All right, if you wish to follow
along, turn to Numbers chapter 16. Of course, for our visitors,
they were probably not aware of this, and some who may be
listening live stream or hear this later would not be aware
that my text would have been Numbers 16, but most of you who
are regularly here should know that. Numbers chapter 16. Again, I will not, because of
the length of this chapter, I will not read the chapter. I want
to begin by giving you a quote from Augustine. And I can tell
you how I found that quote came to me very early this morning,
wasn't even expecting it. And I can tell you about that
later. But here's a quote from Augustine, and it fits most well
with my message. Here's what Augustine wrote,
way back yonder. God lost neither the severity
of his justice in the goodness of his mercy, nor the goodness
of his mercy in the exactness of his severity. You hear that? Let me read that
one more time for you. God lost neither the severity
of his justice in the goodness of his mercy, nor the goodness
of his mercy in the exactness of his severity. There are very
few today that preach the severity of God. They scream and yell
about hell, and you don't want to go there And they're right
You don't want to go there but some will and Some will because
of the severity of God's justice Justice a chapter 16 of numbers
highlights rebellion and It's highlighted. I mean, it's almost
like, you know, we have the red letter editions where, you know,
Jesus' words are in red. If you had, if you put the words
that are rebellion in number 16 in red, it would blare out
red everywhere. Chapter 16 of Numbers highlights
rebellion, gainsaying, obstinacy, conspiracy, collusion. And it screams these things out
to the top of its inspired words. But it also cries out God's righteous
judgment against such things. Most everyone here may be aware
of the context of Numbers chapter 16, but let me give it briefly. Three men with one seemingly
as their ringleader, His name was Korah. There were two others,
you could read them, especially beginning right off, Dathan and
Abiram, in chapter 16, verse one. Three men specifically. And then they had 250 well-known
religious cohorts rise up in pride with them. The ringleader,
Korah, sucks in the people at large. Does that, let me read
that. Number 16, verse 19. Now, Cora,
evidently, what it seems to be indicated here, Cora starts this
thing. And he evidently starts by, as
most rebellion does, talking to a couple buddies of his, Dathan
and Abiram. And they get to talking, and
there's 250 guys that they find out they're on our side, too.
And these are well-known, well-respected religious leaders in the congregation. They start a rebellion against
Moses and against Aaron, but that's not the real problem.
Their rebellion was against God Almighty. And it says in verse
19, And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. I figured there
was at least two that was not. I figured there was at least
two, not counting Moses and Aaron, of course. They were the ones
they were conspiring against and gainsaying against. You know
who those two are, Joshua and Caleb. But even if there were
more, this lets us know, the language of the scripture lets
us know they had the majority on their side, even from the
congregation. It says, and Korah gathered all
the congregation against them under the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord appeared unto
all the congregation. The Lord spake unto Moses and
Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation,
that I may consume them in a moment. Folks, this was no idle threat
from God. Now God Almighty, known unto
God are all His works from the beginning. God knew what He was
going to do and what He was going to bring about. But do not think
that God's threats are idle threats. And they fell upon their faces,
that is Moses and Aaron, fell upon their faces and said, oh
God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin
and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? And the Lord
said, then tell the people, get away from these men. I'm paraphrasing. And if you read that chapter,
you will remember that. So again, the ringleader Korah
sucks in the people at large. But this was not Moses' actions
toward the instigators. Shall the whole nation, shall
the whole congregation perish because of one man's sin? Which
lets me know there was a ringleader here. The ringleader was Korah.
Yes, sir. Look at what he said in verse
16. Before this actually happened, when the rebellion first began,
verse 16 of chapter 16, or I'm sorry, verse 15 of chapter 16,
and Moses was very wroth. and said unto the Lord, respect
not thou their offering. That's serious business. Is it
not? He's saying, God, don't you accept
these people? Specifically, these three men
and their 250 cohorts? Let them go to hell. Let them go to hell. I have not
taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. God destroys these rebels. I'm
still giving you the background. He destroys three of them, Korah,
Dathan, and Abiram. I'm always afraid I'll get that
wrong. But he destroys these three men. The earth just opens
up. And they fall into the pit. And
then the earth closes back over them. And I'm sure the 250 said,
whoa. I know the congregation said, whoa. They said, let us run from here.
