LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON NOTES
Read Peter's preaching notes....
“Father-in-Law Knows Best”
Exodus 18:13-26
11/10/19
Father-in-Law knows best: doesn’t have same ring as title of classic TV series
but perfect way to describe lesson Moses learned in today’s passage
Bit of background: earlier in life, Moses fled Egypt because wanted for murder
ended up out in wilderness, met wife, married, had two children
seemed like would live life in relative obscurity out in wilderness
then God showed up: famous episode of the burning bush
sent Moses back to Egypt to win freedom for people
Moses probably knew facing perilous & unpredictable circumstances
left wife & kids behind, under care of her father, his f-in-law
know the story: went to Egypt, told Pharaoh “Let my people go!”
Phar didn’t, so ten plagues, Passover, escape, parted Red Sea
ended up in wilderness: same area where had been before
Jethro, Moses’ f-in-law, arrived, brought daughter & grandsons w/ him
can imagine joyful reunion of Moses w/ wife & children after long adventure
Today’s story begins next morning: Moses back to business as usual
from morning until evening, judged cases for Israelites
when anyone had dispute, came to him to seek God’s instruction
Jethro saw crowd of people lined up for their turn to speak w/ Moses
asked what was going on: Moses explained
response: “What you are doing is not good”
Not good for several reasons
1st, although Bible doesn’t mention it, Jethro realized not good for Moses’ family
Jethro looking out for daughter & grandsons
wanted Moses to be good husband/father: work left no room for his family
do you know anyone like that? work consumes all energy, nothing left for home life
Not good because what it was doing to Moses: work too heavy, wearing him out
when doing God’s work, should never wear us out
yes, weary & draining at times, even sometimes frustrating or monotonous
but overall, brings joy & meaning to life
read books during sabbatical about equipping people for service
“Experiencing Leadershift” by Don Cousins
why does God want us to serve? not because needs help, but wants blessing for us
if service for God does not feel like blessing, indication something off base
maybe serving from own abilities, rather than grace of God
maybe serving in wrong way, doing wrong work: not using gifts God has given
maybe taking on too much, or trying to do by self, like Moses
why might Moses have thought had to do alone?
perhaps motivated by ego: “The people come to me to seek God’s will”
when you are the spokesman for God, savior of nation, easy to go to his head
“I decide…and inform them of God’s decrees & instructions”
flashing lights & warning buzzer when say “I/You alone can do this”
no one is indispensable, only one to handle
others may do differently, but still able to do
Other reason why what Moses was doing was not good: bad for the people
wasted their time: “people stand around you from morning till evening”
consider what they could be doing, instead of waiting time for day in court
curious how deep the backlog was, as Moses did work all by himself
even more, maybe worse: not-so-subtle message: I am more important than you are
my time is more valuable than yours
you don’t really have anything important to do
at least, not as important as what I have to do
Moses treated people as though powerless, no capabilities
no opportunity to be involved in God’s mission
no opportunity to exercise gifts/skills: even space to find out what they are
no opportunity to discover joy of serving that Don Cousins wrote about
So Jethro had idea: find other people to get involved in the work
capable, trustworthy, gifted: to assist in judging cases
“That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.”
Jethro’s advice killed two birds with one stone
ended Moses’ weariness, drew other people more fully into God’s will and work
Run into same issue here at OU: correcting it major lesson learned from sabbatical
didn’t learn it from f-in-law, but realized I can be like Moses: sounds like you did, too
I’ve been over-functioning as your pastor: doing other people’s work [show list]
not good: got me worn out, prevented from following call as your pastor: other ventures
not good for you: preventing you from finding place in what God is doing through OU
limiting you from exercising your gifts: even discovering what they are
perhaps most important of all: getting in way of you sharing the joy of serving
Not just me: everyone should have team, at least partner
Cindy & Shelley
Kristen, Judy, Abena
Jill backed up by Dottie & Lorene
what gift(s) has God given you? ready to use them?
