Introduction:

—Before we can even begin the journey of faith, we must first of all recognize that we are totally dependent upon God—not only for salvation, but for everything in life.  By the same token, we must understand that God can enable us to do whatever He wants us to do.

—Ssecondly, we must recognize that God is holy and that He expects us to be holy as well. Our text in Exodus 4 points out how important this matter is to God.

Scripture: Exodus 4: 18-26

—The focus of our attention has been primarily the last three verses.  Thus far, we have made three observation:

1.) God sought to kill Moses (vs.24)

2.) His wife had to do his job for him (vs.25)

3.) She resented doing the job (vs.26)

—This is mother’s day.  The best way men can honor mother’s is to provide godly leadership in the home.  We need to dwell with our wives in the knowledge of God (I Peter 3:7).   We need to give them the respect and honor that God requires.  If we do not, God will hold it against us.

Part Two—Three Lessons:

I.) Personal Separation is Required for Service

—The first lesson we want to draw from our text is that personal separation is required for service.  It is not an option.  God called and sent Moses into service but would have removed him, solely, because he failed to practice personal separation in his home.  His own son was cut off from Israel, because he did not circumcise him.  He did not lead his own family in personal holiness.  In fact, his wife had to do it for him just to save his life.

—This is too often the way it is.  Husband sits down to watch the television.  Wife says, “That’s not appropriate!.”  He grumbles under his breath and reluctantly changes the channel.  What is wrong with that picture?  The husband should be the one making that observation.  Men want to have control of the remote, but do not want the responsibility that goes with it.  Our families suffer, because we do not honor our wives with godly leadership.

—We may think that we can compromise with the world and act like the unsaved.  We may think God will just accept that.

 

—We may think that God will be pleased with whatever sacrifice, offering, or service we choose to give.  God does not see it that way.

Scripture: Malachi 1: 6-14

—Notice in verse 11, that God requires a pure offering.  He expects us to set about trying to live a holy and righteous life.  If we try to offer sacrifice or service without doing that, He is offended.  He says that His curse will be upon us.  Consider the example of Isaiah.

Scripture: Isaiah 6: 1-8

—First, Isaiah saw God as holy.  Then he recognized his awful sinfulness.  Next, God cleansed him (Psalm 119: 9-16).  Finally, he was called.

He was made ready for service by dealing with the sin in his life.

—The failure to separate from this world disqualifies us from service.  This is true at every level of service.  No position in the church is so insignificant that it can be given to someone who is not practicing personal holiness in their lives.  Consider that the early church expected table waiters to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 6: 1-6).

—Failure to circumcise a Jewish child cut them off from the benefit of being God’s chosen people.  When we do not separate to God, the effect is the same.  If we are truly saved, we do not lose our salvation, but we do lose the benefits that go with it.  For example, we lose the access to God in prayer that is so vital to us, because God will not hear us if we are unwilling to deal with our sin (Isaiah 59: 1-2).

—Furthermore, our service is hindered because, we have no testimony worth having.  The world says, “Why should I be a Christian? He is no different than I.”  We become hypocritical and bring reproach on the name of Christ.

—That is serious business.  It is so serious that God sought to kill Moses.

II.) Godly Leadership in the Home is Required for Service.

—The second lesson we need to learn is that godly leadership in the home is required for service.  Notice that Moses’ son is the one not circumcised, but Moses is the one held accountable.

 

Illustration:  As a child, I was encouraged to assert myself.  I was about a head taller than my best friend, but my parents thought he was walking all over me.  He was actually about a year older and I was content to let him take the lead.  My parents, who were not saved at the time, were not.  So, they insisted I assert myself.  One day, I did.  In the ensuing exchange, my friend end up with a bloody nose, and I, a bloody mouth. 

—What did asserting myself accomplish?  Before, we were both happy.  Afterwards, we were both crying.  Friends, the most miserable people that I have known were the most assertive.

Scripture: Proverbs 15: 1

—Notice that grievous words stir up anger.  That is exactly what happened to Zipporah.  She stirred up Moses anger, and he sent her home.  No matter how macho we think we are, there is always someone who is bigger, meaner, tougher, nastier, etc. than we are.

Illustration:  The psychologists and psychiatrists tell us to assert ourselves.  Years ago, my neighbor was a psychiatrist at the time self-assertiveness became the popular fad with psychiatrists.  We were trying to complete our first house and subbed some of the work to a contractor who turned out to be not very good.  My neighbor use the same contractor as well.  Sadly, I got caught in the middle of a dispute between them.  One night, the shrink called and began to assert himself.  That is not a good thing to do with an ex-marine.  I very quickly put him in his place and then spent 45 minutes counseling him on how to deal with people in a proper biblical fashion.

—Peter was a rough, tough, old fisherman who was noted for asserting himself.  Whether it be whacking off someone’s ear with a sword (John 18: 10) or blurting out something foolish on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17: 4-5), he constantly asserted himself until God humbled him.  Eventually, he was used by God to write I and II Peter.

—In his first epistle, he revealed that he learned the lesson well.  The letter deals with four real life situations where it would be easy to assert ourselves:

1.) Citizen under a persecuting government (I Peter 2: 13-17)

2.) Slave under a persecuting master (I Peter 2: 18-25)

3.) Wife under a persecuting husband (I Peter 3: 1-7)

4.) Church member under a persecuting pastor (I Peter 5: 1-7)

—In each predicament, Peter counsels the same. We are to cast our care upon Christ (I Peter 5: 7).  Instead of self-assertiveness, we need Christ-assertiveness. 

 

 

Scripture: I Peter 3: 7

—Wives, the proper way to handle a husband who shirks his responsibility is to understand that his prayers our hindered by his failure to render proper honor to you.  At that point, if you keep sin out of your life, you can take your problem to God.  He will deal with it.  My wife knows this to be true.  She has taken me to the Lord on occasion and somehow, I have come around to her way of thinking.

Conclusion:

—Moses by shirking his responsibility failed his wife and family.  His poor leadership opened the door to sin and shut the door on relationship.  By the same token he brought judgment from God upon himself.  God holds men accountable for the home.  Zipporah by doing his job saved his life and helped her family, but her resentment and self-assertiveness, effectively, undid any good that she accomplished.  Instead of letting God deal with her husband (I Peter 3: 7), she let him have a piece of her mind.  In the end, she was just as guilty as he, and the family suffered terribly.