Titled this morning of the sermon is the valley of a core the valley of a core
Now it says there in Joshua chapter 7 verse 25 and Joshua said why hast thou troubled us?
The Lord shall trouble thee this day and all Israel stone him with stones and burn them with fire after they had stolen them with stones
So this is quite the scene taking place here. This man Aiken has transgressed the commandment of God
he's gone against the Lord and his will and
And you know God's not pulling any punches here
I mean when you're when you're dragging people out not just himself
But all that he has wives children and you know
I don't want to go into to set the scene for you this morning, but go ahead and think about that situation
When you have this man's family in front of you and then you proceed to stone them and in accordance with God's will
though God's not messing around here and
It says there that when they were done doing this that they are not only it wasn't enough that they stoned them
that then they proceeded to burn everything with fire and
Then not only that they actually piled rocks upon it and what was the purpose of that to be a memorial?
If you recall just a few chapters earlier when they crossed over Jordan
He told them every man to take a stone 12 stones one for each tribe of Israel and to set it up as a memorial forever
So God sets up memorials in the Bible of good things and also bad things things that are going to encourage us
But also things that are there to warn us and here he not he piles up these rocks and they actually give a name to
that valley
And the name of that valley is the valley of a core which is just another name word name for Aiken
Unto this day. That's the name of it
and what I want to kind of get through tonight or this morning rather is the fact that
We see this man Aiken. He sins a sin and what he ends up doing is destroying his entire family
Okay, and what I and this is probably something I could have preached on Father's Day
But I feel like this is something that needs to get preached again that this is something that
Men and everybody really could apply to their lives, but especially men especially men who will have families
They need to get this message because I've seen this in churches where men just you know, destroy their families
I'm not saying to the point where there's no recovering now for Aiken here. There was no recovering that I
Mean what's done is done. You're getting stoned you're getting burned. You're gonna be an example throughout all generations
That of what of what you did wrong, of course men can you know mess up in their lives?
They can hurt their families and they can move on and go elsewhere and recover
But we should still you know, why do we want to go through that process?
Why don't we just go ahead and take note of this this message here in the Bible this warning and spare ourselves
And our families the suffering, okay
Men can destroy their families through their actions alone now people will say well
Why did they burn the kids and why did they stone the kids and the wife they didn't steal anything?
And then they'll so people will object to that
So then people want to you know backtrack and say oh well, you know was in the midst of his tent
So his family knew it, you know
But and the Bible doesn't but the Bible doesn't explicitly say that you can can you know can you can?
Make conjecture you could infer that if you want that because it was intense. They knew that I don't know that they did
But I think what's going on here is God is showing us gave us a very clear example
That when a man sins and that when a man who has a family messes up
He can destroy his whole family through his actions alone. I
Preached last on Father's Day
About how I'm how we that are strong not to bear the infirmities of the weak
Look if we fail to do that as men, you know
they're going to suffer and I don't want to repreach that or repreach that and
Here's the thing you say why is it why is the wife and everybody else going along with it?
Getting punished right along with these with the man
How is it that a man could do so much harm to a family himself through his own actions?
Because of the fact that wives are to be subject to their husbands and that's not popular
You know, I and I like to say it's only not popular in the world, but unfortunately even today in Baptist churches
It's not even popular a lot of Baptist churches
Where a lot of women if a pastor gets up and says hey, why is there to be subject under their own husbands?
