turn to Numbers chapter 5. Numbers chapter 5. I do welcome those who may be with
us online, live streaming. Numbers
chapter 5. I will not read the chapter.
It is quite lengthy. It is made up of three clearly
distinct separate commands. My title, as most of you probably
already know, is this, Three Vital Lessons. They're actually three first
principles. Now, I hope you read the chapter
and are at least familiar with the chapter, Numbers chapter
five. If you're not, go back and read it later. But I do ask
you, whoever you might be, Here in person or listening live,
listen to what I have to say this morning. I've been trying
to preach for 35 or 36 years, and I will not dare tell you
I'm not a proud man. I will not dare tell you I'm
not a proud man. But God has not put me here for 35, 36 years
for nothing. And those of you who have never
stood in this place, keep your mouth shut. Listen listen our
brothers and sisters of Israel Believers I'm not saying all
of Israel are believers. I am saying our brothers and
sisters of Israel back then When these events were taking place
and these things literally took place back several thousand years
ago Our brothers and sisters of Israel, our fellow believers,
amidst the masses of Israelites, unbelievers. Unbelievers. The majority of
them were unbelievers. The majority of their carcasses
fell in the wilderness because of what? One main thing. One main thing. unbelief. But our brothers and sisters,
amidst this morass, we often, preachers often speak to that
mixed multitude. That mixed multitude included
full-blooded Jews. The Israelites. They weren't
just the rabble. Amidst the Israelites, the Israelites
were the rabble. But our brothers and sisters
were forced to operate under the yoke of the law. They were
forced to operate under the yoke of the law. I say to everyone
that thinks that the law is your rule of life, read Numbers chapter five and
then live it. Live it. Why, I prefer the Ten
Commandments. It doesn't matter what you prefer.
Numbers chapter 5 is the commandments of God, just as Exodus chapter
20 is. So our brothers and sisters amongst
Israel were forced to operate under the constraints and the
yoke of the law, having been tallied at Sinai, and they were
tallied at Sinai. They were tallied. Those who
were tallied were tallied according to God's own design. He did not
ask men or women's opinion as to who should be tallied. He
did not ask the tally for his benefit. He knew exactly how
many there were. He created each and every one
of them. We call it sometimes procreation,
but procreation is still in the hands of the sovereign God. Some of you men and women ought
to know that by now. You're not gonna have any more
children. Who determined that? God did. God did. But having been tallied
at Sinai, and before they strike out to Canaan, they are given
several last instructions. Three are dealt with in our chapter.
Let me give you the historical context of these three. First
of all, I want you to think about this. They were to banish some
to dwell outside the camp. Lepers, people who had an issue,
that is, everyone who had some kind of running, bleeding sore,
or a woman who was on her menses. That's just the way it is. This
is the law. Or someone who had touched a
dead body, knowingly or inadvertently. or accidentally they were to
be banished without the camp. That's verses one through four.
But they were not to be left behind. This is not, all right, you folks
are stuck right here at Sinai. Now, I'm not going to preach
on that, but I hope you remember that. as we look at these three
vital lessons. That's the first thing. Secondly,
there is this law of restitution. It's said to be 120%. That's
the principal part and a fifth part. It's 520s make 100%. 120% and a 100% restitution is
demanded on any defaulted deal. You could not file for bankruptcy
under law. Do you hear what I'm saying? Yes, you have the glory of Jubilee.
You may have the blessing, you may have the blessing of a near
kinsman, but if you were owed money, and you died. And your near kinsman also had
died. The person who owed you money
still had to pay the 120%. It would then go to who? Did you read it? The priest.
You see that? How would y'all like me to be
your priest? Boy, not very many smiles on
that one. Now someone might say, well, This seems awful negative. All three of these things are
negative. And I fought with this for a
while. I thought, well, this is going to be too much on the
negative side. But you know what? I don't care.