maybe someone else already doing: great! join them as partner or team
maybe something that church isn’t involved in: let session or me know
if you are part of this church and God has given you this gift,
then God wants our church to move in that direction
in other words, the ministry & mission of our church driven by gifts God has given us
we’re in this together: enjoy satisfaction of using gifts God has given to change world
Exodus 18:13-26
11/10/19
Father-in-Law knows best: doesn’t have same ring as title of classic TV series
but perfect way to describe lesson Moses learned in today’s passage
Bit of background: earlier in life, Moses fled Egypt because wanted for murder
ended up out in wilderness, met wife, married, had two children
seemed like would live life in relative obscurity out in wilderness
then God showed up: famous episode of the burning bush
sent Moses back to Egypt to win freedom for people
Moses probably knew facing perilous & unpredictable circumstances
left wife & kids behind, under care of her father, his f-in-law
know the story: went to Egypt, told Pharaoh “Let my people go!”
Phar didn’t, so ten plagues, Passover, escape, parted Red Sea
ended up in wilderness: same area where had been before
Jethro, Moses’ f-in-law, arrived, brought daughter & grandsons w/ him
can imagine joyful reunion of Moses w/ wife & children after long adventure
Today’s story begins next morning: Moses back to business as usual
from morning until evening, judged cases for Israelites
when anyone had dispute, came to him to seek God’s instruction
Jethro saw crowd of people lined up for their turn to speak w/ Moses
asked what was going on: Moses explained
response: “What you are doing is not good”
Not good for several reasons
1st, although Bible doesn’t mention it, Jethro realized not good for Moses’ family
Jethro looking out for daughter & grandsons
wanted Moses to be good husband/father: work left no room for his family
do you know anyone like that? work consumes all energy, nothing left for home life
Not good because what it was doing to Moses: work too heavy, wearing him out
when doing God’s work, should never wear us out
yes, weary & draining at times, even sometimes frustrating or monotonous
but overall, brings joy & meaning to life
read books during sabbatical about equipping people for service
“Experiencing Leadershift” by Don Cousins
why does God want us to serve? not because needs help, but wants blessing for us
if service for God does not feel like blessing, indication something off base
maybe serving from own abilities, rather than grace of God
maybe serving in wrong way, doing wrong work: not using gifts God has given
maybe taking on too much, or trying to do by self, like Moses
why might Moses have thought had to do alone?
perhaps motivated by ego: “The people come to me to seek God’s will”
when you are the spokesman for God, savior of nation, easy to go to his head
“I decide…and inform them of God’s decrees & instructions”
flashing lights & warning buzzer when say “I/You alone can do this”
no one is indispensable, only one to handle
others may do differently, but still able to do
Other reason why what Moses was doing was not good: bad for the people
wasted their time: “people stand around you from morning till evening”
consider what they could be doing, instead of waiting time for day in court
curious how deep the backlog was, as Moses did work all by himself
even more, maybe worse: not-so-subtle message: I am more important than you are
my time is more valuable than yours
you don’t really have anything important to do
at least, not as important as what I have to do
Moses treated people as though powerless, no capabilities
no opportunity to be involved in God’s mission
no opportunity to exercise gifts/skills: even space to find out what they are
no opportunity to discover joy of serving that Don Cousins wrote about
So Jethro had idea: find other people to get involved in the work
capable, trustworthy, gifted: to assist in judging cases
“That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.”
Jethro’s advice killed two birds with one stone
ended Moses’ weariness, drew other people more fully into God’s will and work
Run into same issue here at OU: correcting it major lesson learned from sabbatical
didn’t learn it from f-in-law, but realized I can be like Moses: sounds like you did, too
I’ve been over-functioning as your pastor: doing other people’s work [show list]
not good: got me worn out, prevented from following call as your pastor: other ventures
not good for you: preventing you from finding place in what God is doing through OU
limiting you from exercising your gifts: even discovering what they are
perhaps most important of all: getting in way of you sharing the joy of serving
Not just me: everyone should have team, at least partner
Cindy & Shelley
Kristen, Judy, Abena
Jill backed up by Dottie & Lorene
what gift(s) has God given you? ready to use them?
maybe someone else already doing: great! join them as partner or team
maybe something that church isn’t involved in: let session or me know
if you are part of this church and God has given you this gift,
then God wants our church to move in that direction
in other words, the ministry & mission of our church driven by gifts God has given us
we’re in this together: enjoy satisfaction of using gifts God has given to change world
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com