The Secret to Successful Ministry

Perfect Preparation

First, perfect preparation

First, we are introduced to our beloved friend, Moses. I’m sure you all know who Moses is. Pastor Doug, talked about him earlier! When we saw Moses earlier today, it was in Exodus 33. And he was a strong leader who walked with God, and knew God. By Exodus 33, he had already led the people out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and to Mt. Sinai.

But here in Exodus 3. None of that had happened yet. He is an ordinary shepherd in the land of Midian, not even tending to his own flock, but to the flock of his father-in-law Jethro. He is 80 years old. It has been 40 years since he fled from Egypt, where he grew up in the house of Pharaoh: well-fed, well-educated, and well-clothed.

Now he’s alone with his flock of sheep in the wilderness. This is not what we would expect as the “training ground” for one of the greatest leaders in history. He’s a simple shepherd. He’s not in school for ministry or leadership. He’s not attending any nice pastor’s conferences like this one. He’s spending his day herding stubborn, wandering sheep.

But God’s preparation for those he calls is always sufficient. Little did Moses know, but he would soon be shepherding the stubborn, wandering people of Israel! Look at what God says about the Israelites in Deuteronomy 9:3, “Furthermore, the Lord said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people.’ Moses may have thought that he was wasting 40 years being a shepherd, but God wasn’t wasting it! Shepherding the people of Israel was exactly what God was preparing him to do.

This is encouraging for us. We are all here because God has called us to serve him and his people. And whoever the Lord calls he also equips. God equips you and me with the skills we need to serve him. Even if what we are doing seems like its obscure or pointless, we can trust that God is working in us and preparing us! Amen?

Moses is in the wilderness and sees the burning bush. What a sight! “the bush was burning but it was not consumed!”So Moses walks over, and he finds himself in the presence of God. And Moses gets to experience the weight of God’s holiness. Moses takes off his sandals and hides his face.

God was teaching Moses something very important, and he’s also teaching us something important too. Moses had to learn that God was holy. And that he is the only one we should fear. At the burning bush, Moses learned the fear of God.

In his life he would be opposed by many people: Pharaoh, Korah, the people of Israel, and even his own family! But none was to be feared more than God. Moses had to learn that if God is for him, nobody can be against him. And if God is against him, he can do nothing. God was to be feared above any man, any situation, and any trial.

Likewise, we ourselves must learn to fear God if we are to succeed in ministry. In Matthew 10:28 Jesus says, “do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” We violate this when we start to think and act like this is our ministry. That is exists for us. And we forget that it is God’s ministry. We also violate this when we start to fear other people’s opinions over the opinion of God.

Solomon says in Proverbs, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” Only the fear of God will lead to wise leadership and faithful ministry. It leads us to depend on God as our good Father. Moses needed to learn this at the burning bush, and we ourselves must learn to fear our holy God.

Perfect Presence