Memorable Moments Hebrews
Hebrews 13:7 ESV
I Samuel 16:12-13 ESV
I Samuel 16:17-20 ESV
I Samuel 17:8-11 ESV
I Samuel 17:16 (Forty Days)
I Samuel 17:22-23 (The Challenge)
I Samuel 17:26-27 ESV
I Samuel 17:32-37 ESV
I Samuel 17:38-39 (David and Saul’s Armour)
I Samuel 17:40 ESV
I Samuel 17:43 (Goliath cursed David)
I Samuel 17:45-47 ESV
I Samuel 17:49-50 (David killed Goliath)
My major in Seminary was in leadership. As part of the curriculum we studied past and present leaders, church leaders, and Biblical leaders. I also studied several areas that were part of a Masters of Divinity degree (counseling, pastoral care, etc). That was several years ago but as I recall there were five areas of study.
I learned that Leadership is a complex living breathing discipline.
I concluded that good leaders and church leaders often make it look easy. It’s not.
It’s a little like watching a tennis match. They make hitting a ball look easy. It’s not. It’s so difficult that even the most talented athletes fail to succeed consistently.
I’ve witnessed really good church leaders who burn out. The bottom line is that leadership in church is demanding and can be exhausting.
In Hebrews 13:7 we read, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”
As part of my continuing interest in leadership post seminary, I am inclined to study and learn about good leaders. I am particularly interested in Biblical leaders.
Take David for example. He was chosen by God as a boy.
We learn from I Samuel 16 that Israel needed a new leader. God told the Prophet Samuel to go to Bethlehem to find Jesse. Samuel was told God would show him the next leader from the sons of Jesse.
One by one, oldest to youngest Jesse presented his sons to Samuel. When each was presented God told Samuel no. Then it looked like there were no more sons and Samuel asked if there was another son? Jesse told him his youngest son was tending sheep and he sent for David.
In I Samuel 16:12-13 we are told, “And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.”
God chose from among the sons of Jesse the least likely boy who would be the next King of Israel.
The Spirit of the Lord rested on David and he was taken to live in the palace because King Saul was tormented and he needed someone who could play the lyre. We learn from I Samuel 16:17-20, “So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.”
David grew into manhood living in the palace. He learned about leadership.
As time wore on and the boy David grew to be a man he continued to learn to utilize his skills. In I Samuel 17 Saul’s army was up against the Philistines and Goliath was their champion. He was a mighty warrior. In I Samuel 17:8-11 we are told Goliath “stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us. And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”
For forty days…FORTY DAYS Goliath taunted Israel (I Samuel 17:16).
So even though David wasn’t actually on the battlefield, he went there to take food to his older brothers and the soldiers. While he was there he heard the challenge Goliath gave to the army of Israel (I Samuel 17:22-23).
The army of Israel was afraid, but David was not. He was bold for God. In I Samuel 17:26-27 we learn, “And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”
Even though his brothers and the other soldiers did not listen to David, Saul heard what David said and the King sent for him.
And then David told Saul in I Samuel 17:32-37, “Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”
Saul even had his Armour put on David but the boy was much too small (I Samuel 17:38-39) and he took them off.
God had another plan for David, “Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine (I Samuel 17:40).
…and the Philistine giant Goliath cursed David in the name of his gods (I Samuel 17:43).
In I Samuel 17:45-47, “Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”
…and David slayed the Giant Goliath with one stone (I Samuel 17:49-50).
In the name of Yahweh God, God of the heaven and earth David slayed the giant because:
David the boy was chosen by God.
David was bold for God.
David had the heart of a warrior and he trusted God.
THE God made David a great leader even when he was a boy.
Church leaders, political leaders, and business leaders today face many new challenges. Everything is changing faster and faster. A good leader needs to be on the cutting edge.
But most of all a great leader needs to be chosen by God, be bold for God, and be a warrior FOR God and God alone.
Spiritual Practice: Great Leader
Who is God calling You to BE? Let God open the doors for you. Tell God you are willing and ready. God will take care of the details.
In God, Deborah
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