Delivered Sept. 16, 2007
by Pastor Marilyn Henderson
"Hurry, Grandpa! Hurry! You should see all the people!"
" Coming, Gershom. This old man will get there eventually."
Jethro chuckled to himself. Gershom and Eliezer had, as usual, out-distanced the rest of the group and had reached the summit of the small mountain they'd been climbing for some time. The boys had been a joy to have around during the last few months. They had brought a sense of expectancy and love of life into his camp in the short time they'd been with him that had been energizing. It would be hard to leave them and Zipporah with Moses.
"Grandpa! You have to see this!"
"Coming, Gershom, coming. Grant an old man a bit of grace."
It would be good for this family to be together once more. The boys needed a father - just as their father had needed one 40 years ago. True, Moses was a grown man when he and Jethro met. But a world-class education in the most advanced and powerful civilization in the world didn't necessarily provide someone with heart and insight into the human spirit - or a father's love and influence.
Jethro mused over the Moses he had met 40 years ago. When his daughters had brought the sun-bronzed Egyptian into camp that day, he had wondered at his lean, tattered appearance. As they spoke, he wondered even more for it was obvious from Moses' speech that this was no ordinary nomad Egyptian. But Jethro had a feeling about this man. He welcomed Moses into his camp, then into his family and, eventually, into his heart.
He had enjoyed teaching Moses all he knew of desert life and sheepherding. It was good to pass on his knowledge to someone who needed it, who used and treasured it. And during those days of caring for sheep in the wilderness of his ancestral home, Jethro learned to love Moses as a son. And Moses seemed to return his regard.
Jethro had wondered many times during Moses' years with him how another son of Abraham had found his tent. One usually made an intentional trip to the land of Midian. There was a family legend about Abraham's son, also named Midian, after whom this area was named. Midian and his brothers had been sent away from the family home by their father, Abraham, because their mother was Keturah, Abraham's second wife. These boys were not "of the promise," so they were banished from the family home. The story was that Midian, who was angry and hurt by his father's decision, found a place in which to settle that was as remote as possible. He didn't want to see his half-brothers or his father again.
So it was ... interesting, to say the least, that Moses had "somehow" found his way to Jethro's home. And now he was about to see Moses again and meet the extended family from whom he'd been estranged for so long.
Jethro was an old man and had seen many things as a priest that had confounded and amazed him. But as he crested the mountain, Jethro literally gasped at the sight of the huge camp with thousands of tents covering the valley floor. They spread from the mountains on one side to the mountains on the other and as far down the large desert valley as one could see. He could just distinguish tiny figures moving about on the near edge of the camp. The sheer immensity of what Moses was attempting to do became real as he gazed with wonder at the sight before him.
As Jethro and the boys and Zipporah stood, trying to comprehend the enormity of the encampment before them, they saw a group leave the camp and move towards them. "I sent word to Moses that we would be coming, so he's been expecting us," said Jethro as the boys moved closer to him.
As the head of the household, Jethro led his group to meet Moses and those with him. He and Moses embraced each other warmly and asked each other all the conventional things. Finally, after they had been escorted to the Israelite camp, Moses and his father-in-law talked in the privacy of Moses' tent.
Jethro wanted to hear everything that had happened.
"I've heard bits and pieces from people who wander into the camp," he told Moses. "The rumours I heard were hard to believe. I just thought it was the usual inflated stories. But after seeing this camp and seeing you, I want to hear the whole story. Don't leave anything out."
So Moses didn't leave anything out. He began at the beginning, after Moses had sent Zipporah and the boys back to Jethro for safe-keeping. Aaron met him about where they were sitting right now in the shadow of Sinai, the mountain of God.
Moses talked about instructing Aaron about the signs God had given him and told him what to say. Then, when they reached Egypt, they persuaded the Israelite elders that God wanted to rescue them. And the people began to hope.
Jethro was fascinated as Moses told of approaching Pharaoh ten times with YHWH's command to let the Israelites go into the desert for a retreat and worship. He was awestruck by the mighty power of YHWH displayed through the ten plagues. He became silent during the story of the last supper in Egypt, the escape by night into the desert following a pillar of fire, the journey across the Red Sea on the dry seabed. Jethro listened intently as Moses' described how YHWH had allowed the waters of the Red Sea to return to normal as the Egyptian army attempted to follow.
Moses continued the story, describing how good the water at Marah tasted after YHWH had purified it. He told of the miracle of meat and bread every day for the million or so people who were with him. And again YHWH had provided water here, at Mount Horeb, from a rock.
Jethro watched as Moses relived the past few months. This was not a self-conscious, apologetic, fearful man. Moses was vibrant and passionate as he described YHWH's acts of deliverance and provision. The miracle in the animated man before Jethro was as great as the story he told.
"Of course, it hasn't been easy. There's so much to teach the people about God. Their slavery shattered them so completely most had no heart left for God."
Moses grew silent as he noticed Jethro's intense gaze.
"Blessed be YHWH, who has delivered you from Pharaoh and his army. I believe all you have told me. The rumours didn't begin to tell the whole story."
