E X O D U S: Midwives

We gather around Exodus and remember that God intends to dwell with us. We see the same promise repeated from Genesis to Revelation that God will be our God and we will be his people. We watch a new pharaoh try to erase that promise by imposing three plans to control and destroy the people God promised to bless. First the empire forces the Israelites into brutal labor. When labor fails to stop their growth, the state tries to control births through midwives. When that fails, the regime turns to outright slaughter.

We notice the naming of Shiphrah and Puah. The story gives them names because their refusal matters. They fear God more than the king and quietly disobey. They answer with courage and creativity, and their small acts preserve the future that God pledged to Abraham. The narrative teaches that halting injustice is necessary but incomplete. God’s aim stretches beyond ending oppression to restoring shalom, a full flourishing of right relationships between God, humans, and creation. True restoration requires a kingdom ordered under God where serving a good master becomes the path to flourishing.

This text reframes what effective change looks like. Small faithful acts done with integrity often carry the hinge of history. Civil disobedience done for God and neighbor can break cycles of empire. The midwives do not lead a revolution, but they perform their roles with excellence and conviction and so birth a people who will become a nation. That pattern calls us to examine our own calling. We may not be the ones who remake the whole system at once. We can be those who midwife new life through consistent, courageous, and creative faithfulness. When we gather at the table we remember Jesus and recommit to living in his kingdom. We ask for the courage to do the small things that, in God’s hands, accumulate into transformation far beyond our imagining.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Small acts shape God’s story Small, consistent faithfulness often carries the turning points of God’s work. The midwives did not orchestrate a national strategy but they preserved the future by doing their job with conviction. Our ordinary acts done for God can become the hinge that advances God’s promises. Let us revalue the small faithful tasks we can sustain over years. [24:19]
• 2. Fear God, resist unjust commands Obedience to God sometimes requires refusing commands from powerful authorities. Shiphrah and Puah feared God and chose life for the infants over royal decree. Civil disobedience done with moral clarity and creative wisdom can protect the vulnerable and witness to a higher loyalty. We must learn prudent, sacrificial ways to say no to evil. [18:39]
• 3. Shalom is more than justice Ending oppression is not the end goal. Shalom envisions restored relationships between God, people, and creation where thriving replaces exploitation. Justice removes barriers, while shalom cultivates the conditions for flourishing across every area of life. Our work must aim for both repair and renewal. [14:27]
• 4. Serve under God’s right authority God intends for human life to flourish within a divine order where serving God guides how we serve one another. Submission to God’s rule does not mean passivity but alignment with a kingdom that dignifies and restores. Serving under God’s authority reorients power toward life and health for all. We refuse cheap autonomy that harms others. [15:47]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:17] - God’s open door of love
• [01:31] - Exodus context and resources
• [04:36] - Small things often
• [07:33] - Pharaoh rises and threat
• [10:23] - Plan A oppression described
• [16:23] - Plan B midwives and birth
• [20:32] - God’s favor and promise
• [22:16] - Plan C genocide decree
• [23:26] - Midwives as the turning point
• [28:46] - Local church as midwives
• [32:57] - Communion and mission
• [36:25] - Prayer and benediction

1. In Exodus 1:15-17, Shiphrah and Puah are named, while Pharaoh is not. Why might the storyteller highlight their names?
2. What three strategies did Pharaoh use to suppress the Israelites, and how did each fail? (See Exodus 1:11-22)
3. How does the sermon connect the midwives’ actions to the idea of “small acts” shaping God’s story? [24:19]

1. The midwives lied to Pharaoh to protect the Hebrew boys (Exodus 1:19). Does this mean lying is acceptable in resisting injustice? How do we balance truth-telling with creative resistance?
2. Pharaoh’s fear of Israel’s growth led to oppression. Why do systems of power often respond to perceived threats with control or violence?
3. The sermon says shalom is “more than justice” but includes restored relationships. How does this redefine what “success” looks like in addressing societal brokenness? [14:27]

1. The midwives’ “small act” preserved Israel’s future. What ordinary, daily tasks or roles do you have that could become “hinges” for God’s work if done with faithfulness?
2. Resisting unjust systems often requires creativity. Where do you see opportunities to subvert harmful norms or policies in your workplace, family, or community? What might that look like?
3. The sermon warns against seeking “cheap autonomy” and calls us to serve under God’s authority. What areas of your life feel most resistant to submitting to God’s order? How might that submission lead to flourishing? [15:47]
4. Shalom includes relationships with God, others, and creation. What one relationship or system in your life needs intentional repair or renewal to reflect this vision?
5. Pharaoh tried to erase God’s promise through fear. What fears (of failure, rejection, or loss) currently hold you back from courageously aligning with God’s kingdom?