Who’s in Charge Here? Numbers 12

Many apologies for giving you double-Romans and skipping Numbers. Well, as many as are appropriate.

The leadership crisis. It hits many organizations, and never hits at a good time. Either things begin to go well and someone else wants a piece of it, or things go so poorly that replacements begin to offer themselves.

At times, this crisis is not only expected but necessary. Not every leader has achieved his position in a God-honoring manner. Not every leader has used her position in a God-honoring manner. These types of crises require a different action plan: no matter the success level, abusive or unethical leaders must cede their leadership role and accept any other relevant consequences for their actions. That should be non-negotiable in any organization of honor and doubly so for any organization of Christians. I find it beyond reprehensible that this even needs said.

However, this is not the case in Numbers 12. Here we have a case where jealousy leads to a near-rebellion against the God-anointed leader of the people. It does not arise from the people at-large, but comes from the most painful place: Moses’ own family. His brother and sister rise up and complain against him.

This gives us a great opportunity to consider how to handle both types of leadership crisis, since many of us will encounter both across the years. Let us look at some steps to be considered:

Step 1: Understand where your leadership comes from. This applies to the leader: why are you leading? How do you know? Moses is certain that God has spoken to him at the Burning Bush (Exodus 3) and so he knows that he is doing what he’s supposed to do. Miriam and Aaron knew this—yet they rebelled against him anyway.

Are you certain that what you are doing as a leader comes from God? If and only if it is based on clear Scripture can you be absolutely certain. So is that its base?

Are you following a leader whose history you do not know? It is necessary that we do not follow people with no backstory. When we do that, we risk following those who do not have righteous motives and habits. Someone does not have to have been pure all their life. If so, no one could lead. However, patterns matter.

Step 2: Understand the problem. What is the nature of the complaint?

In this specific case, Aaron and Miriam are complaining that Moses is married to a Cushite (see Nerd Note). When you get to the next verse, you see that the real problem Miriam and Aaron have is jealousy over Moses’ primacy in the group. They want recognition that they are also people who God has spoken through.

One key to understanding leadership crises is pealing back to the real issue at hand. Usually, there are hurt feelings underneath whatever the actual statements are. If you are facing a crisis in leadership, whether as a leader or follower, try to understand what is actually at hand. It’s not about your spouse.

Step 3: Recognize the true parts. Is there any basis to the complaint?

Aaron and Miriam are correct that God has spoken through them. In this case, there are some grounds for them to raise questions. It is from this basis, though, that the solution also comes: take it to God for the solution.

Step 4: Take it to God. Seek answers from the source. In seeking leadership among Christian organizations, the decision rests with God. What do we see that God has said?

Ultimately: the leadership of Christian organizations should never be seen as resting solely on any one person. There are people that help, but the Word of God as illuminated by the Holy Spirit is in charge. That is the authority in the church and among believers. There are points where we cannot resolve differences of understanding and we must allow for that reality.

Leadership crises happen. We must consider how to handle those moments before they happen.

Today’s Nerd Note: The Cushites were a people from modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea. This complaint is about Moses marrying someone not of the “right race and ethnicity.” Miriam and Aaron are fussing that Moses married outside the family. There are some questions how the Cushite wife meshes with Zipporah, the Midianite Moses married during his exile from Egypt.

Some commentators suggest polygamy, which would not have been unheard of. Others suggest that Zipporah and the Midianites are ethnically connected to the Cushites. Another view is that Zipporah had died and Moses had remarried from among the ‘mixed multitude’ in Exodus 12. A final view sees Cushite as an ethnic insult lobbed against those with darker skin. It’s hard to pick, though I like the second view that draws a connection between Midianites and Cushites, but there is nothing to guarantee that view.

I think the final view reads our Western racism problems back onto those days and we have to be careful with that.

Any way in which you slice this, you have to deal with this: judging people based solely on their skin, national origin, or ethnic heritage has no place in the God-honoring life.

Book: The NIV Leadership Bible

Today’s book is the The NIV Leadership Bible, published by Zondervan Publishers and provided by Booksneeze.

