The Leader
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,
5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Introduction:
*We are instructed in the verses we read in Romans 12 of the foundational truth for the body of Christ.
Our mindset must begin with the Grace of Jesus.
To abase ourselves and remember how unworthy we are of His gift.
Not for the purpose of humiliating someone mentally, so they believe they are a piece of junk.
The purpose would be the next part: To have an healthy perspective and be humble.
The Grace should bring us to a point where we are humble in demeanor towards the world around us.
The purpose: since we are added to the body of Christ we should allow Him to lead us in the direction He desires according to His will.
Every position in the body is a calling by God for His will.
*There is a part of the body that doesn’t get highlighted very much or talked about a lot.
The Shepherd/Teacher.
What is the job description for the Shepherd/Teacher?
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with His own blood.
How are they to shepherd?
2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
To be a shepherd:
Is to be a Protector and Guide.
He must guide with an demeanor that is willing, not for gain, eager to do what is asked of the Lord, and leading as an example.
Moses had been chosen by God for leading the Israelites out of Egypt, through the desert, to a place to worship Him!
God had prepared Moses for the task; but hadn’t explained how difficult the journey would be.
He only told Him: I will lead you, follow me.
At every opportunity for the Lord to show what He is willing to do for His children, He did.
He was visible in the pillar, He was felt as He provided water and food, He was praised with each victory.
Even though God was present the people still needed Moses.
He reminded people through his example that faith in God is necessary and He is trustworthy even though others questioned or doubted God, since he believed in God instead of the circumstances.
Moses’ call asked of him something supernatural from an sinful human.
Faith unwavering!
It is a high calling.
In our modern world we use technology in great ways.
We can find on the internet fairly good statistics, that provide a picture into that high calling of ministry and the effects it has.
Here are a few statistics about churches, pastors, and their families:
It is estimated that 15,000 churches will close in 2025*
Over 15,000 churches will no longer pay for a full-time pastor*
There is a growing number of churches without a pastor for longer than 2 years*
85% of pastors believe the mission of the church is to reach the lost, only 42% of practicing Christians do.
80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Many pastor's children do not attend church now because of what the church has done to their parents.
66% of church members expect a minister and family to live at a higher moral standard than themselves.
90% of pastors report the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be like before they entered the ministry.
80% of pastors and 84% of their spouses have felt unqualified and discouraged as role of pastors at least one or more times in their ministry.
Imagine this: Most pastors are leading congregations of tens, hundreds, and maybe thousands.
Moses is leading 2-3 million.
I can’t imagine being called to lead that many.
We get here at Exodus and find that the focus is on Moses.
Immediately we hear how:
The family is Affected (1-12)
The family is Affected (1-12)
When you are in ministry it isn’t calling that affects just you.
It is something that impacts your whole family; but God has called your whole family into ministry, not just the men called to shepherd.
The impacts on pastors families aren’t just to the kids and the wife, the extended family is also impacted by ministry.
The impact has varying outcomes; but here we can see 2:
Some for Good
Some for Good
Moses’ father-in-law had been impacted by his calling.
1 Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
He isn’t a Jew but believes in Yahweh, by faith!
Faithlife Study Bible Exodus 18:10
Blessed be Yahweh Though Jethro is a Midianite, not an Israelite, he praises the God of Israel, Yahweh. Elsewhere in the OT, other non-Israelites invoke the name of Yahweh with no particular faith in Him (e.g., Gen 26:28–29; Josh 2:9–11; 1 Kgs 5:7; 2 Chr 2:11; Jonah 1:16). However, Jethro may have accepted Yahweh as his own God, since his son-in-law was living testimony to Yahweh’s amazing triumph in Egypt (see Exod 18:11).
What makes this a significant salvation testimony?
Maybe we don’t realize here in the text that the Midianites and Amalekites were closely related.
Following the defeat of the Amalekites (17:8–16) we hear of the conversion of a Midianite (high?) priest (18:1–12)
Both events demonstrate Yahweh’s truth and power and His superiority over false gods and their adherents.
Moses highlights all that God had done for him and Israel as they were brought from Egypt.
It humbled an High Priest of the Midianites to accept Yahweh as his Lord.
His conversion of faith came after Moses’ testimony.
Through Moses’ testimony and the things he probably heard through the land that agreed with what Moses said may have been overwhelming evidence too real to ignore.
Moses’ in-law was impacted through his servitude for good.
We see in verse 2 that Moses’ family was impacted as well.
Maybe not in a great way, they were separated.
2 Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her home,
3 along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”),
4 and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”).
5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God.
We aren’t exactly sure why Moses hadn’t been with his family or why they were with their grandpa; but it makes more logical sense to conclude:
Moses may have had them stay away as he was going to confront Pharaoh.
He may have had them wait for him to come out of Egypt since it could be difficult to separate the attention for dedication.
Either way: His obedience to his calling had them separated for a time.
Imagine how Moses’ separation could negatively affect Gershom and Eliezer.
Their dad wasn’t there.
It could’ve had a negative affect on his wife Zipporah too.
He was separated from his best friend, his other half.
She also would’ve felt this as well.
A calling into ministry is going to affect all aspects of a persons life especially their relationships.
The affect can be negative or it can be positive, I believe the result is up to the individual on how they respond to what God has allowed in their lives.
Overall ministry can be tough on the family.
The stresses, the pressure, the sacrifices...etc..
Those kind of things can hurt marriages.
When you are on the same page and believe in doing what God has called you to do it changes something.
Your starting position!
You are setting your foundation onto the chief cornerstone who is perfect and immovable.
When your marriage is focused on Christ and built on faith in Him, no storm can ruin it.
The statistics show this to be true!
The average divorce rate in America is 42%.
For those who claim to be christian and who are not actively engaged with their faith the number is actually 20% higher than the national average.
The research also revealed those who are active in their faith and helping their local church in ministries and attend church regularly are 35% less likely than the national average.
What does that tell us?
When we are engaging in our faith and attending regularly with our wives and husbands the struggles that come in marriage aren’t deal breakers since we are committed to one another.
Transition:
The best help to a leader, with exceptions to the Lord, are those around them whom care for them when they aren’t caring for themselves.
Those who see ways ministry is changing them, not in a good way.
Because of that kind of thing, Moses had Jethro and Jethro understood that an
Evaluation is Needed (13-18)
Evaluation is Needed (13-18)
What needs to be evaluated and how is it to be done?
The processes for reaching the intended goal.
Is it labor intensive with little, to no fruit?
Ask the right questions
Ask the right questions
Look at the example Jethro leaves us:
13 The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening.
14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?”
There was observation first!
Jethro observed what Moses had been doing.
Second he asked a pointed and searching question.
“What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?
You can hear the care Jethro had for Moses in how he approached this scenario.
He wants the best for Moses and watches what he has taken onto himself.
One commentator says:
“Nothing was wrong with Moses’ serving as a judge; indeed it was clearly an obligation of his as leader of the people.
What was wrong was his serving as the only judge, without any help (for simple cases as well as for complex ones).
In trying to do all the judging himself, Moses may not have been acting foolishly or over confidently.
He may simply have been waiting for God to reveal to Israel a proper, hierarchical judicial system and not trying to implement his own.
The only examples Moses had would have been either the Egyptian system, where the pharaoh made himself available for any and all persons to see him in court, or the Midianite model, where tribal leaders probably did something of the same.”
Moses, similar to most of us, work from the knowledge that we have seen or have read about.
Moses had Egypt and Midian for examples to how a judge, judges.
What Jethro observed troubled him, the process wasn’t efficient or healthy for his son-in-law.
Jethro asks a question: asking Moses to explain the process and why he is doing it that way.
Moses answered:
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God;
16 when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.”
While explaining his duty, you can almost hear the mind of Moses.
He believed that the buck stops at him.
It shouldn't all fall on him.
