Jesus made his star in heaven He created earth and sea He's the keeper of all knowledge What is past and what will be Yet He offers His great grace up, so you will not lose your way. Like a lamb it walks, every step it shows, you can know it's worth each day, will each day, trust it's worth. ♪ Trust his word ♪ ♪ All life's promises are true ♪ ♪ Trust his word, trust his word ♪ ♪ When your misery disappears ♪ ♪ When your joy gives way to tears ♪ ♪ When your faith redoubts it fears ♪ Trust in you He is not a distant stranger He can be your closest friend And you'll always listen closely when you share your heart with Him. Jesus walks a path beside you. He has been there all along. And He'll guide your feet when your step is weak and your strength is almost gone. Love's gone, trust it's worth All God's promises are true. Trust His word, trust His word. When your breath with it subdues, When your joy hits me to tears, When you're plagued with jealousy fears, trust His word. Trust His word. Trust His word. Amen. Alright, thank you kids. Appreciate your ministry and music tonight. We'll discuss the little ones a little bit fresh. And praise God, we can trust His Word. That's where it's at for us. It's in the Word of God, the strength of the Word of God. Please open your Bibles to Exodus chapter 18. And we're gonna begin this time at verse five. We just read it in our service here, but we're gonna begin at verse five. We're gonna go through a little bit of scripture tonight as we look at this passage of Jethro coming to visit his son-in-law Moses in the desert and wilderness journeys with Israel. So Israel has come out of the Exodus, out of Egypt, and he'll explain that in our text here. But it says in verse five, Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the Mount of God. He said unto Moses, I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to thee and thy wife, and her two sons with her. So it's kind of like there's a knock at the tent flap, or I don't know, he sends a herald ahead of them and says, you know, this is me coming, you know, and they're getting close to that reunion time. for Moses. You know, family reunions in our day are probably not what they used to be in the day. We had family reunions with the shore side out in Colorado on a place we called Uncle Joe's Ranch and it was pristine wilderness country in the mountains of Colorado. There was a windmill that would actually pump water out of the ground and for the livestock and we'd turn that on and we'd drink water out of the well and set up and have all our family reunion there. But again, it's a bit different in our day even now from when it was from my childhood. Today we've got Facebook, we've got Zoom, we've got texting, we've got the ability to send pictures instantly and there's all these updates and things that are constantly Back in the old days, it used to be kind of like, hey, you've gained a few pounds since I saw you last. Or what's with the hair? It used to be further down your forehead, but it's kind of receding. Or it might be to a teenager, you're sprouting up like a weed. Or to a young lady that's pregnant, a young wife, you're beginning to show. Those kind of statements would be taking place, but you just haven't seen each other in a really long time. Really, that's what it's like. in Moses' day, they hadn't had communication, they had been apart, and so there's a very wonderful reunion that's taking place. So we see that as they come to meet each other, they share their health and their happenings. It says in verse seven, Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and did obeisances and kissed him, and they asked each other, of their welfare and they came into the tent. So they're just catching up, you know, how's it going? How are you doing? Are you well? You know, is everybody well? And hearing that and then coming in to talk a little bit. The first thing that Moses desires to share with his father-in-law is the story of the Exodus and what happened, what God had done. It says in verse eight, Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake. And all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them. What I love about this exposition of the story, this testimony of the story, is that he constantly says, you'll see in the text, look at what God did. Look at what God did. It wasn't what Moses did, it wasn't what Aaron did, it was what God had done. And Jethro rejoices in God and praises his name. In verse nine it says, Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, blessed be the Lord who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. And as Jethro responds to Moses' story, again it's praising And as he does that, he begins to boast in God and to praise God. And he says in verse 11, now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods. For in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them. In general, Moses' father-in-law took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God." So they begin to worship God together. And again, he's called the Prince of Midian. I'm not sure of his responsibility. Obviously, he's what we call a saved man. In the Old Testament sense, a man that has imputed righteousness of God, a man that is a God-fearing man. And so now, as they worship God, they have a big family meal and they fellowship together. the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. And again, it's that Thanksgiving dinner, that Christmas dinner, it's that meal, that fellowshipping and rejoicing in God that's taking place. And then they go to bed, and they get up the next day. And it's day