They heard the screams of these men when they went down into
the pit. And they ran. And then God rained
fire down from heaven and killed the 250. Now, if you read it, you said,
I am not exaggerating to you. I am telling you the inspired
account of what took place in the camp of Israel way back yonder. These are the way things are.
And you'll see the congregation, when the ground opens up, they
run in fear. God's wrath is coming down, right? But the very next day, you remember
reading something like that? Turn over a little bit further
there, verse 41, but on the morrow, Mason, the next day. I could preach on the whole message
on that right there. But on the morrow, all the congregation
of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. They've seen what they've seen,
and the very next day they're back at it again? Yes. Yes. Saying, ye have killed the
people of the Lord. Now did Moses say, well, God
don't respect their offering? Did he? Mm-mm. Moses and Aaron came before 43,
before the tabernacle of the congregation. The Lord spake
unto Moses saying, get you up among this congregation that
I may consume them in a moment. You see it? As they fell upon,
and they fell upon their faces, and Moses said to Aaron, get
us in here quick. He began to see the fire of God
burn within the camp. It killed thousands. But Moses
sent Aaron out between the dead and the living with the censer
and the incense thereon, the fire on it, and the plague of
God was stayed. Now Moses acted differently towards
some people than he did to others. Did he not? Is that the context
we hear? And these are all family folk. Yes or no? Family folk. Jude alludes to our subject,
turn to Jude, next to the last book in the Bible, right before
the book of the revelation of Jesus Christ. Jude alludes to this text, our
text, number 16, and makes a direct reference. He says in Jude verse
11, woe unto them, speaking of these certain kinds of people,
woe unto them, for they have gone the way of Cain. and ran
greedily after the heir of Balaam for reward and perished in the
gainsane of Corrie. That's the same K-O-R-R-A-H we
read of in Numbers chapter 16. These are spots in your feast
of charity. They're right in your midst.
That's scary. For two reasons. One, I know
they may well be amongst us. Two, I don't want to be one. I don't want to be one of them.
Because they're right where? Right amidst your feast of charity.
When they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear, and
those three men, and those 250 men, and even the next day the
congregation, how long did their fear last if they had any at
all? Huh? Those three men, those 250, they
were evidently pretty well assured when Moses said, you get your
censors, me and Eric will get our censors, and we'll meet together
tomorrow and see how this thing goes. I think they felt pretty
confident, Mason, of themselves. Clouds they are without water,
carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth. without
fruit. Somebody says, that seems to
contradict. No, it's all true. It's both true. What fruit they
did have withered. And they really didn't have any
real fruit. That's what he's talking about.
Twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Now so far, isn't it sounding
like these fellas were in bad shape? Raging waves of the sea
foaming out of their own shame wandering stars, and then here's
the kicker To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever
That's God's severity against sin and rebellion But then Jude writes this in
verse 17 But beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken
before the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that they told
you there should be malkers in the last time who should walk
after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves,
sensual, having not the Spirit, but ye, beloved, building up
yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of
the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, and of some have compassion,
making a difference. And others, save with fear, pulling
them out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted by
the flesh. Now unto him that is able to
keep you from falling, that's falling in the way that these
people fell. Not that God's people never fall,
but fall into apostasy, to fall away. That's the context. keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory, with
exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and
majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever, and this is
the way it is. Amen. So be it. That's where
I got my title, as I text most of you earlier in the week, or
last week, actually. My title's found here, Making
a Difference. I do not understand my depravity
completely. But I do understand it some. And I know your depravity is
just like mine. And I know my title no doubt
intrigues you. Making a difference Right Listen to me now God gives
anybody here ears to hear I pray does it right now Because what
else I have to say will probably make no difference to you if
you don't get this part The fallen flesh of an apostate and let
me just stop a minute The fallen flesh and of apostate. What's
an apostate? A person for whom there has never
been and will never be any hope. Isn't that what we read? To whom is reserved the blackness
of darkness forever. That sounds like a dangerous
place to be in, does it not? But listen to me. The fallen
flesh of the apostate is not more depraved than the flesh
of the ignorant unregenerate. What's the ignorant unregenerate?
