Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20021204.htm

DEUTERONOMY: GETTING OTHERS TO BE VICTORS, NOT CASUALTIES
Part XVII: Discipling Others On Developing As Quality Spiritual Leaders
(Deuteronomy 16:18-17:20)
  1. Introduction
    1. One of the greatest needs in Christendom today is the need for quality Christian leadership. Yet, though we might recognize good leadership when it arrives, the greatest need is developing it.
    2. Moses gave the people of Israel a pattern for good leadership so that it might develop. We view his words in Deuteronomy 16:18-17:20 so as to know how to disciple others on God's style of quality leadership:
  2. Discipling Others On Developing As Quality Spiritual Leaders, Deuteronomy 16:18-17:20.
    1. When Moses addressed Israel before his death, he gave orders regarding leadership at the levels of its judges (Deuteronomy 16:18-17:13) and kings (Deuteronomy 17:14-20).
    2. These commands reveal how quality spiritual leadership is not only to be sustained, but even developed:
      1. At the level of judge, Moses revealed quality spiritual leadership grew out of one's commitment and submission to God, Deuteronomy 16:18-17:13:
        1. Because of their appointment by the Lord, judges were not to show respect to persons they judged, but respect to God: this meant they were to be impartial to the human beings they judged, 16:18-20.
        2. Accordingly, for such quality judgments to be rendered, judges were to set up no gods to compete with their dedication to the Lord Himself, Deuteronomy 16:21-22.
        3. Also, judges were not to fudge in their personal worship of the Lord, but sacrifice only the best of their animals in keeping with wholehearted devotion to the Lord, Deuteronomy 17:1.
        4. Thus, if the judge has to deal judgment with a person in Israel who had gone after a false god, he was to be sure of the facts and then impartially to judge that person to be executed in keeping with his own total devotion unto the Lord, cf. Deut. 17:2-7.
        5. If a matter was too intellectually demanding for such a judge to make a decision, the judge was to appeal directly to the Lord at the temple site and follow God's directive from the priest, 17:8-10.
        6. Then, if anyone failed to respect the priest as God's leader, out of respect for the Lord who had assigned that priest his calling, the disrespecting party was to be impartially executed, 17:11-12. This would cause people to respect God's laws as well as God's order in the priesthood, 17:13!
      2. In like manner, Moses revealed at the level of king, quality spiritual leadership grew out of the king's commitment and submission to God that arose from his daily exposure to His written Word, 17:14-20:
        1. The one who would serve as king was to be chosen by God alone, Deuteronomy 17:14-15a.
        2. The one who was to be king also had to come from the people of Israel, being an integral part of the nation so he would identify with its needs and aspirations as a fair representative of the nation, 15b.
        3. The one who became king was to make his personal walk with God his utmost priority for success: (a) instead of relying on man's efforts (acquiring horses to enhance the nation's defense), he was to trust in God, Deut. 17:16. (b) Instead of making human ties that might cause him to compromise his walk with God (securing the peace via treaties through marriage to daughters of pagan rulers), he was to trust in God, Deut. 17:17a. (c) Instead of multiplying wealth for happiness and becoming materialistic, he was to trust in God for happiness, Deuteronomy 17:17b.
        4. To establish and sustain such a walk of faith with God, the king was to read Scripture daily: (a) he was to study his own copy of Scripture each day, 17:18-19a; (b) this practice would cause him to respect the Lord, 17:19b; (c) such respect for God (d) would motivate the king to obey Scripture with precision (17:19c) (e) and to be humble and (f) just in dealing with subjects(17:20a).
        5. With such actions, the king's reputation before others would be upheld (Deut. 17:20b), his subjects would follow him and God would bless both his reign and that of his sons after him, Deut. 17:20c.
Lesson: Quality spiritual leadership is an eventual product of one's continued personal exposure to God's Word, for such an exposure leads us to relate to God properly for HIS blessing in leadership.

Application: May we EACH personally daily read so as to live in the will of the God of the Scriptures to fill the vacuum of quality spiritual leadership in our communities, churches and families!