Pastor Sherry’s message for 8/27/23

Scriptures: Ex 1:1-2:10; Ps 124; Romans 12:1-8; Matt 16:13-20

I attended 4th grade in NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana). My dad was in the navy and we were stationed there for two years. My teacher was a sweet, pretty young woman, newly married. I can’t remember her name but I do remember that she exercised no classroom control. The boys in particular behaved very badly and she could not get them to shape up. They neither listened to nor respected her. The ceiling of our classroom was covered with their spit-balls. Normally, as an Adams, I was assigned a front row seat. But to avoid having sloppy, germy spit balls hit my face, neck, shoulders, or arms, I asked to be allowed to sit in the back row. I really learned to hate school that year.

From the vantage point of having taught high school and college classes for years now, I suspect this woman started off too soft, too friendly. We teachers are trained to start out “tough” or “strict” and then to loosen up control once the class has learned to be respectful and cooperative. You cannot start off lax and then tighten up later. Such a move causes resentment. She was so frustrated that she often punished the whole class—also not an effective move—by making us copy down dictionary definitions of dozens of words. She left at the half year point. I now suspect she “escaped” into a convenient pregnancy.

She was replaced by a retired Marine drill sergeant named Mr. Sterling (notice, I have remembered his name). He was tall and fit and tolerated no nonsense. Anyone who acted out was dealt with immediately and firmly. They might have to sit on an invisible bench—something you could not require of a kid now—or memorize the teen times tables. Mr. Sterling got those bad boys into order in no time. Because of him, our classroom grew to be safe again. He eliminated flying spit balls and group punishment—what a relief, on both counts. And if the class was good, he would tell us another installment of an exciting story, ending each day in a cliffhanger to be continued tomorrow, if we were cooperative. Looking back, it’s obvious that he was a wise man and a good teacher. He seriously became my hero.

We need and long for heroes to rescue us from painful circumstances, even death, and to help us become more than we might ever expect. If you’ve lived through a near death experience and a rescue, you know such an experience impacts your life in lasting ways.

A. In our Old Testament lesson today, we encounter 3 heroes:

First we have the very brave ladies who led the corps of Hebrew midwives, Shiphora (whose name means beauty) and Puah (splendor). We are told that a new pharaoh (coming some 200-250 years after Joseph’s administration) had not heard of Joseph and what he had done for Egypt. Additionally, this ruler was very worried about how numerous the Jews had become. As herdsmen, the Israelites had been left alone to multiply their numbers in the fertile delta region. (Egyptians avoided herders and herd animals, regarding them as “unclean” and uncouth.) God had foretold to Jacob in Genesis 46:3–Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt for I will make you into a great nation. So, the phenomenal growth of the Israelite people while sojourning in Egypt is the outworking of this promise. This Pharaoh, however, viewed them as a threat to Egyptian security.

He could have released them to return to the Promised Land, but decided instead to enslave them. This would eliminate any threat and Egypt could benefit from their free, hard labor. Israelite labor built 2 treasury cities of bricks. We know from modern philosophy that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Pharaoh first provided them with straw to make their building bricks—straw was the binding agent necessary to help the bricks remain firm. But later, to hopefully reduce their numbers, Pharaoh made them locate their own straw, while keeping their quotas the same. We would call this today “management by intimidation” or “management by spreadsheet.” Nevertheless, the Israelites continued to multiply, as if Egypt were a giant hatchery or incubator for them.

Pharaoh then instituted an edict that male babies born to Hebrew women were to be euthanized just after birth. The midwives were to kill all newborn males. But Puah and Shiphora revered God, the God of life, and refused to obey Pharaoh’s commands. When Pharaoh noted his male enfant genocide edict was not being enforced, he demanded to know why. The ladies fabricated the excuse that Hebrew women were so resilient that they gave birth, on their own, before the midwives could even arrive. Much like King Herod would later have his troops do to toddlers who could have been Jesus, Pharaoh had his troops throw male Hebrew babies into the Nile. Psalm 124:6 says—Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth….This could very likely refer to the teeth of Nile crocodiles who would feed on these poor infants. How cruel! Satan was working hard, even this early in Jesus’ lineage, to prevent Christ’s birth. These two midwives were truly heroes (heroines)!

Now enters our next hero, Moses. He was born to the Levite couple, Amram and Jocebed. Jocebed hides him for 3 months. Then, probably fearing he’d be heard crying and discovered by Pharaoh’s soldiers, she places him in a water-tight basket and floats him on the Nile with prayer. She also sends his older sister, Miriam, to keep watch. Miriam sees Pharaoh’s childless daughter draw Moses out of the river. As our God would have it, Miriam and Pharaoh’s daughter just happen along at the opportune time. Sister helpfully offers to find a Hebrew slave to nurse the baby—none other than her and his mother! Don’t ever think God lacks a sense of humor, or of justice. In an amazing turn of events, Jocebed, the slave, is paid to feed her own rescued son! We know, from this side of the Cross, that Moses, whose name means draw out or brought out, would be used by God to bring or draw out His Chosen People from slavery in Egypt. Moses goes on to become the hero of the Exodus.

B. Finally, in our Gospel lesson (Matthew 16:13-20) we have the greatest hero of all, Jesus! Jesus leads His disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a Roman resort town about 2 day’s walk north of Capernaum. He asks them what people make of Him, (v.13)—Who do people say the Son of Man [the title Jesus used to refer to Himself] is. People aren’t sure. Some say He’s His cousin, John the Baptist, back from the grave; others say He’s Elijah; still others believe He is a prophet like Jeremiah. These are all famous prophets.

But then He asks them, knowing they have been with Him for 2.5 years, (v.15)—But what about you? Who do you say I am? They have the most experience with Him. They should be able to say. Impulsive Peter accurately pipes up, You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus commends him for having heard that from the Holy Spirit. We know, again from this side of the Cross, that Jesus Christ is the long awaited Messiah. He has rescued us from the penalty for our sins and from everlasting punishment in hell. He is truly our hero!

Why search for and honor heroes? First, they provide us with examples who give us hope. They help us to see that people can behave bravely or in the interests not just of self, but altruistically, in the interest of others (love one another). They teach us that we can rise above our usual self-focused behavior. They encourage us to be brave and to do the right thing, even if it threatens our own life. Secondly—or perhaps even more important—they rescue us from dire circumstances. The two leaders of the midwives, Puah and Shiphora, were used by God to save many male Hebrew babies. Moses, born to Hebrew slaves, ends up being nurtured and educated under Pharaoh’s own nose then used by God to free His people. Jesus asks the disciples, Who do the people say the Son of Man is? We want and need a hero. We know that Jesus is our Redeemer, our Savior; our Divine Rescuer. He has paid the penalty for our sins. Like Mr. Sterling, He will establish order and peace in His Second Coming. We owe Him our love, our thanks, our praise! He is our Hero!

Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia, Alleluia!

*Please be sure you are prepared for Hurricane Idalia and pray the Lord diminishes its strength before it hits any Florida community. Blessings and peace! *

©️2023 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams