There will be times every leader must take risks to further the mission. Read John 2:12-22.

Following His miracle at the wedding in Cana (Verses 1-11) Jesus traveled with His family and disciples to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. Upon His arrival He went to the temple and became disturbed by the way religious leaders had allowed venders to turn the temple courts into a marketplace. Jesus’ passion for His Father’s house rose to the surface and He drove the vendors, cattle, and sheep from the courts and in the process tipped over the tables of the money changers and sent the coins flying onto the floor.

When a leader has the respect of their team, their team will accept their vision. Read John 2:1-11.

A number of men, some of whom would eventually become part of His inner circle of 12 Apostles, had joined Jesus in His mission even before His first public miracle at a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. These men were committed to Him and left their profession and accompanied Him as He traveled around northern Israel, but, according to verse 11, it was after He turned the water into wine that “His disciples put their faith in Him.” An important leadership principle is, “When a team trusts in a leader’s credibility, they will believe in that leader’s vision.”

Skilled leaders know the importance of spending time with key followers, especially in the early stages of their time together. Read John 1:35-39.

When John the Baptist publicly recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God, two of his disciples heard him and followed Jesus. Jesus saw them following Him and invited them to come with Him and according to verse 39 they “spent that day with Him.” Jesus did more than spend time with these men; He opened Himself allowing them to have a relationship with Him.

God has given every leader a purpose for living and leaders can trust Him to guide them. Read John 1:19-28.

John the Baptist was the God-appointed messenger to announce the arrival of Jesus. John’s birth was foretold in Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 4:5. John was a unique leader. He wore odd clothes, ate strange foods and preached an unusual message to the Judeans who went into the wasteland to see him. John had no power or position in the Jewish political system, but he spoke with almost irresistible authority. People were moved by his words because he spoke the truth, challenging the people to turn from their sins and baptizing them as a symbol of their repentance. John the Baptist believed God was directing his purpose and that allowed him to become a leader of great courage and great passion.

Every great leader will develop the ability to embrace change. Read John 1:1-18.

Jesus understood what it takes to lead while embracing change. In the beginning He was with God and was God and was treated as the sovereign of the universe. He left heaven where He led as God and experienced the change of becoming a leader in the form of a human infant, child, adolescent, young adult, and mature man. Jesus went from all creation knowing He was the sovereign ruler where He led with absolute power at His disposal to leading others that only saw Him as an uneducated carpenter from northern Israel with no authority and no power.