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[0:00] evening brothers sisters and friends it's a joy to worship with you again after quite a good few years however many it's been it's good to see some recognizable faces again we're here to worship the lord this evening we can do so by singing from psalm 90 we'll sing our way through this psalm in our sung worship this evening we'll sing our way through psalm 90 first of all then verses 1 down to verse 7 psalm 90 verses 1 down to verse 7 lord thou has been our dwelling place in generations all before however hath brought forth the mountains great or small that ever thou has formed the earth and all the world abroad even thou from everlasting art to everlasting god psalm 90 verses 1 to 7 to god's praise in generations all before however hath brought forth the mountains great or small the mountains great or small to ever thou have formed the earth and all the world abroad world world

[1:44] He is now from everlasting art to everlasting art.

[2:01] Adults and youth is versioned, my life is born, no turn.

[2:17] I've gone to them, those years again, the sons of heaven return.

[2:34] Because of times and years of fear, no more before thy sight, but yesterday when this is past, are now watched by night.

[3:08] As with an overflowing blood, the curse in a way.

[3:24] They shine, God's sleep, are like the dust that flows upon our name.

[3:41] But for its blood, its flesh and juice, God's touch and needless faith.

[3:57] For by thy hand, your will consume, thy love makes us a way.

[4:16] Let's turn together in a word of prayer. Lord our God, we do thank you for the privilege we have this evening of gathering before you.

[4:30] We do ask that you would prepare our hearts and our minds for what it is we're doing here. We know just now we come before your presence, not by a merit of this building or even anything special in and of ourselves, but we come this evening in your presence as your word makes clear to us that where your people are, there you have made your home in them.

[4:55] At this very moment, as your people seek to worship you, the Holy Spirit, he has made his home in us, he is living in us, he is leading us, he is guiding us.

[5:07] Help us, Lord, then to understand the place we are standing is holy ground, holy because your presence is here. Help us, then, in both, not just outward appearance, but help us, more importantly, in our inner work, in our hearts, in our minds, to humbly come before you this evening, understanding that we are creatures made from the dust, understanding that in and of ourselves we have no hope and no help, but also understanding that because of the finished work of Jesus, we stand this evening before you saying, yes, we have nothing and are from nothing, but in Christ we have everything.

[5:47] In the work of our Saviour, we have all that we desire and eternally more. Help us, then, this evening to understand what it is we're doing here. We're here to offer this act of worship, this service, to a God who deserves all our worship, who deserves all our concentration.

[6:06] As we come around your word later on, we ask you to open up our ears and our heart to it, that your living word would work in us, would speak to us, who would leave this place not just having grown in our head knowledge, but also having grown in our love for one another and our love for you as our God and King.

[6:28] We thank you for the power of your word. All who stand here are mere jars of clay, that your word is the great and glorious weapon you choose to smash apart and to break down the very hardest of hearts.

[6:44] Thank you for this gathering here this evening. We do pray especially this evening for this congregation. We pray for them just now in a time of mourning. Pray, Lord, for our mourning community and our mourning congregation.

[6:57] Pray just now for those who are going through dark days just now, those who are struggling with the loss of a loved one just now. Lord, all it means, all that life means, as we think of a sister who has now gone to eternal rest.

[7:15] Lord, we bring that situation before you. We bring the loved ones before you. We bring this congregation and wider community before you. We find our words falling so short and feeling so small when we come to dealing with reality of life and the greater reality of death.

[7:32] We give you praise that where our words fall so short and feel so small. We come to the one who is a comforter. We do pray that the Holy Spirit would comfort those who mourn this evening.

[7:45] We pray that more widely for this congregation. Pray just now for any here who are going through long days and complicated days. Those with health worries.

[7:55] We pray just now for those going through times of physical and mental ill health. Lord, be with them. Come alongside them, we ask. Perhaps they are going through it silently.

[8:08] Perhaps only you and they are aware of their condition. Be with them. Look after them and keep them. They would find their hope to be founded in a risen Saviour who knows what it is to suffer.

[8:21] Who has suffered like us in all ways. Physically and mentally and emotionally. Who lived the very real life of full humanity.

[8:32] Like us in all ways apart from sin. Lord, who would draw close to that Saviour once more. Pray just now for any here this evening who perhaps are here this evening with heavy burdens.

[8:45] Family burdens perhaps. Financial burdens. We come to this place with so many worries and concerns and cares. We lay all these things before the throne of grace.

