Would you turn with me to Exodus,
Chapter 2. Exodus, Chapter 2, verse 10.
This is speaking of Moses. And the child grew. And she brought
him under Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. And she called his name. Moses. She said, because I drew him
out of the water. Now, 40 years passed between verses 10 and
verse 11, we read of the birth of Moses in these first 10 verses
of Exodus chapter 2 and then 40 years pass and Moses was raised
an Egyptian. He was the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He was, as Stephen says, learned
in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. And mighty in words and in deeds. In the account in Hebrews chapter
11, verse 24, when it says he had come to years, it means literally
when he became great. Now, Moses was what we would
call somebody in Egypt. As a matter of fact, the Jewish
historian Josephus says that Pharaoh did not have a biological
son. And Moses was next in line for
the throne, whether that or not that. So I don't know, but he
was somebody in Egypt and. I believe that when verse 11
begins, Moses is a believer. I don't have any doubt that his
mother and father told him about the prophecies regarding him,
how he was to be the deliverer and How do you reckon he felt
during that 40-year period? I mean, he had all this stuff
from Egypt that the world would consider good and valuable, and
he was going somewhere in Egypt, and yet he had this prophecy
regarding him being the deliverer. And I'm sure he loved his mother.
Pharaoh's daughter was no doubt very good to him, and he loved
her, and I believe he probably loved his life in Egypt. Turn with me for a moment to
Acts chapter 7. Now this is Stephen's account
of what took place in Acts in Exodus chapter 2. Verse 23, And
when he was a full 40 years old, it came into his heart to visit
his brethren. The children of Israel, you see,
he knew he was a Hebrew at this time. He knew he was not a true
Egyptian. And it came into his heart. Why did it come into his
heart like that, you reckon? Well, you know, the Lord put
that in his heart. It came into his heart to visit his brethren,
the children of Israel, and seeing one of them suffer wrong, he
defended him and avenged him that was oppressed. And he smote
the Egyptian, for he supposed his brethren would have understood
how that God by his hand would deliver them. But they understood
not. So he knew at this time he was
the deliverer. When he comes out at 40 years
old, he knows he is the deliverer. And he figured they'd know it
too, but they didn't. As a matter of fact, his life can be divided
into three 40 year periods. The time in Egypt, the time in
the backside of the desert, and the time spent leading Israel
as a shepherd. Turn back to Exodus chapter 2, verse 11. And it came to pass in those
days when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren
and looked on their burdens. And he was grieved by this. And
he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. We don't know what this Egyptian
was doing to mistreat this man, but he was doing something horrible.
So we read in verse 12, and he looked this way and that. Now,
what they're saying is he's trying to see if anybody's going to
see him. He looks this way, he looks that way. Is anybody looking?
He looks this way and that. And when he saw there was no
man, he slew the Egyptian, he killed him. And then he buried
him in the sand to hide the evidence. Now was this right? Did he have
a justification for doing this? No doubt that Egyptian was wrong
in smiting this Israelite, but you can bet he was wrong in what
he did, but he did it. He did it. He murdered this man.
He slew him. And he hid his body in the sand
in order to hide the evidence. Verse 13. And when he went out
the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together.
They were fighting with each other. And he said to him that
did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? Why are you
doing this? And he said, Who made thee a
prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as thou
killest 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. Pharaoh wanted Moses dead because
of this. And Moses fled to the land of
Midian, where he spent the next 40 years of his life as a shepherd. He went from being one of the
most respected men in Egypt to a shepherd for 40 years. He went, as the world would say,
from the top to the bottom. Now turn with me to Hebrews chapter
11. I want us to read the sacred inspired writers account of what
took place. This thrilled me to think about
this Hebrews chapter 11. Now remember what Moses did.
Moses murdered a man. And he hightailed it out of Egypt
in fear because he thought the Pharaoh was going to get him.
Now what took place? In that account we have in Exodus chapter
2. Now, look with me in verse 24 of Hebrews chapter 11. By faith, Moses, when he was
come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's Choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy
the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ
greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. For he had respect
unto the recompense of the reward. Now this is very interesting.
By faith Moses did this. Once again, this is very interesting.
In Exodus 2, he murdered a man. He hid his body in the sand and
fled for his life in fear. And when you read the accounts
in Hebrews chapter 11, it presents what he did as a heroic act of
faith. Like I said last week, The Old
Testament, the law, exposes my sins. The New Testament, grace
covers my sins. You know, when the story is told
about me, when the story is told about you, if you're a believer,
you know what's going to be told? Nothing but good. Nothing. How can that be? Union with the
Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing but good. Let me give
you a very powerful illustration of this. When you read in the
Old Testament. You read about Lot. You read
about his life. And you tell me anything good
you could say about him. I mean, he was a relatively worthless
person, as far as what we would say if we didn't have the New
Testament and we read about the history of law, you know what
we would conclude about him? He was lost. He didn't know the
Lord. He couldn't know the Lord and act the way he did and did
the things he did. I guarantee you we would conclude
that this man was lost by his conduct, by the things that he
did. He pitched his tent towards Sodom. He lingered in Sodom,
even after God said, get out, he lingered there. He chose the
well-watered plains and just let most, I mean, Abraham, whatever.
But I want you to look at the New Testament when it mentions
him. Turn to 2nd Peter. This is talking about the destruction
of Sodom and Gomorrah in verse six, second Peter, chapter two,
verse six, and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes.
He condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example to those
that afterwards should live ungodly. And look how Lot is described.
He delivered just Lot. Vexed with the filthy conversation
of the wicked for that righteous man dwelling among them. in seeing and hearing that his
righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds, the
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and
to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
Look at this description of Lot. Now, we do not read in Hebrews
11, 24 that Moses murdered a man and hid his body in the sand
and fled in fear, but we read that by faith he did what he
did. Back to Hebrews 11, or maybe
you're already there. Verse 24, by faith Moses. Here's
the New Testament description of what he did, by faith Moses.
When he was come to years, he refused to be called the son
of Pharaoh's daughter. Sounds to me like he just fled
out of fear. But it says he refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction
with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than
the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect under the recompense
of the reward. Now, I can see two reasons for
this. Why the New Testament gives such
a different account of this story than what we read of in Exodus
chapter 2. Here's the first reason, because of the gospel. Because
of the gospel. Do you know, Hebrews chapter
11 is the true story. If God sends it that way, it
is that way, isn't it? You want the true story about
Moses? Don't go into Exodus chapter 2. Ah, that tells about his flesh,
no doubt. But if you want the true story,
the real Moses, the one God saved, the new creature in Christ Jesus,
Read the account in Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11 is what Moses
knew nature did. Exodus chapter 2 is what his
old nature did. Quite a difference, isn't there?
God accepts and speaks of what the new nature has done for Christ's
sake. And what the old nature has done
was put away on the cross. Now, I've entitled this message,
The Choice of Moses, and by faith, he made some choices. And I'm
sure a lot of people would find these choices that Moses made
hard to understand. In Hebrews 11, 24, it says, By
faith, Moses, when he was come to years, and that reads literally
when he became great. I don't know why the translators
translated it that way. The word great is in the original. By faith, Moses, when he became
great. You know, when he was learned
in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and deeds
by the world standard, he wasn't great. He thought he was, no doubt.
Other folks thought he was. But he wasn't great. But here
is where he becomes. Right. Do you know it's possible
for a man? Me and you to be great in the
eyes of the Lord. Is that something you covet?
I'm not talking about great and being competitive with somebody
else, I want to be greater than this one or that one. I know
the disciples were always arguing about that. And that's in the
pleasure of one of us. If it comes to who's going to
get up front, I'm going to want to get up front. That's wrong,
but that's that's that's just in our flesh. But I'm talking
about truly great. You know, the said of John the Baptist in Luke
chapter 11, what Luke chapter 11, verse five or verse 50, verse
15, I think it is. Luke chapter one, verse 15, talking
about the birth of John the Baptist, it says he shall be great. in
the eyes of the Lord. And that's who I want to be great
in the eyes of. I'd like you to have a high opinion of me.
There's no doubt about that, but here's who I really want to have
a high opinion of me. The Lord himself. When Moses became great,
truly great. Well, what did he do when he
became great? Well, look in our text in Hebrews 11. By faith
Moses, when he became great, he refused to be called the son
of Pharaoh's daughter. He renounced his relationship
with Pharaoh's daughter he disowned. He turned his back on that relationship. And I have no doubt that people
thought he's crazy. He's gone mad. Why would he do
that? I mean, that seems cruel. Look what all Pharaoh's daughter
did for him. Look at what influence he could have being in the court
of Egypt for the glory of God. He could influence more people
and talk to more people and have more influence if he'd just stay
there. He's crazy for doing that. But that's what he did. He refused
to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Look what he did in
verse 25. He chose free volition. He chose rather
to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season. He chose affliction over pleasure.
That's a strange choice, isn't it? Go on reading. Verse 26. He esteemed the reproach
of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. Now that's
a strange choice, isn't it? That's a strange estimation.
He looked at the reproach of Christ being despised, being
hated, and he said that's greater riches, that's more valuable
than all the treasures of Egypt. Now, how is this? Well, it was
by faith. Moses, it says in verse 26, he
had respect under the recompense of the reward. Now, it was by
faith he saw this, but he saw something in the recompense of
the reward that other people didn't see. By faith, Moses. did these things. It was faith,
faith in Christ that moved him to make these very powerful choices. And faith is such a powerful
thing. You see, faith works. Faith works. Now, we need to
consider the reason he made these choices. Scripture says he had
respect unto the recompense of the Lord. That's why he made
these strange choices. That's why he decided, I'd rather
be a son of God than a son of Pharaoh. That's why he said,
I'd rather have the reproach of Christ than all the treasures
of Egypt. It was by faith. He had a respect for the recompense
of the reward. Now, what's this reward all about?
What is the reward of the believer? In Genesis chapter 15, verse
1, God said to Abraham, I am thy shield and thy exceeding
great reward. Christ Jesus himself is the reward
of the believer. What is faith? By faith, he believed
that. It's believing God. It's believing
God. It's believing the Word of God.
That's what faith is. It really is that simple. It's believing
what God says. It's relying on what God says.
By faith, he saw this exceeding great reconvince of reward. Is there a reward to faith? Absolutely. Christ Himself, being
found in Him, being united to Him, abiding in Him, being like
Him. And what a recompense, what benefits there are in being found
in the Lord Jesus Christ. He Himself is the reward. It's
not heaven. It's a person. It's the Lord
Jesus Christ. He Himself is the reward. Simply. Simply beholding His beauty,
being found in Him, being united to Him. He Himself is the reward. Listen to this scripture. I quote
it all the time. But what a glorious reward this is. In Him, in the
Lord Jesus Christ, dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,
and you are complete. Absolutely lacking nothing. All that He has All that he is,
you are. What a reward. He himself is
now. By faith, he had respect under
the recompense of the reward. The word here means to look away
from all else to one object, and that's precisely what Moses
did. If you see who Moses was looking to. His strange choices,
strange choices become no brainers, don't they? if you see who he
was looking to. Christ? Well, you want to be
a son of God or the son of Pharaoh? I'd rather be a son of God. You
want to have the affliction with his people and be counted with
them, or do you want to have temporary pleasure? And it's
temporary. The pleasures of sin are only
temporary. Well, I'd rather be counted with the people of God.
Would you rather have the reproach of Christ or the treasures of
this world? I'd rather have the reproach of Christ. I really
would. If you could look into my heart and see which choices
I'd make, because I see the Lord Jesus Christ as altogether glorious
as my salvation, I make the same choices He does. Now, faith is
not a choice, but faith makes choices. You don't choose to
believe. You only believe when you have
no choice. Do you understand that? You don't choose to believe. You only believe when you have
no other choice. You've got no other way to go.
