Non-Compliance by Faith
Notes
Transcript
1 | How have I experienced the tension?
Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland, enduring horrific brutality. When she learned she was to be sold deeper into the South, she faced a choice: Stay in bondage out of fear of what would happen were she to be caught or flee to freedom in faith, believing that God had called to her to run toward the North and toward freedom.
Take a look at this scene from the 2019 film Harriet…
(River Scene from Harriet)
She didn’t just escape—she led others to freedom. She would make 13 trips to rescue enslaved individuals. On a raid during the Civil War, she helped rescue over 700 enslaved people.
Leading others through forests and swamps, away from slave catchers, she would remind them: ‘You’ll be free or die.’
Time and time again, she put herself in danger, knowing the risks. And yet, she kept going. Because she believed that freedom was worth the cost.
2 | How have you experienced this tension?
We can hear stories like Harriet’s and think FEARLESS.
How else do you describe somebody who accomplishes so much in the midst of such adversity?
What else is right to think of someone who stands with two paths in front of her and chooses the one of greatest resistance?
Someone who continually puts their life on the line to protect and save the lives of others.
But what I appreciate about that scene from Harriet is that it reminds of a very raw reality. She doesn’t stand on that bridge fearless—she prays, she trembles… then she jumps.
In our lives we each experience fear, and it moves on us like the tide in the ocean.
When life feels peaceful, it appears to be a low tide when it comes to fear, somewhere out in the distance. Other times, fear rushes in—wrecking sleep, stealing appetite. And God? He feels absent, like He’s stepped away while you drown.
In moments of panic, terror, and uncertainty, we have a choice to make. What will we do next?
3 | What do the Scriptures say about this tension?
This is exactly where the original audience of Hebrews was sitting at the moment of receiving this letter.
They had risked being ostracized by their families and communities as Jews for their allegiance to Jesus, and now their lives and livelihoods were being threatened and there was no reason to believe that the persecution would stop anytime soon.
The author of this letter continues to seek to inspire faith into the lives of his original audience in the midst of terrifying prospects for these Christians.
But he doesn’t do this through empty clichés: ‘God won’t give you more than you can handle! You’re too blessed to be stressed!
Instead he speaks transparently with them, while at the same time reminding them that faith is not just a nice thought, but a conviction of that which is not yet seen. It is confidence in what is hoped for.
And so as the author has recounted story after story of individuals who lived by faith, he brings up specific instances in their lives that are meant to both give them courage, and invite them toward living lives marked by faith.
We left off last week with Joseph, a man who lived by faith in the midst of a life that was often out of his control. Sold into slavery by his brothers. Falsely accused of crimes as he worked tirelessly for his Egyptian Master. but eventually he is elevated to the second highest level in all of Egypt, providing a safe haven for the family of Israel to wait, grow, and live before they would eventually return to their land of promise in the years to come.
Generations later, they multiply—but as slaves, stripped of culture, identity, and freedom.
All of this changes though after Pharoah orders a mass killing of the male Hebrew children as a form of population control. Except one newborn is shielded by the faith of his parents…
Read Hebrews 11:23
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
It’s interesting that this is a ‘By Faith moment’ for Moses—he wasn’t exactly making conscious choices at this point, just crying and needing to be fed.
Instead it was the wondrous faith of his parents that is active in this first part of Moses' life story.
Which reminds me of last week how the faith actions of four generations of a family affects the trajectory and faith journey of the entire family.
That same reality is true in our world. Culturally we prize individualism, the ability for me to live my lone wolf faith journey, where I decide for myself what I believe, what I value, and nobody has a right to tell me otherwise.
But the Scriptures are rooted in a collective understanding of the world, where the faith actions of others are actively a part of the faith journey of others.
If you are a follower of Jesus, I imagine you can think of at least two people right now who have been instrumental through their actions of faith in caring for you, protecting you, discipling you, sharing the Gospel with you.
If you wouldn’t identify with Jesus yet, you might even be here tonight because of the faith action of a friend inviting you into this space, or a family member who you know has prayed for a long time that you would enter into a space like this.
The faith actions of others are meant to be a part of your faith journey and mine.
Back to Moses, the faith action in this passage is that he was hidden, protecting his life, they did this for two stated faith reasons… he was beautiful (it is safe to say that this is being used as a more than just a reason that he looked like a gerber baby, this language is a judgment not just of external appearance but a belief in a future hope for this child. His parents believed God has something special for him.
The other reason is interesting and we will come back to this… but they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
Fear is a major theme in the life of Moses. And our author is going to use that well since the original audience also were facing off against an oppressive power who was making commands like were routinely leading to death and destruction for the people of God.
