Send us Fan Mail Click here to support Talk About It! For more information or booking details, visit www.donmsmith.com Buy us a Sweet Tea and a Little Debbie Snack Cake Welcome back to Season 11! This week, Pastor Don continues our journey through Hebrews 11 by examining the faith of Moses—the one who challenged Pharaoh and delivered the Israelites out of Egypt. While Moses is best known for leading the Exodus and wandering in the desert with God's people, there was much happening in his life before he became Israel's great leader. Moses exhibited faith well before he stood before Pharaoh. In Hebrews 11:23-26, we see faith demonstrated in two powerful ways: first through Moses' parents, who risked everything to protect their newborn son, and then through Moses himself, who made the extraordinary choice to leave behind the luxury of Egypt for the sake of God's people. His story teaches us that it takes faith to make the right choice—to value the eternal over the temporary, and to choose God's way even when it costs us everything. In This Episode, Pastor Don Explores: 1) The Faith of Moses' Parents (Hebrews 11:23) The Hebrews had settled in Egypt during Joseph's time, but a new Pharaoh arose who feared their growing numbers. He first enslaved them, then ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill every newborn boy. When they refused out of fear of God, Pharaoh decreed that every Hebrew boy must be thrown into the Nile River. Moses' parents ignored this decree and hid him for three months. Exodus 2:2 tells us that Moses' mother "saw that he was no ordinary child"—a phrase that may also mean "fair in the sight of God." There was something unique about Moses, and his mother sensed that this child was destined for something special in God's service. When she could no longer hide him, she placed him in a basket coated with pitch and sent him down the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter found him and took him in as her own. Through Moses' sister Miriam, his own mother was able to nurse and raise him—all under the protection of the Egyptian palace! Moses' parents took enormous risks. They defied the king's order and trusted God with their son's life. They would rather face the king for disobedience than face God for going against what they knew they needed to do. This is how faith acts—it enables us to take risks for the right reasons. 2) The Faith of Moses (Hebrews 11:24-26) When Moses had grown up—Acts 7:23 tells us he was 40—he came to a defining moment. He refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. This was an incredible sacrifice. Aligning himself with Hebrew slaves meant a humble, strenuous lifestyle instead of royal comfort. He could have stayed in the palace and possibly risen to become the next Pharaoh. But his heart was with the one true God, and he couldn't continue to serve Egyptian gods. The defining moment may have come when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Exodus 2:11-15 records that Moses killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. His motive was noble—avenging the mistreatment of his people—but he took it too far. We can have righteous indignation, but we still need self-control. What's admirable is how completely Moses switched sides. He grew up as an Egyptian for 40 years, yet when he saw an Egyptian attacking a Hebrew, his allegiance was complete and undeniable. When we transition to the side of Christ, may we be as "all in" as Moses displayed here. The next day, when Moses saw two Hebrews fighting, he tried to stop it. But the one in the wrong challenged him: "Who made you ruler and judge over us?" Moses did the right thing but was met with hostility. Our efforts may be met with hostility too, but that shouldn't stop us from trying. Moses fled to Midian, where he spent the next 40 years tending sheep, getting married, and raising two sons. What a lifestyle change! God used this time to prepare Moses. The first 40 years in Egypt taught him how to operate in the palace and court. The next 40 years in Midian taught him the ways of God and the wilderness. He was perfectly equipped to approach Pharaoh and to lead God's people through the desert. 3) Moses Made a Better Exchange Moses exchanged the role of ruler for the role of slave. He gave up the posh life of the palace for the impoverished life of the plains. His peers would have thought him a fool. "He did what? He could have been the next Pharaoh!" But Moses wasn't a fool—he was wise. He left everything behind to gain something far better. The Egyptians had it good—the treasures of King Tut's tomb alone included thousands of pounds of pure gold. But to Moses, the reward of heaven was far more valuable than the treasures of Egypt. Hebrews 11:26 says he "regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." Moses was able to forsake the visible pleasures of sin because of his faith in the invisible pleasures of God. The Lesson of Solomon Solomon, the richest man who ever lived, denied himself no pleasure. He partook in everything this world had to offer. And at the end of it all, he concluded that everything was meaningless—a chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). Solomon's conclusion: "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). That's what Moses did. He had it all and could have kept it all—but it would have cost him. He couldn't live with himself for rejecting God. Finding Pleasure in God When seeking pleasure becomes our primary focus, we will find ourselves empty inside. There is a place for legitimate pleasure—when we find pleasure in the things of God, we are well off. When we enjoy what God gives us and give thanks to Him, we are well off. But when the things of God become a chore—when reading the Bible, praying, or attending church feels like a duty rather than a delight—we need to pray for the joy to return. When we find pleasure in the things of God, we find intimacy with God. And in that intimacy, we become inspired by the Holy Spirit, becoming a force, an influence, a bright light, and a fruit-bearer. No pleasure the world offers comes anywhere close to what the pleasure of God will do for you. 4) Looking Ahead to the Reward Moses delivered his people from slavery and spent the last 40 years of his life wandering in the desert. He gave up a lot for God and didn't get his earthly reward—he wasn't allowed to enter the Promised Land. That was reserved for Joshua. But Moses' reward was a future one—when he would enter the true Promised Land. And that made all the sacrifice worth it. So it is with us. If we feel we're not "compensated" for the sacrifices we make for the Lord, we can take comfort in knowing we will be later. As 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 reminds us: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Key Takeaways: Faith enables us to take risks for the right reasonsWe must be willing to face opposition for doing what's rightGod uses every season of life to prepare us for His purposesChoosing God's way may cost us, but the eternal reward far outweighs the temporary lossTrue pleasure is found in God, not in the fleeting pleasures of sinWe can endure present sacrifices because we look ahead to future rewardLike Moses, we must decide which life has the greatest valueA Question to Ponder: What are you holding onto that God is asking you to release for something better? "He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." — Hebrews 11:26 Support the show
