2. And, in a sense, with every choice we come to the fork in the road. THE FORK IN THE ROAD (Hebrews 11:24-26)

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1 THE FORK IN THE ROAD (Hebrews 11:24-26) 2. And, in a sense, with every choice we come to the fork in the road. A. The fork in the road is a time of decision making or choosing. a. We may choose the path of God, or of self, or of indecision. 1. We have one of three choices to make, we may either go right, or go left, or go back. 2. In Biblical terms, we are admonished to stay on ONE road, never veering to the right or left. [The Scriptures show us many people who made the right choices in their lives: Joseph, Joshua, Elijah, & Paul. But no one stands taller than Moses, as person who was willing to make the right choice when he came to the fork in the road of his life.] Prov 4:26-27 Ponder the path of your feet, & let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil (Josh 1:7; 1 Sam 1:20-21; Psa 119:51, 57) Heb 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. B. Every day there are important choices to make. 1. Will I pray, read my Bible, visit the sick, attend church assemblies, love as Christ loved me, & work on my Christian character? I. MOSES AT THE FORK IN THE ROAD A. When Moses reached the fork in the road of his life, he went in the right direction. 1

2 1. Having the world at his fingertips he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God. B. If we re going to follow the Lord Jesus to heaven, we ll make the same choice: [But there is more to choosing the right road than just making the right choice. Just like there is more to being a Christian than just choosing to be baptized. When we come to the fork in the road & make the right decision we are also accepting new responsibilities.] 1. We must choose the Lord s church & our role in His body over personal-interests, friends, family, pleasures, & wealth. 2. We will choose the path of suffering & affliction over the path of ease, pleasure & popularity; we can t take both roads (Matt 12:30). 3. And there s going to be some suffering & affliction along the way. a. Our lives will not conform to the world. b. Our church will not conform to those designed by men. II. RIGHT CHOICES BEGIN NEW DUTIES A. Saying No! to one choice, means saying Yes! to another choice. 1. When Moses said No! to being called the son of Pharaoh s daughter, to the treasures in Egypt, & to the passing pleasures of sin, 2. He was also saying Yes! to other things: a. He was saying, Yes! to the suffering, affliction & criticism that would come by following God s people & from the duties required in that relationship. 2

3 B. Moses could have reasoned with himself that God wanted him to remain in Egypt. 1. And that choice meant that he had new duties to perform. 1. But Moses said No! By faith faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom 10:17). a. So his parents must have taught him that the LORD did not want His people to stay in Egypt but to begin their journey to the Promised Land. b. His parents must have also taught him about the passing pleasures of sin, the Messiah & heaven too. c. Neither does Lord want his people to remain in the world today (1 Jn 2:15-17); He has a better place prepared for us (Heb 13:14; 11:10, 13-16). C. When Moses said No! to Egypt, he was saying "Yes!" to being counted among God s people. 2. The same is true for us, when we say No! to sin, then we must say Yes! to seeking first the kingdom of God. (Luke 11:24-26; Matt 10:33). 3. A Christian does not just stop serving sin; he or she begins to serve God (Rom 6:11-13, 19). [Right choices often begin new duties to God, & these duties may cost us a great deal. When Moses came to the fork in the road, he made a choice that cost him everything he owned.] III. RIGHT CHOICES ARE COSTLY A. Moses literally gave up everything he had to make the right choice (explain). 3

4 1. And in doing that Moses not only demonstrated what is important in life, but also what it means to be a disciple of Christ (Lk 14:26-27, 33). 2. {Pause} The choice of words in Hebrews 11:26 are enlightening. Heb 11:26 AMP He considered the [reproach of Christ] contempt & abuse & shame [borne for] the Christ (the Messiah Who was to come) to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward & away to the reward (recompense). a. Moses made the same choice that we must make, & for the same reason! FOR JESUS CHRIST! B. Sadly many parents have never learned that right choices are costly. expense of their service to God while caring little about their soul s condition. 2. It ought to be right the opposite; we ought to rejoice over them ONLY if they are faithfully serving the Lord. 3. Moses' decision to leave Egypt probably disappointed his professors, but it brought joy unspeakable to his mother & God s people. [Moses could have had all his fleshly desires well satisfied by keeping his position in majestic Egypt. But Moses did NOT want to be identified with Egypt s glory because he had his eye on something far better. His right choice to leave Egypt cost him worldly power, honor from men, convenience & ease of life, & much selfsatisfaction, pleasure & the like.] 1. Christian parents will bask in the glory of their children s earthly successes gained at the IV. RIGHT CHOICES HAVE THE BEST OUTCOME 4

5 A. The choice Moses made to leave Egypt resulted in him becoming one of the most important men to have ever lived. 1. The LORD used Moses as a Deliverer, a Lawgiver, & Counselor to millions. Heb 11:38-40 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts & mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. B. But the greatest outcome of all for his choice is that he is now with Christ. 1. He appeared with Jesus & Elijah on the mount (Matt 17:1-3). CLOSING A. Today, if you are at the fork in the road, which way will you take? B. Your choice is essentially the same one Moses had to make. 1. Will you choose to identify with the people of the world or the people of God? 2. Short-lived reward & pleasure in the world OR Eternal reward & joy in Christ s body the church? 3. The wide gate & broad way to destruction OR The narrow gate & difficult way to eternal life? 4. What choice will you make? 2. Standing next to Moses in Egypt, when he had made his choice to leave may have seemed, at the time, to be foolish & absurd, but wouldn t you want to be standing where he is now standing? 5