At three months old, Moses was placed in an ark on the Nile, his life preserved.
The language here echoes the story of Noah.
Pharaoh’s daughter found him and decided to adopt him—only for Moses’ sister to step in and suggest their mother as his nurse.
And so Moses was raised in the midst of a great identity complex.
Raised as royalty, but descended from the enslaved people group who served him.
Who would he identify with? Which path would he choose?
You might remember last month we spent a good amount of time talking about the two paths. Moses would one day stand before the people of Israel and declare before them
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
The path of God’s own life has never been easy for the people of God, because it always cuts against the grain of the human desire for control and doing what seems best in our own eyes. And yet a much older Moses had discovered… It is worth it! It is true life. Listen and obey his voice.
So choose LIFE!!!!
This wasn’t something Moses stumbled upon one day, this was the maturing effect God would have on his life.
Read Hebrews 11:24-25
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
He was raised in privilege beyond anything imaginable. Yet, it didn’t sit right with him. He knew this identity with the oppressor was not the path of life.
Before you think of this as a no brainer… remember the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
Pharaoh was the most powerful ruler of his time—cruel, vengeful, and controlling the world’s greatest army. To reject him meant suffering. But Moses still chose faith over fear.
Moses faced a major choice in his story.
And he chose the path of life, even if it meant his death.
Sharing ill-treatment with the people of God rather than enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.
It echoes the words of Harriet Tubman right? “I will be free or die”
Moses refused to be bound to the enemy of his people—or their culture’s definition of good and bad.
This was Moses' first faith action. A response to an object of his faith, his confidence in what he had not yet seen. So what was this object of his faith?
Read Hebrews 11:26
He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
Likely if you were paying attention something in this verse stood out as odd to you… how did he know about Jesus? Isn’t this supposed to be thousands of years before Christmas?
Absolutely. But it doesn’t say Jesus, it says the Greek word, Christos, which in Hebrew in the word Messiah which means anointed one.
It is impossible for us to know how much of the story of Yahweh or the people of Israel’s family story he grew up with, but what we do know is that while Moses never heard of Bethlehem nor heard of the song Silent Night there had already been foretelling to Adam and Eve of a “seed” who would crush the head of the Serpent (Genesis 3:15), and much later to Abraham and Sarah a “seed” who would inherit the land, and through whom all of the nations of the earth would be blessed.
The serpent crusher, the nation blesser, didn’t yet have a name or a face that Moses could identify.. and yet… according to our author… His faith was in that which he could not yet see.
When I evaluate my faith gauge, it can feel high or low depending on the various components I am evaluating in my life.
But God’s goal isn’t for us to concentrate on the quality of our faith but on the object of our faith.
Moses wasn’t always faithful, but his eyes were on the reward—the moment when the Messiah would break through, oppression would cease, and sin would lose its grip.
And so because his gaze was on the object of his faith he “considered abuse suffered for the Messiah to be greater wealth” than what the pinnacle of his ancient world could offer.
Some of you might already know what happens next in Moses' story… He leaves Egypt after he kills an Egyptian slave driver to protect the lives of two Hebrew slaves who were being brutalized.
the following day other individuals confront Moses about his attempted coverup and
He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian.
Exodus 2:14-15
A fearful response seems appropriate in that situation when you are discovered and you realize that the most powerful person in the world wants you dead.
But it does make the next statement in Hebrews a bit odd…
Read Hebrews 11:27
By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
When you read the passage in Exodus it seems less ‘by faith’ and more ‘out of sheer terror.
And what does it mean to be unafraid of the king’s anger? He was clearly afraid of dying!!!
We can get how the other statements demonstrate faith, but at best this is “bravely turning his tail and fleeing”
Oftentimes in the scriptures hyperbolic language is used to make a point of comparison… not that there was zero fear, but that the object of his faith was so much greater than the fear he experienced within himself.
At this point in Moses’ story he had yet to interact with God personally, and yet there was something extraordinary happening within Moses as he left the only life he had ever known, a life of luxury, respect, desire, and ease. Leaving it all behind, and along the way discovering not only that was he was running from a deadly situation by toward the very presence of God.
In that he kept going. Not relenting. Not giving up.
As though he saw him who is invisible.
In the land of Midian, Moses would take on the vocation of a shepherd, and would discover a bush that was on fire and yet not consumed. And he moves closer and closer. And the veil between God’s Kingdom and the realm of humanity gets very very thin.
