Heb 11: 24-29 The Faith of Moses

 

The Christian life can be compared to flying  an Airplane.

A)     There are times when we encounter smooth sailing /

          things are just flowing / making progress.

 

B)     There are other times when we encounter turbulence

          the ride can get a little rocky to say the least .

 

C)Then there are those times when things get real foggy it is hard to

      see where you are going .

1)               You need to come in for a landing , you need to get some rest 

but you just can't seem to find the airport.

 

For those who fly there are four things they teach you to do

when you are in a jam/ when need to get into Airport.

A)     Climb - Take the plane up as high as you can.

1)   2nd Confess - let those know on ground Know you are  lost / that

     you are in trouble & need help

 

B)     3rd Communicate - Open up lines of communication give        coordinates where you are.

          1)4th Conform- Do whatever that guy on the ground tells you to do!

 

C) These four principles could be taken from the word & are illustrated for us in many men of faith.

  1) Tonight we will see them in the passage before us in looking at

          the faith of Moses.     

 

To the Jews Moses was the Greatest of Men – the Book of Duet. Ends w/ Moses’ unparalleled epitaph Ch.34:10-12

10But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11in all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 12and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

 

Number 12 “Hear now My words:If there is a prophet among you,

     I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision;

     I speak to him in a dream.7      Not so with My servant Moses;

     He is faithful in all My house.8         I speak with him face to face,

     Even plainly, and not in dark sayings;&  he sees the form of the LORD.

 

Now we all know the story of Moses – How he was hidden by his parents for 3 months – put in the basket – rescued by Pharaohs daughter

A)Cared for by his mother – taught him the ways / tradition & history of Jehovah

 

B)  Moses Came to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter –as he grew up he was trained  in  all the ways of Egypt –

1)   He was being groomed to be the Pharaoh

 

C)Acts 7:22 – Stephen  "he was learned in  all the wisdom of Egypt / Mighty in word & deed!

 

D) Egypt was the most Advanced, most Powerful, most Intellectual

     countries in the world at that time.

     1)AND Moses was it's prize pupil

 

E) Josephus wrote Moses was a mighty warrior & leader  that he

     was the commander & chief of the Egyptian army

     1)  Moses had grown & excelled in the world of Egypt.

 

 

Imagine being groomed to be the next leader of the world. You would be the most powerful man alive!

A)Moses had risen to great heights but in his heart he knew it was in the wrong world ! What would he do? He would Climb V24 -27

 

B)Moses had risen to great heights in Egypt now he sought to Climb in another World - God's    / He saw the Lord He realized His calling

C) So He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter / he

     refused to be considered the heir to the Throne

     1) He forsook Egypt & all its grandeur and chose to suffer

          affliction w/ the People of God!  Why?

 

D) v.27 He saw Him who is invisible / his life was  forever changed , his

     passion became to know God / be & do what God wanted.

     1) Paul on road to Damascus "Who are you Lord? "  Passion the

          rest of his life / Phil 3 "Lay aside all know Him.............Dung

 

 

That was where Moses was at / He caught a glimpse of God and of heaven and it ruined him to this world!

A)He would later - Climb the Mountain /to meet w/ God. – longed to be on the Mt. Stayed 40 days – In God’s Presence

    

B) There was a time when God was going to abandon the people – because of their rebellion / send an Angel

1)   Moses said to God - No Angel "You or nothing  Not You Lord we are

     not going"

 

C) God said ok- Moses said – One more thing - SEE GLORY!

 

Christianity in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus. Christian service, in its purest form is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see His majesty & to imitate him, that is the sum of Christianity.

Something happens to the person who has witnessed His majesty . One glimpse of the king & you are consumed w/ a desire to see more of Him & to say more about Him.         SO TRUE!!!!!!

 

D) Another time God was taking his Presence from the camp – Moses Moved the Tab. outside camp

" If the Lord can't be where we are I will go to Him!

 

 

 

 

That is the mark of the man or woman of faith that God really uses is above all else they want to Climb

A) Draw near to the Lord to seek His face His leading / they long for nothing else but to fellowship w/ Him & Know Him.  Moses' Heart.

 

B) I was talking w/ a friend of mine today – who Pastors at another church –

1)    Important decisions to make concerning – a certain situation – met to talk & pray – many different opinions – ( Lord saying this that )

 

C) They were confused because – scriptures being used to contradict

1)   This happened several times – Frustrating –

 

D) Prayer retreat – not for any purpose/ No agenda /  but to Be w/ God –

1)    It was in that time that God spoke – clear – united / Acts 13 thing as they ministered unto the Lord the Spirit Spoke

 

Sometimes we really fail in prayer – because we view it as simply a means to an end – I need wisdom / I need Help / Better pray

A)There is nothing wrong w/ that – God encourages us to call out to Him ( Those who need wisdom let them ask of God …….)

 

B) But sometimes the mistake we make in Prayer & even in Worship is we view it as a means to an end – instead of the end –

1)   Nothing Better – than being in the Presence of the Lord

 

C) Think of it this way: I love it when my kids come to me w/ their needs

1)   Shoes tied / homework / problem w/ a friend –wisdom

  But if that was the only time they came – Sad –

 

D) What I love the most is when they just want to be w/ me !!!! – Dad sit watch a movie / read – cuddle

1)Our Lord is the same way -  ( Sometimes He doesn’t answer when we desire – because – He wants us to keep coming – Haven’t seen …. Awhile)

 

 

Seeing the Lord affected Moses in another way : He saw the world for what it was, that it was Passing !