number one of their holiday together, and the Bible says that Moses works all day. Verse 13, it came to pass in the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. All right, Jethro's there, he's just finally there to see his son-in-law, and the day breaks, where's Moses? Well, he's out judging the people in the afternoon. Where's Moses? Still judging the people. It gets to that night, where's Moses? Again, still judging the people. Moses gets home at some point, and Jezreel has a question for him as he arrives. It's kind of, if we would phrase it in our vernacular, we would say it like this. What in the world are you doing, working so hard like that? He asks Moses. He says in verse 14, when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, what is this thing that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone and all the people stand by thee from the morning unto evening? And he's saying, Moses, why is it only you? Why is nobody helping you with this? And you've got this huge mass of people. Why is this taking place? Moses, the meekest man, he responds meekly. Verse 15, he says, Moses said unto his father-in-law, because the people come unto me to inquire of God. When they have a matter, they come unto me, and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God and his laws. Okay, and so what Moses says is both true and it's needed. You know, I've gotta have this opportunity to administrate justice for the people. I've gotta intercede to God for them. And again, these are important things. But Jethro has a concern that he voices. And he says very straightforwardly, he says, the way you are doing this is not good. Verse 17, and Moses' father-in-law said unto him, the thing that thou doest is not good. And he's just saying to Moses, I'm concerned. This isn't going to work long-term. And I wanna share my burden with you. You're gonna burn out and so will the people. what surely wear away, both now and all the people that's with me." Again, it was a temporary thing that would work, but only for so long could Moses go sunrise to sunset doing this needed ministry for the people. And so he's going to fail. The people are going to fail. And so he says to them, if you try to do this, it's going to bring failure. For this thing is too heavy for thee. Thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. Okay, now as we get to this point in the story, this is the purpose of what we want to look at tonight, and that is that Jethro has some good advice for Moses in the situation that he's in, this responsibility that's too great for him. And so, he says in verse 19, I want to give you some advice Moses. I don't know how old is Jeff. Oh, you know Moses is 80 He's been around He's been around for a little while, and yet Jethro says, son-in-law, sit down, I've got some advice for you, and I really think God's gonna be in this, I think God's gonna bless this, and here is my idea. And really, if I could summarize what he's gonna say, he's gonna make a proposition such as this. This is how to avoid burnout in ministry. Okay, avoiding burnout in ministry. As pastor and people, okay, here we are tonight, I'm pastor, you're people. If we don't get it right, then I can burn out and our church can burn out. And certainly we'll never reach the potential of what God desires us to do as a congregation. So kind of interestingly tonight, I'm gonna preach to myself and I'm gonna preach to you, all right? It's gonna be kind of both and as we look at tonight, how to avoid burnout in ministry. Let's pray and ask God. Father, I praise you for the grace that you give, and I just thank you, Lord. There have been times where I've been very weary in ministry. I don't sense that this is one of those times, but I know by the grace of God that it happens. And Father, I pray that the Spirit of God give us insight into this truth in the Word of God about delegation. And Father, that we would listen to the advice of Jethro, obviously a wise man. You gave him place in the Word of God to share this idea, so this is of God. And Father, we praise you for this plan. This plan is an effective plan. Father, I just pray tonight that all of us will look at what's in our hands and say, God, what do you want me to do based on what we hear tonight in the word of God? What can I do? How can I change or better do what I do for the glory of God? Father, help us to be like that, both as individuals and as a church. Father, would you give us ears to hear tonight? Thank you, this is our church tonight. Lord, we're a saved group that's here tonight. Praise God for that. It's a message to believers. But Father, I just pray that the Spirit of God would work. Father, we're standing at the precipice of some great things as a church. And Father, we're humbled by your goodness to us. But Father, we desire very much to enter into the next phase of ministry in the power of the Spirit of God. And Father, I just pray, would you work in my ministry. Church God, we need revival. Father, would you send it? Father, we want to see many saved. But Father, if we do, we're gonna have the problem that Jethro highlights, unless by the grace of God we get it right. And Father, I pray for liberty tonight as a preacher. I can't preach without your enablement. Father, I ask that the Spirit of God would administer the truth of the word of God. And Father, help us, as we just go down through the passage, look at it, consider what we've got, what we can do, Lord, that we see the biblical principles that we need to apply to our church, that our church can be a strong church. It's in Christ and in Christ. All