Wanderings and Wonders - "God Calls a Leader" - Exodus 3-4 - Mike Maglish

God Calls a Leader

Exodus 3-4
Mike Maglish

Part of Wanderings & WondersLessons from the Wilderness

June 8, 2025

MOSES’S FIRST 40 YEARS:

• Was born to Levites (Priestly line) 
• Was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter when all the other babies were being killed (Ex 1:22, 2:10)
• Grew up and killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew at the age of 40 (Ex 2:15) 
  
  

 —Acts 7:20-29 

We are OUT OF STEP with God when we FORCE His plan 

MOSES NEXT 40 YEARS

• Fled to Midian (Ex 2:15) at the age of 40 (Acts 7:23) because Pharaoh wanted his head 
• Lived with Reuel (Jethro) and married his daughter (Ex 2:18) 
• By this time Pharaoh and everyone else who wanted him dead were gone (Ex 4:19-23)
• God’s people were being oppressed in slavery and God heard their prayers (Ex 2:23-25)
• Lived as a nomadic Shepherd until he was 80 (Ex 7:7, Acts 7:30 
  
   —Acts 7:29-34 
  
  God PREPARES the ones He USES 
  
  RAISED BY ROYALTY: 
  Moses grew up within the Egyptian court, receiving an education and likely mastering the arts, sciences, and customs of the royal family. This would have given him a unique perspective and understanding of Egyptian society. Also, he would have had a “behind the curtains” look at how things were done within government and, specifically, with Pharaoh. 
  
  Skills Moses learned as a shepherd: 
  • LEADERSHIP 
  • DISCIPLINE 
  • PATIENCE 
  • HUMILITY 
  • PROBLEM-SOLVING 
  
  Prominent Shepherds in the Bible: 
  • ABEL 
  • ABRAHAM 
  • JACOB 
  • JOSEPH 
  • MOSES 
  • DAVID 
  • AMOS 
  • JESUS (The Good Shepherd) 
  
  What we see as INCONSEQUENTIAL God sees as PREPARATION. 
  
   —Exodus 3:1-6 
  
  God calls leaders to FULFILL His PROMISES. 
  
  The Excuses of Moses: 
  • Who am I? (3:11) 
  • What shall I tell them? (3:12) 
  • They won’t believe me! (4:1) 
  • I am slow of speech and tongue (4:10) 
  • Someone else will do a better job (4:13) 
  
  We do NOT do ministry on our OWN POWER. 
  
  God’s primary mission for humanity is to restore His creation, bringing all people into a relationship with Him through faith and love, ultimately leading to the fulfillment of His kingdom. This is accomplished through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, which offer salvation and reconciliation with God. 
  
  17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. —2 Corinthians 5:17-21 
  
  19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” —Matthew 28:19-20 
  
  Takeaway: Godly Leaders UNDERSTAND it is GOD who works THROUGH us.