Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?

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The story of the golden calf in Exodus is very tragic.

In spite of all the magnificent display of God’s power for their deliverance, the children of Israel reverted to idolatry; making for themselves a calf god of gold and worshipping it as the one which brought them out of Egypt.

To bring them out of Egypt, the Lord had sent ten powerful plagues upon the land of Egypt and upon all their gods, climaxing with the death of every first born of the Egyptians.

The Pharaoh literally expelled them with immediate effect.

Even when he realised his mistake and went after them with the full force of Egyptian chariots, the Lord showed that He was God, and that no one could fight Him and win!

The Red Sea parted, and Israel passed through on dry ground, but the entire Egyptian cavalry drowned in the Red Sea.

Before this incident they had seen the power of God on many other occasions – manna from heaven was provided from Heaven for them which would last for 40 years; They drank water that gushed out of the rock; Moses had received the Ten Commandments of God to guide them.

In spite of all these, they made their own idols and began to worship them while Moses was up in the Mountain with God.

In our own time aren’t there those who start out with God as Christians, and then later revert to what they had left behind?

You cannot win if you do that.

The apostle Peter described it as the dog turning back to his own vomit and the pig that was washed to her wallowing in the mire ().

Who is on the Lord’s side?

The right side?

The victorious side?

The winning side?

1. THE MORAL INSANITY OF THE FAITHLESS WHO WORSHIP IDOLS

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Unsaved man always wants to have his own way.

They proudly proclaim, “with our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own.

Who is lord over us?” ().

In their foolish pride they proclaim, there is no God.

They do this so that they can continue to live in corruption, and practice abominable things.

They forsake the fountain of living water and make for themselves broken containers that can hold no water ().

That is what the children of Israel did making the golden calf.

They forsook the God who preserved their lives in Egypt, and delivered them with a strong hand; Who caused the Red Sea to part to create a passage for them where there was none; Who gave them fresh water out of rocks; sent them manna from Heaven and meat from the sky; Who guided them with the Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by night; Who crushed all their enemies before them; Who called them to be His chosen People!

They forsook Him and went after a god of gold made with their own hands.

A god made with their own hands!

Moses in righteous anger smashed the tables of the Ten Commandments and demanded of them, who was on the Lord’s side!

Many Christians, a large proportion of them, act very much like these Israelites.

Do we act as though we recognise the terrible price Jesus paid for our redemption?

He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.

The chastisement of our peace was upon Him.

Christ gave His life a ransom for many.

He was crucified, dead and buried.

Christ died, the Just for the unjust!

In the world if someone did something like this for another person, that man or woman will commit themselves totally and wholeheartedly to their benefactor or helper.

A large proportion of Christians are Christians half-heartedly.

The commitment of such people is questionable.

Many times, you don’t know where they stand.

They are more comfortable with the world than with the people of God.

Today they are strong; tomorrow they are compromising.

In Church they appear fine; but outside the Church they are worldly.

They serve God with their mouth, but their hearts are far away from Him ().

They come as my people come and sit before you as my people.

They hear your words but will not do them.

With their mouth the show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness (; ).

(i) When you forget that you are a child of God and behave like the world, you are not on the Lord’s side.

(ii) When you fail to totally commit yourself to God and serve Him as He deserves, you are not on the Lord’s side.

(iii) When you feel dissatisfied with God’s methods, God’s timing, God’s plans, you are not on the Lord’s side.

(iv) When you magnify your own ideas and thought and plans above God’s Word, you are not on the Lord’s side

(v) When like Demas, love this present world with its lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye and the pride of life, you are not on the Lord’s side.

(vi) When you join sinners in their blatant disobedience to God’s word; in changing the truth of God into a lie, either because of fear or because you like it that way, you are not on the `Lord’s side.

(vii) When you do nothing to promote the preaching of the Gospel, to winning of souls, to the strengthening of believers, you are not on the Lord’s side.

(viii) When you fail to love the brethren and support those who are weak, and strengthen those who are struggling, you are not on the Lord’s side.

Turn away today from those idols, those things that you count to be more important than God, His Church and His people.

Return to the narrow way today.

Be not afraid of suffering for your faith in Christ.

You will experience the power of God the more!

2. THE MINORITY OF THE FAITHFUL WHO WORSHIP THE TRUE GOD

All through the ages, people who

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All through the ages, people who stay on the Lord’s side have always been in the minority.

(i) They were in the minority in the days of Noah ()

3. THE MEANINGFUL INSTRUCTION FOR THOSE ON THE LORD’S SIDE

(ii) They were in the minority at the destruction of Sodom ()

(iii) They were in the minority who went to war with Gideon (()

(iv) They were in the minority at the defeat of Goliath ()

(v)They were in the minority at the Crucifixion of Christ ()

(vi) They are in the minority who walk the Narrow Way ()

The same situation is still applicable today.

Those who are on the Lord’s side are in the minority.

Those who walk in the narrow way are in the minority.

Those who believe and practice holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, are in the Minority.

Only eight people were saved at the waters of Noah.

Only three people were rescued from Sodom during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Out of thousands that came out to go to war with Gideon, only 300 were ready!

The disciples of Christ deserted Him at the crucifixion.

It was only a hand full of followers that remained with Him till the end

3. THE MEANINGFUL INSTRUCTION FOR THOSE ON THE LORD’S SIDE

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Frances Havergal’s song, “Who Is on the Lord’s Side?” has been used for more than a century to challenge Christians to make a definite commitment to follow Christ in spiritual warfare.

Who is on the Lord’s side?

Who will serve the King?

Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?

Who will leave the world’s side?

Who will face the foe?

Who is on the Lord’s side?

Who for Him will go?

Not for weight of glory, not for crown and palm, enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm; but for Love that claimeth lives for whom He died: He whom Jesus nameth must be on His side.

Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem, but with Thine own life-blood, for Thy diadem.

With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee.

Thou hast made us willing; Thou hast made us free.

Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe, but the King’s own army none can overthrow.

Round His standard ranging, vict’ry is secure, for His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.

We learn from history that all the apostles of Christ were totally sold out to the work committed to them.

We see that through them, the Church spread all over the world.

But they were severely persecuted, crucified or killed.

Only one managed, after much persecution, to die without being crucified or killed.

But they accomplished the work of spreading the Gospel in their time.

Through their sweat, through their blood and through their death, we received the gospel of our salvation.