Moses - A Sacrificial Faith

Introduction

So far in this series, we’ve examined:

John the Baptist

Abel

Noah

Abraham

We're going to be focusing on Moses.

Given that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible and they play a good part of the 4th day, we are abbreviating, of course, much of his story.

We will be using his references here in Hebrews as our guide.

When we speak of faith, it takes on various forms. Last time we spoke of an Obedient Faith when talking about Abraham. Today we’re going to speak about a Sacrificial Faith, as Moses was a man who made great Sacrifice in his life for the cause of Christ.

The first thing that we see is that he had a Faithful Example - speaking of his parents

I. He had a Faithful Example (v23)

They Favored their Child

Whether or not the beauty of the child was given by God as a sign unto them or not, we don't know. What I do know is this: I haven't met one parent who, when they laid their eyes on their child for the first time Did not think it was one of the most beautiful sights to behold.

I'm sure there are always exceptions to this rule but by and large when a parent sees their child, they are taken aback by the wonder thereof.

(Ill.) With my son, my wife had a difficult delivery. They termed that he was “sunny-side up”, Meaning that he was not turned the right way for birth. The doctors tried to turn him but to no avail. He was coming out that way. The doctor was a little lady but in order to get him out they had to put a suction cup on his head and pull. After a bit my son came forth. And I'm not kidding you when I say that he had the biggest banana head you'd ever seen… But he was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.

Moses's parents loved him and because they loved him they wanted to do all that they could for him.

Again by and large, parents want the best for their children and as parents we try to set our children up for success the best we can. Sometimes we're successful, sometimes not but the greatest thing you can do as a parent for your child is to live a life of faith. Let them see that in you.

(Ill.) I began to watch a video recently and the man asked another one about faith. He was talking about in the Christian walk: how can you put faith in something if you just don't feel it or something? He used Peter sinking in the water as an example. The church knows this: living by faith is not complex. It's not a feeling that you must have. It is decisions that you make.

Mat. 14:27-31 - Peter's faith wasn't as much the problem as was his focus. Peter decided to trust Jesus when he got out of the boat and his faith was rewarded by walking on water. Yet when he took his eyes off Christ and began focusing on the water and the wind, it was then that his faith wavered, which caused him to sink.

Faith is a decision and faith grows with exercise.

Let your children see you exercising faith, making decisions by faith.

They favored their child.

The Feared Not the King

The favor they had for their child and the faith that they had in God far outweighed the fear that they had for the king.

You have to remember that legally they were supposed to cast Moses into the Nile. They were breaking the law by not doing that. This is punishment that they surely would have endured had they been found out.

But it didn't matter what the king thought.

This is a good lesson for you and me. We should care less about what the world thinks and what the people of influence think. We should live by faith and do what's right regardless.

They feared not the king.

He had a Faithful Example

II. He Forsook Pleasure and Acceptance (v24-27)

In order to live a life centered around his faith in God, he had to forsake pleasure and acceptance.

Two things that most every human desires to have

He Rejected Preference (v24)

The Bible says he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

Moses was not ignorant of his parentage. He knew his real parents for after he was taken out of the Nile, he was given back to his mom to nurse him.

(Ill.) How many times have you seen spoiled children declare, "Do you know who my father is?" What about people themselves who make statements such as "You don't know who you're dealing with"?

There's something known today called main character syndrome. It's used to describe those people who act as if the world revolves around them. But in truth most people feel as though the world revolves around them.

There's a reason for that and that's because it feels good to the flesh to be slightly elevated above those around you.

This was one of the downfalls of the Pharisees. What did Jesus say about them?

Matthew 23:5–7 “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.”

In order to live a Godly life, you must reject preference.

We are called to be humble, which is the opposite of where that comes from. Philippians 2:3–4 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

He Rejected Preference

He Rejected Pleasure (v25)

Next we come to a verse that is often quoted, but rarely followed.

There are a few things I want you to notice about this verse:

Affliction with God’s People and Pleasures of sin are opposites

What separates the two is choice

Now this choice is usually a little different for us today than it was in Moses’ day. You and I are not slaves physically. But there are different types and varying degrees of affliction that you will choose versus pleasure if so dictated by your faith.

(Ill.) One of the lost arts of our day is actually reading books. Sitting down and reading words on paper. Most gather their information and entertainment today by either watching or hearing. Do you know why? It’s easier. It’s far more pleasurable watching TV or a computer screen, than opening the Word of God. It’s not only physically more taxing, but you’re not being spoon fed info - you must actually study & think through things.

