How to Live a G-Rated Life in an X-Rated World

by Rick Lanning

Text: Hebrews 11:24-29 (also study Exodus 7-12)

With the fire raging out of control in the forest below, the spotter plane that flew overhead to track its spread saw the dire situation the firefighters were in. They were being encircled by the inferno and didn’t know it. He quickly flew a few feet above them, dropping a note. It read: “You are in great danger. Fire has encircled you. You are trapped, except for one small corridor to your east. Move quickly, or you will perish!”

If you were one of the firefighters, what would you do? Probably what they did: they didn’t stand around to quibble or question the message from above; they dropped their tools, shed excess weight, and ran for their lives—east. They barely escaped death.

We are also being encircled by a raging fire, only one we cannot physically see. Like the men in the story above, we are often unable to “see” the death trap around us. Unless someone from a higher viewpoint warns us and can grasp the situation, we will perish. God is that somebody, and He has sent a message from on high that tells us exactly what to do quickly to escape. The X-rated world that we live in is that firestorm that threatens our children and us. Twentieth-century America is a perverse society, coming ever closer to the decadent world of the Roman Empire, in which God “gave them up” to their self-destruction (read Romans 1:18-32). As in Paul’s day, we too are to “deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12).

But how? What message is God dropping from above to direct us out of this raging inferno that encircles us with every kind of immorality known to man? For starters, we can go back 3,500 years to study a man who found himself in circumstances very similar to ours. His name was Moses. He escaped with his life, and his story can show us which way to run to save our lives.