I don't like that
Well tough that's what the Bible says you could take it up with God
The Bible is real clear about this keep something in Joshua go over to 1st Peter chapter 3
I mean if you've ever gotten as far as Genesis chapter 3 in your Bible reading you would know this
It's part of the curse
You know the Bible says in Genesis chapter 3 you're going to 1st Peter 3 under the woman
He said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow in that conception and sorrow thou shall bring forth children and thy
Desire shall be to thy husband
That's part of the curse that God has put upon woman is that she used to be subject to her husband
And he shall what rule with thee rule alongside thee be a partner
No, it says and he shall rule over thee
Not because he's better not because but because that's what God has ordained
That women are to be subject to their own husbands
This is the order of authority that God has given and the reason why I'm preaching is this is because men need to understand
That a great responsibility has been put upon us to lead our homes
That we don't need to go ahead and make it even more of a curse for women by being bad leaders
If God has given us that authority, let's use it. Well and let's guide and let's lead and do what's right
And this is the authority that God has given look at 1st Peter chapter 3 verse 1 likewise
He wives be in subjection
To your own husbands that if any obey not the world that may also without the word be won by the conversation of the wives
We could stand to probably read several of these verses
But let's go ahead and jump down to verse 5 for after this manner in the old time the holy women also
Who trusted in God, you know godly women who loved the Lord did what or?
Adorned themselves being in subjection under their own husbands
You know a godly woman who loves the Lord and knows the scripture is going to be will willingly submit and take this role upon
herself and
The women that bucket this and have a problem with it. Don't I don't care how nice they dress
I don't care how godly they talk
I don't care what kind of facade they put up for everybody to see if they don't agree with this
They're not right with God period
Because that's what the Bible says even at verse 6 even as Sarah obeyed Abraham
calling him Lord
Whose daughters ye are as long as you do well and are not afraid with any amazement any amazement
So this is not optional in the scripture
This is not optional for ladies for wives that want to I want to be live a life
That's pleasing to the Lord as far as God's concerned. This isn't something you can take or leave it says wives
must submit to put themselves in subjection to their own husbands and
That puts a huge responsibility on the husband
And as I mentioned, you know in my father's day sermon
We got a we live in a world today that just wants to make husband look like a bunch of Homer Simpsons like a bunch of
doofuses
But what men need to understand today is that you are God has given you authority in your home to lead that home a huge
Responsibility has been put upon us. We must lead
We must take charge of our homes
We must make sure our wives are in subjection
If you would we'll continue on at first Peter it
Says in verse 7 likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge
Dwell with them according to how about this knowing, you know
Knowing that this is the case that these are the facts
Why don't we dwell with our wives according to this knowledge?
That we're in charge that they're in subjection that they're looking for us to be the leaders that we should be
You know and it's here's something I just want to kind of say just put this out there for people to think about
This is brought to my attention. I was reminded of this and it's very true
You know when you when you have a woman or a wife that gets out of sorts and she kind of she starts to kind of
You know, we're the proverbial pants in her family and she's kind of the one that's in charge, you know
It's real easy to just fault her, you know, and she's wrong. Okay, but here's here's what happens
You can see this in society, you know
Chaz, you know when there's a vacuum like up in Seattle where they you know, kick all the powers that be out it took over
When there's a vacuum in power and leadership bad leadership moves in
Some it's a vacuum, you know, they call it a vacuum
because when what's supposed to be isn't there it sucks something else into its place good or bad and
So when a wife, you know doesn't have the leader that she needs she's just by nature gonna start leading
She's just by nature gonna start doing what she needs to do and at the
Husbands just this kind of laid-back easygoing not really gonna cause a ruckus not gonna really take charge of things. She will and
Then it'll turn it and then at best what they'll do is just say well, it's a partnership
We're just you know, we're you know, we're co leaders wrong. That's not biblical. That's wrong
so that's why men husbands need to stand up and be strong leaders lead their homes firmly and
And and lay down the law and make it known in that house that we are in charge and nobody else
And not just say hey, I'm in charge and beat my chest and walk out the door
But actually be in charge and then take charge watch over our house protect our house lead our house
Husbands make or break their families spiritually
