well I invite you to turn uh this morning to Hebrews chapter 11 we're continuing our study in Hebrews 11 this is a for a pastor this is a preacher's dream chapter you get to look at all of the Old Testament connections with this and the point is right in the text so you shouldn't get it wrong so this is really a helpful chapter uh to consider and now we move to Moses after having considered abraham i'm going to read through verse 28 we will just be considering uh this morning verses 23 through 26 1195 in your bible says hebrews chapter 11 this is the word of the lord 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. By faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh'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. By faith, he left egypt not being afraid of the anger of the king for he endured as seeing him who is invisible by faith he kept the passover and sprinkled the blood so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them and there will end the reading of god's word this morning well hebrews 11 is as i said one of the great chapters in the bible that really does help us to understand uh the christian faith it helps us to understand what it looks like living in this world it's it's putting together for us what faith is and especially when we are tried and tested as we looked at last time through this life through the various tests and trials that the lord sends to us as you know we've been looking at into the lives of these old testament saints and they are meant to the purpose of this is to encourage us to live by faith he wants to help us to know what it looks like to live by faith but i recognize in doing this that the author is not showcasing all their failures if you want to go back and look at all their sins and failures that's what you have the old testament records for they are honest about that and you'll you'll even be encouraged we were reading this the other day and and we were looking at Moses and I read this at the table and Darcy shot back I'm so glad Samson's in here too because Samson you would look at Samson's life and say the whole thing looks like a failure and he even makes it into the hall of faith but here's Moses today we consider Moses and this is a really powerful section to help us understand what these first century Christians particularly were struggling with that they were having a really hard time accepting the providence of God the sufferings and the hardships of life they sort of thought these things just happen willy-nilly and we can get away from all of this and escape all of this and the whole message of Hebrews has been saying to us listen these things are appointed that's what we looked at last time and they wanted to give up on Christ they wanted to go somewhere else where it was easier they wanted to go back to the old testament shadows and types well now in this present their present circumstance had so discouraged them to give up on christ you could see the author here really digging in on that when he makes this really profound statement well that's not what moses did moses esteemed the reproaches of christ so moses believed in jesus moses esteemed the reproaches of christ better than all the treasures of egypt so you see why he would work with this if they're trying to give up on christ in light of hardship well now what we are about to work through you know some of you will feel convicted today there are many sins and failures that we make along the way but i want to remind you up front when you feel that that this is designed and the purpose of this is to inspire us to go forward today by faith to live by faith today and so i hope that this series has helped you as it's helped me to sort of learn afresh what it is to live by faith in this life as a believer as a christian and the purpose is not to shame for all the failures the purpose is to encourage you to the same faith that's exhibited here in hebrews chapter 11 that you might enjoy the blessings of living by it it's a great blessed life living by faith that's the encouragement of this chapter well that's what the author is doing now with these figures we we need encouragement, as did our forefathers. And now the author turns to living by faith, as we've looked at in a variety of circumstances and in trials and tests. Now he turns to the question, have you considered what it means to live by faith in a world that's hostile to you? See, that's not what we think about often the world, but we're seeing how quickly it can go there. to what it means to live by faith in a world that Jesus told us we would be hated for our identification with him that's all John 15 that's what he was making the point if they hate me they will hate you that's what you get following me so that's the the challenge of this particular section the heart of this section have you considered what it means to live by faith in a world that hates you for your identification with Christ or if not a world that will love you if you deny him it will love you it will receive you and that's where I think we're pressed today with Moses what is living by faith what they the old used to say contraband against the world what does that look like and and why does he raise Moses and why is Moses such an important figure in this and that's what i want to consider with you today moses moses's fearlessness you'll notice faith's fearlessness faith's choice and faith's reward and you'll see that right in the text today as we work through these few verses of hebrews 11 23 through 26 the author now takes us to the story of moses and what he emphasizes what he chooses to emphasize is really fascinating and helpful in ways that i had not really seen before look at verse 23 of hebrews chapter 11 verse 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 well you have to know the story a little bit don't you that's exodus one israel had lived in egypt for many many years in great prosperity they had lived in a land of plenty they had received everything great prosperity and the surprise was open acceptance of their practicing of the faith. They were feared in Egypt. They had the best strip of land in Egypt and Goshen. God flourished them there. Remember what Exodus said about, and this was the heart of what made everything turn, was God's blessing was so great on them. But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly. They multiplied and grew exceedingly strong so that the land was filled with them. They had everything. They had land. They had prosperity. They had wealth. They had everything given to them in Egypt. But in one moment, it all changed. You open up Exodus 1, And a new Pharaoh arose who didn't know Joseph. And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of Israel are too mighty for us. Too many and too mighty. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them. Lest they multiply and if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land. So you remember what happened in Egypt. He made a decree and he made a decree that the firstborn sons of Egypt would be destroyed in the Nile. They always hit the womb, don't they? They always hit the womb. I think we have a sense of what happened. One new leader came who hated God and who hated Israel. And all of a sudden, all favor was taken from them. Everything turned radically in a moment. There was a revolution. it's a it's um sort of a stunning parallel that takes on new meaning for us in the times that we live because this is what has made so many christians confused about our time you get a sense of what it must have been like living with a regime change and this kind of immediate persecution all of a sudden this is what happened how quickly everything turned in this context the author begins not with Moses but with his parents by faith Moses when he was born was hidden three months by his parents because he was a beautiful child and they were not afraid of the king's command it's not coincidental that the author wants us to think through the faith of the parents and how that affected Moses. How it was passed to Moses. And what he captures up front is something so important for us. Did you notice what it is? Faith's fearlessness. Fearlessness. They looked at Moses and they saw that the child was beautiful. It's an interesting inclusion. It was commonly believed among the Jews, and even Josephus records this, that a divine revelation had been given to them that Moses was to be the deliverer to bring them out of Egypt. Moses himself seemed to believe this. You remember when he killed the Egyptian, he assumed that they would have known that he was the one to deliver them out of the hand. So, the parents, from the beginning, that Amram and Joshebed, from the beginning, remember, they defied the king's edict and they put their child in a little ark and basket in the Nile. They were not afraid. They were not afraid. They would not hand over their child to this tyrant. and you can appreciate how important this point is for these Hebrew Christians living in the first century. He wanted them to be inspired by the faith of their parents. The faith of Israel. The worst point, at the worst point of persecution in Egypt, consider that Moses' parents did not fear. They believed the promise. they believe the promise. I've said over and over, it's just remarkable how many times God says to us, do not fear in the face of foes. This is what the Psalms are saying over and over and over to us. But I think it's intended today, as I was reflecting on this, to have us think as parents about our children a little bit. What we're communicating to them. I think the author sees a very important connection here to how this faith was taught to Moses. They did not fear. And this points, I think, so important to such a witness of faith that the author of Hebrews is really trying to capture for that first century church. A witness of faith in the variety of hardships in which we find ourselves that gives a lasting witness to our children to embrace the same faith, to believe the same faith, to receive the same faith in the testings and difficulties that they're going to endure and face. This home is not their home either. So everyone, if you look down at the next verses, 27 you see the same faith in Moses there's a connection here you can't miss their parents didn't fear his parents didn't fear the edict of the king by faith he left Egypt not being afraid of the anger of the king he wants you to make the connection one of the most difficult realities I think in our day and everyone complains of it is that we're watching the next generation not connect with our faith. Why? Why? Well, there's two ways to encourage us and I think help us through this. The first question is a probing one, one that I have to ask myself as a parent. And the question is, what do my children see from me? What do my children really see from me? As parents. What the next generation needs is to see from us a faith passed on through a deep commitment to God's promises. And what Abraham looked for, the eternal city. At the heart of this was a choice by Moses' parents to receive the better kingdom we've been talking about. to look for apart from fear the kingdom that has been promised the heavenly land, the heavenly city the reward that's mentioned in this very passage and I was reading an author this week who made an important point this is how we pass on the faith to our children we teach them to think biblically about the world and the times that we live he said children are generally hardened by the hypocrisy of their parents that stings we've all had a good life in egypt we've all had plenty of abundance in egypt we've all had good homes lots of blessing lots of wealth and we in our families have been able to live in ease with a government that has never pressed us about our faith. You've had free reign. All this abundance, all this freedom, all this blessing, all this excess. Has that been such a friend to us in passing on the faith to our children? in a world that's not our home? Listen to me. These days are over. These days are over. There's no more neutrality in this. The moral revolution is not waiting to happen. It's happened. There are things happening right now. If you can't see it, You're not processing the world. Marriage is over. Soon. Altogether. It's mocked. Did