CENTRAL ZION BAPTIST CHURCH
SUNDAY May 12, 2013
“The Impact of a Godly Mother”
Exodus 1:15-22; 2:1-10
Series - The Family that God Builds
SALUTATION
Welcome Visitors - especially all of our ladies and more particularly – those whom God has blessed with the gift of motherhood. Happy Mothers Day.
When I refer to the word mother I am using it in the broadest sense possible. Today I am here to speak to all of the ladies, all of the mothers, be it a biological, adoptive, step-mother – mother-in-law – married mother – single mother – a mother who is widowed – an expectant mother and all those women who have been mothers to so many who didn’t have mothers of their own – those of you who have stepped in and taken up the slack to help a struggling mother or someone who just couldn’t do it on their own – this message is for you today.
But before I get into the meat of this sermon, I am mindful that mother’s day is not the happiest day for some people, some of whom maybe in here today.
For some mothers day is a reminder of the recent loss of a loving mother – for others it probably reinforces the reality and struggles of wanting to become a mother, and there may be a few in here who don’t have a good relationship with their own mothers – maybe not even speaking to them because of past hurts and conflicts - I want you to know that you are not alone today and we are praying for you –
Prayer for mothers.
Say: But as I look around this sanctuary today, I get this deep sense of satisfaction because I know that I am in the company of so many mothers who really love and care for their children. Children you are blessed to have godly mothers like those I know at this church - please help me affirm them today.
Today however, for a few minutes, I just want to highlight and encourage some qualities that I already see in most if not all of you.
Todays sermon is - “The Power of a Godly Mother?” – Exodus Ch.1:15-22;2:1-10. –
Based on the sermon Series – “The Family that God Builds?”
Background.
The sermon today centers around a mother who when faced with a difficult life threatening situation took matters into her own hands to save her family.
Jacob and his twelve sons are now dead, but their descendants have multiplied greatly, so much that it frightened the king of Egypt who reasoned that if the Children of Israel continue to have children at the rate they are going, they would eventually outnumber the Egyptians and take the country from them so he devised a scheme, which mandated that the mid-wives (ones who were responsible to deliver the babies) were to kill all of the male children during child birth - ch. 1:15ff.
However – the midwives defied the king’s order and did otherwise.
As godly mothers as most if not all of you are in here today – I want to say to you first and foremost -
1. BE SENSITIVE TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
This is not any new revelation for you but it worth rehearsing it into your hearing. To continue on the godly path that you have been on for a while, it calls for much sensitivity to the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit.
As a mother, how are you to make the right decision if you are not directed by the Spirit of God. Proverbs 3:3-5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…lean not….in all your ways ack…and he will direct your path.
Look at this text – as a godly mother – wife – woman – what are you going to do when your superior ask you to do something that you know is wrong, but to not do it may result in the loss of that good paying job you have been waiting on for so long –
To disobey may mean being bypassed for the next promotion on the job – it may mean a smaller pay increase or none the next time –
Many mothers, particularly single mothers are faced with these challenges everyday in the workplace – to get ahead, they are given the option to sleep with their ungodly, unscrupulous bosses but here we see two women who themselves were mothers refused to obey the king not because they were unruly, but because they feared God and I said before and I must say again,
When the Government - the church – your boss – your husband – whomever he or she is, when anyone of them commands what God forbids or forbids what God commands, you must chose to follow God for it is better to please God than to please men.
So mothers, I know it gets hard at times, but you must remain sensitive to the Spirit of God and He will direct you in the right way – Never - never compromise you character or your integrity on the altar of wanting to remain in good grace with anyone else–
You stand up for what is right and allow God to get you out of that situation because I believe that if you fear Him and hold faith in his promises He will not fail you (P&G). Read v-20-21.
He rewarded them. When you stand up for righteousness God will not diminish you – he will enlarge your territory and bless your household.
So be Sensitive to the Leading of the Holy Spirit.
Read ch. 1:v-22 – Read Ch. 2:v- 1-3
Background –
say: A Levite married a Levite woman mean that they were equally yoked –
Read ch. 6 – we will learn of the family in a little more detail – at least the name – the name of the man was Amran and the name of the woman was Jacobed – and the name of the baby boy was Moses.