1. Moses made a firm decision (Hebrews 11:24-26)
   1. “By faith Moses, when he became of age...”
      1. Exodus 2:11 “When Moses was grown...”
      2. Acts 7:23 “But when he was forty years old...”
      3. Moses was old enough to make a mature decision.
      4. Age or maturity is desperately needed when making major decisions for your life. By the time Moses made this decision, he had been trained by his own parents, who were faithful to God (Hebrews 11:23; Acts 7:20-22), and in all the wisdom of Egypt (Acts 7:22). He had teaching from older ones, as well as years of experience in order to help him make a good choice for God.
      5. Young people today need the counsel of the aged to help them make decisions, for they lack the advantage of experience, which comes only through years of living and learning (often through painful mistakes).
      6. Parents and older adults have learned some of life's hard lessons and can bless younger ones who are now in the decision-making stage of their lives. Read and pray over Proverbs 1-2.
         1. Proverbs 1:8-9 Parental advice is like priceless jewelry.
         2. Proverbs 1:10-19 What parents teach can save you untold heartache.
         3. Proverbs 1:20-33 Consequences of rejecting advice from the aged.
         4. Proverbs 2:1-9 Blessings if you accept advice from parents and the aged.
   2. “By faith Moses...refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter”
      1. No doubt Moses loved his stepmother. She raised him with concern for his future, giving him the very best education the world could offer (Acts 7:22).
      2. His refusal had nothing to do with family; it had everything to do with his commitment to God, the future of Israel, and his own soul.
      3. Moses had come of age, and with that maturity had made a firm decision.
         “I will live by conviction, not convenience!”
      4. Moses was Pharaoh’s grandson. This made him Prince Moses.
         1. Imagine the life of Prince William or Prince Harry as the grandsons of Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. Growing up with the best of everything, raised in a palace, trained tutors for schooling, royal guards for protection, heirs in line for the throne should Prince Charles die.
         2. Prince Moses, according to some scholars, lived during the Egyptian “Sixth Age” or XV-XXIV Dynasties. He lived in the XVIII Dynasty, which spanned 1587-1328 BC. The ISBE said this was “the most flourishing period of Egyptian history” (Vol. 2, p. 909). In other words, Egypt was at its absolute peak when Moses came on the scene. King Tut, the famous boy king who was buried with all his treasures, which have been on display around the world in recent years, lived just 100 years after Moses, revealing the vast wealth of this nation and age.
         3. Baron Lustinian von Weitz renounced his title, estates, and income to become a missionary to Dutch Guiana. His body lies in a lonely grave, forgotten by the world. Preparing to leave for service, he told reporters, “What is it to me to bear the title ‘well-born’ when I am born again to Christ? What is it to me to have the title ‘Lord’ when I desire to be the servant of Christ? What is it to be called ‘your grace,’ when I have need of God’s grace?”
      5. What would you “refuse” in order to be called a “Christian?”
         1. Paul refused the fame and glory of the Pharisaic world of Judaism, giving up everything he had dreamed of from childhood to be what God dreamed for him in adulthood (Phil. 3:4-11).
         2. Specifically, what would you “refuse” for Christ’s sake? It could be an eye-opening experience. Put yourself in Moses or Paul’s position; would you refuse as much as they did?
   3. ‘‘Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than the passing pleasures of sin”
      1. Choices. Decisions: Some in life are simple and unimportant, made without much thought, or even subconsciously. Others, however, are complex and very important, made only after much soul-searching, because they will have a life-changing impact.
      2. Moses’ decision:
         1. Suffer affliction with slaves in the mud pits and hot brick kilns; later suffering through 40 years of wilderness wandering, trying to appease the bitter hatred of an ungrateful and complaining nation.
         2. Enjoy the unlimited social, recreational, financial, cultural and political passions and pleasures of the most powerful throne on earth, perhaps even one day reigning as ruler of an Egyptian dynasty.
      3. Today’s youth would say Moses’ choice was a “No brainer!” It's like asking my children to choose between cooked broccoli and pepperoni pizza.
      4. But it all depends on whether you are looking at it from a short-term or long-term perspective.
         1. His choice would be indeed foolish if you are only viewing it short-term, because sin is “pleasure for a season.” It feeds our pride, satisfies our lust, and elevates our self-esteem. The “A” on your test, when you cheated, made you feel superior. The conquest of your fulfilled lust in fornication made you feel like a champion. But it was always, without exception, evil and momentary. Read Job 20:5; James 5:5-6; Romans 2:5-6. The “second death” awaits all who enjoy those “passing pleasures” (Revelation 21:8).
         2. His choice was wise if you view it long-term. He knew God and what He could and would do. Suffering with God’s people is infinitely better than suffering with Satan’s people. The latter have their “15 minutes of fame,” then plunge into hell for eternity. The former have their “agony of defeat” for 15 minutes, but then experience the “thrill of victory” forever. Read Job 21:7-15; Jeremiah 12:1 and Psalm 73:12-13.
      5. Christianity demands choices that affect you both now and into eternity. Going to worship every time the doors are open. Making time to study daily. Praying fervently and without ceasing in good times and bad. Choosing every friend I will spend time with. Who I ask for a date or to become my mate. All of these will make or break you spiritually. Depending on your choice, you will receive “a hundredfold in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30), or “depart from Me, I know you not” (Matthew 7:23).
   4. “Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. ”
      1. “Esteeming” is a bookkeeping term.
         1. HEGEOMAI is Greek for “careful thought, deep calculating, accounting,” and it means weighing the pros and cons carefully before making a decision.
         2. The accountant’s ledger would have two categories. The first would be titled “Reproach of Satan” and the second would be “Reproach of Christ”, meaning the reproach from God for living for Satan, and the reproach from Satan for living for Christ.
         3. When Moses tallied up all the pros and cons on both sides of the ledger, he found that the worst he could endure for Christ was immeasurably better than the best he could gain from Egypt. It became a “no-brainer.” From a worldly view, Moses sacrificed everything for nothing; but from a spiritual view, he sacrificed nothing for everything.
      2. The “Reproach of Christ”
         1. How could Moses endure suffering for Christ 1500 years before Jesus was even born?
         2. Abraham looked for Jesus’ coming, and “saw it” (John 8:56).
         3. Moses foretold of a “prophet” like him who would come one day to bless the nation of Israel (Acts 7:37).
         4. These Old Testament heroes trusted God’s promise and could foresee the coming Messiah, and willingly sacrifice an only son on an altar, or endure wilderness wanderings for 40 years.
      3. What is our “Reproach of Christ” today?
         1. Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” had a heroine named Portia. She was a beautiful and wealthy heiress. Many noble suitors sought to win her hand. But her father decreed she could only be given to the man who passed his test. He made three chests. One was solid gold, with the words “Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire” (inside was the picture of a skull). One was silver, with the words “Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves” (inside was a picture of a fool). One was lead, with the words “Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath” (with Portia’s picture inside). Bassanio was the only one who chose the third, saying he would gladly sacrifice even his life for her. He won.
         2. Paul aptly described a Christian’s commitment in II Corinthians 4:7-18. Would you pledge this “suffering” for Jesus Christ?
2. Moses Made a Full Departure (Hebrews 11:27-29)
   1. “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king... ”
      1. By faith...
         1. That is a mouthful. It took incredible faith to walk away from all that Egypt offered. But he walked by faith, not by sight.
         2. Faith is the center and circumference of our life. Without faith, we would never make a decision that goes against the grain of the world, that flies in the face of all logic.
      2. He forsook Egypt...
         1. Bible encyclopedias, along with secular history books, could easily give all the pros of staying in Egypt. They describe the incredible wealth of
            the dynasty, but also the enormous educational advantages of Egyptian culture.
         2. He consciously and deliberately chose to “forsake” all that Egypt offered.
            a.
      3. Not fearing the king's wrath.
         1. Here is where we need to spend time reading Exodus 7-12. The Hebrew writer likely includes not only his decision at 40 to leave, but also his decision at 80 to take Israel with him.
         2. As we read the story of the ten plagues that led to the exodus, we continually see the stubborn, hard-hearted Pharaoh at his worst. Reading between the lines, we conclude that the Egyptian king’s anger was reaching its limit. By the tenth threat, he was ready to explode. Yet Moses did not “fear the wrath of the king.”
         3. At first, Pharaoh would not even consider letting Israel go (Exodus 7:22-23).
         4. Then, after the frogs, he began to soften and said he would release them, only to go back on his promise (Exodus 8:8,15).
         5. The lice did not move him; they only hardened him further (Exodus 8:19).
         6. The flies had a different effect on him, leading the king to say he would let Israel “go sacrifice to your God in the land” (Exodus 8:25).
         7. The death of all Egyptian livestock made him hard, probably because there was no reason to call for Moses for intercession, since the damage was already done (Exodus 9:7).
         8. The boils also failed to move or soften Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 9:12).
         9. The threat of hail to both man and beast sent a chill through many of Pharaoh’s servants, causing them to take shelter (Exodus 9:20). When it came, the king was moved and said he would release them. Of course, when the threat was over, he went back on his word again (Exodus 9:20).
         10. The plague of darkness caused Pharaoh to promise Moses that they could all go worship, except for their flocks and herds. Moses replied that “not a hoof shall be left behind” (Exodus 10:26), showing he truly did not fear the king's wrath. He was determined that it was all or nothing. Israel would forsake Egypt down to the last ewe lamb.
         11. The death of the firstborn, including Pharaoh’s, finally produced the results Moses (and God) was after. Exodus 12:30-32 is most interesting. Pharaoh was now begging not only for Israel to leave, but asking for a blessing from Moses!
         12. Do you see what Pharaoh was trying to do? He was seeking to get Moses to compromise. “Okay, Moses, you can worship, but you can’t leave the land.” Then, “Okay, Moses, but you can’t take your kids.” Then, “Okay, Moses, but you can’t take your animals (wealth).” Each time, he knew that if he could get them to hold some of their valuables in reserve, they would be hostage to make Israel return. Moses never once compromised. It was all or nothing. Not even the threats of the most powerful king on earth scared him. He knew God was greater than any earthly monarch.
      4. When we forsake the powers-that-be today, whether it be our employers threatening our job security if we don’t lie for the company, or teachers
         threatening our grades if we don’t give up our convictions about creation or moral purity, or our peers demanding we compromise our “extremist” positions of Christianity to live like the world - we are facing the same pressures Moses felt before Pharaoh.

Return to our lesson title. How do we live a “G” rated life in an “X” rated world? By looking closely at what Moses did when faced with major decisions in his life. It was no easier for him than it is for us. He simply did two things:

1. Made a firm decision.
2. Made a full departure.

He made a firm decision to “refuse” the worldly life, and “choose” to suffer affliction with the people of God. That firm decision was based on “esteeming” what he would receive from Christ far better than anything he would receive from Satan. There just was no comparison to anyone who would think it through.

Then he made a full departure. At 40, he didn’t compromise by trying to straddle the fence between Hebrew and Egyptian. He made his choice, and he left everything in Egypt behind. He would rather be a nomad, living for God, than a prince, living for the world. Then, at 80, he again made a full departure by insisting to an angry king that Israel was leaving Egypt completely, lock, stock, and barrel. They did just that!

Have you made the firm decision to live 100% for Jesus Christ? If so, have you fully departed from the world? Perhaps only you (and Jesus) know the answer to those questions.
The word “decision” can be summarized with the acronym BABCOR. That stands for “Burn All Bridges, Cut Off Retreat.” When you decide to follow Christ, you sever all hope of returning to the world. You remove the option. You enter your faith without fear or doubt. Have you made that firm decision? Do so now, and the rewards you will receive are beyond description.