Discover The Word

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

“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 command.” (Hebrews 11:23)

IDEA: The faith of our fathers and mothers contributes to the faith of their children as well as to their own.

PURPOSE: To help listeners realize how much is at stake in their families as they follow Jesus.

Do you participate in a church that baptizes adults?

What actually takes place at baptism?

When adults are baptized in your church, do they testify to their faith?

If you attended a church that baptizes or dedicates infants, do the infants ever give their personal testimony about their faith?

I. What is the purpose of baptizing or dedicating infants?

The service has as much to do with the parents and the congregation as it does with babies.

Why do Christian parents need constant reminders of how they affect their children’s faith?

II. Parents who are people of faith can have a great impact on their children’s faith. How?

Hebrews 11:23 begins a discussion of Moses as being a man of faith by talking about his parents and what they did after he was born:

“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 command.”

What incident in Hebrews 11:23 does the writer have in mind?  Exodus 2:2-10.

What do you make of the fact that in Exodus 2:2 the writer talks about Moses’ mother and sister and doesn’t mention his father, but the writer of the letter to the Hebrews talks about his parents?

Why do you think the writer of the letter to the Hebrews talks first about Moses’s parents and what they did rather than about Moses?

Why do you think biographies usually start with a description of the person’s parents and a description of the home where the person is born and brought up?