Both mother and father were from the priestly tribe – and now while the text says nothing about this couple’s prayer life – or church attendance or ministry involvement – based on their ancestral association and how this story unfolded, we can conclude with some degree of certainty that these two people had a deep sense of fear and reverence for God – in fact it appears that they loved God and were willing to do what was good for their family and what would bring honor and glory to God.
But as a godly mother, this text gives us a characteristic that is so important if you as mothers are going to raise a family that is pleasing to the Lord – I believe it is easy to over look this quality found in v-2 of our text.
Read v-2. fine – beautiful - unusual – meaning that a godly mother..
2. She is Perceptive when it comes to the future of her children - Look at v-3.
This mother saw something that nobody else saw. That’s perception.
in other words – like many of you in here today, Moses’ mother was perceptive and what I mean by that – I mean that she had a deep sense of discernment – she could see beyond the physical – beyond the natural
She had godly intuition - had godly wisdom – she had great insight –
This came because like many of you in here today, she was vigilant – she was observant – at an early age she already saw this child as a precious gift from God – mothers don’t dismiss what God is showing you even when it appears far and impossible – speak it over them and leave it to the hands of an all knowing – all seeing – all powerful God who promised to work out all things for our good and His glory.
She somehow perceived that this boy, even at three months old was destined for greatness.
Now this text doesn’t say it, but in chapter 6 – we learn that she already had an older son and later on in this text we will learn that she already had an older daughter.
As a godly mother, you have to see each child as gifted by God for something special and that’s why when Jacobed looked in the eyes of Moses, she saw more than a three month old baby – she saw a deliverer who would one day rise up to bring change and relief to the people of God. She saw it. A godly mother sees the potential because she looks for it – start looking.
When you look into the face of your children, what are you seeing – are you seeing greatness?
What are you speaking over them – yes their father maybe a dead beat kind of guy but don’t speak that over them – speak life into them –
Tell the boy from an early age that he will become a blessing to the family –
Tell him that he will be the first one in the family to grace the palace and rub shoulders with royalty –
Tell him that he will be the first one in the family to write five books –
Tell him that he will impact this country in a way like no other has done before –
Tell him that God is preparing him to change the political landscape of this country –
Even when they act up and are a little of the handle – still speak good things into their lives – for my bible tells me that life and death are in the power of the town.
Ill. my children.
That’s why I begun by saying that when we are sensitive to the leading of God’s holy Spirit – God gives us the wisdom and the insight and the intuition and the discernment to see what others will never see.
I speak to the godly mothers in here today – Continue to be Perceptive when it comes to the future of your children and leave the result to God.
so I said so far,
Continue to be Sensitive to the Leading of the Holy Spirit.
Continue to be Perceptive when it comes to the future of your children.
But there is a third thing I can say to encourage mothers with today – right in our text…
3. Take the Initiative to ensure that your family survives – v-3-4
You start the process
I mean that you have to be proactive – meaning you must make the first move – don’t wait until you are forced to act –
I took note of the fact, the only mention of the father in this story is about him getting married and getting this woman pregnant and we don’t hear about him anymore, other than the mention of his name once in ch. 6. (se have the same thing in our society).
To many men just getting the woman pregnant and we don’t hear from them anymore and the mother is left to raise these children all alone – this must stop.
Where was he – well let me not be too hard on him – after all he was a priest and we priest do have a lot to do – after all we have to take care of the house of God. But my God let’s look at the text – read v-4-5.
It appears that Jacobed – this mother had to do everything – she had to take the initiative to make sure this family survives. Maybe he helped – I pray to God that he did because the Bible says that to neglect one’s own family we are worse than an infidel.
But mothers all around this sanctuary, I am speaking to godly mothers – you have the spirit of God within you – you have the gift of wisdom – you have intuition – you have insight – you have what it takes to make sure that your family not only survives but also thrives – when the safety and the security and the wellbeing of your family is threatened from outside forces and outside influences, don’t just sit there, do something – and if the man is passive – busy or don’t have the time, don’t wait for him – brief him and do the right thing to ensure that you family survives.
