This sermon was preached on the weekend of July 4th, when our minds are on patriotic things. it is also a time when our nation is struggling to figure out to tells its story. As we listen to people, we discover that there are very different experiences of life in the United States and in what parts of history should be lifted up at this time.
I have never preached on Shiphrah and Puah. Our Associate Pastor had told me a few years ago what a great story this was, so I have been looking forward to preaching it until the right moment. I put it on this particular weekend because of their connection to civil disobedience, which connects with our country's long history of civil disobedience that goes back even before the Declaration of Independence.
“Midwives to a Nation” June 28, 2020; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Denton; Exodus 1: 8-22; Matthew 10: 16-23 Richard B. Culp
Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. 10 Come, 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.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. 13 The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, 14 and 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.
15 The 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.” 17 But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” 19 The 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.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews[a] you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.”
Introduction: A I mentioned in this week’s Shield, one of my Fourth of July rituals is to watch the DVD or listen to the CD of the musical “1776,” which puts to song the story of the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
In the song, “The Egg,” Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, part of the committee assigned to write the Declaration of Independence, - describe themselves as “midwives to the birth of a nation.” As they defy the King of England and pen the words of the Declaration of Independence, they give birth to the nation the United States of America.
In Exodus today, we read about real midwives who literally assist in giving birth to save a nation, or create a future for a nation. not just any nation, but the nation that will be known as Israel, the special nation God has called into relationship to be a light in the world.
I invite you to reflect with me on the story of these two midwives.
Move 1: We see these midwives as people who act out of their faith in the moment.
a. We know their names - Shiphrah and Puah (well, maybe you did not know their names until today, but you know them now!)
1. The biblical story shares their names with us, although ironically, we do not know the name of Pharaoh, the most powerful authority in that part of world.
2. I suspect Pharaoh does not know Shiphrah and Puah by name.
3. It fact, Pharaoh barely sees them.
4. They are just two more people, well, probably in his mind, not even people;
they are just two more slaves; and slave women at that; and on top of that slave women with no family.
4. Pharaoh is at the top fo the ladder - he has all the power and all the control
5. Shiphrah and Puah are so many rungs down the ladder, Pharaoh can hardly see them, much less know their names.
b. they may go unnoticed by Pharaoh, but the Israelite men have not.
1. the ones whose ancestors had come to Egypt to be saved from famine because Joseph, at the time, was a key official in the former Pharaoh’s government.
2. This new Pharaoh comes to power and he does not remember Joseph; he does not remember why the Israelites are there in Egypt. but he does notice that the enslaved Israelite slave men are multiplying.
3. Becoming a threat to Pharaoh and his control of Egypt.
4. So Pharaoh has a plan A - work the slaves so hard they be too tired to multiply.
c. When that does not work Pharaoh goes to Plan B - stop the birth of baby boys among the Israelite slaves.
1. Plan B, which is in direct contrast to God’s plan for a future for Israel.
2. Will Pharaoh’s desire to limit, control, hinder Israel carry the day, or will God’s desire for Israel to be a strong nation, a light to the world prevail.
d. As the story unfolds, it hinges on the actions of Shiphrah and Puah, two seemingly unimportant midwives doing their job.
1. I doubt they were looking to be main players in the struggle between Pharaoh’s desire and God’s desire.
2. But their actions will shift the balance of power to God.
3. Not that they doing anything more than they would have done otherwise.
4. they just do their job, although they do their job knowing Pharaoh wants them to do something else.
2. But their normal routine, their willingness to just do what they do, allows God’s presence to be felt and God’s future for Israel to unfold.
3. Each screaming baby boy born gives proof to the God who is still among them.
4. Each baby who moves from the birthing stones to life among the people reveals God’s future.
5. The lead character in Craig Barnes’ novel notes, “God is mostly impressed by routine acts of faithfulness.” (Diary of pastor’s Soul, 30)
6. The routine actions of Shiphrah and Puah give birth to God’s future.
7. If you ever wonder if just doing your thing, living out your faith in your job, in your neighborhood, in your family matters, remember Shiphrah and Puah, who play a critical role in God’s plan for Israel by simply doing their jobs.
Move 2: Of course, Shiphrah and Puah had to do their jobs and deal with Pharaoh - no easy task.
a. Jesus tells his disciples, “See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
1. he could have posted Shiphrah and Puah’s faces on the poster for this instruction.