I will admit to having to get over a bit of an automatic defense against the NIV Leadership Bible. While I have a fondness for fact-assisting study Bibles, like the Archaeological Study Bible or even my NASB Study Bible, when I start seeing specific application Bibles, I get nervous. There are too many things that can go wrong—including readers not separating the study notes from the text of Scripture itself. Further, I often think that publishers take snippets from other books or material that’s not enough for a book and then pair it into a “Study Bible” just to turn a buck.

The NIV Leadership Bible comes right along the edge of that final concern. Most of the leadership insights are not original to the work, but are edited from other works on leadership. Further, in some places the insights are shoehorned into Bible passages that are not a good fit. It is as if the goal was to keep the insights spread evenly throughout the text, even if that meant only loosely being connected to Obadiah.

That being said, I did find the NIV Leadership Bible better than I expected. Most of the leadership lessons are well-executed and placing them alongside Biblical text makes it easier for the reader to take in both the lesson and the passage. This is an improvement over putting the information out in a booklet, as the lessons could stand alone well enough for one to skip the text.

I think the process of working through these lessons will benefit anyone wanting to grow in their leadership skills. Further, the lessons do point back toward serving and drawing others to God rather than self-centered leadership.

The one issue I have with my NIV Leadership Bible is that the cover just does not feel well attached to the bulk of the Bible. The cover feels like it will stay intact for a long time, and the pages of the Bible are well connected to each other, but the glue that holds those two components together is already starting to tear in places.

I would express a desire that the leadership content be available with a different Bible translation than the 2011 NIV, but that will likely not happen since this is a Zondervan product. There have been some legitimate questions regarding the NIV, though many are well-answered, and some people prefer a different translation philosophy than the one used.

In all, while I do not think this should be your only Bible, I would rather see a leader, or even a maturing teen, spend 52 weeks working through the leadership lessons packaged around this Bible than any other basic leadership development book. I won’t quite say it’s “highly recommended” but is a decent investment in personal growth.

One further note about the NIV Leadership Bible: I would not expect this Bible to be a good “give it to an unbeliever and they’ll follow the leadership lessons and then get right with God.” While I do believe that such things are possible, the leadership lessons are clearly aimed at those who already recognize the Bible as their moral/ethical foundation.

Note: NIV Leadership Bible was received from Booksneeze in exchange for the review.

Given a Shout-Out! Romans 16

We finish Romans today with a look at Romans 16. Any look at these verses will be incomplete, because there are at least 25 names plus a few households greeted. Without addressing all of these, we will miss something. However, there are a few notable names to consider:

1. Romans 16:1: Phoebe. She is a “servant” of the church at Cenchrea. Or perhaps a “deacon” of that church, depending on whether or not Paul envisions that label as a title. It’s hard to see why Phoebe would be highlighted if she did not hold a church leadership role, so there is precious little reason to deny her the same title that is given to others. Further, this is the second mention of Cenchrea in Scripture: it’s a port city near Corinth and where Paul cut his hair in relation to a vow (Acts 18:18).

The main thing I see is this: Phoebe is first on his mind at this point. Perhaps she is headed to Rome, which seems likely. She has helped and supported the work of Paul and the expansion of the Gospel. I would love to see more, but I don’t have anything else on her in my resources.

2. Romans 16:3 brings up Prisca and Aquilla, also known as Priscilla and Aquilla. These two show up in Acts 18, 1 Corinthians 16, and 2 Timothy 4. I like them as a couple team in ministry. One cannot divide the work of the pair, and I think that’s great.

3. Acts 16:7 gives us Junia, labeled in some texts as Junias. This is a Greek word that if you slice it one way, you get a man’s name, and another way gives you a woman’s name. I agree with the Early Church Fathers that this a woman, likely named Junia. There is debate what relationship Andronicus and Junia have—they could be siblings or spouses. We don’t know.

We do see them both held up as “outstanding among the apostles.” That can be taken two ways: as “outstanding apostles” or as “considered outstanding by the apostles.” I’m inclined to read “The Twelve minus Judas plus Paul” where the word “Apostles” shows up, so I think these are two have done much and are considered outstanding among those twelve specific leaders. That is not to take anything from their work—and I could be wrong, because I know there are places where “apostles” equals “those who go out to spread the Gospel” in the New Testament.

