We are about to hear a story that unfortunately is all too familiar to humanity, full of cruelty and brutality. A leader of a wealthy nation feels threatened. In his fear he becomes a tyrant. Forgetting history he forces a people that his forefathers had welcomed into slavery, then issues a command to kill all male babies born to Israel, generally the first slippery slope step towards genocide.

It is also a story that unfortunately is not familiar enough to humanity. Powerless people, full of respect for a sacred God – and sacred life – refuse to take part in this death and destruction. This unleashes God’s enduring power of creativity that works in sync with humanity that chooses the blessing of life over death.

Hence our Sermon Title: “It’s up to God… and us.”

It has been 400 years since we heard from Jacob’s son Joseph – the one who had been sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. But as Joseph put is so eloquently, to his brothers and their families, whom he saved from starvation during a time a famine, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” Joseph forgives his brothers inviting them all to live with him in Egypt, where because of his status; the Hebrew tribes enjoy the privilege of being honored guests.

We pick of the story some 400 years later. There is tension in Egypt. Peace in the land has been elusive. Foreigners had occupied the eastern part of empire for a time, forcing Egypt to take war-like stance. Captured invaders were forced in labor camps. Joseph and all of his brothers and that whole generation that had made peace with the Egyptian Pharaoh during the time of famine have died. But Jacob’s original family of “seventy” has grown astronomically– Egypt is literally full of Israelites.

As the pick up the story now Exodus 1:8, I invite you to stand for the reading of God’s word.

*SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 1:8 – 22
8Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. 10Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. 12But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. 13The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, 14and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them. 15The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16“When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” 17But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. 18So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” 19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”
20So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.”

Scripture Reading: Exodus 2:1-10
1Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. 2The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. 3When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. 4His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.
5The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. 6When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. 7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. 10When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

SERMON: Rev. Paul Seebeck “It’s up to God…and us”
I’m curious, how many of you are familiar with the story we just heard? (show of hands)

• Scholars say this is probably the most familiar story in the Old Testament

What do love most about this story?

• The intrigue, the suspense, the irony, the human compassion, the happy ending?

Anybody?

New King did not know Joseph

There’s so much to take delight in – in this story starting right in verse 8. The new king did not know Joseph. Notice that even though new King represents all power, he is nameless, and lacks a relationship the other’s history that is present to him. This of course, always leads to fear – real and imagined – which leads to oppression and slavery of children of God.

The more they are oppressed, the more they multiply, and the more they spread out, the deeper and greater the dread of those doing the oppressing, for those who they were oppressing. Quite a vicious cycle isn’t it? Is there some sort of ancient spiritual principle in play here that we might listen for in a time such as this? Sobering to consider isn’t it, the more one is oppressed, the more of a perceived threat they become.

Two Hebrew midwives
Then there are these two Hebrew midwives. Pharaoh comes to them, almost stealth like if you will. He will quietly introduce his plan of genocide to these women who are on the front lines of birthing Israel’s children. Notice that these two women have names! Shiphrah and Puah. The almost powerful Pharaoh remains unnamed. Almost as if the author is saying, “In salvation history, those who choose blessing of life will be remembered, long after those who choose death and destruction are long forgotten about.” There is such great irony here, even in this unnamed powerful Pharaoh commanding these two midwives to kill all of the boys born to Israel. Does he not know that in time, by killing all the males, he will deplete his slave-labor force? Or is it unchecked or uncontrolled fear that is to blame for such a shortsighted decision that will be disastrous in the long run? Eventually his own sons will die as a result of his policy.

Do you want I love most about these women? They refused to be controlled or captivated by fear of their potential death and destruction. Instead because they fear God – they act in a manner that is worthy of their profession – the value the sacredness of life, and will continue to do what they can to bring physical life into the world.

It’s interesting to me that this story doesn’t really mention God at work to save his people from death and destruction. What we’re told is these midwives act in way that eventually brings about the liberation of their own people. What we’re told about God is this – God responds to their actions.
Because these women chose life instead of death and destruction, they are given more life, families of their own, and they continue to gain strength.

God’s all enduring creative power doesn’t seem to present in these until these women act. Then God seems works in sync with them, certainly not without them, and certainly in response to their actions.

When confronted by Pharaoh for their disobedience the women make up one of the most creative, funny, outlandish lies in all of scripture – these women are not like the Egyptians – they are so strong that we can’t get there on time to assist in delivery; they just pop these babies out on their own! Amazingly Pharaoh buys it!!!

Now Pharaoh is ready to go public, as he orders all of his people to kill every Israel boy born by throwing him into the Nile. Again the irony is superb here, for it is the Nile where eventually Pharaoh’s successor and his all powerful will meet their end, drowning in the very river where the powerless baby Moses was saved.

The Other Women
This leads us to the decisions of other women in this story. Perhaps I should’ve title this sermon: “It’s up to God… and the women.” Remarkable though isn’t it, the courage these women have, in the midst of this kind of tyranny and oppression and threatened genocide.

The mother of Moses seeing that he is a fine baby hides him for 3-months. I love how scripture doesn’t sugar coat it. Her motivation was very pragmatic – she likes what she sees, what might she have done if she had seen that he was not such a fine looking baby, in midst of this kind of tyranny and oppression and threatened genocide?

When she can hide him no longer this mother sends him down the river. I can’t even imagine, this mother’s pain, protecting this fine child and then realizing she can’t do it any longer.
And now it is his sister’s turn to get into the eventual liberation, and salvation story of Israel delivered from its oppressor.

She stands on the banks watching to see what would happen, what she sees is Pharaoh’s daughter taking pity on the crying baby – sending her maid to get it “it must be the son of the Hebrews.” Pharaoh’s own daughter is now in the salvation act!

Face to face with this Hebrew sister, face to face with her sister, she hears, “Shall I get you a nurse?” “Yes” I too am choosing life; I will not follow my father’s wishes for death and destruction.

So the best baby sitter in the world calls the mother of Moses, and Pharaoh’s daughter says to this mother who had just given her child away, “take him and nurse him and I will give you wages.” Now that is one happy ending! On Pharaoh’s payroll to nurse her own fine child.

Eventually the mother of Moses gives him back to Pharaoh’s daughter who takes Moses as her son.

The Hebrew Midwives. The Mother of Moses. The sister of Moses. Pharaoh’s daughter. Which of these women are responsible for saving Moses? Which of these women are responsible for the eventual liberation of Israel from their oppression, tyranny and threatened genocide?

How is God asking you to respond to this delightful story?

Act and watch God’s enduring creative power work in sync with you, and be amazed at whose salvation story you become a part of

• when you refuse to participate in death and destruction,
• when you say no to fear,
• when you say yes to life.

It’s up to God… and us. It’s up to us… and God.