Exodus 18: The Joy of Shared Ministry

Moses has a miracle story to tell, but he also has a leadership problem he can’t outwork. As Israel learns how to live in freedom, every disagreement and every question ends up in one place: Moses’ seat. By Exodus 18, the workload is crushing, the line is endless, and something has to change.

We read the chapter and slow down over the moment Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brings an outsider’s clarity. Jethro celebrates God’s rescue, then looks Moses in the eye and says what many leaders need to hear: this pace will wear you out and it will wear the people out too. From there we unpack Jethro’s blueprint for biblical delegation and healthy ministry leadership: Moses stays focused on prayer, teaching, and representing the people before God, while capable and honest leaders are appointed to handle smaller matters in groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

Then we bring it home. If you’re leading, we talk about why trying to do it all can block others from using their gifts, even when your motive is love and service. If you’re not currently serving, we push a simple question: where can you make a difference? Sometimes the bravest next step is walking up to your pastor and saying, “Put me in, coach.” If you want practical Christian leadership wisdom, a clear Bible study on Exodus 18, and encouragement to build a healthier team, press play and join us. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a five-star review if the show helps you.

Transcript

Welcome And Theme

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hey everyone and welcome to the Bible Breakdown Podcast. In this podcast, we will be breaking down the Bible one chapter a day. Whether you are a new believer or have been following Christ for a while, we believe that you will learn something new and fresh every single day. So thank you for joining us and let's get into breaking down the Bible together.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, Pastor Brandon. Today, Exodus chapter 18, and today's title is The Joy of Shared Ministry. The Joy of Shared Ministry. I can't imagine what it must have felt like for Moses to have watched God liberate this slave nation. They're now free, and now there's 200 sets of eyeballs looking right at him, going, Now what do we do, Mo? You know, they are all waiting on him, and it is just absolutely exhausting. And something's got to happen. And little does he know, but all around him are people who are ready to be activated, and God has a plan for them too. And what a wonderful thought that is. That we were never intended to do ministry alone. And we're going to talk about that today. So it's going to be wonderful, it's going to be awesome. It's going to be a father-in-law with some good ideas, and we're going to jump into all of that.

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SPEAKER_01 1:18

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Why Moses Needs Help

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Well, if you've been with us over the past few days, we have been watching the nation of Israel as they have walked out of Egypt and into freedom, but they've also tried to make their way to Mount Sinai, where they can meet with God. And it is a process of they've never been free before. So they're having to figure this thing out as they go. And they are walking through all of these different processes. And Moses is doing everything he can to try to help the people, only to realize he can't do it by himself. And so we're going to watch as Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brings Moses' family back to him. And then he sees something. And I love how you're going to see how he's going to say, hey, listen, you do what God's called you to do. But here's an idea. So let's read this and let's see what God's Word has to say to him. You ready?

Exodus 18 Scripture Reading

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Here we go. Exodus chapter 18, verse 1 says this. 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 to Jethro, who had taken them in. Moses' first son was named Gershem, for Moses had said when he was a boy, when the boy was born, I have been a foreigner in a foreign land. His second son's name was Eliezer, for Moses had said, The God of my ancestors was my helper, and 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 his 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. So Moses went out to meet with his father-in-law. He bowed low and he kissed him. They asked about each other's welfare and then went into Moses' tent. Moses told his father-in-law everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and Egypt on behalf of Israel. He also told him about all the hardships they had experienced along the way and how the Lord had rescued his people from all their troubles. Jethro was delighted when he heard all about the good things the Lord had done for Israel as he rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians. Praise the Lord, Jethro said, for he has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Yes, he has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt. I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians. Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came out and joined him in a sacrificial meal in God's presence. Verse thirteen. Then the next day Moses took his seat to hear the people's disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening. When Moses' father in law saw that Moses was doing what he was doing for the people, he asked, What are you really trying to accomplish here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around from morning till evening? Moses replied, Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God. When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God's decrees and give them his instructions. Oh, this is not good, Moses' father in law exclaimed. You're going to wear out yourself and the people too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you, you should continue to be the people's representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God's decrees and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the problems of common people's disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace. Moses listened to his father in law's advice and followed his suggestions. He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of 1,000, 100, 50, and ten. These men were always available to solve the people's common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves. Soon after this, Moses said goodbye to his father-in-law, who returned to his own land.