4. Romans 16:21 gives us Timothy. I find it interesting that most of the time, Timothy is a co-author with Paul, but here is simply present and sending his greeting.

5. Romans 16:22 brings up Tertius, Paul’s amanuensis for the letter. This is helpful in understanding the context and structure of letter-writing.

6. Romans 16:23 brings up a “Gaius,” which is like saying “Bob!” in modern English. There is also Erastus, who was an official in the city of Corinth—thus guiding us to know where Paul wrote Romans from. Quartus? We know nothing there.

7. Finally, though, is the commendation: to Him who is able to establish you…be the glory forever. It’s a beautiful benediction, likely written in Paul’s own hand after Tertius finished his work.

Here we find what matters the most:

The Gospel as the Revelation of God’s mystery, manifested in Christ. The Gospel, seen in the Scriptures. The Gospel, made known to all people, leading to repentance and obedience.

The Gospel, to the glory of God through Jesus Christ.

May that be our benediction as well.

Nerd Note: Try a little nerd activity and see how many of the names in Romans show up elsewhere, and see what we know about them.

Further, Erastus is one of those awesome names in Scripture: we have, from the time of Paul, archaeology that shows an Erastus as a city official in Corinth. Here it is:

August 6 2013: Proverbs 6

`Carrying on with Proverbs:

 

Proverbs 6 starts much of the “general wisdom” section of Proverbs. While there are portions here that warn against the forbidden woman that Proverbs 5 focuses on, these references fade a bit and are placed alongside other issues.

 

I do find it valuable to recognize just how important Proverbs shows sexual ethics to be. If “wisdom” in Proverbs is properly defined as skill for living in fear of YHWH (I think that’s how Philips does it in God’s Wisdom in Proverbs, but my copy’s loaned out), then there it is necessary to base our sexual ethics in reverence to God if we are to be wise.

 

Moving into our focal verses:

 

Proverbs 6:8 is one of those verses that requires grasping the section, not just the verse. The advice is in the section on seeing what the ant does, and following the example. Gather by increments, so that you have when you need it.

 

That applies in both material wealth and other areas. Think about skills and knowledge: ever crammed for a test? Then forgotten everything? Acquire slowly, incrementally, and see how much better it sticks. The same is a valid consideration for wisdom. You cannot become wise overnight, but you can make small gains. Then, when it is time to harvest, there is more than you expect.

 

Additionally, consider spiritual growth. Step by step—then, instead of being in terror, there is a wealth of development there.

 

Proverbs 6:18 addresses the need to avoid sinful activities. This falls under a list of seven things which are an abomination to God, things which He hates. Feet that rush to get involved in evil and hearts that devise wicked plans.

 

Remember that culturally, ancient Hebrew thought in the heart and felt in the guts, so this is about thought processes. We should avoid concocting plans and also not get wrapped up in other people’s schemes!

 

Further, the preceding verses tie together the way different parts of the body participate in evil. It is important, I think, to remember that we should control the parts of ourselves by the sum of who we are: not “I’m a pretty good person, except I have feet swift to evil…” but “I will control my feet, for I will be committed to Christ.”

 

Proverbs 6:28 brings up the consequences, initially applied to adultery, that eventually sin will get you. We have likely all seen people walk on hot coals for a time without burning…but eventually it will catch up to you. If you find yourself having escaped the consequences of sin, then get out now. You still need to address the consequences, but move on before you destroy yourself. Better to limp now than to burn your feet!

August 5 2013

Slowly, we’re going to get back on this horse and look at Proverbs more frequently.

Today is August 5, so we’ll look at Proverbs 5. Now, I know that it’s important that we look at Proverbs as a unified book, and not just pick it apart verse-by-verse as if there is no cohesion. However, there are still nuggets to draw out.

 

I see Proverbs similar to a gold mine: the value of the whole is substantially greater than any individual nugget, but there are individual nuggets that can be pulled out without destroying the unity and usefulness of the whole.

 

Plus, a verse-by-verse look is going to highlight every verse, but we won’t neglect the overall context.