right, so how to avoid burnout. And this, again, I'm preaching to myself, literally, almost, and to you as well. So I start with myself tonight, and that's this. Remember your priorities as God's pastor. And again, this is right at me. Remember your priorities as God's pastor. Acts 20, 28 says, take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. The pastor had a responsibility to examine his own life, and then, by the grace of God, oversee the ministry of the church that God has put him over. It's not an easy responsibility that God's given us, a heavy responsibility. Paul expressed it like this. He talked about his shipwreck, he talked about his beatings, he talked about all those things they had faced, and he goes, not to mention, the care of all the churches. And it was a daily thing that Paul referred to, that burden of seeing those works, and for him as the apostle, I can't imagine what that was like, overseeing all those ministries, but that burden of looking at, overseeing a church ministry. I think sometimes, and I don't know, That this is true or just perceived but I think the easy to look at a minister and think that's a pretty posh job You know sit back relax put your feet up read a good book And if you see me on monday mornings, that's what I look like the post team probably thinks that's me All week long, you know, I do get the word of god I do get in a good book on monday morning and I sit my recliner there in my living room, but that's not generally me It's it's there's a lot of work that is involved in ministry. And certainly part of that is the burden of seeing God do what you desire to see God do. And so what are my priorities as pastor? What is my primary job responsibilities for future, for guys that God would call into the ministry out of our church? What are their God-given responsibilities and priorities? The first one is to pray for your flock, to pray for your flock. It says in verse 19, Be thou for the people to God, word, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God. Remember Moses had said that. He said back in verse 15, the people come unto me to inquire of God. He had a responsibility for the people to intercede, much more so even than a pastor. We understand the priesthood of the believer in our day, but there was that access through Moses and Aaron to God. So we understand there's even a stronger responsibility there for him. to pray. But we also understand that a minister has that burden to pray. In the early church, when things were really beginning to happen, you remember in Acts chapter 6, that church business wasn't being done and that they needed help. And this is the story of the deacons coming about in that position of deacon within the local church established in Acts chapter 6. But it came about When the Bible says the numbers of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Okay, the church is growing quickly. Pentecost has taken place. Now, I can't fathom what it'd be like to have thousands of people get saved, thousands of people get baptized, and then have the responsibility of helping those believers integrate into the church and to be strong believers, a lot of responsibility. But the widows are being neglected. They're not getting the help from the church that they deserve because the church, especially back in that day, had a much more central role in providing for physical needs of people, especially within the congregation. But they said this, we're going to get some people to appoint over this business. But in chapter six, verse four, we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. I think that order is significant. That they said our priority is prayer and the ministry of the word. You remember this, they just spent days in prayer. Pentecost, before Pentecost ever took place, they had been on their face before the Spirit of God was given. In power, Pentecost had taken place. These men were men of prayer. Notice that they didn't just pray, but they gave themselves to prayer. we're gonna give ourselves a prayer. We're gonna labor in prayer. John 15 verse four says, abide in me, and I in you. As a ranch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine. No more can ye, except ye abide in me. You know, part of our abiding in Christ is that time spent in prayer. I just want to encourage you about secret prayer. Make sure you've got a time, make sure you've got a place, that you get alone and you seek the face of God. Me, as believers, need that. Certainly as a pastor, I need that. Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit itself except in the vine, and in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. I was reaping in my prayer time. that I was talking about on Monday mornings, of the life of Christ, the Luke and the Gospels, and what stood out to me was the prayer life of the Savior. He would pray in the morning, Mark 1, verse 35, in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And if you were staying with the Lord Jesus Christ, you'd hear him get up, you'd hear him go out, you'd hear him get into a place where he can see the face of his father. Then you see him go out, keep you laboring, working, maybe, as the story is on this day, feeding the 5,000. Been a very busy several days. I'm not gonna send these people away. They've been with us for several days. I'm not gonna send them away fasting. So they feed them. But then the Bible says, when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray. Luke 6 verse 12 says that they came to pass in those days that He went into a mountain to pray, and He continued all night in prayer to