A) V25 Note Sin is Pleasurable/  but the Problem is it doesn't last it  doesn't satisfy .

 

B) Why we have drug addicts / One high isn't enough / More / need     to  something stronger.

     1) Obsessed w/ Sex

     2)  Making money / never enough

     3)   Buying Toys /  always something new!

 

C) The person living for this World will be a person who lives by Sight , live by what he can See, Touch, Taste.

1)   He will seek for pleasure & fulfillment in those things But everything

      that this world has to offer is fleeting & Temporary

 

 

Moses had all that this world had to offer but he realized it was passing because he Climbed / He saw God!

A) As a result V,26 He ESTEEMED  the reproach of Christ – greater riches than the treasures in Egypt because He looked to the Reward

 

B) Like Abraham & the Patriarchs we talked about last week – Moses was Living for HEAVEN

1)   Contrast Moses w/ those who have so little in comparison yet they resist the Lord’s leading in their lives ( Fail to Surrender)

 

C) Their Hanging on to things here – that are holding them down ( Struggle w/ weights & Sins - 

  1) The Way to victory is to Climb: Pilot / Moppet field / Knawing / rat/

     Take it higher / rat can't survive in air up there.

 

D) As we seek to Climb draw near to the Lord / see sin for what it       is & it is dealt w/ see this world for what it is  Passing.

 

 

2nd thing pilot is to do is to confess "I am lost , I need help

I don't have it together" 

A) This can be humbling / but it is neccesary/ Creates dependency

1)   Now most people we see the Lord using go through this &Moses no

     exception.

 

B) In Egypt Moses thought he knew God's plan / realized the Lord       had raised him up to deliver the People.

     1)Tried to Take matters in own hands/ Egyptian. / Stop argument

 

C) Fled into the Desert / Became a shepherd. ( Lowest on the social scale)

1)   There Moses learned what every man of faith learns / there is a need to

    be broken.

 

D) There is a need to rid ourselves of all self Confidence – Confidence in our ability – our ingenuity – Become totally dependent upon God

 

 

He had been trained in all the ways of Egypt / he was schooled to be a great leader / but God wasn't finished Yet.

A) God would shape his heart to be a man governed by God!

 

B) Through his being broken Moses would learn to be less  dependent on his self his training / more dependent on God!

     1)  Evident in his Confession "Lord I Can't"  Once he thought

          nothing could stop him / now  no one could use him.

 

C) But then  He heard what he needed to hear the Lord said "I will

     go w/ you I will tell you what to say . Show where to go."

 

Moses spent 40yrs in the desert tending sheep and the Lord was preparing him to lead an even bigger Flock!

A) One that could complain / that could rebel / one that could be so

temperamental ( What is God preparing you for right now)

 

B) In the desert  time  Moses was broken / Led to his Confession

     Lord I need help

1)   The attitude of his heart opened that door of Communication.

  Moses longed to hear from the Lord. Be led by the Lord.

 

From this we realize that the man or woman of faith is one

who is dependent on the Lord!

A) Their life is marked by Prayer. The realize the Need for communication

The need for constant communication w/ the Lord / desire for His Presence.

 

   A woman asked G.  Campbell Morgan, "Do you think we ought to pray about even the little things in life?"

   Dr. Morgan, in his typically understated British manner, replied, "Madam, can you think of anything in your life that is big to God?"

 

  (Leonard Ravenhill). "The church has many organizers, but few agonizers; many who pay, but few who pray; many resters, but few wrestlers; many who are enterprising, but few who are interceding. 

 A worldly Christian will stop praying and a praying Christian will stop worldliness. 

Tithes may build a church, but tears will give it life.  That is the difference between the modern church and the early church.  In the matter of effective praying, never have so many left so much to so few.  Brethren, let us pray''

 

 

Listen the man/ woman who is living by faith – Climb  desire to be w/ God – Confess see need for God / Communicate – Long to be led by God

A)All This results in the biggest mark of faith is a willingness to Conform.

V28 - By faith kept the Passover!

 

B)Think about this - hadn't been done before/ sounded kind of weird – definitely gross -         Take animal - kill to blood on door

 1) Yet there was a willingness to conform - say - Lord I'll do it your way!

 

C) That is what we are saying Rom. 12:1,2 Living Sacrifice – I’ll conform

Moses in faith obeyed the Lord

A.)Institution was formed - picture was created of Jesus final     Passover lamb

 

Moses' faith is further seen in his willingness to be led by the Lord!

A.)    Military general obviously  - he knew territory / but  follows      the Lords' lead - boxed in situation!

 

B.)    Red Sea! - the people knew too!

     1.)     Often times the Lord will lead us in ways that make no           sense to us –

          but - man of faith conforms!

 

C.)    We walk by faith not by sight

     1.)     The Lord will even lead us into seemingly - boxed in situations to

           reveal His strength power His provision

 

D.)    Reveal an aspect of his nature and character we never known! or Our  need to rediscover!  Who He is

 

As we Fly along in our Christian life we will encounter various conditions / But if we are to be people living by faith we must  Learn:

A) To 1st Climb- Long to be w/ God  / Confess Acknowledge our daily need for God / 

 

B)Communicate Long to be led by God  / Conform to the will & way & plan of God