In an age in which leadership is something of a hot topic and numerous poor examples of leadership are so evident, it is wise to turn back to the Bible to consider the same issue.

The books of 1 & 2 Samuel tell the story, over a period of about 100 years of the transition from judges to kings. We read of leaders in the spiritual and military and national realms. There is much to learn from these books. I have highlighted just a few matters.

Eli set an unhelpful example. He failed to restrain or discipline his children. In 1 Sam 2.29, the man of God tells Eli that he has honoured his sons more than God Himself. This refers, I think, to this failure to restrain.  V12-17 explain their sinful behaviour. Eli had tried, weakly to speak with them (v22-25).

Sadly, Samuel and David both fell into this same error.

Samuel came to a nation in crisis. He was hard-working, following a regular circuit in Israel to teach – see 7.16. In this way he changed the culture of the nation. No more the pale imitation of faith, pictured by Eli, but a more healthy God-ward attitude.

Saul started well enough, but his leadership soon deteriorated. Some have suggested his faith was damaged by deep personal insecurity, which led eventually into serious sins and rebellion against God.

In 1 Sam 13.9, he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, tasks committed to priests. His explanation to Samuel (v11-12) exposed his fear. He worried what might happen if the people scattered from him.

Later, when pursuing David, who had become his enemy, although David never described Saul in this way, Saul accused his leaders of betrayal (22.6-8); “is that why you have all conspired against me?”

David was the greatest of all kings of Israel and Judah. He is the standard by which others were judged.   He was militarily successful and later prepared for the construction of the temple.

However, nearer to home, his family life was chaotic. He struggled to address serious wrong-doing, so stored up problems for himself. The most obvious examples are Amnon and Absalom.

The late John Stott wrote:

“Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable, even impossible. There can be no life without the life-giver, no understanding without the Spirit of truth, no fellowship without the unity of the Spirit, no Christlikeness of character apart from His fruit, and no effective witness without His power. As a body without breath is a corpse, so the church without the Spirit is dead.”

Christianity works because there is an internal change in the believer, which change is wrought by God the Holy Spirit. He in-dwells each believer. The Church is the dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is everywhere in scripture. This thread of the divine in-dwelling is important.

• “The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Gen 1.2). Here in the moment of creation, Holy Spirit hovered over the waters. Active and present from the very start.
• “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit on them (all)” Num 11.29.  Moses, who had enjoyed the power of God’s Spirit, prophesied that God’s Spirit would dwell in all of God’s people.
• “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1.8). Just before Jesus’ ascension into Heaven, He announced that the Holy Spirit would come upon His followers in a new way. This occurred on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2.1-4). We read of the Holy Spirit being poured out in far greater measure than before.  No longer was the Holy Spirit restricted to a few moments and a few miracles and a few man. He is truly the birthright of all of Christ’s people.

In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul links the Holy Spirit with freedom. Freedom from duty and law and obligation. The Holy Spirit does not merely improve a law-based religion – He delivers transformation to all who are “in Christ.”

In dwelling Spirit gives us freedom to worship God and power to obey God.

Jesus Christ Himself said, ‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life’ (John 5.24).

The verb tenses in the verse quoted above are significant. We already have eternal life; we have already crossed over into life. Eternal life is not a future thing we hope we might enter – it is a present thing we have entered – hallelujah! When we trust in Christ, however faltering our words; we have eternal life.

No wonder the apostle Paul is very bold. Based on the truth that we already have eternal life, he announces that we are already saints, ready for heaven. We are already seated  ”in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2.6).

Now we must become what we already are!

Paul makes three outrageous statements (2 Cor 3.18):

• we all reflect the Lord’s glory;
• we are being transformed into His likeness;
• with ever-increasing glory.

Hymn writers have tried to communicate these mind-blowing statements. Two well-known examples:

Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.       (Charles Wesley)

As we gaze on your kingly brightness
So our faces display your likeness
Ever changing from glory to glory
Mirrored here may our lives tell your story
Shine on me, shine on me                  (Graham Kendrick)

Our call to become what we already are means we seek to live the way of life in Christ Jesus, applying His life and example, working out the principles of the New Testament in the context in which God has placed us. As someone put it, this is our ‘eternal journey of exploration and wonder.’

Our goal is likeness to Christ – ‘to be conformed to the likeness of His Son’ (Rom 8.29). The guarantee is that the goal will be achieved.