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(and don't forget Fall Bible Study has resumed!  Thursdays, 10am or 7:30pm in the Church House Library!)

DAVID'S EMAIL BIBLE STUDY:
The ELECTION (not quite)
 
A. INTRO...   Lyndon Johnson pushed an amendment that prohibits charities from using their tax exempt status to publicly push a candidate.  Even before that the "separation of Church and State" was designed to keep both Church and State from unduly influencing or pressuring the other.  Yet there are clergy who tell their congregations who to vote for.  Not us.  With the election season upon us this Bible Study is about LEADERSHIP.  Whoever you vote for you are selecting the person who will LEAD.  So let's look at what the Bible says about LEADERSHIP.  
 
B. TODAY, "great man/woman" theory of history.  At certain times in history someone takes charge and shapes events like no other.  We think of Washington, Lincoln, FDR, Dr. King; of Churchill, Gandhi.  Biblical history is also shaped by key "great men/women".  Let's look at ABRAHAM (Genesis 12:1-4); and MOSES (Exodus 3:1-10).

C.  SUMMARY ... ABRAHAM is plucked out of obscurity, from ancient pre-Babylon, to start God's grand experiment: a chosen people.  God promises to create a "nation" that will "bless the whole world" if the people stay close to God.  Abraham is told to leave his home country and set out for the unknown, trusting God.  He does.  MOSES survived an Egyptian genocide against Jewish babies to become a Prince of Egypt.  After murdering an Egyptian he escapes and becomes a shepherd.  One day he sees a mysterious "burning bush", goes to it, and finds God.  God tells him to risk all, go back to Egypt, and get the Israelites to freedom.  He does. That's leadership.
 
D.    KEY POINTS: 
  1.  TURTLE Theology: slow and steady wins the race, we learned from the tortoise and the hare.  You don't have to be rash.  When God told Moses to lead the Jews to freedom Moses took three steps first.  He asked of himself, "Who am I?" (Exodus 3:11).  He asked God, "Who are You?" (Exodus 3:13).  He asked for help (Exodus 4:1).  Good steps.  First, know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses.  Second, be clear on your understanding of God, and where God is in your actions.  Third, even the Lone Ranger needed Tonto.  We all need help, whether practical or emotional or spiritual.  Be open to it by asking. 
  2. NIKE Theology:  "Just do it".  It's wise to weigh things, think, plan, ask.  But at some point you have to DO, "Fish or cut bait", "lead, follow, or get out of the way".  For Abraham and Moses there was that moment when they literally had to stand up, move out, take decisive action.  God promised to be with them and offered a vision of success: for Abraham, a blessed nation; for Moses, freedom from slavery.  But nothing happens by wishing.  Ultimately, LEADERSHIP is DOING.
  3. Kierkegaard's LEAP of FAITH.  That's the only thing I remember from Philosophy 101 at Colgate.  We can pray, plan, get up, go forward, be bold, all based on strategy and facts and skills.  But for truly great leaders you reach a point where the only way forward is into the unknown.  NASA, D-Day, Rosa Parks, Washington at Velley Forge, Lewis and Clark (thanks to Sacajawea), the Pilgrims.  For Abraham tit was months, then years, with no descendants and no Promised Land, yet he kept the journey going.  For Moses it was when Pharaoh said "No, no, no, and no", and later when his own people said "no".  Yes Moses kept the people together, the journey going.  Both had only one thing going for them: FAITH.  So they leapt.
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