At First Baptist Church, our heart is to love people as Jesus loves people. And today, I want to extend a word of deep compassion to every woman who has ever faced the decision of abortion during a pregnancy.

Mother’s Day is a time to reflect on and honor the incredible impact of mothers—their devotion, sacrifice, and strength of character. While the Bible features many godly women, few display a clearer example of quiet courage and steadfast trust than Jochebed, the mother of Moses. Though her story is told in only a few verses, the impact of her faith reverberates through Scripture and history.

In Nehemiah 5, we find a heart-wrenching scene that reveals the spiritual and social decay of God's people—not at the hands of foreign oppressors, but from their own brethren. During a time of famine and Persian taxation, Jewish families were forced to mortgage their lands, borrow money at high interest, and even sell their children into debt slavery to survive (Nehemiah 5:1–5). The tragedy here is not only economic—it is spiritual. It is a betrayal of brotherhood, mercy, and the fear of God.

Nathanael’s expectations were shaped by a hope for the King of Israel, a political and prophetic deliverer in the line of David. He was looking for a king; he found something greater—a Savior.