Hebrews 11:23-29 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward. By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned. Our trusting the Lord does not mean that there are not times of tears. I think it is a mistake as Christians to act as though trusting the Lord and tears are not compatible. Francis Schaeffer Big Idea: Faith without fear means trusting God more than we trust our circumstances, our comfort, or the threats of those who oppose His purposes. Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. Exodus 1:8–14 A new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and powerful than we are. Come, let’s deal shrewdly with them; otherwise they will multiply further, and when war breaks out, they will join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.” So the Egyptians assigned taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharaoh. But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. They worked the Israelites ruthlessly and made their lives bitter with difficult labor in brick and mortar and in all kinds of fieldwork. They ruthlessly imposed all this work on them. Exodus 1:19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.” Exodus 1:22 Pharaoh then commanded all his people, “You must throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile, but let every daughter live.” “Tob” (tov) - טוֹב Good, pleasant, beautiful, desirable, in order, usable, efficient, friendly or kind, or morally good. God used the very system meant to destroy His people to preserve their eventual deliverer. Faith sometimes means defying earthly authority when it contradicts God's purposes, trusting Him with the consequences Hebrews 11:24–25 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. Acts 7:22 So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his speech and actions. Faith means choosing whose people you belong to, even when it costs you everything the world offers Philippians 3:7–9 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. Matthew 16:24–26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?" Hebrews 11:26 For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward. “Pleasures are certainly better than afflictions, according to any ordinary judgment. But Moses came to this conclusion: although Affliction might be God's worst, it was better than the pleasure of sin, which is Evil's best. Moses counted reproach to be better than the treasures of Egypt. God's fast is better than Egypt's feast. We should view life as Moses did in connection with the reward, and commence a life for God and holiness.” Charles Spurgeon God’s fast is better than Egypt’s feast. Psalm 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your faithful love so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days. Faith reframes what counts as treasure; looking ahead to the reward changes what we value now. Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. Faith is a living, bold trust in God’s grace, so certain of God’s favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Martin Luther Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. Perseverance through fear comes from a living encounter with the God you cannot see. Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand. Next Step: Memorize Isaiah 41:10 Hebrews 11:28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. Exodus 12:12–13 “I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both people and animals. I am the Lord; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Faith obeys God's specific instructions even when you can't yet see how the outcome will unfold. John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 1 Corinthians 5:7 For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. Hebrews 11:29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned. Exodus 14:21–22 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left. When we trust God, we get what God can do; but when we trust ourselves, we get only what weak people can do. The experience of Moses is proof that true biblical faith means obeying God in spite of circumstances and in spite of consequences. Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary What step of obedience is God asking you to take before you can see the outcome? There is nothing in the Bible to make any man fear who puts his trust in Jesus. Nothing in the Bible, did I say? There is nothing in heaven, nothing on earth, nothing in hell, that need make you fear who trust in Jesus. The past you need not fear, for it is forgiven you. The present you need not fear; it is provided for. The future you need not fear; it is secured by the living power of Jesus. Charles Spurgeon It is one thing for us to believe that God exists, it is another thing for us to believe what God says, to trust God, to put our confidence in him. That is what saving or justifying faith is: not merely believing in God, but trusting God for our redemption. Sproul