A Response Of Saving Faith-7

A RESPONSE Of SAVING FAITH-VII—Hebrews 11:3-40

Attention:

Lucky Saucer

A famous art collector is walking through the city when he notices a mangy cat lapping milk from a saucer in the doorway of a store & he does a double-take. He recognizes that the saucer is extremely old & very valuable, so he walks casually into the store & offers to buy the cat for two dollars.

The store owner replies "I’m sorry, but the cat isn’t for sale. The collector says "Please, I need a hungry cat around the house to catch mice. I’ll pay you twenty dollars for that cat."

The owner immediately says "Sold," & hands over the cat. The collector continues, "Hey, for the twenty bucks I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat’s used to it & it’ll save me from having to get a dish."

And the owner says, "Sorry buddy, that’s my lucky saucer. So far this week I’ve sold sixty-eight cats."

The owner’s faith in the bowl led him to respond a particular way to everyday challenges.

Faith’s response to life’s challenges

We indeed bring something of value to the table when we are saved!

The Hebrews writer sought to encourage & exhort his readers(hearers) by recounting the very practical responses which faith had wrought in their forebears/ancestors.

Saving faith yields practical responses to life, which encourage others.

What are some practical responses to life by saving faith?

How does saving faith respond to life?

In previous weeks we have observed 11 Responses to Life’s Challenge afforded by Saving Faith. These responses have focused upon the “elders”(:2)(patriarchs) but their application is for us.

We have found that Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...

1. A Particular WORLDVIEW(:3)—Concept presented 05/20/2012 with 10:39—11:3 as FELLOWSHIP

2. OFFERINGs Of PECULIAR QUALITY(:4)

3. DESIRE For GOD’s PLEASURE(:5-6)

4. CONDEMNING TRUST(:7)

5. A Particular PLACE(:8-10)

6. A Particular OUTLOOK(:11-12)

7. A Particular VISION(:13-16)

8. A Particular CONCLUSION(:17-19)

9. A Particular BLESSING(:20-21)

10. A Particular PREPARATION(:22)

11. A Particular BOLDNESS(:23)

Today we will look at a portion of Scripture(11:23-29) which records A RESPONSE Of SAVING FAITH as it pertains to MOSES. There are 3 responses of faith to be garnered thru Moses’ example.

12—Saving faith meets life’s challenge with...

A Particular FEARLESSNESS(:24-27)

Explanation: (:24-27)

:24—“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,”

Moses himself exhibited faith after he had grown to manhood. He voluntarily chose to refuse the kinship to Pharaoh available to him.

Being “the son of Pharaoh’s daughter” would have limited Moses’ service...

Upon his having become old enough to make decisions for himself, Moses from that point, made a crucial decision regarding his God. Upon aligning himself with Israel & the revealed God of Israel, YaHWeH, Moses rightly “refused” to be recognized as “the son of Pharoah’s daughter.” The majority of Moses’ life was spent in Pharaoh’s household where “he became her[Pharaoh’s daughter] son”(assumed adoption?)(Ex. 2:5-10).

Rather Moses accepted his kinship with the Hebrew slaves of Egypt, his true lineage. He willingly declared his heritage because his “faith” drove him to it.

Moses’ decision came about prior to his experience at the burning bush on Horeb, the mountain of God(Ex. 2:11-15; Ex. 3:1). Moses was touched by the plight of Israel’s burden in slavery, knowing & personally accepting that he was one with them.

“Of age/Come to years/Grown up”—megav genomenov—Lit. =“Having Become Great”—FROM: megav—1) Great—1a) Of the external form or sensible appearance of things (or of persons), 1b) Of number & quantity: numerous, large, abundant, 1c) Of age: the elder, 1d) used Of intensity & its degrees: with great effort, of the affections & emotions of the mind, of natural events powerfully affecting the senses: violent, mighty, strong; 2) Predicated of rank, as belonging to—2a) Persons, eminent for ability, virtue, authority, power, 2b) Things esteemed highly for their importance: of great moment, of great weight, importance, 2c) A thing to be highly esteemed for its excellence: excellent; 3) Splendid, prepared on a grand scale, stately; 4) Great things. Strong—Big (literally or figuratively, in a very wide application).—+—ginomai—1) To become, i.e. To come into existence, begin to be, receive being; 2) To become, i.e. To come to pass, happen; 3) To arise, appear in history, come upon the stage; 4) To be made, finished—4a) Of miracles, to be performed, wrought; 5) To become, be made. Strong—To cause to be("gen"-erate), i.e. reflexively--To become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.).

“Refused”—arneomai—1) To deny; 2) To deny someone—2a) To deny one’s self—2a1) To disregard his own interests or to prove false to himself, 2a2) Act entirely unlike himself; 3) To deny, abnegate, abjure; 4) Not to accept, to reject, to refuse something offered. Strong—To contradict, i.e. Disavow, reject, abnegate.

:25—“choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,”