Amen. All right. Well, thank you very much for being here this morning. I appreciate. all of you being here today. And of course, I'd like to begin by saying, first of all, thank you to Pastor Berzins and Mrs. Berzins, of course, for their hospitality. And it's always a fun time to be at this camping trip. And, you know, I like it because they always put me on the elite side and that's always nice. But I enjoy the fellowship. And I just want to say thank you, of course, to Pastor Mrs. Berzins, thank you to the Stronghold Baptist Church family. I realize that an event like this requires a lot of work, a lot of helpers, and everything's been wonderful. The food has been great. The fellowship has been great. And of course, I like to spend time with my pastor friends, and I've enjoyed seeing them. And a great sermon last night by Pastor Robinson. He literally brought the thunder last night. So that's pretty awesome. And he did a great job. And of course, I'm happy to be here. I've got my entire family with me on this trip, my wife and all six of our children. So it's been it's been a great trip so far. And again, I appreciate all of you being here this morning. We are there in. Numbers chapter 32 and back home in Sacramento at our church I'm actually preaching through a sermon series on Sunday nights entitled Wilderness Wanderings and we're doing a chapter-by-chapter study through the book of Numbers and we are wandering in the wilderness with the children of Israel through the book of Numbers. And I actually wrote the sermon that I'm preaching this morning. I actually wrote it to preach at our church on Sunday night. I've actually not yet preached it there. I'm going to preach it there this Sunday night. But after I wrote it for this Sunday night, I felt that it would be a good sermon to preach here as well. It's 7 a.m. in Sacramento right now, so I'm banking on the fact that nobody is on the live stream watching the sermon from our church, but that's okay. If they get it twice, I'm sure it'll be good for them. In Numbers chapter 32, what I'd like to do this morning is I'd like to just outline this chapter for you, and if you've got a pen handy, if you like to take notes, then I would encourage you to take some notes, and if you've got a piece of paper, or maybe if you like to take notes in the margin of your Bible, you can do that. I'd like to outline this chapter for you, and I'd like to make some notes, make some points of application as we move along. through this chapter. And I'd like you to notice there, Numbers 32 and verse number 1, the Bible says, Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle. And when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that behold, the place was a place of cattle, the children of Gad and the children of Reuben And if you're taking notes this morning, and of course I always encourage you to take notes, I'd like you to notice that in this chapter, in the first five verses, verses 1 through 5, we see the request. And what we see is a request from the children of Reuben and the children of Gad, the tribes of Reuben and Gad, they make a request to Moses, and not only Moses, but of course to Eliezer the priest and to the princes. And I want you to notice what they said there in verse 3. They said, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jezer, and Nimrod, and Heshbon, and Elielah, and Shebom, and Nebo, and Bim, Even the country which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel is a land for cattle, and my servants have cattle. And just so you understand the context, the children of Israel are towards the end of their 40-year wandering in the wilderness. They're actually getting ready to enter into the Promised Land. Here, in just a short amount of time, chronologically, Moses is going to die, Joshua is going to take the reins, and they're going to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. They've not yet entered the Promised Land. They're still on the east side of the Jordan River, and the children of God and the children of Reuben How we saw there in verse 1, the Bible says that they have a very great multitude, and they're looking around at the land in which they find themselves before they've entered into the promised land, and they find themselves making this request. Look at it again there in verse 4. Even the country which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel is a land for cattle. and thy servants have cattle verse 5 here's the request and bring us not over Jordan. The request that is being made is this, they're saying the land that we're on right now, before we cross into the Jordan, before we cross into the land that they are going to conquer under the leadership of Joshua, they're looking at the land that they're in right now and they're saying this is a pretty good land for cattle. This is a land where cattle can be fed, where cattle can live, where we can live with our families and with the possessions that we have. And the request that they make is that they be given this land for a possession. And the disturbing part about the request is at the end there of verse 5, when they add, and bring us not over Jordan. The request they're making is, we understand that all of the congregation is going to cross into the Canaan land, the promised land, but their request is that they not go, that they stay back. Their request is bring us not over Jordan, Because the land where they're at is a good land. It's a good land for cattle and they have cattle. And the request that they're making is that they be allowed to stay back. And let me just say this in regards to this request. Don't be this person. You know, whether it's in church or men, whether it's at work, you know, there's always that person who's trying to ask if they can do less. I have people like this in our church. I actually try to avoid certain individuals in our church because it seems like every time they have a conversation with me, they're trying to ask if they can do less. If there's less that we can do in this area, if there's less that can be done in that area. And these individuals, they're coming to Moses and they're saying, let this land be given unto us and bring us not over Jordan. And you know, the attitude that you and I should have as believers is not You know, can we do less, but can we do more? It shouldn't be this idea that says, is there less that we can do? Is there less battles that we can fight? Is there less traveling that can be done? But we should be willing, like Isaiah the prophet. You don't have to turn here. Isaiah chapter 6 and verse 8, very well-known verses. The Bible says, Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I, send me. That ought to be the attitude of the Christian believer who says, hey, I'm willing, I'm ready, all volunteer, here am I, send me. But these individuals, they make a request and they don't come to Moses and say, hey Moses, how can we help? Hey Moses, we understand that this is going to be a transitional period. Joshua is going to be taking over. You're going to be stepping down. And of course, his ministry is going to come to an end and his life is going to come