The Liberated and Motivated Heart of a Leader

By Nathan Penny

April 18, 2020

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 treasures 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. (Heb. 11:24-27, ESV)

Hebrews 11 gives us some wonderful insight into the heart of one of God’s most faithful leaders: Moses. Notice first, that by faith, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses looked at all the wealth, fame, power, and sinful pleasures that would be his if he remained in Egypt, and he rejected it all. He turned his back and he walked away.

Where did he go? Notice what verse 25 says: “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 treasures of Egypt.”

Moses considered the value of all the treasures of Egypt, and he compared them to the value of suffering with the people of God, and by faith, he concluded this, as stated in verse 26: “He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” (ESV, emphasis mine)

By God’s grace, Moses understood that God’s eternal reward for faithfulness is infinitely more valuable than anything the world can offer. And as he looked with eyes of faith to the reward, he was liberated from the grip of Egypt, he was liberated from the grip of temptation, and he was liberated from the grip of the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Not only that, but as he gazed at the reward, he was also motivated to embrace God’s call upon his life, radical obedience, and suffering for the sake of Christ.

And what is this reward that so powerfully and profoundly liberated and motivated the heart of Moses? Verse 27 says, “he endured as seeing him who is invisible” (emphasis mine).

As Moses looked with eyes of faith to the treasure of God himself, as he looked forward with eyes of faith to an eternity spent experiencing the unimaginable joy and pleasure of the glory of God, he was liberated from the grip of Egypt, and he was motivated to embrace faithfulness.

The heart of one of God’s most faithful leaders was liberated and motivated, by looking to the reward.

Let us be instructed.

Brothers and sisters, firstly, join me in praying that as leaders, we too would choose to fix our gaze upon the reward of Christ himself. And secondly, join me in praying that as we look to the reward, the Holy Spirit would supernaturally and increasingly liberate us from the grip of the fleeting pleasures of sin, and motivate us to embrace faithfulness, even if it means suffering for the sake of Christ.He is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think (Eph. 3:20). Let’s ask him!

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