I've been, no, I'm not gonna go there. I am not here to try
to please men. If you don't know that about
me after 35 years, then you don't know me. You don't know me. restitution is demanded. Even
the death of the creditor or his kin could not dissolve the
debt. What's this teaching? Veracity,
truthfulness, and honesty is absolutely vital. Vital. Truth, veracity will be
honored. We'll be honored. Now, these
three things mean exactly what they mean. These Israelites,
believers or unbelievers, were forced to operate under the constraints
of these three things. Many more, but these three things
for the present time we're talking about. But truth, veracity, is
vital. Thirdly, the trial of jealousy.
That's verses 11 through 31. The second one was, of course,
five through 10. The trial of jealousy, verses 11 through 31.
This is a strange ordeal. I've read through this Bible
many times until I started reading through numbers. I'd totally
forgotten about this right here. This is a strange command. Is it not? Strange ordeal, a strange ceremony. And basically, if you were married,
you were a woman, you were married, and your husband became jealous
over you, if he thought you'd been with another man, couldn't
even prove it, just thought it, you had to go through an ordeal
if you were a woman. I will not apologize for God's
command. I will not apologize for God's
command. But this is still a strange ordeal.
It's called the trial of jealousy, some call it. It manifests this. It manifests the subjection of
the wife to the husband. That's what it manifests. But
note, but note, the husband had to provide the offering. You see that? You remember reading
that? The husband had to provide the offering. I'm not even gonna
talk about that in particular, but think about that as we look
at these three vital lessons. Are there really three vital
lessons here for us today? Yes, there are. Here they are.
One, and this will be put mostly in a negative connotation. It's
gonna be said, this is what we ought to do. but we don't always do them. But the fact that we don't always
do them, and the fact that we, Mason, you and I talked about
this, the fact that we cannot always do them does not mean
that we are to not seriously, sincerely engage in these three
things all the time, as much as God Almighty enables us. Here they are, number one, We
must always deal with our inner corruption. That's what we're
taught in verses one through four. Leprosy, running issues,
menses. Remember our righteousnesses
are what? Menses cloths. And as I remember Moose Park
said, that's disgusting. It is disgusting, but God wants
us to have some inkling of what even our righteousnesses are
like in his sight. It is disgusting. But think about
it, it's disgusting to God. And that's my righteousnesses. We're not even talking about
our sin and our sins yet. But verses one through four teaches
us this. We must always deal with our
inner corruption. Second lesson, number two. We
must always deal truthfully and honestly with one another. Our dealings with one another
should be above board. If you owe somebody something, pay it
up. And I'm not talking just about money, of course money.
But pay it up. In other words, truthfulness
and honesty, veracity is vital. If not, we will eat one another
alive. We will eat one another alive.
We must always deal truthfully and honestly with one another.
Thirdly, we must always deal with infidelity to our husband. Now I thought, had God said,
here's what you've been doing. Good boys, good girls. I would
preach it that way. Right? But God's not giving a
pat on the back. He said, here's my commands.
Follow them. And they are law. But the law
teaches us a lesson. The first lesson the law teaches
us is what? Our corruption. When you first
read this, you think, this is kind of out of place. Why not
go directly to the worship? The actual establishing of the
tabernacle, right? Why not go there? I thought,
why not go there first, then tack on some of these other things? Because here's where we start.
And let me tell you something. When God Almighty converts a
soul, male or female, young or old, bond or free, whatever it
is, black or white, whatever it is, God will start by revealing
to you and to me how bad we really are. We're not really gonna see
how great Christ is, even until we begin to be shown how bad
we really are. So this is not coincidence. God
didn't just stick in a few extra commands. I thought, why not
idolatry? Well, idolatry's here. You join to a husband and you
go step out on him? Huh? Huh? Yeah, we must always
deal with our infidelity to our husband. And who is our husband?
