Tuesday, April 24, 2007, Part 1
"By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward" (Hebrews 11:23-26).
IDEA: Faith which gives up much to get nothing is more overwhelming than faith which gives up nothing to gain something.
PURPOSE: To help listeners realize that acting on true faith can be costly.
Someone has observed that every great movement has been started by young men and women.
Someone else has noted that at age 20 most young people are liberal, at 40 they are conservative, and at 50 they are reactionary.
Is there truth in these statements?
I. People in their middle years often feel that they have more to lose by giving themselves to Jesus Christ.
What is the difference between courage and brashness? Do they have anything in common?
Teenagers are sometimes brash but think they are courageous. They often feel they have little to lose in following Christ.
Older people are often conscious of how much they have to lose and they lack the courage to make great decisions.
Moses made a courageous choice when he was 40 years old. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews says that he made the decision out of his faith (Hebrews 11:24).
II. Moses made the deliberate choice to identify himself with God's people even though he was aware of what he was giving up.
Moses gave up the standing he had in Pharaoh's court.
He gave up the title "son of Pharaoh's daughter" (no article in the Greek text).
He gave up a lavish lifestyle. That is in the phrase "the treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:26). The priceless treasures of King Tutankhamun's tomb alone included several thousand pounds of pure gold.
He gave up security. As an elite member of Pharaoh's court, his future was secure.
He gave up the prestige of the court for the disgrace of God's people (Hebrews 11:26).
He knew what he was giving up for the promise that God had given to his people.
Jim Eliot wrote in his diary, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."