This morning we are returning to our series focused on Godly manhood and the life of Moses.  To help us get focused - or not - on what manhood is we have a short video - which combines construction equipment - outdoor recreation - and a lot of mud - very manly stuff.

(Video - Redneck Waterskiing)

I look at that and I want to know where to sign up.  Anyone else?  That is so cool.

We’ve been looking at how God - Who created men - we’ve been looking at how God defines manhood - what God desires of men.

Because there is a lot of confusion as to what manhood actually is.  The society we live in says that manhood has to do with sexuality and performance.  Manhood is what we look like - what we possess - rugged individualism - die hard in touch with our feminine side.  That’s a disturbing image.  Isn’t it?

What makes a man manly?  We’ve been looking at Moses as our example of Godly manhood.

What we’ve seen is that for a man to be manly he first needs to be Godly.    Let’s say that together:  “For a man to be manly he first needs to be Godly.”

That means - what is often - a daily pride crushing battle for the core of who we are.  Choosing daily to take all of our strengths - weaknesses - wounds - desires - whatever - and sacrificially lay all that before God - so that from the core of who we are all that’s left is a passionate desire for God - a total trusting of Him with our lives - so that in God’s timing and in God’s strength - according to God’s plan - God will lead us into the awesomeness of what He has purposed for us to be.

That’s not easy.  Right?  In honesty there isn’t anyone of us here who’s at that place in our lives.  Right?

So we’re looking at Moses and how God worked in Moses’ life.  Because Moses wasn’t there either.  But the things we’re learning about Moses and how God patiently helped Moses to move forward through life are an encouragement to us.  God doesn’t give up on us.  God wants us to get this. 

Join me at Exodus 18 - starting at verse 1.  Sadly there are no Lego pictures for chapter 18.  We’re going to have to just use our imaginations.

Verse 1:  Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law - notice the titles - 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.  Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”  The other was named Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”  Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons - Moses’ sons Gershom and Eliezer - and his wife - Moses’ wife Zipporah - to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God. 

Let’s pause there.  Verses 1 to 12 are The Family Reunion.

Since we last looked at Moses - 2 Sunday’s ago - back in chapter 3 - we’ve skipped over a ton of history.  Most of it familiar.  The “Let My people go” part.  With the plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea.  Pharaoh’s army doing the “dead man’s float.”  We’ve skipped past God providing manna - quail - and water.  The battle against Amalek.

Moses and God’s people have come to here.  They’re camped out - probably in front of this mountain - Mount Sinai - the Mountain of God at Horeb - in the middle of nowhere.

Which is a huge fulfillment of prophecy.  It was on this mountain where the burning bush encounter took place and God told Moses - back before Moses went to Pharaoh - where God told Moses that - after God delivered His people from Egypt - God’s people would come to this mountain - and then God’s people would know that God - the God of their father’s Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - had delivered them.

Just being at this mountain as God’s people is huge.

Sometime in all that Moses had sent his wife Zipporah and the boys off to Midian and her father Jethro.  So Jethro heard about the awesomeness of what God had done for His people.  Jethro shows up with Zipporah and the boys - reuniting the family - which gives him an opportunity to see  first hand what God is doing.

Verse 6:  He - Jethro - sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.”  Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.

Jethro sends a messenger to announce his arrival.  Which sounds kind of weird to us today.  But that was the way they did things back then - very formal.  Jethro sends a messenger to Moses and Moses goes to meet Jethro.  They exchange kisses - which is this formal - how to give a man a kiss thing - sorry we don’t have a video - kissing on one side and then the other.  They exchange verbal greetings and then proceed into Jethro’s tent.

Hold on to that formality - the respect - the honoring.  Jethro doesn’t just drop in on Moses who greets him at the tent flap in an “I Love Egypt” “T” shirt and fuzzy pink bunny sandals with a beer in one hand.  Jethro honoring Moses - the man God is working through.  Moses honoring Jethro - The Priest of Midian - his Father-in-law.

Verse 8:  Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had  befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had delivered them.  Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians.

Who delivered Israel?  The Lord.

Verse 10:  So Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord who delivered you from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.  Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people.” 

The Egyptians in arrogance tried to keep you in Egypt.  Thought their gods were more powerful.  But God delivered you.  Who delivered Israel?  The Lord.  That’s why they’re camped at God’s mountain.  Fulfillment of prophecy.  God at work.

Verse 12:  Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Who gets the credit for delivering God’s people?  God.  When they eat the meal - Who are they eating before?  God.  God - Who is with His people - right out there in the desolation.  Who focuses the attention of Moses and the leadership of Israel on God?  Jethro.

The whole focal point of this family reunion is directed at recognizing that its God Who has delivered and dwelt with His people.  In the formality and respect offered between Moses - God’s chosen deliverer and leader of God’s people - and Jethro the priest slash father-in-law from Midian - its Jethro - the father-in-law slash priest - who takes leadership and offers sacrifices to God - brings his family and the nation to worship God.

Are we seeing that?

Let’s go on.  Verses 13 to 16 focus on Moses’ Holding Court.