them. Jesus Christ on His knees, hour after hour after hour, seeking the face of His Father. In the daytime, he would pray, Luke 9, 28. It came to pass about eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and he went up into a mountain to pray. And I know, I've probably seen this, it's not in all the accounts in the Transfiguration, but it is here in the account in Luke that he is praying, and the Bible says, as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistening. All right, the Transfiguration of Christ took place on his knees in prayer. His disciples see him there praying. They fall asleep, they wake up to the glory of God. Luke 11, verse one, it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place, when he sees one of his disciples, 7th Tim Ward, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. They prayed because their Savior prayed. needed to pray, how much does the average minister need to get on his knees and seek the face of God? There's a quote that says this, some prayer, some power. More prayer, more power. Much prayer, much power. Sadly, it goes on, less prayer, less power. No prayer, no power. See, if I don't have a prayer life, and if you don't have a prayer life, then our life is very weak in our walk with God, because we're not spending time with the Lord. And so as you think about a pastor, you think about me as pastor, my priorities, you gotta pray, ask God, God help Pastor Ben in his prayer life, help him to be faithful, to be interceding for us, interceding for this ministry, interceding for this community, because prayer is to be his priority. Secondly, To a pastor, a priority is to preach to your flock, to preach to your flock. Okay, ask human beings to understand the importance of education, all right? What do you know that you weren't taught? Kind of nothing, right? I mean, everything that we have is something that a teacher taught us, a parent taught us, somebody instructed us in it. I mean, there's some ability God's got put into us to teach ourselves, but generally speaking, it takes somebody communicating. COVID-19 has been a big deal because education has been deeply impacted and society understanding the importance of education has responded by taking greater risk to get people back into education quickly because it's important to that they be taught. How much again more so spiritually just like the Ethiopian yune In Acts 8, verse 31, here's a man, he's out in the desert. He's reading the Bible. He's reading Isaiah 53, a prophecy about the suffering of Christ, but as he's reading, he doesn't really get it. And so Philip comes along, the Spirit of God brings Philip, and Philip says, do you understand what you are reading? And the Ethiopian eunuch responds in Acts 8.31, he says, how can I? Except some man should guide me. And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. So the eunuch understood this. How can I understand this? I would just say to anybody that's seeking after God, one of the best things you can get is somebody that understands the Bible, that's willing to sit down with you and take a Bible and say, this is what God says. And let me show you from the word of God, where he says that. Obviously we need that in our church. That's a very important part, it's what we're doing here tonight. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 verse 11, and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers, okay? And so God, as he sets up the organization, God understands he gives some people with abilities to declare the word of God, abilities to teach the word of God. Acts 20 verse 28, over which the Holy Ghost hath made the overseers to feed the church of God. The food that we have is eternal. You know, tonight, get the Word of God in a way that is presented that we can take it in and feed on the Word of God. Acts 6 verse 4 says, but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. Again, we've already looked at the prayer aspect, but then there are desires to get the Word of God out and to instruct from the Bible. Paul said to Timothy, his young preacher boy, that he was training. 2 Timothy 4.2, he said, preach the word. Be instant, in season, out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering, and doctor this pastoral business. 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, that was Paul's instruction to these preachers. And he says to them, preach the word. And again, he says in 1 Timothy 4.16, take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and then that cure thee." a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Again, one of the responsibilities of somebody that's going to maybe enter into the ministry is to become educated himself, so that he's rightly dividing the word of truth and then able, by God's grace, not only to understand that, but then to present it. In the story of Nehemiah, or the book of Nehemiah, Ezra, the Bible says, bless the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, amen and amen, with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and they worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. And now he's gonna list some teachers. It says, Joshua and Bani, and he lists all these people, and the Levites caused the people to understand the law, and the people stood in their place. So they read in the Book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. There are people that won't endure, the Bible says, sound doctrine. But after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itchy ears. There are few people today that desire a preacher that actually understands the Word