WHO IS ON THE LORD'S SIDE?
Scripture reading:
Exodus 32:22-26 "22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”
25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. (Message: 26 So he stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, “Everyone who is on the Lord's side come over here!” So all the Levites gathered around him,)
INTRODUCTION:
Today we are going to reflect upon this very important question: "Who is on the Lord's side? or Am I on the Lord's side?"
Just as there are two sides of the coin, the head and the tail, there are always two sides of the spiritual realm we are in.
The good and the bad, heaven and hell, God's kingdom of light and Satan's kingdom of darkness.
There is no neutral or middle ground.
It is either you are on God's side or not.
That is why you need to ask yourself this question: "Are you on the Lord's side?"
You see, for many years, many of us were on the enemy's side, filled with sin, hatred, misery and greed.
But God changed all that when we surrendered our lives to Christ.
He gave us the Holy Spirit and we now belong to God's army, living a life of faith, hope and love.
We are now in God's side.
And so, we ask ourselves: "Am I still on the Lord's side?" after we have gone through trials and difficulties in life.
Are you still on the Lord's side even if the spiritual battle for purity has been tough and demanding?
For sure, we do not want to go back to the side of the enemy.
We want to stay where God is because we know God is in the winning side.
He will put everything under His feet.
We are more than conquerors in Christ.
Therefore, we must be on His side always.
We must be loyal to Him alone.
We must never change sides anymore.
Because changing sides means treason and betrayal of trust.
According to Wikipedia, During the American Battle for Independence, one of the most most notorious person of changing side was a man named Benedict Arnold.
I wonder if you have heard of him.
He was a general during the American Revolution War who originally fought for the American Continental Army but defected to the British Army.
While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fortification at West Point, New York.
It was a very strategic place for the war of Independence.
He had however a secret plan to surrender West Point to the British forces which was their enemy.
But when his plan was exposed in September, 1780, he defected and changed sides.
Ultimately, he was commissioned into the British Army as a Brigadier General.
Because of the way he changed sides, his name quickly became a byword in the United States for treason or betrayal.
He left behind a very conflicting legacy for others to follow.
Lesson: Changing sides is a betrayal of trust that can erode your reputation.
It is not good to change sides when you know you belong to God.
In our story for today, we find the Israelites changing sides very quickly.
After their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, they were called the people of God.
God promised to take care of them and bring them to the Promised Land of milk and honey.
Moses was their leader and spent a lot of time talking with God.
One day, he went up to the mountain to pray and receive instructions from God.
But he was delayed in coming back.
The people were impatient and decided to do their own thing.
They fashioned a golden calf from the gold and silver they took from Egypt.
They worshiped that idol dancing, singing and making revelry for their false god just like the pagans do.
The Lord was so angry with the people that He almost destroyed them in an instance, if it wasn't for Moses' intervention.
Moses pleaded and asked God to forgive His people.
And so, the Lord relented and did not allow the disaster he had threatened.
But Moses had to stand in the entrance of the camp and gave them a serious challenge that will determine life and death.
"Everyone who is on the Lord's side, come over here!"
There were many who hesitated and hence were killed by the sword.
God could not tolerate sin and betrayal of trust.
Sin must be punished and dealt with severely.
The Levites stayed on God's side and were blessed.
Consider again this statement: "Everyone who is on the Lord's side, come over here!"
There are three meanings we can learn from this statement:
1. This is a statement of personal REFLECTION: "Am I on the Lord's side?"
2. This is a statement of personal SECURITY: "I am on the Lord's side of safety."
3. This is a statement of personal CONVICTION: "I will always be on the Lord's side!"
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ON THE LORD'S SIDE?
1. I MUST THINK ABOUT MY ONE LIFE: "Am I on the Lord's side?"
"Whoever is for the Lord..."
To reflect means to contemplate, to think about and to ponder seriously.
When you reflect, you analyze your present standing in Christ.
Do you still have the passion? that zeal? that fervor? that devotion for Christ after many years of serving Him?
Or have you lost your first love and running after material gains of this world?
Are you still on the Lord's side or have you abandoned your present position and went to the other side of the enemy.
Regular reflection and evaluation is a must if we want to maintain our devotion to Christ.
Regular reflection will assure you of your present position in Christ.
Remember that there are only two sides of this spiritual battle for dominance: God's side and the devil's side.
You cannot be in the middle and think that it is OK to be neutral.
When you reflect, you will see where you are weak and the things you need to do.
The line of demarcation between being on the Lord's side and on the enemy's side is very much thin and confusing to some.
Many Christians who are not reflective are not aware that they have already stepped on the other side.
They thought that they are still on the Lord's side not knowing that they have already adapted to the enemy's moral standard.