Verse 13:  It came about the next day - after this reunion and meal - the next day - Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from morning until the evening.

Murphy’s law:  Whatever line you get in to instantly becomes the slowest moving.  Been there?  How many of you have been in the registration line at Merced College?  Line - yes.  Movement - no.  How many of you have stood in line for an hour to get on a ride that lasted 2 minutes at the most?   Back and forth weaving through the switchbacks barely moving.  We pay money for that kind of excitement.  “And loving it.”

“The people stood about Moses from morning until evening.”  That’s a long line.  People waiting to bring their issues before Moses the judge.  “He’s got my goat.”  “Well, you’ve pulled it my leg.”

Verse 14:  Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people?  Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning to evening?”  Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.

This endless Conga line - me being the judge - is - “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.  When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

Who do the people come to?  Moses.

We wouldn’t be reading anything into the account here if we assumed that Moses was innocently doing what he thought God had prepared him to do.  Probably he was doing it with excellence.  This is the kind of position that Moses was bred for.  Moses, Prince of Egypt.  Educated in the finest schools in the world.  He certainly had a lock on the whole God’s spokesman thing.  Moses was probably a great judge.

And maybe some of that might have stroked his ego a tad.  Maybe in all that there was a certain feeling of vindication - after being rejected in Egypt and by his own people - remember that?  Now Moses sits as judge.

But there’s a huge problem here.  Do you see it?  Who delivered Israel?  God.  Who’s plan for God’s people is being worked out?  God’s.  This whole camping at the mountain of God - coming to God - is about who?  God.

“Why are you doing this?”  “Because they come to me.”

Without taking anything away from Moses - without making any accusations against Moses - the bottom line reality is that he had stepped into a position that wasn’t the position God had for Moses to be in.  He’s seeing himself as the focal point not God.  What the people really needed was God - not Moses. 

Is it possible to serve God without serving God?  Ever been there?  Where we’re plugging along - doing really excellent at what you’re doing - and yet the results weren’t even close to what you’d imagined?  The pressure - the urgency - is just overwhelming.

Some of us type AAA personalities are good at that.  Because we’re good at what we do.  But, we need to make sure that what we’re doing good at is what God has for us to do good at.

One of the questions I’m learning - emphasis learning - one of the gut checks I’m trying to think through when I’m getting stressed out over all the things I see myself as responsible for - and fully capable of doing - is to ask the Jethro question, “What is this thing you’re doing?”  “Am I doing this for me or for God?” 

If my answer is, “Because they come to me.”  Chances are really good that I’m doing it for me and not for God.

Try that sometime when you’re getting stressed over what you “have” to do.  Honestly ask yourself, “Am I doing this for God or for me?” 

Verses 17 to 23 focus on Jethro’s Counsel.  Jethro’s response to what he sees Moses doing.

Verse 17:  Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good.  You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 

Notice the respect:  “What is this thing you are doing?  This thing you’re doing is not good.”  Jethro doesn’t shred Moses.  “Moses, you are such a dweeb.  Look how you’re messing up here.  I knew my daughter was too good for you.”  Jethro’s focus is on the thing - the action - being bad.  Not Moses.

That’s huge.  Way too often we’ve been shredded because someone focuses on us rather than on what’s going on in a situation.  Rather than building us up and helping us to change our actions - to see that we have the potential to do something so much better - we’ve been told that we’re schleps.  We’re the failure not the action.  We carry that burden around with us through life.

Jethro’s respect sets the tone for the counsel that’s coming - prepares Moses for Jethro’s fatherly advice.

Bottom line of Jethro’s observation:  This ain’t working.   Moses you’re going to burn out.  The people are burning out - at least they were burning up in line.  This whole system is about to crash. 

Walk with me through Jethro’s counsel.  Verse 19:  Now listen to me; I will give you counsel, and God be with you.  You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God,

Who will be with Moses?  God.  Jethro - father-in-law slash priest of Midian - First word of counsel:_Get your focus back on God.  Get back into the role that God had you in - Moses, people’s representative before God.  “Moses, you’re dealing with things here (horizontal) and God has prepared you and called you do deal with things here (vertical).”

Going on - verse 20:  then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do.

Second word of counsel:  Teach the people to fish.  As God’s representative teach them God’s laws and statutes so they don’t need to keep coming to you.

Verse 21:  Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.  Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge.  So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

This whole administrative structure that Jethro is talking about here  potentially involved over 260,000 men in a nation of well over 2 million.  Which meant that Moses was trying to do the work of 260,000 men.  Are we together on how out of balance this was?

Third word of counsel:  Work yourself out of a job.  Ministry isn’t about job security.  Ministry is about empowering and encouraging others to grow up to be the people God has created them to be and to live out the roles that God has created them for.

Find men who fear God - who are truthful and honest - who won’t serve for their own profit or gain.  Teach them God’s law and statutes.  Let them handle the minor disputes.  The major disputes - where you have to intercede for the people before God - Moses - you handle those.  Which is what God has prepared you for and the role God has placed you in to do anyway.