I'm talking about a person that has no life from God. They are
in their natural state in Adam. They have no real overt animosity
toward God or anything. They really don't even know much
other than maybe a few things they learned in Sunday school.
They kind of believe in God but don't know what this thing's
really all about. They're not really troublesome in the society.
Mason, they may be good, decent folk to live around. They just
don't know God. But their fallen flesh is just
as depraved as the apostate's flesh. Do you hear what I said? And it's more than that. The fallen flesh of the apostate
is not more depraved than the flesh that you believers have
in you right now today. That I have in me right now today. Our flesh is apostate. Do you hear me? It is rejected
of God. It's apostate. God is not working
on our flesh. not even today in regeneration
and conversion. He's not working on our flesh.
At best, He tells us kill it, deaden it, mortify it. Does He
not? But thank God He redeemed us
from it. But I still have that flesh inside me right now today
and it's the very flesh that Korah himself had several hundred,
yeah a few thousand if it is, years ago. Now did you get what
I just said? I'm saying the flesh that is
in every human being is the same kind of fallen, depraved, evil,
God-hating, rebellious, gainsaying, obstinate, conspiring, and colluding
flesh. It is rejected of God. And yet we treat it like it's
the greatest thing since sliced bread, as we say. Now don't we? Romans 3 verse 9, the Apostle
Paul makes it clear. We have proved before Jews and
Gentiles that they are all under sin. But the kicker is verse
22, the last part, and verse 23, and I want to read that because
I do not want to misquote that. Romans chapter 3, remember he
goes, What then, verse nine, what then, are we better than
they? No and no wise, in no way. For we have before proved, both
Jews and Gentiles, they're all under sin. He goes through his
litany, defining what our flesh really is. And he puts it this
way. Verse 22, the last part, look. Look what it says. For there
is no difference. Do you see? Wait a minute. You're
telling me I'm as bad as Charles Manson? Yeah, I'm telling you,
your flesh is as bad as Charles Manson. You're telling me that
my flesh is as bad as Hitler? I'm telling you your flesh and
my flesh is as bad as Hitler's flesh. That's what I'm telling
you. There is no difference for all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So how in the
world can I make a difference? Now maybe, just now maybe, we'll
start to understand the phrase correctly. Jude does not command us to look
for a difference. There is none. Huh? A little light may be starting
to dawn. A little light out there? Jude
does not command us to look for a difference. He does not even
command us to look for the difference. He says make a difference. Make
a difference. You see that? Make a difference. Now our Lord warned against pigeon-holing
folk as the real bad folk. Turn to Luke chapter 13. Now
that God maybe has got your attention, Luke chapter 13. There were present at that season
some that were told him of the Galileans whose blood palate
had mingled with their sacrifices. Here were religious people and
the government slaughtered them. You see it? And Jesus answering
said unto them, suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners
above all the Galileans because they suffered such things? Oh
boy, thank God at least I ain't a Korah. Really. Thank God I
ain't one of them kind of Galileans. Oh really? What did Jesus then
say? You better take care of yourself.
You better be concerned about yourself. Huh? You want to look for a difference
or the difference? You better start looking at yourself.