[8:57] That place where you tell us to find hope and mercy in time of need. Pray this evening for those who are not here but who would long to be here. Who would love to be here.

[9:08] Brothers and sisters who through infirmity perhaps. Through age perhaps. Through other various reasons. Cannot worship publicly as often as they wish.

[9:20] Pray for them especially this evening. We do bring before you this congregation at time of vacancy. Lord, we are aware that at times of vacancy the evil one often so longs and so enjoys getting a foothold creating disunity disharmony distrust distaste.

[9:40] We do ask for a togetherness in this congregation. We ask for continued and ongoing unity. We ask for a gospel clarity. We ask for a gospel vision for this district.

[9:52] that regardless of a settled ministry or not we know your call to this congregation remains the same. To be your witnesses. To be your ambassadors.

[10:03] To a lost place. To friends and family and neighbours and a community that is going to hell without help. Without hope.

[10:14] Without God. You encourage this congregation then to be steadfast in all their efforts to bring the good news of the Lord Jesus to this place.

[10:26] And whilst they seek to do that we do ask that in your good time you would provide for them a minister a servant who would lead them who would guide them who would serve them.

[10:37] Pray Lord you encourage the elders and the deacons. Pray be with the vacancy committee. Pray be with all who work in Sunday school and every other aspect of ministry that this congregation engages in.

[10:49] you would strengthen all the hands of all your servants in all these roles. Also remember just now the intermobletary we pray for him as he seeks to lead and guide this congregation as best as he is able to.

[11:02] Pray for him in his own congregation as you bless him today as he ministers your word. Pray for him with all the various responsibilities on his shoulders from both a presbytery but also a wider church reality.

[11:16] we do thank you for gifted individuals men and women who you have given to your church for various uses and purposes. We do pray Lord for a sense of longing of gospel longing as we do think of friends and family and neighbours at this very moment those we love and care for so deeply but who show no gospel interest no sign of a gospel care in their minds or their souls.

[11:45] We do pray for them specifically this evening those we have prayed for for many years indeed perhaps many decades look after them keep them and we ask ultimately you bring them to a saving knowledge of yourself.

[12:01] We do ask to see again days of refreshing and days of renewal in this district in this area until we see these days of blessing Lord we ask you look after your people encourage your people look after and encourage this congregation specifically just now and be with them pray if we ask all the young people connected to this congregation encourage them in their young years that they would seek out they would cry out and know they would be heard by the God who saves his people young and old pray just now for those who have attended the means of grace for many years but who as of yet have not made that public profession of faith although they have long since known and loved you as their King and God we ask that you would bring them to a place in themselves to make that public declaration to fulfil and follow the direct command of their Saviour to no longer wait and be slow in carrying out the command he has placed on them to make public their love for him pray just now for those here who are seeking those perhaps who attend in the morning services who are seeking who are asking the big questions of this world of this life who are asking surely there is more to this surely there is purpose and reason behind all this

[13:25] Lord we ask you through your word answer these questions and bring them to a saving knowledge of yourself would you pray not just for ourselves we pray for all the other vacant congregations across our own presbytery we acknowledge that your kingdom extends far beyond our presbytery and far beyond the free church we remember this presbytery this evening pray Lord for Shabbos pray for Barvis pray for Stornoway pray for Park pray for South Eust pray for your people in these congregations give them strength give them guidance and we ask you to raise up not just ministers you'd raise up men young men older men across our congregations across our denomination we see such a lack of men in our services Lord we ask that you would do a reality of a miracle that only you can do you would stir in the hearts of men to come and be under the word once more you alone can do it we ask Lord leaving it with you knowing that you are faithful and true and good to answer all the prayers of your people forgive us our sins we ask we come tonight confessing sin confessing waywardness in things we have said and thought and done we come this evening clinging on to a saviour who holds eternally on to us in his name and for his sake alone we ask these many things