"It is clear to me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that YHWH is greater than all gods. This all confirms what I have already known of YHWH. The Egyptians have met their match at last. They misused their privilege and power for many years and were arrogant and cruel in their dealings with many people as well as your family, the Israelites. Blessed be YHWH, the God of Israel!"
Jethro proceeded to lead Moses and the elders of Israel as they worshiped YHWH with a burnt offering and sacrifices. They all celebrated God's goodness to them as they shared a ceremonial meal, feasting on the goodness of God as they ate their food.
Last week Eric told the story of the Mennonite Exodus from Ontario to New Brunswick. That trip was made separately by each family and the details are quite different, but I understand there was a bit of camping involved somehow. And it was made in order for people to have a fresh start with the economic advantage of more affordable farm land.
Perhaps those of you who were involved are thinking of other things about that trip that seemed like God's deliverance and provision.
Perhaps there are stories and feelings of how you were changed as you scouted out the land, chose a place to buy, planned for the trip and packed and drove ... and drove.
All of us are on an Exodus from who we were way back then to becoming who YHWH created us to be. There are many stories represented here of God's mercy and deliverance and provision. And we, too, celebrate our relationships with each other and with God when we share a monthly fellowship meal.
As followers of Jesus we all have powerful points of connection with this foundational story of Israel. With whom or what are you identifying in this story today?
It seemed reasonable that Jethro, a leader of men and a magistrate in his own land of Midian, would be interested in seeing how things worked in the Israelite camp, so Moses invited him to come with him to work the next day. Jethro observed the crowded area around Moses' tent and the crowd that milled around inside the tent all day. Later that evening, alone with Moses, Jethro asked some questions.
"What exactly are you doing for these people? And why are you sitting all alone while people crowd around you all day into the evening?"
So Moses told him. He explained that the people needed teaching about YHWH and what YHWH required. They also needed a mediator, for there were often disputes to settle among so many people, so Moses acted as judge.
This situation was one with which Jethro was quite familiar, evidently. And Jethro, a leader who had mentored Moses as a father and desert dweller, became Moses' mentor in leadership.
Hindsight is always 20/20. I've certainly never been faced with the situation with which Moses was working. Perhaps, in a number of ways, Moses had been scrambling to keep up with rapidly changing circumstances. After all, this story took place only three or four months after the multitude had escaped Egypt.
So Moses heard Jethro out, decided it was a good plan and began to implement it.
Isn't it interesting how God provided Moses with a type of saviour? For it's pretty obvious that Moses, even though he had the best intentions in the world and all kinds of motivation, was headed for burn out in the way he was conducting his daily business. God provided Moses with a mentor, someone with whom he had a long-standing and trusting relationship. God knew that Moses would need this advice and that he would need to implement it in order for God's purposes to be fulfilled through Moses.
And so Moses' job description was drastically changed in order to preserve his energy and sanity as well as that of the people. Continuing as they had been would have soon broken down and everyone would have been frustrated. Perhaps the Exodus would have been compromised. Trusted men were trained to take over various aspects of mediating and managing. And the Israelites' concerns were efficiently and quickly dealt with as they came up.
The overall idea of the story in the last part of Exodus 18 is that YHWH revealed a better way to get things done in the Israelite camp through someone who was from outside of the family. Moses had to decide whether to use Jethro's suggestion or not, but he at least had options from which to choose. And he evidently had enough wisdom and self-understanding to see that Jethro was right. He couldn't keep operating as he was indefinitely. And the Israelites would not be best served with the current structure.
And so he implemented Jethro's plan which seems, from the text, to have worked. He decided to share his responsibilities - to trust others - in order to accomplish the task YHWH had given him. In adopting the new structure, Moses allowed it to enhance and serve the purpose God had given him. Moses was ready to adjust to God's new directions in his ministry task of leadership.
The Petitcodiac Mennonite congregation has tackled big projects. You are not strangers to challenging circumstances, to crisis and the need for solutions. And you know the value of prayer and treasure God's leading in your life as a congregation. What a wonderful heritage you have!
This tradition of recognizing the challenges before you, then discerning and implementing solutions together will be valuable in the next months and years ahead. This afternoon we will listen together for God's direction in how we implement what we believe God's purpose to be for this congregation.
This is our new purpose statement at Petitcodiac Mennonite Church:
| At PMC we seek to follow Jesus as we ... Practice Christ-like living , guided by Mennonite Theology, within a welcoming Community of believers. |
Perhaps we will need to make some changes in the way things get done around here, to accomplish the task God has given Petitcodiac Mennonite congregation. As I've experienced change, it's always easier to share responsibility than it is to trust others to do well what we have done well. Perhaps that will be the growing edge here. Perhaps not.
In adopting the new structure, Moses allowed it to enhance and serve the purpose God had given him. Moses was ready to adjust to God's new directions in his ministry task of leadership. Our task this afternoon and in the future will be similar. We must not only be willing but ready to adjust and act on God's new directions for the future of Petitcodiac Mennonite Church.
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Petitcodiac Mennonite Church