The Ransom Note - Exodus 2:1-10

Introduction

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Before we begin this morning, a quick reminder that we are asking everyone who calls Matthew’s Table home — or participates regularly in what we’re doing — to fill out an information update form. We introduced to you last month that one of the things we’re doing throughout the year is focusing on the importance of membership and how that contributes to a healthy church.

And so if you consider yourself a member — or if you’re wanting to become a member — or even if you’re somebody who attends here and you’re not interested in becoming a member — that’s okay — but we still want to have the most up-to-date information available so we know how to keep you updated in what’s happening in the life of the church.

Don’t forget the Family Meeting coming up on March 12th at 6:00 pm. That’s in place of Truth & Grace that night — and we’re going to be talking about not just some important things coming up in the life of Matthew’s Table but also what it means to be a part of the body of believers here, so we’re asking everybody to come that night — March 12th.

PRAY

Me

Did you guys know, the most shoplifted book in America is the Bible? The best-selling book of all time is also the most stolen book of all time. It’s true — you can look it up.

In fact, I know somebody who used to work at Lifeway (when they had physical stores), and she said people would sometimes come in and put a really expensive Bible in the sleeve or the box of one of the cheap ones and try to sneak it out.

There’s actually been studies into why people steal Bibles. The number one reason: so they can give them as gifts at Christmas!

And the second reason: so they can re-sell them!

So I guess, be careful — next time you get a Bible you just might be receiving stolen property!

So isn’t it ironic that the very book that says you shouldn’t steal ends up being the one stolen the most.

But that’s not the only irony I discovered this week. Here are a few others:

Experts say duct tape shouldn’t actually be used to seal ducts, because the adhesive on the tape can’t handle the temperature fluctuations of your system and eventually it’ll dry up and fail.

Q-Tips are sold in boxes that explicitly state “DO NOT USE IN THE EAR CANAL.”

And then there’s my personal favorite: The founder of Match.com encouraged everyone he knew to join it and try it out and give him feedback — including his girlfriend. And she eventually left him for a man she met on Match.com.

Isn’t it ironic?

Look, I could go on all day with these but at the risk of sounding like Alanis Morisette, I’ll stop there. Some of y’all in here are too young to even know who Alanis Morisette is, Lord help us all.

We

The point of the message today is this: one of the coolest things — I think — about how God works is that He plans things we can’t even dream of. He works things out on our behalf that we can’t even imagine:

even when we don’t see a way out of the situation we’re in

even when we don’t know how we’re going to make it through

even when it all seems hopeless,

God shows up and shows out. And the great irony of this is that despite our constant faitlessness:

no matter how many times we doubt Him,

no matter all the ways we break His heart,

in all the ways we fall short,

God is faithful. He loves us despite our rebellion:

despite the sin nature we’re born into,

despite the fact that we can never meet His standard of holiness,

despite the fact that left to our own devices, we’ll always choose — because of our brokenness — to satisfy our sin instead of grow in Him,

the great irony of our relationship with God is that He loves us despite the fact that we run from Him.

Today we’re going to look at one of the ways God’s providence and protection provides for His people.

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We’re now in Week 3 of a new sermon series called the Ransom Note. We’re walking through Exodus and we’re learning about the parallels between the Israelites who lived in the slavery of Egypt and how we are slaves to sin. Last week, Roger showed us how the faith of a few women who understood that it was more important to serve God than to serve their slave masters resulted in countless baby boys being saved. If you remember last week, in Exodus Chapter 1 verses 16 and 17, Pharaoh said:

Exodus 1:16–17 CSB

16 “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them as they deliver. If the child is a son, kill him, but if it’s a daughter, she may live.” 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.

And we saw that God was good to the midwives and the Hebrew people — allowing them to multiply and grow in number.

That is where we pick up in the story today. If you want to see divine irony at work — just look at this story.

God

Turn in your Bibles to Exodus Chapter 2. If you’re new or newer to your Bible, Exodus is the second book of the Bible. If you open it up and find Genesis, flip over and then you’ll find Exodus.

Today, we’re getting our first glimpse at who God called to be the main character in this cosmic story of the enemy’s oppression — but ultimately, God’s faithfulness and His Salvation. And here’s what I encourage you to remember: Hopeless moments don’t mean helpless faith — God is always working.

Exodus 2:1–2 CSB

1 Now a man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. 2 The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son; when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months.

Beautiful — a more accurate translation might be “healthy”, or “good”. She knew that he could live and thrive, BUT:

Remember — Pharoah was trying to kill all the baby boys, right? And so this woman had to keep him a secret.

Look at verse 3:

Exodus 2:3 CSB

3 But when she could no longer hide him, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with asphalt and pitch. She placed the child in it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.

The asphalt and pitch made the basket waterproof so this baby could survive.

Exodus 2:4 CSB

4 Then his sister stood at a distance in order to see what would happen to him.

I just cannot imagine having to give up a child like this. Our son Judah just turned two a few months ago — and when I tell you that I would commit any unknown number of felonies for that baby… I just can’t even think about the pain of what this mother had to be going through to give up her son like this, right?

