Always Reforming

Leadership.  If you want to start an argument, discussing leadership is as easy a way as any.  Who should lead, how should they lead, and what it means to lead are all hot topics.  One very popular leadership philosophy in our postmodern world (our post-postmodern--I'm not sure where we're at in 2018) is to be a very passive leader.  In other words, you lead by not really leading at all.  Parents let their kids make their own decisions, managers don't really manage their employees, and husbands don't lead their wives.  No one wants to offend anyone or take responsibility, so leaders are impotent. This philosophy or style of leadership, sometimes explicit and sometimes implicit, is an overreaction to the despotism, chauvinism, and insensitivity to which human nature so naturally inclines.  As such, it expresses legitimate concerns, but the answer to a problem is never to abandon the good and the right into order to avoid the bad and destructive. Mor...

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord , the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the rig...

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...

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.    This passage is pretty self-explanatory.  These commands are pretty straight-forward, but we'll check it out a little nonetheless.      Our author (Paul, Luke, Apollos, Clement?) tells them to let brother...