Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20060125.htm

EXODUS: FUNCTIONING WELL IN A HOPELESS GROUP ASSIGNMENT
Part I: God's Deliverance Of Israel Amid Humanly Helpless Trials
E. God's Equipping And Motivation Of The Failed Leader To Lead Well
(Exodus 3:11-4:23)
  1. Introduction
    1. When huge trials deplete the efforts of human leaders of God's people so that they "fail" from man's perspective, it is difficult to get them motivated and equipped to get back into their leadership role again and effectively accomplish God's will for them.
    2. Yet, God Himself, being our All-Sufficient Lord, is not stopped from using such "failed leaders" again, and how God equipped and motivated the defeated leader, Moses to lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage encourages and directs all such "failed leaders" today (as follows):
  2. God's Equipping And Motivation Of The Failed Leader To Lead Well, Exodus 3:11-4:23.
    1. From our study of the Book of Exodus thus far, we have learned that Moses failed in his own efforts to gain a following from Israel in his murder of one of their Egyptian masters; Moses was rejected as leader by Israel and so fled from Pharaoh's wrath to the land of Midian where he settled into a life of obscurity as a shepherd, Exodus 2:11-21. There Moses named his first son, Gershom, meaning, "a stranger here'" to reveal his sense of failure while he emotionally withered away in the Midian as a "failed leader," Ex. 2:22.
    2. Thus, when God called him to return to Egypt to lead Israel out of bondage, Moses stood in great need of God's equipping and motivation even to rebound out leadership defeat and lead like God desired him to lead. Just how God equipped and motivated Moses to do this offers a lesson for all "failed leaders":
      1. God countered Moses' low self esteem by calling him to rely on God's presence and help, Ex. 3:11-12:
        1. When Moses reacted to God's initial directive for him to lead Israel out of Egypt, he complained that he was too insignificant to be the one to go to Pharaoh and bring Israel out of Egypt, Ex. 3:11.
        2. God's reply of "I will be with thee" (3:12a) uses the same "I AM" construction [imp. tense] that God in Ex. 3:14 gave Moses to use as His Name to reveal Himself to Israel, Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 82.
        3. So, God accented the fact that He would BE WITH Moses to fill up his human lack in leadership!
      2. God countered Moses' fear of rejection by the children of Israel who had previously not accepted his leadership, for He told Moses what to say so he would become believable to Israel, and gave him prophetic insight into future events so Moses could keep up his courage in trials to come, Ex. 3:13-22:
        1. When Moses asked God what Name he should use to persuade the children of Israel that the true God had called Moses to lead them, God gave him the new divine Name of "I AM" to use, 3:13-14.
        2. As this Name was new to Israel and hence would not make Moses credible to them, God told him to say this God was the God of Israel's fathers, that this God had seen their trials and told Moses bring them from Egypt to Canaan, 3:15-17. This message fit God's Genesis 15:13-21 promise to father Abraham, one Israel knew, so Moses' words would be credible to Israel's influential elders, 3:18a,b!
        3. Thus, God further told Moses what trials he would encounter in leading Israel out of Egypt, and how they would be overcome so he would be encouraged in future trials in his new role, Ex. 3:18c-22.
      3. God met Moses' fear of not being credible to Israel by giving him might to do attesting miracles, 4:1-9.
      4. God countered Moses' fear that his own weaknesses would hinder his capacity to impress others in Egypt, and that by saying He would go with Moses to tell him what to say in each situation, 4:10-12.
      5. God countered Moses' hesitancy to accept his call as Israel's leader by revealing that Moses' brother, Aaron would be a companion for human support in Moses' new leadership role, Exodus 4:13-17.
      6. God encouraged Moses' initial decision to accept his call as Israel's human deliverer by telling him his foes in Egypt were all dead, and by laying out the plan of persuading Pharaoh to let Israel go, 4:18-23.
Lesson: To motivate and encourage the defeated leader, Moses, God (1) promised (a) to BE WITH him in his work, (b) to tell him what to say and (c) to give him supportive companionship. (2) God gave him (a) a message that was credible to those he would lead, (b) spiritual gifts to impress them with the credibility of his call (c) and insight into future trials and their solutions to settle and direct him. (3) As Moses began to heed God, the Lord laid out the plan for success in Moses' efforts to encourage him!

Application: May we who lead trust God for the encouragement and motivation we need to do His will!