By Faith, We Can Be Brave

Introduction

Good morning please open in you Bibles to Hebrews 11:23-28 that is hebrews 11:23-28. If you are using a Bible scattered through out the chairs that is on page 948. In the book the “The Screwtape Letters” author CS Lewis writes in the fictitious voice of of a senior demon Screwtape to his underling and nephew Wormwood. He writes to teach Wormwood how to best tempt a man and he writes this about courage, “He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means, at the point of highest reality. A chastity or honesty, or mercy, which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Pilate was merciful till it became risky.” Lewis’ point is that without courage we cannot be virtuous, for our virtue will always be conditional if we crumple at opposition. I agree with Lewis at this point. We all need courage, we all must be brave if we are to persevere in this life as Christians. Without bravery, without courage, we will abandon not just our morals, but our God.

The original audience of the book of Hebrews was threatened, imprisoned, and had their property stolen. They were being tempted to return to their old way of life, to return to the Jewish sacrificial system instead of trusting in the once for all sacrifice of Christ. So, the author writes to encourage his audience to remain steadfast to Christ. He writes 10 dense chapters of beautiful and deep theological truth that proves that Jesus is better than all the OT has to offer and he is the fulfillment of all the Old Covenant point to. In chapter 11 he now implores his audience to laid to these truths by faith.

In order to endure in our faith til the end we all need both the head knowledge of the truth rooted in objective reality: Christ died for our sins AND we need the subjective and personal conviction of those truths in our hearts. We cannot just know that facts about Jesus, we must believe and behold them. And to believe and behold the truths of Christ, especially in the midst of opposition, then we must be brave. We cannot be cowards. Revelation 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”” The cowardly and the faithless are in the same category as the murderers, the sexually immoral, the liars… Are you brave? Where does bravery come from? Can we grow to be brave?

Bravery like all other christians virtues does not come naturally to anyone. We can all grow in courage? Today we want to see how faith in the unseen makes us brave. Let’s Hebrews 11:23-28

Behold What is Truly Beautiful v.23

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.”

In Hebrews 11:3-22 the author walked us through several major characters of the first book of the Bible. He began with creation, recounted the formation of the nation of Israel through the patriarch Abraham and his sons and we left last week with this large family living in Egypt instead of the land promised to them because of a famine. This family stayed in Eypgt for 450 years and greatly multiplied to become the size of a small nation. And during that time they went from being guest of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to slaves of Pharaoh. Pharaoh fears these slaves because their population is growing at such a rapid rate. Therefore, he commands the murder of all male babies born to the Hebrew people. It during this edict, that Moses is born. Moses is a major historical figure in the history of the nation of Israel. God will use him to deliver the people from Pharaoh, lead them back to the promised land, and even pen the first five books of the Bible. Our audience knows all of this as they read verse 23.

Moses is born and instead of killing him like the king of Egypt commands, his parents hide him for 3 months. The author declares, they were not afraid of the king’s edict. Now, this is helpful, because the bravery we see here in the parents of Moses is not the lack of the feeling of fear. It is not an arrogant and brash defiance toward danger. Rather it the resolve to act nobly, even if it is difficult. They hide him instead of kill him. Why? Because they saw that the child was beautiful. They beheld his beauty and decided to obey God rather than the king of their land.

Now the word beautiful could also be translated goodly or pleasing. In Exodus 2:2 when the text is translated from Hebrew into English instead of Greek to English it reads “The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.” The text is not saying that because of Moses’ cutest he was saved. As if, if he were an ugly baby his mom would have killed him. Rather it stating that Moses was seen as special, he was no ordinary child. Perhaps this is because in some way his parents knew that he was destined for something special like the deliverance of God’s people, though we do not know that for sure. It seems possible considering the theme of this text is to trust God’s word, even when circumstances are troubling. It would make sense for the author to be saying that God promised Moses’ parents he would be special, therefore they trusted God’s word and saw he specialness, his beauty, and did not fear the king’s edict.

But it also true that all children are inherently special. All babies are inherently beautiful because they are made in the image of God. Even if a child is born with a disability, they are beautiful in the sight of God and worth saving. All babies have potential to be used mightily by the Lord and all babies are worthy to suffer for. I believe it also just true that the parents of Moses could in faith choose to preserve the life of their son not knowing he would be the deliverer of Israel. They could in faith willingly endure of the wrath of king for the sake of their son. In choosing to disobey a tyrant king Moses’ parents placed their faith in God to use this boy as God saw fit. And that is an example of being assured of the things hoped for and having conviction in the things not seen which is the theme of Hebrews 11. Our author wants us to trust God even when we can’t see the endgame.

Bravery isn’t just putting on a stone faced resolve against power, that’s just being a contrarian. True bravery is resolving to trust God’s word and valuing what he values. Beholding as beautiful what he beholds as beautiful. The unknown potential in a weak infant is beautiful, pleasing, when that potential is entrusted to the hands of good and gracious God. Knowing God values the weakest of us because we are made in his image enables us to do what is right, even if the powerful tell us to do something wrong.

