Cornerstone Church,
Exodus 18:13-21 (NKJV) 13 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." 17 So Moses' father-in-law said to him, "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.
A. Inefficiency Leads to Ineffectiveness
Moses was doing it all… The reality was that he was not going to be able to sustain that pace. God wants us to lead, but He never intended for us to lead in ways that are unhealthy. Jethro gives him some good advice. His people would also suffer unless things changed.
Exodus 18:19-20 (NKJV) 19 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.
B. Instruction that leads to Improvements
Moses was going to have to train the people to minister to each other. The only sustainable ministry model is one where everyone chips in and serves one another. That is why both Jesus and Paul emphasized the “One Anothers” of the New Testament Church. Every member does its share and the whole body benefits.
Ephesians 4:11-16 (NKJV) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
C. Ingredients that lead to Invitation to Influence
Exodus 18:21 (NKJV) 21 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.
The best ministers in the church have these key ingredients. They fear God, they love truth and they hate covetousness. Let’s all strive this week to exemplify the kind of Christian that God is calling us to be!
- Pastor Joel Johns
Exodus 18:13-21 (NKJV) 13 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." 17 So Moses' father-in-law said to him, "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.
A. Inefficiency Leads to Ineffectiveness
Moses was doing it all… The reality was that he was not going to be able to sustain that pace. God wants us to lead, but He never intended for us to lead in ways that are unhealthy. Jethro gives him some good advice. His people would also suffer unless things changed.
Exodus 18:19-20 (NKJV) 19 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.
B. Instruction that leads to Improvements
Moses was going to have to train the people to minister to each other. The only sustainable ministry model is one where everyone chips in and serves one another. That is why both Jesus and Paul emphasized the “One Anothers” of the New Testament Church. Every member does its share and the whole body benefits.
Ephesians 4:11-16 (NKJV) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
C. Ingredients that lead to Invitation to Influence
Exodus 18:21 (NKJV) 21 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.
The best ministers in the church have these key ingredients. They fear God, they love truth and they hate covetousness. Let’s all strive this week to exemplify the kind of Christian that God is calling us to be!
- Pastor Joel Johns
Posted in Sermon Devotionals
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