of God and can communicate the truth of the Word of God with authority. There's very few people that desire that, but as a church, that I'll be a number one priority of our church, by the grace of God, help Pastor Ben as he preaches the word of God, that he preaches it with authority and clarity, so he can run that readeth it. And so as you pray for me, pray, God help Pastor Ben to have a prayer life. Help Pastor Ben as he preaches and teaches the Bible. And then third, a responsibility of the preacher. is to guide your flock, to guide your flock. It says in verse 20, and thou shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the word that they must do. He wasn't just to expound it, he was to say, now do it, all right? Now get involved, and you need some guidance on that, this is the way to apply that to your life. So he wasn't just a communicator of knowledge, but he was an instructor in how to live as a child of God. And Christianity has never been about information. It's always been about application. Right? It should always be, God, what am I going to do with the truth of the Word of God that I received? It's not just so that I know what's right. It's by the grace of God so that I do what's right. James spoke about it in an illustration form. He's talked about looking in a mirror. And the idea is that as you hear preaching, it's like a mirror. It's gonna examine you. It's gonna show you things in your life that need to change. And James says in chapter one, verse 21, wherefore lay apart all filthiness this engrafted word which is able to save your souls he's just saying this if you sit in church sit and be ready get ready so that that word of God that goes out that you take it and then you put it into your life that it affects your life because he says this but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, his likened to a man beholding his natural face in a glass, he looks at himself in a mirror. beholdeth himself, and he goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continued therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in esteem. The blessing comes upon us as a church when the Spirit of God speaks to the heart of somebody in our church about something in their life, filthiness or superfluity of naughtiness, some sin that's crept into their life. And by the grace of God, They say, I don't want that in my life. God says that is wrong. And the truth that we looked at with communion, that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and deals with our sin, that person is blessed. Jesus said in Matthew chapter seven, Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And as Jesus taught, the master teacher, as he put that truth out there, it wasn't just information, it was application. And he said, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the person that listened, their life was rock solid, there was strength in their life, but the person that rejected it. Jesus said, everyone that heareth this and doeth it not, shall be like unto a foolish man, which buildeth his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell. And great was the fall of it. You know, you can leave a message like the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus preached, and you can leave that message saying this, now I know a lot about how to live. Or you can leave it saying, now I know how to live. You know, God desires us not to walk away from church saying, now I don't know about how to live, but by the grace of God, now I know how to live. God has guided me through the word of God. God has instructed me through the word of God. And so again, tonight, as we think about what Jethro says to Moses, first of all, he says, you get your priorities. Your priority is prayer. Your priority is to preach the word. Your priority is to guide the flock. Okay, that were legitimate responsibilities that he had that he had to keep. But secondly, tonight, reach your potential. as God's people. I've got to remember by God's grace, I've got to pray, I've got to preach, I've got to guide. But I wanna encourage us as a church tonight to say, let's reach our potential as a church as far as what we all get in the harness and do for God. Now, Jethro's plan is delegation. Is that a familiar term? Delegate? All right, that's where you appoint somebody to do something. You know, interestingly, this is the first mention in the Bible of delegation, but the first example is actually in the Garden of Eden. Remember, God the Father said to you know, he brought the animals to Adam and he said to Adam, name the animals. It's a delegated responsibility. He said, God could have named the animals, but God gave it to Adam to see what he would call them. You know, delegation again is very important. It's important in many walks of life. It was certainly important to Israel. It was important in the early church. In 2 Timothy 2 verse 2, It says, the things that thou hast heard of me, among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. We've talked about this verse many times because of that principle of having to identify those people and say, God, we need in our church. And we praise God, again, as we look at chartering our church, we stood up here and we took a picture of our membership. And I look at that picture and I say, praise God for who God's given to us. And I rejoice in who we have, and I rejoice in who God's gonna give, but we have to look at that group and say, we wanna commit truth to this group so that that group can go out and teach others also. Ephesians 4 verse 11 says, He gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints