Always Reforming

In the chapters leading up to chapter 28, we find the final works of David.  In Chapter 22 we see him prepare for the building of the Temple .  In 23 we see him organize the Levites and in 24 we see the division of labor for the priests.  In 25 he organizes the musicians and in 26 he organizes the gatekeepers and treasurers and other officials.  Lastly, in 27, he appoints military leaders.  Finally, in 28, as his last kingly act, he addresses the people to give them his final wishes and to pass on the scepter to his son, Solomon.  It is this final speech that we will study in the final two chapters of 1 Chronicles.  Through this speech we will seek to understand essentially two things.  1, we will learn what it means to be a good leader, and 2, we will learn what it means to pass along the covenant.      Beginning with verse 1:  Read verses 1-3.   David calls together all the leaders of the people.  There w...

"For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.     This verse from Romans helps us to understand the nature of the covenant signs in the Bible--circumcision and baptism--as well as the sacramental meals.  There are two extremes to which people gravitate when it comes to signs in the Bible.  Some downplay them, ignore them, and neglect them.  This is usually a reaction to the other extreme.  On the other side of the spectrum are those who idolize the signs.  They invest saving power into the signs that God never intended the signs to carry.       Signs are exactly that--signs.  Their very nature is to point to something greater.  Too often we look at baptism and we think that the very act of placing water on a person (or dunking them, if that floats your boat) mystically does something.  Some people believe it removes sin.  Some believe ...

"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."    This passage demonstrates the denseness of the book of Romans.  In just the greeting of this letter you could do at least a couple of sermons.  I, however, will quickly glean a few major thoughts.  Firstly, we see, once again, the truth that the Gospel (the Go...