Hebrews 11:23-28

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.

True faith will always be demonstrated in our lives in tangible ways.  This is clearly seen in the life of Moses.  From the time he was born, his family demonstrated faith that impacted not only his life but the history of the nation of Israel.  Faith will bring multiple benefits to our lives but it will also require that we prepare to face several challenges.

FAITH PRODUCES COURAGE: Moses’s parents faced one of those impossible situations.  The law of the land of Egypt required that they take their son and throw him in the Nile River.  The Law of the Lord written on their hearts, that would later be written on stone by their son, required that they do all in their power to protect and preserve the image bearer of God.  When the law of the land and the Law of the Lord are in conflict it requires courage to obey the Law of the Lord.  That kind of courage springs from faith.  The undesirable consequences of disobeying the law of the land are immediate.  The rewards of obeying the Law of the Lord are often invisible because they are eternal in nature.  For three months this couple of faith risked their lives, hid their son, and refused to let their fear of the king’s decree dictate their actions.

FAITH PRODUCES SACRIFICE: Moses, due to his parent’s courage and God’s protection, had a guaranteed life of fame and fortune.  He was adopted into the family of the king who had set out to destroy him.  God’s sense of humor is rich!  However, Moses refused the rights afforded to him by being the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, renounced his title and chose to sacrifice with the oppressed and enslaved children of Israel.  As an Egyptian he would have had power, possessions, and pleasure in untold abundance all at his disposal.  As an Israelite he would be a slave that was poor, despised, and oppressed.  However, the eyes of faith have a far different perspective.  The eyes of faith know that power, possessions and pleasure enslave the heart in a way that is far more dangerous than any Egyptian king.  The pleasures of sin can be fascinating, but they are also fleeting.  The rewards of faith may be delayed but they are far more durable.

FAITH PRODUCES HOPE: Moses had to choose who he would look at: the most powerful human on the planet that was right in front of him, or the Creator and Sustainer of the universe that was invisible.  Because of hope, Moses looked at the invisible King of kings instead of the visible king of Egypt.  The fear of the Lord is far more important than the fear of any man no matter how powerful that man might be.  Moses believed the word of God about the applying of the blood to the door posts of the homes to save the first-born sons of Israel.  God’s means of salvation may seem ludicrous to our logic, but God’s grace is ALWAYS ludicrous.  The sacrifice of Christ paying for my sin is absolutely ludicrous, but it is my only hope.  Faith in the promises of God will cause us to have hope in Christ and the result is salvation.

APPLICATION: Courageously obey the Law of the Lord even when it requires that we violate the law of the land.  Sacrifice the fleeting pleasures of sin and value as priceless treasure the eternal rewards of faith.  Hope in the promises of God assured that faith in Christ will result in salvation from sin.