A hostile audience is a great test of a leader’s communication skills. Read Matthew 21:23-27 and Matthew 21:33-46.

Those serving in leadership of Judaism despised Jesus. The strict rules of the priesthood came down hard on anyone claiming to be a representative of God let alone the Son of God. Even though Jesus did not proclaim He was the Son of God in His public messages, neither did He deny it and to the religious leaders the lack of denial was equal to proclaiming it. Lest I leave the impression all their motives were pure, the religious leaders also did not want to have anyone upset their power grip on the people and their profitable financial activities. These leaders were angry with Jesus and would have had him killed but they were afraid of violating the law of the Roman occupying force and they were afraid of the Jewish people who thought Jesus was a prophet.

Encouragement is one of the greatest tools in a leader’s toolbox. Read Matthew 17:1-13.

Peter, James and John were three of the twelve disciples who Jesus relied on heavily to complete His mission even after He was no longer living on earth. In today’s verses these men accompanied Jesus to a remote area in the mountains of Judea and to their great surprise Jesus was suddenly transfigured from a man they worked with everyday to a heavenly being, the man of grace, who was joined by Moses, Israel’s first lawgiver, and Elijah, Israel’s greatest prophet. As if this were not enough they heard the very voice of God giving Jesus’ work His approval from heaven. Can you even imagine how encouraged these men were from what Jesus revealed to them concerning the scope of their mission? The impression was so lasting that Peter later writes about it in one of his books, 2 Peter 1:16-18.

Leaders effectively communicate vision when they use terms, examples, and word pictures that their audience can understand. Read Matthew 13:1-52.

Jesus was a master teacher. In His public ministry He often had crowds with varied backgrounds; some educated, some illiterate, some leaders, some laborers, some religious, some agnostic, some who preferred to work with their hands, some who worked with their mind, some honest, and some who did not know what an honest day’s work was. In chapter 13, Jesus uses a style of communication that effectively cast a vision for the Kingdom of Heaven which created a longing in the heart of virtually everyone in the crowd. Jesus’ use of parables and word pictures did not trivialize the profound truths about heaven but captured the imagination and heart and riveted His hearers’ attention on the kingdom He proclaimed.

Leaders’ words can create thoughts that can shape their or a teammates’ destiny. Read Matthew 12:33-37.

Jesus made it very clear when teaching His disciples that words matter. John Maxwell in The Maxwell Leadership Bible says it this way:

Leaders succeed as they find ways to successfully communicate their organization’s vision. Micah 4:1-5.

Micah not only announced judgment on the Jewish people but also brought a message of hope concerning God’s plan for the future. Micah proclaimed a vision of a better day. People could get excited about the message because during the last days the “house of the Lord” would be a strategic, influential, equipping place. The Lord’s temple would be established and Jerusalem would be chief among all the cities. Because God gave Micah His words, he was equally as effective communicating vision for a positive future as he had been proclaiming judgment.