[14:52] Amen we can turn to read in God's word Exodus chapter 2 Exodus chapter 2 Exodus chapter 2 let's hear the word of God and there went a man of the house of Levi and took to wife a daughter of Levi and the woman conceived and bore a son and when she saw him that he was a goodly child she hid him three months and she could not longer hide him she took for him an ark of bull rushes and daubed it with slime and with pitch and put the child therein and she laid it in the flags by the river's bank at his rushes and his sister stood afar off to wit what would be done to him and the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river and her maidens walked alongside the river when she saw the ark among the flags she sent her maid to fetch it when she had opened it she saw the child and behold the babe wept and she had compassion on him and said this is one of the Hebrew's children then said a sister to Pharaoh's daughter shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew woman that she may nurse the child for thee and Pharaoh's daughter said to her go and the maid went and called the child's mother and Pharaoh's daughter said unto her take this child away and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages and the woman took the child and nursed it and the child grew and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son and she called his name Moses and she said because I threw him out of the water and it came to pass in those days when Moses was grown that he went out unto his brethren and looked on their burdens and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew one of his brethren and he looked this way and that when he saw that there was no man he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand when he went out the second day behold two men of the Hebrews strove together and he said to him what did the wrong wherefore smitest thou thy fellow and he said who made thee a prince and a judge over us intendest thou to kill me as thou killest the Egyptian and Moses feared and said surely this thing is known and when Pharaoh heard this thing he sought to slay Moses but Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian and he sat down by a well and the priest of Midian had seven daughters and they came and threw water and filled the trough to water the father's flock when the shepherds came and drove him away but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock and when they came to Reuel the father he said how is it that ye are come so soon today and they said an Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and also drew water enough for us and watered the flock and he said unto his daughters where is he why is it that ye have left the man call him that he may eat bread and Moses was content to dwell with the man and he gave

[18:28] Moses the poor his daughter and she bore him a son and he called his name Gesheron for he said I have been a stranger in a strange land and it came to pass in process of time for the king of Egypt died and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage and they cried and their cry came up to God by reason of the bondage and God heard their groaning and God remembered his covenant with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob and God looked upon the children of Israel and God had respect unto them and may I give praise to God for his holy and his perfect word we can again sing from God's praise from God's words from Psalm 90 verse 8 Psalm 90 verse 8 down to verse 12 Psalm 90 verse 8 down to verse 12 this is a psalm attributed to Moses the only psalm in scripture that it said that he himself wrote

[19:32] Psalm 90 verses 8 down to verse 12 our sins thou and iniquities dost in thy presence place and settest our secret thoughts before the brightness of thy face for in thine anger all our days to pass on to an end and as a tale that hath been told so we our years do spend Psalm 90 verses 8 to 12 God's praise God's praise and settest the land iniquities and still in thy presence place and settest the sea dreadful people whoever

[20:52] Amen. Amen.

[21:52] Amen. Amen.

[22:52] Amen. Let's turn back then for a short time to the chapter that we had in Exodus chapter 2.

[23:16] Exodus chapter 2. We'll focus mostly on this chapter but we'll be going to a few other bits and pieces throughout scripture but focusing mostly on Exodus 2.

[23:27] Now of course this is perhaps in our minds straight away we think well this is all about Moses but we'll be focusing on a character, an individual in this chapter.

[23:38] Perhaps many of us if not most of us overlook. We perhaps, some of us in Sunday school, we made the wee baskets, coloured it in.

[23:49] Perhaps for our children, our grandchildren we did something similar. And we skip past the story of Moses' mother as if it's nothing. We know the story, we know the account, we know what happened and we just read it and move on and get to the life of Moses.

[24:04] For a short time this evening I wanted to focus clearly and carefully on Moses' mother. And when I say she just passes us by, of course this is the one place she's mentioned in scripture.

[24:21] Well she mentioned one other place. If you turn with me please a few chapters on. Exodus 6 and verse 20 we get this woman's name. Perhaps a name not familiar to many of us.

[24:34] Exodus 6 verse 20 dealing with the genealogy of Moses and Aaron. It says, And Amran took for himself, took him, Jochebed, his father's sister to life.

[24:49] And she brought him Aaron and Moses and so on. Well, this woman is really so obscure that the passage where she's talked about the most doesn't even mention her name.

[25:01] But we have her name. She's called Jochebed. Now despite what many may think or say, and sadly despite what many of our sisters, many of the women of our church, and I say women of our church, I don't mean yourselves.

[25:19] It's one of the good things of doing a passing sermon. I haven't been here for years. I haven't heard anything. This sermon is written not just for yourselves. But sadly, and we know this to be true, that many of our sisters in the Lord, many perhaps even here, your experience of being a beloved daughter of the King, your experience of being a beloved sister in the Lord, it has been overshadowed perhaps by how others have treated you within God's church.