so that they can for the Now, again, I've got a lot of responsibilities as a pastor to instruct with the Word of God, but the strength of our church is gonna be us as people taking in the truth of the Word of God and passing that on to other people. Have you heard of a barn raising? Is that familiar? Or a raising bee? Is that familiar? It's where a bunch of people from the community come help build a barn, rather than just one person building the barn to get all these people involved. They come in, they might be able to get it up even in one day. Okay, with more people, you have more power. It's just a fact, you can get a lot more accomplished if you have more people in it. Benson got a quad bike. And it's a mini quad bike, all right? It sounds really cool. They tell you how to wear a mini part. And still, it's kind of cute, cool. But he said it's a three horsepower engine. And you might laugh at that. He goes like 30, 35 miles an hour on it. And you stop and think, a stagecoach had four horses. So three horses, that's a lot of power. But the more horses you have, the more power you have. I wonder tonight, how much people power do we have in our ministry? What's our people power? Who's in the harness? Who's actually yoked in and grabbing hold of this responsibility that we have together? So when he says about delegation, is that we are to look for able men and women, okay? It's man in the text, but obviously it applies to women as well. Verse 21, it says, moreover, thou shalt provide out of the people, able men. Supposed to look down there and say, you know what? Who can take some of this responsibility? Who's got the ability? Who can do something? Again, with the need for the soup kitchen, they have to look at it and say, we need some people to take this machinery of life and of ministry and unburden the preachers so that they can be faithful to their priorities of prayer, preaching, and guiding the church. And so we need somebody else to step in and do that. And again, the early church and Jethro didn't say, well, anybody will do. All right. They didn't say, well, we need somebody. So, OK, we'll just take anybody. There are requirements or or things that these people needed to be before they could actively serve God. So we got to think about that, too. that person in, we've got to say we need help and so God help us to have people that are prepared to be in these positions. And so what are those qualifications? Well first of all we need God-fearing men. It says in verse 21, such as fear God. Okay, if somebody fears God and as it says in Acts chapter 6, they were full of the Holy Ghost, if they were going to appoint them as a deacon, they were going to be full of the Holy Spirit, they are people that are doing what is They're people that are honoring God. Now, we don't expect that of everybody, but we gotta understand tonight that not everybody that comes to church is gonna necessarily be somebody that is faithful to God to deal with things in their life, to be living a life that is right. So we need people that are living a righteous life. You know, again, God doesn't lower standards. Our world does. And by the way, our world not only has tolerance, but they're saying to us, you gotta be putting people into positions, whether they're qualified or not. That's our world's position. God's position is not that way at all. God says, again, there's requirements for those that would be involved in ministry. It says in Isaiah 52, verse 11, depart ye, depart ye, go ye off your fence, touch no untouchable. that bear the vessels of the Lord. And so if somebody wants to get involved in ministry, all right, depart, depart, get the iniquity out, get the sin out, so that you can be a vessel to honor, sanctify, and meet through the Master's years. It has to be somebody that is God-fearing. And again, praise God. We've talked about it tonight. God is able to give victory. God is able to give cleansing. We praise God tonight that as a church, we can expect that we have a church congregation that is living in victory over sin. So that there should be many that we can look at and say, praise God. We don't have to look far to find a God-fearing man in our church. And then we need godly men. It says in verse 21, men of truth, hating covetousness. Okay, somebody that, again, is of honest report. Somebody that has a good testimony. Somebody that is above reproach. Somebody, again, that is walking with God. King David gave a description about a man that's walking with God in Psalm 15, verse 1. He said, Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? And who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh upright and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. In whose eyes a vile person is contempt, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not, he that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent, he that doeth these things shall never be moved. And we're not gonna look at that list tonight, but I mean, just think about that. Psalm 15, it's this long list. Who's gonna stand in the presence of God? Who's gonna be a man that walks with God and is a man that scrutinizes his life and says, my speech, my actions, my attitude, all these things need to be in submission to God. I need to be a godly man. So we're gonna look for that. were to appoint able men, were to appoint them. Again, with the deacons, it says, who we may appoint over this business. And so that means that you're gonna have to put them in a position, and ask the leader to look at that and say, you know, this is a position that needs to be filled. We