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“Hall of Faith” (Mess.#9) “The Boldness of Faith”
Text: Heb.11: 23; Ex.1: 7-2: 10 Intro.: Oft times the circumstances we find ourselves in will be stormy making it difficult to do the will of God. Moses’ parents (Amram and Jochebed - Nu.26: 59), found this to be true in their lives, as Pharaoh had ordered all male children to be killed. But they faced the situation with a bold faith and refused to obey the wicked kings’ order. Moses is a type of Christ, for he was persecuted early and had to be concealed, just as Christ was persecuted soon after His birth and had to be taken into Egypt to hide from the wrath of the king. We too, need boldness of faith if we are going to please and serve God in an ungodly and perverse day and age. We must make up our minds that we are going to keep our trust in the Lord and obey His Word no matter what. Remember that “the fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Pr.29: 25). This is graphically illustrated by Moses parents as they did not fear the king’s commandment, but trusted in the Lord and He protected them! As we shall see this boldness was contagious, for their son grew up and revealed his boldness by not fearing the wrath of the king either! Let’s look now at Moses’ parents and see if we can catch their boldness of faith . . .
A) Their Determination: “By faith Moses . . . was hid three months of his parents” 1) Note the boldness of Moses’ parents! They determined that they would not obey Pharaoh and so they hid their son! 2) This was a supernatural faith which sustained them in this crisis! 3) Behold the beauty of Providence – Just at the time of Pharaoh’s cruelest hour the deliverer was born! 4) When men are predicting the demise of God’s people, God is preparing for their salvation! 5) This teaches us a great lesson about authority over us! Whenever men pass laws that are contrary to God’s law they have no authority over us. We are not obligated to obey them! Note the following three examples from Scriptures: A) Daniel - Dan.6: 10 B) The three Hebrew children - Dan.3: 14-18 C) Peter and John - Ac.4: 18-20; 5: 27-29 6) Moses’ parents, like these men, determined to obey God not man! 7) How about you? Have you determined in your own mind that you will obey God no matter what? (Ps.27: 1, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”).
B) Their Discernment: “because they saw he was a proper child” 1) Ac.7: 20, “In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months.” - Note, “Moses was . . . exceeding fair,” there was something uncommon about him. 2) The beauty of the Lord was upon him which indicated to his parents that God had His hand upon their son! 3) This was more than just natural affection – they discerned that God had great plans for him and so they determined that they would risk their very lives to preserve his! 4) Oh that more parents would discern that God wants to use their children and they would risk their lives, and give their lives in devotion to God, as far as time and talents, to see to it that their children are preserved and prepared to serve God when they grow up!
C) Their Defiance: “they were not afraid of the kings’s commandment.” 1) Realizing the commandment was evil and that obedience to it would lead to the extermination of their people they defied it! 2) Though they were in slavery and it seemed it was better to be dead than alive, they believed God would preserve His people, and the time was coming when it would be worthwhile for an Israelite to live. 3) They decided it was worth risking their lives and so by faith they defied the king and entrusted their son to one who they fully believed and had confidence in. 4) Are you willing, if need be, to defy the world, the flesh and the devil, in order to obey the Lord? 5) Oh that God would give all of us the boldness of faith that Amram and Jochebed had!
Conclusion: The boldness of faith was illustrated by their determination, discernment, and defiance. Their faith was tested when they finally had to put Moses in the river, but God greatly rewarded their faith by giving Moses back to them to raise and to inform him that God had great plans for his life! Remember, whatever we sacrifice for God, He will restore it to us, or repay us for it someday!! May God give us the boldness of faith to . . . Determine to do God’s will no matter what the cost! Discern that He has a plan and wants to use us! Defy this world and obey God like Amram and Jochebed!
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