[25:56] Perhaps you have been less than happy with how some have spoken to you and dealt with you. That's to the shame of the church. It's to the shame of your brother.

[26:07] And I say that, so we'll cover this more deeply in a second, but here we see an example of how the Lord has used one of his precious, glorious daughters for an incredible reason and in an incredible way.

[26:24] Church history is one of my interests. An amazing fact of church history, when you look back to the earliest few centuries, we know that the Roman state was not particularly keen on the Christians.

[26:39] Initially, the Roman state didn't like Christians because they didn't worship enough gods. They actually called Christians atheists in that Christians didn't worship all the gods they worshipped.

[26:51] Christians only worshipped one god. Another reason the Roman state hated Christians so much, and it's written about in secular Roman sources, is that the Christian church held women in such high esteem.

[27:08] In a way that was unheard of, inappropriate, hated by the rest of the culture of the day. Not so. Following the example of scripture, the teachings we find in the scripture of our saviour, and in the apostles we see, of course, women and man under Christ we are made of equal value.

[27:30] Yes, different roles, different realities in life, but of equal value. Brothers and sisters, together. Just as we have seen and experienced all the way through our lives, and through scripture, the Lord uses his precious daughters, and he gives them at times incredible privileges, incredible challenges.

[27:55] We see that here this evening. Just two simple headings for us. We see the life of Jochebed. First of all, we see a woman with a messy history. But also then we see a woman who is a brave mother.

[28:09] First of all then, Jochebed, a woman with a messy history. As we said, we were told she's called Jochebed, and her husband's name is Amran. But if you're paying attention to what we read in chapter 6, there in verse 20, there's a detail that scripture just tells us and moves on.

[28:27] Chapter 6 and verse 20 says to us, Amran took for himself Jochebed, his father's sister, to a wife. In other words, Jochebed is her husband Amran's auntie.

[28:44] He's married his own auntie. She's married her own nephew. That's uncomfortable, isn't it? That's highly uncomfortable. It feels almost inappropriate to preach about it.

[28:56] It's there in God's word. And why is it there in God's word? Because God's word comes from God. Spoken by the one who is truth itself. And God's word just says it as it is, because God sees us as we are.

[29:13] And the reality of Amran and Jochebed's life, it's grim. It's complicated. It's uncomfortable. Now, technically, the rule not to marry your own auntie comes in later on in scripture, but it doesn't take a command from on high to tell you that it's a less than ideal situation.

[29:34] But it happened. It's a messy family dynamic, but we see clearly, quite clearly, we'll see in a second in more detail, that although it's an uncomfortable family dynamic, they are taking incredible, at least Jochebed is taking incredible care of her children.

[29:56] It's one of the things we're so bad at, that we make those we read about in scripture, we make them something other than normal.

[30:08] What do I mean? Well, take recently, last month, a few months ago now, we were doing a series on judges, and looking at other characters and individuals. And one of the older members of my congregation said, with a smile on her face, you have ruined Samson for me.

[30:28] Sorry, did I preach it that badly? What she meant was, as she heard God's word again, she realised that Gideon, it was Gideon, sorry, Gideon, you've ruined Gideon for me.

[30:40] As you read God's word, and heard God's word, you realise that Gideon, yes, did amazing things in the Lord's power, but also at points, Gideon is pretty awful. He does things that are pretty grim.

[30:52] He sinned in pretty clear ways. He goes against the Lord so clearly. He is not some hero. He's a normal man, who the Lord used well. That's the same for every single individual, we see in scripture.

[31:05] Normal men, and normal women, but the Lord uses an extraordinary, ways. Jochebed finds herself here, living in an extraordinary time, an awful time, in the history of God's people.

[31:21] We all know what's going on. If you look back, it's a few verses at the end of chapter one. We are reminded from verse 19 onwards, or verse 20 onwards, therefore God dwelt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied.

[31:36] But then, verse 21, it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. But then, Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, every son that is born, you will cast them forever.

[31:50] Every daughter will keep alive. We know the account, but let's remind ourselves, for various reasons, both political and other reasons, Pharaoh was getting nervous, at the number of young Hebrew men, that are being born.

[32:07] He begins, what is quite simply, annihilation, of the Hebrew race. Now we see already, he tries to get the Hebrew midwives, to do the job for him, they don't do it.

[32:20] That's a whole different sermon, how brave these women were. Then he gives the instruction, a blanket command, that all his people, on seeing, on spotting, a Hebrew child, a young Hebrew boy, were to throw them into the Nile.

