INTRO: A small boy invaded the lingerie section of a large department store and shyly presented his problem to a woman clerk in the lingerie department. “I want to buy a slip as a present for my mom, but I don’t know what size she wears.” “Is she tall or short, lit or skinny?” asked the clerk. “She is just perfect beamed the boy.” So the clerk wrapped up a size 34. Two days later mom came to the store by herself and changed the slip to size 52.
TITLE: Mothers - A Gift From God
TEXT: Exodus 1:22 - 2:10
TS: Today we are going to look at a mother who was very courageous.
I. The situation (1:22 - 2:2) READ
A. Background: Joseph has died.
1. Friends no longer - time past where the Hebrews were considered friends and worked with the Egyptians.
(1:8) New king has come in and didn’t know anything about Joseph.
2. Wicked plot - destroy the male children (today it’s usually the female babies that are being destroyed, India and China).
a. Pharaoh was trying to weaken the Hebrews as a threat, trying to eliminate the vast number of soldiers (men).
b. Slaves - they’re no longer living as fellow citizens as in the time of Joseph.
-Pharaoh was afraid (thinking that if we’re attacked by foreign enemy the Hebrews would turn and side with enemy).
B. Parents - who are they.
1. No names - we are just told “man married a Levite woman and they had a son.”
a. Like moms - not to be in the lime light, they just sit back and enjoy their sons and daughters. ex Sports banquets (honor mom or dad), moms sitting back rejoicing with children.
b. Fine child - two different meanings.
1. Physical appearance - all mothers think every baby is beautiful - something about their innocence.
2. Acts 7:20 - “No ordinary child” GK (fair in the sight of God).
-Dealing with qualities of his heart.
1
a. She saw - Moses’ mother saw, possibly some spiritual insight to what Moses was something special.
Like mothers today who seem to have some special insight or dream for their child.
*Every mother is like Moses. She does not enter the promised land. She prepares a world she will not see.
C. Courage of Moses’ Mother
1. Hid son from certain doom - interesting that the scriptures didn’t say they - referring to both of them. It emphasizes she (mother).
- She hid him for 3 months!
a. Courage is instinctive, a boldness that comes from God.
ex Grizzly bear and her cub (male try eat) mother protects (smaller).
1. Courage to extend (life) - Years ago, a young mother was making her way across the hills of south Wales, carrying her tiny baby in her arms, when she was overtaken by a blinding blizzard. She never reached her destination. When the blizzard had subsided her body was found by searchers beneath a mound of snow. But they discovered that before her death, she had taken off all her outer clothing and wrapped it about her baby. When they unwrapped the child, to their great surprise and joy, they found he was alive and well. She had mounded her body over his and given her life for her child’s, proving the depths of her motherly love. Years later that child, David Lloyd George, grown into manhood, became Prime Minister of Great Britain.
b. Moses’ Mom hid son - scholars tell us that if you disobeyed the king’s edict, you would be tortured and put to death.
-She risked her own life and well-being.
TS - Moses kept growing and growing, demanding more time, food, energy. It would have been impossible to keep him hidden.
II. The Plan 3-7 (READ)
A. Blueprint: Mother knew she could not keep him hidden so she devised a plan.
1. Make a basket, able to float, size of Moses, place him among reeds where Pharaoh’s daughter comes.
-I believe this took a lot of planning and preparation.
2. Lost courage - some might think this because she is giving her baby up.
-No, it’s wisdom because if everybody is caught they probably would all die. Rather, it takes more courage to entrust child to God.
a. Hebrews - talks about the faith of Moses’ parents, took tremendous faith to leave baby in river. (Starvation, eaten by reptiles, drown.)
1. James 2:22 - “Faith and deeds” Faith has to have action (Mom believed God and acted).
* We all need this same type of faith when we come to troubling situations.
B. Motherly characteristics - talked about courage.
1. Thinking - what a plan, what risk, I’ll bet she had this plan down to a “t” (baby cry at right time, best clothes, comb hair, daughter to go and watch).
* Mothers today are thinking about their children (what can I do to help my child).
2. Hard-working - she made basket, planning of the operation.
ex Tammy with Felicia, could not cry (heart).
3. Watchful - Pharaoh’s daughter spotted the basket among the reeds. Mothers have a keen eye. Something out of place, Mom will know.
ex I was little boy, break something, Mom would know.
