Hebrews Sermon Series
“Faith For All of Life”
Heb. 11.23-29
August 6, 2014 Chester’s FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson
Introduction:
A Abraham is the father of all those who believe, the central figure in Judaism, . . . the runner-up is Moses.
1 He, Moses, is the most highly regarded ancestor of Israel, next to Abraham.
a He wrote the Torah (the first five books of the Bible).
b John 5.46 (KJV), Jesus said “[Moses] wrote of me”
John 5:46 (KJV) 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
2 Moses’ life is a solid example of a life lived by faith in action.
a It serves as a model for all of us to follow.
b The author of Hebrews selects three primary events in the life of Moses to illustrate three marks of complete faith.
B I believe that the marks of our faith are all related, but it’s possible, by God’s grace/favor for links that never were to be and links that have been broken to be restored. (I’ll come back to this thought in my conclusion.)
I Parental Faith (11.23)
Hebrews 11:23 (NASB) 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.
A Before Moses was ever born we find two faithful Jews who loved, obeyed, trusted YHWH.
1 In Exodus 2, we find Moses’ parents (Amram & Jochebed) were really no different than the other 2.3 million Jews living in slavery under Egyptian rulers.
a In order to control the blooming increase in population amongst the Hebrews, Pharaoh orders all Jewish male children to be cast into the Nile River.
aa Amram & Jochebed were with child, and she gave birth to a son . . . able to keep him hid for 3 months.
bb You only hid a baby for so long until somebody notices.
b Amram & Jochebed made a small ark/basket made from bulrushes and set him adrift in the river.
aa This mom & dad believed in the sovereignty of God, that God would take care of their lil’baby boy.
bb Imagine the hearts aching, fear growing as they put their beautiful baby boy in that little basked, “We can’t let them kill our baby boy!!!”
2 They violated human authority because they believed in a higher authority, the authority of God.
a Their faith acted rationally/carefully as evidenced in the preparation of the little boat of reeds.
b Amram & Jochebed had their young daughter Miriam follow that boat.
aa She was amazed to find that it came to rest near where an Egyptian princess was taking a bath.
bb Pharaoh’s daughter took the baby as her own (like a stray puppy) and thanks to quick thinking by Miriam, Jochebed became the baby’s nurse in the palace of Pharaoh until he was 12 years of age.
c Who but God could arrange things so that His deliverer of the Hebrew Children would be raised in the enemy’s palace, on the enemies dime, right under his nose!!!!
B Parents/Grandparents don’t you ever think for one moment your faith cannot protect your children.
1 And it’s your faith in God for your children/grandchildren that may just free our nation/save our nation/take us back to the cross.
a The world and its modern Pharaoh’s have no regard for our children, the sanctity of life, marriage, good behavior, honor, . . .
b The Abortionists are killing our future.
aa (IL.) A miscarriage can teach you a lot about abortion.
bb Whether a pregnant woman is pro-life/pro-choice . . . if she loses her baby during pregnancy she’s devastated because it wasn’t a collection of cells that ceased from being . . . it was a child. A child that was dependent upon it’s mom for shelter, food, protection.
cc Abortion boils down to one simple question: Does the mother want the child or not.
2 Our babies need us to protect, provide (food, clothing, shelter) but they also need our covering of faith.
a Godly parents/grandparents in their lives who raise them to know the Lord.
b It doesn’t matter if you have wealth, resources, enough money to pay your bills . . . Aram & Jochebed were slaves . . . and their faithful covering, not financial solvency, that raised up a Moses.
c A mother/father’s faith is a big deal that cannot be under valued.
II Personal Faith (11.24-26)
Hebrews 11:24-26 (NASB) 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
A Everybody’s gotta do their own dyin’ and everybody’s gotta do their own believing.
1 A parents faith . . .
a point their child in the right direction, it cannot carry the child through his/her lifetime.
aa can save a child from danger, but it cannot save a child from damnation.
bb There must come a time when/where a child’s own faith takes over.
b Moses’ parents had saved him for the dangers of the world, but as he grew, his own faith had to deliver him from the world, temptation
2 Moses had to make his own decision concerning his faith in YHWH.
a He chose to refuse the throne of Egypt (v. 24).
