Jesus, The Transformational Leader

Jesus shows His transformational style of leadership as He gathers His disciples together in an intimate setting. In response to their question, concerning the future Jesus prepares them for what they would face as followers. He attempts to equip them by showing a path to overcoming. This path points out the problems to be solved and encourages endurance, which leads to triumph. Terry Anderson in his book Transforming Leadership states: “Each leader needs to develop the skills to encourage others…personal applications include self examination and problem solving and assists family members to gain self understanding to solve problems they encounter.” Jesus does this as he helps His disciples prepare to deal with the problems they are to encounter in the days to come. An inner textual analysis of Matthew 24:3-13 shows this clearly:

A) Together on the Mountain “What Shall These Things Be?” (vs. 3)
B) Beware Deception “Led Astray” (vs. 4)
C) False Christ’s (vs. 5)
D) Tumultuous Times “Nation against Nation” (vs. 7)
E) Persecution (vs. 9)
D) Tumultuous Times “Brother against Brother” (vs. 10)
C) False Prophets (vs. 11)
B) Beware deception “Falling Away” (vs. 12)
A) Together in Heaven “Shall Be Saved” (vs. 13)

Jesus shows transformational leadership as He becomes the equipper and shows His followers what they are to face. Our Lord then gives them the tool to navigate the future. The tool in this case is the challenge to never give up. “He that endures to the end shall be saved.”