Dare to Share

Dare to Share

There was a man who had an unobstructed view to a construction site from his house. As he watched a building go up, he was really intrigued when one day a large crane came in and placed, right in the center of the concrete slab, a large silver box. He wondered, “What in the world is this silver box?” It was obviously important, since the construction that was taking place was being built around it. The box was about the size of a large living room, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Finally, he walked over and talked to the guys who were doing the construction, and he discovered that it was a bank that was being built, and the silver box in the center was the vault. It was, of course, the most important part of the bank, large in size, but also central to everything this bank would stand for. It lay at the heart of the bank, defining its purpose, giving it value, and making it distinct from every other building in the area.

This story serves as a helpful metaphor for the defining and organizing principle in one’s life. The one thing in a person’s life that is most central, most important, and that everything else is constructed around. The question for each one of us is, “What is the organizing center of our lives? It may be achievement or success as we pursue what we think is the American dream. It may be maintaining a sense of comfort or security as we try to minimize our pain and maximize our pleasure. It may simply be survival as we are going through a season of deep trials as the Israelites have been, and just want to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Whatever the organizing principle of our life is, we all know that it probably should be consistent with both our highest purpose as human beings and the deepest longings of our hearts. Obviously, if we are Christians, and image-bearers of God created by him, accountable to him, and redeemed by him, for both his glory and for our good, then that reality should profoundly affect the way we organize and structure our lives, so that knowing God and making him known, becomes the center. But just because we believe that knowing God and making him known is the most important thing, doesn’t necessarily mean that we structure our lives accordingly.

This morning, we are going to be in Exodus 18:1-12. This passage is really an epilogue to the first seventeen chapters of Exodus. As we have studied this book so far, we have seen the story of God’s redemption of his chosen people, the Israelites. We’ve seen what it means to be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and set free from slavery to sin and death. We’ve seen the “Good News” of Jesus Christ played out over these first seventeen chapters. We’ve also seen practical instruction for living the Christian life. We’ve talked about worship and the importance of worship in chapter 15. We’ve talked about trials and how to face those trials, as we have studied the children of Israel in their wilderness experience, as God tested them, and they tested God and put him on trial. And last week, we talked about what it means to fight our spiritual battles, the battles of faith. We learned that the battle belongs to the Lord as he has already won the war with Satan. We’ve seen how we are to live a life of sanctification on this earth as we wait to go to our Promised Land.

But the main point of this book is found in Exodus 7:5, which says “And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt, and bring the Israelites out of it.” Exodus is about Yahweh making himself “known” to the world. He made himself known to Pharaoh and the Egyptians and he made himself known to the Israelites. And he wanted his chosen people to then make him known to the world. Which brings us to our big idea this morning that “God desires to make himself “known” to all peoples.” So today as we look at Exodus 18:1-12, we will see three “testimonies” that will bring this big idea to life.

Let’s pray:

The first testimony is God’s Testimony found in Exodus 18:1-6. This is what God’s Word says, “Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.” Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

The first testimony is God’s testimony to Jethro. We haven’t seen Jethro since Exodus 4 when Moses left his employ as a shepherd and went back to Egypt to ask Pharaoh to let God’s people go. So, Jethro is doubly introduced here, first, as the priest of Midian and second, as Moses’ father-in-law. Jethro knew from Moses that his people, the Israelites, were in slavery in Egypt and had been for generations. He knew that the Lord had revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush and that Moses was being sent to confront Pharaoh, to free the Lord’s people from slavery. Somewhere along the way, Jethro has heard about everything God had done for Moses and the Israelite people. He has heard the testimony about how the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt. He has probably heard about the ten plagues that the Lord brought upon Pharaoh and Egypt and about the Lord’s destruction of the Egyptians at the Red Sea. He heard all about how the Lord saved his people by bringing them out of slavery.

