A Study of the Life of Moses
Sermon #12
Exodus 18:1-27
There is a term that most of us are familiar with in the day and age in which we live it is burnout. Burnout occurs when in sheer exhaustion and frustration, one looses all hope of meeting the standards imposed one them (either by themselves or by others or both) and simply give up. Unfortunately “burnout” even occurs in Christian circles to leaders who strive to meet impossible expectations and demands to show how spiritual or how successful they are.
Moses is dangerously close to burnout when his father-in-law comes for a visit. What may appear to be just a friendly visit from a relative is really a divine provision to keep Moses from destroying himself.
“And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’
father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His
people—that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. (2) Then Jethro, Moses’
father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, (3) with her two sons, …. (5) and 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.”
There are two opposite extremes listening to this message. For some of you, you are
burning the candle at both ends and the inevitable result is right around the corner
unless you listen well and heed the warning. For some you, however, the problem is not burnout, but of never having
been lit. The reason that there are so many overworked Christians who need to learn the
lesson that Jethro taught Moses, is because so many others are inactive and uninvolved. If you are not working then someone is
taking up the slack for you!!!
The first twelve verses of Chapter eighteen Jethro observes what God had done for Israel and beginning in verse thirteen he observes what Moses is doing. Jethro is ecstatic about what the Lord has done. Though Jethro had undoubtedly heard in a general way about God’s miraculous intervention on the behalf of Israel, Moses now filled him in on the particulars (18:8). As a result Jethro rejoices over what the Lord had done (18:9), he praises the Lord for what has done (18:10) and he offers sacrifices to the Lord (18:12).
The day following his reunion with Moses, Jethro watched Moses’ activity as
leader of Israel. In verse thirteen we find, “And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge
the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. (14) So when
Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is
this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people
stand before you from morning until evening?” (15) And Moses said to his
father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. (16) When they have
a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the
statutes of God and His laws.”
The problem was that every decision stopped at the feet of one man – Moses. Moses acts as the arbiter of every dispute that the Israelite’s have, and not surprisingly this activity goes on “from morning until the evening” (v. 14). The task was enormous, the needs urgent, the time pressures acute. He was literally working 16 hours a day, six days a week, 96 hour each and every week. Moses had fallen into the trap of assuming that every need that he became aware of was his responsibility to meet.
By the end of the day Moses was exhausted ‘and many of the Israelites who had stood in line all day and still not had the opportunity to present their problem to Moses were frustrated.
There are at least 600,000 men in the Israelite camp at this point (12:37). But apparently it has never even occurred to Moses to ask even one of them to help him with this overwhelming task. Apparently it has never occurred to the Israelites to suggest that someone help Moses. Sometimes we do things a certain way, because he have always done them that way not because it is right or the most efficient.
This story helps us to see sometimes there may be a need for us to act as a Jethro in someone else’s life. To ask after another’s welfare, to watch how the Lord has worked in their lives, to rejoice with them in what God is doing, to be willing to enter into their lives enough that we can suggest ways we think they might serve God more fruitfully.
The assessment of Jethro about the activity of Moses was (v. 17) “The thing that you do is not good. (18) Both you and these
people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is
too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.”
Jethro argued that the people would follow Moses down as well as well since the weight rested solely on him. He told Moses in effect, getting an ulcer, losing your family or going to an early grave would not bring honor to the God he served.
In this situation there is a crisis of care, meeting the needs of the people who line up from sunrise to sundown. Jethro had seen this situation and pronounced it “not good” (v. 17).
(vv. 19-20)
“Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be
with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God.
(20) And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which
they must walk and the work they must do.
Notice that after observing the problem, Jethro offers a solution. Jethro helps Moses define his priorities, first he tells him that his calling is to act an intercessor for the people, “Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God” (v. 19). His primary responsibility, his priority is to spend time seeking God’s will for the people. We must come to the point in our lives that we can differentiate between the crisis’s of your life with the calling of your life.
