Faith That Leads

0:00Good morning. Praise the Lord for juice and for wine this morning. Amen. Y'all go ahead and turn to Hebrews 11. That's where we're going to be. Hebrews 11, starting in verse 27, is where we are. I would be remiss. It's so good to see all y'all, by the way. This is a lovely crowd. Anyway. I would be remiss if I didn't start this morning offering another word of mourning this week for our dear brother Vody Balcom, who passed, who I know was so influential in so many of our lives, myself included. Vodi was a champion of manhood, biblical patriarchy, a champion of the family, protector of children, and a champion of children. And as I said a few weeks ago, far be it from me to add to the Word of God. I wouldn't. But if any man was worthy to being to be added to the book of Hebrews, specifically Hebrews 11, it would certainly be Brother Bodie. His faith and his life will continue to speak to us. I don't know if y'all know a guy by the name of Todd Friel. He has, among other things, a radio station and a YouTube channel, and he said a few days ago, in response to losing the great John MacArthur a number of weeks ago, this timeless pastoral voice, and then we, Charlie Kirk, this faithful Christian voice among culture and the political sphere, and now Vodhi, this rock of missionary work and church planting and Christian education. It is not wrong for us to look out into this world and say, God, what are you up to? What is going on here? And the encouragement is that God has always and has always been up to something. And though we can't see it, these times call for greater measures of faith. And may our God grant us that greater measure, faith today and every day, and strengthen us as we continue this walk of faith. And providentially, as always, faith is, not as always, but providentially always God shows up. And faith is what we are talking about this morning. I want to say also we will make it through the book of Hebrews. I know it doesn't feel like that. My plan was to make it through Hebrews by the end of the year, but given the fact that I was sick a few weeks ago and have a vacation planned, I'm not sure. I can't promise you that we will make it through Hebrews by the end of the year, but we will try. We will try. Okay, so I said Hebrews 11, verse 27. We're talking about faith that leads us. If you're taking notes, that is our theme this morning, a faith that leads. Faith that leads. And perhaps such a topic and a focus is even more relevant today, but certainly is always needful for us to think about and meditate on a faith that leads us. And to that end, we have three points. Faith through fear, faith in the blood, and a faith that passes through the waters. Faith through fear, faith in the blood, and faith that passes through the waters. So that is where we're headed this morning. If you wouldn't mind, please stand with me once more as we read our text. Hebrews 11, starting in verse 27. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. This is the word of the Lord. Lord, we thank you for your word. As always, we pray and ask, Lord, we speak for Christ's sake. It is in his name that I pray. Amen. Well, let's begin then, starting with verse 27, as we read, By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who was invisible. When we see this word left, and this is a bit of exegesis first, but when he left, what is leaving? What is that leaving from the text referring to by faith he left? And there's really only two options there, because there's only two options in which, two times in which Moses left Egypt. The first time, right, when he was roughly 40 years old, after he killed the Egyptian in protection of his people, he in fear left, fled, um, fled Egypt. The second time he left Egypt was, of course, the Exodus, right? Uh his first time leaving would be preferred as the interpretation of verse 27 based on chronological order, right? The if we as we have gone through Hebrews 11, it is very systematically and chronologically moved through the patriarchs, right? The fathers of our faith. So it would make a little bit not so much sense if he if the author got out of order here and was speaking specifically about the exodus of Egypt, because in verse 28 he goes back to the Passover, which would be prior to the Exodus. So it wouldn't make chronological sense for verse 27 to be talking specifically about the Exodus of Egypt. It has to have been talking about Moses's first leaving Egypt after he killed the Egyptian. However, this does present us with some difficulties because Moses was certainly afraid, and that fear is why he left Egypt the first time. He feared his life, having killed an Egyptian man. But verse 27 said, By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who was invisible. So, how do we reconcile? If the passage is referring to the first leaving of Moses, what then is the writer communicating by saying he left not being afraid when he likely was afraid? Consider again who this letter is being written to, this letter to the Hebrews. Who is this letter being written to? It's Jewish Christians, right? And these Jewish Christians would have been very fearful of the repercussions of their faith, wouldn't they have been? Not only fearing the repercussions from their brethren, the Jews, right? Persuading them back to Judaism, as we have talked about much through Hebrews, but also from Rome, who was very active in attempting to squash this Christian rebellion that was springing up, would certainly have been very persuasive in their efforts, or attempted to be persuasive in their efforts, to get these people to fall back in line, right? Certainly we can make that tie even to Moses' day in Egypt. I think with very little doubt, then, this is what the author is addressing and encouraging as we read. And that is this that though it can be a terrifying proposition, and there can be much fear in that, we look to Christ. We look to the triune fullness of God, that which is presently invisible, but in that we endure. That is faith in the fullness of God. Faithfulness and obedience to God is our greatest goal. Bringing glory and bringing honor to God is what we strive to do. Again, I say, consider who is receiving this letter. Consider that early Christian. Their world would have been turned upside down. They, like Moses, had committed seemingly or accusingly acts of treason against their earthly king, emperor. And are faced with this choice of having to honor God or fall back in line. And fear was the tool that was used against them. So the greater principle here is that fear should never motivate our actions, even if we are afraid. We are motivated. We must be motivated by our faith, seeking to bring honor and glory to God. Because we see the one who is invisible, don't we? The King of Kings. We bow to him. The Lord our God is one, and to him alone we give our obedience and our lives. That is not saying that we are civil tyrants, right? Romans 13 is in the Bible for a reason. Read it if you need to. Go back and read that. But we must always honor God. Fear should never push us away from God. But rather, fear should always push us into a deeper and more abiding faith, not into disobedience. This is modeled for us so many times throughout Scripture, specifically in the Old Testament. David, right, facing against Goliath. Certainly he was afraid. But his faith in God motivated him. In the book of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood against their king, their earthly king. Were they afraid? Probably. But their faith in God guided them. Again, we walk by faith and not by sight. A great example, more modern Christian example comes from Scottish reformer John Knox. When he asked how he could so boldly confront the Roman Catholic queen, Knox said, quote, one does not fear the Queen of Scotland when he has been on his knees before the King of Kings. And we can certainly say amen to that. When we know who we are really serving, and when we know who we are really honoring, all else is put into its proper perspective. Even in fear, our call is to faith. Even in fear, our call is faith. Verse 28 from our text says, by faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. So now, in between that first verse, if we are interpreting the first leaving as Moses' first leaving, in between the first and the second verse there, we have some 40 plus years of history there. We have now fast-forwarded 40 years. Moses is back in Egypt to free his people and doing so standing against Pharaoh. Imagine Moses waiting 40 years after taking that initial stand and then fleeing Egypt. 40 years he waited. He waited in faith, trusting that God was doing something, right? By humility. Moses and patience he had, or that he could have learned, and he did learn in that waiting. In that waiting. All of the plagues, actually, were essentially Yahweh, God, right? Mocking Egyptian gods. And I won't go into all of them, but he turns the Nile to blood, is mocking of their god of the Nile, which is Hapi, I think, was the name. He sends a plague of frogs. This is a mocking their frog, frog god. They had Ra, which is their sun god, so he God darkens. Yahweh darkens the sky. God mocks all of their so-called false gods. Not unlike 1 Samuel, where we're just going through it in Bible study where God topples Dagon to the ground. These false gods will always be put in subjection to and bow down to the one true God. Always. Even the death plague, the final plague, which is mentioned in our scripture this morning, was a mocking of the king's edict that pushed Moses into the position that he was in in the first place with this killing of the firstborn son. And it was mocking Pharaoh, who was considered to be a living God or the son of Ra, this sun god. This is God getting his vengeance. Because God always gets his vengeance. God always pursues and gets his justice. Those who mock God will always be put to shame. But doesn't this make the gospel so much better news? Who of you have not mocked God and served other gods? Don't you deserve the same justice that was so clearly shown to Egyptians? Don't you deserve the vengeance of an angry God? If you were honest with yourself? Don't you deserve to have the death angel show up at your door and walk in and claim the life that is owed to him? Why do you get passed over? Why did you get passed over? Only because you are covered by the blood of the spotless lamb. And in that way, faith keeps the Passover. Not in a ceremonial or ritualistic sense, but spiritually trust that the only thing that is sparing you from the justice and the wrath of God is the precious blood of Christ. That is it. And think of the faith it would take for these people back in Moses' day, at the direction of Moses, to do this thing, to slaughter a lamb and to take its blood and to smear it all over their doorposts. What a weird thing to do. But in their faith, working through their obedience, they did what was otherwise foolish, considering that God must be up to something. There must be something more going on here that their wisdom could not discern. Further, for those reading this letter to the Hebrews originally, they can see, and we can see the clear connection that if they wished to be saved, if we wish to be saved, their salvation must be similar to that of Moses'. God's wrath is coming. His judgment against sin is coming. And if they wanted to be saved, if you want to be saved, it will only come under the protection of the blood of the spotless lamb. This is why true faith trusts in Christ alone. Confesses that there is salvation and none other. For what saves from death, but the blood of Christ. What saves from wrath, but the blood of Christ? What saves from justice but the precious blood of our merciful Savior? Fourth century church father John Chrysostom says this, quote, if the blood of the Lamb then