Husbands make or break their families. It's not all in the wife. I
Mean obviously mothers have a huge role to play in the spiritual development of their children
Yes
But it's up to the father to to oversee that to provide that so that she can even have that ability to do that or the
opportunity to do that
Husbands will make or break their families spiritually
You know I and it you know
I'm kind of to the point now with this church where I'm kind of ready to just kind of let you know a little bit
About more who I am personally. I try not to bring up a lot of things for my own past
but I'll share this with you is that I understand the devastating effects of a family that doesn't have a father and
When there is no spiritual guidance there, and let me tell you something it has had
devastating effects on my family I mean my dad left home when I was seven years old just took off one day after being
Just a you know drinking coke selling wife smacking husband is what he was
And you know I forgive him I love him, you know I don't mean to bring shame upon him, but that's what he was okay
And to this day, you know I'm thank God that I was able to recover myself. You know, but it's still deal with it
but my siblings
You know one of my siblings has a sodomite for a son
You know I blame for that to in some part my father for not being the spiritual leaner that he needed to be
And
I'm only bringing this up to try to drive this home because that's a real world of example
Because sometimes a preacher can get up and preach all this and we just kind of go
Yeah, that's true, but we start to hear things that are real that actually happen
You have to see it flesh out in people's lives
Then it becomes real and then maybe we'll sit up a little straighter and take our job as husbands a little more seriously
Husbands can break or make their family spiritually. That's what Aiken did
Aiken looked saw that was tempted. He could have said well if I do that there's gonna be consequences
So how what are different ways that a husband can
Just destroy his family. Okay. Well, how about this husband's a husband's covetousness and greed?
In the case of Aiken go back to Joshua keep something in Joshua
All morning until we're done
In the case of Joshua or excuse me a case of Aiken that's what it was he saw the garment
He saw the gold he saw the silver and he got so covetous for worldly possessions
That he went ahead and went against the will of God
He disobeyed the commandment of the Lord and he suffered and then his family suffered right along with him
Because he was clearly warned they said all all the spoil belongs unto the Lord and it wasn't like God wanted all the spoiled himself
He said just that first city then everything else was theirs
but you know Aiken just couldn't wait had to have it right now and
He got greedy and he got covetous
and he says in verse 19 of Joshua 7 and Joshua said Aiken my son give I pray thee glory the God of it Lord God
of Israel and make
Confession to him and tell me now what thou has done and hide it not from me and Aiken answered to Joshua and said indeed
I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and thus and thus have I done
When I saw him, you know, I'll give Aiken some credit at least he's got enough, you know
He's got enough guts to fess up to what he's done wrong
At least he's man enough to own up when he's done something wrong
indeed I have sinned against the Lord and thus and thus have I done when I saw among the spoils the Babylonian garment the two
shekels of silt hundred shekels of silver a wedge of gold and fish fifty shekels of weight then I
coveted and took them and behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent and I and the silvers under it
You know, he saw them right? He saw among the spoils
the lust of the eyes
Led him into this sin
He saw them then I coveted
you know what we need to do as men to make sure we don't destroy our homes over things like covetousness and
Greed is to keep our eyes on what matters most
Focus our eyes on our families on our wives and our children and keep our eyes on what matters the most
Look there's nothing more valuable in your life as a husband if you're on it if you if you have
You're a normal human being
If you're a person who has actual normal regular affection for for for your family, they're the most important thing to you
What price are you gonna put on your family a Babylonian garment some gold some silver?
Is that the price that we're willing to put on our children just another you know?
Just another 20 hours at work this week just another 10 and I get it. Sometimes dad's got to do what get dad's got to do
But when dad's doing that when he doesn't need to do it I'm saying he's just making money for making money's sake and
Sacrificing time with his family not being there with his family like he needs to be
Just so he can make more money and have more things have some more garments from Babylon
His eyes are on the wrong place, and he needs to adjust his focus and get his eyes on what matters the most
Otherwise you're gonna destroy your family, and that's what that would look like today. I think
Where we just put work before our family and works important, I'm not saying it's not I'm not saying
Let's all go on welfare and just hang out with mom and mom and the kids all day. We'll drive each other nuts, right?