And not only that, but she had to put him in the water and walk away. This verse says “his sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him”. This poor woman couldn’t even stick around to watch, because if the baby was found by the wrong people, they would immediately start looking for the mother. But a small girl wouldn’t attract much attention, and she could report back to her mother what happened.

Can you imagine what’s going through this woman’s mind as she’s putting this basket together? She’s got to be sobbing, right? Tears streaming down her face, knowing that she’s going to put this helpless baby in the basket, and pray that he ends up somewhere safe.

Can you imagine the prayer that she has to be praying while all this is going on? Begging God to protect him? And praying that he will know he is loved — and has a purpose — and hasn’t been thrown away or forgotten? Can you imagine having to be that parent? I can’t.

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you had no control? Where you had to trust God even though it didn’t make sense? Even though you didn’t know what would happen?

Exodus 2:5–6 CSB

5 Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe at the Nile while her servant girls walked along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds, sent her slave girl, took it, 6 opened it, and saw him, the child—and there he was, a little boy, crying. She felt sorry for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew boys.”

Almost seemingly by accident — who other than Pharaoh’s daughter finds this baby? But it’s not an accident. By the providence and perfect plan of God — the daughter of the vary man who decreed that every Hebrew baby boy should be murdered — is the one who finds Him. HOW IRONIC!

Not only does she find him, but she feels sorry for him. This little baby boy — crying — all alone — and probably hungry — is in this basket. Totally helpless.

What happens next? Don’t y’all ever tell me the Bible is boring. This story has got you on the edge of your seat. Is she going to follow her father’s command and kill this helpless little boy?

No, she’s going to directly violate her father’s law and she’s gonna make sure this baby is taken care of.

Exodus 2:7 CSB

7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Should I go and call a Hebrew woman who is nursing to nurse the boy for you?”

WHO!? His sister?? The baby’s sister is the one talking to the princess? “Should I go and call a Hebrew woman who is nursing to nurse the boy for you?”

What in the world is God up to here?

Who could could this little baby’s sister possibly go and call who can nurse her little brother?

Exodus 2:8 CSB

8 “Go,” Pharaoh’s daughter told her. So the girl went and called the boy’s mother.

She done went and got his momma! WON’T HE DO IT!? Don’t miss the great irony here, guys. God told this momma not to worry — He’s gonna make sure she gets to see her baby boy again.

Pharaoh’s daughter does what’s right. She stands up to injustice. And she says NOT ON MY WATCH. And this baby boy’s sister makes sure that he ends up back in the arms of his mother. Take a look:

Exodus 2:9 CSB

9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the boy and nursed him.

Here we go — look at God working here. She gets to raise her son after all.

Look at where we started — she’s putting this baby in a basket — knowing she’s probably never going to see him again — and then a short time later, she gets reunited with her son. It’s crazy!

But this isn’t just a story about some random baby. Here’s the climax of the story. Here’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Why is this story important?

Exodus 2:10 CSB

10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

MOSES!? It’s Moses? We know that guy! He’s the one who’s gonna lead his people out of slavery right!?

Let’s not miss the irony here; God certainly has a sense of humor. For Pharaoh, the Hebrew boy — who his daughter saved, is adopted into his family, and then raised in his household — he’ll be the one who will ultimately lead to Pharaoh’s downfall.

Won’t He do it?

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You

Here’s what I want you to walk away with today: even in those moments where things feel hopeless — God is faithful.

It may feel impossible.

It may seem like all hope is lost.

It might seem like you’re having to figure this out alone.

But this account shows us that God is always working on our behalf. And His plans are always perfect.

Moses’ mom — she’s reunited with her baby. A few minutes ago we weren’t sure if she’d ever see him again — or if he’d ever even survive. But God used her courageous act of saving and hiding her baby to begin His plan to rescue His people from Egypt. See — what we’ve got to understand is that God doesn’t need much from us to accomplish His plan in our lives, right? He’s just asking for a little faith.

The author of Hebrews tells us exactly what faith is:

Hebrews 11:1 CSB

1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.

And in 2nd Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 5:7 CSB

7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.

But when we focus on our human limitations — on only what we can see, we can miss what God has for us. We get paralyzed in our own human predicament because our situation seems humanly impossible. That’s the thing — many times it is humanly impossible.

The good news for you today is that if you find yourself being paralyzed in this place of feeling like the mountain standing in front of you is impossible to overcome, you’re not alone. Jesus’ own disciples struggled here too. When they wanted to know why they couldn’t heal a demon possessed man, look at what Jesus said:

Matthew 17:20 CSB

20 “Because of your little faith,” he told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Talk about faith that moves mountains — look at Moses’ mom here! She made the impossible decision to give up her baby boy. But concentrating on God and His power will help us see the way out. Now hear me — this doesn’t mean things will always work out the way we want them to — but they will always work out for God’s glory.

