Introduction: The Prince Who Walked Away
Most people spend their entire lives trying to get what Moses was born with. He had it all: the finest education, unlimited wealth, political power, and the prestige of being the adopted grandson of Pharaoh. He was a prince of Egypt, living in the lap of luxury while his biological family were slaves in the mud pits.
But when Moses "came to years"—when he matured—he made a decision that shocked the world. He walked away from the palace to join the slaves. He traded a scepter for a shepherd’s staff. Why would anyone do that? These verses show us that faith is not just about believing; it is about valuing. Moses did a spiritual calculation. He weighed the world against the will of God, and he found the world lacking.
1. The Refusal of Worldly Identity (Verse 24)
The first step of Moses' faith was negative: "...refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter."
This was a crisis of identity. For 40 years, everyone knew him as an Egyptian prince. To refuse that title was to commit social suicide. It meant giving up his status, his protection, and his future career.
But Moses knew who he really was. He wasn't an Egyptian; he was a Hebrew. He wasn't a master; he was a servant of the Most High God. Faith requires us to refuse the labels the world tries to slap on us. The world wants to call you by your job, your bank account, or your past mistakes. But faith refuses those titles and says, "No. I am a child of God. That is my only true identity."
2. The Choice of Affliction Over Pleasure (Verse 25)
The second step was positive: "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God..."
Notice the honest contrast here.
* Option A: "The pleasures of sin."
* Option B: "Suffer affliction."
The Bible is honest: sin is pleasurable. If sin wasn't fun, nobody would do it. It offers immediate gratification, popularity, and ease. But there is a catch—it is only "for a season." It has an expiration date. The hangover comes in the morning; the guilt comes after the act; the consequences last a lifetime.
Moses looked at the suffering of God's people and the fun of the palace, and he chose the suffering. Why? Because he knew it was better to be in pain with God than to be happy without Him. He realized that the "season" of sin is short, but the consequences of choosing God are eternal.
3. The Calculation of True Wealth (Verse 26)
How could a smart man make such a "foolish" choice? Verse 26 gives us the math: "Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt."
"Esteeming" is an accounting term. It means to weigh, to calculate, or to assign value. Moses looked at the vast treasures of Egypt—the gold, the pyramids, the power—and put them on one side of the scale. Then he put the "reproach of Christ"—the shame, the suffering, the rejection of following God—on the other side.
And his faith told him that the worst God has to offer is better than the best the world has to offer.
* The world’s gold creates greed; God’s reproach creates character.
* The world’s treasure rots; God’s reward lasts forever.
He had "respect unto the recompense of the reward." He wasn't looking at the immediate loss; he was looking at the ultimate gain. He knew that payday was coming, not from Pharaoh, but from God.
Conclusion
We all face the same choice as Moses. We stand between the "treasures of Egypt" and the "reproach of Christ."
* Egypt offers popularity, comfort, and the "pleasures of sin for a season."
* Christ offers a cross, self-denial, and sometimes affliction.
But faith does the math. Faith looks at the finish line. Faith says, "I would rather have Jesus than silver or gold."
Today, are you chasing the temporary treasures of this world, or are you esteeming Christ as your greatest wealth? Let us, like Moses, have the courage to make the Great Refusal—to say "no" to the world so we can say "yes" to God.