You know who our husband is. Jesus Christ the Lord. Number
one, we must always deal with our inner corruption. God has
ordained that we must deal with our depravity all through our
sojourn. Israel had to deal with the lepers
and the issues of blood and death. God was killing them right and
left when they were going through this 40-year ordeal, later as
we see it happen. They come right up to the gates,
we might say, of the promised land, and they rebel against
God. God turns them right around and
says, back into the wilderness until everybody above 20 years
old is dead, but two. Right? So there was dead bodies
dropping right and left here and there. Was there not? How
do you not come in? How do you wake up in the morning
and the spouse is dead beside you? Joe, you've touched them.
What if they died overnight? I didn't mean to, it doesn't
matter. Outside the camp. These were
loved ones out here having to mingle around amidst the lepers
and the issues of blood. Do you understand the gravity
of what's being said? That's how bad we are. May we never deny our inner corruption. But also may we never suppose
that we've grown above our utter corruption. Grow we are to, right? Grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but never grow above
this. In me, that is in my flesh, dwells
what? No. How many? No. No good thing. It don't ever get better. It don't ever get better. Look
at Colossians. I'll read through that, make
a quick statement, a few brief statements. Hopefully I'm not
lying to you when I say that. Colossians chapter 3. If you
then be risen with Christ, and this is the only people that
this will be valid to. False religion tries to get the
unregenerate to start conducting themselves the way of verses
five on down through the book. The unregenerate not just cannot,
they will not. They will not. This is to those
who be risen with Christ. And if we are risen with Christ,
we're to what? Seek those things which are above,
where Christ is at, right? Set your affection on what? Things
up there, things up there. For you're dead and your life
is hid with Christ in God. And when Christ who is our life
shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.
Mortify therefore. Now this is just as much true
valid and vital as Ephesians chapter 1 and the verses and
truths that Paul just spoke to you about just about 15 minutes
ago. Just as true, basically just
as true. Mortify therefore, now not sanctify. Don't try to make
these things better. Now I know we all know that,
but we still try to make them better, don't we? We kind of
nibble around on the edges of them hoping it'll kind of you
know well It's going to be there, so I might as well make it better.
Don't try to make it better kill it If there's something that your
mind lusts after kill it kill it how often preacher every time
it takes to If it takes 100 times a day, or once a week, or once
a year, or once in a lifetime. It doesn't matter, just kill
it. Mortify therefore your members
which are upon the earth. But he explains so there's no
confusion here. It means appendages, that's what
the word members means, but it's not like some people, this hand's
grabbed, Christ said if your hand offends you, cut it off.
You know the end of that, don't you? you will end up with no
hands. You will end up with no feet.
You will end up with no eyes. Because if you truly follow the
command to its ultimate end, you will be nothing but a bleeding
vegetable. Mortify therefore your members
which are upon the earth. And what are they? He names just
a few. Fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection. We are
to have affection to some things in this world. but this is inappropriate,
seriously inappropriate affection. Let me put it that way. Inordinate
affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, and that's
what? That's idolatry. For which things sake, the wrath
of God cometh upon the children of disobedience, in the which
he also walked sometime when you lived in him. Walk in life. or rather I should
say in the right order, life and walk go hand in hand. Oh, I have life from God. You've
got no walk in that life, you've got no life from God. I don't
care what you profess, what I profess. If you live in these things,
you're going to do what? You're going to walk in them.
But if you have a different life now, If you have a God-given
life now, you're going to seek to do what? Mortify. Kill those things. They disgust
you while you enjoy them. Can you relate to what I just
said? Some of you religious folk have no idea what I just said.
But can you relate to what I said? And to which you also walked
sometime when you lived. But now put off all these. Anger,
wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Lie not one to another. You see it? Lie not one, and
we ain't even really got to the second point yet. Paul didn't
jump right on the middle of it, did he? Truth, veracity. Don't
lie about what you really are. By nature. Lie not one to another,
seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds, and
have put on the new man, but look, Look at this, this is what
I want to zero in on for just a couple of minutes. Which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. That lets me know this, hearing
the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ preached is paramount. Let me see that. This ain't just study your Bible,
get all your ducks in a row. It's renew, even the new man,
not because the new man is faulty. That baby back there is not faulty.