You know, beyond all that I have just said – God has given you something else that we men don’t have – God has also gifted you with creativity – you are Creative - you can do more with less and get far more accomplished in a day than some of us can get done in a week –
Some of you in here are so creative you make a dollar do more than some of us can do with five dollars – how you do it I don’t know but it’s because you love God and you love your family and you want what is best for them – the creative spirit in you rises up and you get it done
Look at the text – how on God’s earth would this mother think of this? Build a small boat and turned her son loose in the river –
This must have been scary – after all there were crocodile in that river – she must have thought, what if the little boat flipped over and the child drowned.
You know something, even if that thought crossed her mind, she dismissed it for v-4 tells us that she positioned her young daughter on the bank to see what would happen to him.
This tells me that Her level of her faith far exceeded the level of her fears and her faith in God told her that failure was not an option and that God will take care of that which she had entrusted to him (P&W).
Let me show you the power of God in action – go back to ch. 1:v-22. read.
She was doing exactly what Pharaoh said – Pharaoh order was to throw the baby boys in the Nile – the problem is, he never told them how to do it – this is when a mother becomes real creative – her back is against the wall and she doesn’t have much to work with – but when she goes down before God and petition God for the situation – and when she comes up of her knees she comes up with a creative but workable plan.
It’s so true, God ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts – when we do what he commands we always come out ahead.
Watch this, she makes a boat (an ark) that would become the vehicle that preserves his life and it all happened right in the middle of the place that was supposed to end his life – on the river Nile - God has a sense of humor.
How is it – that the chamber of Death (the river) now becomes the place of change for the Deliverer.
That’s not all, the very ones who ordered his death are now the very ones who are responsible for his deliverance.
The would be killer now becomes his primary caretaker
My brothers and sisters, if God be for you – He will spread a table right in the presence of your enemies and it isn’t anything they can do about it.
To every godly mothers in here today – don’t be afraid to take the initiative to make sure your family survives. God will see you through. so I said so far…
Continue to be Sensitive to the Leading of the Holy Spirit.
Continue to be Perceptive when it comes to the future of your children.
Take the Initiative to ensure that your family survives
But there is a fourth and final thing I can say to encourage mothers with today – right in our text…
4. Be Supportive of those who want to lend a helping a hand – v-5-10
Try to be cooperative with those who want to help with the rearing of your children or that child.
Sometimes in the case of a single mother or when a separation or divorce occurs, the mother or father becomes so angry that they would do all that they can to keep the child from the other one, only to the detriment of the child.
Be supportive mothers – if the child lives with a godly step-mother – don’t reject that – two godly mothers may just be better than one. You may not have the child all day – all week - but whatever time you have with him or her, you make it count by being godly and pouring into the child so that your hand of influence can still be written all over the child’s life.
I believe that even after Moses’ mother turned that child over to Pharaoh’s daughter, she was the main baby sitter for the princess and continue to be an influence in the life of her child.
Godly mothers don’t allow the spirit of anger and resentment keep you from making wise and godly decision as it relates to the wellbeing of your children.
Moses’ mother supported her son by being in position to help out when her adoptive mother needed her.
You situation may be different but the principles are the same – the child you brought into this world may not be physically living with you, but still find ways to be supportive and cooperative with others who may have custody of the child so that your godly heritage and godly influence could still be felt by the child.
The truth of the matter is, sometimes, God orchestrates our circumstances to protect us long before we are able to see it.
Think about it, the rest of the Israelites became slaves, but not Moses, not his mother for she worked in the palace being paid for taking care of her own child – instead of being a slave Moses receive a quality education and training, something her own parents would not have been able to give him – God positioned him for what he was preparing him to do – so we even have to cooperate with God so that His plan and purpose will be manifested in our lives and in the lives of our children.
Be Supportive of your children, even when they are not under your roof - and learn how to be cooperative with those whom God has placed in the lives of your children to help you rear them in a way that is pleasing unto the Lord.
The church, the school – grammy – and so many others are the people and institutions that God has placed in our lives to help us raise our children – embrace them.
As I take my seat, a godly mother is one who will….
• Continue to be Sensitive to the Leading of the Holy Spirit.
• Continue to be Perceptive when it comes to the future of your children.
• Take the Initiative to ensure that your family survives
• Continue to be Supportive of those who want to lend a helping a hand
Pray for mothers.
