I. Introduction
A. Famous Moms
1. Abigail Adams was the wife of the second president of the United States (John) and the mother of the sixth US President (John Quincy).
2. Queen Victoria reigned as the primary royal of the United Kingdom for 63 years, all while being a mother to nine children (she had an entire era named for her—take that, Taylor Swift, 😊).
3. Mamma Kelce (Donna) is the mother of Jason and Travis Kelce (NFL players). She catapulted into the spotlight when her two sons played against each other in Super Bowl 58.
4. And of course, who could forget young Mary, mother of Jesus.
5. Some mothers just know their children are destined for greatness, while others just hope they survive into adulthood.
B. Mother’s Day Mixed Bag
1. Mother’s Day can be a wonderful day to celebrate, but it can also be a tough day for some.
2. This morning, I’d like to share a lesson that is for all of us but also honors women.
3. In our passage today, we see three women through whom God works to bring about His will.
4. God worked through all three of these women to achieve His plan of raising up a people who would produce the Messiah.
5. What can we learn from them?
II. Three Women and a Baby
A. – Faith Over Fear (2:1-3)
1. Background
a. Jochebed was the mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (Numbers 26:59).
b. Jochebed and Amram (Moses’ father) are mentioned in the great chapter of faith in Hebrews 11.
c. Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
2. Jochebed chose faith over .
a. The very place that Jochebed placed him to protect him is the site where Pharaoh had commanded the Hebrews to kill the male children (Exodus 1:22).
b. While some might view what Jochebed did as abandonment, it was really an act of trust.
c. Charles Swindoll proposes that the phrase “placed it among the reeds” means Jochebed didn’t send Moses floating down the Nile; she placed him exactly where she knew someone important would find him.
3. She was thoughtful in how she prepared the basket, where she released it, and the plan she enacted.
a. There are times we might think that having faith means it is wrong to plan, but Jochebed shows us that’s not the case.
b. Illustration Thoughts: The farmer doesn’t just pray for rain and lean on his plow; he prepares for the harvest while he waits for the rain.
c. Yes, we want God to direct our steps, but we still have to move.
4. Jochebed teaches us that our faith encourages us to do what we can do and then trust God to do what we .
B. – Watching & Waiting, but Always Ready (Exodus 2:4, 7-8)
1. There are times when we are called upon to and watch.
a. Miriam followed the basket from a distance, waiting to see what would happen.
b. There are seasons of life when things do not go according to plan. In those moments, we may have to wait.
c. It could be not getting into the college you wanted, grad school, the promotion, the baby you’ve been praying for, etc.
d. Regardless of how long you have to wait, you will never do so . (Psalm 25:5)
e. Sometimes God asks us to wait so that we can hear His voice more clearly.
2. Miriam also seized an opportunity to speak when the time was right.
a. There are times when we must make our heard, when God calls us to speak boldly and courageously.
b. 2 Corinthians 3:12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold…
c. 1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
d. Because Miriam spoke up, Moses was reunited with his mother and grew up understanding (at least to some degree) who he really was.
3. Like Miriam, we must learn to watch and wait, but also discern when it is time to speak.
C. Pharaoh’s – The Risk & Reward of Rescue (2:5-10)
1. You may be the answer to someone’s .
a. There may come a time when you will be in a unique position to do something that can change another person’s life.
b. Matthew 25:40 …‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
c. Esther 4:14 And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
d. In this case, one small action changed the course of history.
e. This woman saw beyond a race; she saw a child in need.
2. There are many unanswered questions about this woman’s actions. We will never know the answers to these questions, except that God’s providence was at work.
a. Because she drew him out of the water, Moses was able to lead the people of Israel through the parted Red Sea later on. Moses is positioned to grow up in a household that he will later defy.
b. Our words and actions have a more profound positively or negatively, than we might think.
3. Let’s make sure to seize the opportunities that are presented to us to do good (Galatians 6:10).
III. Conclusion
A. Famous or Not
1. We don’t need famous moms, but we do need faithful people in our lives.
2. Eventually, Moses had to choose between growing up in Pharaoh’s palace or living among his people.
3. It is likely that his mother influenced that choice to some degree.
4. Make sure you (man or woman) are seeking to be an example of faith in another person’s life.
B. Invitation