4. Softness - v. 6 - “Felt sorry for him” Pharaoh’s daughter (motherly instincts took over).
ex Eric, lower lip, hands to eyes.
5. Clever - Moses’ sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter - “shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you.”
a. This is called “leading a question”. It’s subtly implying what you want done.
-Mothers are very clever in steering children in ways they want them to go.
C. Motherly instincts to protect.
I. Midwives-v. 15-17, Chap. 1 (READ)
2. Moses’ mother - talk about.
3. Moses’ sister - bold enough to go and talk to Pharaoh’s daughter.
4. Pharaoh’s daughter - taking this Hebrew baby, risking punishment from father.
III. The result 8-10 (READ)
3
A. Faith honored by God - Saving baby’s life, refusing to kill him, going forth with this plan (baby in
basket and putting along shore).
1. Baby saved - life was spared from certain doom.
2. Paid - to nurse own baby.
-God honors us beyond what we can even imagine!
B. Mother’s name - Jochebed - “Jehovah is glory.”
-When we put faith in God no matter what the situation, God is glorified.
1. Jochebed, while raising baby Moses, taught him the values and morals she lived by.
ex A London editor submitted to Winston Churchill, for his approval, a list of all those who had been Churchill’s teachers. Churchill returned the list with this comment. “You have omitted the greatest of my teachers (my mother).
Dr. Dobson, in one of his books, tells mothers if at all possible to stay home during the formative years. Because this is where children are learning their character.
a. Daycare - one of the greatest ministries of the church because the majority do not come from strong Christian backgrounds.
-Great mission-field in Owatonna, teaching the young about Jesus, molding them into a better understanding of the Judeo Christian morals and values.
2. I believe Jochebed still got to visit Moses from time to time to see how he was coming along. I bet she tried her best to look out for Moses.
Like the mother concerned about her only son going off to college, she wrote the (blowing letter to the college president:
“Dear Sir: My son has been accepted for admission to your college and soon he will be leaving me. I am writing to ask that you give your personal attention to the selection of his roommates. I want you to be sure that his roommates are not the kind of persons who use foul language, or tells off-color jokes, smokes, drinks, or chases after girls. I hope you will understand why I am appealing to you directly. You see, this is the first time my son will be away from home, except for three years in the Marine Corps!
A mother never realizes that her children are no longer children.
C. Dreams come true.
1. Jochebed’s dream came true.
-Baby’s life was spared.
-She played a part in his upbringing.
-He had the best education that money could buy.
-Became a great leader who God used to free a nation.
2. Your dreams can come true for your children.
a. Entrust them to the Lord. He loves them more than even mom.
-Children gone astray - don’t give up on them. Keep interceding for them.
IN CONCLUSION: I’ll close with reading this letter by Erma Bombeck: “Favorite Child”
Every mother has a favorite child. She cannot help it. She is only human. I have mine--the child for whom I feel a special closeness, with whom I share a love that no one else could possibly understand. My favorite child is the one who was too sick to eat ice cream at his birthday party. . . who had measles at Christmas. . . who wore leg braces to bed because he toed in. . .who had a fever in the middle of the night, the asthma attack, the child in my arms at the emergency ward.
My favorite child spent Christmas alone away from the family, was stranded after the game with a gas tank on E, lost the money for his class ring.
My favorite child is the one who messed up the piano recital, misspelled committee in a spelling bee, ran the wrong way with the football, and had his bike stolen because he was careless.
My favorite child is the one I punished for lying, grounded for insensitivity to other people’s feelings, and informed he was a royal pain to the entire family.
My favorite child slammed doors in frustration, cried when she didn’t think I saw her, withdrew and said she could not talk to me.
My favorite child always needed a haircut, had hair that wouldn’t curl, had no date for Saturday night, and a car that cost $600 to fix. My favorite child was selfish, immature, bad-tempered and self-centered. He was vulnerable, lonely, unsure of what he was doing in this world--and quite wonderful.
All mothers have their favorite child. It is always the same one: the one who needs you at the moment. Who needs you for whatever reason--to cling to, to shout at, to hurt, to hug, to flatter, to reverse charges to, to unload on--but mostly just to be there.
1. Nine-year-old boy, mother sick, carry down to make dinner.
2. Daughter, saw mother doing dishes, horrified, shouldn’t be doing this on Mother’s Day. Mom, about to take off apron, daughter said, “they can wait until tomorrow!”