I tell you no, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish. Or those 18 upon whom the tower
of Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners
above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you nay, that is no, but
except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Our flesh says, well, at least
I ain't that bad. At least I ain't that bad. At
least I ain't that bad. We'll look at that I ain't that
bad's here in a moment. It's there in our flesh. But
that's not where it stops. He spake also this parable. A certain man had a fig tree
planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon
and found none. Then said he unto the dresser
of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit
on this fig tree, and findeth none. Cut it down. Why cumbereth
it the ground? It's a waste of space. Right? God has the right to say that
about us because all we do is cumber the ground. You hear me? We're a waste of good space. Is that the kind of depravity
you've been taught you are? Or you just got like a halfway
total depravity? I know that don't make sense,
but that's what people preach today. Well, I believe in total depravity,
but I ain't that bad. No, we're that bad. Why, cumberth hit the ground.
And he answered and said unto him, Lord, let it alone this
year also. Here's making a difference. Let it alone this year also,
till I shall dig about it and dung it. Notice the dresser angle
do nothing to the tree, this plant. He just do stuff around
the plant, notice? Because our Lord, when he gave
parables, he knew what he was talking about. He knew how to
really illustrate something. We can't change the plant, but
we can dig about it, throw some dung out there on it, mix it
all up. Look at what he goes on to say.
And if it bear fruit, what? Whale. And if not, then after
that thou shalt cut it down. And this is what he was saying
when he's in the synagogue. You see there? I started once
to make this message gospel dung. But I figured that'd go over
like a lead balloon, but there I have said it anyway, and this
will go out on the air. But that's what we do. The gospel,
the gospel is fertilizer. And it'll make grow what God
Almighty's ordained to grow. But if God ain't ordained it
to grow, it's just a bad tree. And the master will take care
of that. There's making the difference. It's not me looking at you, are
they an apostate? I wanna look at apostasy, I better
start looking at me. I better look at me. Because
I can't do nothing for you. I can't even really do anything
for me. I need somebody to dig about
me and dung. I need some rich nutrients. And
I need the grace of God to accompany that. Or I'm just a plant that
cumbereth the ground. Who amongst us listening here
today, and by the grace of God we believe Jesus Christ, who
amongst us at one time has not despised God's elected one? Chapter 16 of Numbers, This was
said, chapter 16 of Numbers and verse 11, this is Moses speaking,
for which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered
together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that ye murmur
against him? Do you see that? Aaron didn't
seek this place he had as the high priest. God Almighty chose
him to be the high priest. I'm not asking you if you despise
the election of grace. I'm asking you if you despise
him that was elected on his merits. Did you hear what I just said?
There are some of us here, we were brought up under grace.
And we never had any real problem with the election of grace, did
we? Some of us here were not brought up under the teaching
of the election of grace. And we had a real problem with
the election of grace. Did we not? But I'm not talking
about the election of grace. I'm talking about that one individual
that God Almighty chose based upon his merits. And wait a minute,
Aaron had some merits. Did he not? Moses could not speak
well. Aaron could. Now do you get where
I'm going? Isaiah 42 calls Jesus Christ
God's elect. He was chosen based upon His
merits. We're only chosen. Anybody who
is ever chosen are only and can only be chosen in Him. In spite of our demerits. Our problem ain't with the doctrine
of election, it's with Him who was elected. Our rebellion is
against Jesus Christ. That's our problem by nature.
Believe the doctrine of election, the election of grace, and go
to hell believing it. But if you love the elected one,
God's brought you somewhere. I'm not talking about despising
election in general. I'm talking about despising Jesus
Christ. And the book says this, light
came into the world, and it's talking about a person. John
chapter three, I believe it is. Light came into the world, and
what's the problem? Men loved darkness rather than light. Our problem is we don't love
Jesus Christ. How many of you listening to
me this morning, including myself, have not considered ourselves
to be as good as everyone else? Chapter 16, verse three. They
gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron
and said unto them, you take too much upon you. Boy, they
just really cared about Moses and Aaron, didn't they? Seeing all the congregation are
holy. And every one of them, and the
Lord is among them. Wherefore then lift ye up yourselves
above the congregation of the Lord. Romans chapter three goes on
to say, Paul said, we prove that Jew and Gentile, they're both
under sin. These people in whom there is
no difference. They've all sinned and come short of the glory of
God. That's us. He said, there's not one of us righteous. Not
even one. There's none of us that understandeth.
