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12 July:
Who Will Be Our Leader?
Rom 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
1 Cor 10:11 “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction . . .”
Last week we looked at why following Jesus was a beneficial thing – it connected us to the heavenly Father so that we become His adopted children and all the inherent blessings that comes with be a child of the Creator of the universe.
One of the blessings which we enjoy is that of having God’s Word to lead us, guide us and teach us. That is what these two passages are trying to tell us. We have written records of all types of historical events and conversations which teach us and illustrate for us what is pleasing to our heavenly Father.
One such passage that we should consider is found in Romans 13:
Romans 13:1 “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Paul establishes the idea that being obedient to our higher authorities is the correct thing to do since it is God who is working behind the scenes. If we are to be obedient to our civil authorities, then we are certainly too obedient to our religious authorities. This is particularly true when it is God whose authority we are under. We see an issue regarding this with Israel. 1 Sam 8:5,8 “And they said to Samuel, ‘Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the (other) nations. ….’ The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.’” The people then clarify what it is they want: 1 Sam 8:19,20 "No, we must have a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles".
You can clearly see here that they are wanting to put their trust in human agency which they can see rather than trust in their unseen God who has historically provided for them time and time again. Jesus addressed a similar problems with God’s people following human wisdom and tradition rather than obeying God’s laws: Mtt 15:3 “He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? We see during Jesus’ lifetime that the Jewish leaders were still putting their trust in their own wisdom rather than that of God’s.
We can see from God’s words that wanting a human king to rule over them was a form of rebellion – an unwillingness to put their trust in God. Amazingly enough God accepts their rebellion and works with it so as to continue His relationship with His children. Within this human king scenario, in an effort to protect them, He sets boundaries and gives guidelines for them to follow within this new situation.
In Deuteronomy 17:14-20 we see a number of instructions that must be followed and I want to consider them today:
“When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I want a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. 16 Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. 18 And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.”
1) The first point that we see is the need for us to let God choose our leaders!
1) V. 15 “You may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose” – even though Israel has rejected God to be their one and only King, He still instructs them to follow His directions and His leader. God is placing His leader(s) over Israel in order to protect and lead His people down the right path. The same is true with regard to our church leaders today. We need to ensure that they are the godly men who are following God’s guidance: 1 Timothy 3:2 “Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach…” 1 Thess 5:12,13 “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”
Acts 14:23 “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” Titus 1:9 “He (Elder) must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.”
Elders are to be significant figures in our spiritual communities. They serve as leaders, guides, and mentors, helping us navigate our faith journey. They lead by example and nurture our spiritual growth. In choosing our church leaders we must do so wisely to ensure they are obedient servants of God’s word and will.
The second instruction given in regard to God’s leaders was in regard to foreign leaders:
2) V. 15 cont.: “choose one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman.”
Israel is told to choose a countryman for their leader in order to minimize the chance that they will be lead away from God’s laws and statutes. Paul cautions us in a similar fashion: Col 2:8 “See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ.” It is critical as to who we let teach and guide us. Eph 4:11,12 “And He gave some as …. pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service; to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
2) The second point in God’s instructions was that we are to trust in Him and not human wisdom or capabilities.
3) God’s instructions continue: V. 16 Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses. The mention here for acquiring many horses is in reference to a power base that a king would have to make war. More horses = more power which precludes the need for God’s help. A couple of weeks back we looked at lessons on the armor of God. The armor given us, with instructions, is God providing for us with a means to win our spiritual battles. In Deuteronomy, the king is to rely on God’s help not his own power. Historically, Scripturally, one Israelite King was punished by God for attempting to rely on an alliance with Egypt in order to resist Babylonia instead of relying on God. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Phil 4:13,19 “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. … And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” We must learn to trust in Him in all things both great and small.
3) A third point in these instructions is that we are not to allow anything to cause us to waiver in our Christian walk.
4) The fourth instruction from God: V. 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away 1 Kings 11:4 “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” In Deut 13:6-10 warns us not to listen to anyone, even family members, with regard to idols. In fact such people are to be stoned to death. In 1 John 4:1 John instructs believers, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." And Jesus Himself warns us: Mtt 7:15 "Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."
This metaphor illustrates the deceptive nature of false teachers who appear harmless but are dangerous to the spiritual well-being of believers. Paul emphatically states in Gal 1:6-9 “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!" We should be willing to go the extra mile to ensure that the practices we conduct in our lives are God approved!