you see it at the Grammys last week? They worship Satan. Did you see it? They worship Satan. We live in the time of a great rebellion. We live in Exodus 1 times, and it has come fast. Rebellion has come, as 2 Thessalonians says, it has warned us that before even the second coming, there will be a great apostasy, a great rebellion against God universally. What more do you need to make the case that we're living in that time? What do we do? What do we do? We sit around and complain? Oh, everything's so bad. Or do we take the apathetic approach and think we can just be tucked away with our families and we won't have to deal with any of this? No longer can any parent, and then we never should have. But no longer will any parent be able to be apathetic. If you want to win the next generation, there has to be conviction, beloved. There has to be. We cannot afford to never talk about the Lord in our homes. God was saving Israel to come out and to worship Him. You want your children to value worship in the future? You know what Lennon said. Give me your children by five and I'll have them for life. That was linen. He understood it. To speak of the Lord in our homes and our rising and our sitting down. That's Deuteronomy 6. To lead them in the way. They should hear from us about what's right and what's wrong. And we should tell them what's right and what's wrong. And we should have the courage to tell them, no. remember at the heart of the exodus when everything was done and they had been hit with all the plagues the last appeal to Pharaoh was just go but leave your children leave your children have we pursued a better reward a better kingdom a better land we want our children to follow in the same faith and I say this to me they have to see it from us they say some people just don't talk about their faith how could you not talk about your faith they have to see this fearlessness that we train them in what Joshua said be bold and courageous the Lord is on your side and what an encouragement to our children maybe i could speak to them for a minute sure we all fail as parents there's all hypocrisies and parents don't use that we're all sinners look at what you've been given you have a committed family who has been here and gathers together in worship as families you've been baptized and the sign is put on you by the lord you are his child he loves you embrace who you are you know they say now in ministry that we have to treat the the those in the young adult category as four years behind what they were in my generation so if i'm dealing with a 20 year old i'm dealing with a 16 year old that's the going perspective in society of how far behind in development our young people are i want to encourage you the lord loves you you belong to him you have purpose in his kingdom he has claimed you he has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in christ jesus that matters matters with who you marry matters what you do with your life matters with the choices that you make you don't have the option to choose bail he chose you and that's the encouragement and now the author wants to encourage you with the fruit of that in moses's life and that there's real power given to you. Notice this. Moses found himself in this really peculiar situation. He stood between both worlds. Both were offered to him. As you know, he was Pharaoh's daughter. In other words, Pharaoh's daughter took him out of the basket in the Nile and raised him. What an amazing thing. I'm not sure Moses' parents would have chose that. oh i'm sure a lot of parents today would think wow our son made it did he made it out of the hardships of egypt and now he's going to live the good life make a lot of money and be a ruler in egypt you understand that moses is pharaoh's daughter was in line to receive the throne had this gone down the way it could have gone down we'd be reading in the history books about Moshe I, he was given everything. He was given power. He was given riches. He was given money. He was given happiness. He was given women. He was given sex. All the treasures of Egypt were offered to him. But what happened? Well, the author wants us to think about it. Notice faith's choice. By faith, Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter who had raised him. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. That event comes out of Exodus chapter 2. One day Moses had grown up. We read, he went out to where his own people were. Notice that. That's what the author is grabbing. His own people. His own people. The people of the world are not your people. Your people are right here. Your people are the kingdom of God. Your people are the church. One day he went out and watched them at hard labor and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Again, he says it, looking this way and that way, seeing no one he killed, the Egyptian hit him in the sand because he supposed they would understand he was the one to deliver them. The author says Moses looked at his own people. What an encouragement to the young young adults here right now. Moses looked to his own people, the people of the Lord, and he had a choice. He made a choice. Before him was everything that Egypt had to offer. The throne, the riches, the honor, the wealth, the kingdom. And with that came a consequence, at least as he could have reasoned. All the pleasures I could ever have, all the notoriety, all the fame I could ever have, I could get in a moment. You know, we're not in much different of a situation. Our young people face really hard stuff right now. Stuff that previous generations have not. I know it's hard. The world says you can have whatever your heart wishes right now. you never have to say no. I mean, it's the temptation of the devil with Jesus, isn't it? You can have all the pleasures of Egypt now. But the text highlights a certain problem. Notice the connection. All the treasures of Egypt in this connection, if he'd have chosen that, came with the pleasures of sin. sin you know what sin is it's rebellion against God it's so powerful it's so attractive and think of what's offered any kind of desire you want to fulfill in our world that's what