There's none of us that seek after God. The poison of asp
is under our lips. That is, we will curse God. for
who he really is. That's our problem. Somebody
says, well, I believe in God. Whoop-dee-doo. So does Satan. And he's damned forever with
no hope. Yes or no? Damned forever with no hope.
I would just be willing to bet if I were a betting man. I don't
even hardly buy lottery tickets. I'll sit my wife in with the
money and let her get it. No, that's what we do. Was that a confession right on
TV? What was I at? Oh yeah, our depravity. That's
where I was at. That's how bad we are. We consider,
how many of us, oh, we considered ourselves, at least I ain't as
bad as so-and-so. Or we're all pretty good folk. Ain't you everybody? Well, they're
good folk. I hear that all the time. and I have to bite my tongue
because I know it's not the proper venue, in some cases, to go on
and tirade about, they ain't none good but God. You know what
I mean? Especially at funerals. I don't
care if you're the worst child molester that come along. When
you die, he was a pretty good father. That's the way we think about
us in the flesh. There's a third thing. We malked
God's glorious promise. Look at chapter 16, verse 12. And Moses sent to call Dathan
and Abiram, the sons of Elab, which said, we will not come
up. Do you see the defiance? We will not come up. Is it a
small thing that thou hast brought us up out of the land that floweth
with milk and honey? What? They're calling Egypt now
the land that flowed with milk and honey? Yes, it did, but you
didn't get any. You were slaves there. to kill us in the wilderness,
except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us. Moreover, thou
hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey,
or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Wilt thou put
out the eyes of these men? We will not come up." Have you
ever mocked God's glorious promise? The promise that says this, if
you ever enter into acceptance with God in a conversion experience,
it will not be of blood, nor will it be of the will of the
flesh, or nor will it be the will of man. Now it may not use the word promise
in the context of John chapter one, but Mason, that's a promise
of God. God says, I'll do this for my people. They'll be born
of me, not blood, not the will of the flesh, not the will of
man. and yet how often I mocked that truth. Let me give you three things
here. Try to wind this down. Let us rejoice that it is God's
will and not blood. You hear me? I said let us rejoice
that it's God's will and not blood. Why do I say that? Look
at chapter 16, verse 27. So they get up from the tabernacle
of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, that is the congregation, on
every side and Dathan and Abiram came out. Now notice, it's just
Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents
and their wives and their sons and their little children. Now
it names all of those. Now, I want you to read with
me another chapter 26. Go to Numbers chapter 26. Bear with me, I know it's getting
a little late, but bear with me. Numbers chapter 26, verse
nine. Remember, here's Dathan and Abirah,
doesn't mention Korah there. Here's Dathan and Abirah, they
come out, stand in their tents, and everything, even their what?
Little ones are with them. Verse nine of Numbers 26, and
the sons of Eliab, Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram, and just
to make sure there ain't no doubt about this. This is that Dathan
and Abiram which were famous in the congregation who strove
against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah. Is there
any doubt? Hmm? when they strove against
them, and the earth opened up her mouth and swallowed them
up together with Korah. When that company died, what
time the fire devoured 250 men, and they became a sign. But look at the next verse, notwithstanding. The children of Korah, it does
not mention Dathan and Abiram, but it does mention what? Look,
notwithstanding. Folks, that's another way you
spell grace. Yeah, that's another way of spelling grace. In a context
like this, it is. Notwithstanding, the children
of Korah died not. and I read that and my mind had
to be changed about some things when I was young. Thought I had
the bull by the tail on a downhill pull and had it going all my
way. I want you to compare something now. Don't do it right now, but
I'm gonna give you a list. Psalm 42, we just sang a song
that's based upon Psalm 42. Look at it. As thirst the heart
for water brooks, look on the left up near the top, Psalm 42.
