“Hall of Faith” (Mess.#10)

                                                                      “The Choices of Faith” (Moses)

 

Text:     Heb.11: 24-27

Intro.: More is said about Moses than any other individual in Chapter eleven. We find five definite choices of faith Moses made. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he chose affliction, he esteemed the reproach of Christ, he forsook Egypt, and he kept the Passover.

All of us will face a time in our life when we will we have to make some definite choices that will affect both time and eternity! There are many illustrations of those who made tragic choices: 

*Esau chose his belly over the birthright.

*Lot chose the well-watered plains of Sodom over the wayfaring life of a pilgrim.

*The rich young ruler chose money over a mansion in glory.

*Demas chose the world over being a witness.

*Judas chose silver over the Saviour!

Unfortunately many today still make these same tragic choices. As a child of God we must make the right choices of faith, like Moses, or we risk losing our lives, testimony and rewards. Let’s take a look at the “choices of faith” that Moses made and see what we can learn from them!

 

A)        He Chose Poverty over Privilege: (v.24)

1)         He might have been king of Egypt and been able to help Israel!

2)         He owed his life to the Princess and to refuse such kindness not only looked like ingratitude, but a neglect of providence that seemed to intend that he become king and free Israel!

3)         Yet he refused to be called her son lest he undervalue the greater honour of being a son of Abraham!

4)         By his refusal he chose to be numbered with his own people who were nothing but slaves!

5)         He gave up all the privileges that went with his position - wealth, luxury, respect, honour, prestige, fame, leadership, and freedom.

6)         Instead he received - poverty, loss of freedom, disrespect, dishonour, infamy, and hardship!

7)         Had he not refused it would have appeared that he’d turned his back on God and his people!

8)         By faith we too must choose to be numbered with God’s people and refuse to be a part of this world. We must give up privileges of the world - wealth, fame, luxury, comfort, and receive instead - persecution, hatred, rejection, hardships and poverty!

 

B)        He Chose Suffering over Sin: (v.25)

1)         This is the positive side of his decision (The prodigal son had to leave the far country before he could go to the Father).

2)         He conquered temptation to worldly pleasure as he had done before to worldly privilege!

3)         He realized sufferings were temporary - just like pleasures of sin - But in the end he’d enjoy the pleasures of God forever and avoid the eternal suffering caused by sin!

4)         We must make the same choice - We must renounce sinful pleasure and endure affliction instead!

A)           Jn.16: 33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

B)            Ro.8: 18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

C)            2 Cor.4: 17, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

 

C)        He Chose Reproach over Riches: (v.26)

1)         Not that Moses knew Christ - but he was reproached as Christ was.

2)         There is a reproach we must suffer if we determine to put Christ first! (Heb.13: 12-14, “Wherefore Jesus

also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth

therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come”). Are you willing to take up your cross and follow Him?

3)         Can you say with Paul - “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor.12: 10)?

4)         Moses saw that reproach outweighed treasures! The “worst” of faith outweighed the “best” of the world!

5)         He conquered worldly prosperity as he’d conquered worldly privilege and pleasure!

6)         He made this choice when he was come to years (40 yrs. old). Some may think this detracts from his victory that he waited so long – Not so! It enhanced his honour and self-denial and victory over the world that he made this choice when he was able to know what he did and what it would cost him!

7)         It’s much harder to give up something you’ve enjoyed for so long and you understand its value and when you will feel its loss!

8)         Why did he do so? “He had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” He had faith to believe God would reward him with a far greater treasure than Egypt could ever have given him!

9)         Do you have faith to believe God can and will reward you?

10)       Are you willing to bear the reproach now to gain the reward later?

 

D)        He Chose Promises over Palaces: (v.27)

1)         That is he forsook the “visible” (Egypt) for the “invisible.” The “tangible” for the “intangible,” the “temporal,” for the “eternal.”

2)         “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep, to gain that which he can never lose” (Jim Eliot).

3)         The first time he fled in fear! (Ex.2: 14-15, “And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well”). Now 80 yrs. old and after the “burning bush” experience he reluctantly responds to this great challenge of faith.

4)         Like his parents – He doesn’t fear the king’s wrath!

5)         All Moses had was “promises” - “invisible God,” “intangible promises” vs. “visible palaces and wealth.” He forsook “his” Egypt! We must do the same! But it will be “our” Egypt! What’s your Egypt?? Good job, nice car, nice house, prestige, luxury, comfort, good retirement, dreams and plans?

6)         Those who forsake Egypt must expect the wrath of men – but need not fear it!!

 

Conclusion:

Choices, choices, choices . . . life is full of choices. Some simple, some hard, some major, some minor. We must make choices every day! What to eat, what to wear, what to do, what to say. These are the simple, minor ones, but what about the major ones?

What does the Lord want you to do with your life? Whom should you marry? Where should you go to college?, Or should you go at all? What must you give up to serve the Lord? What must I do to be saved? Lord, what do you want me to do?

Moses made some choices that not only affected time but eternity!

He chose poverty over privilege

He chose suffering over sin

He chose reproach over riches

He chose promises over palaces

How about you? Do you need to make some of these same choices today? I believe every Christian must do so! Remember, “To not decide is to decide!”

 

ILL. - A man lived in a town with an elevated railway. One of the stops was near a great cemetery, Calvary Cemetery. For many years, because in that area there were more dead than living, the trains didn’t stop at the cemetery, except on request.