Faith Matters (August 7, 2022)

FAITH MATTERS

Hebrews 11: 24-26, 29-34, By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh's daughter, (25) choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. (26) He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. …. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. (30) By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. (31) By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace. (32) And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— (33) who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, (34) quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

“George Muller, a great man of faith, once said, “God delights to increase the faith of His children. We ought, instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, to be wiling to take them from God’s hand as a means. I say---say it deliberately----trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometime defeats, are the very food of faith”. (Michael P. Green.Illustrations for Biblical Preaching. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989, p. 134). How willing are we to learn and grow in the way that Muller describes?

It is said on Pam Tillis that she wanted to get into country music on own path and not because of the fact that her father was Melll Tillis.

Moses could have embraced his privilege of being the adopted son of the royal family as the daughter of Pharoah’s boy, but he chose not to do that.

Moses was willing to refuse to be known as a son of Pharoah’s daughter (Hebrews 11:24). If you had been Moses, could you have made the same choice?

Today, we will look at Grit, Growth and Glory because those three are connected.

GRIT

What does grit mean to you?

We tend to think of grit as a level of toughness. A group of researchers wanted to understand why some survived basic training and did well compared to others who barely made it. Their research found that it wasn’t all based on “athleticism, intellect, leadership ability or well-roundedness” as some might have anticipated. Instead, it had more to do with a trait known as “grit”. It has been said that the best way to get “grit” is through adversity. (Justin Zoradi. Made for Theses Times. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, pp. 2018, pp. 52 -52). The Apostle Paul understood that kind of adversity (see II Corinthians 11:25 -28).

Has your grit been tested by relationships?

Sometimes family ties are cut off because of our faith in God. We can only wonder how history might have turned out differently if Moses had not cut his family ties with Pharoah’s daughter.

1) Family ties: In Luke 12: 51 - 53 Jesus mentioned how division could and would happen between family members (see also Matthew 10:38). Jesus also mentioned how our love for Him should be above our love our love for anyone.

Consider Luke 14:26: "Whoever comes to me and does not hate [which in the original Hebrew according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance means to detest; to love less] father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple” (NRSV).

2) Complete love: God calls us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Luke 10:27). How well do we love God completely like that?

3) Compromise: Whether kinship or friendship, would we not compromise if we do not put God first?

Thomas Becket was good friends with the King Henry II back in the 1100’s. King Henry II made him the Archbishop of Cantebury in 1161 at a time when the law of the land was stronger than the law of the church. Henry thought Beckett would just be a figure head rather than a true leader. King Henry II was obviously hoping for a quid pro quo in making Thomas Beckett the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Immoral behavior of some of the clergy was treated mildly until Thomas Beckett changed that when he upheld that the law of the church was greater than the law of the land. It was once said Thomas Beckett became more religious than even most of clergy his peers.