Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Some people say they have faith, yet their lives show little evidence of it. Others who have faith are willing to take risks to live out that faith. Today we focus on this latter kind of faith, the kind that will survive when times of testing come. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win, with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, give us a preview of this brief series you're calling, Faith That Survives the Fire. You know, Dave, for a long time I have believed that it is very important that we, especially in the West, need to rethink our view of suffering for Jesus Christ.
We've had it so good. We've had governments that generally support the Christian faith. They were not necessarily antagonistic toward it. As things change in our culture, faithfulness to Jesus Christ is requiring more and more faith, more and more courage. I think that the Bible is, of course, such a remarkable book. After all, it is a book written by men, but it is the Word of God. We have stories in it like Moses, who is willing to say no to all the blessings of Egypt because he saw that which was invisible. In all of our faith, what we have to do is to trade in that which we can see for that which we can't see. I hope that all who listen are going to be encouraged and to evaluate themselves and ask, am I willing to suffer for the faith? Moses did. Of course, we find in the Old Testament, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego did. The last chapters of the book of Hebrews, which we will be looking at next time, all of these are heroes of faith. Let them encourage and inspire us. All faith has risk.
And the reason that it has risk is because when you stop to think about it, you are trading in that which you can see for that which you can't see. But it's a viable faith. It's a good faith.
And that's what we're going to study today. If you have your Bibles, I want you to turn to the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 11, where we have the story of Moses. And I do hope that you bring your Bible to church, preferably an actual Bible, not just a cell phone, students. But nonetheless, this is what it says in chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews, beginning at verse 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. By faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasure of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith, he left Egypt not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
What an interesting statement. What we'd like to do today is to look at three different aspects of faith that takes a risk that changes our lives and puts us on a trajectory of fellowship and an eternity with God. First of all, we'd like to look at the decision that Moses made, the decision that he made, the radical decision that he made. Your Bibles are open.
Let's look at the text. First of all, we have to ask the question, what is it that Moses said no to? The answer is that he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. When Moses left the palace and identified himself with the people of God that were being persecuted by the Pharaoh, Moses knew that in his heart he was leaving the throne behind. What he was leaving behind was, first of all, the prestige. As Moses went down the Nile River, I'm sure that it was to the strains of beautiful music in the days that he was in the palace, and ahead of him there were people who were running and they were saying, bow the knee, bow the knee, Moses is coming.
Women would hold up their children and say, there is big Moses, be like him. He left all that behind. According to Josephus, he was the next one to be slated to be the next Pharaoh of Egypt. And then the Bible says that in addition to that, he left behind the treasures of Egypt. Many years ago here in Chicago, there were the treasures of King Tut that were brought to one of the museums.
I didn't have an opportunity to see them, but I do know from descriptions that they were expensive and expansive. Now think about Moses. What did he leave behind? What did he say no to? Basically, the American way of life. I mean, after all, isn't it all about money and fame and power?
Isn't that what people are sacrificing their lives to achieve? Moses said no to all that, and it was thrown into his lap because, to quote the words of one commentator, the cream of Egypt was put into his cup. Moses said no to all that, the thing that people want most in life in America. Now, what did he get in exchange? What did he say yes to? We were to interview and we were to say, Moses, now you left all that behind. What did you get in return?
What did you say yes to? He would tell us, first of all, I said yes because what I substituted for what I left behind is, first of all, mistreatment with the people of God, verse 25. Mistreatment with the people of God. I knew when I walked out there, I was going to be despised.
I knew that I would be identified with my people and all that they were going through, and that's the route I chose. Later on, of course, when Moses becomes the leader leading the children of Israel out of the desert into the promised land or almost the promised land, you discover that he had so many hardships, so many difficulties, people complaining, hundreds of thousands of Hebrews on his case because they were out of water, they needed bread, and always blaming him. Furthermore, something else that happened is his own sister Miriam teamed up with his friend and his associate by the name of Aaron and they criticized his wife.
They were angry. Numbers chapter 12. So what Moses said is, and I'd better catch these notes before they float out there because somebody in the congregation is going to have to preach.
If you get these, it's up to you. So Moses is there and he makes this decision and he says, I exchanged it for mistreatment with the people of God. You say, Moses, surely there's some other reason why you made this decision.
What did you actually get in return? And Moses would say, well, yeah, there is something else. And what I decided to get in return is nothing less than the reproach of Christ. He considered, verse 26, the reproach of Christ. Some translations say the disgrace of Christ as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. Moses said the reproach, the disgrace that goes with identifying God's people and with them, that is really my treasure. You can take all the treasures of Egypt, pile them on one side and the reproach of Christ on the other.