Right now it may feel like you can’t see through your troubles. But believer in the room — realize that God is present with you — and trust Him for the way out. That’s all He’s looking for to begin working in you.

We

So how do we get this faith? How do we grow in this? It’s through hearing the truth of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 10:17 —

Romans 10:17 CSB

17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

And here’s why this is important: this faith we receive isn’t just for us. Through faith — God gives us the ability to stand up for what’s right — to do what He calls us to do — to build His Kingdom. This passage shows us three people who had the faith to stand up for what’s right in the face of authority and culture — demanding they bend the knee to Satan’s plan. Last week Roger talked about spiritual warfare and how we’re called to stand against it. Standing against spiritual warfare calls us to be spiritually aware — and being spiritual aware means that we stand up for what’s right — even when it’s not popular.

Pharaoh commanded that every Hebrew baby boy be killed.

Moses’ mother defied that decree and protected him for as long as she could. And when she kept him for as long as was possible — she trusted God in the unthinkable. Giving up her son, having faith that God would protect her son.

Moses’s sister takes the initiative to suggest a nurse to care for the baby — reunited him with his mother. The Bible doesn’t say if she was afraid to approach the princess — or if the princess was suspicious of the Hebrew girl. But think about the faith it took for this young Hebrew slave girl to go up and talk to Pharaoh’s daughter. But she did approach the princess — and her faith allowed her family to be reunited.

And then Pharaoh’s daughter herself was instrumental in adopting the baby boy who would eventually bring his enslaved people to freedom.

As Christians — we are called to stand up to injustice. To stand up for what’s right. To stand up for the truth.

What would it look like if we all lived this out together? What would it look like if we followed in the path of these three women? Pharaoh’s daughter stood up to the injustice and wickedness by adopting Moses — and she defied her father’s corrupt law and his genocide of the Hebrew people. That same power lives within us. And we experience it through faith.

That’s why we are holding/held baby dedications today. Because parents who are followers of Christ are standing up saying they’re not going to bow to culture, but that they’re going to raise up their children to serve God and to be a part of the local church. Just like Moses’ mother — they’ve committed to doing what’s right by their children, even if it’s not popular.

All of Redemptive History is the narrative of people standing up and refusing to bow down to Satan’s attempts to thwart God’s plan. People who — by faith — are willing to say not on my watch. And from the time that sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden until the end of time in the Book of Revelation — God’s plan is for His children to take a stand — to be bold — and to declare that even though they may not understand how it’s going to end, they are placing their faith in the one Who does.

This faith is all for a purpose. And ultimately, that’s the point of this story today. Moses is what we call a type of Christ. Meaning his story is one that points to the coming Christ. He is given up — sacrificed — to rescue his people from slavery. He’s the main character in the this part of God’s Ransom Note — the one who would overcome and lead his people to salvation.

Just like Moses was placed into the hands of the very system meant to destroy him, Jesus was given over to sinful humanity — yet both would ultimately be God’s instruments of Salvation.

Moses’ mother — you have to imagine she and Mary — the mother of Jesus — experienced some of the same emotions. She is watching her son — who she loves — be sacrificed up for the salvation of His people. And like Moses’ mother — Mary will too get to see Jesus again. God uses these “types of Christ” throughout Scripture to point us to the truth and the great climax of the whole Biblical narrative: that God would sacrifice His own Son so that we can experience freedom through a relationship with Him and the promise of eternity with Him.

WORSHIP TEAM COME UP

Call to Repentance

The great irony of the Christian life is that we deserve nothing be Hell — and yet God saved us. Meanwhile, Jesus was the only person to ever live a totally perfect and sinless life, and God sacrificed Him — for us. Talk about Irony! God is faithful, despite our faithlessness. We see the proof of this in the Book of Romans:

Romans 5:20–21 CSB

20 The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

If you’re struggling here today, let this bring you hope that you’re not too far away for God to be able to reach you.

You haven’t messed up too much.

You haven’t sinned too much.

You haven’t walked too far away that He can’t get back to you.

What is the one thing in your life right now that feels impossible? Where is God calling you to step forward in faith, even though you can’t see the outcome?

This passage today — Exodus Chapter 2. It’s an origin story. It’s Moses’ origin story. It’s the story of how God put the plan in motion that would ultimately save His people — how He would bring them to this place of deliverance — how He would bring them to this place of hope.

This can be your origin story, too. Maybe you’re in this place today where you know God is calling you to have just a little faith — to take a small step.

If you’re feeling stuck — if you’re struggling to see how God is moving — don’t leave here without making a decision to trust Him.

Even when it feels like this giant is standing in front of you, and you don’t know how you’re gonna make it — God is surrounding you with the promise that He will work it out on your behalf — and He’ll work it out for His glory. He is fighting your battles for you.

The irony of faith is that when we think we’re alone — we’re actually surrounded. When we think we’ve lost, God is still winning. And when we think there’s no way forward, He’s already making a way.

It may look like you’re surrounded — but Christian, find hope: you’re surrounded by Him. Let’s worship.