Lesson Text: Exodus 2:1 – 11
Before we get to our text this morning, I want to tell you little
story since its Mother’s Day. It starts out one afternoon when a man
came home from work. As he drove up and parked his truck in the driveway
he noticed his 3 kids, ages 6, 4, and 3 were all outside playing in the
mud and there were a couple of empty cereal boxes and candy wrappers
strewn all over the yard. The front door to the house was open and so
were the doors to his wife’s car. Walking into the house the man found
an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, the TV was blaring
some cartoon show. A pile of sugar was in his recliner and the family
dog was foaming at the mouth, running around in circles (obviously it
had been licking the sugar). There were dirty clothes scattered all over
the living room and the kids toys were scattered as well. In the kitchen
dishes filled the sink and a broken pitcher that had probably once
contained Kool-Aid was all over the floor. The refrigerator door was
wide open and it looked like the dog had also probably drug out several
items include at least a dozen eggs. The man was really getting worried
now. Had something happened to his wife? He quickly ran up the stairs,
stepping over more toys and piles of clothes and opened up the bed room
door. There he saw his wife, curled up in bed, still in her pajamas,
reading her favorite book. She looked up and smiled at him and asked him
how his day was. He looked at her totally confused and said, “What in
the heck happened here today?” She smiled again and answered, “Well, you
know how every day when you come home from work and ask me what in the
world I did do all day? Well today I didn’t do it.”
I know that mothers are one of the most important roles in all
earth. The bible tells us that it is so many times, including in the
Ten Commandments, repeatedly in Proverbs, and is repeated in Ephesians,
and 2 Timothy. Also many of our greatest secular leaders have also
attributed all they are to their mothers; here are a few of my favorite
quotes. From George Washington, our founding father, “All I am, I owe to
my mother. I attribute all my success in this life to the moral,
intellectual and physical education I received from her.” Our 16th
President Abraham Lincoln said – “I remember my mother’s prayers and
they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. All
that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Our 25th
President William McKinley said, ““By the blessings of heaven I mean to
live, die and in all things please God, in the faith of my mother.”
Over the course of my life there have been many calls for men in
this country to return to being fathers to their children. But the need
for mothers to be mothers is just as great. I’ve read through the Bible
many times, believe it or not, and I can tell you that there’s nothing
more important to the future of the Church, and the future of this
country, and the world than Godly parents doing what God has called them
to do. And in our text here, I think we see a model of motherhood. Let
me summarize Exodus chapter 1.
The people of Israel have been in Egypt for a long time, and they
began to multiply and grow in number; and as they did that, the Pharaoh
began to get a little nervous. He was afraid that they would become too
powerful. And so he enslaved them. He put them into slavery, but they
were still having babies and growing in number, so he came up with an
idea. He gave an order that ever boy that was born to the Hebrews was to
be thrown into the Nile River.
Now to our text;
Exodus 2:1 – 11 (NIV)
Now a
man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant
and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid
him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a
papyrus basket[a]
for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in
it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister
stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
Then
Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants
were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and
sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was
crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,”
she said.
Then
his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the
Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”
“Yes,
go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s
daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will
pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. When the child grew
older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She
named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”
One
day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were
and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a
Hebrew, one of his own people.
In verse 2 After Moses’ birth his mother hid him for three months.
Something is interesting here because it does not say anything about
Moses father doing this. This was his mother apparently alone. I don’t
know why Moses’ father wasn’t involved in any of this, but there’s no
mention of him. And then in verse 3, comes the day when she could hide
him no longer, she made a little basket and floated him down the river.
