Faith’s Perspective On Gains & Losses

Transcript

GR 1715
03/02/2014
Faith's Perspective on Gains and Losses
Hebrews 11:23-26
Gil Rugh

What glorious things are ahead of us as God's people. What a future! We are in Hebrews 11 talking about these very things, how important it is for us as God's people to keep our attention focused on the promises of God. The hope that we have in Christ. The glories of heaven are before us, we should not be discouraged or distracted by the trials of this life.

Hebrews 11 is set in the book of Hebrews as an example, or better as a series of examples drawn from Israel's history to encourage believers to stay the course, keep their faith, focused on the promises of God. And the hope they had of the ultimate reward of glory, blessing and riches in the presence of the God that we love and serve. This congregation of Jewish believers is undergoing difficult times, and even greater difficulty now looms ahead. And so they need this encouragement. Hebrews 11 follows a rather sequential pattern. It began with a description of faith in verse 1, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith gives concrete substance to what we are not able to touch, see, handle, but we know it is true. We have that unshakable confidence in what we are hoping for because we believe in the God who has given us the hope, who has given us the promises.

With that in verse 2 he said, it was this kind of faith, unshakable faith in the promises of God and the assuredness of those promises that gave the Old Testament saints the testimony of God's approval. And that transitions then into some of these examples drawn from the Old Testament. He will reinforce that in verse 6 when he says, “and without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Those two foundational truths. We must believe that God is, not just a belief in God, but we must believe in the reality of the God who has revealed Himself, who has spoken and given us His Word, the God of Israel, the God who is the only God and there is no other. And when we truly believe in Him, we must believe that He rewards those who seek Him, who trust Him, who believe Him to be faithful and desire to please Him with their lives.

As we move through chapter 11 there is an orderly progression after these opening couple of verses. Beginning in verse 3, the foundational area that he begins with in the book of Genesis is chapter 1. By faith we understand, and this is a truth for those Old Testament, New Testament, down to our day, “those who believe that God is and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” The beginning point is we believe that God created the world out of nothing, and all that we see is a result of His creative hand. That's Genesis 1.

And then when you come down to verse 22, he says, “by faith Joseph when he was dying made mention of the Exodus of the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones.” What he does is take us from the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter of Genesis, because verse 22 referring to Joseph refers to the closing verses of Genesis 50. So he started with the first chapter of Genesis and he moves us through the book of Genesis, not covering every detail, but in an overview in a sequential way, and then he concludes with the closing of the book of Genesis. Examples of faith.

There are two major divisions in these initial verses, verses 3-22. There are verses 3-7 which deal with the first 11 chapters of Genesis, or examples from the first 11 chapters which we might say are prior to Abraham. Then verses 8-22 deal with Abraham and his immediate family—his son, his grandson and his great-grandson. The examples from prior to Abraham, creation as we mentioned in chapter 1, then Abel, Enoch, Noah, key figures tied to key events in those first 11 chapters of Genesis. Then Genesis 12 picked up with Abraham and Abraham and his family, down through his great-grandchildren will be the subject of the rest of the book of Genesis. Abraham being the key figure focused on, Abraham particularly in verses 8-19, mentioning Isaac and Jacob there. Then verse 20 talked about Isaac. Verse 21 talked about Jacob and verse 22 talked about Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob. He demonstrated these men in the face of adverse circumstances and situations, they trusted God. They believed what God had promised. They didn't get to experience all that God had promised. They died facing the reality they had not entered into all that God had promised but it didn't shake their faith. The example of that in the face of death and anticipating death they reminded their successor, their children that God had promised that He will be faithful.

When you pick up with Hebrews 11:23, we've moved on several hundred years between the end of the book of Genesis and the beginning of the book of Exodus, 300-350 years have gone by. He picks up with Moses and Moses and events connected with Moses, we'll include in that verses 30-31, entrance into the promised land even though Moses will die before that. That's a key part of what he was doing in bringing the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt and taking them to the land of promise. But he would not have the privilege of being the individual taking them into the land of promise. Remember these events in Hebrews 11 are written to encourage and challenge this Jewish congregation of believers to remain faithful to God, not to waver or be shaken in their faith in what God has promised. And difficulty impacts us all. We face trials and difficulties and pressures, sometimes our faith tends to want to waver, unsettle us. But here are examples to encourage us, not just that Jewish congregation that received this letter but it is recorded here for our benefit as God's people, even 2000 years further along.