That baby's as much a human as I am. Right? But that baby still
has things to move into, does it not? That's what this is talking
about here. and put on the new man which
is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that, who created
him? Jesus Christ did. So it's only gonna be renewed
and I don't, Mason, I don't even know the best words to describe
all this. I just don't know, I don't have
that vocabulary but when you, when you knowingly, willingly,
lovingly force yourself to hear the gospel, Cause that's what
you gotta do when you got these appendages hanging around. Ain't
it? You gotta force yourself to hear
the gospel. It'll help. Yeah, that's apparent, it'll
help. It won't stop, they're always
there. How often do you need to mortify? Every time they raise
their ugly head. And then you can go back and
read Ephesians chapter four verses 17 through 24, but turn there
because we will be very close to there in just a moment. Ephesians four, 17 through 24. Paul basically says the same
thing, but remember he starts out verse 17. This I say therefore
and testify in the Lord that ye henceforth, what? Walk not
as other Gentiles walk in the emptiness of their mind. But that's not the main problem.
Having the understanding darkened. That's why they're empty-minded.
But that's not the main problem. Look, being alienated from the
life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the
blindness of their heart. So our problem starts where?
Down in here. Down in here. in here and their
past feeling, but you haven't so learned Christ. It's different
for you. It's different for you. So number
two, we must always deal truthfully and honestly with one another.
God has ordained the means. I thought about this the other
day. I thought, you know, we talk about means, means, means,
and I think, is that really in the Bible? And then here Joe
comes along and preaches the passage, and it says, by all
means. So the actual phrase is in the Bible. And here I am,
a great theologian, and I didn't know that. Well, a few of you smiled a little
bit. You realize that was tongue in cheek, don't you? Jeez, y'all
folks are harder than I am. God has ordained the means that
we might see this come to fruition. Now look at Ephesians 4. And
I'll begin, for the sake of time, In verse 11, but quickly, Jesus
Christ gave gifts to men. Now there are a lot of gifts
he gave to men. A lot of gifts. But there are some specific ones
here in the context of this passage. Before Paul even got to that,
this I say therefore and testify in the Lord, don't walk like
other people walk. Look what he said, here's the
gifts. And he gave some apostles. and some prophets, and some evangelists. We call them missionaries. I
think that's okay. Nothing wrong with that. And
some pastors and teachers, and that is the same office, pastor
slash teacher. A man who doesn't teach ain't
a pastor. And a man who don't pastor ain't really doing no
teaching. But why did he do this? I'll tell you in a minute. But
first of all, let me ask you a question. Are apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastor-teachers? Are they private offices for
private individuals? Are they? Are they private offices
for private individuals? Did God give you your own personal
little preacher, teacher? And he comes to your home? Sits
down with you? Huh? What are these offices? They are public offices. to be exercised in public fashion. Now sometime we might have to
go underground if they come after us, but Mason will still be when
God's people gather together. Do you understand what's, do
you see a pastor, don't go around house to house, Monday through
Sunday, giving everybody their own personal little sermon. God
never orders it when you come together. Isn't that what this
book, forsake not what? The assembling of yourselves
together, why? Because this is God's ordained
means. Forsake the means, you've abandoned
God. Don't come with all the, well
you don't have to do that to be saved, that's not the question. Has God saved you? If he has,
you will not be able to help. But I want to be around God's
people. And I need to be under a pastor
teacher. That's the most, I'm persuaded,
we could argue about it all day long, I'm persuaded the apostles
and prophets are gone. There are very few real evangelists
today because most every place has already heard the gospel
one time or another. But there's still pastor teachers.
and they are called a what? A G-I-S-T of Christ. For what reason? For the perfecting
of the saints. You won't get that without these
gifts. What happened? For the perfecting
of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying,
the building up of the body of Christ, till we all come in the
unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto
a perfect man, unto the measure or the stature or the fullness
of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to
and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the
slight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait. to
deceive. It is but speaking the truth
in love. You see it? You see it? Now,
are you like me and a part of you says, boy, I like that part
because I like to speak my mind. Well, nobody cares. Other than
two or three people, you got buffaloed. Yeah, nobody cares
about your mind. God don't care about your mind.