[32:34] This is a horrifying time, in the life of the church. And in this we find Jochebed, a woman whose history, is so confused, and so strange.

[32:47] Dear sisters, brothers too, but dear sisters, you all have a story to tell, we all do. And perhaps some of us here, perhaps you have a painful history, perhaps you have elements of shame, elements of embarrassment, in your history, in your story.

[33:06] I don't know. And your past is not unimportant. Your past has shaped, who you are, and where you are. But as we see the life of Jochebed, and how the Lord uses her, we are reminded, that despite her family dynamic, and even despite the day, she was born into, her past, and her reality, does not define, how the Lord used her.

[33:32] To her sisters, and to your brothers, our past, and our reality, our life circumstances, do not define, who we are in Christ.

[33:46] Jochebed, married her nephew, but look, what is, ahead of her. She gives birth, in all of this care, she gives birth, to Moses. And it seems, that she does her best, for a few months, or three months, I believe it says there, she did her best.

[34:04] She keeps him quiet, she looks after him, she tends to him, she feeds him, she cares for Moses, as any good mother does. And of course, every single day that passes, the danger grows, and grows, that Moses will be discovered, he'll be killed, thrown into the Nile, and drowned.

[34:24] You have to understand, we're living in close quarters, and how you keep a crying child, quiet and secret, for month after month. What a horror, Jochebed must have gone through again.

[34:36] She was normal, a normal mother. Yes, she was a few thousand miles away, and a few thousand years ago, but she's a normal person, like any other mother here. She loved her child, and she wanted to keep her child safe, as any good mother did, and does.

[34:53] She defies the king, she has a child, and she keeps that child, that boy, child, safe. We see, she's not just a good mother, we see there's more going on.

[35:06] This woman, has been given by the Lord, clearly, a gifting. She realises, she can't look after him anymore, time is getting too risky, he's getting too big, getting too old, perhaps trying far too much, and she hatches a plan.

[35:22] Now, we all know what she does, but let's remind ourselves what she does. She, she, she weaves together, creates together a basket, and then, you'll note there, it says here, slime and pitch, but it's, it's a tar and bitumen, it's, it's, it's two layers, she puts together, two layers of waterproofing, on this basket.

[35:42] That's safer than some boats, I've been in in my time, two layers of waterproofing, and she places the child, safely in the basket, and then places that basket, safely, in the rushes, at the exact spot, where Jochebed knew, Pharaoh's daughter, would come down, and wash herself, and spend time.

[36:00] And then we see, a whole different sermon, we see, her daughter is there too. We give this glimpse, of another brave woman, a sermon for a different day, Miriam, following Jochebed's example, quite clearly, a brave woman, like her mother, she is, positioned nearby, hiding, waiting to see, what will become, who will find, her wee baby brother, who will take him in, who will, perhaps, look after him.

[36:28] And then, she sees him, Moses is spotted, of course, by Pharaoh's daughter. And of course, we see her, her daughter knows clearly, that it's a Hebrew child, you know, looked, of course, very different, to herself.

[36:45] Then we see, the glorious bravery, of Miriam, again, following after her, glorious bravery, of her mother. She pops up, out of the bushes, out of the reeds, goes straight to Pharaoh's daughter, a brave thing to do, for a slave girl.

[36:59] And in God's providence, it works out, of course, that Moses' own mother, gets to look after him, until he is weaned. Imagine the joy she had, in that moment.

[37:12] The joy she had, in that moment, as she realised, she has her boy back. But it doesn't last forever, does it? She gets her boy back, for a while, but eventually, the day comes, the day comes, and she has to give, the child, back, to Pharaoh's daughter.

[37:32] Well, how could you do that? How could, if you're saying, Moses' mum, Jochebed, is such a godly, good woman, how could you give her child, away again? She's a slave woman, in a slave encampment.

[37:46] There's no future, we know how the story goes. We know how God, will work on this narrative. They don't know that. She's a slave woman, in a slave encampment. Her days, she'll eat, and drink, and die, right there, in that encampment.

[38:03] And her children, will do the same after her, for all she knows. She does whatever she can, to give this child, the best life possible. Away, from the yoke of slavery, away from the reality, of pain and misery, this child of hers, this glorious, beautiful wee boy of hers, has a chance to grow up, in the king's palace, and eat the king's food, and be served by the king, and she lays hold, in that chance.