Pick up with verse 23. “By faith Moses when he was born was hidden three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child and they were not afraid of the king's edict.” This account centered in Moses and around Moses begins with the faith of Moses' parents. “By faith Moses when he was born was hidden for three months by his parents.”

Just come back to Exodus 1, to familiarize ourselves with the setting, the familiar account, refresh it in our minds. The book of Genesis closes with the death of Joseph. He is the man second in Egypt to Pharaoh. With the passing of time, 300+ years Joseph has faded into history. There comes to the throne of Egypt a Pharaoh who doesn't know anything about Joseph and doesn't care. And there is a problem. Egypt has a foreign people living in their land and they are growing more numerous. They have been enslaved by the Egyptians but there is concern. These Hebrew people are multiplying and the danger is if this continues, they may get to a point where they might try to overthrow the Egyptians and usurp their place. So the Pharaoh issues a decree. The Hebrew women had midwives among them so when they were coming to the time of birth and the woman went into labor they would send for one of the midwives to help them in the birth process. The Pharaoh gives instruction—all male children born to the Hebrews must be executed. The women aren't a threat, female babies aren't a threat and they can continue to function as slaves in various areas. It's the male children who can grow up and become a force to challenge the Egyptians. This is the setting.

Exodus 1:15ff tell us that the midwives feared God. Verse 17, “the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the boys live.” And when Pharaoh calls them to account, what is going on, they say, ”the Hebrew women are hard workers, they are slaves, so they are healthier and give birth to babies quickly. And before we get there, they've had a baby, the process is over and we are not part of it.” God honors the faith of these Hebrew midwives who put themselves at risk to be servants of God.

Exodus 2 opens up, “now a man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi,” the priestly tribe, remember. “The woman conceived and bore a son and when she saw that he was beautiful,” remember that expression, we'll talk about it in a moment. “He was beautiful,” that's picked up in Hebrews 11:23 which we just read, they saw he was a beautiful child. “They hid him for three months and when she could hide him no longer she got a wicker basket, water-proofed it and set it among the reeds along the edge of the Nile.” You are familiar with the account, Pharaoh's daughter comes down to bathe in the Nile and finds the baby and is drawn to it and decides to keep it. Then she needs someone to nurse the child and care for it, so Moses' older sister has been watching to see what would happen and so she approaches and says, “I can find one of the Hebrew women who would come and nurse and care for the child.” And so she goes and gets Moses' mother, her mother also. Just how God provides. And then Pharaoh's daughter pays Moses' mother to take care of her child Moses. Does God have a sense of humor? Here is a slave being paid here to take care of her own child. And this will also give her and her husband the opportunity to influence him. And this relationship, some commentators note, could have gone on until Moses was 12. Similar to a very rich family today might have a nanny or a couple living in and they help to take care of the children and they would be involved in different aspects of the children's life. So here is an opportunity for the parents of Moses and the mother of Moses to bring him along, instruct him, care for him. That's the setting.

When it says they saw he was a beautiful child. Now did you ever see a mother or parent who didn't think their child was beautiful? That's subjective. What do you say? Everybody says, that's a beautiful baby. I remember thinking, that looks like a little old man—doesn't have any teeth, doesn't have any hair, it makes all kinds of funny faces. But they are beautiful, they are beautiful to us as the parent or the grandparent. It gets worse. So when it says “they saw he was a beautiful child,” that doesn't mean that he was a more beautiful physical baby than any other baby. The word means to be approved, has the idea there was something about the appearance of even this baby that indicated to them that he was something special in the plan of God.

Now we know this, come over to the New Testament to Acts 7. Stephen is on trial before the Sanhedrin. You remember he will ultimately be executed at the end of this trial. He is reiterating the history of Israel and how God has worked. So verse 17, now as the time of the promise was approaching, remember God had said to Abraham that He would give them the land of Canaan. But He told Abraham, it won't happen for a while. Your descendants are going to be taken down to Egypt and they will live there for 400 years. After that I will bring them out and take them back into this land that I promised to them. So you see verse 17, “as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham.” The account you can read in Genesis 15 as we have on other occasions.

