Four Expectations
4 Expectations you should hold onto as you enter into the Leadership Challenge God will put before you.
Text: Exodus 4:18-31
Video: Losing it and Leadership – Alabama vs. Georgia
Video: Alabama vs. Georgia
- Use what you have – God provides the Power
When God spoke to Moses at the Burning Bush and Moses made excuse after excuse, God did not give Moses a “PEP TALK” – saying: “Moses, you are so much better and more powerful than you think you are” NOPE – Instead God said – “Take the staff in your hand, and I will provide the Power”
God planned on sending an 80 year old man armed with only a large stick against the most powerful nation on the Planet.
God expects for you to use what you have and trust that God will supply the power….even if what you have seems to be very little.
Example:
Dr. A Louis Patterson….(Known as the Godfather of Expository preaching in the African American Church – so he can really bring it! Here is a link in case you haven’t heard it.
Dr. Patterson was preaching on an obscure character in the Bible named Shamgar in the book of Judges: There is only one verse in the Bible dedicated to him:
“The next Judge was Shamgar, who killed 600 Philistines with an Oxgoad and he saved Israel” – Shamgar used an Ox Goad (Stick with a pointed end) to fight against 600 men & save Israel
Pattersons Sermon Titled: Start Where you Are, Use What you Have & Do What you Can.
Patterson: “Do you not know that a lot of people are missing the Biblical blueprint that’s drawn up by the Divine Architect for their time on earth, all because they are sitting idly by on the shelf of complacency…. Competing & Comparing with somebody else instead of Continuing with what they have– they tell themselves If God ever navigates circumstances of life and creates a massive opportunity for me to use my gifts then I will use what I have….God’s answer is NO.…Instead, God expects for you to: Start Where you Are, Use What you Have & Do what you can
- Moses had a rod…but he used it
- Rahab had a rope…but she used it
- David had a sling and a stone…but he used it
- The widow had 2 mites…but she used it
- The little boy had a basket of 2 fish and 5 loaves…but he used it
First Expectation: God expects you to start where you are, use what you have and trust God to supply the Power.
What about you? God is the Divine Architect of your life… including your difficult circumstances, limitations and the talents you have: Are you wasting your life on Competing & Comparing rather and using what you have? God is not looking for you to “Change the World”… but he does expect you to Start Where you Are, Use What you Have & Do what you can.
- God Knows Things, Controls the Future –So YOU don’t have to!
I think this is truly a KEY idea to hold onto as you move through your life of Leadership. It’s simple….but we forget
God knows things….you don’t and you don’t have to know.
God Controls the Future…so you don’t have to carry that burden
Consider how Freeing this is – You don’t have to know everything…you don’t control the future…but it is being controlled by God.
Exodus 4:21-23 – God tells Moses exactly what is going to happen
There is a lot of discussion about “God hardening Pharaoh’s heart.” I think God is telling Moses something God knows more than something God does. God knows Pharaoh consider’s himself to be a god….with all power. God knows when He shows Pharaoh that He is more powerful (Plagues) this will be the cause of Pharaoh’s heart to harden.
Here’s an example: ACC Basketball – I know certain people, if I start talking about how much better Duke is than Carolina….their hearts will harden. Did I harden their heart….or did I know them well enough to know what they would do.
Second Expectation: God knows…He is in control. We are free to just be obedient – to Start Where you Are, Use What you Have & Do what you can.
- Expect your Public Leadership to begin at home: (vs. 24-26)
This is a very strange event and we don’t have time to go into details: But what we can say for sure – is that Moses was born a Hebrew….which meant he was circumcised. *Genesis 17 – this was a sign that you are part of God’s people: “Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised will be cut off from his people” – So this is serious business to God….it was a sign you were in Covenant with God.
For whatever reason (maybe he just doesn’t think it’s a big deal…) Moses was being sent to lead the covenant people on the strength of the promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – He couldn’t do that while neglecting the covenant sign in his own home. Moses was about to preach a message he hadn’t obeyed at home….this was a NON-Starter for God.
God cares about what happens in the privacy of your home as much as he cares for what happens in palaces of power.
Many of us are familiar with John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church in the 1700’s. He was a great preacher and leader, and God used his ministry in incredible ways. But reading about his marriage with his wife Molly will leave you depressed.
Wesley was a traveling preacher, so he was gone for weeks at a time. While he was gone Molly felt neglected and grew frustrated. Molly grew jealous, and even accused John of cheating on her, though there is no evidence of that. Molly and John wrote nasty letters to each other. In one letter, John wrote, “if you were buried just now, or if you had never lived, what loss would it be to the cause of God?”
Their dysfunction got physical: On one occasion, an eyewitness saw Molly dragging John across the floor by his hair. After 20 years of marriage, Molly left and never came back. In all of John’s personal journal entries, he only referenced his marriage once. It was after Molly left, he said, “I did not forsake her, I did not dismiss her, I will not recall her.”
The point is not to cancel John Wesley, the point is to learn from John’s mistake, and learn from Moses’ mistake, that your family is a place of primary leadership. (I Timothy 3 – Qualifications for Elder Leadership: “Must manage his own household well….”
- Expect God to provide a Team (vs. 27-31)
Moses will not have to face Pharaoh alone.
- Aaron was Moses’ brother. Imagine Aaron listening to Moses’ story…after not seeing him for 40 years! And Aaron says: “Let’s Roll” – wow, what an encouragement that must have been for Moses.
Video: The coach needed to hold player while getting yelled at. Moses will need help to stay engaged with Pharaoh yelling at him…Aaron is that support. (Exodus 17 – Aaron and Hur hold Moses arms up in battle)
Questions: 4 Expectations to hold onto in your Leadership
- Use what you have – God provides the Power: “Men are sitting idly by on the shelf of complacency…. competing & comparing with somebody else instead of continuing with what they have” – Start Where you Are, Use What you Have & Do what you can. How does this apply to you?
- God Knows Things, Controls the Future –So YOU don’t have to! How does holding onto this reality give you freedom?
- Expect your Public Leadership to begin at home: How does your public leadership compare with your private leadership of yourself and in your home?
- Expect God to provide a Team: Who’s on your team, who helps hold you up, who holds you together when you would rather quite or walk away?