And I have chosen the other side, the reproach of Jesus. That's the decision that Moses made. What could be his motivation? Why would a man throw it all away for nothing but trouble, disgrace and criticism?
Well, we have to look at the motivation that he had. The text says very clearly here, he considered the reproach of Christ greater than the wealth of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith, he left Egypt not fearing the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
By the way, isn't that an interesting phrase? How do you see that which is invisible? By definition, the invisible can't be seen, but Moses saw it through faith. Two things. First of all, what motivated him was the reproach of Christ because he said to himself to be identified with the people of God is such an honor that I prefer that to Pharaoh.
I prefer the face of God to the face of Pharaoh, and so I chose the people of God and their affliction. But then the text says he looked forward to the reward. Did he receive a reward? Yes, we'll discover that he received a reward.
Well, I'll tell you right now what the reward was. Can you imagine Moses? He is not allowed to go into the land because of disobedience. And then God says to him, you can't go in the land, but eventually Moses makes it to the other side.
He really does. Because you remember on the Mount of Transfiguration, centuries later there is Moses and Elijah with Jesus in the land. He looked forward to the reward. Now you and I know more about rewards on this side of the cross with the New Testament than Moses knew during his lifetime.
He knows a lot more now, of course, that he's actually in the presence of God, but Moses didn't have the revelation that we do regarding the land and regarding what the reward for faithfulness in the land would bring about. What are rewards from the standpoint of the New Testament? You know, sometimes I've heard people say, well, these are medallions.
We're going to put on the crowns. And then I've even heard Christians say, well, you know, it doesn't matter much whether or not we're faithful in this life. Because if we are faithful and we get a crown, aren't we just going to throw these crowns at the feet of Jesus anyway?
Implying it's not very important. We'll throw them at the feet of Jesus and then we'll just get on with eternity. Well, it's a long subject, but I don't believe that rewards are crowns. They're not medallions that we're going to throw at the feet of Christ. And if we do throw them at the feet of Christ, we'll have to pick them up later because we are going to rule with him forever, the Bible says, if we are faithful. I think that rewards are positions of responsibility within the kingdom. Responsibility that God gives us, the ability to rule.
And there are some people who will not rule over the same territory, nor will they be entrusted with the same responsibility as others. Jesus indicated that in the parables. You know, one day I had a man say to me, you know, I'm a Christian, but I'm a carnal Christian. He said, you know, as far as I'm concerned, I figure as long as I get to heaven and sit in the back row, that'll be fine with me. And that's why I always watch those of you who are in the back row. I once read a psychological journal dedicated to understanding people who always choose the back seat in church, but the front seat at a baseball game. So he said, you know, as long as I get to sit in the back row, I said, you know, to use your analogy, what if Jesus wanted you in the front row, and God bless you for being in the front row, those of you who are, what if Jesus wanted you in the front row, but the reason that you are in the back row is because of unfaithfulness to Jesus Christ. You displeased him in your life, and that's where you are. Doesn't it bother you to be satisfied with the back row, to be satisfied with a lesser reward when you have the opportunity of having a greater reward because you're living your life for Jesus Christ?
I'll tell you, my friend, I want to talk to you today heart to heart, not just mind to mind, but heart to heart. God is so generous that if we understood the doctrine of rewards, it would change the way in which we live, would change our ability to handle persecution and difficulty. You know, the Apostle Paul says that the suffering of this present world is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. And I have to say to the young people present, you're not old enough to know this, but there used to be scales, and I remember them, in a little store in Canada where you'd put on, you know, a one-pound weight on this side, and then you'd put enough meat on the other side to make it balance, and then you knew that you had purchased a pound of meat. Doesn't that sound ancient?
But that's the way it was. The Apostle Paul is saying, look, on one side of the scale, put all the suffering of this present world, put cancer, put an unjust lawsuit on this side, put physical difficulties, relational difficulties, a broken marriage, put the inability to be able to pay your rent, take all of the suffering, all of the pain, all of the hurt that people have done to you, put it on one side of the scale, and then on the other side, Paul says, put the glory that shall be revealed in us. Paul says they're not worthy to be compared.
The scale would go plunk. It's like putting an ant on one side and an elephant on the other. It is unworthy of comparison. And don't miss Paul's point. What he is saying is this, that the more suffering, the greater the glory. The more you suffer for Jesus Christ, the more you will inherit. And Moses knew that because he looked forward to the reward. He believed in another world. He believed in the invisible world, and that's why he made the decision that he did. So what we have before us is, first of all, that radical decision and a very powerful motivation. And then we find that he did experience a miraculous victory.
I'm going to read very briefly. It says in verse 28, by faith, he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood. And then in verse 29, he crossed the Red Sea, the Passover.