to an end. But they don't come to Moses and say, can we help? Can we do more? Is there more that can be done? They come to Moses and say, bring us not over. We don't want to do as much. We would not like to go over. And we need to be careful to make sure that we don't have this attitude that says, can we do less? And again, you men at work, make sure at work that you're not asking your boss, can we do less? Your boss says, here's what I'd like. Here's how I'd want it done. Here's the standards of excellence that I would like. And you're coming to him saying, well, that's a little too much. Can we do less? Don't be that guy. Be the person that says, here am I, send me. I'm willing to work, I'm willing to go, I'm willing to participate. So we see in verses 1 and 5 the request. And I would say to you, don't be the person who's asking to do less. Don't be the person who's trying to not go, to not be involved, to not participate. Always be the person who's willing to help and to help advance the cause of Christ. So we see the request. But then I'd like you to notice that in verses 6-15, not only do we see the request in verses 1-5, in verses 6-15 we see the rebuke. Verses 1 and 5 we see the request from the children of Reuben and the children of Gad to Moses. In verses 6-15 we see the rebuke from Moses to the children of Reuben and to the children of Gad. Because Moses takes their request and he understands it in a certain way. And the way he understands it is the way that they asked the question. They said, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession and bring us not over Jordan. We don't want to cross the Jordan River with you. We don't want to go into the Promised Land with you. Bring us not over Jordan. That question then triggers Moses to give a rebuke. Look at it there in verse 6. The Bible says, And Moses said unto the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben. And here's the question. And this is what I would call a piercing question. Every once in a while through the Bible, you get these types of questions where men of God stand up and they ask a question that is meant to kind of pierce through your heart, to get you to really think about what it is that you're doing, what it is that you're asking. We find these types of questions throughout the Bible. Moses asked another question similar to this when he asked, who is on the Lord's side? If you remember, Elijah the prophet, he asked people to decide. He said, look, you need to decide who you're going to serve. Joshua asked the children of Israel to choose you this day whom you will serve. And here we find that Moses, he asked this question, look at it there in verse 6. He says, shall your brethren go to war? And shall ye sit here? He says, show your brethren go to war, and show ye here. Because keep in mind, when they were going to cross over the Jordan, the understanding was that when they crossed over the Jordan, hey, they weren't going there for a camping trip, like you and I are in right now. They weren't going there on vacation. They weren't going there for R&R, rest and relaxation. They were going there to war. They were going there to battle. They were going there to fight against the wicked nations of Canaan, and to take the land, and to conquer the land. So when they asked the question, and they said, can we stay on this side, bring us not over Jordan? Then Moses asked the question, shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? Brethren, go to war, and shall ye sit here. And the idea is this that Moses is making to these two tribes. He's saying, what makes you think that you are exempt from going to war? What makes you think that what applies to the rest of the congregation doesn't apply to you? He said, what makes you think that if everyone else is going to cross through the Jordan River, everyone else is going to fight battles for the Lord, everyone else is going to battle on the Lord's side, that you would then be allowed to stay back and sit here and not participate and not be part of what the entire congregation is doing? He asked the question, sit here, shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here. I'd like you to keep your place there in Numbers 32. That's our text for this morning. But go with me, if you would, just real quickly to the New Testament book of 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy chapter 4. You've got 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy and Titus. 1 Timothy chapter 4. And do me a favor when you get there, put a ribbon or a bookmark or something there, because we're going to leave it and we're going to come back to it. And I'd like for you to be able to get to it quickly. 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12. And you know, often times what I've found in the Christian life, what I've found as a pastor in ministry, is that people sometimes, they may not say it out loud, they may not actually ask the question, but people sometimes take this attitude like they're exempt from certain things. That there are certain things in the Christian life that don't necessarily apply to them. And what we need to understand this morning is this. That everything that applies to anyone in the Christian life applies to everyone in the Christian life. If it's good for the goose, then it's good for the gander. And sometimes, you're there in 1 Timothy chapter 4, sometimes people will look at those of us in ministry, a pastor, a pastor's wife, a deacon, and they'll say, oh well that applies to the pastor. But that doesn't apply to the congregation. And I'm here to say to you this morning, that if it applies to the pastor, it should apply to you. 1st Timothy chapter, you said prove it from the Bible. Okay, 1st Timothy 4. 1st Timothy is a book in which the Apostle Paul is writing to a young preacher, Timothy. And of course, here's one of the places, the book of 1st Timothy, where we find the qualifications of a pastor. We also find them in Titus. But I want you to notice what Paul says to Timothy in 1st Timothy chapter 4 and verse 12. He says, let no man despise thy youth. And then he says this, but be thou an example, and I want you to note this word. In fact, if you don't mind writing in your Bible, you have to underline this word, or maybe circle this word. He says, but be thou an example of the believer. Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. See, when people oftentimes look at the pastoral qualifications, they get this idea and say, well those are the qualifications for the pastor. And they have this idea that says, well the pastor is supposed to be an example to the believers. But I want you to notice here that that is not what the Bible says. In fact, if you want to know what is the purpose of the pastoral qualifications, and why it is that the Bible makes such a big deal about pastoral qualifications, The reason that God makes a big deal about the pastoral qualifications is because the pastor and the pastor's wife and the pastor's family is supposed to set an example, not to the believers, but of the believers. So what does that mean? That means that you should be able to look at the pastor and his wife and his children and his family and look at him and say, that's what a Christian is supposed to look like. That's how a Christian is supposed, you say, I wonder what a Christian marriage should look like. Look at your pastor, look at your pastor's wife, they're supposed to be an example, not to the believer, but of a believer. So don't get this idea that says, well, no, that applies to Pastor Berzins, and that applies to Mrs. Berzins, but that doesn't apply to me, that doesn't apply to us. No, wait a minute, if it's good for him, it's good for you. If it's good for the pastor, it's good for the congregation. If it's good for the pastor's wife, it's good for the congregation. There is no exemption in the Christian life. Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? Go back to Numbers 32, if you would. Keep your place there in 1 Timothy chapter 4. When I was in the military, we had these dress regulations. And they were very particular about how you were to look and how you were to dress and what they expected from you. You had to have your hair cut in any certain way. Your hair couldn't touch your ears. There's all these regulations. And one of the regulations we had in the military was that no facial hair was allowed. You had to shave every day. You could not even have little prickly stubble or whatever coming out of your hair. You had to be clean shaven every day. That was one of the rules and that was one of the regulations. However, there were some individuals that weren't able to shave every day. The physical act of shaving would irritate their skin. Sometimes it would cause the hair in their face to actually begin to grow inwardly and they would break out and have rashes and have all sorts of problems. And if you had that, then you have to go to the doctor and you have to get a waiver, a shaving waiver. And they would actually give you a little exemption card that said you are exempt from shaving every day. They would tell you, the doctor would decide you need to shave once a week or you need to shave every two weeks or whatever. They would decide that, but you were exempt from shaving every day. Well, of course, you know, in the military you're dealing with a bunch of young people. Every once in a while you have some guy who doesn't want to shave. They don't have a waiver. But they don't shave, and they're hoping that everyone just assumes they've got an exemption card. So the way it worked on our base, at least, was that it was just this understood thing that if you were walking around in uniform and you were not clean shaven, anybody at any time could approach you and ask for your exemption card. And it didn't have to just be your sergeant. It didn't just have to be your commanding officer. It didn't even have to be somebody that outranked you. I mean, obviously, if you're an idiot, if you're going up to somebody that outranks you and asking them for an exemption card. But the idea was this. that at any time, anybody could call you on the carpet and say, hey, you're not clean shaven, let me see your waiver. You're not clean shaven, let me see your exemption. Where's your exemption that says that you don't have to shave? Because the thing is this, in the military, everyone is required to shave. And in the Christian life, sometimes I want to walk up to people, and I don't do this. But sometimes I want to walk up to people and ask, hey, where's your exemption card? Where's your waiver? Where's your exemption that exempted you from fighting in the Christian life? Because Moses asked this question to the children of Reuben and the children of God. He asked the question, shall your brethren go to war and shall ye sit here? I asked you this morning. Shall your brethren go soul winning and shall ye sit here? I mean, for those of you that don't feel the need to have to be a soul winner, don't feel the need to go soul winning, a question I have for you is, where's your exemption card? Where's your waiver signed by our captain, the Lord Jesus Christ, that said, this individual, this person, I've exempted them from going soul winning. They don't have to go soul winning. Shall your brethren go soul winning, and shall ye sit here? Do you know that soul winning is supposed to be a team effort? Soul winning is actually supposed to be something that we all, obviously we all individually participate in soul winning, but soul winning is actually supposed to be something that is done as a team, that is done in a team effort. Philippians chapter 1 and verse 27, you don't have to turn here, the Bible says this, only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent. I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, here's what Paul said, striving together for the faith of the gospel. We are supposed to be striving together, working together, engaging together in soul winning. And I ask you this morning, shall your brethren go soul winning, and shall ye sit here? Every member should be a soul winning member of an independent fundamental Baptist church. And if every soul winner, if every Christian got on board with this idea of soul winning, we would capture the entire nation for Christ! You say, well, do you expect your pastor to go soul winning? Well, I expect Pastor Burson to go soul winning. I expect Pastor Anderson to go soul winning. I expect Pastor Robinson to go soul winning. I expect Pastor Pozarski to go soul winning. Well, wait a minute. If you expect them to go soul winning, then you have to expect yourself to go soul winning, because the soul winning is a team effort. We ought to be striving together for the faith of the gospel. Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? You say, Pastor, you don't understand. I'm shy. Does that give you an exception? I understand being shy. So what do I do? Then go blushing. But go! Say, Pastor, you don't understand. I'm scared. I get that. Say, well, does that give you an exception? You say, then go holding someone's hand, but go. You say, Pastor, you don't understand. I get nervous and I'm not good with speaking skills. And I might not say, then go stuttering, go scared, go afraid. But you don't have an exemption to not go. God has commanded all of us to be involved in the Christian life. If it's good for one, it's good for all. Shall your brethren go to war? And shall ye sit here? I asked you this morning, shall your brethren go soul winning, shall ye sit here? How about this, shall your brethren go to church and shall ye sit here? Shall your brethren go to church on Sunday morning and you stay back and not participate? Shall your brethren go to church on Sunday night and on Wednesday night and shall ye sit here? The apostle Paul talked about his testimony and he said that you knew what manner I have been with you at all seasons. I like how he says, you know in what manner I've been with you at all seasons. And I often tell our church family, that includes football season? That includes baseball season? Why? Why? Look, if it's good, would anybody say it's not good to go to church on Sunday night? Don't go to church on Sunday night. It's going to hurt you. How could it hurt you to go to church on a Sunday night? How could it hurt you to go to church on Wednesday night? How could it hurt you to go to a place on not just Sunday morning, but on Sunday night and listen, if it's good to go to church on Sunday morning and be with God's people and have the word of God opened up and have a man of God stand up and preach the word of God. Hey, if it's good to do that on Sunday morning, let me tell you something. It's also good on Sunday night. It's also good on Wednesday night. And if it's good for anyone on Sunday night, then it's good for you on Sunday night. If it's good for anyone on Wednesday night, then it's good for you on Wednesday night. So your brethren go to church on Sunday night, and shall you sit here? Who gave you the exemption? Who gave you a waiver that said, no, you can stay home and watch the Giants play on Sunday night. No, you can stay home and watch the Sacramento Kings play on Sunday night. No, you can stay home and watch the Oscars on Sunday night. Who told you it was okay to not go to war? Shall your brethren go to war? And shall ye sit here? Shall your brethren serve? And shall ye sit here? You know that a church or organization is like any organization? About 20% of the people do 80% of the work. I don't know who's done all the work to bring together this particular event. This is an amazing event. It's ran well. It's beautiful. It's extremely organized and comfortable. But I don't know who participated. But I can tell you this, if I had to guess, I would say that about 20% of the people did 80% of the work, because that's usually how it works. And about 80% of the people do 20% of the work. And I ask you at your church, At your home church, shall your brethren serve and shall ye sit here? Shall your brethren clean the buildings and shall ye sit here? Shall your brethren participate in the audio-video ministry and shall ye sit here? Shall your brethren organize the soul winning times and shall ye sit here? Are you just going to be a spectator at church that just sits there and does nothing? Are you going to get involved in the fight? Shall your brethren go to war and shall ye sit here? How about this one? Shall your brethren tithe and shall ye sit here? Doesn't the Bible say, bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse? All the tithe! Well, pastor, you don't understand, I can't afford to tithe. That makes no sense. You can't afford to tithe. Hey, let me let you in on a little secret. Tithing is a percentage. So you can actually afford to tithe just as much as anyone else. Because it's a percentage of what you make. And I'm just asking you, shall your brethren tithe? Shall your brethren give? Shall your brethren invest financially in the work of the Lord? And shall you sit here? How about this one? Shall your brethren read their Bibles every day? And shall you sit here? Who gave you an exemption that says you don't have to read the Bible? The Bible says in Deuteronomy 17, 19, And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all his words of this law and these statutes, to do them. Why does the Bible say that we should read therein all the days of our life? That we may learn and that we may do them. Don't you expect your pastor to read his Bible every day? So of course I expect the pastor to read the Bible. Well if it's good for the pastor, then it's good for you. Where's your exemption card? Who said you don't have to read the Bible? Who said you don't have to get in the Word of God? Who said that you are exempt from opening up the Word of God and reading it every day? Jesus said man should not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. And I'm here to tell you that I need the Bible, you need the Bible, we all need the Bible. There's no one in this room who's exempt from participating in the Christian life. Shall your brethren go to war? And shall ye sit here? How about this? Shall your brethren pray and shall ye sit here? The Bible says pray without ceasing. The Bible says that all men should pray. The Bible says that we should all be involved in this ministry of prayer. Should your brethren pray? Is it just for some Christians? Just some Christians need to pray! Only some Christians! No, no, no! We all need to get engaged in this thing of spiritual warfare! Is it prayer being part of spiritual warfare? Well, it's listed there in Ephesians 6, the great passage about the armor of God ends with an exhortation to pray! We ought to pray! That's our secret weapon! You've got the armor to go into warfare, spiritual warfare, but prayer is that secret weapon in war. And we should all be in caves, in prayer. Shall your brethren go to war and shall ye stand, sit here? How about this one? Shall your brethren suffer persecution and shall ye sit here? Yea, all that shall live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Hey, persecution ought to be a team event. Persecution ought to be something we're all engaged in. The Bible says that if you live godly, you'll suffer persecution. You say, no, no, no, just let Pastor Anderson take all the persecution. Let Pastor Persons take all the persecution. Oh, here's a better one. Let's let Pastor Shelley literally take all the persecution. Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? Like I'm not saying you need to be out there being obnoxious and trying to find people to persecute you, but you have to live your life in such a way where you live godly in Christ Jesus and persecution will come your way. And you ought to stand with the man of God when he's being attacked and he's being persecuted. Shall your brethren quit their worldly lifestyles? Shall your brethren live separated lives and shall ye sit here? Who gave you an exception? I'm just asking. Maybe you have a waiver, I don't know. If the Lord Jesus Christ signed the waiver for you, I'd sure like to see it. The Apostle Paul said, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice. Holy, acceptable unto God. By the way, that's the only thing that is acceptable unto God. Holy. Which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. I'm just saying to you, who gave you an exception to say, oh no, you can live worldly. Hey, if the Bible says it, you ought to just do it. Shall your brethren go to war? And shall you sit here? Should your brethren quit their worldly music while you still listen to your worldly music? So your brethren quit their worldly movies and entertainment while you still watch your worldly movies and your entertainment? Hey men, so your brethren get haircuts while you grow out your hair like a girl? Where's your exception, God? Where's the exception from the Lord Jesus Christ that says, oh no, no, he's allowed to grow out his hair? Go with me just real quickly, let me show you this. In 1 Corinthians chapter 11 The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 14. 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 14. You know the verses, but let's look at it. 1 Corinthians 11 and verse 14. The Bible says, does not even nature itself teach you that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? And this phrase here, does not even nature itself teach you. I think it's a phrase that is often misunderstood because people think like, oh, we're supposed to go to nature. And inevitably, here's what people say, well, look at the lion. The lion has this mane, this long flowing hair. But wait a minute, when the Bible says here, does not nature itself teach you to steal a line from our founding fathers, the idea is this, isn't it self-evident? Isn't it just self-evident? Doth not nature itself teach you that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? You say, well I don't know if that's what it means. Okay, well look at the next verse. Look at verse 15. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given her for a covering. Does not nature itself teach you? Hey, isn't it just self-evident? If we took a young lady, right here, from the congregation, that had beautiful, flowing, nice long hair, and we just shaved her head, we just gave her a buzz cut, like I've got on right now, isn't this the reprobate style that women wear today? The dykes today, they cut their hair just like I've got my hair cut right now. If we took a young lady who had beautiful, long, flowing hair, and then we cut her hair and gave her my haircut and gave you a before and after, wouldn't it be, which one would look nicer? Isn't it just, do you even have to ask the question? Does not nature itself teach you? Isn't it self-evident that obviously ladies look nicer with long, flowing, beautiful hair? Isn't that self-evident? Well, listen, guys, if it's self-evident that women look nicer with long hair, then does not nature itself teach you that you ought to have short hair, man? You ought to have short hair. It's just nature teaches you. It's just common sense. And look, guys, why would you want to have hair? Look, if you're walking down the street, and you're a man, and some lady walks up to you and says, oh, I really like your hair. What kind of product do you put in your hair? That's a problem! Is that how you want to be described? I don't know about you, but I mean, you know, you know how guys are. Good night, they're having a body weight competition. And I'll tell you something about men. How do you want to be described, men? Does not nature itself just, isn't it just common sense that men, here's how men want to be described. Manly. Masculine. Strong. A man doesn't want to be described as, oh, lovely, beautiful, soft. That's not nature. Isn't it just self-evident? So your brethren get haircuts, and so you sit here. Hey, so your wives and daughters dress modestly, and so you sit here. 1st Timothy 2.19 And like men are also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and with sobriety, not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. Hey, the Bible says that young ladies and women are to dress themselves modestly and they should have shamefacedness and there should be some humility in how they dress. Hey, shall your brethren's wives dress modestly? And shall ye sit here? Who gave you an exception? Who gave you an exception? Listen ladies, your goal ought not be to dress in such a way where men have to look away. Because you're dressed immodestly. So your brethren quit smoking weed and you sit here? Look, the Bible says not to be drunk. You say being drunk and smoking weed is not the same thing. Well, hold on a second. When someone is high, They have the same symptoms as someone that's drunk. Which is why, in the same way that you can get a DUI for drinking under the influence with alcohol, you can get a DUI for drinking, for driving under the influence of marijuana and any other drug. And you say, well, the Bible says that some people, you know, that you're not supposed to drink, you know, people, Pastor Robinson preached the sermon, and I agree with it 100%, don't even look on it. Don't even look at it. But if people will say, no, no, no, well, you're allowed to drink, you just can't get drunk. Well, I don't agree with that, but let's just follow that logic. Who smokes weed to not get high? No, I'm just a social weed smoker. No, everyone that smokes weed, smokes weed to get high. The thing about drugs is if you do drugs, and here's the difference between alcohol and drugs, is that yeah, there are some people that might just drink to not get drunk, but everyone who does any drugs does it to get the equivalent of drunk. So shall your brethren live soberly while you live high? Shall your brethren's wives and daughters get rid of their pants and wear skirts and dresses? And shall ye sit here? Does the Bible still say, Deuteronomy 22, 5? That women shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment, for all that do so are an abomination unto the Lord thy God. Does the Bible still say that? We used to preach that ten years ago, and people thought we were crazy. and we said hey there's some clothing that belongs to men and women shouldn't wear it and there's some clothing that belongs to women and men shouldn't wear it and people thought we were crazy and people said you shouldn't preach that and you shouldn't teach that and you need to be quiet about that and now we live in a society where it's normal for a man to walk down the street with a dress on and it's all the same thing shall your brethren take on the biblical standards of life that God has given us and shall ye sit here Shall your brethren go to war? And shall you sit here? Go back to Deuteronomy 32, just real quickly. See, here's what you need to understand about the exempt life. No, that doesn't apply to me. That applies to everybody else, but not me. Here's the problem with the exempt life. The exemption life is a life that discourages others. See, the reason that Moses was so triggered with this piercing question, he was triggered with this question, shall your brethren go to war? And shall you sit here? You say, I think Moses is being a little rough on these guys. Well, the reason that he was being so rough is because this was a rerun for Moses. He said, I already heard this story. Look at Numbers 32, verse 7. Notice what Moses said. He says, show your brethren go to war, so ye sit here. And then in verse 7 he says, And wherefore discourage ye the hearts of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea, to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshkol, and saw the land, they discouraged the hearts of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them. He said there was already a group of people who said, let's not go over, and they discouraged everyone else. And let me tell you something, when you live the life of an exemption in the Christian life, you discourage others. Now listen to me. I understand that our churches are reaching new people, as we should. I'm glad that our churches are filled with new converts and new Christians and they're learning and they're growing. We're getting them saved and they're getting baptized and everybody's in a different stage of life in their Christianity and they're growing. We understand that and we ought not ever become these pharisaical Christians that look down on somebody and say, well they're not dressed the way that I'm dressed and they don't look the way that I look and she's got pants on or he's got this or whatever. Hey, don't be that person. We're trying to reach people, we're trying to meet people where they're at. We get that, we understand that we should have a right attitude towards newer Christians and growing Christians. And by the way, we're all growing! But let me just say this. One thing that my wife and I have learned in 13 years of ministry is that when we reach a new convert, and by God's grace the Lord has allowed us to reach many converts at Variety Baptist Church, one thing that we've kind of just prepared ourselves for is this inevitable conversation. Because here's what happens with a brand new convert. We knock on their door and they get saved, or maybe they listen to Pastor Anderson online, and they come to church, and they just got saved, or we get them saved, and they get baptized, and they come back to church on Sunday night, and they start growing, and they start doing things in their life. They go soul winning for the first time. They have these milestones. The women get rid of their pants and start dressing modestly and they have these milestones. And it's exciting. And then one day, and you can see it, you can just see it coming, you already know it's coming. One day they come to you and they just kind of have this look on their face. And the conversation usually goes something like this. So and so family invited us over. so-and-so family invited us out to dinner at their home. Or we were at Costco and we ran into so-and-so family. And you know, Pastor, and look, I'm talking about new converts, they're not doing this in a critical type way, more of like a curious type way. They're, you know, Pastor, the things they have in their home, They opened up the refrigerator when they offered us something to drink and there was beer in the refrigerator. Or we ran into them at the store and they weren't dressed the way they dress at church. And we have to have this conversation with newcomers that says, hey listen, not everyone that goes to church is sold out. Not everyone that goes to church does everything. Because sometimes for newcomers they're like, well of course everybody just does what the Bible says. Of course! I mean, when you preach the Bible, you prove it from the Bible, you prove it from the Word of God. Of course everybody just does. And then they realize, oh wait! Not everyone actually does what the Bible says. Now look, those individuals, they need to grow past that. They need to be taught, and we teach them, look, you don't do your standards because someone else does your standards. You don't do right because someone else does right. You do right because it's right! You do right because it's the Word of God. I don't live my life to please man, I live my life to please the Lord Jesus Christ. They have to learn that. But on the other side, let me say to those of you that are on the other side of that coin, you're discouraging people. You're discouraging people when they realize for the first time, oh, oh, jokes on me. I thought they were serious when that guy got up there and he preached and he yelled and he spit and he read the Bible and he preached the Word of God and everybody was saying amen. I thought people were actually taking that seriously. It turns out it's just a joke. You discourage people with your exempt life. Shall your brethren go to war and shall you sit here? Moses said, you're going to discourage the hearts of the people. They discourage the hearts of the children of Israel that they should not go to war into the land which the Lord had given them. The Bible says in Hebrews 10.25, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a matter of summons, but exhorting one another. When we're all together, when we're all in one spirit and taking one stand, striving together, that's encouraging. But when you forsake the assembling, that's discouraging. But exhorting one another. You say, why should I show up for soul winning? Well, you should show up for soul winning because the Bible says to go soul winning, number one. And you ought to show up for soul winning because you love people and you don't want them to die and go to hell, number two. But at the very least, can you show up to encourage others? Well, I don't need to show up to church on Sunday night. I've heard it all. But how about you just show up to be a blessing to other people? You need them and they need you. When you live the exempt life, you discourage others. Let me say this, when you live the exempt life, you miss out on opportunities. Numbers 32, look at verse 10. And the Lord's anger was kindled, this is Moses continuing. Kindled at the same time, and he swears, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward shall see the land which I swear unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me. Save Caleb, he says, except for Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, the Chesneite, and Joshua, the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord. And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel. And He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the congregation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was consumed. And behold, ye are risen in your father's stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord towards Israel. That word augment means to add to, to take to a greater value. Look at verse 15. For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness, and ye shall destroy all this people. Let me tell you something, when you exempt yourself from living the Christian life, when you exempt yourself from following the Bible, when you exempt yourself from doing the thing that God has told you to do, you only hurt yourself. Hey, the pastor is still probably going to have a good marriage. You understand what I'm saying to you? The church is going to continue up, whether you're on board or not. I always think it's funny when people quit, quit our church, I'm sure it's the same thing. Sometimes, it seems like they often quit with this attitude, sometimes they even say it. Like, this place is just going to fall apart. This place is just going to fall apart as soon as we leave. And they leave and we keep going. They leave and we keep growing. They leave and we buy a building. And people get this idea like, well, without me, listen to me, God does not need, God wants all of us involved. He does not need any of us. Christianity and the Christian movement and soul winning and the preaching of God's word will continue on without us. But wouldn't you rather be involved? Wouldn't you rather not waste your life wandering in the wilderness of the world? Wouldn't you rather live your life in such a way where you're in Canaan land, fighting the battles of the Lord, winning victories? Look, I don't know about you, but if I got to decide, if I got to choose, hey, do you want to live with the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years, or do you want to enter into the Promised Land with Joshua and conquer the land? I want to be with Joshua! You're hurting yourself. The exempt life discourages others. The exempt life discourages, causes you to miss out on opportunities. Number three, go back to number 32, look at verse 16. In verses 1 and 5, we saw the request. In verses 6 and 15, we saw the rebuke. And like you notice, in verses 16 and 22, we see the resolution. And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones. But we ourselves will go ready arm before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place. And our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities, because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, forward, because our inheritance has fallen to us in this side, Jordan eastward. And Moses said unto them, if ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war, and will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he had driven out the enemies from before him, the land shall be subdued before the Lord, then afterward ye shall return and be guiltless before the Lord and before Israel. And this land shall be your possession before the Lord. You know, we need 100% participation. We want 100% participation. When we don't have 100% participation, we only hurt ourselves. I won't have you turn there, I'm running out of time. But you remember the story of Ai? Remember the children of Israel, they entered into the promised land. They had the great battle of Jericho that they won. But then when they went to Ai, there was several things that had happened there. Of course, Achan had taken of the accursed thing. That was one of the reasons why they lost in Ai. But another reason that they lost in Ai was because the children of Israel said, go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. Joshua 7, verse 3, you have to turn there. And they returned to Joshua and said unto him, let not all the people go up. but let about 2,000 or 3,000 men go up and smite AI, and make not all the people to labor hither, for they are but few." One of the mistakes that happened in AI is that they got the idea, oh, not everybody needs to go. Not everyone needs to be involved. And as a result, 36 men died. You say, well, 36 men, that's not a big deal. That's 36 widows. That's 36 families of children that did not have their dads come home from that battle. Why? Because they had this idea that said, let not all the people go up. Make not all the people to labor. See, in the work of God, we want 100% participation. When they dealt with the matter of Achan, and they were now ready to go back and fight AI? Here's what the Lord said to Joshua, take all the people of war with thee. You know what God wants? God wants 100% participation. I realize we're not always going to get it. I realize it's not always going to happen. I realize especially as churches grow, and as they grow larger, you're going to have new converts and new Christians, and they're all not going to be on board just right at the beginning. And some may never be on board at all. But our goal in life, our goal in ministry ought to be, my goal of Verity Baptist Church is that there be 100% participation in soul winning. Look, I thank God for our church. Our church is like many of your churches. Our church, the Lord has blessed us and it's growing. We had, this last Sunday for Mother's Day, we had 295 people in church on Sunday morning. The Saturday before that, we had 122 soul winners out on Saturday. Praise God for that. Look, I'm not complaining about that, that's great. Praise the Lord, 122 soul winners on a Saturday morning. Praise the Lord for it. But let me say this, we have more than 122 people in our church. We don't want to take this attitude that says, let not all the people go to war. No, we want 100%! You say, when, Pastor Meadows, will you be satisfied? I'll be satisfied when we have 100% salt winners going out every week from Verity Baptist Church. When we have 100% of people going to not just Sunday morning, but Sunday night and Wednesday night. When we have 100% of people in our church that have developed a habit of daily Bible reading that wake up on Monday morning and open the Word of God and read it. When we have 100% participation in tithing and in prayer and in serving. You say, that's never gonna happen. I understand. It's never going to happen. But that ought to be our goal! And if you say, well it can't happen for the whole congregation, can you at least decide for yourself, I'll be 100% in? I won't accept myself from anything. I won't say, I'll take this but not that. I'll do that but not that. I'll believe that but not that. Why don't you just decide if the Bible says it, I'm going to believe it. Period. End of story. I'm 100% in. The Christian life is not a life. It's not a buffet. You just decide. I want this and not that. In the Christian life, you go through that buffet line and the Lord Jesus Christ is putting everything on. Bible reading, prayer, there's a scoop for Sunday morning, there's a scoop for Sunday night, there's a scoop for Wednesday night. If it's good for one, it's good for all. Shall your brethren go to war? And shall ye sit here? We saw in verses 1 and 5 the request, verses 6 and 15 the rebuke, verses 16 and 22 the resolution. They said, okay, we'll go, we'll go to war. But then I'd like you to notice in verses 23 and 24 the reproof. Look at what Moses says in Numbers 32, 23. But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord. And then we have this very famous verse that we quote a lot. And be sure your sin will find you out. And be sure your sin will find you out. You say, what does this phrase mean, be sure your sin will find you out? Well, the way that we often preach it, and I'm not opposed to this, is that your sin will be found out, and I think that's definitely an application that can be made. It may be found out in this life, it'll for sure be found out, it's found out of God. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. The Bible says, neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of whom we have to do. God knows everything. God knows what you do. God knows what I do. God knows all of it. So yes, be sure your sin will find you out. And it might be found out in this life. 1st Timothy 5, 24 says this, Look, you can't hide anything from God. God knows the truth. And you and I need to live our lives in such a way where we live a life of transparency. And you and I need to live our lives in such a way where everything we say, everywhere we go, everything we watch, everything we listen to, we ought to have a clear conscience and say, you can know anything about my life. I'm not hiding anything. You say, why? Because you should be sure your sin won't find you out. And look, if you're saved, you can have a Heavenly Father that is going to chastise you. The writer of Hebrews said, And look, if you're living a worldly life and you're not getting spanked by your Heavenly Father, the answer to that question is, you're a bastard and not a son. Because your Heavenly Father will discipline you. I'm not saying He's going to discipline you for every little thing you do. I'm not saying that He doesn't give us patience and grace. But I am saying to you, be sure your son will find you out. What's interesting to me about this passage is the context in which it's given is not talking about sins of commission, although I think we can apply it there. I don't have a problem with applying it there. Sins that we do, it's about sins that we don't do. Not sins of commission, but sins of omission. Now again, it can apply to both. I'm not saying it doesn't apply to both. But in the context, he's saying, you said you're going to go to war, and if you don't, be sure your sin will find you out. The Bible says in James 4.17, Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. So look, you need to just decide, I'm going to get involved 100%. And if not, be sure your sin will find you out. If not, be sure your sin will find you out. Just real quickly, go to 2 Samuel. We're going to be done here, Lord willing, in five minutes. But go to 2 Samuel, just real quickly. 2 Samuel chapter 11. Pastor Robinson preached on the subject of adultery last night, and he talked about King David. And I'd like you to see this story. I already had this in my notes. And I just think maybe the Holy Spirit wants us to think about these things. 2 Samuel 11, look at verse 1. Notice what the Bible says. And it came to pass after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle. that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabah. Look at the last part of verse 1. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. You know what somebody should have asked David? They should have asked David this question. Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And it came to pass, in an evening time, that David arose from off his bed and walked upon the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman washing herself. And the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, it is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Now at that point it should have been game over David. I mean he should have been to war anyway. But at this point it should have definitely just been done. Verse 4, And David sent messengers, and took her, and she came in unto him, and he lay with her. For she was purified of her uncleanness, and she returned unto her house. Now look, everything is in the Bible for a reason. Nothing is incidental, coincidental, or accidental. And the Bible tells us here that he took her, he lay with her, this of course is adultery. But the Bible makes sure to tell us she was purified from her uncleanness. Meaning she had gone through her monthly cycle. Meaning when this happened, when David called her, she wasn't pregnant. But then in verse 5 the Bible says this, And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. See somebody should have said to David, shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? When the Bible says that David tarries still at Jerusalem, somebody should have asked him the question, shall your brethren go to war and shall you sit here? But when Bathsheba sent the message back there in verse 5, and the Bible says, and the woman conceived and sent and told David and said, I am a child. You know, here's another quote from Moses for David. Hey, David, be sure your sin will find you out. Your sin will be found out, and your sin will find you, it will catch up to you. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. We see the reproof. You ought to get involved 100%. Don't exempt yourself. Don't forge yourself a waiver. Don't say, I'll do this, I'll take this, but not that. No, no, no. Shall your brethren go to war? As you sit here, go back to Numbers 32 real quickly. We'll be done. In verses 1 and 5, we saw the request. Verses 6 and 15, we saw the rebuke. Verses 16 through 22, we saw the resolution. Verses 23 and 24, we saw the reproof. Be sure your sin will find you out. And I'd like to just end quickly this morning with verses 25 through 42. I'd like you to notice the result. The result. And the children of God and the children of Reuben, Sphagon, and Demosa saying, Thy servants will do as my Lord commandeth. Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and our cattle shall be there in the cities of Gilead, but thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war before the Lord, to battle as my Lord saith. So concerning them, Moses commanded Eliezer the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief of the fathers in the tribes of the children of Israel. And Moses said unto them, If the children of God and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle before the Lord, and the land shall be subdued before you, then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession. Look at verse 30. But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. And then in verses 31-42 we just read about how the land would be distributed to them if they kept their vow. Let me just end with what Pastor Robinson, how Pastor Robinson, something Pastor Robinson said last night. And it's this. God is not trying to keep things from us. Listen, your pastor is not trying to keep things from you. We don't get up to preach to try to rain on your parade. We're not trying to ruin your party. God isn't trying to, hey young people, your mom and your dad, they're not trying to ruin your lives. They're trying to protect you. They love you and they care about you. They don't want you to go to the marriage altar with regrets. They don't want you to live your life in such a way where you carry all this baggage and you have all this drama and you have all this trauma. God is not trying to keep anything from you. God simply wants you to do what you're supposed to do. So that He can give you the victory. Hey, children of Gad! Hey, children of Reuben! And even the half-tribe of Manasseh jumped in on the deal. You want to stay on the east side of Jordan? God isn't trying to keep that from you. He'll let you have it. Just make sure you do what you're supposed to do. Shall your brethren go to war? And shall you stand, sit here? The door of God's blessings swing on the hinges of our obedience. God isn't trying to keep anything from you. God wants to bless you. But the way that you and I get the blessings from God is by doing what we're supposed to do. The door of God's blessings swing on the hinges of our obedience. So I ask you the question this morning, shall your brethren go to war? and shall ye sit here. Let's pray together, may we? Most gracious Heavenly Father, Lord, I pray that you would direct this thought into our hearts however you see fit. Apply it to our lives, wherever it needs to be applied. Lord, help us not to be these people that exempt ourselves. That say, that's for someone else but not for me. That's for my pastor, that's for my pastor's wife, that's for my parents, that's for someone else but not me. Lord, I pray you'd help us to get 100% involved. To just decide, if my brethren are going to war, I'm going to get involved. And help us to remember this piercing question from Moses. Shall your brethren go to war? And shall ye sit here? Thank you, Lord, for your Word. Thank you for this great event. I pray, Lord, that you would bless my following pastor friends as they preach later on this week. Help us to hear from your Word, help us to enjoy our time, but help us to draw close to you as a result of being here this week. In the matchless name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.