, culminating in the final decision to go ahead with Brexit and the re-arrangement of government and policies along with a still divided nation to implement this situation.
 
In a few months the hugely publicised American election will culminate in a new president.  The whole world has watched (whether we like it or not) the lead up to this event.  We have again seen the hype, heard the speeches and debates, witnessed the tension and divisiveness of a nation, noted the promises made (some of them provocative), and seen the back stabbing that goes along with political elections.  Watching this play out is unsettling and disturbing and worrisome.  Who will win?  Who will be the best President or in Australia’s case, Prime Minister to run the country with wisdom and justice?  The unanswerable question!
 
Australia has elected their Prime Minister.  And we wait to see if he will redeem his promises.  Whether his words and promises can be trusted.  So many times, they are not fulfilled and we hardly even expect them to be now.  In a poll held in 2015, only 13% of people, rated Australian federal politicians as being trustworthy.  The trust in our leaders is shaky at best!
 
So, who can we trust and who can we elect as our leader?
 
The Bible states quite clearly that God is in control of this world and the countries and leaders within them.
 
“O Lord, God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand You.” 2 Chronicles 20:6
 
"… He removes kings, and raises up kings he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep and secret things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him."  Daniel  2: 21-22 
 
“… the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” Daniel 4: 25  
 
“God, Activity OfGod's Activity In The NationsGovernmentFor the kingdom is the Lord’s and He rules over the nations. “ Psalm 22:28
 
We know that God has a plan for this earth and will ensure the ultimate outcome is according to His directive.
 
As a part of His plan, He sent His son Jesus to save us from our own self-imposed mortality.  Due to our wrong doings or sin, we die.  It would be impossible to have immortal sinners!  So we die.  And Jesus took the burden of our sins upon himself even though he was perfect and died for us as a sacrifice.  He paid the price for us.  But then he was made alive again.  He couldn’t remain dead as he was without fault.

“… whom God raised up (Jesus), having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it” Acts 2:24 

And what was the purpose of Jesus’ death and resurrection?
 
To give us life, a hope of escaping from our own mortality which is unavoidable – so we may be acceptable to God.  We have been clearly told this:

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you”.  Rom 8:11

But not only has Jesus saved us, but he has been designated by God to be king.  Not just of Australia or the United States or any other single country, but of the whole world.

“Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth” Jeremiah 23:5
 
And God has expressly told us to ‘listen to him’ - His son Jesus, and ultimately do what he asks.
 
“A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son.  Listen to him." Luke 9:35
 
Jesus says of himself:
“You say correctly that I am a king.  For this I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice” John 18:37
 
The Bible tells us that Jesus is our king.
 
Therefore, he is our leader.  He is the one we should choose to follow as our king.  And we can have every confidence in him.  We can trust him, unlike our present leaders, who can only offer us at best temporary solutions.  But Jesus as a leader offers us so much more:

1. He is directly following God’s plan and commands.  And God is forever faithful to His word.

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”  Numbers 23:19
“Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; but what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.  John 5:19

1. He is divinely appointed by God.  “

“Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.  Philippians 2:9-11

1. We can trust him ultimately as he is truth.  He will keep his promises which are God’s promises.

“… I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”          John 14:6
While speaking to his father in prayer he says in John 17:8 “For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me”

1. He holds the solutions to the world’s problems

“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.   Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this” Isaiah 9:6-7

“…The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.  He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.   He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.  Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.  Isaiah 11:2-5

1. We are told we will receive a rich welcome into an eternal kingdom if we have dedicated our lives to him.  The price has already been paid.  Jesus paid it for us by dying for our sins.

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11

1. He will judge the living and the dead and give eternal life to those who love and follow him.

“Jesus said to her "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die”  John 11:25-26

So who will you choose as your leader?  Jesus or our current politicians?  The fact is, very few people in the world really want Jesus to be king or believe that he will be, but this will not prevent him taking the reins of government at the appointed time.  His term won’t be for four or eight years, but for 1000 years.  The rulers of every country will have to resign from their office as ‘the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one”. 

His day is coming, so let’s choose our ‘king’ wisely.