Verse 18, “there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph.” And he took advantage of the Jews and enslaved them, figured we'll get benefit out of these foreign people. We'll make them our slaves and get some mileage out of them, so to speak. “ It was at this time that Moses was born and he was lovely in the sight of God.” And that word translated lovely is the same word translated beautiful in our verse in Genesis 11 and also in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, in Exodus 2. “He was beautiful,” if we were going to be consistent with the way it is translated, “in the sight of God.” Now obviously God is not looking and saying, I made a beautiful baby. He is beautiful in the sense he has God's approval, God has appointed him for a special, unique task. There is something even in this baby recognized by the parents. We are not sure how that was conveyed, what they saw in him. Similar to John the Baptist, you remember, “who was indwelt by the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb.” A special action there of God's approval on that young baby. So it is with Moses. So when it says they saw that he was beautiful, he was in some sense specially appointed by God and approved by God, blessed by God for a task.

So “they were not afraid of the king's edict,” back in Hebrews 11:23. They were not afraid of the king's edict. This recognition of God's purposes and God's plan is some evidently understanding we have come to the point in the program of God where He is going to do what He has promised for us His people and our baby has a special role to play in that plan. And they were not afraid of the king's edict. They preserved the child and waited to see what God would do. So the faith of these parents, and you see in the face of what could be a dangerous situation, what do we do with the baby? What about us? We have others to think of. What about Miriam? What about Aaron? If Pharaoh realizes what we have done, our whole family could be mistreated, could be executed. We don't know, but they didn't fear the king. It helps to clear the clutter from our minds. What has God said and what should I do? Well, what about if Pharaoh finds out and what about if . . . Well all of a sudden now I have the clutter in my mind that confuses me. I simplify my mind—what has God said? That's what I will do. And as we've talked about, we let God handle God's problems because only God can deal with what we view as problems. They are not problems to Him. He always works His perfect plan.

So we come to Hebrews 11:24, “by faith Moses when he had grown up refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.” Remember that daughter had adopted Moses and there are some writings that some biblical scholars believe they can identify this daughter of Pharaoh. In fact her tomb has been found in Egypt. So interesting, Hatshepset. Some of that, some of you might find interesting. So here he is identified, he has been adopted by Pharaoh's daughter. He is recognized as her son. What a position. I mean, he is the grandson of Pharaoh in that position. You have a position of honor, wealth, ease. I mean, you are a Hebrew living in a palace while the Hebrews are living as slaves. But there came a point in time when Moses turns his back on being considered the son of Pharaoh to identify himself with the people of God.

Now there is no particular statement of such an action in the book of Exodus but come back to Exodus 2, we'll see when this happened. Then we'll go back to Acts 7. You see a pattern developing here—Hebrews 11, Exodus 2, Acts 7 because they are all tied together. In Exodus 2:10, the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, he became her son. Remarkable here, I mean, in the sovereign plan of God. Similar to what we saw, God moved Joseph, remember, to being imprisoned in Egypt to being the second in power in Egypt. And now we have Moses the son of Hebrew slaves elevated to being the son of Pharaoh's daughter. She named him Moses because I drew him out of the water.

“Now it came about in those days when Moses had grown up that he went out to his brethren.” This becomes important. He maintains his identification with the Hebrews. Not something he is playing down. He goes out to his brethren, looked on their hard labors, saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrews, one of his brethren. He looked this way and that, when he saw there was no one around he struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. That was the turning point for Moses. I will turn my back on the house of Pharaoh and identify myself with the people of God.

Come over to Acts 7, Stephen's sermon again, reiterating these events and telling us a little bit more under the inspiration of the Spirit. Verse 22, this we will be referring to in Hebrews 11 in a moment, Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians. He was a man of power in words and deeds. Some of you, most of us have probably seen programs on the history of Egypt at different times. And you see something of the wealth and splendor of Egypt and the buildings that were there. You understand that Moses, living in the house of Pharaoh, would have seen the pyramids. They would have been aged when he was there, the buildings there. And you think, he was a man trained with the best training. We are somewhat in awe of the accomplishments of the Egyptians and the best training that Egypt could provide would be provided for the son of Pharaoh's daughter. So trained, had influence, had power.

