Courageous Faith (2)

Courageous Faith Honors God above man’s decree. (v. 23)

The background: Israel is now in bondage in Egypt.

Pharaoh is afraid of their increasing numbers.

A devious plan: get the midwives to kill the babies. Exodus 1:15-17

Pharaoh does not honor God’s design: man created in God’s image.

The midwives refused because of their “fear of God,” directly disobeying an evil command.

God honored the midwives for their obedience to Him.

An evil decree (Ex. 2:22): cast the male children in the river.

What once was a secret plot is now an open genocide.

Cambodia: 2.5 million

Hitler: 20 million (6 million Jews)

Mao: 38-50 million

Stalin: 35-45 million

Live births since 1973 (43 years old and younger): 145 million.

Abortions since 1973: 60 million

Moses’ parents chose to obey God rather than fear Pharaoh.

They hid him three months.

They provided for his keeping, while trusting God.

They witnessed God’s miraculous provision through Pharaoh’s daughter.

2) Courageous Faith Chooses Christ above the world. (vv. 24-27)

Faith Identifies with God’s people.

Moses chose to suffer affliction rather enjoy the momentary pleasure of sin.

Jesus, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul?”

By identifying with God’s people, Moses was identifying with God himself.

Faith ValuesJesus above all else.

Value the Person of Christ, WHO He IS.

The worst moment of our life is greater than what the world has to offer if we have Christ.

The disciples rejoiced with they suffered reproach and persecution for the name of Christ. Acts 5:41

Hebrews 13:12-13, he bore our sin, let’s bear his reproach.

Value the Promise of Christ, His Presence.

John Piper: “Christian courage is the willingness to say and do the right thing regardless of the earthly cost, because God promises to help you and save you on account of Christ.”

Faith Endures by trusting God.

Moses lived his life “as seeing Him who is invisible.”

Yes, Moses had personal encounters with God, but he obeyed God’s commands as if God was always present with him.

The author of Hebrews says that we press on by “looking unto Jesus…”