it says to you today who is anyone who would tell you differently you don't have to withhold from yourself anything that you desire you can serve them all what did Moses choose he chose to suffer affliction with God's people with his family I think the encouragement here is not to feel that we have the ability as parents to do this well in our own strength or that Moses had the ability to make this choice in his own strength. I think we need to really make this clear. We would read this all wrong and I would preach this wrong if I simply left it with that kind of insinuation. The whole point of Hebrews 11 has been by faith we receive power from on high. By faith, Sarah was given power to conceive. The encouragement is, by faith, God showed his power in these people's lives and that is the outcome of what he can do for you. That's his point. That's why he's saying, by faith, it's impossible to please God. Faith is this instrument by which this blessing comes. Now, why would Moses ever do that? Who in their right mind would ever choose this as opposed to that? Precisely because of what Paul said. He considered that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is soon to be revealed in us. I don't want to miss the really good news here. I think we could read this and think that God just calls us to a life of suffering and it's hard and it's miserable and there's no reward in it. That is not what this is saying. The most crucial statement in the passage is this this morning. He esteemed. He measured out. He measured out for him that the reproach of Christ was of greater riches than anything Egypt offers. That is so encouraging. this is what he's encouraging us with. A far greater riches in this life is to have Jesus, is to have Christ than anything you could gain from this world. That you are protected by him, that you are loved by him, that you are given him, that you are identified with him and that you are given the privilege of identifying with him and his sufferings. That's the story embedded here if you haven't seen it here. It's the story of Christ. That the very Son of God who through whom everything was made, who had all riches and everything in heaven, took on our rags for us in the human nature and became one of us in the incarnation and came down to Egypt. That's why at the beginning it says, out of egypt i've called my son to suffer the shame and the humiliation of the cross and to die for us to love us to give us everything to go to the depths of that shame out of that love and and he's encouraging us that in choosing christ you have the extraordinary privilege of being identified with him that he saved you and that he loves you and that there's purpose for you and that there's a reward for you and that as hebrews has said he's not ashamed to be called your god and just let that set in for a minute it's inspiring this is not oh how hard this is inspiring is what he's trying to do but you're given everything you think you've lost something in following jesus you think the fleeting passing pleasures of sin are worth comparing to him you think you're you're you're going to gain everything you do gain everything this is at the heart of what paul is saying whether we live or die we we have gained christ and we belong to him choosing christ in the midst of affliction hardship is the greatest privilege because you're identified with the son of god who loved you and gave himself for you To the young people and young adults, I know you're pressed with identities and purpose and meaning and how you fit into all this. I want you to look at the faith of your parents today. Look at the purity of it. Look at the rightness of it. In this world where they're worshiping Satan at the Grammys, look what they've taught you. Where we fail, forgive us. we have but see that we're here today because we believe the promise and want you to ever notice how miserable you are when you choose sin there's a reason that's a good thing that's God coming after you the fleeting passing pleasures of sin offer you sadness but before you is the promise of a reward and no matter what that eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor entered in the heart of man the things that God's prepared for those who love him. So maybe that's the time for a call. Choose Christ, all of us. Choose Christ. No matter how hard it may be, he gives you grace. He gives you more grace. And when you sin, you can repent. And he'll forgive you. He calls you to repent. And the pathway is one of true happiness and joy. The message here today is together, we will not fear. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Embrace the same faith. Embrace the same faith that inspired Moses' parents. Embrace the same faith that inspired Moses to took on and embrace the reproaches of Christ is the great reward. This is an honor. So embrace it. Start speaking of it. He promises that after this short life, which is full of affliction, there is a reward is with him and he is going to give it to you in full. Don't lose heart in the struggle. See the encouragement here. You have Christ, you have everything. Forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and eternal life. The hatred of the world is what he has honored you to receive. The hatred of the world is what he has honored you to receive. As you receive your greatest treasure in him. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us light. For helping us to see what living by faith is in this world that hates you and is opposed to you. And let us treasure the gift of your Son. And Lord, by Your strength, may we in our lives all put to death by Your Spirit the fleeting, passing pleasures of sin. May we remember the reward of what's set out for us and that having Christ, we've gained everything. So may Your power rest upon us to choose Christ and to embrace these promises and to be fearless in faith knowing that our God is with us and that history, all of history, all the victory belongs to the one who loved us and died for us and rose again that we might be set free from Egypt's tyranny. May we never go back. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.