Some people say, “Why in the world would she do such a thing.” This
question catches me, then I think of Solomon’s judgment (in 1 Kings
3:23-28), this is the story where Solomon orders that a child would be
cut in half to determine the true mother, which I realize hadn’t
happened when Moses’ mother put him in this basket, but the sentiment is
still the same. If she had kept her child Pharaoh’s men would
have killed him. That was a guarantee. If she put him alive into the
basket and then into river and entrusted him to God, there was a chance
he would live. As in 1 Kings, Moses’ mother was willing to lose her son
that he might live. That is also important. To be able to release him
into the river Moses’ mother had to entrust him to God. Moms, days are
going to come, and you’ve got to just trust God and let go. Things that
are completely beyond your control will find your children. Then you
knowing that you have done all you can; you have got to trust God lead
them through. I once saw a report that said something like 73% of all
mothers feel totally unequipped and inadequate. And that’s true, as
parents we are ALL inadequate; but, God is not, and he is always there
if we acknowledge him. So when those moments come where life is
completely out of your hands, relying on God will carry you through.
Another thing that I find intriguing is that we don’t even learn
Moses’ mothers name until we get to Exodus 6:20. Her name was Jochobed…
and she’s only mentioned by name twice in the entire Bible. This might
be a way of showing us that motherhood isn’t a high profile occupation
that gets you on TV. Or, one where you will be asked to sign a lot of
autographs, unless you count school permission slips; but, that doesn’t
diminish the importance of the role. Our society has a way of exalting
the trivial and ignoring the vital. For example; what is more important
to our world: teachers or actors? The answer should be teachers. Yet;
of these two, who gets paid the more? Who is always asked their opinion
on things? As a mother do not let your lack of celebrity ever lead you
to believe that you aren’t important. Nothing in this world is more
important than the role of shaping the next generation. And moms have
more impact on that than anyone! The bible tells us this even in
Proverbs 31:25-30 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she
can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful
instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her
household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise
and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women
do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and
beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her
praise at the city gate, in Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child
in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it,
in Proverbs 6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and
forsake not the law of thy mother, just to name a few
passages.
Back to our lesson text, in verses 4 – 10 we see God’s plan go
into action. Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses, and God ends up having Moses
raised in Pharaoh’s house, right under his nose. And not only that, God
had Moses’ own mother nurse him.
Now we don’t know how long she nursed him, or how much time
Jochobed had with her son, but verse 11 tells us something very
important. It tells us that when Moses was grown, he went out and looked
upon HIS people. Here is what is interesting Bible never specifically
tells us how Moses learned he was Jewish or when he learned the fact; it
just tells us that he knew. The most logical explanation is the
simplest according Sherlock Holmes. So let’s apply a little deductive
reasoning, when he was 3 months old he was taken in by Pharaoh’s
daughter as her son, Jewish history and faith in God wasn’t taught in
Egyptian culture; but, his mother was called in to nurse him. Then when
he is grown, he defends one of his people. Hebrews 11:24 – 25 says,
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son
of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people
of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
Faith comes by hearing, as we know, how then did Moses know he was one
of the Hebrews? How did he hear in order to have the faith to do the
amazing things he ended up doing? Odds are, his mother taught him,
that’s how! And that’s another lesson that we can find here. As parents,
none of us know how long we’re going to have with our kids… It seems
like yesterday that they were in diapers, now they are almost as tall as
me, some of my nephews are quite a bit taller. We can’t slow time down.
But like Moses’ mother we can make our time count. Like I said, we don’t
know how long exactly she had with her son, but she obviously used it
very well.
Kids, know that you are charged to never forget the lessons your
mothers teach you. And that in your lives trials will come that not
even your mother can help you with; then you must trust in God. Men, you
are charged to lead your wives, the mothers of your children, as Christ
lead the church, with humility and sacrifice; trusting in God. And Moms
know that you are charged to shape your children, to educate and
encourage them. You are required to release them into situations beyond
your control; then to trust in God. You have one of the greatest
callings in the Bible, to shape the new generation propelling them
forward into the world trusting in God’s larger plan.
This is your calling, it’s your ministry, and it’s one of the greatest
in the world.
If you need to take a further step in God’s plan, please come forward as
we stand and sing.
Sermon Outlines on All Topics:
