Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, April 13, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:15-30

Text: Exodus 32:26

Exodus 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

Introduction: Here we have an example of a “public invitation.” Due to poor planning on my part and problems with my health, I didn’t manage to finish the layouts for my book, “A Defense of the Public Invitation” last week like I had intended, but hopefully we will get it together soon. I believe in a public invitation. I believe people should not be ashamed to confess Christ after they are saved. I believe people should not be ashamed to consecrate themselves to the Lord’s service, as well.

This was a crisis in the congregation Moses had brought out of Egypt. The problem was that they had not come out without some contamination. In the midst of the children of Israel was a multitude of people who didn’t love God at all. Moses demanded for those who DID love God to step out and identify themselves.

I think we need to see that happen in churches today. Not everyone in church loves God. Many people in church are lost, and some of them are just as mean and just as wicked as the devil.

WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?

I. THOSE WHO STAY RIGHT WHEN THE PREACHER IS AWAY

Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Examples of betrayal behind the leader’s back – Absalom and Adonijah

A. While Moses was on the mount, the people were in a mess

B. While Moses was in intimate fellowship with God, the people were in idolatry and fornication

C. While Moses was communing with God, getting God’s commandments, the people were corrupting themselves with a golden calf!

II. THOSE WHO STAND AGAINST FALSE WORSHIP

Exodus 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Jude exhorted us by inspiration of God to “earnestly contend for the faith”

A. False deities

The god of Islam is not the God of the Bible
The Bible speaks of “another” Jesus, another spirit and of gods many and lords many

B. False dependencies

Money
Military might

C. False doctrines

Doctrines of devils

III. THOSE WHO SHUN THE MUSIC AND MORALS OF EGYPT

Exodus 32:17-19 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. 18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. 19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

A. Dance music

Contemporary Christian music (CCM) – rock, rap and ridiculous

B. Defiling music

Connected with nakedness, fornication, and idolatry

C. Devilish music

Background music for worship of the golden calf

IV. THOSE WHO STEP OUT FROM AMONG THE UNGODLY