In verses 2-4, we see a “flashback” to an earlier story that was not recorded. It seems that at some point, Moses sent his wife Zipporah, and his two sons back to Jethro in Midian. We don’t know when this happened. It may have happened right after the incident in Exodus 4 where the Lord was going to strike Moses dead because he hadn’t circumcised his one son. After Zipporah circumcised their son, the Lord spared Moses’ life. It may have happened right before things got dicey with Pharaoh sometime before or during the ten plagues. But most commentators don’t think Moses would have sent them away at that time, so that they could have observed the Lord’s salvation of his people. This would have been a convincing testimony for his non-Israelite wife to experience. It also could have happened sometime after the exodus from Egypt and the Passover night. It may have been Zipporah who related all that God had done for Moses and the Israelites to her father. One reason this wasn’t recorded is probably because it wasn’t important to the story. The story of Exodus is about the Lord and making him known to the world not about Moses and his family relations.

We are then reintroduced to Moses’ son, Gershom, whose name means “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.” Moses had to flee Egypt and Pharaoh’s palace because he killed an Egyptian. He fled to the wilderness and came to Midian, where the priest, Jethro and his daughters lived. He married Zipporah and because of the alienation he felt, named his first son, Gershom. We are also introduced to the second son of Moses. He was mentioned but not named in the episode in Exodus 4 and may have been the son whom Moses neglected to circumcise. Moses named his second son, Eliezer, saying, “My father’s God was my helper, he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.” The mention of “my father’s God”, shows Moses’ awareness of being part of God’s covenant people. Probably because of his encounter with Yahweh at the burning bush, Moses realized that God didn’t exile him to Midian but instead saved him from the sword of Pharaoh. The naming of Eliezer is related to the Lord revealing himself to Moses in the Midian wilderness, but it would have also taken on added significance in the present in light of the Lord’s salvation from Pharaoh and at the Red Sea. The Lord had proved himself faithful and showed himself to be a helper to Moses, in every sense of the word. The names of his two sons told the story of Moses’ life and the lives of the Israelite people. The Israelites probably felt that they had been exiled to Egypt for the past four hundred years waiting for God’s plan of salvation to take place, that had been promised to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And now they’ve been saved from the sword of Pharaoh by God’s mighty right hand and brought out of slavery, through the Red Sea and the wilderness.

Eight times in this passage, Jethro is described as Moses’ father-in-law and only once is he described as the priest of Midian. The focus is on his relationship to Moses and that relationship, and the testimony of what God did in saving his people, prompts a family reunion. Jethro sent word to Moses letting him know that he was coming to him and bringing his family to him. Jethro, along with Moses’ sons and wife make the trip from Midian to the desert where Moses was camped near the mountain of God. The mention of the mountain of God was a foreshadowing of what is to take place on Mt. Sinai in chapter 19.

Now that God’s testimony about what he has done for Moses and his people has brought Jethro to Moses, now we are going to see Moses’ testimony to Jethro about what the Lord has done. That brings us to Moses’ Testimony, found in Exodus 18:7-8. This is what God’s Word says, “So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.”

The first thing we notice is the love Moses has for his father-in-law. We see this love in two ways. One, we see it in the respect that Moses shows Jethro. Moses is the human face of the nation that conquered Egypt and the Amalekites and coming on the heels of the victory against the Amalekites, Moses could have deigned to have Jethro brought to him, but he doesn’t do that. Moses goes out and meets his father-in-law showing his humility and the respect he has for him. He actually bows down before Jethro, subordinating himself before him. “Bowing down” probably meant he fell to his knees and put his face to the ground. Mackay says, “This was a standard eastern greeting extended to one who is in a position of honor or respect.” Two, we see his love for Jethro in his affection for him. After Jethro would have raised Moses up from the ground, they kissed each other on the cheek and then greeted each other. This greeting is translated as “shalom” literally meaning “peace.” It means wholeness, completeness and health indicating that they would have asked about each other’s welfare and how they had been since they last talked. After the formalities and public greetings were finished, they went into Moses’ tent. This is a genuine picture of Moses humbling himself before his father-in-law, showing him love and respect, and treating him with great hospitality as his guest.

