Sunday Worship Service July 16,2023

Call to Worship Acts 5:31
Hymn JBC # 91 God is love, His mercy brightens
The Lord’s Prayer
Offering
Scripture Exodus 1:15~22
Prayer
Sermon “Strengthened by the grace of God”
https://youtu.be/uBepXtu0spw
Prayer
Hymn JBC #552 Day by day
Doxology JBC # 671
Benedction

　The bible passage that is given to us today is the latter part of chapter 1 of [the book of Exodus] in the Old Testament. In today’s passage, the king of Egypt and two Hebrew (Israelites) midwives appear.
A powerful king in the kingdom of ancient Egypt and two midwives in the nation that was oppressed as slaves in Egypt. Today, let us also listen together to God’s message through the bible story concerning these people.
The Israelites left the land of Canaan and began to live in Egypt. The first generation (generation of Jacob and his children) when they moved had come to an end, and the new generation of Israelites after several generations had greatly grown in number.

Since their number has greatly multiplied, the king of Egypt who saw it feared [If the Israelites multiply more than this, they might join our enemies when war arises], hence, they oppressed the Israelites, imposed them harsh labor and tried to strip of their strength.
Since it is said that they imposed them harsh labor fearing that the number of the Israelites will multiply, indeed, they must have “made the Israelites work to come to their end (die)”. However, the more they did such, the more the Israelites spread abroad.
The fact that the Israelites “spread abroad” (chap.1:12) is not just that the number of people increased, but I think it may also mean that “the growth of their faith and their trust on the Lord God was strengthened all the more through trial”.
Trial and suffering strengthen a person’s faith. It is one thing that the bible conveys. The fact that trial and suffering strengthen a person, is probably told even in common teachings besides Christianity.

However, this “trial strengthens a person” that the bible conveys, is that man is made known of God’s love through trial and suffering, therefore, a person can become strong.
It is because we come to know the Lord God who is with us even amidst suffering, and we are strengthened by trusting Him.

In James 1:12 of the New Testament is written as follows.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
To persevere under trial is to be confident that “God protects me, that He is with me” amidst trial and suffering, and by gaining such trust in God, we will also learn to love Him.

Through the confidence that we are protected by God’s hands, sustained and helped by Him, I believe that we can also learn to have love and gratitude to God, and “concern, gentleness, consideration and love towards other people besides our self”.
God’s love is the driving force of our real strength. Through God’s word and teachings that the bible conveys, and through prayers and guidance of the Holy Spirit, I hope that we abundantly receive the love of God which is the true driving force of our strength.
The Egyptian king (Pharaoh) must have been upset and furious for although imposed with harsh labor, the number of Israelites increases rather than decreases.

The Egyptian king made the following order to the two Hebrew midwives.
16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”
If he was a judicious (having good and wise judgment) powerful person (ruler), he would not get angry if it doesn’t go as he planned, for he must have sensed that his own idea or thought might have been wrong. (At least he must have realized that possibility.)

However, the Egyptian king was deceived by that great power, and he might not have considered that “he would commit mistake” and others.
Could it be that he was captivated by that position, the illusion and arrogance of [What I the king plan to do is all right].

But the possibility to think as such is also in us. I believe that while we live, there are many things that don’t work as we plan. It is common to us that what we desire or think of doesn’t work out.
At times like that, let us once calmly look back, examine, reflect on our own thoughts or ideas, and as we also ask for other people’s opinion, let us endeavor to find a better way, and if we realized our own mistake, I would like us to have the courage to correct it.
Since the Hebrews’ (racial way to call the Israelites) strength could not be weakened by imposing harsh labor, the Egyptian king had thought to take their life the moment they were born.

We may consider that the king’s faint conscience as a human being is demonstrated in his order [If it is a girl, let her live] However, in here is indicated man’s sinfulness of the thought [I want to make things I dislike disappear].
In [the book of Genesis], prior to [the book of Exodus] is written a tragedy that happened between Cain and Abel who were the sons of Adam and Eve that were first human beings created by God, where the furious older brother Cain kills his younger brother Abel.
The reason why the older brother Cain was furious is that God had regard for Abel’s offering, but He had no regard for Cain’s offering (Genesis 4:4～5)

It is thought that God had regard for the younger brother Abel’s offering because he offered to God the best thing, but Cain’s offering was not considered the best before God.
However, with heightened mixed-up emotion of rage, envy and indignation against that matter, Cain finally killed Abel.
When our human thoughts or emotions are led to a wrong direction, an extremely grave warning of how dreadful sin we commit is contained in that story.
From the figure of Cain and the Egyptian king of today’s passage, let us be aware of the nature of sin that we ourselves have, admit it and ask for God’s forgiveness, and remember that such a sin was forgiven through the compensation of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, and be sincerely grateful.

The two midwives that were ordered by the king did not obey what he said. In verse 17 is written as follows.
17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.
They, the two midwives feared God. What does it mean to fear God?
To teach His disciples [Do not fear man but fear God], Jesus said as follows.

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
“Those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” refers to human being.

Speaking of today’s bible passage, it is exactly like the Egyptian king who was driven by his thoughts to completely wipe out one nation by that powerful right. Jesus says not to fear even such a person.
It is because the One that we should truly fear, in a real sense, the One who rules the foundation of our life, and if He wills, the One who can destroy both our body and soul in hell is the Lord God alone.
And the bible conveys that God Himself who holds solely such authority was born to the world in the form of Jesus Christ, carried by Himself the punishment of sin that we must shoulder, was crucified and died.
That is the gospel. When we truly believe that gospel and live, like the midwives in today’s passage, we can also live not being afraid of man (no matter how much powerful that person is) but afraid of God.

Not being afraid of man is of course not being thoughtless of other people or disregarding them. Rather, faith that does not fear man but fears the true God turns us to people that accepts each other and considerate to one another.
Let us look once again on what the two midwives told the Egyptian king in today’s passage.

In verse 18, the Egyptian king asks them “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

And in verse 19, the midwives answer as follows.
“Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”
This midwives’ response seemingly even to contain humor that even sounds like making a fun of people.
However, it was revealed to me that this response of the midwives is one that is based on wisdom given from God at that moment, moreover, words that also contain God’s love.

　This remark [Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive] demonstrates that [the life of a man is all in the hands of God]
It is an expression of faith that [Life and death of people, meaning human life should not be influenced by human hands. Our life is created by God and in His hands.]
The Egyptian king had a great power that he was terrifyingly conceited “If I wish for it and just command, even the extermination of a nation is possible”.
God gives His commandment through the words of the Hebrew midwife against such a sin that man can commit.
God, with patience and love makes the Egyptian king understand through the words of the Hebrew midwives the “the preciousness of human life” and that “the life of all people is protected by the hands of God”.

　If at this time, these two midwives obeyed the words of the Egyptian king, the Jewish nation might have been cut off. And after that, the history of Israel also the history that was written in the bible would have been all gone.
However, through these two midwives Shiphrah and Puah (Its meaning is, Shiphrah” beautiful”, Puah “shine”), the entire nation of Israel was saved.
To be precise, the heart and faith of these two midwives were strengthened and used through God’s grace, and in due time has continued to the history of salvation that interrelates with the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Even us now are protected by God who has blessed and strengthened the midwives. God’s grace strengthens us.
Let us look up to the Lord God who strengthens our faith by His grace even amidst trial (through trial) and let us also walk the life of faith as we give thanks to Him.