You've got nowhere else to look. It's all you've got. But I tell
you what, when you believe, you make some choices. And you make
these choices that Moses did. And it's not hard to make these
choices. If you see the glory of Christ,
He's infinitely superior to all else. He's altogether lovely. Now, in seeing Christ, Moses
renounced his association with Egypt. He refused, he rejected
this thing of being Pharaoh's son and the son of Pharaoh's
daughter. Now, if you come to Christ, if
you believe on him, you're going to be doing some renouncing. And if you don't renounce. You've
never really come to him. When he saw the Lord Jesus Christ,
he renounced his association with Egypt. Now, wherever there's
true faith, there's some renouncing. You renounce the world. Our Lord
said, if any man loved the world, the love of the father is what? Not in him. Not in him. Now, let me ask you. This world,
this soap bubble we call the world. I know that there's things
about our flesh that find this world a trap. I like the physical
beauty of the world. I like enjoying good things to
eat and going places and all that kind of stuff. There's nothing
wrong with that. But I'm talking about the maxims
of this world, the principles of this world. the values of
this world, this worldly religion, my own natural religion, the
religion I was born with, the religion of salvation by works,
the religion of salvation somehow caused by me, I renounce it. I renounce Egypt. I renounce
it. When you believe on Christ, you
renounce this world. You know, this renouncing begins
in baptism. You know, when I'm baptized,
I go under, I come back up. And I say in that my only hope
is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. And I was buried with
him. I'm risen with him and I rise
to walk in newness of life. He's my Lord. I'm under new ownership. He's my Lord. He chose affliction by being
identified with the people of God over the pleasures of sin
for a season now, without doubt, There is pleasure in sin. I remember one time hearing a
preacher say, I don't desire these sinful things anymore.
And I wanted to stand up and say, you liar. Everybody knows
better than that. Why are you saying this? It was
in a prison. It was in a prison. And the chaplain got up and started
telling the prisoners all that kind of stuff. There's pleasure
in sin. You know that? I know that. In
all of its forms. You wouldn't even go after it
if that weren't the case. But it's only for a season. It's only temporary. And what
would it profit a man if he would gain the whole world and lose
his soul? And what would a man give in
exchange for his soul? I tell you what, pleasures of
sin, and I'm not saying that my flesh is unaffected by that.
Sure, my flesh is affected by that, and yours is too, the old
man. But I tell you what, I choose
to be identified with the people of God. and the afflictions,
the hatred of this world that is associated with identifying
with His people. Listen, I'd rather be hated by
this world than be identified with the people of God than to
enjoy all the pleasures of sin. How about you? If you're a believer,
you would. You make these same choices.
It means that because you have respect to the recompense of
the reward. You see the glory of Christ.
You want to be identified with Him. I'd rather suffer affliction
with the people of God I'd rather be numbered with them, identified
with them, than to enjoy all the pleasures of sin for a season
which are only temporary. You know, in identification with
His people, there will be affliction. Remember, turn with me to Matthew
chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5. You know, isn't it interesting? I do choose
affliction with the people of God over the pleasures of sin
for a season, but I also see myself in the account of Nexus
chapter 2 also, where Moses, you see that, don't you? You
see that. I'm so thankful for the Word of God, the way it presents
things. I find such comfort in that. But look here in Matthew
chapter 5. Verse 10. Blessed are they which are persecuted. For righteousness sake, and that's
not talking about doing good things, if you do good things,
he'll put your name in the paper, they'll put a picture of you
look at the good things this person has done. That's not really what
that's referring to. That's talking about being persecuted
for his righteousness sake. Believing His righteousness is
the only ground of acceptance before God, nothing else. You
look to Him and Him only. Our Lord says that's a state
of blessedness. Blessed are you when men shall revile you and
persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you
falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,
for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets
which were before you. You know, I want to know, as
Paul said, the fellowship of his sufferings. I want to know the fellowship
of his sufferings. I want to be like that martyr who when they lit the fire to
burn him to death, he said, to die with Christ, to die for Christ
is an honor I do not deserve. I want to suffer affliction with
the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season. Back to Hebrews 11. It says in
verse 26, he esteemed. The reproach of Christ. Greater
riches than the treasures. In Egypt. Do you really believe the reproach
of Christ? To be greater. than all the riches
of Egypt, all the riches of this world. Do you believe that? Well,
what is the reproach of Christ? Well, over there in Hebrews,
look over in Hebrews chapter 13. Verse 13. Hebrews 13, verse 13. For here, or let us go forth
therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. Now, you know what was without
the camp? It's talking about the camp of the children of Israel.
Who was without the camp? Does anybody know who was outside
the camp? Lepers. Lepers were the people outside
of the camp. And where to go with him outside
the camp, bearing his reproach, and that's a typified sin. But the reproach of Christ, the
world looks at that person who believes on the gospel is nothing
more than a leper. But let's go to him bearing his
reproach. Turn to first Corinthians chapter
one. I want you to see this place. First Corinthians chapter one. Verse 23, Paul says, we preach
Christ crucified. There's our message. We preach
Christ crucified down to the Jews, the religious fellows.