need somebody to do this. It may not be a very specific position, but an opportunity to have some leadership. And so the Bible says in verse 21, It says, place such over them to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. Okay, delegation, first mention. You ever think about life? Why do we do things the way we do? You know, God told us the way to do it. God gave us the law. God said this is the legal system. Listen, God gave us this structure for society. Think about it. Government, we just had our elections. We've got structure. counselors over this many people, MSPs over this many people, MPs over this many people, PM over this many people. I mean, it's just this system of delegation, even within government. Of course, we've got that in corporations and shops and sports. But the point is that each person In that position, they have a responsibility. There's some responsibility that they hold that is accountable maybe to a higher authority, but in that position, they have some nature of opportunity that's given to them of leadership. And so we're going to put them into that position. And then again, put them in positions of responsibility. And this is where it can get a bit scary. And when you delegate, anybody that's had that opportunity to delegate something, you gotta be willing to say, okay, I'm gonna hand it over. I'm gonna trust you with this. And they're gonna have to make judgments. It says in verse 22, it says, and let them judge the people. Do you think that was hard for Moses? I think so. As a leader, you wanna get it right, you think you know better than anybody. How it's to be done. You know, did God know better than Adam how to name the animals? And yet, he gave that responsibility, delegated it to him, and he let him do it. It says, wherefore, whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. God said, okay. Moses had to be willing to step back and say, all right, I'm gonna point you over this, take it. Be responsible with it, make judgments. But in that position of responsibility, there was an account, there was a all seasons ministry. You got a responsibility, it's not on again, off again, it's something that has to be constantly carried. Verse 22, it says, let them judge the people at all seasons. All right, I'm gonna give this to you. But you can't forget about it tomorrow. You can't forget about it next week. You can't forget about it next month. There is an all seasons aspect to that. At my home church in Hudson, Wisconsin, we have a guy, Mike Brooks. Mike Brooks is the greeter. He gets there, he's got the bulletins, he's got the door, he's got the keys. And he gets there and he opens it up and he lets people in. He stays there and he locks it up after people leave. He can't say, I don't feel like going to church today. You know, if he doesn't go to church, nobody goes to church. You know, as a leader, we ought to think about it like that. Listen, if somebody becomes a Sunday school teacher in our church, it's not just about being there at, if we have it on Sunday night or Sunday morning, whichever it is, it's not just about being there for that time. Because those kids are going to look and go, Oh, honey, they don't think church is that important, so they're not here. You see what I'm saying? I mean, that's the last thing that we want to instruct our kids on. So if somebody's going to get involved in ministry, what do they have to do? By the grace of God, they've got to be there. And so there's responsibility, judgments, all seasons. to authority, verse 22, it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto me, but every small matter they shall judge. Okay, so Jethro is not saying it's theirs completely. It's saying, let them have it with accountability. So if there's something that's too hard for them, they know they can't handle that. They come to you and they deal with it. That'll be the same in our church, even though as pastor, I'll tell you this, we have got to do this. We have got to step forward and say, let's delegate, let's get involved. Let's make sure that we know our place. But part of my responsibility is still to be oversight, if there's ever a question to come, and the feedback so that there's knowledge of everything that's taking place that's getting up to the top in that organization, in this case, our church. And then last thing, they'll be carrying the burden. Verse 21, it says, so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. Okay, this afternoon we're praying about the building. We're praying about the work that's gonna have to be done if we get the building. Now we praise God this building is in pretty good shape. But there's gonna be all these things all of a sudden that weren't on the plate of the pastor before or the pastor's family. And I understand this, our church is already looking at this as our opportunity. So I'm not speaking down to us. I'm just saying that's the reality. There's gonna be a lot of work. And so as we get into that together, and Tommy already said, you know, he wants to have his tools and bring his tools in and get involved, you know, that's gonna be us saying, this is our job, this is our responsibility. Listen, door-to-door, I love it, and I wanna teach anybody that wants to learn on doors. But we need to knock on doors. We need to teach science. We need to, and we already do this, set up, take down, that we do, but it's just that we are looking and saying, how can I better take burdens off the pastor's wife, or the pastor, or the leadership of the church? Once we have deacons and we've got greater tiers going down and there's more to do, how