But when he was approaching the age of forty it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. Let me just say something here so you have it in mind. Moses' life breaks into three 40-year periods—40 years in Egypt, 40 years in the wilderness of Midian, 40 years leading the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Sinai. That's it. Now you don't have to think much, humanly speaking he starts here and it's downhill from there. It doesn't get any better than being the grandson of Pharaoh and all that is yours—whatever you would enjoy, whatever you need, slaves to serve you, people to carry out your wishes, wealth to do as you would like to do. From here he is going to leave Egypt with nothing but his life and live in the region of Midian for forty years in exile. Then, when he does come back to lead the children of Israel out, he'll never be able to get into the promised land and he'll spend forty years wandering in the desert.

So here we are told he was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians. He was a man of power in word and deeds. But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. When he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him, took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. That was when he turned his back on the house of Pharaoh. There is no going back, he has stepped up and identified himself with the Hebrews and will kill an Egyptian to defend a Hebrew. This is the very thing the Pharaoh was worried about, why he wanted the male children killed, lest there be any kind of uprising among the Hebrews. The last thing the Pharaoh is going to tolerate is one coming to stand against the Egyptians on behalf of the Hebrews, even if it is from his own house. You know how that often has gone through history as rulers have been sensitive and killed their own family members when they thought there might be a threat to their throne. So by this action we'd say almost overnight, so to speak, Moses' situation is totally changed.

So we come back to Hebrews 11. “That's when he as a grown man,” approximately 40 years of age, “he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.” That was the decision he made there. Further elaborated, choosing rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. “For he was looking to the reward.” The decision to identify himself with God's people came at great cost, God's people being Israel. We just read about that in Exodus 2 and Acts 7. We could have gone on to read, what does he have to do? He has to flee for his life because Pharaoh would have to put down this action because the position of Moses makes him a greater threat. Pharaoh already has concerns about Israel, the Hebrews and the potential threat that may occur, now if one in the house of Pharaoh of the stature of Moses comes to lead the Hebrews, who knows where this will go. So Moses has to leave. He can't pack up a whole camel train of treasures to fund himself; he has to flee Egypt.

“Choosing rather to enjoy ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” Now keep in mind the decision here, this is just not written to refresh the Jews' mind of history, it is refreshing them on something important. What has been on the mind of some of these Jewish Christians? Because of pressure, because of persecution, maybe we ought to turn away from our identification with Christ and go back to Judaism and the Law. Who is the key figure in Israel in connection with the Law that God gave on Mt. Sinai? Moses. What is he setting down here? Look at Moses, he chose to suffer ill treatment with the people of God rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Now in the Old Testament “God's people” was Israel. He still has a special plan for Israel, but in the New Testament God is working with the church. They are God's people and the center of God's work in the world in His saving work.

Come back to Hebrews 10:23, a reminder—“let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who has promised is faithful. Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some.” As we noted, some among that congregation had even withdrawn from the fellowship of God's people as a way of avoiding some of the suffering and trial and difficulty. You are not following in the pattern of Moses—he gave up comfort and ease and wealth and possessions to be identified with God's people. And you are just the opposite of Moses when you withdraw from the fellowship of God's people and being identified with them. And that had happened. “Not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some.” Why? Uncomfortable with the identification with God's people. What he is saying here has special impact to these Hebrew Christians, and has special impact to us. People that withdraw from the fellowship of believers, they want to be religious but not in that narrow, fundamentalist kind of way. Something a little broader, a little more comfortable, fits a little better in the world, the world not always looking at them in a negative way. That's the example we have from these Old Testament men of God, particularly Moses here.

Come back to Hebrews 11:25, “choosing rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” Moses' life was a life of ease. I mean, think about it, you are in Pharaoh's house. How many slaves do you need to carry out your will? You can have them. You say, I would like this to eat and I would like it by this time. Everybody is scurrying to get it. I would like this done for me. I think I'm going down to the Mediterranean for a little R&R. Everything is arranged, everything is done. He's giving up the passing pleasures of sin. That doesn't mean everything Moses would have done was sin, but in one sense it would have been if he chose not to obey God. On the road of disobedience, we're on the road of sin. To say I will not identify with the people of God, not matter what Moses is doing even though in and of itself we might not say, that was sin. He was living in sin because he would have been out of the will of God. He would not have identified with the people of God as God would have him and all the other things. Is there any limit to the earthly pleasures? How many women would you like? They are all available to you. I mean, you are Pharaoh's grandson. All of this, whatever the world had to offer, he chose to give it up.