 

Proverbs 5 is, overall, a warning against adultery. The opening sections hit hard on the dangers of the forbidden woman. The concept is possibly either foreign women or women that are forbidden because they are not your wife. Given that Israel’s religious call was to avoid entanglements with those who did not fear and revere YHWH, the Covenant God of Israel, the prohibition works both ways.

 

Our focal verses for today are Proverbs 5:8, where the instruction is not only to avoid the forbidden woman but to not go near the door of her house. Got that?

 

Not near. Not anywhere near at all. How foolishly we play with temptations and sins—we think we can gaze from the rooftops and not be entangled. We expect to carry fire and not be burned. This foolishness has destroyed so many. Reserve your strength for the times when it is necessary, do not use it just to prove that you are strong. Every person has their limits. Why risk exceeding yours?

 

This is not against being involved with sinful people for redemptive purposes, but we frequently can trace those moments when our relationships cross-over from redemption to self-gratification. At that moment, it’s time to flee.

 

The next focal verse is Proverbs 5:18. The obvious meaning of rejoice in the wife of your youth is to stay faithful to your original spouse. This set me thinking about the difference in young marriage and later marriage.

 

I really got to thinking about 15 years ago when two young and not-exactly-wise people planned and executed a wedding in 5 months. We now have three children and 15 years behind us.

 

How many ways can we both look back and think of qualifications for our spouses that we might be better off with? She deserves a better money manager. I could use a piano playing preacher’s wife. She should have someone smarter, better-looking, and so forth…and how often do we men (especially, not that women don’t) start noticing age and thinking about younger or taller or (fill-in-the-blank on the world’s beauty structures)?

 

Rejoice in the wife of your youth. Rejoice in the person that you have learned to have a marriage with, rather than going out to find someone that fits your checkbox list. The person who chose to commit with you to life together rather than someone that “meets your needs.” Why? Because you’re also supposed to meet her needs.

 

Marriage is not about one person holding a job description and finding the right person to fill it. Marriage is about two people learning to live together for the rest of their days.

 

And it should be a place of rejoicing. If you can’t rejoice about being married to who you’re marrying before you marry them, don’t do it.

 

If you're not rejoicing because you’re being selfish—then fix it. If you’re not rejoicing because you’re in danger, then get safe. That’s a whole different discussion.

Sermon Wrap-up for August 4

Note: 3 years ago this weekend, I preached for the good folks at Almyra for the first time. Most of the folks who came then, still come now. For that I am very grateful. It may be that they’re still waiting to hear a good sermon, but I’m afraid to ask.

We’ll do audio links for morning and evening, then videos, then the outlines.

Morning Audio on James 5:12 is here

Evening Audio on Romans 12:1-2 is here

(Clicking the above links will open a separate window/tab that has the media player in it.)

Morning Video:

Evening Video:

 

Morning Outline:

Central Idea: Fidelity to Our Word
Theological Idea: God is faithful to His Word

 

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.(Declaration of Independence)

On my honor, I will do my best, to do my duty to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight (BSA Oath/Promise)

Rather than promises or swearingor any other oath-taking, we should focus onstrengtheningour character to be trustworthy, no matter what words we use on the issue.

Why?

1. Jesus said so: James 5:12 and Matthew 5:34-37

2. It echoes the character of God

3. We swear, but we don't control anything beyond our own behavior anyway

How would being honest people affect us? In Family, Friendships, Dating, Marriage, Work, Church....politics?

Family---all portions: parents, children, extended family

Friendships--honesty and fidelity:

Dating--for those of you doing that: why do you need promises?

Marriage--spouses; (add in that a wedding vow is not a vow to the other person. It's a vow to God aboutthe other person)

Work--employer and employee; customer and business

Church--Membership and commitment

Church--leadership and service

and we won't even get into politics

Connects to Matthew 5:34-37

Application Action: Go all week without making promises. Just deliver on what you say. Take "Promise" out of your vocabulary and be a person of integrity.

Why?

Because it reflects the integrity of God. In the Scripture, God never promises anything.

He speaks His commitment. We read back into His declarations that they are promises--to the point that in some instances we translate the Hebrew word for speak (דבר DBR daleth-beth-resh) as promise.

How about us?

Transition:

One of those clear declarations of God is this: "Whosoever would call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13.

Maybe you don't know this...or don't understand it. Perhaps you need to respond right here, right now to this. Why now? Because we are assured of this: "It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that, the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)

You get this opportunity--then there is only one thing certain. Judgment comes

Evening Outline:

August 4 2013 PM Romans 12:1-2

Training and Transformation

Play the guitar!!

Emphasis:

In a bay in Massachusetts, there sits a stone. It's a stone famous for traveling, though it may not be the exact point some people think it is. It may be more famous for its own travels than it should be for human travel.

Tradition holds that, in 1620, a group of passengers disembarked a sailing vessel called the Mayflower near a piece of Dedham granodiorite that came to be called Plymouth Rock. The rock itself, though, isn't from around there any more than the Pilgrims were.

It is what is called a glacial erratic boulder. It was dropped off in Massachusetts sometime as the Last Ice Age ended, and left there. How did come down? Well, glaciers travel somewhere around a few inches a year in most cases. The rock? It may have taken hundreds of years to get to Plymouth, where melting left it where it is.

It took time.

Being the rock takes time.

Development over instantaneous

Transformation through training

Slow development: the world is changed by inches.

The Sped-Up Life

I’m sitting here at my computer, watching the clock spin around and around. Well, perhaps not quite that fast, but it’s still spinning like there’s no tomorrow. Or at least that everything has to be done today.

But does it?

One area of life that I think many of us are stumbling on in life is just that. We are unable to separate out the items that truly have to be done today from those that can wait. Our world has become so instant that we want everything at the speed of light.

What do I mean?

Remember waiting until all the way after an event to see the pictures? Especially if you only took 12 on a 24-shot roll? I can remember wishing Mom had a 35mm instead of that blasted 110, because then we could have used the 1-hour developing. Of course, once I had a 35mm and found out the price difference, I still didn’t do 1-hour!

Now, my kids move so fast after I have them say “cheese” that sometimes the picture hasn’t taken. Why have they moved? Because they want to see the picture on the viewscreen and voice their opinion on it!

This pace of life is challenging for many of us. And, in all honesty, it’s not sustainable. I’ll use that word, even though it’s such a buzzword these days, because it is an accurate depiction. Sustainable.

As in, can you keep this up?

Can we keep this up?

Human beings are complicated beings. We are physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational creatures. Yet we run at such a breakneck pace that we are constantly neglecting at least one of these aspects of who we are.

• Physical: do you have to not exercise? Not eat right? Do you have to compact in your exercise rather than having a natural life that keeps you fit? Stop and think about this: how much time do you work to pay for compacted exercise and to contract out your healthy eating? Or, how much time do you work keeping you from fitness, healthy eating, and saving up to pay off the cardiologist?
• Emotional: let’s cut to the chase here. Many people are so frenetic in life that they need emotional recovery that takes weeks at a time. Why? Sometimes because we’re so busy working for the weekend that we miss life in the meantime. And you could shave a few minutes every day, come home sane at night, and then? Find out that your lower-cost weekends are actually more relaxing than you expected.
• Spiritual: we want to microwave our relationship with God. That just does not work. We want a full-out, totally immersive once-a-week experience to set us up spiritually, and then just to go on with the week. Really? A lower-pace, less nutty experience that you bring your full self into builds into your heart better. It really does. We want church leadership to spend hours planning the ultimate worship service, but really should spend time every day ourselves preparing for gathering with the body.

And then there is how we want God to zap us into perfection rather than growing into it. That’s a whole additional subject.

• Relational: let’s all hurry up and do something together. We have to play a game or watch a movie or go somewhere. Or we could do and do and go and go….and then we wonder why we don’t really have a relationship with the people around us. Instead, we have functions alongside each other, but we don’t really know one another.

And through all of this, we wonder why our social structures and societies are breaking down. We marvel that children turn violent, that parents harm instead of heal, and that leaders pillage rather than protect.

Somewhere along the way, we need to find some space in our lives. Not a complete abandonment of life nor a return to the cave.

Just a question: if you ended your sped-up life and took more time to do and be, what would your benefits be? What would your costs be?

What are the costs of not?