The Faith of Moses Part 2

Intro

Alright everyone, we are back at it tonight. Back in our series in Hebrews 11, called “by faith”…and back in a little two part message on the faith of Moses.

Last week, was a little bit of a slower start. We spent a lot time focusing on just one point…a point centered around the faith of Moses’s parents. A point that showed us that by faith, moses’ parents were given the ability to defend what is good and godly.

That was our one point that we drove home last week.

Faith defends good and godly things.

Moses’ parents saw that Moses was beautiful in the sight of God, and they acted upon that to defend him. You can see that in verse 23, let’s get our eyes back on the text.

Hebrews 11:23 ESV

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.

So they defended the good and godly thing of the precious baby boy they were given, and the sanctity of his life. And we see the faith of moses also defend good and godly things in verse 24. Look at that verse.

Hebrews 11:24 ESV

24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

The Israelites were the people of God. They were God’s chosen race. His special people.

They didn’t feel special in that moment…because in that moment they were the lowest of the low. Slaves forced to do manual labor. They had no wealth or social status in Egypt.

Unlike Pharoah and his household. Pharoah, who was literally thought to be a God in flesh…was blessed beyond measure. And so was his household…his household would include his daughter.

If Moses had taken on the identity of Pharaohs grandson…he would have been granted power, wealth, status. All these things that would most certainly be tempting. But instead, what does it say? Look back at the text.

It says “by faith”, so faith being the agent that is causing this to happen, “by faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son...”

Mose’s faith caused him to refuse the power, wealth, and status, and instead…maintained his integrity as a hebrew. He defended his race, God’s race…God’s chosen people.

By faith, Moses stood up and defended the good and godly thing that he belonged to…God’s covenant people.

But that’s not all this part of the passage teaches us. In fact, what we see here in this second part, is the second point that we learn about faith in the story of Moses.

Faith fuels the fight against sin. (v. 25-26)

Let me show you where I get that. Look back at the passage.

So moses refused to be called the son of the Pharoah’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.” (v.25-26)

So the first thing we see in verses 25 and 26 is that faith, which is the ongoing thing that the author of Hebrews is discussing…faith cause Moses to choose to be mistreated, rather than enjoy sin.

His faith, fueled his fight against sin. Now the sin here gets obvious when we consider the previous statement about Pharoah, his family, his wealth, and his status.

There would have been sin in moses’ denying the covenant people of God, sin in greed, and power…and absolutely the sin of paganism. Accepting and worshiping other Gods instead of Yahweh who was the one true living God.

The pleasures of those sins would have been extremely tempting to a man in Moses’ position.

Avoiding slavery, having money and power. Having freedom to come and go as he pleases, and to do as he pleases…especially when you think that on a daily basis, he is seeing the alternative. A life of poverty and slavery. Every day he is seeing what his life could be played out in front of him.

Some kind of illustration here?

So faith, clearly fueled him to fight sin.That’s what we see about our own faith. The faith given to us by God empowers us to fight sin, to work through sanctification…but how exactly does it do that? This scripture shows us two ways that it does that.

And the first is…faith fuels the fight against sin...

By changing our perspective.

Look back at verse 26. The author continues this idea of Moses’ fighting the pleasures of sin by saying...“He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt”

So Moses’ faith gave him a completely different perspective, that is…it gave him a completely different way to view the world. The way that he could have viewed the world would be to consider the treasures of Egypt, greater than the reproach of Christ.

So before we go any further, let’s talk about the reproach of Christ? What is it? How does Christ relate to Moses? Especially considering they lived over a thousand years apart from each other.

And, I don’t know about you…but the phrase seems a little confusing right off the bat for me. When I hear “the reproach of Christ” it sounds like Moses’ considered being disciplined by Christ greater than fulfilling a desire to sin.

Anyone else feel that way?

Because when I hear the reproach of someone, I fear their discipline or scolding. Like if you have a boss or professor, and they call you into a meeting without telling you why. You get nervous right? That’s because in some ways we are fearing their reproach.

Now…if you were reading this passage and saw that…it wouldn’t be unbiblical to think that part of the motivation to seek God over the world is because we are afraid of the discipline of God. That’s part of “fearing the Lord”, is to fear his reproach upon our lives.

However, that may not be the most accurate translation of this passage. Because the words here in the greek really take on the idea of Moses considering reproach for the sake of Christ.

Meaning…if you look back at verse 26 there, moses considered the reproach that comes from living for Christ, to be greater than the treasures of Egpyt.