He said your thoughts ain't my thoughts. This ain't about speaking. Most people who speak their own
mind ain't nothing but a blowed up fish. They're talking about
their opinion. This is about speaking the truth
of God in Christ. It don't matter about my opinion
about politics or your opinion about politics. God's in control
of all of it. It don't matter about your opinion
about how a household ought to be run economically anymore. It don't matter. God Almighty's
got all that in his hand. And let me tell you something.
As a husband, I am the head of my wife. I am not the head of
you wives. Did you hear what I just said? I am not the head of you wives. The husband's the head of the
W-I-F-E. I'm telling you folks, but don't
abandon God's ordained means, you will suffer. You will suffer. There will be no true spiritual
growth. Look, but speaking the truth in love may grow. Do you speak the truth to yourself? Is that what you do? Do you preach
to yourself? Do you fellowship with yourself?
You got poor company to fellowship with then. I love you, but I'm
saying the same thing about me. If you are all you got, you ain't
got nothing. If I'm all I got, I ain't got
nothing. But speaking the truth in love
may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ,
from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted
By that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working
in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto
the edifying of itself in love. I need you. I need you. You understand that? Everyone
of you here. I need you. If God shuts this thing down,
that's God's business, but I pray he don't shut it down till I'm
dead. Do you understand what I'm saying? Till I'm dead. If he brings not another soul
in this group, I pray we stay together till the last two of
us are together and then God help the last one. Do you understand
what I'm talking about? Hmm. I would not have survived
these past 35, 36 years without you. I would have lost my ever-loving
mind. I hope that's a little bright
ray of sunshine in your cloudy life. God's ordained this means, oh
God help us, to never take these things for granted. Now this is amongst us, that
we're to be what? Honest and truthful with one
another, right? Honest and truthful with one
another. Compassionate, loving toward one another. We don't
see eye on eye on everything, do we? We don't. But bless God,
ain't none of us knows anything yet as we ought to know it. And
when we think we stand, look out. We're ready for a big time
tumble. And that's, I ain't preaching
down to you. I've been there. So God's ordained
this. But think of it, Romans 12, I've
got to hurry. Most folks won't get all this
later probably. It's gonna be a little lengthy, but Romans
12, I beseech you by the mercies of God, present your bodies a
living sacrifice. God, it's yours. Do with it what
you will. Isn't that what he's saying there? And he goes on how we don't all
have the same gifts, but we all have something to give to one
another. Even if it's just gathering on a Saturday to socialize and
fellowship. That keeps you going. You know
what I mean? Keeps you going, but then it's
not just in our midst Israel was to provide things honest
and truthful even when they were passing through the enemy's land Look at it. He goes through this
about amongst the body, but then look at what he says verse 10
Be kindly affection one to another with brotherly love now. That's
amongst us and other Others who are called by the grace of God.
People in other local assemblies. But look, be in kindly affection
one to another, with brother to love, in honor, and do what?
Don't be out for self. And that is so hard not to do. Do you know that? I like to think
I care about my wife more than me, but I know it ain't true. I know it ain't not in my flesh,
it ain't. Preferring wasn't, not slothful
in business. Do the job you're paid for. Well,
he don't pay, she don't pay me enough. Why did you agree to
the job then? Quit and go get another one making
more money. I can't do it. Well, shut up and make the money
you've been promised. Huh? Don't be slothful in business.
Give a good day's work for what you were promised you're going
to get. If they try to, I said the wrong words there. If they
try to hoodoo you, and you've got recourse, then use the recourse,
legally. But don't be slothful in business.