It's good for the man to go out and earn you know
He's got to go out and earn bring home the bacon work by the sweat of his face
He shall eat bread the Bible says that's his part
But a lot of guys today they get so wrapped up in work
They get so wrapped up and just chasing after things and stuff that they just totally neglect their family
Or they get caught up in hobbies. How about that they get caught up in other people's kids
through all their hobbies
You know through the bowling league or the the football team or the baseball team or coaching this or coaching that?
You got to make that's fine to do that be to better make sure your eyes are where they belong on your family
Let me say this if something comes up
And you have to deal with some there's nothing you shouldn't be willing to just drop and take care of business with your family
And let me say this is something I meant to say Thursday night as well if my kids ever step out of line
I want to know about it and that's so that I can chew you out so I can chew them out
And I know it's hard to come to somebody
That it's hard to go to a parent period and tell them there's something wrong with their kids
Anyone that has to say oh, there's something wrong. You know your kids acting up, and you know they're they're they're in the back
Just you know taking the Gatorade bottles and just throw them over the wall
You know whatever and that's not even that you know maybe they're running around when they shouldn't be either
Just just being doing what kids do you know foolishness is bound to the heart of the child everybody's kid is gonna act up and do
Something stupid okay. No one's perfect
But is we should be able to go to another parent and say hey, there's a problem here
Can you deal with this and if somebody comes to you as a parent and says hey you have an issue with this child
Just let you know
Don't get mad at that person deal with it, and so I know it's hard just to go to
You know a parent as is I know it's even harder to go to a parent when that parent is the pastor or the deacon
Because for whatever I get it. I've had to do that. It's hard
But you know what the pastor and this deacon right here want to know if their kids step out of line
Please I won't be mad
Even if you're wrong
Even if you come to me and tell me something about my kid and I go talk to him and it turns out you are just
Being some petty person. You know they were they I saw I looked up there. They were picking their nose during your sermon
I'll still thank you
I'll still say thanks for letting me know, but and that'll be it. I won't jump down your throat like
What like you never picked your nose? I saw you last week
You know I'm not I'm not gonna jump even if you're wrong even if I think it's petty I'm not gonna be mad
I'll just thank you. Thank you for doing that because I want to be open like that
But let me say this if I come to you and say hey
You've got a problem here, and you need to deal with it there should be nothing
Nothing that state that gets in the way of you dealing with it not this attitude of all get to it
Your eyes are on the wrong place. Well. I'm busy right now
Drop whatever you're doing and deal with your children and
The more severe it is the more the more quick quickly you should be dropping
Whatever's got your attention and dealing with it as a man as a father. That's our job. That's our role
To lead our families and not to let you know these lusts of other things the way we spend our time our covetousness
Whatever get in the way of doing that. What's another way husbands destroy their families like Aiken did
Go over to keep something in Joshua again, but go over to Acts chapter 4
How about a husband's desire for vainglory
You know he just wants to get some reputation
So he's just gonna invest his time or step on some heads or do whatever it takes to get this
reputation that he wants
Misplaced ambition will destroy your family look at Acts chapter 4 verse 32
Talking about the early church. It says in Acts 4 32 and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul
Neither said any man of them that that had said of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own
but they had all things common and
With great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all neither
Was there any among them that lacked for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of?
