Hebrews 11:23-31

I. THE RISK OF CHOOSING THE BEAUTY OF LIFE OVER THE FEAR OF DEATH

Hebrews 11:23 – “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”

Exodus 1:15 – “You shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”

Exodus 1:17 – “But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live.”

Exodus 1:21 – “And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.”

Exodus 1:22– “Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, ‘Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.’”

Exodus 2:1–2 – “Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.”

Exodus 2:2, translated – “She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and longing to keep him, she hid him for three months.”

II. THE RISK OF CHOOSING GODLY SUFFERING OVER WORLDLY COMFORT

Hebrews 11:24–25: “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.”

Hebrews 11:26 – “He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”

What worldly pleasure is preventing you from walking in faith?

III. THE RISK OF CHOOSING GOD’S AUTHORITY OVER EARTHLY PRESSURE

Hebrews 11:27 – “By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.”

Hebrews 11:28 – “By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.”

What worldly pressures are preventing you from living by faith?

IV. THE RISK OF CHOOSING RADICAL OBEDIENCE OVER CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

Hebrews 11:29 – “By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.”

Hebrews 11:30 – “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.” (c.f. Joshua 6:20)

Hebrews 11:31 – “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”

Joshua 2:11 – “For the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”

TAKEAWAYS

1. Risky faith is not reckless faith.

Am I obeying what God has revealed to me, or am I asking God to endorse something I have already decided to do?

2. Your past sins do not prohibit you from present faith.

BENEDICTION

2 Corinthians 13:14 – “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”