The second thing we notice is that Moses confirms God’s testimony and all the things that Jethro has heard. He recounts what the Lord did to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake. Moses told Jethro about all the good things the Lord did for them such as bringing the plagues against Egypt, the Passover feast and the Angel killing the firstborn of Egypt, both people and animals. And about their exodus from Egypt and the deliverance by the Lord at the Red Sea. But notice he doesn’t just hit the high points. Moses also recounted all the hardships along the way. How there were times of bitter water, no food and then again no water and about the battle with the Amalekites. He would have told him how the Lord provided for them, protected them and his special presence with them. He also would have told him about the grumbling, complaining and quarreling of the Israelites against himself, Aaron and the Lord. He probably recounted how the people put both he and the Lord on trial and how they tested the Lord. But through it all Moses never forgot what the Lord had done for him and his chosen people. He recounted how the Lord had saved them from Pharaoh, slavery and so much more. Notice that Moses’ testimony is completely God-centered. It was all about the Lord and nothing about Moses going back to the kind of humble man Moses was. We see it in his greeting of Jethro and in his testimony to him about what the Lord had done.

This story, coming on the heels of the battle with the Amalekites, shows the contrast between the foreign nations that are hostile to the Lord and his people and the ones that are friendly toward Him and his people. God’s salvation will include all peoples, Israelites and non-Israelites. And so, Moses’ testimony about what the Lord had done is a lesson for us all. The Lord desires to make himself known to all peoples, Christian and non-Christian, in two ways, by saving His people and by His saved people. God made himself known to the Israelites by saving them from Pharaoh and bringing them out of slavery in Egypt. And then Moses gave his testimony about what the Lord had done for him to Jethro. We have also been saved; saved from an eternal separation from the Lord and we must be willing to give our testimony to his saving grace. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” We must be ready and willing to give our testimony to those we come in contact with so that the Lord will be made known to all peoples.” (Big Idea). That brings us to the first next step on the back of your communication card which is to “Be prepared to make the Lord known by giving testimony to what He has done for me.”

That brings us to our third testimony this morning, Jethro’s Testimony, found in Exodus 18:9-12. This is what God’s Word says, “Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.”

In this section we see Jethro’s testimony in two ways. First, we see him rejoicing. He was delighted to hear what the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians and he genuinely praised the Lord because of his salvation of them. Jethro rejoices in three things. He rejoices in the goodness of God, the deliverance of God and in the greatness of God. And in rejoicing in the greatness of God, he seems to make a confession of faith in the Lord. This confession could have been a deeper understanding of the Lord or could have been a first-time commitment to the Lord as we see in 2 Kings 5:15 in the confession of Naaman, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.” Jethro confessed, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods.” He was stating that Yahweh had conquered not only Pharaoh but the gods of Egypt as well. Fretheim states, “Jethro publicly confesses that Yahweh is God of gods and Lord of lords. He now knows that Yahweh is incomparable.” It is interesting that Jethro had been told about Moses’ encounter with Yahweh at the burning bush but that didn’t cause him to come to make a confession of faith. It wasn’t until Moses gave his personal testimony of the saving power of Yahweh in his life and the lives of his people that a change took place inside of him and he wanted to know and be known by the Lord.

Second, we see Jethro’s testimony as he commemorated his confession of faith. He brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Merida says, “He demonstrated his faith in Yahweh by offering a burnt offering to atone for past sins and to appeal for forgiveness and acceptance before God. He also offered sacrifices to account for any inadequacies in approaching Yahweh. He wanted to ensure he was accepted in genuine fellowship with Yahweh in his presence.” Next, we see Jethro commemorating his confession by worshiping the Lord in partaking in a fellowship meal with Moses, Aaron and all the elders of Israel in the presence of God. They broke bread, possibly having communion together, as people of God in His presence. This was a holy and sacred event taking place between God’s people, the Israelites, and those outside the Israelites community. It would have been important that the leadership of Israel affirm Jethro’s newly professed faith. We notice that God’s plan for the redemption of the world is seen in Jethro’s confession after Moses giving his testimony of the Lord’s salvation. The Israelites were blessed to be a blessing, and this is seen in a palpable way here.