When we behold worldly wealth, sensual pleasure, positions of power, safety, as beautiful and pleasing that is the lust of our flesh. We are allowing the flesh to dictate what is pleasing to us. But when we choose to behold love, truth, meekness, gentleness, kindness, God’s church, fellowship with other Christians, selflessness in marriage, godly parenting as that which makes life beautiful then we by faith are able to be brave. We can courageously disobey the world’s edict do what is right, because we see God as beautiful. We are therefore not afraid of the king/world.

T/S- Moses parents kept him alive for three months because they saw him as beautiful. However, after three months it would no longer be possible to simply keep him hidden. So, his parents devise a bold plan. His mother places him in a basket, the word used for basket can be translated as ark. Moses is the author of both Genesis where we hear of Noah’s ark that protected him from a global flood and the book of Exodus which is where the story of his birth is located. In the use of that word we get a hint into the though process of his parents. They saw this basket as a means of saving their baby. She places him in this basket and water proofs the basket so it will float. She then leaves him in the river where Pharaoh’s daughter bathes. Pharaoh’s daughter will find Moses and decide to raise him as her own. Moses sister will see this take place and she will arrange to have Moses mother be his wet nurse. They act in faith and God preserves the life of Moses. He will be raised as royalty with all of the pleasures of royalty at his fingertips.

But instead Hebrews 11:24–26 tell us, “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 considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”

Treasure Christ v. 24-26

In order to be brave we must believe that the reproaches of Christ are greater than the treasures of this worth. We must treasure Christ. Now to say we treasure Christ when there is no disadvantage to following Him is an easy. It’s easier to claim to treasure Jesus above all else when the the “else” is not challenged. But Moses displays his love for the things of God when we refuses the wealth of Pharaoh and instead associates with the Hebrew slaves. His association with the Hebrew slaves him into a difficult situation. He witnesses a slave being mistreated by an Egyptian and Moses kills that Egyptian and hides his body in the sand. This is not the right thing to do, but it does show where Moses’ loyalties lied. In standing up for the Hebrew slave he took on their reproaches and cast off the wealth of Egypt. He murderous deed is made known and Pharaoh seeks to kill him. Therefore, Moses must flee Egypt and flees to a place called Midian.

Now, you may ask how does Moses’ association with the Hebrew slaves enable him to consider the reproach of Christ? Where is Christ in the Moses story in Exodus 2. There is not a direct mention of the Messiah/Christ in Exodus 2. So, how does Moses consider the reproach of Christ as greater than the treasures of Egypt? And it is because is reading Christ back into the story of Moses like he has be doing for each character he has mentioned thus far. Each Old Testament saint mentioned in Hebrews 11 is believing in a future promise based upon the word of God. God makes a promise to Abel, Abraham, Moses and the others and they all take action in faith because they believe that God will fulfill that promise. 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” Because all of the promises of God are fulfilled in Christ, when an Old testament saint believed in God’s promises to them, they were believing in Christ. Thus, when Moses rejected the fleeting pleasures of Egypt and instead associated with the Hebrew slaves and took on their way of life including their religion he bore the reproaches of Christ. He was reproached, disdained, and hunted by Pharaoh because of his faith in the one true God.

This text in Hebrews is written to a people who are being told they should abandon Christ for the law of Moses. And this godless admonishment comes with real physical harm. Some are imprisoned, their reputations are ruined, and their things are stolen according to Hebrews 10. But the writer is saying you cannot abandon Christ as a means of taking hold of Moses. Because Moses abandoned Egypt as a means of taking hold of Christ. Moses held to Jesus. To abandon Jesus is to abandon Moses. The faithful Jew would not deny God’s Christ by continuing in the sacrifice of animals, but instead would by faith believe that the sacrifice of Christ was sufficient for all their sins. Our author holds up Moses to the people and says be like Him.

The worlds goods are before you if you just conform to the world. Just allow yourself to be a “son of Egypt.” The pleasures of sin are right in front of you and they are yours for the taking. It makes worldly sense to enjoy these pleasures, but Moses didn’t do that. Moses instead associated with the Hebrew slaves. He knew who he truly was, he was a son of Israel, a son of God. And therefore, looking forward to the promise of God of an eternal reward in heaven he chose the reproaches of Christ. He knew that God’s eternal rewards were better than anything Pharaoh’s house could offer him.

The audience of Hebrews was to do the same thing. They were to know that the reproaches of Christ they endured would one day far surpass any worldly pleasure. Suffering for Jesus is better than the treasures of this world. Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” In order to be brave and do the right thing in the face of adversity something must eclipse or blot out our fear. Something greater than our fear and what we fear must be “seen” if we are to chose suffering. And thing is that blots out our fear is Christ. We must see him and behold him as beautiful. And we can only do that by faith. Faith that God keeps his promises.

T/S- However, we all know that can be difficult. It is difficult to see something that is invisible. Because we can only see the invisible by faith. And this what Moses did. He trusted the the invisible God.

