By Faith IV Hebrews 11:23-31

To illustrate dead faith, "It is that kind of faith which would lead a man to take a bottle of medicine from his medicine cabinet. Looking at the instructions on it, he says, 'I'm sure they're correct. I have all confidence in the source of the medicine. I know who wrote these directions. I believe everything about it. I know this will relieve my headache, if I just take it.' But he takes the medicine bottle and puts it back on the shelf. He doesn't lose his headache. It continues on. Yet he can say I believe that medicine. I believe all about that medicine. But still he won't take it. That's dead faith."

-Faith prefers the reproach of Christ to the riches of the world. By faith…

I. We Fear God v. 23

In our passage tonight, we get to focus in on Moses as another example of faith. But, our first look is at the faith of his parents

We see that, by faith, Moses was hidden for three months

This surprises me a little bit, because we don’t see the faith that caused them to place him in the basket in the Nile

However, without the faith to hide Moses, we never would have seen the faith to send Moses

The act of hiding Moses was an act of acknowledgment:

They are living under the fear of a Pharaoh

His edict stood as a command to kill the child, or else there would be consequences

By faith, Moses’s parents feared God more than they feared the king

It takes faith, to fear God

Why? Because it is harder to see the consequences of disobedience to God than the consequences of disobedience to human authorities

I think its really important that we understand that: Our faith is revealed through our reverence

We cannot say that we believe in God or believe God if we consistently fear people more than we fear God

People who live by faith live in the fear of God

II. We Choose God vv. 24-26

Next, we see the faith of Moses

After years of growing up in Pharaoh’s house, Moses rejects identification as an Egyptian

This is critical: He prefers to identify with his birth family and the culture and faith of the Israelites

However, this decision has consequences:

To choose God (and His people the Israelites) is to be mistreated with them

The pleasures of sin are very real and they were available to Moses

In v. 26, something important happens; the author gives us further insight into that decision

By faith, Moses recognized the fleeting pleasure of sin

But by faith, Moses sees the reproach of Christ as a treasure

Now, Moses is an Old Testament saint, so he did not know Christ in this way, yet that was exactly who he was looking forward to

Moses believes that the reward of choosing God far exceeds any treasure that Egypt has to offer

If you do not believe God, you will never choose God

The following letter was found in a baking-power can wired to the handle of an old pump that offered the only hope of drinking water on a very long and seldom-used trail across Nevada's Amargosa Desert: "This pump is all right as of June 1932. I put a new sucker washer into it and it ought to last five years. But the washer dries out and the pump has got to be primed. Under the white rock I buried a bottle of water, out of the sun and cork end up. There's enough water in it to prime the pump, but not if you drink some first. Pour about one-fourth and let her soak to wet the leather. Then pour in the rest medium fast and pump like crazy. You'll git water. The well has never run dry. Have faith. When you git watered up, fill the bottle and put it back like you found it for the next feller. (signed) Desert Pete. P.S. Don't go drinking the water first. Prime the pump with it and you'll git all you can hold."

III. We See God v. 27

Third, Moses departs from Egypt

There are two potential times that this could reference

He departed Egypt after killing the Egyptian overseer

He fled in fear, which would seem to argue against this interpretation

However, an argument could be made that his departure was an act of rebellion against Pharaoh; rather than leaning into his identity as an adopted member of the house of Pharaoh, he chose exile in the wilderness

He also departed Egypt with the children of Israel in the Exodus

This may seem slightly out of order with v. 28, but I think that this is the stronger interpretation

Everything about Moses’s journey out of Egypt is a story of faith in God

We get a really beautiful note here: He endured as seeing Him who is invisible

Moses’s ministry was full of doubts and fears, failures and complaints.

However, he endured all of that

He did it by looking to and seeing by faith, the God who is unseen!

IV. We Obey God v. 28

Finally, we see another pivotal moment in Moses’s life: the Passover

By faith, Moses kept the Passover

Moses had already seen God punish Egypt with 9 plagues, but the 10th will be the worst of all

The Destroyer of the firstborn will kill the firstborn in every home in the land

The Israelites are not exempted from this declaration, but God does make a way of escape

To survive the 10th plague, each home must take the blood of a lamb and sprinkle their doorways with it

It is a sign: You can pass over this home, a death has already taken place here

It takes faith to take this step

Moses has heard God’s voice and seen His hand. Now, Moses must believe His Word and obey His commands

Moses does and this obedience is his deliverance

If you want to live a life that obeys God and receives His blessings, you will only be able to do this by faith in Him

You cannot experience God’s power without believing God’s promise

When Hudson Taylor went to China, he made the voyage on a sailing vessel. As it neared the channel between the southern Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, the missionary heard an urgent knock on his stateroom door. He opened it, and there stood the captain of the ship. "Mr. Taylor," he said, "we have no wind. We are drifting toward an island where the people are heathen, and I fear they are cannibals." "What can I do?" asked Taylor. "I understand that you believe in God. I want you to pray for wind." "All right, Captain, I will, but you must set the sail." "Why that's ridiculous! There's not even the slightest breeze. Besides, the sailors will think I'm crazy." But finally, because of Taylor's insistence, he agreed. Forty- five minutes later he returned and found the missionary still on his knees. "You can stop praying now," said the captain. "We've got more wind than we know what to do with!"