They have acquired the word's culture and accepted ungodly attitudes.
Brothers and sisters, we must wake up and ponder carefully our present position.
Any moment of delay is a moment of defeat.
Are we really on the Lord's side?
Matthew 7:21 (NIV) ""Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
It is not what you say that counts but it is what you do.
Consider the Israelites for a moment.
They are involved actively in worship, thinking that they are having a great festival and celebration for the Lord.
They were dancing in Jubilee.
They were singing loudly in songs.
There was nothing wrong with dancing and singing as a form of celebration.
But the problem is that they are worshiping an idol instead of the Living God.
They have lost their focus on God.
They have diverted their worship on the things they have created for themselves.
They were not aware that they were already on the other side which was the enemy's territory.
This is what the text says of Aaron, their leader who was supposed to guide them to the truth.
Exodus 32:4 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
It was so easy for him to cast an idol in the shape of a calf.
It was so easy for him to declare this as their god who brought them out of Egypt.
In the same manner, it is so easy for us to backslide and slipped in the old life.
But it will be a big mistake.
They even offered sacrificial and burnt offerings but they did not know that these are all abomination before the Lord.
Their hearts were not anymore in the living God.
Look at the extent of how the people have adopted to this new style of worship.
Exodus 32:6 "So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry."
They offered burn offerings.
They presented fellowship offerings.
These are not bad, but good.
But again, to offer that to an idol cast in the shape of a calf is an abomination to the Lord.
These should be offered to God, not to an idol.
They were trying to mix their worship to what they have learned from the pagans.
These two don't mix together.
Surely, they have stepped on the other side of the enemy.
It is either you are on the Lord's side or not.
Our prayer is that whether you are here for the first time or have been attending our worship service regularly, you will reflect and have a clearer understanding of your present position in Christ.
Because if you don't know where your allegiance is, then other people will decide who you should worship and serve.
And you will find yourself being pressured into worshiping other gods.
That causes all kinds of stress and anxiety.
That will invite the anger and the punishment of God.
That is why you must settle the question of your position and standing in Christ.
When you know which side you belong, you will live a dynamic Christian life and you will aspire for more spiritual growth.
When you know who you are in the winning side, you will be he happiest person on this earth.
When you know you are on God's side, you will be active in Christian service.
Here are some Scriptures that talked about our present position in Christ:
Ephesians 2:6 (NIV) "6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,"
Colossians 3:1 (NIV) "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God."
Phil. 3:20 (NIV) "20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Phil. 4:13 (NIV) "13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Col. 1:13 (NIV) "13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,"
And so, let me ask you this question.
Are you on the Lord's side?
Is your heart committed in worshiping the true and living God?
Or have you created for yourself an idol which have replaced God?
Your idol can be in the form of material things, of sex, of sports, of careers, of hobbies.
Anything that replaces God in your heart is an idol.
You must reflect and evaluate your own heart to determine your present position.
2. I MUST BE FULLY CONVINCED: "Am I on the Lord's side of safety!"
After reflecting where I am, I must change sides and be convinced that this is the safest side of all.
If we are on the Lord's side, it is always a position of safety, of freedom, of security and protection from harm.
Many of us are looking for true security in life.
We always want to be on the side that is strong and a sure winner.
Everyone wants to be in the winning side.
No one wants to be on the losing side.
In the same way, if we know that the side that we are in is weak, then we should change sides and go to the winning team.
God is the winning team.
Ever since time memorial, God has always won the spiritual battle.
But God fights the battle differently than we think.
For instance, when Jesus was crucified and nailed at the cross, the enemy thought that he had won the battle.
But because of the resurrection, Christ has given us the victory over sin and death.
The battle has been won through submission and obedience to God's will, not through arms and strength.
If we are on the Lord's side, we will understand how God fights the battle.
If we are on the Lord's side, we will learn the value of obedience and submission to His will.
If we are on the Lord's side, we will learn to be patient and wait upon the Lord.
You are protected if you are on the Lord's service.
You are secure if you are on the Lord's side.
You are guarded and free from harm if you are on the Lord's side.
If this is so, we had to be fully convinced about it.
There must not be doubts or double mindedness.
"Come over here!" is an invitation for all of us.
Come over to the winning team.
Come over to the strongest team.
Come over to the safest team and stay there.
Consider again what happened to the Israelites.
Moses stood at the entrance to the camp.
He gave the invitation: "'"Everyone who is on the Lord's side, come over here!"
Then, the Levites gathered around him.
Who were the Levites and what was their function?
According to the Temple Institue.org, the Levites were chosen out of the twelve tribes of Israel to serve as priests among the Jewish people.
