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Exodus 18:21-27 ESV

21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22 And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23 If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” 24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. 27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country.

I. A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON POLITY
A. Polity is defined as the branch of ecclesiology (study of the church) that addresses the organizational structure and hierarchy of the church.
B. 3 main forms of polity are: Episcopal, Presbyterian, & Congregational.
C. NJ is a polity mutt because we are a mix of Presbyterian and Congregational polities.
D. Rule by a plurality of some kind would be the most biblical form of polity.

II. THE ROLE OF THE PASTOR IN THE CHURCH
A. The Pastor, while not special, plays a special role in the church:
B. He is involved intimately with the people (v18-19, 22)
C. He is an intercessor for the people (v19)
D. He instructs the people (v20)

III. THE ELECTION OF ELDERS
A. Elders are elected, usually by the people, while pastors are called exclusively by God.
B. Exodus 18 Qualifications to be an Elder:

1. They had to be men (V21)
2. They had to be capable (V21)
3. They had to fear God. (21)
4. They had to be men of character and incorruptible. (21)
5. They needed to represent the diversity of the congregation. (v21, 25-26)

IV. ENCOURAGING YOUR ELDERS (Practical Application)
A. Elders serve both the good of the pastor and the congregation. (v18,23)
B. Elders should be empowered by pastors & encouraged by the church. (25-27)

NEXT STEP
1. Jesus became like us, even one of us, in order to chase us down and lead us to follow Him.

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Exodus 17:8-16 ESV

8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.  9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”  10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.  12 But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.  14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”  15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner,  16 saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Continue reading 6/30/19 – Lessons In Leading Part 2 – The True Measure Of Success →

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Exodus 17:8-16 ESV

8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.  9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”  10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.  12 But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.  14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”  15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner,  16 saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Continue reading 6/23/19 – Lessons in Leading Part 1 →

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Exodus 17:1-16 ESV

1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” 8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, 16 saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Continue reading 6/16/19 – The Exodus Part IX – The War Within And Without →

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Exodus 17:1-7 ESV

1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.  2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”  3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”  4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”  5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.  6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.  7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Continue reading 6/9/19 – The Exodus Part VIII – Rock →