Moses experiences the very presence of God, is informed of his truest identity, and called to a task where if God doesn’t come through Moses is dead.
And though Moses attempts to talk his way of his situation God’s call persists. He will be the one who will return to Egypt, returning to Pharoah the tyrant, demanding that he release his people group from bondage.
Over and over again, God demonstrates patience and firmness with Pharoah, humiliating his authority and the perceived authority of the Egyptian gods as plague after plague cripples their economy, culture, and way of life.
And over and over Pharaoh refuses to bow down to Yahweh’s requests.
And so a final plague is offered…
Read Hebrews 11:28
By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
The firstborn child of every family would be killed as a final consequence for Pharoah’s hard heart and cruelty. Reversing the plague he cast on the Hebrews in the slaughter of their children.
But Moses was told to have each of the Hebrew families to paint blood on the doorpost as a marker of faith, trusting that God would stay true to his promise.
Even in this tragic story, we see Moses' faith response to the promises of God remain intact. Moses continues to respond in his life with a growing understanding of who he is.
Of choosing the path of life versus the path of death.
Rejecting his identity of temptation as a royal in the most powerful family on the globe… but not out of fear.
But out of faith.
Faith that says no matter what happens next I know God has got this. No matter what pain or brutality might come my way I know nothing will happen outside of God’s ability to bring redemption.
Moses chose life. Even when the path of death looked far more appealing.
All because he held onto a conviction for that which he could not yet see.
One day, the long awaited Messiah would come.
He would come in an age of oppression against the Jewish people, a King would attempt to stamp him out through the genocide of infant boys in his region as well, and by faith his parents would curiously enough take him into Egypt for a time to protect him.
He would also grow up, and he would refuse to given into the temptations of the Satan, to receive power and authority without cost or sacrifice, choosing to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” He considered abuse suffered for his people to be greater wealth than the treasures of this earth, for he was looking ahead to our reward shared with him!
By faith in his Father’s will he experienced mockery, shame, and even still was unafraid of our spiritual enemy or earthly rulers, for he preservered because he was he who is invisible made flesh.
By faith in his father’s will he became the passover through the sprinkling of his own blood, so that those who would be redeemed and restored would not perish but have everlasting life!!!!
Do you think this was the good news the Hebrews needed to hear?
They were suffering. They were pained. They felt forgotten.
And our author is saying, don’t lose hope. Don’t allow your gaze to leave the object of your faith.
Jesus once explained:
He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
The encouragement here was to choose the path of God’s own life, even if it means your physical death!
The message was clear: The fear is real. The emperor is wicked and unstable. But the object of your faith is greater than the object of your fear.
Their invitation… choose the path of life, no matter what tomorrow holds because the prize is worth whatever comes next.
4 | How can the Gospel bring resolution to this tension in your life?
Harriet Tubman didn’t die for her faith, but she did live for it.
She chose life keeping her gaze transfixed on Jesus, even when terror stood right in front of her.
Unbelievably she never lost one person on any of her missions, including young children and her elderly parents whom she eventually returned to set free.
This call to focus on the object of our faith over the object of our fears is not to downplay the hard in your story.
I am currently walking with some of you through those realities right now, and others have walked with me through mine.
But let’s be honest—moving your eyes from fear to faith is easier said than done. Because fear isn’t imaginary. It’s real. It’s heavy. And it carries serious stakes. Fear over our health, our families, our work, the world around us—it’s all enough to keep us up at night.
Just like Pharaoh in Moses' day.
Just like Emperor Nero in the days that this letter was written.
Each of these have more than enough weight to bring fear into the life of any sane person.
And yet, Jesus has always been greater. More significant. More worthwhile. Than any object of fear. His grace offers forgiveness to our brokenness. Healing for our wounds. Hope for the wanderer. And faith for the faithless.
Our faith is not in a battle of equals. Jesus is not in a cosmic tug-of-war with fear, Satan, or earthly rulers. The victory has already been won. Once for all. The Cross has settled it. The object of our faith is greater.
So choose life by keeping your gaze on him in the midst of the uncertainties of your daily life.
It is absolutely worth it, because what we discover on the path is the very presence of God leading and guiding us further up and further in… ahead to the reward of true eternal living, now and on through eternity.
Choose the path of life. Like Moses. Like Jesus. Like Harriet. Like all who have gone before us in faith.
(Invite the band up)
So as we close, let me challenge you—what is one fear holding you back from faith?
One thing that keeps your eyes locked on fear instead of Jesus?
This week, name it. Bring it to God in prayer each day. And take one step of courage, trusting that God is leading you forward.
Let’s pray.