Then verse 23:  If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.

Jethro’s fourth word of counsel:  Obey God - expect Godly results.

“If God commands” is like saying, “Don’t take my word for it.”  Make sure if you choose to do this that it’s what God wants.

Do you hear the respect in that?  I’m giving you my counsel and the success of the Exodus hangs in the balance - even the future of my daughter and grandsons.  But, its up to you to decide if you want to follow through with it.  I trust you and you’re relationship with God.  I trust that you will make the right choice. 

Make sure if you choose to do this that it’s what God wants.  And if it is - and I really think it is what God commands - and you do what I’m suggesting then expect God given results:  You’ll survive and the people will have their needs met.

Verse 24:  So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said.  Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.  They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge.  Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he - Jethro - went his way to his own land.

The Bottom Line of chapter 18 - the family reunion - the respect - the focus on God - Moses obeying God  - Moses getting back to the role that God had prepared Moses for and placed him in - Jethro giving counsel and the success of the Exodus hanging in the balance.  All of that is woven into the relationship of Jethro and Moses.  None of that takes place except in the uniqueness of the relationship of Jethro and his son-in-law Moses.

Thinking about that relationship - how all that can help us today - there are two realities here that we can be counseled by:

First:  Every man needs a Jethro.  Let’s say that together, “Every man needs a Jethro.”

The number one need of a man is what?  Respect.  Every man needs another man to believe in him.  To respect him enough to say, “You have what it takes.  I have great confidence in you.  I believe in you.”

Every man needs a man who will help them stay on track with God.  Who will step into our lives - to listen to our hearts - to affirm us - to see clearly what it is that we’re valuing - to respectfully challenge us to choose greater obedience to God - and then to step out of the way - so that we will learn that with God we do have what it takes.

Jethro who approaches Moses with respect - focusing on “the thing” - encouraging Moses towards obedience to God.

Like Abraham who stood by Lot - no matter how badly Lot messed up - Abraham looked out for him, rescued him, interceded for him.

Or like Jonathan who was willing to risk his life for his friend David - to set aside even his own future as king - because he believed in David and what God was about doing in David’s life.

Or Barnabas who saw God at work in Paul and risked everything to bring him before the church leadership - who served with Paul as Paul evangelized the world.

Or, Jesus Who saw more in Peter than Peter saw in Peter.  Jesus Who told Peter, “Simon.  You’re the Rock.  You’ve got what it takes even if you can’t see it yet.  Dude.  I believe in you.”

Can you imagine hearing those words?  From God.  To you.  “I believe in you.”  He really does.

We all need someone who will step into our lives and believe in us - encourage us - stand with us - support us - be there for us - respectfully prodding us forward to be the man that God has created us to be.

Second:  Every man needs a Moses.  Let’s say that together, “Every man needs a Moses.”

There is a part of every man that desires to pour himself into the next generation.  Men need to be speaking their lives into the lives of other men.  And yet, that truth invokes fear because most men have never been spoken to in the way we need to speak to others.

Maybe rarely - but most have never heard those words, “I’m proud of you.  I love you.  You have what it takes.  I believe in you.”  Or maybe you’ve heard the words.  But the words are hollow.  They lack the love - the actions - that needs to go with them.  There are some who doe not come to church on Father’s Day - or Mother’s Day for that matter—because of deep pain.  Honoring “father” brings up way too many painful memories.

We’re struggling to be a Moses.  How could we ever be a Jethro?

To be manly - a man must first be what?  Godly.  That’s where Jethro focuses Moses - on God.

Because the confidence for being a Jethro - the strength - the overcoming of our fears - all that comes from God.  Not us.  From God Who speaks to us, “I love you.”  Who believes in you.  Who died out of love for you. 

The Apostle Paul put it this way - in 1 Corinthians 11:1 - Paul writes, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”  That’s where the ability to be a Jethro comes from.  From Jesus.  From God.

If we could learn to let God heal us rather than covering our hearts with our version of manliness.  If we could learn to be more fascinated with Jesus than with ourselves - if we would be more concerned with knowing Jesus than knowing ourselves - if we were more passionate about following Jesus than following our passions - if we God’s love for us impressed us more than our love for ourselves - if we could learn to do life in imitation of Jesus - trusting Him for our lives - we would become the men that God has purposed for us to be.

If men become manly - Godly men - then we will have what it takes to speak God’s word into the lives of others.  Our marriages will change.  Our families will change.  Our communities will change.  Our culture - our world will change - when men become Godly men.

Obey God.  Expect Godly results.  There is such great potential for each man here.

Be encouraged.   Because God loves us we have choices.

First:  Be encouraged - Choose to know the God Who loves you.  Who has demonstrated His love for you.  Who believes in you.  Allow the reality of His love to touch your heart.  Learn to trust Him with all that you are.

Second:  Be encouraged - Choose to speak up - to speak God’s word into the lives of others - to allow God to pour His blessings and love through you into others.  Choose to not go down in silence.

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Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright© 1960,1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.