Note, “considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.” Important here, and you will have to follow along closely but I want you to understand this. He says, “considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.” Some misunderstand this and read back into the Old Testament that all Old Testament saints had a full understanding of Christ and had to place their faith in Christ and His work for their salvation. I don't think that is what this passage is teaching, or the New Testament. They had to place their faith in God and the promises He had given. I don't think they understood about Christ, I don't think Moses did. Now you might say, the reproach of Christ is when he identified with God's people, he was identifying with the God of Israel and the future One who would by His death and resurrection provide for all that God had promised to the nation. There is an element of truth in that, but I don't think that is what this passage is saying.

“Considering the reproach of Christ.” Come back to Psalm 89. Now if you were Jewish and had been raised in a Jewish family and had heard the Scriptures of the Old Testament, because that would have been the Bible you had. Verses 50-51, note, “remember, oh Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples with which your enemies have reproached, oh Lord, and which they have reproached the footsteps of your anointed.” At first we might say, that's nice. What does that have to do with Hebrews 11? Well, the statement in Hebrews 11:26 is considering the reproach of Christ. You note first the word reproach. That's the same word used three times in Psalm 89:50-51 and that would be the word. Of course the original was written in Hebrew and then it was translated into Greek, the Septuagint, a couple of hundred years before Christ. And that is the edition that the writer to Hebrews is using. He's drawing his quotes from the Septuagint. So in verse 50, “remember, oh Lord,” there is our word, “the reproach of your servants.” It is repeated twice in verse 51, “with which your enemies have reproached, oh Lord, which they have reproached.” So there is a connection there.

Secondly, in Hebrews 11:26, “considering the reproach of Christ.” The Greek word is Christos, we just carry it over into English—Christos, Christ, Christ. It means the anointed one, the one anointed by God for special ministry. The king of Israel in the Old Testament was anointed into that office. God had sovereignly placed him there. God's people are the anointed. Back in Psalm 89:51, “with which your enemies have reproached, oh Lord, with which they have reproached the footsteps of your anointed.” Tu Christo su, “the anointed of you.” What is he talking about in Psalm 89:51? Verse 50, “remember, oh Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my bosom the reproach,” (inserted there as the word is not there, it's carried over) “of all the many peoples with which they have reproached the footsteps of your anointed.” Your servants, Israel, the many peoples, the many people who make up Israel, they are the ones anointed by God, they are specially set aside to be His people. So the reproach that is directed to the people of God in Psalm 89, the anointed of God. So in Hebrews 11:26, “considering the reproach of the anointed,” referring to God's people. So we have a parallel.

Come back to Hebrews 11. Verses 25-26 we have two parallel statements saying the same thing. Verse 25, “choosing rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God.” Remember we saw the many peoples in Psalm 89, referring to God's people. It is parallel with the first statement in verse 26, “considering the reproach of the anointed, God's people.” So choosing to endure ill treatment with the people of God, considering the reproach of the anointed, the people of God, greater riches. So he is talking about being identified with God's people. That was greater riches than the treasures of Egypt to Moses. Understand the chasm we have here. One in the house of Pharaoh with immeasurable wealth and riches at his disposal and the people of God who were enslaved in this foreign land, who have nothing of their own. And he is willing to look at it from God's perspective—there are greater riches for me in being identified with God's people than the riches that I can see and touch and enjoy in Egypt. Amazing, the faith of Moses. How could he do this? The end of verse 26, “for he was looking to the reward,” he was looking to the reward.

