Disgrace for the sake of Christ
Hebrews 11:23-31
Key Verse 11:24
“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.”
There is a big difference between the last Sunday message and today’s message. Mainly the Israelites became slaves in Egypt. The last Sunday message taught us the faith of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. God revealed himself to them and gave them the promise, and they all became heirs of the same promise. The promise was all peoples on earth would be blessed through their descendants. It was the promise of Christ to come. So they lived in the hope of the kingdom of God which Christ would bring.
After Joseph died, the Israelites became slaves of Egypt. It lasted about 400 years, and their suffering was great. Now today’s passage shows how the Lord delivered the Israelites from their land of slavery to the promised land. In doing this, the Lord God used the faith of Moses’ parents and Moses. Faith brings many miracles in our lives. But arguably the greatest miracle faith can bring for us is to save us and save others. So today we want to see how the Lord use the faith of Moses’ parents and Moses in delivering them and his people from the slavery to the land of promise. We also want to see how the Lord can use our faith to save us and others. My message has two parts. Part I. By faith Moses’ parents (v.23) Part II. By faith Moses (v.24-31)
Part I. By faith Moses’ parents (v.23)
Look at verse 23.
“By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”
The new Pharaoh who did not know Joseph was afraid of the great number of the Israelites because they multiplied so much under God’s blessings. Then he feared that the Israelites might join in his enemies when a war broke out. So he tried to reduce the number of the Israelites. He ordered Hebrew midwives to kill all the boys as soon as they were born. But it did not work because the Hebrew midwives feared God and allowed the boys live. Finally the Pharaoh issued an edict that all the boys should be thrown into the Nile as soon as they were born. Now the Israelites were really miserable because they had to see powerlessly when their sons were thrown into the Nile and be killed.
They were already slaves, and their lives were already miserable. But now to bear the pain of seeing all their sons to be thrown into the Nile was unbearable. What could they do? Nothing. Their lives as slaves at that time reached the rock bottom. Surely it was the darkest moment of their lives. But God started to deliver his people at the darkest moments of their lives.
Moses’ parents were not an exception. They had to either allow the Egyptians to throw away their son to the Nile or resist the king’s edict and be killed. What did they do? By Faith. “By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”
Think about it! How can Moses’ parents hide their son for 3 months when all the Egyptian armies would visit house by house and got all the information about pregnant women, and they were waiting to throw away their sons. It was simply impossible task to hide their son, furthermore for 3 months. How could they do such an impossible task? By faith. When they believed in God, God accepted their faith and performed miracles. Somehow Egyptian soldiers could not hear the cry of baby Moses when they walked by.
Faith and fear are opposite. If you have faith you cannot have fear. If you have fear you cannot have faith in God. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for 3 months and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. Because of their faith they could see their new born son, Moses, was a fine child. In the darkest moment in their lives Moses’ parents believed in God almighty, and they did one thing by faith, and God used their faith to deliver 600,000 people later. God started to work at the darkest moment of their lives.
Such a great deliverance started from one act of faith. Who knows God is preparing now a great spiritual deliverance of many people and our one act of faith can be the seedbed.
To be parents is not easy job. But God has already made us parents, parents for our children at home, parents for our students on campuses and parents for those whom we care in our church. How can become good parents? How can we protect our children from the power of sin and death? How can we hide them from the power of sin and death and save them? We cannot do so. But when we have faith in God God will do it. The Lord God will accept our faith and he will perform miracles. As if he performed miracles so that Egyptian soldiers could not hear the cry of baby Moses he would also perform miracles and save our children from the power of sin and death.
Msn Monica prayed for Seth so many years. By faith she had hidden him from the power of sin and death for many years, and Seth has been protected so far. Surely as the Lord used the faith of Moses’ parents to save Moses, he also can use our faith to save our children.
Part II. By faith Moses (v.24-31)
Look at verses 24-28.
“24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 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. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.”
How did Moses became the son of Pharaoh’s daughter? When Moses’ parents could not keep him anymore, they made a papyrus boat and sent him on the Nile. Then a Pharaoh’s daughter found him and had compassion on him. She knew he was a Hebrew baby. But the Lord gave her compassion and Moses was adopted as her son, the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
The verse 28, shows how the Lord used Moses’ faith to deliver his people. Before the Lord used Moses to save his people, Moses had to make one critical decision in his life. He had to choose either to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter or a Hebrew who was slave. It was about his identity. But his choice comes with huge consequences.