In church it is not that we should reject all pleasure but it does say the pleasures of sin. And you might say, "Well watching TV or a computer screen is not sin." You're right in and of itself. But neglecting to study the Word of God is. If you're substituting one for the other, then it becomes sin to you. James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

He Rejected Pleasure

He Recognized the Prize (v26)

In other words Moses understood what true treasure was.

This is a man that grew up in Pharaoh's house. He saw what the world had to offer. However he believed it far greater to be yoked up with Christ than all the treasures this world had to give.

(Ill.) Elon Musk became the world's first trillionaire recently, which is an enormous amount of money. How many of you would like to be millionaires? Here is a visual illustration of what one million and one trillion look like.

Now again Egypt was the greatest kingdom in the land at that day. It had more wonder and beauty and treasures than anywhere else a man could see. And Moses thought it more profitable to be yoked up to Christ.

(Ill.) If I asked you if you would trade your Christianity for a trillion dollars, most of you would probably say no because it's hard to even fathom the concept of what a trillion is. If you are already a trillionaire, the odds of you giving that up for the reproach of Christ are slim.

And remember this is a prize that Moses has yet to see. Christ hadn't even come yet but he trusted that he would!

He Recognized the True Prize

He Refused Popularity (v27)

This holds a different connotation than earlier when I spoke upon preference.

There are many who would not necessarily seek preferential treatment but they do want to fit in.

Contemporary Christianity is all about fitting in.

Contemporary Christianity is all about feeding the flesh.

Christians today do not want to be seen as outcasts. If they're not seeking preferential treatment, they're at least seeking to fit in.

Romans 12:1–2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

1 John 2:15–17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Moses refused popularity.

He had a Faithful Example; He Forsook Pleasure and Acceptance

III. His Faith Saved a Multitude (v28)

He Trusted in the Blood Sacrifice

The writer of Hebrews is now hearkening back to Exodus 12, just before God would bring the last plague - the death of the firstborn - down upon Egypt. (Read Ex. 12:3-13)

God could have told him multiple things. God could have said that he would not bring judgment down upon his house but God said all the land of Egypt was under this judgment but he made a way of escape - and that was to shed blood and apply it to the house.

Guess what? Moses trusted God! He believed that it would work.

Never in the history of mankind has something like that ever happened but Moses believed God and because of that it saved his firstborn and all those in the land. Do you know why? Because he told people about it.

He trusted in the blood sacrifice and he testified of God's plan.

He Testified of God’s Plan

Exodus 12:1–3 “And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:”

God said speak - and he spoke.

Exodus 12:28 “And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.”

Because of Moses’ faith in Trusting God’s Plan and Testifying of it, a multitude was saved from Judgment in a night!

Church, let me ask you, do you believe in the Lamb’s cleansing power? Then you should speak it! You should testify that Judgment is coming, but the blood of Jesus cleanses and protects us!

If you believe it, speak it!

He Testified of God’s Plan

He had a Faithful Example; He Forsook Pleasure and Acceptance; His Faith Saved a Multutude

IV. His Faith Freed a Multitude (v29)

Two different things at play here: Salvation & Sanctification

They were freed from the Judgment of God, but they still were under the bondage of sin.

God had made a way, but it was up to them to sieze the opportunity!

He Depended Upon God’s Leading

Exodus 14:1–2 “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.”

If you were to continue on, you'd see that God was leading them to the Red Sea so that he could use Pharaoh and his army as an example of the power of God.

So Moses deliberately led them to what appeared to be a dead end.

But he followed anyway. He trusted the Lord. And because of that his faith freed a multitude.

Church, we must be in the business of following God because we're leading others.

And it may not make sense where God leads us sometimes but we just need to trust God.

(Ill.) I was led to give up my job when I sold farm equipment in the middle of a recession and it didn't make any sense but God blessed us and took care of us. He led me to pastor one church and free it of the bondage it was under and now has allowed me to pastor this church for the last nine years because of it.

He Depended Upon God’s Leading

He Directed a People to Freedom

A people walked across a river bed on dry ground, because of Moses’ faith to lead them where God directed. They were not slaves anymore.

(Ill.) It's my utmost desire as a Christian, not just a pastor, to lead souls unto the Lord. I desire to see conversions but as much, if not more so, I want to lead people across the Red Sea. I want to see them live in a life unhindered and not enslaved by their sin. This is why I preach like I do. I don't want souls that I have opportunity to influence to live in bondage of sin.

Moses directed the people to freedom. That is my desire as well and I hope that it is yours for we are all leading someone.

Conclusion