These things
of the things that were sold and they laid down and laid them down at the Apostles feet and
distribution was made unto every man according as he had need and
Joseph who was by the Apostles was surnamed Barnabas which is being interpreted the son of consolation a Levite
of the country and of the country of Cyprus
Having land sold it and brought the money and laid it at the Apostles feet
And you know what I love about Barnabas is he did it out of that out of the goodness of his own heart
He just wanted to do it. No one compelled him to do that
He didn't ask for it
You know and make sure you name this pew after me put a plaque on the wall and so everybody knows how much I gave
He just did it because he wanted to be a blessing
because he saw that God was moving that God was working that God was doing something and he just wanted to further the work of
God not to get a name for himself
And you know what the irony is he kind of got a name didn't he they surname him they say and then the Bible saying hey
He was a Levite and he was the country of Cyprus
And by the way the God even here wants you to know who this was
Do you think that guy was looking for it? Just you're just just going out looking for some to get some vainglory
Maybe if I sell everything and give it my name will be in scripture
Maybe then maybe I'll get a surname. Maybe the Apostles will recognize me
Maybe people will know who I am
Go on in verse five or chapter five verse one, you'll see the exact opposite but a certain man
Ananias and Sapphira with his wife sold the possession and kept back the part of the price
So there's they're selling it but then they're keeping a little bit money, which is fine. They could do that
No one's saying you got no one's saying give us everything or nothing
There everyone's just doing this out of the goodness of their own heart, but these two they sold it
And kept back the part of the price his wife being privy to it and kept it in the price of his wife
And kept it privy to it meaning she knew about it. She was in on it and brought a certain part and laid at the apostles feet
You see these folks they didn't want to be outdone by joseph and barnabas
Right, or excuse me, joseph who is barnabas they didn't want to be outdone by and they see what he was doing
They're like, oh well, we should get a surname. Oh, we we we want to get in on this and get some vainglory for ourselves
And it says
Verse three but peter and uh said ananias why hath satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy ghost
And to keep back part of the price thereof of the land
So they bring it and they say here's here's here's the price of the land
We're giving it to you guys, but they've got part of it, but they're saying this is this is all it was worth
So they're lying under the holy ghost
Saying oh we gave so much but they didn't give so much
Well, they could have just come up and said hey, we sold this land
We're going to keep this much for ourselves, but you guys here, please take the rest. That would have been fine
But they're saying no we're giving everything
We're just we're just laying it all at the apostles feet. We're just making such a huge sacrifice
We're just with you a hundred percent. We're just all the way in
But what they're really what it really is. They don't want to be outdone
And when peter calls them out and he says why has satan filled thine heart?
to lie into the holy ghost
Now when he says has satan filled thine heart
I don't I don't necessarily believe that means that satan literally filled his heart like judas entered or satan
Entered a judas. I think it's kind of a figure of speech just to express how wicked they were
You know, maybe satan really did fill his heart. The bible doesn't expressly say this is just peter saying hey
Why satan filled your heart, you know, why are you wicked? Why are you evil? Why are you lying on the holy ghost?
Why are you trying to make yourself out to be something you're not?
Because because you're just because of your blind ambition
Because you're more concerned about getting a reputation and being known than you are about protecting your family
You know, it shows the the real nature of their motives right the vainglory
To be seen as something they aren't and you know the rest of the story if you've read it
He falls down dead. They go out and bury him
His wife sapphire comes in he said did you sell the land for so much? He says yes for so much
He's you know
so behold those that bury the husband are at the door and they shall even bury you with them and she falls down dead and
Great fear comes upon all people
And just like that out of vain the desire for vainglory just to earn some reputation just to be known as somebody just to be
some big shot
Ananias destroys his wife
Kills her gets himself destroyed permanently no recovering from that and he's just wiped out
Men can destroy their families
For their vain desire for vainglory and i've seen this in churches
Where guys just want to be somebody?