Hence, they were men in position of spiritual leadership.
They were set apart to serve the Lord.
They were to perform in the Temple officiating in the daily sacrifices.
They were also to deliver the daily blessing from God to the people
Hence, they open the heavenly gates of mercy and divine protection upon the people.
They were serving the Lord and they were fully convinced that this is the best side to be.
That is why it is always best to be on the Lord's service.
I encourage you to serve the Lord.
Be involved in a ministry.
Then, you will always have a secured position in Christ.
Look carefully at these promises from God's words.
Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."
When you run to the Lord, you will be safe.
Safe from the harmful attacks of the enemy.
Think of it, just declaring the name of the Lord is like being protected by a very strong tower or entering a fortified building or strong castle.
It is good to be in the side of the Lord.
Psalms 84:11 "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless."
Think of it.
God is like a sun and shield.
He will bestow honor and special favor upon you when you run to Him.
Do you know what is the strongest shield in the world?
It was said that in Japan, there was a round disc shield made from meteor fragments considered as the strongest shield in the world.
It took them several months to process and mold the disc into a perfect circle.
It was said that it could withstand any blow and send an equally opposite reaction into its source.
But a yakuza spy for the United States stole the shield from a top secret facility and smuggled it back to the States.
There is no further knowledge on the shield or its current whereabouts.
But our text tells us that God is our shield.
If we are on God's side, we are protected by an impenetrable shield that can withstand any attack.
It is always safe to be on God's side.
Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Here we see the strong arm of God who will help us during times of fear and dismay.
Nothing can touch us because of His right arm.
It is safe to be on God's side.
One of the saddest moment in the American history I believe happened several weeks ago when the Supreme Court allowed same sex marriages to be adopted in all the States.
Surely, this was an abomination to the Lord of epic proportion but many Americans are not even aware of it.
The result of that ruling is that they don't even call homosexuality as sin.
When a person could not define what is sin, it is as if he had stepped on the other side of the line.
There are many people who have gone to the other side unaware of their situation.
And so, ask yourself: Are you still on the Lord's side or not?
First, I must reflect.
Then, I must be fully convinced.
Then,
3. I MUST BE FULLY COMMITTED: "I will always be on the Lord's side!"
If I am not on the Lord's side, I must fully dedicated and committed to where the Lord is.
This is a statement of personal commitment and pledge to God.
Your allegiance to God only and no one else.
'"Everyone who is on the Lord's side, come over here!"
There should be no second thought.
There should be no more delay.
Every moment is significant.
We must step on the other side and be on the Lord's side at once and serve Him for the rest of our lives.
In our text, it was said that Moses saw the people running wild because of sin.
At the same time, Aaron had no more authority over them.
They were getting out of control.
They have become a laughing stock to their enemies.
Their testimonies had been discredited.
All of these have happened because they were in the wrong side of the line.
Exodus 32:25-26 "25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him." (Message: 26 So he stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, “Everyone who is on the Lord's side come over here!” So all the Levites gathered around him,)
Notice the solution to this dilemma.
Moses stood at the entrance to the camp.
He had this demarcation line set clearly before the people.
Those who are outside the camp does not belong to the Lord.
Those who are inside the camp are on God's side.
And then, the invitation was given: "Everyone who is on the Lord's side, come over here."
In the same manner, if we are on the wrong side, we will be a laughing stock to our enemies.
If we are on the wrong side, we will be out of control and running wild because of the misery of sin.
But God is inviting us to change our position the soonest.
It was an invitation that will decide between life or death.
It was an invitation that will determine our eternal destiny.
When you come to Christ, you are leaving the position of sin and going to the position of spiritual strength and security.
You will have a stable mind and emotion.
Your integrity in Christ will be established.
You must come to Christ without any delay.
Repent from your sin.
Acknowledge Him as your Lord and Savior.
Open your heart to Him and allow Him to take control of every area of your life.
Revelation 3:20 (NIV) "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."
This is an invitation for all of us to change sides immediately.
He is standing at the door of our hearts knocking, wanting to get in.
Once you let Him in, He will change you.
He will make your life more meaningful and blessed.
"Everyone who is on the Lord's side, come over here."
Let me ask you.
Have you already opened your heart to Christ and received Him as your Lord and Savior?
Have you repented from your sins and acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit?
Have you renounced those idols in your heart and focused in worshiping the true and living God?
Jesus said it plainly.
Matthew 12:30 (NIV) "30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."
The surest sign that you belong to Christ is that you gather rather than to scatter.
You share God's Word to others and testify of His goodness.
That means you build people and bring them to Christ rather than to allow them to be destroyed by sin.
My brothers and sisters, let us be committed to our allegiance to God.