2. They disobey Pharaoh to allow the Hebrew baby boys to live, but they wisely do not confront Pharaoh directly.
3. Shiphrah and Puah do not choose to make their actions a dramatic moment of martyrdom by telling Pharaoh - “we did not kill the babies because God told us not do, so we refused your orders.”
4. Instead, they wisely give Pharaoh a plausible excuse when Pharaoh calls them in to ask why they are not killing the Israelite baby boys.
5. they make up a story. Not just any story, but a story that probably builds on Pharaoh’s own biases about Israelite women - they are so vigorous, they deliver their babies before we are there and able to kill them.
6. The wisdom of Shiphrah and Puah keep the sheep safe from the wolf.
b. Charles Haley (the professor of OT theology at Princeton, not the former Cowboy defensive lineman) describes the actions of Shiphrah and Puah like this: the Bible's first act of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance for the sake of justice, the midwives refuse to obey Pharaoh's deathly command. They lie to the authorities, breaking the law for the sake of justice and life. They explain to Pharaoh with their fingers crossed and a wink in their eye, the Hebrew women just give birth too quickly before we can get there! (Dennis Olson
Charles T. Haley Professor of Old Testament Theology
Princeton Theological Seminary, http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=131)
1. Yesterday, we celebrated our own nation’s history that began with civil disobedience as patriots threw tea into the Boston harbor. A more direct action against power, but not all out war.
2. An action followed up by many words describing and demanding the call for independence.
3. Our history as a nation is full of instances of civil disobedience.
4. part of the greatness of our nation rests on our willingness to for people to speak truth to power and for wisdom to prevail instead of conflict.
5. Admittedly, we are also a nation that has known armed conflict, but way of Shiphrah and Puah invites us to consider how we can engage in actions that reveal wisdom and innocence.
c. Let’s face it - it is hard to be a disciple sometimes.
1. How do we act as we hear people plea for justice?
2. how do we move forward in ways that create space for all of us to be at peace with one another?
3. how do we right the wrongs that we see around us?
4. As we live in a time now when we as a nation are struggling to figure out our future and how best to move forward, my ongoing prayer for us is that we might wise as serpents and innocent as doves as we move forward together into the future God has for us.
Move 3: Final thought - when we look at Shiphrah and Puah, we see two women who choose compassion over fear.
a. Much of the biblical story has been ruled by fear.
1. Cain fears God loves his brother more than God loves him, so he kills his brother.
2. Jacob fears his brother Esau’s wrath, so he flees his homeland and then fearfully returns.
3. Joseph’s brothers fear his dreams and their father’s love for Joseph, so they sell him into slavery, which is how Joseph and then his family, known as Israel, gets to Egypt in the first place.
4. Now Pharaoh fears the Israelites and fears losing control and power.
5. Shiphrah and Puah ought to fear for their lives, and probably do fear for their lives, as they are sent out by Pharaoh to kill Hebrew baby boys.
b. But Shiphrah and Puah's fear of God overrules their fear of Pharaoh.
1. Understand the play on fear in the story - Pharaoh fears losing power and control; Pharaoh imposes the fear of losing their lives on Shiphrah and Puah; but they fear God, which is recognizing how awesome God is, wanting to be faithful to God.
2. Fear of God that calls us to act out in faith and compassion; fear of God that calls us to act out in faith and compassion.
3. I am reminded of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s words in his first inaugural speech.
4. Our nation was in the grips of the Great Depression. The future seemed uncertain and at risk.
5. President Roosevelt responded to the crisis with these words: So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_inauguration_of_Franklin_D._Roosevelt#Inaugural_address)
c . Shiphrah and Puah do not give in to their fear of Pharaoh and instead act with compassion to save lives.will choose compassion over fear.
1. We live in a world where fear raises it ugly head again and again.
2. Pick your favorite thing to fear - a pandemic
change?
those others who are different than we are?
the unknown future?
3. This week I read about the rise in mental health issues and drug overdoses during this time of pandemic and upheaval - fear taking its toll on human lives.
4. As we face those fears, remember the witness of Shiphrah and Puah, who knew the fear of Pharaoh’s threats, and chose to act with compassion as they lived out their calling as God’s people.
Conclusion: The God who finds in the midst of our fear, the God who has a future in mind for us, this God calls us to be people of compassion.
No comments:
Post a Comment