Finding The Faith Of Our Heroes - Part 8: Live By Faith Like Moses Series

Finding the Faith of Our Heroes

Part 8: Live by Faith Like Moses

Hebrews 11:24-29; Acts 7:17-25; Exodus 2:11-15;

Exodus 11:4-7; Exodus 12:1-14

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared October 13, 2023)

MESSAGE:

*Today in Hebrews 11:24-29, we will study the faith of Moses. Of all the heroes in the Old Testament, nobody stands out more than Moses. What an amazing life he lived: 40 years living as an elite royal in the richest, largest empire Egypt had ever seen. Then Moses lived 40 years living in Midian as a shepherd, and 40 years leading God's people out of slavery in Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land. (1)

*So, in God's Word we get to see Moses leading the Children of Israel across the Red Sea on dry ground. We see him on the mountain with God as the LORD wrote the Ten Commandments. And God used Moses to give us the first 5 books of the Bible. How did Moses do these things and much more? He did it by faith. And today we will see some of the greatest results of godly faith.

1. FIRST: GODLY FAITH HELPS US MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES IN LIFE.

*For his first 40 years, Moses had it all from the world's point of view. As the grandson of Pharaoh, Moses probably had access to more earthly treasures that Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos put together. Moses had it all.

*When Stephen the deacon was on trial, he gave this background in Acts 7:17-22:

17. But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt

18. till another king arose who did not know Joseph.

19. This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live.

20. At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father's house for three months.

21. But when he was set out, Pharaoh's daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son.

22. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.

[1] BUT BY FAITH, MOSES CHOSE GOD'S PEOPLE OVER UNGODLY PRESTIGE.

*We see this truth in Hebrews 11:24 where, "By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter." And by faith Christians, we will do the same kind of thing.

*We will choose to identify with God's people over ungodly prestige. That's because faith in God changes our values. We begin to love the people we may have ridiculed before. And our habits begin to change. We begin to feel guilty over the fleshly things we used to enjoy. And we begin to enjoy holy, fruitful things that used to seem like superstitious foolishness.

*Paul explained these truths to Christians in Romans 6:20-23, where he said:

20. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

21. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

22. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*The end result is a natural distancing from ungodly people. It probably won't be as dramatic as it was with Moses. But over time we will gravitate to new friendships as our interests diverge. Not that we will be perfectly sinless after we trust in Jesus, but the Holy Spirit will bring us under conviction for our sins. And we can stand on 1 John 1:8-9 where God's Word says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Thank God for the mercy of the cross! By faith Moses chose God's people over ungodly prestige, and Christians, by God's grace, so will we.

[2] NEXT, BY FAITH MOSES CHOSE GODLY SUFFERING OVER UNGODLY SIN.

*This truth is in Hebrews 11:25, where Moses also chose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin." Why? Partly because Moses had a new perspective on time. He began to compare the brief time we have in this world with everlasting life in Heaven.

*Verse 25 in the KJV says Moses chose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." And I like that translation because it compares our whole life to a season, just 3 months, a very short time indeed. And compared to eternity, it's no time at all.