And that right there, is where we really begin to understand this perspective change. Because what it’s really saying…is that to Moses, discipline, punishment, slavery, and exile seemed to be greater things…more valuable things…than everything the riches of Egypt had to offer.

And I think we can all agree…that’s not normal.

That’s not default.

To the world…that’s crazy. Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Meaning, the message of the cross and all the things that come from it…seem to be foolish to the world, but to us it is the power of God.

And Moses’ is a fantastic example of how our faith plays that out.

So now we understand that Moses has this change of perspective because of his faith…we understand that he treasured being reproached because of Christ over treasuring the pleasure of Egypt. But…there’s still one confusing thing.

Moses didn’t know Christ. So why is this called the reproach of Christ rather than Moses considered “being reproached”?

Here’s why.

Because the author of Hebrews wants to make it very clear to us…that when we suffer for God’s sake. When we suffer for pursuing the things of God over the things of the Earth…that we are following after Christ.

And that’s the real perspective change that we need to have.

We need to have the perspective that when we choose the things of God over the things of sin that seem so satisfying, so tempting…we are following after our Savior himself. The one his is the author and perfecter of our faith.

We strive to have the perspective of the disciples in the book of Acts right after Christ had ascended. They are beaten by a council for preaching the gospel and this is what it says...

Acts 5:41 ESV

41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

Rejoicing…that they were worthy…to suffer the reproach of Christ. To suffer the same treatment that their savior and Lord suffered.

Their perspective had changed, that suffering endurance became the things to value, to honor, to love…because it meant following after Christ. Rather, than following after the “safety” and “riches” that the world offers.

And our faith, is what gives us that perspective.

Our faith fuels our fight against sin…by changing our perspective. If you struggle with having that perspective, come talk to me or a leader afterwards.

But that’s not the only way that our faith fuels our fight against sin…it also does it...

By giving us hope.

Look at the very end of verse 26 there.

Hebrews 11:26 ESV

26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

What gave Moses’ the motivation…what helped him endure when it came to having a changed perspective…what things did his faith give him in his life?

Faith gave him hope.

The very end there...“for he was looking to the reward”

So this idea, of having a reward, is essential to the concept of having a faith that endures.

It certainly was for Moses here. He sought reproach rather than the world…because he was looking towards a reward. What was this reward? It could have been many things throughout his life.

When he was younger, it may have been the reward of belonging to God’s chosen people.

During the plagues of Egypt, the reward may have been the freedom of God’s people that God promised.

In the desert, it may have been the promised land that was promised by God.

Either way…we know that the posture of Moses’ heart was to endure suffering, and deny the sinful pleasures of this world in order to seek the reward that God had promised. Whether it be his people, their freedom, or the promised land.

And Moses’ isn’t the only example.

The whole point of our series is to see how the OT Saints cause us to turn our eyes to Christ, right? And to see how their faith should spur on our own faith?

This is one of those moments that the Author is beginning to drive home his point so clearly. He spends this time setting up that Moses’ endured by faith because he looked towards the reward....and then, in our passage at the beginning of chapter 12…he drives it home.

Let look at that super familiar verse together. I say familiar because we’ve hit it every single time.

Hebrews Text

Hebrews 12:1–2 (ESV)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus…who, for, the, joy set before him.

Jesus…had a reward he was looking towards. Jesus, the one who is perfecting your faith…had something that caused him to press on…what was it? Joy.

Joy in saving you who believe.

Joy in redeeming God’s people.

Joy in being seated where he belongs at the right hand of the father.

Joy.

Jesus’ reward was joy. And that reward helped him endure against sin. Against the temptations he faced in his time here on earth…and even against the pain that was being put on him because of sin.

So. Our faith fuels the fight against sin by changing our perspective...

and by giving us hope.

So as we are thinking about these things. I want to ask you.

Where does that fall in your life right now?

I want to help you identify those things. So let me give you a process to think through right now.

What are the things most tempting to you of this world? Just identify them. If Moses had the pleasures of Egypt to face, what are the pleasures of school, work, the quad cities, and this current culture we live in. Money? Sex? Security? Comfort? Power? Fame? Impact?

Where are the places you are seeking those pleasures as a joy greater than following Christ?

3. What is your reward? What is the joy set before you?

4. What does it look like for you to live as if that reward is your greater joy? What habits or actions would that change in your life?

5. Who are you going to share this with?

________________________

Faith overcomes fear. (v. 27)

“and they were not afraid of the King’s edict” (v.23b)

By giving us impossible courage and conviction. “for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.”

Faith produces obedience. (v. 28)

“By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.”

Faith builds trust in God’s promises.

“By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.”