[38:29] Look at the sacrifice, of that woman. She's willing to defy kings, defy pharaohs, willing to put, even aside, her own thoughts, her own emotions, to give this child, the life she wants to have, for her.

[38:45] Jochebed's name, tells us something fascinating. Jochebed's name, tells us, something close to, God's ability, or God's power, depending on the context. And Jochebed, in every action she does, she shows, she shows the power of God.

[39:00] Not by great miracles, or great signs, but by faithful, trust, that God, will look after, this child of hers. We know, where the account goes, she did not.

[39:14] She gives her child, back to Pharaoh's daughter, and she's not mentioned, again to us. The trust, she must have had, the faith, she must have had, to trust, the Lord, who we are crying out to, and calling out to, and trusting, and even, in the midst of their slavery.

[39:38] We have time this evening, Hebrews 11, gives a very good summary, of how the Lord used Moses. Hebrews 11, verse 23, I believe it is, onwards, gives us the complete story, in short, of the life, and the work of Moses.

[39:54] Jochebed did what she could, but Jochebed could never imagine, what the Lord would do, with her wee boy. How he would take, her work, you could say, her faith, her trust, you could say, took the effort to Jochebed, of making a basket, and putting her son there, the faith she had, and that son, we know, that son, we one day go on, to be the instrument, the Lord would use, to free, his, glorious, elect, set aside people.

[40:30] One day, Moses would lead, the millions, of Hebrew slaves, out, towards their freedom. And from that people, one day, our saviour, would eventually be born.

[40:44] Jochebed, right at the start, a woman, with a disgusting history, a complicated family life, a grim thing, to think about, and yet, here she is, acting, and living, and moving, in faith, and trusting, that God is good, and that God has a plan.

[41:03] Trusting, in the Lord, that her people, are crying out to, day, and night. But one day, this wee boy, would meet the living God, would speak with, and be spoken to, the living God.

[41:18] Sisters, never, underestimate, never underestimate, the way the Lord, can use you. Whether that's, with children, perhaps, or for other connections, or other ways, you serve, the Lord, in this community, in your families, in this congregation, your service, to the Lord, may often go unseen, and unknown.

[41:42] It may often feel, to you, as if it's too small, to be of any use, to the Lord. The Lord takes, what is small, and what the world, might call useless, and he uses it, for the sake, of his glory, and for his eternal, purposes.

[41:56] I want to bring our time, to a conclusion, by talking, and telling you, about a woman, called Eliza. Eliza, around 1834, I believe it was, 1830 anyway, Eliza had a very, difficult pregnancy.

[42:16] So difficult, that, when the baby was born, Eliza had to go, and convalesce, and the child, had to go, with his grandparents, for a few years.

[42:29] Eventually, the mother and child, are reunited, and this child, is eventually, the eldest of, several other children. Eliza was the wife, of a man called John, a very, very busy minister, who had charge, of a lot of different, parishes, congregations.

[42:46] And John, was guilty, that he wasn't, giving more time, to his wife. John, writing in his diary, talks about, one day, he came home, he cut his, very, jam-packed day, short, to go home, to spend time, with his wife and kids.

[43:02] He says himself here, I opened up, the front door, and was surprised, to find none, of the children, anywhere in the hall, or in the house, going quietly, upstairs, I heard my wife's voice.

[43:17] She was engaged, in prayer, with the children. I heard her, praying for them, one by one, by name. Then she came, to be eldest, and specially, prayed for him, for he was, of high spirit, and daring temper.

[43:34] I listened, till she had, ended her prayer, and I knew, the Lord, had given me a wife, of great value. Eliza would read the Bible, to her children, day by day, would pray with them, day by day, do the quiet work, the quiet, unseen, unknown work, of seeking, to raise her children, in the Lord.

[43:57] She would carefully, lead them to the gospel, again, and again, and again. Years pass by, and there's no, change, no difference, in the lives, of her now, teenage, or at least her eldest, child's now teenager.

[44:13] Until one day, Eliza, received a letter, from this boy, and said, your birthday, it's her birthday, your birthday, will now be, doubly memorable, from the 3rd of May, the boy, for whom, you have so often prayed, the boy, of hopes, and fears, who caused you, so much worry, and so much pain, your firstborn, will join, the visible church, of the redeemed on earth, will bind himself, doubly to the Lord, his God, by open profession.