Firstly, to refuse to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter comes with mistreatment and the loss of pleasures of sin. Look at verse 25. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. Moses’ choice was between ‘mistreatment’ and ‘pleasures of sin.’ Who wants to be mistreated? We all wanted to be treated well and honorably. When we are mistreated we are hurt and we become angry and we do not want to forgive those who mistreat us for the rest of our lives. But Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God.
What does it mean by “the people of God”? It means people belonging to God. It means people who exist for the purpose of God and for the service of God. Most of all, the people of God means they are people who should reveal who God is.
Jesus asks us to good to those who hate us, and bless those who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us. How can we do good to those who hate us? How can we bless those who curse us? How can we pray for those who mistreat us? How can we do so? Can we do so? Yes, we can. How and why? We can do so because we are the people of God. We have our sinful nature. But our sinful desire does not change who we are – we are the people of God.
The Hebrews were the people of God although they were mistreated slaves. So he chose to be mistreated along with the people of God. The cost of Moses’ choice was not only inviting mistreatment but also losing pleasures of sin. Egypt has tons of pleasures of sin. If he wanted he could have unlimited girl friends, drugs, video games, adulterous relationships and videos etc. You name it. But Moses lost all their pleasure of sin when he chose to be mistreated along with the people of God.
Secondly, to refuse to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter comes with ‘disgrace’. Verse 26 reads, “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.” To be the son of Pharaoh’s daughter would bring him ‘treasures of Egypt’ and ‘honor’ to be prince of Egypt and possibility to become Pharaoh himself. But his choice to be people of God would bring him “disgrace”.
Who wants to be ‘disgraced’? Recently one pastor committed suicide when his name was in the list of those who contacted “Ashly Madison”. The website encourages married husbands and wives to seek secret boyfriends and girlfriends. He was a pastor and seminary professor. His memo for his family members was ‘he was just very, very sorry.’ He chose rather to die than to be disgraced.
“Disgrace” comes with “unbearable shame”. We want ‘honor’ not ‘disgrace’. But Moses’ choice to refuse to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter would bring him ‘disgrace.’
But Moses chose ‘disgrace’. Why? It was because his disgrace was for the sake of Christ. What does it mean “disgrace for the sake of Christ”? Probably it means ‘his disgrace was to reveal Christ’ or at least ‘his disgrace resembles Jesus’ disgrace.’ Moses knew his disgrace came when he identified himself as the people of God rather than the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
The Israelites became the people of God when God promised that he would send Christ to bless all peoples on earth through their descendants. So God called them to be the people of God to reveal Christ.
But why then does God have to reveal Christ through mistreatment and disgrace? Why didn’t he reveal Christ through glory and power? It is because Christ was most vividly revealed through mistreatment and disgrace. Jesus was mistreated along with sinners and was crucified as one of sinners. Christ was revealed the most through his disgrace. When he was insulted, mocked, and humiliated on the cross, he was revealed the most. In fact, Christ chose to be mistreated along with sinners and he was disgraced for the sinners. Because he was mistreated and disgraced for sinners, the sinners did not need to be mistreated and disgraced.
How nice it would be if Christ is revealed in miracles and glory? But that was not God’s way. The devil tempted Jesus to reveal himself as the son of God and Christ by making bread out of stone, and jumping from the highest point of the temple in full view of people but Chris refused. The devil promised all the treasures, glory, and splendor of all the kingdoms, but Jesus refused. Jesus refused to be known as the son of God through miraculous powers, wonders, and glory and easy way but with pains and sufferings, insult, mocking, humiliation, mistreatment, and disgrace.
Moses regarded ‘disgrace for the sake of Christ’ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt. Moses would lose treasures in Egypt.
What is our common vocabulary that can describe ‘treasures in Egypt’? “Money”. We regard money highly. But Jesus taught us money is the greatest idol of men. Money can be the object of devil’s greatest temptation. So Jesus taught us how we should store up our treasures in heaven.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21,24 “19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “ “24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
1 Timothy 6:10 reads, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
If we love money we are inviting all kinds of evil. Not only greed but also lust, anger, unthankfulness, powerlessness, unforgiveness etc. You name it.
Judas Iscariot sold Jesus, his own shepherd and God for 30 shekels of silver. Did he enjoy the money? No. He threw away the money and he hanged himself. It is not others but Judas himself who pierced himself with many griefs.