This is a stumbling block. And into the Greeks, that's the
intellectuals, the educated people. It's foolishness. But unto them
which are called, both Jews and Greeks, both the religious and
if God calls them, Christ, the power of God. and the wisdom
of God. Now, Paul says we preach. This
is our message. We preach Christ crucified. We preach the person of Christ.
He's God's Christ. He's God's Messiah. He's the
Son of God. He's the God-man. We preach Him
crucified. And we're not just talking about
talking about the fact that they drove the nails in His hands
and feet and they nailed Him to a cross and lifted Him up,
although that's certainly part of it. We're talking about what
He accomplished by that death. When He died on Calvary's tree,
listen to me, please, listen to me. When He died on Calvary's
tree, I was set free. Everybody He died for is saved. Their salvation is signed, sealed,
delivered. When He said it is finished,
the salvation of every one of His people were finished. Finished. Salvation wholly by what He did
without any reference to what you and I do. Now to the Jews,
The religious fellows, well, that's a stumbling block. That'll
lead to sin. What about good works? What about responsibility? What about the stuff you're supposed
to do? Does that count for nothing? You believe salvation is completely
by what He did totally outside of yourself? You really believe
that? Yes, I do. Why, that's a stumbling block. That'll lead people to sin. And
then to the Greeks, that's the intellectuals. That's the wise
of this world. You expect me to believe God
became a man? You expect me to believe that
He was born of a virgin? You expect me to believe that
He really lived a sinless life? You really expect me to believe
that sin was placed upon Him and He died on the cross as a
substitute and that you're saved by somebody else's righteousness?
You really expect me to believe that? You expect me to believe
that men are dead in sins Can't do anything to save themselves?
They're just totally helpless and they'll go to hell if God doesn't
do something for them and that they're just completely evil? That's
such a morose, negative attitude. Do you really expect me to believe
something like that? You expect me to believe that God chose
who'd be saved and doesn't have anything to do with man's choice?
You expect me to believe that Christ only died for a specific
people and that God the Holy Spirit calls those people and
they will persevere? You expect me to believe that?
Why, that's foolishness. I don't believe that. Well, I
figured you'd say that. Bible said you would. But to them which are called, called
by the invincible, irresistible grace of God, Christ, the power
of God, and Christ, the wisdom of God. And do you know that
I esteem the reproach of Christ I want to be one of those people
who are reproached. I'm not talking about looking for trouble. You
understand what I'm saying. I'm not talking about trying
to cause trouble and trying to vindicate myself and validate
myself by getting people mad at me. I know people that do
that, and I don't want to do that. But I do want to bear the
reproach of Christ where people hear what I really believe, what
the Word of God says, and they reproach me for it. And I esteem
that. I count that greater riches than
all the riches of this world. That's what faith in Christ is.
Faith in Christ is a powerful thing, isn't it? It's a powerful
thing. You see, oh Moses, he had respect
under the recompense of the reward. And when God gives us grace to
see the glory of His gospel, You know, these choices become
no-brainers, don't they? I make the same choices. If you
see the excellency and beauty of Christ, the completeness of
His salvation, you'll make the same choices. I want to close by reading a
passage in Joshua chapter 24. Now, like I said, understand this.
Faith is not a choice. I can remember torturing myself with this question. What does it mean to believe?
If I knew I would, but I can't. I can't figure it out. What does
it mean to believe? I mean, I believe in God. Sure,
I do. I believe the sky is blue. It is. What does it mean to believe? I can remember torturing myself
over what does it mean to believe? Do I have faith? And I tried
to believe, and the more I tried to believe, the more impossible
it came to me. You see, you don't choose to
believe. You only believe when God gives
you faith. And when God gives you faith, you have no choice
but to believe. You have no choice. But that doesn't mean faith doesn't
make choices. Look here in the book of Joshua,
chapter 24, verse 14. Joshua says, Now therefore fear
the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the
gods which your father served on the other side of the flood
and in Egypt, and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto
you to serve the Lord, choose you, choose you this day whom
you will serve. Whether the God which your father
served, if you want to go that direction, go that direction.
That we're on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Let's pray.