Psalm 42, Psalm 44, Psalm 45, Psalm 46, Psalm 47, Psalm 48,
Psalm 49, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Psalm 87, Psalm 88. That's 11
of 150. Somebody add that up percentage
wise right now. No, I'm just kidding. That's
quite a few Psalms, isn't it? Guess who the superscription
is to? The sons of Korah. Aren't you glad it ain't by blood? Did I lose somebody here? Aren't
you glad it ain't by blood? Some of us here had daddies that
were nothing but pure rebels against God. Ain't you glad it
ain't by blood? And we're just like our daddies.
Yes, some of us had daddies or mommies that were Christian believers. but they were not that way in
their flesh. Their flesh was just as apostate
as Korah's. Korah's children deserve wrath,
just like Korah did, but notwithstanding. The children of Korah died not
when other children did. Now it just died, that's what
it, but folk, is that what it says here or not? An 11 out of
150 Psalms. And I've read them all, but I
didn't read it in conjunction with it. Go back and read all
those. Glorious names, huh? Here's what one, as thirst the
heart. Here's what was written by David for the sons of Korah. You sing this! as thirst the
heart for water brooks, so thirst my soul, O God, for thee. It
seeks for God and ever looks, and longs the living God to see,
and longs the living God to see. Seek God. You hear me? Seek God. Secondly, are God's
people, are God's people the gospel converted? And that's
what I mean. So I believe I'm one of the elect
based on what? Based on what? If your answer
is any other answer than the gospel of God got a hold of me
and I can't get away from it now and I believe it? That's
what I'm saying. If it's anything other than that,
you're wet behind the ears. Are God's people the gospel converted? Are they different? I'll give
you a Joe answer. Yes and no. In our flesh we are no different.
Paul states it, Romans 7, 18, first part, I know that in me
that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. And he was saying
that about himself while he was writing the inspired scripture.
And he goes on to say, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver
me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Yes, in Christ we are different.
And Paul puts it this way to the Corinthians. First Corinthians
four verse seven. I wanna read that to ya. I'm
closing this down. First Corinthians chapter four
and verse seven. For who maketh thee to differ
from another? You see, the difference is a
who. It's a who. Now yes, there are
some what's. but there are no real what's
that are different apart from the who. Do you understand what
I'm saying now? I'm not trying to speak in couch
language. I'm just using the, for who maketh
thee to differ from another? Somebody did, but it's God only. For who maketh thee to differ
and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou
hast, if thou, Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory
as if thou hast not received it? In other words, I will sum
that up. God gave this difference to you
by pure, free, reigning grace. Now why you bragging about yourself?
Any difference you have is because God Almighty made the difference. Now you understand what I mean
when I said making a difference. We ain't talking about going
down pigeon hole. I'm gonna watch Mason a while, see if he's an
apostate or not. No, you better look in here. But when you look
in here, you know what you're gonna see? Flesh. And it's gonna scare the living
bejeebies out of you. But if God's given you life,
you'll run to Christ. If he hasn't, you'll try to doctor
it up, make it look pretty, put some smellums on it, and just
try to make the flesh be presentable to God. And it will not work,
it is apostate. So now, I will give you Augustine's
quote again. God lost neither the severity
of his justice in the goodness of mercy, nor the goodness of
his mercy in the exactness of his severity. I found that quote
this morning by accident. Strike out that word, accident. It's not by blood, it's not by
the will of the flesh, and it's not by the will of man. You don't
want to depend upon me for you to be saved. I can't even save
myself, let alone you. My conclusion to this is thanks
being to God, he is making the difference. I'm done.