Text: Hebrews 11:23-29 Title: Faith and holiness
Introduction:
Last Sunday we looked together at how we can all have the faith of Abraham. Like Abraham we are called to faith and to be also conformed to faith. We also saw that there are both consequences and challenges to faith.
This morning we want to look at another example of a great man of faith. He is mentioned in Hebrews 11:23-29 and he’s name is Moses. Let’s see today how we can also have the faith of Moses.
As we read Hebrews 11:23-29 pay particular attention to verse 29.
“By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.” (v29)
Have you ever tried to live a holy life but found you couldn’t?
Have you ever tried to live a holy life and felt yourselves drowning?
The point of Hebrews 11 is that by faith anything is possible. Therefore it’s only by faith that we can ever live a holy life. Or putting it another way we need the same faith as Moses had in order to live holy.
There is a huge lesson for everyone here in verse 29; that is you can’t try to pass through this world in your own strength. If you try to do so in your own strength you will drown.
The phrase “Tried to do so” as found in verse 29 is very insightful. It means that God is not influenced to act favorable towards persons out of admiration for some quality, virtue or status they may have.
Therefore if you are trying to pass through this life with any quality, virtue or status that is not faith in Jesus Christ you are going to drown.
The Egyptians did not have the right kind of faith and they literally drowned.
Only by having the right kind of faith can we ever make it successfully through this life? The right kind of faith is a faith that leads to holiness.
From our scripture passage I want to look at faith as it relates to holiness.
Our scripture passage divides Moses life into 2 parts.
1.Part one is Moses life as a child (v23)
2.Part 2 is Moses life as a grown-up (v24-29)
Although Moses life as a child is only mentioned in one verse it is still clear who is meant to play a huge part in a child’s understanding of holiness.
“By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” (v23)
God means for parents to play a huge part in their children’s understanding of holiness.
How? We are to hide them from evil.
•That can be something as simple as hiding the remote.
If parents fail in their responsibility it is a big strike against their children.
In the case of Moses’ it was literally a matter of life and death.
When we don’t have that example growing up there is a lot of catching up to do.
• After all there is no perfect parent
1.As parents (or grandparents) the best we can do for our children is be parents of faith
Parents of faith put God first. Parents of faith model holiness. Parents of faith serve God. Parents of faith take their children to church. Parents of faith pray. Parents of faith are not afraid to do the right thing. Parents of faith fear God
“As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua)
Faith and holiness should start in the home.
In verses 24-29 Moses is now all grown up. (How quickly time flies)
When we are grown up God holds us responsible for our own holiness.
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.”
Again we are talking about faith in relationship to holiness. The very first thing that Moses does by faith when he grows up is
1.By faith Moses when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
Moses couldn’t continue to be the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and also be who God wanted him to be.
By faith there are some things in life we need to refuse to be known before we can be serious about holiness.
It could be something that others know about us. It could be something we know about ourselves. It could be something that is known about this area where we live and serve God. If there is anything that will handicap us in our pursuit of holiness we must refuse to be known by that handicap. Just doing that can require a lot of faith from us.
But that’s what I’m known for. I’m known for being a person who can’t read the Bible. I’m known for being a person who can’t pray. I’m known for being a person who can’t … (fill in the blank.)
Secondly a good thing in the eyes of the world can also be a bad thing when it comes to pursuing holiness. Certainly in the eyes of the world Moses had it made but Moses realized that being the son of Pharaoh’s daughter offered too many temptations in his pursuit of holiness.
What helped Moses to turn his back on the riches of Egypt?
Two things stand out in our text.
1. He saw Christ
“He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt…he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood…” v26-28)
Moses saw Christ in the Passover and the sprinkling of blood. This enabled Moses to persevere in Holiness. Christ was of far more value to Moses than anything Pharaoh had to offer him.
2. He saw his crown
“because he was looking ahead to his reward.”(v26)
See the following passages of scripture as Moses did. (2 Tim 4:7-8; Rev 2:10; 1 Peter 5:4; Rev. 3:11James 1:12; 1 Cor. 9:25)
If we are to pursue Holiness we too must keep our eyes on Christ and on our reward (crown) by faith.