preserved the Jews unhurt in the midst of the Egyptians and in the presence of so great a destruction, much more will the blood of Christ save us. For whom it has been sprinkled not on our doorposts, but on our souls. For even now the destroyer is still moving around in the depth of the night, but let us be armed with Christ's sacrifice. Since God has brought us out of Egypt from darkness and from idolatry. He had enough after the last death plague. He gave them riches and things for their journey, and he lets them go. But what happens? Pretty quickly he changes his mind. He hardens his heart again and seeks to get them back. For that reason, I am convinced that there will be none in hell who wish to be free from their torment. They will forever gnash their teeth in defiance against a holy God. And again, we consider the faith that it took Moses to stand there on the banks of the Red Sea as he did, with nowhere else to flee. And in that moment, he was trusting that even then God was able to deliver them as he promised. This is where we often need to be, church. In these positions where we are utterly hopeless, if not for the power and provision of God. Where the circumstances are ratcheted up to such a degree that we cry out just like those who were listening to the teachings of Christ, well then who can be saved? Who can be saved? If that is the way of salvation, perfect obedience, who can be saved? Do you know that this morning? That there is nothing that you can do to save yourself? The standard of obedience is perfection. The standard of goodness is perfect holiness. You were, or perhaps are, standing at the edge of the Red Sea, and vengeance and wrath are coming for you. And your only hope is that God would make a way, that He would clear a path for you, that you may pass through safely. The words of our Lord, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Christ is the way. Christ is the way through to freedom and to the promise. Faith in Him is the only way. It's the only way. Further, we see from that verse 29. That deliverance from wrath by this way, and by the word, and by the Lamb always results in praise. Exodus 15, just after Moses and the people made it to the other side. Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him. My Father's God, and I will exalt him. So in conclusion, then Moses shows us leadership. Certainly, he does. But he shows us what it is that actually leads well. The leadership of Moses shows us what it actually is that leads well. And as we providentially talked about in Sunday school this morning, it isn't charisma or charm that leads well. It isn't necessarily this next level talent that set Moses apart. It isn't or wasn't his or any of our unmatched intellect. While all those things can be helpful and certainly blessings if you have them, they're always secondary to the thing that leads, which is faith. It is our faith in God. It is our trust in his provision. It is in our humility, trusting in his salvation, in his promises, in his leading. That's what leads. Faith always leads us. Faith is the means by which we overcome fear. This world can be a scary place, isn't it? It is a scary place. And it is very often difficult to be courageous, especially among anti-Christian opposition. But hear the words of John Owen. So it is at this day among the anti-Christian enemies of the church. This destruction of the Egyptians with the deliverance of Israel thereby was a type and pledge of the victory and triumph which Christ shall have over its anti-Christian adversaries. It was that faith that saved Moses and his people, and by their salvation, by their deliverance through the Red Sea, we can be assured that by that same faith, we too will overcome against our enemies. If God is for you, who can be against you? Final bit of application as we close here is that faith is that the faith that leads and leads well, it also reveals and it divides. The faith that leads reveals and divides. The same waters that divided to become the salvation of Israel became the very thing that crushed and drowned the Egyptians. That's the last part of verse 29. To some, this great news, this glorious gospel is as sweet as perfume and delights our souls. To others, it is a bitter pill that brings anger, hatred, death. Such opposition is unfortunately promised to us, 2 Thessalonians 1, verse 7. When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction. Away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified with his saints and to be marveled at among all who believe, because our testimony to you was believed. We must then in earnest pray that God would have mercy on the unbeliever, that God would open the eyes of the blind. And we should never back down from declaring the truth that Christ is Lord. And in him alone is salvation found. To his own, then, such words will be the words of eternal life. And very sadly to others it will harden unto damnation. The difference is faith. So I say, won't you trust in the only way of salvation? Won't you be covered anew and afresh this morning with the only blood that saves from wrath and death? The blood of the spotless Lamb. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. I don't know what soon really means when Christ says, Surely I am coming soon. But he is coming. And to that we say, Come, Lord Jesus. And until then, may we cling to this faith that leads us. Amen. Thank you for your faith. Lord, we declare this morning, come, Lord. Make us ready for your return. But if that return is tomorrow, Lord, or in a thousand years, let us be led by faith until then. Let us boldly declare your gospel, that Christ is Lord, and that his blood is the only thing that will save us. We thank you that you have spared us from your wrath, your judgment, and you have passed us over by the blood of Christ. Bring us under the protection of that blood alone, Lord. May we trust in Christ alone. In his name that I pray.