Come back to Hebrews 10. We keep tying this back but important to see the connection. This is not just to exalt Moses and say, these Old Testament saints, they were of a different breed. This is to say these Old Testament saints better not be a different breed because if you are not of the same breed, you don't belong to our God. Look in Hebrews 10:32, “but remember the former days when after being enlightened you endured a great conflict of sufferings, note this now, partly by being made a public spectacle through,” and there is our word, reproaches. Reproaches, we saw that back in Psalm 89. We saw it over here with Moses, considering the reproach of Christ. These people had borne the suffering that went with being identified with the people of God. Verses 33-34 that we have read many times, they were willing to “lose their property.” What did Moses do? He lost all his treasures of Egypt. So what's the exhortation to these people? The end of verse 34, why did they do it? “Knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence which has great reward.” How could Moses do it? He kept his eye on the reward. The end of Hebrews 11:26, “he was looking to the reward.” It seemed so costly and it might seem like you are losing everything. Humanly speaking it is true, but when we keep our eyes on the reward that God has promised to those who are faithful to Him, we see true riches. And the amazing thing for Moses is he was living with the wealth of wealth. I mean, how do you have more wealth? This is not just a rich man in the empire, this is the man who rules the empire—Pharaoh. And you are considered the son of Pharaoh's daughter. You can see all this. You can see the splendor of the palace that you live in, the riches that are all at your disposal. They are nothing. The greater riches are what God has promised to His people. I must be identified with His people. That's the challenge to them. Reproaches, yes, but remember Moses.

So don't think you can go back to a former day, to be like Moses and the Law because when you turn away from God's people, you've turned away from what God has promised. It was Israel in the Old Testament, it's the church now. What does that say about those who “have forsaken the assembling of themselves together,” Hebrews 10:25? Something is wrong. That comes in the context of the great warning—Hebrews 10:26,0” if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of the fire which will consume the adversaries.” And on it goes. Understand how serious this is. Why would you turn away from the people of God? You see how strong saving faith, genuine faith is. It enabled Moses to give up the wealth of Egypt for a promise that he will not realize. He'll die at 120 years of age, 80 years will go by and he'll die. And it still is just a promise. But it is settled. Wonder what he thought as he wandered 40 years in the land of Midian. Wonder what he though leading a rebellious people 40 years in the desert regions of the wilderness because they were sinners and couldn't go into the land. And in his frustration he said to God, I never asked for this job. I mean, these people are too much and all they do is grumble and complain. I wonder if he ever thought and said, “I could be basking by the pool in the palace of Egypt, snapping my fingers for a nice, cooling drink. Telling them to bring some nice refreshing fruit in, I think I'm hungry. While you are at it, bring a few beautiful girls to comfort me.” And on it goes. But you have to look beyond. What are true riches? Is it what I have that I can handle and touch? No.

This is the consistent emphasis of Scripture. We see it in Hebrews. Come back to Luke 12, I just want to read some passages with you that remind us. We all live in a context, in our country we live in a land of relative wealth. We are comfortable. We complain about how cold it is out, but we left our house with the temperature just set where we are comfortable. We come to a building to join in worship where the temperature has to be set just right. And probably getting here you didn't come in your cold buckboard, you probably turned on the heater of the car. Luke 12, look at what Jesus says, verse 4, “I say to you, my friends, Jesus speaking, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more they can do.” What's the worst a person can do? Kill us. “I warn you whom to fear, fear the one who after he has killed has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” We saw that with Moses' parents, they didn't fear the edict of the king. There was One they feared more than the Pharaoh, they feared the One who has power over life and death and eternal destiny.

Come down to verse 15, “then He said to them, beware and be on your guard against every form of greed.” Even when one has an abundance of possessions, his life does not consist of his possessions. Then He told them the story of the man who was prospering so much he had to build added storage space for his wealth. Then he says, “now,” verse 19, “I will say to my soul, soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come. Take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him, you fool, this very night your soul is required of you. Now who will own what you have prepared? So is the man who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

You know we live in a world that values “now” because all the world has, they are looking for today. The more pleasure you can have and the more comfort you can have, that's what you want. God says, look at what you will have after this life. That's the measure of wealth.