If you were asked who are the ministers are at First Baptist Church how would you reply? If you are like some people you would say, “Well definitely Bro. John, he is the one who does the preaching. And there’s Bro. Dan, he is responsible for all the Children’s programs. Then there is Bro. Jim, he is the new associate. Let see then there Bro. Steve, he works with the youth. And of course there is Bro. Scott he is in charge of the music.” But you would be wrong!!!! There is still a misconception in many places that the ministry is to performed by the pastor or the staff.
In my mind at least, it is not a coincidence that 95% of churches in America are plateaued or declining in membership and that 95% of churches operate under the assumption that the staff members are the ministers and the congregation are the spectators. But the Bible teaches that the people of the church are the ministers. God’s plan for the pastor and the staff according to Ephesians 4:12 is to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry.”
We must all establish priorities. There are too many demands upon every Christian to be able to do everything and do it well. But there are a few things that we need to be careful not to neglect.
We must not neglect our relationship with God. This means that we must establish a personal relationship with God. We must maintain our relationship with Him through frequent communication. We must pray and actively seek to learn His word. We must not neglect our families. If in the process of living our lives we lose our families we have lost everything.
0nce Moses determined what God’s will was his second priority was to communicate it to the people. Jethro tells Moses that he is to teach the people. Then Jethro said, (v. 20) “… you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.”
One of the reasons that I reserved this message for tonight is that this message would be wasted on the “Sunday Morning Only” crowd. That is not were the leadership for the church comes from. I want to communicate to you what our plans to multiply leadership are here at First Baptist Church. With Bro. Jim’s help we are in the process of completely reworking the discipleship program with the aim of producing and training leaders for the future. We are not doing away with what we have but are reorganizing and redirecting its focus. Basic Introduction to the Church (101) will be in a “New Members Class” which will cover the basics of salvation, church membership, and eternal security. After completion of the Introductory class individuals will be encouraged to do individual discipleship (201) that covers the remainder of the old discipleship material. Those who have completed this material in either the new material or the old material will be encouraged to undertake (301). In other word if you have completed the disciple course you will begin at (301). In (301) you will be helped to discover your spiritual gifts and help you find a way to use those gifts. The purpose is to provide a comprehensive ongoing leadership training system that will rise up a new generation of leaders for the future.
To multiply leadership is to multiply care. What we need are people who will catch a vision for the future. We need people who will lead out by being brave and taking a shot at leadership. Many of you are scared, or have not been given a chance, or have been discouraged or have self-esteem issues but could do things for God if you would listen for the call of God and step up and be counted.
(vv. 21-27)
The third thing that Jethro told Moses in verse 21 was that he is to delegate responsibility to qualified leaders. “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” But Moses is not advised to appoint just anyone. The task is in too important to be left to just anyone, they most be qualified. Jethro points out four qualifications for those who are to help Moses
These are not always at the top of the list of qualification for leaders today, but I believe that they still head God’s list for leadership. Leaders are to be competent- “able,” have a true reverence for God - “fear God,” people characterized by “truth” and people of integrity.
These leaders are to (v22) “…judge the people at
all times. Then it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but
every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for they
will bear the burden with you. (23) If
you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and
all this people will also go to their place in peace.”
Moses was not too proud to take advice. Moses was not too insecure to accept help and the result was a whole new generation of leaders (vv. 24-26). “So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. (25) And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. (26) So they judged the people at all times; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.”
We must learn that no matter what level of spiritual maturity we have attained or think we have attained we need to open to counsel from others. We must remain teachable. No Christian should ever get to the place that he or she thinks that they do not need to be taught.
There are just two things I would like for you to remember.
1. We all need to establish priorities in our lives. There are just too many demands upon every Christian to be able to do everything and do it well. But in setting our priorities we need to be careful not to neglect our relationship with God. This means that we must establish a personal relationship with God. We must maintain our relationship with Him through frequent communication. We must pray and actively seek to learn His word. And we need to be careful not to neglect our families.
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