4) The fourth point in this passage illustrates how important it is that we ‘KNOW’ God’s instructions and teachings so that we can faithfully follow them:
5) The fifth instruction given: V. 18,19 “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statues, that his hear may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the firth or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the m ids of Israel.”
Deuteronomy 17 sets the pattern for the kind of godly king God’s people need, and it exemplifies how we too can and should live our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord!
5 July:
What is the Benefit of Following the Lord?
I Cor 11:1 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” Luke 9:23 “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
Matthew 8:23-27 “When Jesus got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, a great storm arose and the boat began to be covered with the waves. Jesus Himself was asleep and they came to Him asking Him to save them. Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?’ He then rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, ‘What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”
What do we see in this passage? We see that the elements of the earth are under His control. And is THIS surprising??? Who created the whole earth? Who parted the seas and produced land? John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”
Jesus was the creator of the universe; Jesus created all that exists. Paul echo’s this in Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
When we recall the story of the flood, the story of Sodom/Gomorrah, the story of Jonah and the story of the 10 Plagues and parting of the Red Sea – we see God time and again exerting control of all aspects of this world. SO, what is the benefit of following the Lord, who are we attaching our wagon to, so to speak? The answer is we are following the creator and controller of this world!
And if you go back and read the Old Testament you see time and again how God blesses those who are His. In His covenant with Abraham God made this promise: Genesis 17:7 “ And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.” And this is then followed up by God honoring that promise when He redeems Israel for Egyptian slavery: Exodus 6:7 “I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” God continues faithfully: Ezekiel 36:28 “You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be My people, and I will be your God.” Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Jeremiah 29:10-13 “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you’, says the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.’” Jeremiah 31:33 “ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “
That promise or connection continues on through and in us: John 1:12 “Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” Gal 4:5,6,7 “so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father! Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” And later in Eph 2:8,9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gif of God”.
So, the benefit to following Jesus is that we are also connecting to His heavenly Father who in turn becomes OUR heavenly Father. And in that connection, we receive the promise of blessing given to Abraham for all his descendants.
Now I want to go to another, very similar story that Mathew give us:
MTT 14:22-33 “He made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead. After He sent the crowds away He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. And when it was evening, He was there alone. The boat, being a long distance from land began to be battered by the waves, for the winds were contrary. In the 4th watch (3-6 am) He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’ (THIS, after the boat/storm/sleeping story) Peter said to Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ And He said, ‘Come!’ and Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said, to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘You are certainly God’s Son!’”
Boat vs. furnace: mental state We see yet again, Jesus’ control over mother nature. Not only does He quell the storm again, but He is able to walk on water. But the point of this story that I want to consider is the mental state of these disciples and that of Peter. The apparent ‘ghost’ on the waters, and Peter’s concern about the wind and waves all negatively impacted these disciples’ mental state. Remember the Old Testament story of Shadrach and his companions? They refused to bow to the King’s golden statue – even when it became apparent that they were about to be thrown into a furnace of fire. And what was their response to this threat. They said that they believed God could save them – IF He wanted to, but whether they were to be saved by God or not – they would not bow. In other words, their faith and trust was not dependent on God saving them. Their faith was locked on!
Remember what the Hebrews writer said about Abraham’s faith. Heb 11:17,19 “By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, (the child of promise) for he considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead”. Abraham believed that God could and would resurrect Isaac to fulfill His promise. Remember the story of the 12 spies sent into Canaan to spy out the land. What did two of the spies say? That with God’s help they would successfully defeat the people of Canaan. And what does Rom 8 tell us?
Rom 8:28,31,37 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. …. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? … But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Psalms 55:22 “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
As Paul so adequately put it: if God is for us, then who is against us??? And IS God with us? If we turn to Him and accept Him as our Savior then He IS truly with us!
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.” 2 Tim 4:8 “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
What is the Benefit of Following the Lord?
The benefit of following the Lord is that with Him we are connected to our heavenly Father who will be with us all our days – looking after us, caring for us: Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you & help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Rom 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, those who have been called according to His purpose.”
So, until the day in which we are called to our heavenly Father may we find peace, joy and contentment in living our lives here on this earth – living for and with Him!
Matthew 7:25ff “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than these? …..Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”