Look in Luke 14, just a repeated emphasis and just a sample of so many verses. Verse 33, “so then none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” Sounds like a verse that reflects Moses' attitude, doesn't it? Doesn't mean that everyone is called to give up everything, but everyone who is a follower of Christ must have that mentality, that commitment of heart and mind and life. So we hold very loosely the things that God has given us that we are privileged to enjoy, for I am not even my own. I've been bought with a price, I'm called to glorify God in my body. If I don't even own myself but I belong to another, then certainly the things that are in my care don't belong to me, either. So we give them all up and sometimes they are still left in our care. But we better be careful and not become attached and begin to make our decisions on how it will affect our stature, how it will affect how people look at us. There are people who claim to be believers who would be uncomfortable in a Bible-teaching church like this. They view them negatively, might hurt my business, or might hurt friendships.

Come over to Luke 16:13. “No servant can serve two masters, either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth, mammon, riches.” Moses understood that.

Come over to Romans 8, the Apostle Paul, another man whose life seemed, humanly speaking, to go down from a position of being a Pharisee, well recognized, esteemed. And with that comes the benefits. But he lost it all and will die a prisoner in Rome, being beheaded, after a life of suffering and trial. Verse 18, “for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” We had it emphasized so clearly and strongly in songs this morning in that focus on heaven and what God has promised us if I can keep that narrow focus. Doesn't mean there isn't some pain and suffering, but I have my eyes on the end, what God has promised. And the things of this life and what I go through, how do I compare that with the glory of what God has promised me. Do you think any of your loved ones in the glory of heaven are saying,”I suffered too much. I shouldn't have given up so much to follow Christ, that was really too costly.” I don't think anybody in the glories of God's presence is thinking, “I might have compromised a little more.” I don't think Paul has any regrets.

In Philippians 3 he gives his testimony. “All the things that were of value in the human realm, I consider them but dung. They are piled on the rubbish heap. And I consider everything rubbish for the surpassing value of knowing Christ.” That's what is of value, the riches that come with Him.

One more passage and we are done, 1 Peter 1. Peter is another one who is going to come to an unfortunate end, humanly speaking, also being executed, tradition saying he was crucified upside down. Verse 3, “blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope.” There are two kinds of people in this congregation this morning—those with a living hope and those with no hope. “Through the resurrection of Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance imperishable, undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are protected by the power of God, through faith for a salvation to be revealed in the last time.” In this you greatly rejoice in the imperishable inheritance that is guaranteed by God. It doesn't get any more sure than that. “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by various trials so the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And though you have not seen Him, you love Him; though you do not see Him now but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” It is guaranteed by God. I mean, that's my inheritance.

So we put this life in proper perspective. May be suffering, may be trials, may be unpleasantness, may be reproaches, but that's all right because I know what true riches are. People can cause you great pain. This life is filled with tribulations. If Christ does not come, some of us will have to face, if He doesn't come soon, the trial of death. I'm going to leave everything behind. I want to tell you, I am leaving nothing behind. We came naked into the world and we are going out that same way. Doesn't matter if you are worth $50 billion or you are worth 50 cents, people behind will be divvying it up.

I've shared with you, I used to go to auctions on the East Coast when we were on vacation. And they would have this furniture come in and we would pull a drawer open and the clothes and everything were still in it. Relatives some place, family member died and they didn't want to bother coming back. Nothing there we want, take it to the auction. Just a reminder, it is all left. The billionaires are proud, they have made plans for it to be distributed when they are gone, or something like that. The point is, you won't take anything with you. But for true believers we are going to take everything that matters—the inheritance reserved in heaven for you. I mean, what do I have to compare? If I lose everything, that's nothing, I'm gaining that which is eternal. What do you have? Why would we turn from Christ? Why would you not place your faith in Him? It will be too costly. No, I tell you what is costly, if you do not believe in Christ. That costs you everything, but when you place your faith in Him you become a child of the King, the King of kings and Lord of lords. You become an heir, a joint heir with Christ and all the glories of heaven that God has promised to His children become your sure inheritance.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for the riches that we have in Christ, riches, Lord, that we claim by faith in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. Lord, these are promises we have not yet entered into. We've heard them passed on from generation of believer to generation of believer, yet, Lord, they are real. You have guaranteed them, You the God who cannot fail, the God who is faithful. Lord, thank You for such blessings to live day by day, knowing that some day we will experience all that You have promised. And the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. May that give us stability and confidence and settledness in our faith as we walk with You day by day. We pray in Christ's name, amen.