INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• We are in the 3rd message in our series of messages entitled, LEARNING TO LEAD.
• We are all or at some point we will all be leaders of some sort.
• When we are faced with being in situations that call us to lead, it would behoove us to know what we are doing and why we are doing it.
• The principles of this series will help you in the home, in the church, in school, as well as in the business world.
• Here is something we probably all realize, yet struggle with doing.
• Whether you are leading your family, leading in the church, or leading in your job, there comes a point where one should come to the realization that they cannot do it all alone.
• I have heard it said that it is like juggling and you know that you are juggling so many tasks (balls) that you know at some point one of them is going to hit the floor.
• Many of us will drive ourselves to the point of exhaustion or to the brink of crazy trying to do everything. Why do we do do it to ourselves? How can we get into the habit of employing the art of delegation? What is the payoff?
• This where ministers get in trouble when people leave or move on, we can think, it is just easier to do it myself. That is ok for a couple of things, but over time one ends up doing everything and then bad things happen.
• Today we are going to examine an awesome passage that gives us an example of the struggles and potential pain caused by a lack of delegation as well as a solid plan to follow that will help one successfully delegate as well as some blessings that comes with learning and employing the art of delegation in one’s life.
• Today we will be in the book of Exodus.
• SLIDE 2
• Chapter 18 of Exodus is a turning point where the focus shifts from the past, to the future and the need for the new nation to be organized as well as learning to conduct themselves in a proper manner.
• The events take place after the Israelites cross the Red Sea and before The giving of the 10 Commandments.
• SLIDE #3
• One day Moses is taking care of business when his father-in-law Jethro sends word that he is coming to visit Moses (Exodus 18:6). Then the fun begins!
• Let’s begin by looking at Exodus 18:13-16 together!
• SLIDE #4
• Exodus 18:13–16 (HCSB) — 13 The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, “What is this thing you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” 15 Moses replied to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.”
• SLIDE #5
SERMON
I. The drive behind Mr. Do It All.
• How many of you have had your Father-In-Law question what you are doing?
• Jethro comes to see Moses and he watches Moses all day judge the people’s problems big and small!
• This was probably Moses daily routine.
• Think about this one for a moment, Moses was THE leader since Egypt. In Exodus 12:37 we are told there were 600,00 soldiers PLUS their families, so we can easily see upwards of 1 million plus people that Moses was dealing with.
• What a GRIND! Yet here was Moses, day after day listening to all the important conflicts and petty squabbles. LIVING THE DREAM!
• Jethro is watching this mess and in verse 14 he simply asks, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT IS THIS THING YOU ARE DOING FOR THE PEOPLE?
• I BET no one had ever asked Moses what he was doing?
• His response is simple, 15 “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.”
• TO INQUIRE OF GOD, was a technical term used to denote asking God for an answer to a specific problem through a priest of prophet.
• Moses was settling disputes according to what he understood to be God’s will.
• They come to me and NO ONE ELSE is qualified is the message MOSES OFFERS.
• Mr. and Mrs. Do It All leaders are driven by a few things. EGO, I am the only one who can do this, or NO one can do it better than I can. This is what I will call the SUPERMAN or WONDER WOMAN complex. HERE I AM TO SAVE THE DAY!
• Sometimes leaders do not WANT to give a chance to others because they are afraid the other person WILL do it better!
• As I stated earlier, sometimes we just feel like it is easier to do it than to ask or burden others to do it.
• Moses was really doing what he thought was right he really did not see any problem, but Mr. and Mrs. Do It All rarely do.
• So here is Moses, doing it all, and here is his pesky Father-In-Law butting in.
• What eventually happens when when leaders fail to delegate? Even with the best of intentions, there is a HUGE unintended consequence. Look at verse 17-18 with me.
• SLIDE #6
• Exodus 18:17–18 (HCSB) — 17 “What you’re doing is not good,” Moses’ father-in-law said to him. 18 “You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.
• SLIDE #7
II. The damage of failing to employ the art of delegation triggers.
• What eventually happens to people when they refuse to delegate? BURN OUT!
• Jethro tells Moses that what he is doing ultimately is not good for him because he will wear or burn out.
• In Exodus 17 Moses should have learned a lesson when the Israelites were battling the Amalekites.
• Moses was on the top of the hill when the battle took place and as long as Moses kept his hand lifted up the Israelites were winning; however, as his hand lowered, the battle swayed toward the Amalekites. So here is what Aaron did.
• SLIDE #8
• Exodus 17:12–13 (HCSB) — 12 When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.
• Moses could not do it alone, but he did not make the connection.
• Jethro also said what Moses was doing we really not helping the people in the long-run because the people would get burned out also.
• As a side note, when a leader refuses to delegate, they are cheating other people out of the joy of service as well as a failure on the leader’s part or develop other capable leaders, Moses was guilty on both counts!
• Now don’t you hate critics who have all the complaints and criticisms and no answers? Thankfully Jethro had something to offer.
• SLIDE #9
• Exodus 18:19–22 (HCSB) — 19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to Him. 20 Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. 21 But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes. Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 22 They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every important case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear it with you.
• SLIDE #10
III. The secrets to be able to successfully implement the art of delegation.
• Jethro does Moses a great service because he offers him a plan. For any plan to work, it takes a measure of humility from the one receiving the plan.
• SLIDE #11
• 1 Peter 5:6–7 (HCSB) — 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
• We have to be humble enough to realize we need help, the humbling process is passive, we allow ourselves to be humbled.
• Jethro encourage Moses to listen. In a nutshell he tells Moses to figure out what other could not do, represent the people before God, and to teach them how to live as God instructs, but for all the other issues, give that responsibility to others!
• Now some of you may be thinking, I TRIED THAT AND THE PERSON FAILED.
• There are many reasons for failure, one is a lack of proper training. You cannot just hand something off without training and expect good results. If they fail for this reason it is YOUR fault!
• The other possibility is in WHO YOU CHOOSE!
• Jethro tells Moses that from ALL the people, choose a certain type of person.
• The phrase translated YOU SHOULD SELECT in verse 21, the “you” is singular and emphatic, as in verse 19, and the word for SELECT has the basic meaning of seeing or perceiving.
• In this context the effect is that of observing people carefully so that the right man can be placed over the people.
• So what is Moses to look for? He is offered 4 areas to look for.
• ABLE! This makes sense, you need to delegate things to people with the ability to carry out the task.
• GOD-FEARING. These next three areas tie in with a person’s character. If they have no respect for God, what is their morality anchored to? You want someone who loves and serves God from their heart.
• TRUST-WORTHY- This goes to reliability, it is not just are they HONEST, but can you count on them to be there? Paul to Timothy to entrust the Gospel to people who were trustworthy. A person with all the gifts and abilities is worthless if you cannot count on them.
• The he goes right for the character, A HATER OF BRIBES. This means one who is a hater of illegal profits. Someone who cannot be bribed. This is important because you do not want their work to be influenced by bribery.
• Jethro tells Moses, Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 22 They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every important case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear it with you.
• When looking to delegate, find hard-working people of high character and train them, and let them do their job.
• Let’s look at a closing thought in verses 23-24
• SLIDE #12
• Exodus 18:23–24 (HCSB) — 23 If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.” 24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
• SLIDE #13
IV. The blessings gained by learning to let go.
• Well, Moses listened and did what his father-in-law said!
• Two blessings mention are you will be able to ENDURE and the people will be satisfied!
• A win-win for all, and you keep what’s left of your sanity!
CONCLUSION
• Are you trying to do it all, try delegating, if you do it correctly, you will be blessed and those around you will be better equipped to make your, family, church, business, and life better!
