Moses: A "One-Of-A-Kind" Leader

Moses: Great Example of Leadership

Exodus 4; Deuteronomy 1:9-18; Hebrews 11:23-28

Introduction

1. The Old Testament and the great stories and examples that we can read about in it serve as a tutor and guide for us to learn from it. Rom 15:4.

2. Moses was a “one-of-a-kind” leader. “…there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses…” Deut 34:10ff

3. The church is in desperate need of leaders today. We have failed in training and encouraging our young men (and women) to be elders, deacons, preachers and teachers.

4. We will see what made Moses a great leader and attempt to make practical application to our individual lifestyles today.

5. This lesson is primarily directed toward the elders, teachers and preachers but can also be applied to each of us for we are all leaders by example.

History

1. Moses was the son of captive Hebrews, Amram and Jochebed, and the brother of Aaron and Miriam. Exodus 6:20

2. When Moses was born he was saved from death and as he grew up he “was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.” Acts 7:17-22

3. At age 40, Moses fled Egypt and lived in exile for 40 years where he married Zipporah who gave birth to two sons. Exodus 18:2-3; Acts 7:23-29

4. After being convinced that God spoke to him, Moses overcame initial reluctance and went back to Egypt, with Aaron as his helper, to confront Pharoah to “let my people go” Exodus 5:1

5. Moses led the people of Israel in their deliverance through the Red Sea and for the next 40 years in the wilderness.

*Through Moses, God delivered His law to the people and directed Moses to lead the people to be a holy people. God spent a lot of time getting Moses ready for his commission to lead His people. In our study of Exodus 4 we will learn some of the principles of good leadership that Moses exhibited.

I. Humility

A. Moses had just had a conversation with God at the burning bush.

B. This was an experience unknown to any other man. He had just been shown the power of the God of the universe. And this power would accompany him on his mission! Yet he shows no arrogance and no demand for special concessions on his behalf.

C. In fact he shows much respect by first asking his father-in-law permission to leave. Exodus 4:18 How many of us would have just “taken-off” and done our own thing just because God talked to US.

D. Are we dependable and respectful to company policy where we work and the peers to whom we work with. It is important that we stress to our young people the importance of honesty, punctuality, and dependability beginning with their first job. This will only help groom them for future positions that will require good leadership qualities.

E. Young preachers need to be careful not to get “big-headed” and allow the attention that they may receive to provoke in them laziness and arrogance that will make them take short-cuts about responsibility.

* Moses was not arrogant, but respectful and considerate in spite of the magnitude of the task that he was about to endure. *

II. Patience

A. If you recall back in Exodus 2:11-15, Moses had killed and Egyptian and fled from Egypt to Midian because Pharoah was out to kill him. God tells Moses in Exodus 4:19 that those men who sought to kill him are now dead.

B. Sometimes the best way to deal with our enemies is to quietly remove ourselves from their presence if it is at all possible. Abraham and Lot put time and distance between them to avoid strife (Genesis 13) as did Paul and Barnabas when they had a disagreement about taking John Mark on their second journey (Acts 15:36-41).

C. Good leaders need to know how to assess situations. They know to save their battles for things that really matter. Parents need to learn that in dealing with their children. Preachers and elders need to learn it in coping with congregational issues that are matters of judgement and not doctrine. Sometimes it is better to leave in peace rather than cause division over personality conflicts in the church.

D. Moses’ service after his return from Midian was more effective than it would have been if he had taken a stand prematurely.

E. Another example of this is with Joseph and the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:13-15) Joseph could have taken a mighty stand and said, “My son is the Son of God!” I am not afraid of Herod!”. But rather he fled to Egypt as he was commanded and waited there until Herod died.

F. It’s not always easy to see in advance just how God is going to work things out, but in retrospect, we can see how His providence worked if we will have the patience to trust Him. As Moses stressed to the people later, mature leadership sometimes calls on us to “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13)