can I take a burden off somebody, something that I can do that I can help carry the burden? The Bible says in Proverbs 14, verse four, where no oxen are, the crib is clean. but much increases by the strength of the ox. Now we can say this, let's have a really clean church, but it'd be a really empty church. Or we could say, let's have a messy church. Well, let's all work at cleaning it up, right? Let's all get in there and carry that burden together. And so again, as we just summarize here tonight, Jethro says to Moses, Moses, what are you doing? You're gonna burn out. You and the people are gonna burn out. You need to delegate. And so he says to them, if you'll implement this plan of delegation, it'll work. God will bless it. Verse 23, if thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so, if this is of the Lord, you're not gonna burn out. Verse 23, then thou shalt be able to endure. And God, I honestly believe tonight, I know that it's from the word of God, that there is great success for us if we implement this. We look at it and say, pastor, I see it in the word of God. That's exactly what we need to do. I want to get involved in that. I want to do that. And I want to encourage you to focus too on the things that are priorities for you because God will bless that. And so Moses listened to his advice, verse 24. It says, so Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law. He did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel. He made them heads of the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons. The hard causes they brought it to Moses. But every small matter they judged themselves. And Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land. And he left, having left Moses in a much better position to succeed than before he came. Now tonight, we're not Israel. And we're not on the journey of incredible things that Moses was going through. I can burn out or we can burn out as a church if we don't delegate responsibilities that are needed. So as pastor, I gotta remember my core priorities, prayer, preaching, and guiding the church. But then as a church, we need to look around and say, you know what, God give us able men, and as they're qualified, appoint them into positions of leadership, and let them take that responsibility, carry that burden, and help in the work of the Lord. And so tonight as we conclude, you just bow your heads tonight as we come to an invitation time and as we consider the message. I just ask you in your heart, I'm not asking for a raise of hands tonight, but it's God working in your heart about getting more involved, you know, and getting a position, something that you could do, something that you could train to do, something that you could learn to do, a way that you can help. And as you think about that, and again, I'm not asking for a raise of hands, but is there anything in your life that would keep you from being able to do that, a sin issue, so that your heart's not right with God, and you're not prepared, you're not godly, you're not filled with the Spirit of God, and really ready to serve? If that's the case, obviously the ninth thing to do would be say, by God's grace, I wanna get that right with God. It might be somebody that God's working their heart about being a part of our congregation, whether it be in safety, baptized, or joining our church so that they can harness in with us to do the work of the ministry. I want to just do this tonight. Let's bow our heads and pray. As we pray, if the Spirit of God is speaking to your heart, just say to the Lord and say, I pray tonight, as we bow before you, Lord, I can fail by not delegating the way that I should. Father, I pray that you forgive me for that, and I pray that the Spirit of God would help us, Lord, to look and say, you know what, that's something that we can have somebody help with, and that'll take a burden off of Pastor Ben, that'll take a burden off of his wife, that'll take a burden off of his family, Father, tonight, I don't want to burn out, and Father, I don't want our church to burn out because we didn't set up a proper structure. And Father, we chartered our church, we're organizing, and Lord, I just pray, God, give us people that'll serve God. And Father, if we'll get into this, even delegated evangelism, Father, I do a lot of evangelism, and I put a lot of leaflets out. There's a lot of people in our church that can put leaflets out. I don't want to stop, but I can only do so much, together we can do so much more. And Father, it's things like that that we just need to stop and think about and say, you know, this is God's church, I'm a child of God, and I'm not saved just so that I can go to heaven. Father, we're saved to serve, and Spirit of God, I just pray if everybody gets involved. And so I just pray, Spirit of God, to speak to our hearts, give us grace, we yield to you. It's in Christ whom we pray, amen. Amen, let's stand, please, and sing, may the Lord find us faithful. That's really our desire tonight is that, you know, God help us. I wanna do my part as pastor, you wanna do our parts as people. So let's stand, please, we'll sing, may the Lord find us faithful. has given us the strength to open with power and sound mind with love we are fairly kind May the Lord find us faithful. May His word be our banner in the time. May the Lord find us faithful. Every day, holy men, all we die. He's a soldier. May his glory forever outshine May the Lord my God stay Every day, holy day, holy night Living and dying, may our heaven be light be faithful. Amen. I'm going to delegate. Mr. Wood, would you please close our