Fervent in spirit, don't be lazy inside. Now some of us can't
help, but the outside's breaking down. Right? The outside's breaking
down. But be fervent inside, be fervent
in spirit. Doing what? Serving the Lord. When you go to work, Who are
you truly working for? The Lord. Rejoicing in hope,
patient in tribulation, constant, continuing instant in prayer,
distributing to the necessity of saints, giving to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you.
Now we're getting into some tough road here. Bless them which persecute
you, bless, and do not curse. That ain't talking about cussing
them. That's talking about trying to get back at them. Pronouncing
the heebie-jeebie on them put them a good old four planted
cross father son and holy ghost on you hmm Rejoice with them
that do rejoice and weep with them that weep not everybody
has to be like you or me I'm having a happy day. Don't bring
me down somebody besides just weeping do what? Weep with them
you know how hard that really is to do or if you're weeping
and somebody else is rejoicing I'm gonna bring them, bless God,
they gonna come down with me. You ever been there? I mean,
I'm having a bad day, and my family's gonna have a bad day,
and my people I work with's gonna have a bad day, and the people
at Walmart, when I go to Walmart, they gonna have a bad day too,
cuz I'm having a bad day. No, weep with those that weep,
rejoice with those that rejoice. Be of the same mind one to another,
mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not
wise in your own conceits. Don't think you understand it
all, because you don't. That's the easiest way I know
how to put it. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide
things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as
much as life in you, live peaceably with all men. Somebody comes
up, smacks my wife, we're probably going to rumble. I may get my
backside kicked, but we're going to rumble. I'm going to rumble. But Joe, if he just comes up
and says, hey, I seen you on the TV the other day, and just
whacks me right between the eyes, what should I do? First, if he's
pretty good size, you better lay on the ground and stay there.
That's right. Well, I'll get my gun out. He
may take it away from you and hurt you with it. That's right. That's right. Don't think you've
got it. No, I remember Moose Parks got punched right in the
face one time. Did y'all know that? It took the women of the
church to run the other fella off. You think Moose got up and said,
all right, we're gonna rumble. No, Moose just took it. Do you think he's
gonna advance the kingdom of God by standing up and fist fighting
that fella? No, sir. No, sir. And if you think anything
different, you're wrong. You're wrong. Dearly beloved,
avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto what? Not just somebody that don't,
not somebody that just cuts you off, or you cut them off and
they honk the horn at you and gives you the middle finger.
No, give place unto what? Wrath. Wrath. Why? Because God'll deal with
this thing. You remember David. Now David
didn't always, David wasn't always in this mood, was he? What was
the one guy's name that treated his fellows bad? He ended up
burying the man's wife after he had him killed. Did he not? Nabel, wasn't it? Yeah. He took
old Nabel out. Of course, his wife even recognized
what he really was. But she tried to tell him, David,
don't do this thing. But he did. But then here comes another guy,
and he's just chunking rocks. They're just throwing gravel
at him. And David finally was in the right state of mind. You
know what he said? The Lord bid him curse. Let him curse. Not just leave
him alone, let him curse! Well, now y'all not talk, let
him curse! God bid him do it. Maybe God
will requite me good for his evil this day. And then what
he said? Therefore, If thine enemy hunger,
feed him. If he thirst, give him drink.
For so doing thou shalt heat coals of fire upon his head.
And here's the answer to that. Be not overcome of evil, but
overcome evil with good. How? It don't just do the good. God will deal with this. See,
we think we've got to see some kind of results. God will bring
out the results. That was just number two. We
must always deal with infidelity to our husband. Now, we see the
crescendo of these other two things. Now, I don't have time. Galatians 1, Paul said of those,
he said, not Galatians 1, but in the epistle to the Galatians,
he said, I'm afraid of you. Lest I bestow labor upon you
in vain. And why was that? Because they
went back to drinkin' and smokin' and goin' to the, oh, they didn't
have movies, did they? Goin' to the theater or whatever
they had back then? No, because you've turned from
the gospel. You turned from Christ, you turned
from God who called you to another gospel, and he said it ain't
even really another gospel, it's a perversion of the gospel of
Christ. You see, the first two things I've mentioned to you
are religious fluff without the third. You hear what I said? Always
dealing with your inner corruption. Oh, I'm a sinner. I don't know
how many people have told me that lately. Oh, I'm a sinner.