Jethro’s Delegation Plan

SPEAKER_01 6:59

Wow. What an amazing moment here where sometimes you have to kind of have an outside perspective before you can truly see that you need help. Moses was doing a great thing. Moses was sitting there and he was using the wisdom that God had given him as he had spent time with God and he had, you know, he had getting got the revelation that he's going to be sharing with them over the next several chapters, and he is trying to help them figure out what it looks like to live in freedom beside somebody else. But because of that, it was taking from morning to night. And can you imagine? Can you imagine at one point they're talking about, well, you know, this guy, I think he stole my donkey. Okay, well, give him back his donkey. Then the next person, hey, I think this person killed my neighbor. Well, okay, we got to do something different with that. And it's just over and over and over again. And Jethro is looking at this and he is going, How are you gonna have time to hear from God? How are you gonna have time to lead these people if you're dealing with all of these things? These things are important, but there are other people that the Lord has empowered. There are people who have the ability to lead a thousand people. There are people that God has equipped to lead a hundred, some 10 and some 50, you know, just different levels and layers. They have gifts, talents, and abilities too. They just need training and opportunity. And what a wonderful thing to do is to help Moses to see that he didn't have to do it all by

Leadership Lesson Empower Others

SPEAKER_01 8:25

himself. Well, I want to tell you, as a leader, I need to hear this over and over again. And here's the reason why. I want to kind of maybe talk from both angles if I can, because I have been both a leader, excuse me, and I've also been a follower and follow other people on the team. If you're in here and if you're listening and watching this and you're a leader, you get this. And that is we don't always want to do everything because we want all the glory or because no one can do it as well as us. It's out of a need or desire to serve. Like as a pastor, I don't love the fact that other people meet first-time guests. I don't love the fact that other people, excuse me, lead small groups because I want to. I I want to get to know everybody's name. I want to know their children's names. I want to know when they have a birthday, and I want to know all the good things. Like that's that's part of the pastor part in me. I want to know everybody, but I can't. I can't know everybody, but someone else can. And one of the reasons why we have team leaders at our church and we have life group leaders at our church is because God has also gifted and empowered them to make a difference. And I had to learn a long time ago, and I'm still trying to learn this, that it is selfish of me to try to do all the ministry myself. First of all, I can't. So therefore, if I try to do it, as Jethro told told Moses, all I end up doing is wearing myself out and wearing out the people. But at the same time as well, it's also stopping other people who they don't have, they don't have a passion to lead a church, but they do have a passion to speak into other people's lives. And so when we work together, that's where we're able to find the goodness of God.

Step Up To Serve And Pray

SPEAKER_01 9:59

And then on the other side, from someone who follows, I had to realize that God has also gifted me to make a difference. Did you know that God has gifted you to make a difference? And just because you don't fit into one certain mold, doesn't mean that God doesn't want to use you in a different mold. So the question doesn't become I'm not gonna do anything unless I get a title. The question becomes where can I make a difference? Where can I do something that impacts somebody else? And just like Moses needed to realize he didn't have to do it all himself, he could empower other people to serve, those people also needed to realize I can make a difference. And so here's my question for you. If you're a leader and you're trying to do it all yourself, can I just first of all tell you, I get you. I get you because I know that for many of us as leaders, it's not because we are selfish or self-centered or whatever. It's because we just love doing it. We love being around people, we love helping people. And we we feel like it would be a burden to give some of our responsibility to others. Well, can I tell you? There are other people that have the ministry ability to do things. Listen, don't take this the wrong way, do things better than you can. God's put them around you so that they can thrive. And one of the greatest ministry giftings we have is to empower others. Now, on the other side, if you are someone who is part of the body of Christ, but you're not currently serving and making a difference in someone else's life, do you know that God has given you everything you need to do everything He's called you to do? What next step do you need to take so that you can start making a difference? Maybe you need to go to your pastor this Sunday and say, put me in, coach. I'm st I'm tired of sitting on the sidelines. I want to get in the game. Where do you need me, coach? This is what I am gifted at, this is what I know how to do. How can I serve? And watch what happens. And then, Pastor, if you're listening to this, if you have someone comes up and tell you that, you and I both know they may not be ready to get into the game right then, but what would it look like to start them on the journey so that they can make a difference? Like once upon a time, someone gave you the opportunity to do. Let's pray together right now. God, thank you so much for today. Thank you that you're with us and you're for us. Lord, I pray that you will empower us to make a difference and to see the difference-making potential in others. We thank you in advance for all you're going to do. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. A little quick side note, I am so happy to do that. It took me four tries to do that. I've been having some technical difficulties, but somebody needed to hear that. I don't know if it was God want me to record it or the devil trying to stop me, but I need everybody to leave me alone because I got it done. And God's word says in Exodus 6, verse 6, I will free you from your oppression and I will rescue you from savory. Slavery. I'm so glad we serve a God of freedom. I love you. I'm gonna see you tomorrow for Exodus chapter 19.