When we try to reveal Christ we invariably find that we are mistreated and disgraced too. When we try to invite students to bible study or try to help our children at home and help them to grow to be disciples of Jesus through 1:1 bible studies we can experience mistreatment and disgrace. Then we wonder why we have to reveal Christ in such a way of mistreatment and disgrace? Why are to deny ourselves all the more and keep on doing? Are we crazy? Are we so stupid? Did we not have enough failure that we want to keep on doing? Why do we do that? Why do we expose ourselves to disgrace day after day, year after year despite many failures? Why do we do that instead of looking for some powerful and glorious way to reveal Christ. But we do so because Christ revealed himself in the way of mistreatment and disgrace. Christ chose to be mistreated along with sinners and he regarded disgrace for the sake of sinner as of greater value than his own life. In this way he saved sinners from mistreatment and disgrace.
Moses regarded ‘disgrace for the sake of Christ’ as of greater value than treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward. Verse 26 reads, ““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 knew ‘disgrace for the sake of Christ” would bring him reward which was beyond his imagination.
Jesus also promised reward for his people. Jesus said in Matthew 19:28-29. “28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
Regarding the reward from God, apostle Paul also said in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, “6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
So Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. It brought him mistreatment, loss of pleasures of sin, disgrace, loss of treasures in Egypt, but with God’s reward.
Now look at verse 27. “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.” To leave Egypt was not easy because it means he would give up all the treasures of Egypt and pleasures of sin on a permanent basis. In addition it comes with fear of losing his life. Out of anger, the king of Egypt could send many assassins, undercover terrorists to kill him. Who would want to choose such a life? If you become the most wanted man in America, how would you feel? But Moses left Egypt by faith.
To leave Egypt came with another cost. It is to persevere. Look at verse 27. “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.” In the desert Moses had to persevere 40 years of life as a refuge in a foreign land. In despair he could have committed a lot of sin and give up his moral standard. But he persevered. Moses’ decision of faith did not end in one day. He had to make continued decision to persevere day after day for 40 years. How could he do so? He could do so because he saw God who is invisible. Mother Barry also shared that she did not make one big decision not to marry but she made many small decisions which led her not to marry eventually.
Now all of Moses’ noble choice would not have much meaning if it was not used for the sake of Christ. But the Lord used Moses to reveal Christ. Look at verse 28. “28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.”
The destruction of the firstborn never happened in human history. The Israelites never heard of application of blood on their doorposts. But Moses kept the Passover and the application of blood because he believed. Because he believed he encouraged his people to believe in the power of the blood of the Passover lamb.
Then the destroyer of the firstborn passed over houses which had the blood of the lamb. The blood of the Passover lamb ultimately refers to Jesus’ blood. When Moses regarded ‘disgrace for the sake of Christ’ Christ was most vividly revealed when he kept the Passover and the application of blood by faith.
When we have faith in Jesus’ blood, the destroyer would pass over us and we will be delivered from death. Faith in the blood of the Passover lamb has miraculous power. The Israelites were delivered from death when they believed the power of the Passover lamb on their doorposts.
Now faith in Jesus’ blood, the true Passover Lamb, has miraculous power to save men beyond human understanding. Faith in Jesus will lead us into God’s spiritual world where God is ruling as King and nothing is impossible with him and everything is impossible to the one who believes.
There was something more in order to go to the promised land. Look at verse 29. “ By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.”
Moses learned faith. Now it was the turn of the Israelites to learn faith. They had to cross the Red Sea. They could pass it as on dry land because they did it by faith. But when the Egyptians tried to do so by human strength they were all drowned. The difference between ‘dry land’ and ‘being drowned’ is the difference between ‘faith’ and ‘no faith’.
The crossing the Red Sea was not the end. Look at verse 30 and 31.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
Jericho was the first battle in the promised land. It was ‘must win’ battle because losing the battle means they had to retreat from the promised land into the wilderness again, and the news of their defeat would encourage their enemies greatly in the promised land. So to take possession of the promised land would become almost impossible.
But, it was impossible for the Israelites to conquer Jericho because people in Jericho closely shut their city. But God’s way to conquer Jericho was to march around the city for 7 days. When the army had done it the walls of Jericho fell.
And the prostitute Rahab was saved because she hid the spies. She had faith to see the conquering Jericho was the will of God and she was saved.
In conclusion, faith can bring many miracles in our lives. But the greatest miracle could be to save ourselves and save others. The Lord used the faith of Moses’ parents and Moses to deliver his people from slavery to the promised land. The Lord wants to use our faith to save us and many others.
Most of all, the Lord wants us to know we are the people of God, and he chose us and called us to reveal Christ. The way Christ revealed himself is through mistreatment and disgrace rather than glorious ways.
One word: disgrace for the sake of Christ
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