If you don’t understand my job, you won’t understand your job and I’m going to talk about YOUR JOB next week.
There are two ways of doing church. The traditional way, which doesn’t work, and the Bible way which always works!
God never intended for His Church to be inward focused. He intended for us to use our gifts to yes serve the Body of Christ but also to minister in the workplace and in the neighborhood.
My job is not to minister, but to Equip you for the work of the ministry! Every Christian is a minister!
SO WHAT’S MY JOB?
EXODUS 18:13-23 – 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. 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?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 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.” So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good. 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. 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. 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. 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. And let them 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. 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.”
The Bible way of doing church is not only good for me but it’s also good for you. The wrong way of doing church will not only wear me out but wear you out as well.
JETHRO TELLS MOSES WHAT HIS JOB DESCRIPTION IS:
- Pray
My first responsibility is to PRAY!
“Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God.”
MY MAIN THING TO DO IS PRAY! PLEASE UNDERSTAND IT IS THE LEAST THING MOST PASTORS ARE ALLOWED TO DO!
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ELSE, MEET WITH EVERY PERSON AND THEN SPEND THE LEAST AMOUNT OF THEIR TIME WITH GOD!
My number one priority is God! It will help you if I spend much of my time with God!
THE FIRST PRIORITY OF MY JOB IS TO PRAY. NEXT MY JOB IS TO:
- Teach the Word
“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.”
It is my job, my responsibility to teach you the Bible.
“Teach the people the way they must walk and the way they must work.”
Are You Teachable!
(The way you must walk) We must allow the character of God to overtake us!
Before you teach people the work they must do you must teach them the way they must walk! THAT’S CHARACTER!
THAT’S THE EQUIPPING SIDE OF WHAT GOD HAS CALLED ME TO DO. WE WALK THE WAY GOD WANTS US TO WALK AND WORK THE WAY HE WANTS US TO WORK.
It’s my job to pray and teach with word. My third job responsibility is to
- Raise up Leaders
“Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth,”
Pray, minister the word, and raise up Leaders! Is there a New Testament passage that speaks to this?
Acts 6:1-4 – “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”
Many pastors have left the word of God and prayer to serve tables and that’s not God’s way!
Numbers 11:10-15 – “Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”
The Prayer of every burned out Pastor! “God kill me!” 1-3 Pastors leave the ministry. It’s an incredible burden!
GOD’S SOLUTION
Verses 16-17– “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.”
Raise Up Leaders and Bring them into God’s Presence WITH YOU!
MY JOB- PRAY, TEACH THE WORD OF GOD, RAISE UP LEADERS AND
- Be a Good Husband, Father and Grandfather
This is where Exodus 18 begins. With Moses Family.
Exodus 18:1-6 – “Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people, the Israelites. He heard especially about how the Lord had rescued them from Egypt. Earlier, Moses had sent his wife, Zipporah, and his two sons back to Jethro, who had taken them in. (Moses’ first son was named Gershom, for Moses had said when the boy was born, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.” His second son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my ancestors was my helper; he rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, now came to visit Moses in the wilderness. He brought Moses’ wife and two sons with him, and they arrived while Moses and the people were camped near the mountain of God. Jethro had sent a message to Moses, saying, “I, Jethro, your father-in-law, am coming to see you with your wife and your two sons.”
On his way to Egypt Moses and his wife had a fight. Moses sent her back to her father.
They were separated for part of Moses ministry. WHY?
Exodus 4:19-20 – “Before Moses left Midian, the Lord said to him, “Return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you have died.” So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to the land of Egypt. In his hand he carried the staff of God. And the Lord told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go. Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son. I commanded you, “Let my son go, so he can worship me.” But since you have refused, I will now kill your firstborn son!’”
On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone.”
God had called Moses and given him a mission, a ministry, miracles and a message, yet God was going to kill Moses. Moses the Old testament type of Christ. He wrote 5 books of the Bible. He was on the mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. Yet God is going to kill him. WHY?
Because he had not circumcised his son. Then his wife had to and then God let Moses live.
Moses was going to preach something to the children of Israel that he wasn’t living in his own family!
God says “Moses you’re about to die because you’re about to preach something you’re not doing in your own family and I’m not allowing that.
My first responsibility is to be a good Husband and Father to my Family! That’s first! I’m not giving up my family for ministry!
Especially ministry that God hasn’t called me to do but He has called you to do!
Moses wife and sons probably hated the ministry. I’ve met many pastors kids that hated the ministry because of the old structure and traditional way of doing church!
CONCLUSION:
My job is to be a good husband and father and grandfather. To pray and teach the word of God and raise up leaders!
Next week I’m going to tell you what your job is.
Are you willing to be a leader. Not just someone who attends but someone who gets equipped for ministry?
WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYING TO YOU IN THIS MESSAGE?