[44:46] You, my mother, have been, the great means, in the hands of God, for rendering me, the salvation, that I have. If I have any courage, I feel prepared, to follow my saviour, not only to the water, but also to the fire, I love you, my mother, as the first, and foremost, preacher, to my heart, as my loving, praying, watching, mother, yours in love, Charles Spurgeon, of course we know, the quiet, ongoing work, of Eliza, unseen, unknown, and we then go on, the Lord would use that, to of course, bring about, at least in part, that the, in human terms, the salvation, of Charles Spurgeon, we know how the Lord, used him, to save, who knows, how many thousands, in his, great ministry, quiet, unknown woman, doing the best she could, in her own capacity, with complications, and health worries, and everything else, and yet, she trusted the Lord, all that she did, the small things, the big things, because all of this, is directed towards, the brothers and sisters, here this evening, those of us who know, and who love the Lord, the question is, if you're here this evening, if as of yet, you cannot truly say, you know the Lord, or love the Lord, where's your hope, what separates, the Christian, and non-Christian, is it a suit and tie, is it Bible knowledge, catechism knowledge, church attendance, take your pick, you can know your Bible, off by heart, attend church, morning, and night, and midweek, and be the best dressed, best, most holy sounding person, in the room, and go to hell, what's the difference, to a Christian, and non-Christian, is it not knowing, and being known, by the God of all creation, knowing that through, the finished work of Jesus, he has us, he keeps us, he promises to now, let us go, there are plenty, of women, like Jochebed, who have hard lives, who do the best they can, but who still don't know, a saviour, where is your hope, this evening, sisters, and brothers, if your hope, and friends, if your hope, is not only, sounded, on the finished work, of Jesus, the one who knows you, and who keeps you, who promises, never to let you go, or to lose you, it was founded, on anything else, apart from him, it is all, completely pointless, completely pointless, to follow the example, of Jochebed, her very name, tells us, she relied, on the power of God, when she had nothing, and had no, way forward, she trusted, that he would do, what he does, which is look after, and keep, and guide his sheep, and bring all, things together, for his glory, and for the good, of those, who love him, our prayer is, you would come to know him, and love him, and have a similar faith, to yourself, in the saviour, who will one day, be born, from the very lineage, of people, of this woman, the Lord used, to save, our heads, and a word of prayer,

[48:24] Lord we thank you, for the great, gift of your word, the great gift, of time in your word, look after us, and keep us, we ask, as we leave, this time of worship, we thank you, for the account, we had, of the great faith, of our sister, Jochebed, of the way, that she trusted, despite what she would, see in her lifetime, despite what she, might even, understand, in her own, capacity, she trusted, that you are God, she trusted, that you would keep, your promise, Lord we ask, you give us, a similar hope, a similar level, of faith, we do pray, just now again, for the sisters here, those who know the Lord, who love the Lord, Lord that they would be reminded, that they are also equally, your well, eternally loved daughters, of such beauty, and such beauty, to you, not just to us, but such beauty, to you, that you sent, your only begotten son, you love them, so much, you sent him, and he came, out of obedience, to you, and of love for them, to live that, perfect life, and die, that necessary death, each one of us, we know what it is, to apply that, to ourselves, look after us, and keep us, we thank you, for the gift, of time together, the gift, of some worship, the gift, of your word, bless us, as we go home, keep us, in your safety, ask all these things, in Christ's name, for his sake, amen, we can conclude, with the final verses, of that psalm, psalm 90, verses 13, down to verse 17, psalm 90, verses 13, down to verse 17, turn yet again, to us,

[50:10] O Lord, how long, thus shall it be, that it repent, we now, for those, that servants are to thee, O thy, with thy tender mercies, Lord, as early satisfied, so we rejoice, shall all our days, and still be glad, in thee, psalm 90, verses 13, to the end, to God's grace, to God's grace, turn yet again, to us, o'er, how long, thou shalt with thee, with every, and still be glad, and still be glad, for those, that servants are to thee, O, with thy tender mercies, Lord, as there is satisfied, so we rejoice,

[51:23] God, all our days, and still be glad, with thee, according to us, and his love, and still be glad, and still be glad, devalued, And show unto their children here

[52:29]  Thy glory evermore And let the beauty of the Lord Our God be as a pawn And unto words establish them Establish them each one The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ And the love of God the Father And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit Go with you now and forevermore Amen