Rarely does everything fall on one person in God's word.
There is typically shared responsibility for the task, with exception to Christ, He couldn’t share the task of paying for the sin’s of mankind.
The weight of the task is unhealthy and not good for Moses.
17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
This is kind of similar to what Paul wrote Timothy.
Timothy was told to drink a little wine for his stomach's sake.
Paul understood Timothy desired to reach many with the gospel; but wasn't as effective as he could be since he was sick all the time.
Paul gave Timothy advice to make full proof of his ministry, by drinking a little wine to kill the bacteria that had been messing up his stomach.
We find the same kind of care when Jethro offered wisdom to Moses after illuminating the flaws in his process.
He shares a plan and process for achieving that goal with a lighter load.
21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
22 And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.
23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
Share the load!
The overall plan for "sharing the load" would preserve his mind, time, and his health.
He is instructed how to choose trustworthy help.
The criteria or character traits to look for in good leaders.
One who can be trusted to evaluate biblically, free to make decisions from any influences other than God's laws.
This would set a precedent to find those who are qualified instead of those whom had an uncle or got an education for it.
No DEI hiring, only hiring because of abilities and qualifications!
This would leave most of Moses’ time free of all judicial responsibilities which grants him opportunity to lead the people in other ways.
Like his ministry of prayer and worship and his ministry of teaching and preaching all God’s laws.
When a leader isn’t bogged down by a lot of other responsibilities or duties that others can handle without him, there is more time to focus on the spiritual well being of those he is leading.
That is the wisdom Jethro is providing to Moses:
23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
Moses didn’t even realize this was a problem he had.
Jethro cared about what God called Moses to do and knew a better way for him being to achieve that potential.
Knowing is only half the battle.
Moses is now presented the dilemma of receiving the truth and to
Accept Wisdom (23-27)
Accept Wisdom (23-27)
Moses now had a plan for change
He was instructed to rely on those God called to fill thsoe roles.
Moses needs to let others pick up the banner and own the responsibility that God calls them to.
What is required for accepting wisdom from someone who tells you the truth because they want you to succeed?
Humility.
I think that through Moses watching Pharaoh act from a prideful position and didn’t want the people of Israel to suffer from his pride as he witnessed in Egypt.
24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.
It should be noted here that three months after leaving Egypt, Israel had a hierarchical court system using chosen, not inherited, leaders as judges, with Moses as the supreme court.
God used Jethro to set up this system that is still in use today with some variations, good and bad!
The Midianite High priest whom accepted the Lord by faith was used to institute a simple and wise structure for appointing leaders.
Conclusion:
This entire chapter brings to light the burden of leading God’s people and how it can affect different parts of their lives.
(Tell a synopsis of the events from leaving Egypt to this moment right here in Israel’s story)
Moses didn’t realize how the burden of the call to lead was heavy on him.
No different than how God cares for and reveals himself to Israel He shows here in chapter 18 that He cares for and reveals Himself to Moses!
A high priest of the Midianites believed in Yahweh through the obedience of Moses.
The call may have brought difficulties to Moses family; but God provided a wonderful reunion at the right time.
Moses had been burdened and weighed down with his process for judging the people and teaching them.
God provided wisdom and a structure that would offer more time to care for the things he should be devoting more time to.
Moses had a choice to make:
Accept the wisdom God brought him through one that loved and cared for him or continue as he has been leading.
? Pastor Dave how does this chapter pertain to my life?
God gave me my wife, my family, and all of you to share the load of ministry, so it’s not all on me we need to work together and do more to reach those we aren’t.
Yes, this is my calling; but I’m not supposed to lead you to Mount Sinai for worship.
I’m supposed to lead you to accept your calling from God so we are all working together reaching souls, discipling new believers into biblical doctrine, then sending them out to repeat it.
I’m asking you: What is your calling and how are you part of the body that reaches the lost, disciples the new believers, or builds up the body?
Don’t go the rest of this year just attending church: Be the church!
-Pray