Hebrews 11:24 (NASB) 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
aa Moses was the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter. (Social position, prominence, best education, prince of Egypt & his mom royalty.)
bb He could had the throne but chose instead to say goodbye to what had been his home for 40 years.
b He refused the temptations of Egypt (v.25).
Hebrews 11:25 (NASB) 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
aa The city of Pharaoh offered every possible temptation for a man of Moses’ position . . . he could have had anything he wanted, yet he said no.
bb He chose to be with God’s people in affliction rather than have temporary pleasure . . . he knew that sin’s pleasures are short-lived.
c He refused the treasures of Egypt (v. 26).
Hebrews 11:26 (NASB) 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
aa He chose God over his own wealth.
bb He looked ahead, saw the freedom of his people, and chose God’s riches.
B Moses chose the eternal position over the temporal pleasure; imperishable riches of Christ over the wealth of this world.
1 Moses looked ahead a saw eternal glory!
a The tinsel & glitter of this world looked cheap and tawdry from that point onward.
b In the light of eternity, this world looks different.
aa IL. Man carrying pockets full of gold to heaven in hopes of being seen as influential, wealthy in heaven. He gets to the pearly gates and St. Peter asks him, “What’s with all the gravel in your pant’s pockets?”
bb Again, this world is not our home, the things of this world are not to have a sway on us . . . we should never feel comfortable here.
2 We can get discouraged here when we’re treated unfairly, made to feel less than a person . . . but joy comes in the morning.
a We may be cursed here, but there we will be crowned!
b George Beverly Shea’s great song says it this way:
“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land, I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.”
III Practical Faith (11.27-29)
Hebrews 11:27-29 (NASB) 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.
A Our personal faith becomes powerful faith when it acts on God’s Word.
1 Moses’ faith demonstrated victory through three separate events.
a Moses left Egypt (v. 27)
Hebrews 11:27 (NASB) 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
aa In leaving Egypt he demonstrated faiths victory over the world.
bb Faith will take you from where you’re comfortable (sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally).
b Moses kept the Passover (v. 28).
Hebrews 11:28 (NASB) 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
aa 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 its faith core.
bb He demonstrated faith’s victory over death because he rested under the blood of the Passover Lamb.
2 Moses led the children of Israel through the Red Sea (v. 29).
Hebrews 11:29 (NASB) 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.
a Faith not only rests under the blood of the Lamb, it walks through the impossibilities of life.
B To the world, having faith seems too easy of a way to please God.
1 Gotta be more complex, difficult, some strings attached to it.
a In Egypt, I bet money there was Egpytians/Jews who lost kids because they thought, “If the death angel is gonna get my baby, a little blood over the door facing isn’t gonna stop it from getting in.”
aa I’ll board up the windows, barricade the doors, turn off all the lights . . . maybe the angel will pass over.
bb But that’s not what God required.
b God required faith in accepting that God would provide, no matter how strange and pointless it may seem to human understanding.
2 When a believer accepts Jesus by faith, he/she accepts God’s provision for salvation.
a To the world, good works seem like a much better way to please God than faith.
aa The world’s way is not God’s way.
bb To Him, “All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment”
Isaiah 64:6 (NASB) 6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
b Faith accepts Christ’s righteousness applied on our behalf . . . this is God’s way, therefore it’s faith’s way.
3 When the Israelites got into the middle of the Red Sea, the Bible says, the waters still piled up . . . wall of water.
a How did they know the wall wouldn’t come crushing down upon them? Be overwhelmed in the flood? God would change His mind and kill them all?
b The people had no guarantee except God’s word that He would not change His mind or forget them . . . but for the faithful, His Word is enough . . . it’s always enough.
aa When the waters are piled high all around us/ problems and dangers are about to overwhelm us, this is when faith is tested, and when the Lord takes special pleasure in showing us His faithfulness, His love, and His power.
bb When we have nothing but His promise to rely on, His help is the nearest and His presence the dearest to those who believe.
Conclusion:
A We’ve seen what the faith of parents can do, the importance of personal faith and the choice it must make.
1 We have seen faith practiced as it walks with God through the seas of difficulty.
a What kept Ol’Moses going?
aa v.27, “ . . . for he endured as seeing Him who is unseen.”
bb Have you seen the invisible with eyes of faith?
Notice to Sermon Central Users:
My name is Mike Fogerson, and I pastor a Southern Baptist Church in Chester, Illinois. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a bunch of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
