MAN UP BIBLE SERIES
IRON MAN 2 – How to be a MentorLesson Two
The Real World
As we open this lesson I have a question for you: “What are you doing today that will be an influence for Jesus Christ in the next generation?” The stakes have never been higher than they are now. The church is facing a real lack of leadership. Look around you. Who wants to get involved? Who wants to take the lead? Who wants to help the next generation to be better? Let me be clear. We cannot hold onto this world. We must be ready to hand it to the next generation. They need us to teach them. They will be us in a few years. Remember how you were the young buck? Now you are the old man! Better get them ready to take over because the world waits for no one! We must leave this world in better shape than we found it. I am very worried that is not the case.In the Scripture Reading today from Exodus you see Jethro mentoring Moses on how to build a judicial system. Moses listened and learned and the result was a transformed country. This is what mentoring is all about.
The Real Word
Exodus 18 New International Version (NIV)Jethro Visits Moses18Now 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 theLordhadbrought Israel out of Egypt.2After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her3and her two sons. One son was named Gershom,[a]for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;4and the other was named Eliezer,[b]for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”5Jethro, 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.6Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”7So 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.8Moses told his father-in-law about everything theLordhad done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how theLordhad saved them.9Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things theLordhad done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.10He said, “Praise be to theLord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians.11Now I know thattheLordis greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”12Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burntoffering andother 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.13The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.14When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”15Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.16Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”17Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good.18You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.19Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.20Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.21But select capable men from all the people—men whofear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them asofficials overthousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.22Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.23If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.25He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.26They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.27Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.
Real Talk
When you die who will attend your funeral and shed a tear?Would your tombstone say more than Born and Died?Have you made a difference with your life?
Real Steps
The Benefits of being a Mentor:A Close Relationship with another man.(David and Jonathan – 1 Sam. 18:1)Personal Renewal(I Corinthians 9:27 – Life is a marathon not a dash)Personal Revitalization(Psalm 90:12 -17 – Make the most of your days)ASenseof Self Fulfillment(Psalm 71:17-18 – It a joy to see others grow and serve)Enhanced Self Esteem( With Age comes Wisdom – Feel good about your life)The Confidence of having made a difference with your life.(Psalm 71:18 – Old and Gray still declaring the Lord!)
Time to Close
There are two lines that run through every mans life: Alifelineand apurpose line. The Lifeline marks the biological progress. The Purpose Line Marks the spiritual progress. There are reasons why men lose their purpose in life. One is a great failure. We see it everyday. The guy is breezing along and life gives him a gut punch. If he is not a person of faith he may end up driving off a cliff. He may have an affair. Or take a stupid job. The end result is a shattered life, relationships and dreams. The other extreme is the man of great success. He feels that life has lost any realmovement,what does the man who has everything really want? Solomon had a lot to say about this kind of man. Every man must move fromsuccesstosignificance. Alive because of theLifeandLoveof Christ that flows through him and causes him to be able to help the next generation as a mentor. Time toMAN UP!
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