A Response Of Saving Faith-8 Series

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

Attention:

Faithfulness

The front door was accidentally left open & our dog was gone. After unsuccessfully whistling & calling, my husband got in the car & went looking for him.

He drove around the neighborhood for some time with no luck.

Finally he stopped beside a couple out for a walk & asked if they had seen our dog.

"You mean the one following your car?" they asked.

The dog exhibited 'saving' faith by his response to life’s challenge.

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)

12. A Particular FEARLESSNESS(:24-27)

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.

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

A Particular DISPLAY(:28)

Explanation:(:28)Instruction/Direction/Allegiance/Display of faith

:28—“By faith he kept the Passover & the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.”

Even though technically a ‘slave’, Moses & others “kept the Passover” in obedience to their(the Hebrews) recognized King(of kings) which was consequently in defiance of the Pharaoh & particularly of his gods.

YaHWeH had initiated & completed 9 plagues upon the land of Egypt & its people by the hand of Moses & Aaron...

1)Waters of the Nile River became blood(Ex. 7:14-25)—Caused the fish to die & stink. Lasted 7 days.

2)Frogs— Ex. 8:6—““So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, & the frogs came up & covered the land of Egypt.”—The next day the frogs died but the land stank.

3)Lice—On man & beast

4)Swarms of Flies—Upon the Egyptians, but none upon the Hebrews.

5)Pestilence on livestock(cattle, horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, sheep)— Upon the Egyptians, but none on the Hebrew’s livestock.

6)Boils—Upon man & beast

7)Hail & Fire—Very heavy hail(unique) which killed animals left in the field & destroyed crops(flax & barley)—Upon the Egyptians, but none upon the Hebrews. Never before or after as severe().

8)Locusts—So many that they darkened the land. Ate the crops left from the hail & fire. Never before as severe a plague.

9)Darkness—Could be “felt.” Upon the Egyptians, but none upon the Hebrews.

THEN:

10)Death of firstborn— Passover was initiated with this plague.

Ex. 11:4-7—“Then Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; & all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, & all the firstborn of the animals. Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians & Israel.’”

Ex. 12:3, 5-13—““Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.’”.....“‘Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood & put it on the two doorposts & on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. ‘Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread & with bitter herbs they shall eat it. ‘Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire--its head with its legs & its entrails. ‘You shall let none of it remain until morning, & what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. ‘And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, & your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’S Passover. ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, & will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man & beast; & against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. ‘Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; & the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; & you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.”