Hold Him Up
Exodus 17:8-13
Under the leadership of Moses, God delivered Israel from Egypt and was led into the wilderness in route to the Promised Land. In their journeying, Israel came to Rephidim. There at Rephidim, the Amalekites, nomadic descendants of Esau, began to conduct assaults against Israel. According to Deuteronomy 25, Amalek's tactic was to attack Israel's rear ranks, all those who were too weak to keep pace in the desert with the their fellow Israelites, the stragglers, the ill, the weak, the young, and the wearied. Moses sent Joshua to choose out men and go out and fight Amalek, while he would go up on the hill, overlooking the battle, with his shepherd's staff, the rod of God, in his hand. As long as Moses could hold his hand up with the rod of God, the enemy was not able to prevail against Israel. But when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. As long as he lifted the rod with his hand, the enemy had no power over Israel; they could not prevail against them. Not too many us could hold our hands up for long before our arms would become weak and tired. In order to keep his arms held high he needed help. Aaron and Hur got a stone for Moses to sit on, and stood alongside Moses, one on his right, one on his left, holding up his hands. Through their support of Moses, God enabled Israel to prevail over their enemy. By Aaron and Hur doing their part Moses' hands were steady until victory was won.
Here we see a great truth, that can be applied to the church. Like Moses, God has appointed His leadership within the Body of Christ - your pastor. Like Moses, your pastor cannot and is not expected by God to do the work by himself. Like Moses pastors need others who will hold his arms high that they may be steadied and that he may be able to lead as God would have him do. God’s leaders have always depended on and need others to support them in their work.
I Support your pastor by praying for him
A 1 Timothy 2:1-2 "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority..."
B 1 Thessalonians 5:25 "Brethren, pray for us."
C Gardener Spring who lived in the 1800s, wrote about the need to pray for pastors. He penned, "If a people are looking for rich sermons from their minister, their prayers must supply him with the needed material. If they seek for faithful sermons, their prayers must urge him by a full and uncompromising manifestation of the truth to commend himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God. If God's people are going to expect powerful and successful sermons, their prayers must make him a blessing to the souls of men. Would they have him come to them in the fullness of the blessings of the gospel of peace with a pounding heart and a burning eye and a glowing tongue and with sermons bathed in tears and filled with prayer? If so, their prayers must urge him to pray and their tears inspire his thrilling heart with the strong yearnings of Christian affection. It is in their own closets that the people of God most effectively challenge their beloved ministers to take heed to the ministry they have received from the Lord Jesus."
D The memory of Charles Haddon Spurgeon has been cherished among evangelical Christians for over the past 100 years. Many Christian leaders consider him to be the greatest preacher England ever produced. He is commonly hailed as the "Prince of Preachers". Over 63 volumes of published sermons still bear witness to the richness and success of C. H. Spurgeon's ministry. Though known as a great preacher, it was not preaching that made Spurgeon great. Mr. Spurgeon repeatedly acknowledged his success as the direct result of his congregation's faithful prayers. "It has often been remarked that the whole church helped produce Spurgeon." When visitors would come to Spurgeon's church he would take them to the basement prayer-room where people were always on their knees interceding. Then Spurgeon would declare, "Here is the powerhouse of this church."
E 2 Thessalonians 3:1 "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you."
F William Carey a simple cobbler who knew that he was not his own but God's possession, changed the history of world missions and the face of India over 200 years ago. However what is little known is that William Carey’s sister was paralyzed and bedridden for 50 years and unable to speak much of that time. Nevertheless she allowed herself to be propped up in bed to write encouraging letters to her brother. And even more powerful is the fact that she prayed for her brother several hours per day during that 50 years! Her body may have been paralyzed but not her soul and spirit.
II Support your pastor by following his leadership
A Attend church faithfully and show that you’re eager to follow his leadership.
B Hebrews 13:17 "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
C God has constituted various levels of authority under His ultimate authority. The purpose for all authority is to protect and bless those under authority. God establishes the authority of civil governments to protect and bless law-abiding citizens from those that would harm or take advantage of them. In the family, God appoints husbands to have authority under Christ in order to protect and bless their wives and children. The husband is to provide for his family, to protect his family from physical and spiritual danger, and to bless his family by leading them in the ways of God. In the church, God has appointed elders or pastors (shepherds) to oversee the flock. They are not to lord it over the church, but rather to be examples to the flock, to feed and protect them spiritually.
D 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."
E Paul could say this because of what is said in the preceding verses: (31-33) "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."
F Hebrews 13:7 "Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct."
III Support your pastor by refusing to listen to naysayers and gossips
A 1 Timothy 5:19 "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses."
B There is an old story about a pastor who was trying to defend himself against criticism. He said, “There’s a story going about that I told my wife not to go to a certain church that has wild meetings. They say my wife went anyway, that I dragged her out of the church by her hair, and hurt her so badly she had to go to the hospital. First of all, I never told her to stay away from that church. Second, I didn’t drag her out by her hair. Third, she never had to go to the hospital. Lastly, I’ve never been married so I don’t have a wife.” - copied
C Proverbs 17:4 "An evildoer gives heed to false lips; a liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue."
D Pastors come in for a great deal of criticism as they stand out because of their position and they are frequently the objects of accusation and so the biblical principle is repeated with reference to them because it is so often disobeyed with respect to pastors.
E Ephesians 4:29, 31-32 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers... Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
IV Support your pastor by using your spiritual gifts and talents
A Ephesians 4:11-13 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"
B I do not know if there has ever been a church that had all the servants and leaders it needed and wanted. Pastors cannot do the work alone.
C When we think of Moses seeking to bring victory to Israel over Amalek, he could not continue to hold up; the rod of God alone. Aaron and Hur had to come alongside him and help him hold high the banner. But the people also had to go out and face the battle. Understand "Victory is never won alone!"
D One of the best ways for you to grow personally, and at the same time support your pastor, and help your church grow, is to find a place within the body of Christ where your gifts, abilities and interests can will allow Christ to work through you and through your church. If you are not serving in some capacity you are being disobedient to the Word of God.
E Psalm 100:2 "Serve the Lord with gladness!"
F Someone has said that we need to "leave the ranks of the consumers and join the ranks of the contributors. What will you do to hold up your pastor's arms?