In 2017, Comedian Jeff Foxworthy, was running a weekly Bible study for homeless men in Atlanta, and he recalled how one man revealed to him a very personal story. Jeff asked the group, “What is the Bible?” and someone said it was just a book of rules. So Jeff picked up his Bible and dropped it in a trash can that was in the room. He said, “If it’s a book of rules, would that bother you?” Foxworthy said one of the biggest guys in the class, named Wayne, got up, took the Bible out of the trash can, wiped it off and gave it back to him and said, “Don’t ever do that again.” He said, “Wayne, if that’s just a book of rules, why does that bother you so much?” Wayne then told his story. He said, “When my mother died, I inherited $70,000 from an insurance policy. I never had money in my life and I lost my mind. I started buying crack, got two girlfriends and started partying all day long.” ​​ He said, “When you are partying like that you don’t go to work and about a week later I got fired. But we didn’t care, we had money and we were partying all the time. Two months later I got evicted from my apartment, so I had all my stuff in some suitcases and backpacks.” He continued, “We just moved around to cheap hotels and we were partying day and night. But as we were moving along, I’m losing my stuff piece by piece. And the only thing I had from my mother was a Bible that she gave me when I was a little kid. On the front page, on the inside, she had written this love letter to me telling me about how Jesus was the answer. As we continued to bounce around, I realized I had lost the backpack that had that Bible in it.” He said “This went on for a few more months and the money ran out. The next day the two girlfriends left and now I don’t have an apartment or a job. He said, “I was on the street for a year and a half begging people for money and still have a crack habit. One day a guy came by and picked two of us and said he needed help with a project.” Jeff continues the story, “And Wayne, being a big strong guy, was picked along with another person and taken to a place about a hundred miles away where this guy had bought an old two-story apartment building. He was cleaning it out and was going to refurbish it and rent the apartments. Dwayne started on the bottom and the other guy started at the top. He got all his stuff cleaned up, bagged it up and threw it in the dumpster. Then he went up to help the other guy who was in the last room. But out in the hallway there was a pile of stuff in the corner. He asked the guy if he wanted him to bag it up and throw it in the dumpster. The other guy said that those were some things that he found that might be worth something. He told Wayne to look through it before they packed it up and threw it away. Wayne went over to the pile and started looking through stuff and he reached down in the dust and the dirt, and he pulled out a book and opened it up and there’s the love letter from his mom. It’s his Bible a year and a half later and a hundred miles away. Wayne said he collapsed to the floor and started sobbing. Wayne said I figured if God was gonna chase me that hard I would finally quit running. ​​ Foxworthy concludes, “It was that amazing find that led the man to change his ways entirely. Now, he’s been clean for eight years and he’s helped scores of people get off the streets.”

What a testimony of what the Lord did for Wayne! The Lord pursued Wayne and made himself known to him. And like Jethro, Wayne who had heard about Jesus from his mother, had to be brought to the point of making a confession of faith, being saved by God, so he could make God known to others who were living on the streets. Maybe that’s right where you’re at this morning. God has been pursuing you and making himself known to you or he’s been using someone in your life to make himself known to you. Maybe the Holy Spirit is telling you that today is to make your confession of faith.

First, we need to admit that we are sinners and that our sin separates us from God. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” ​​ And Romans 6:23a says, “For the wages of sin is death” but it’s not a physical death but a spiritual death, a separation from God for all eternity. Then we need to believe that God sent his son, Jesus, to take our punishment for our sin. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And lastly, we need to repent of our sins and confess Jesus as Lord of our lives. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

So if you’re ready to make your own confession of faith this morning and begin to tell others your testimony about what the Lord has done for you, the last next step may be for you. My next step is to “Admit I am a sinner, believe that Jesus was crucified, buried and rose again and confess Jesus as Lord of my life.” If you made that decision this morning, please mark the back of your communication card, so I can be in contact with you.

As the ushers prepare to collect the tithes and offering and as Gene & Roxey come to lead us in a final hymn, let’s pray:

INTRODUCTION:

Knowing God and Making Him Known | Exodus 18 | Brian Hedges | November 19, 2022

CONCLUSION:

Feff Foxworthy | Tik Tok | What is the Bible to You?