Really? Do you flee to Christ? Do you
run to Christ? Well, I lied to you in church.
Now, wait a minute. If you're a sinner, you see the
first two are but religious fluff without the third. Even this
songwriter. The dearest idol I have known,
whate'er that idol be, I don't care if it's your spouse, I don't
care if it's a child, I don't care if it's your job, I don't
care if it's your reputation, and on, and on, and on. I don't care if it's your local
church. Christ is the head. Whate'er
that idol be, help me to do what? tear it from its throne and worship
only Thee. So shall my walk be close with
God. You wonder why you're in constant
turmoil and you feel depressed all the time? Because you've
refused to walk according to these three first principles. That's why. That's why when the
least little things happen, you fly all apart and you feel like
you need a swig or some kind of pill. I know what I'm talking
about. Because we refuse to walk by
these first three principles. We must always deal with our
inner corruption. We must always deal truthfully
and honestly with one another. And we must always deal with
our infidelity to our husband. Right? You see, confessing utter
corruption is a mere talking point without fidelity to Jesus
Christ. I'm summing up now. We're getting
close to the end. Confessing utter corruption is
a mere talking point. It's just saying stuff with your
lips. Exactly. If what you have with that is
just infidelity to Christ, it's just a talking point. Oh, I'm
such a sinner. If you're such a sinner and you
know who Christ is, you want to run to him and worship him.
Second thing, truthfulness and honesty are pretend without fidelity
to Christ. Amen. Do you know that? I mean,
you ought to be truthful and honest, but it's nothing without
fidelity to Christ. Thirdly, when we sincerely engage
fidelity to Christ, the other two things will begin to fall
in place. When you get caught up with Jesus
Christ, and it ain't gonna last forever on a mountaintop experience. That's not what I'm talking about.
God constantly brings us to the top to do what? To kick us off
into the bottom. You heard what I just said? He
puts us on the mountaintop to do what? Kick us back into the
bottom. Why? So we can realize, boy,
that's sweet up there. And let me tell you something,
God has numbered us. It's hard for me to remember
this. We are exactly the number we're supposed to be here. We
were gathered there yesterday, and I was reminiscing my mind
and missing people Were you any of you? Many of they weren't
there. They're not there. They're not
going to be there anymore And there are others especially back
way back young I remember we'd gather together and the kids
would be playing and to be noise and racket and volleyball and
basketball Most of us can't even pick up the basketball anymore,
huh? That's all right It's God's sovereign
purpose. God has numbered us and our sojourn
is going to be through this wilderness and it's going to be tough and
there may be a time you have to place yourself outside the
camp and just sit and moan for a while. Huh? Repent for a while. Hmm? I could go into a lot. Paul said that passage using
Joe just before he got there, he said a man don't obey this
epistle. You know what he said to do? You avoid him. That he
may be ashamed. Does he say that or not? God
help me, Joe, never find myself on that bottom side. God has
numbered us and our sojourn through this wilderness must, it must
have these first three principles or the Nazarite veil and the
tabernacle glory will mean nothing to us. But do you hear what I
just said? These are the first three principles.
This ain't happenstance that God give this. These things were
written for what reason? Why were these things written?
for our learning. God teach us. God teach us. Mack, would you close us in prayer,
please? We thank you for the time you've given us. We thank
you for the gospel and all it teaches us. May we grow in the
grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through studying
thy word. Help us to overcome the temptations
of the world and put on Jesus Christ our Lord these things
we ask in Jesus name. Amen.