Trust the Invisible God v. 27-28

Hebrews 11:27–28 “By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.”

Moses flees to Midian and spends 40 years there and becomes a shepherd. However, during this time Moses has an encounter with God as God speaks to Moses out of a burning bush. In that encounter Moses is told to return to Egypt and speak to Pharaoh. He is to tell Pharaoh to let the people of God go. Moses is afraid, but he does eventually do this. Pharaoh does not just take Moses’ word for it and he refuses to let the people go. Therefore, God sends ten plagues to Egypt each meant to display His power over the power of the Egyptian gods. And the last of these plagues is the Passover. It was an event in which God instructed the people of Israel to sacrifice a lamb and place its blood over their doorpost. Then that night the Destroyer would come and he would passover the homes with the blood on the doorpost. However, if you did not have the blood of the lamb on your doorpost then the Destroyer would enter your home and kill your firstborn child. This even happens, and after God takes the firstborn of Egypt Pharaoh finally relents and allows the Hebrews to leave.

That is the backdrop to Hebrews 11:27-28. It is by faith that Moses and the people of Israel left Egypt and kept the Passover. It is by faith that they are not afraid of the anger of the king or Pharaoh. In that story they must choose who to fear. Do they chose to fear Pharaoh and his wrath or do they chose to fear the invisible God. They only have God’s word to go off its not like a Passover was a normal event. They had to trust that God’s threat was real. Now, that part was probably fairly simple because the other nine plagues. They also had to trust that the blood of the lamb would be enough. Would the blood of this lamb be enough to keep the Destroyer out of their home? Would the blood of the lamb be enough to keep their firstborn children safe?

As we wrap up this morning that is the ultimate question for you and I. Is the blood of the lamb enough to keep us safe? Can we trust in the word of the invisible God when he says that if you are covered in the blood of Jesus that you will be spared from His wrath? You see came and lived a perfect life and he offered himself as the sacrifice for our sins. The blood of the lamb on the doorpost of the Hebrews was foreshadowing the blood of Christ which covers those who receive Him by faith. It is only through Jesus’ blood that you are made eternally secure. Hebrews 9:12–14 “he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

When Moses and the Israelites placed their faith in God by putting the blood of the lamb on their doorpost they also placed their faith in Christ. They did this looking forward to the reward of an eternal kingdom. They trusted in the God they could not see in the promises that they would not see fulfilled in their lifetime. Their trust, their faith in God allowed them to not fear the anger of Pharaoh and therefore endure. The original audience was being implored to do the same. Trust in the eternal reward of heaven which is won through the sacrificial death of Christ, and therefore do not fear the wrath of your persecutors. Endure as one who sees him who invisible. How do we see him? We see him by faith.

Conclusion

Jesus is enough to save us and he is enough to satisfy us. Faith in both of these realities makes endurance possible even in the midst of persecution. We must believe that in Jesus we are saved from God’s wrath for our sin and we must believe that we can only be truly satisfied in him. Are you afraid to die? Then you must believe that Jesus can save you, not from physical death but eternal death. Because only in Jesus can you truly escape death and live forever. Are you afraid to lose your home or any worldly goods? Then you must believe that Jesus alone can satisfy your desires and that he does in fact prepare a better home for us in heaven. Do you fear the loss of reputation, the loss of your kids, the loss of your parents or spouse, do you fear the loss of your job and income, do you fear the future and the unknown, do you fear physical harm or getting ill… What do you fear? And do you long to be no longer be afraid? Instead of fearful, would you rather be brave?

If you do, then something must eclipse your fear. You must find something greater than your fear to hold on to if you hope to be brave. And the good news for the Christian is that Christ is greater than all our fears. He is enough to save you from sin and he is enough to satisfy you even when life is difficult.

Perhaps you are here and you are struggling to believe that Jesus can really save you. You don’t see how God could really love someone like you. You have done something that still brings you shame. Or maybe you have been mistreated by others and so you just don’t believe you are even worth saving. You think that God might save people, but not people like you. He saves the good people, but not me. Romans 3:23–25 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. … No one is a good person. God saves bad people as a gift of grace.

Or you are here and you are Christian and you know that, but you are really struggling with fear. In our world we might call this worry, anxiety, stress..and I have to ask? Do you believe that Jesus can satisfy you? Our perhaps you have begun to function as if the wealth of Egypt the pleasures of this world really are a better than the reproaches of Christ. You are living life as if what the world offers really is what you need to be happy and satisfied. You need the approval of others so you cave to their opinions, you need ease and comfort so you work to get a bigger and better house, you convince yourself that sexual pleasure is better than holiness so you seek it outside of the covenant marriage through lust and fantasy. In each case this an exchange of Egypt’s wealth for Christ. And if you make that trade often enough it will lead to a live filled with fear. Fear of judgement, fear of getting caught, fear of man, fear of losing a job, fear of bad health… the list goes on and on. There is a way to live free of fear. By faith we must believe that Jesus can satisfy our every longing. By faith we must believe that the reproach of Christ is better than the treasures of this world.