Because of his faith, the people of God were protected from the anger of God. You remember what the Passover was all about? Passover meant that blood was put on your door, on the lintels of the door place. And then it says, when I see the blood, I will pass over you.
That's why it's called the Passover. Now you know, in Israel, there may have been a son, a firstborn son, who was protected by the blood, who had emotional problems. He may not even have been the best son that one can imagine.
Maybe he gave his parents trouble. But at the end of the day, all that mattered was whether or not there was blood on the door. God says, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. And what a wonderful picture that is of redemption.
At the end of the day, what really matters is the blood of Christ. I told you about a well-known Christian leader who was dying, and the people tried to encourage him and say, look at all that God has done through you. You did this.
You did this. And there was no peace in his heart until they reminded him that no matter what he had done or what he had not done, at the end of the day, he is saved by the blood of Christ. And that is the way in which we get to heaven. It's the blood that saves us. So I need to ask you, are you trusting that blood?
Have you trusted the blood of Christ as a sacrifice for our sins? You know, on Wednesday night, we had a marvelous prayer meeting. And one of the songs that we sang was the one by Horatio Spafford, not Stafford, but Spafford.
And we sang together several times. I thought the tiles of the ceiling were going to fall down. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, oh, my soul. So that's what the blood on the door represented. So as a result of Moses' faith, the people's lives were spared, and then they went across the Red Sea.
And you know that story. Now, what I'd like to do is to answer this question, why should our lives be changed forever? Because you've heard this message. Whenever I prepare a message, I always ask myself the question, why should anyone listening be changed for the rest of their life?
After all, that's what the Word of God is to do. Some of you are making very important decisions. Some of you are young, and you're making decisions.
Some of us are a little older. And at the end of the day, what we need to do is to nail down the life-changing lessons that this passage of Scripture teaches us. Well, my friend, I certainly hope that you listen to Running to Win next time, as we will be talking about those lessons. God has given us His Word in order to change us.
It's not just to inform us, though that, of course, is part of it, but actually to change our hearts, to give us the ability to live for Him no matter the cost. I want to thank the many of you who support the ministry of Running to Win. I'm holding in my hands several letters that we have received that are a great blessing to us.
For example, one says, I am currently in a county jail. I have access to a radio and fell in love with your sermons. I have been fortunate to further my spiritual walk with Jesus Christ with your ministry's help. And then the letter goes on to say that they have given up their bitterness and anger toward God and laid it down, and they're giving God a chance to work in their life.
Well, that's what Running to Win is all about. It is to lead people to Jesus Christ. And because of people just like you, we are doing that today in 20 different countries in four different languages.
Thanks in advance for helping us. Would you consider becoming an endurance partner? Endurance partners are those that stand with us regularly with their prayers and their gifts.
Of course, the amount that you contribute is entirely your decision. Here's what you can do because you do need info. You can go to RTWOffer.com. That's RTWOffer.com. And of course, when you're there, you click on the endurance partner button, or you can pick up the phone right now and call us at 1-888-218-9337. I want to thank you for investing with your prayers, with your gifts, in the ministry of Running to Win. We do all that we can to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to thousands upon thousands of people.
And you, my friend, are a part of the Running to Win family. As I mentioned, here's what you can do. Go to RTWOffer.com. That's RTWOffer.com.
And when you're there, click on the endurance partner button, or if you prefer, right now, you can call 1-888-218-9337. It's time now for another chance for you to ask Pastor Lutzer a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Some people wonder who is where in the afterlife.
Bonnie lives in Florida and sends us this question. Are the Old Testament saints with Jesus right now? What about Lazarus and John the Baptist?
Bonnie, the answer to your question, very briefly, is yes. I believe that the Old Testament saints are with Jesus right now. Their bodies have not yet been raised. They will be raised in the final day, but they are in heaven today in an intermediate state, just like believers who die today. And so I think that that is true also about Lazarus and John the Baptist and the friends that you know that have died and gone to heaven. Now, just to emphasize once more that their bodies will be raised in the future, but for now, their souls, their minds are there with Jesus, and I believe that their souls take on the characteristics of the body so they can recognize one another, they can talk, they can communicate, but there is a sense in which they are still incomplete.
The resurrection is still future. Thank you, Bonnie, for your question. Thank you, Dr. Lutzer, for that answer. If you'd like to hear your question answered, go to our website at rtwoffer.com and click on Ask Pastor Lutzer, or call us at 1-888-218-9337.
That's 1-888-218-9337. You can write to us at Running to Win, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60614. Running to Win is all about helping you find God's roadmap for your race of life. When our faith is genuine, it causes us to make choices in God's favor. Next time, choosing God's way over that of the world, like Moses did. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.
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