FAITH FOR LIFE

SERIES: LIVING BY FAITH

TEXT: HEBREWS 11:23-29

Abraham is the father of all those who believe. Out of Abraham three world religions have emerged-Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The runners-up is Moses. Moses is the most highly regarded ancestor of Israel, next to Abraham. In Moses we find “faith for all of life.”

Moses wrote the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.

In John 5:46, Jesus Christ said (Moses) wrote about Him (Jesus) “For had ye believed Moses, you would have believed me; for he wrote of me.” Moses’ life is a solid example of life lived by faith in practice.

The life of Moses serves as a model for all of us to follow.

The author of Hebrews selects three primary events in the life of Moses to illustrate three marks of complete faith. Today let us look at the three interrelated marks of faith in the life of Moses:-

PARENTAL FAITH-Hebrews 11:23.

“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”

• Faith does not fear, even king’s edicts.
• Before Moses was born, we find two faithful Jews loved, obeyed and trusted YHWH.
• In Exodus 2, we find Moses’ parents Amram and Jochebed.
• They were among other 3 million Jews living in slavery under Egyptian rulers.
• In order to control the blooming increase in population amongst the Hebrews, pharaoh ordered all Jewish male children to be cast into the Nile River.
• A baby could only be hidden for so long until somebody notices.
• Amram and Jochebed made a small ark/basket and set it a drift in the river.
• Amram and Jochebed believed in the sovereignty of God, that God would take care of their little boy.
• Imagine the danger involved in the crocodile infested River Nile!!
• They violated human authority because they believed in a higher authority, the authority of God.
• Their faith asked rationally and carefully as evidenced in the preparation of the little boat of reeds.
• Amram and Jochebed had their daughter Miriam follow that boat.
• Miriam was amazed one day to find that the little boat came to rest near where the Egyptian princess was taking a bath.
• Pharaoh’s daughter took the baby as her own, Jochebed became the baby’s nurse in the palace of pharaoh until he was 12 years of age.
• Who but God could arrange things so that His deliverer of Hebrews would be raised in the enemy’s palace, at the enemy’s cost.
• Parents and grandparents don’t you ever think for once your faith cannot protect your children.
• Your faith in God can save our children and nation.
• The world and its modern pharaoh’s have no regard for our children, the sanctity of life, marriage, good conduct and honor.
• The abortionists are killing our future.
• The pro-choice and pro-life women suffer the consequences of their dead babies for years. Just as if the abortion was a miscarriage.
• Our babies need us to protect, provide food, shelter and clothing-but more to these they need our covering of faith.
• Amram and Jochebed were slaves but their faithful covering, not financial solvency, that raised up a Moses.
• A father’s/mother’s faith is a big deal that cannot be undervalued.

PERSONAL FAITH-Heb. 11:24-26.

• Everybody must do their own dying and everybody must do their own believing.
• Parents can only point their children in the right direction, but your parental faith cannot carry the child through his/her lifetime.
• Your faith can save a child from danger, but it cannot save a child from damnation.
• There must be a time when and where a child’s own faith takes over.
• Moses’ parents had saved him from dangers of the world, but as he grew his own faith had to deliver him from sin, world and temptations.
• Moses had to make his own decision concerning faith in YHWH.

1. Moses chose to refuse the throne of Egypt-Vs. 24.

• Heb. 11:24, “By faith Moses when he was grown up, refused to be called son of pharaoh’s daughter.
• Moses was adopted son of pharaoh’s daughter (social position, prominence, best education, prince of Egypt and mom’s royalty.
• Moses was destined to the throne, but chose instead to say goodbye to what had been his home for 40 years.

1. Moses refused the temptations of Egypt-Vs. 25.

Vs. 25-“Choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.”

• Egypt offered every possible temptation for a man of Moses position. He had everything he wanted, including “dancing girls” yet he said no.
• He chose to be with God’s people in affliction rather than have temporary pleasure-sins pleasures are short-lived.

1. He refused the treasures of Egypt-Vs. 26.

• He chose God over his own wealth.
• He looked ahead, saw the freedom of his people and chose God’s riches.

1. Moses chose the eternal position over the temporal pleasure, he chose the imperishable riches of Christ over the wealth of this world.

• Moses looked ahead and saw eternal glory!!
• In the light of eternity, this world looks different.
• In this world there are only two kinds of thinkers-Terminal and eternal thinkers.
• Moses believed that this world is not our home.
• We may be cursed here, but there we will be crowned! “I’d rather have Jesus!!”

PRACTICAL FAITH-Heb. 11:27-29.

• Our personal faith becomes powerful faith when it acts on God’s word.
• The faith of Moses became practical when he demonstrated victory in three separate events:-

1. Moses left Egypt-Vs. 27 “By faith he left Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is unseen.”

• In leaving Egypt Moses gained victory over the world.
• Faith does not fear the wrath of people and authorities.
• Faith can move you from your comfort zone.

1. Moses kept the Passover-Vs. 28.

• The Passover was an act of faith the first time it was done. It was an act of obedience each time after but it still keeps it faith core.
• He demonstrated faith’s victory over death because he vested under the blood of the lamb.
• Us who are born again, make a lot of sense when we cover everything under the blood of Jesus Christ.

1. Moses led the children of Israel through the Red Sea-Vs. 29.

• Faith not only rests under the blood of the lamb, it walks through the impossibilities of life.
• God requires faith in accepting that God would provide-No matter how strange and pointless it may seem to human understanding.
• Faith accepts Jesus by faith. When we accept Christ, we accept God’s provision for salvation.

CONCLUSION

• We have seen that the faith of parents can do the importance of personal faith and the choice it must make.
• Practical faith walks with God through the seas of difficulty.
• What kept Moses going? “He endured as seeing Him who is unseen.”
• Have you seen the invisible with eyes of faith?
• Today the choice is yours-Choose Jesus Christ by refusing the ways of this world.