And then they get called out, you know, they've been just these conniving little backstabbing, uh, you know people
That and when they anything what's the worst part is when they finally get called out and thrown out and their kids are just wailing
They just want to sit there and make their kids suffer through that
I've seen that people are told hey you need to get out. You need to leave right now
They're they're called out in front of everybody. You know how embarrassing that is
It's it's embarrassing
And the kids are just devastated
And he's just gonna they're just gonna sit there and just make their kids suffer through that
But what's even worse is when they try after that they want to come back again
Well, let's try let's do that all again. Let me drag my kids back to this place where this traumatic experience took place
So that just so everyone knows that i'm right with god again
Look whether if I got kicked out justly or unjustly, you know what I do i'd move on immediately to spare my family suffering
I'd just go find another church and go serve god there
Because you could serve god in other churches, I don't know if everybody realizes that this morning
This isn't the only church that you can serve god in
And if somebody in this room wants to go serve god another church i'm all for it because it can be done
And you know people can go out and have successful christian lives in other churches. There's families in here that have done it
I did it for 11 years before I even heard of pastor steven anderson
I managed somehow to serve god faithfully for 11 years without pastor anderson in an old ifb church
And everybody here in this room can do it if you have the same holy ghost that I have
If you have the same king james bible that I have and you say I have the same humble spirit
That's in it for the right motives. You could serve god anywhere
And that's a whole nother sermon right there
They're desiring to be something or not you can destroy them, you know
It's funny that he says why has satan filled my heart go over to matthew chapter 23 matthew chapter 23
Because of his pride
That's the sin of satan his pride, right?
Want to be made into something they're not
Want to be perceived as something they're not or maybe they just covet someone somebody else's position
Maybe they maybe they want to be the pastor. Maybe they think they do a better job
And they're not they know they're never going to get it
So maybe the best thing to do is just try to take the pastor down a notch
Well, if I could just make him look bad, then i'll feel better about myself
You say I thought only kids work like that. No, my friend some people never grow up
They carry that right into adulthood
They try to bring oh they feel like they have some
it's just the strangest thing when I see people just
They they put this
They have this image of what the pastor is or what the pastor's wife is
They lift them up on a pedestal and then they begin to compare themselves to this image of them that they've created in their own mind
In their own mind, they've created this image and they begin to compare themselves and they feel like they come up short
Like they're they're inferior somehow
So then they have to it's so weird and then they have to start to bring them down
And it's all based upon some
You know idea of what they are in their head. You follow what i'm saying?
They lift them up and they say oh they they've got it all together. They're perfect
They're so much better than me
And I just feel like I can never be like they are so i'm just going to start attacking them
I'm going to start just trying to bring them down a notch to make me feel better about myself
I'm telling you this happens. It's out there. I've seen it
And it's just like the devil that's why that's why he's saying why is satan filled thine heart
Why are you trying to make yourself into something you're not ananias?
Because you're like the devil because you're full of pride you're like the devil who said I will be like the most high
I might not be able to be him, but i'm going to make myself like him
And if it means I have to bring him down to make him more like me. That's what i'm going to do
Look at matthew chapter 23
Verse one he says then jesus spake to the multitude and his disciples saying the scribes and the pharisees said in moses his seat
All whatsoever. They bid thee observe you observe that observe and do but do not after their works for they do not
They say and do not
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men's shoulders
But they themselves will not move one of them with their fingers and why is it?
But all their works they do for to be seen of men
Look some people get in the ministry they get in that they look for positions
They desire to be exalted and lifted up for one reason only to be seen of men
That's it that's the only reason they're in it and those are the worst kind of people
Look, we need preachers. We need pastors all over this country. But you know, I don't want in it people who absolutely must be pastors
Pastors
You know, usually the best people are that are are fit for the ministry people who have to be drug into it kicking and screaming
People who at the end of the day would rather just do something else
like moses
Remember all moses excuses?
When god said hey, you're gonna lead my people. Oh, I can't talk. I'm a stutterer. Oh send aaron
Right people that are just drug into it are usually do the best job at it because they're in it for the right reasons
Not to be seen of men to be lauded and praised
I'm going to move on to my uh
Let me just move on to my next point here a proud husband
Is another person who will destroy his husband is a proud husband
And and he he will
despise the man of god
Let me just let me just I gotta just start this whole point over a proud husband who despises the man of god
Will destroy his family?
What kind of men destroy their families today? What kind of men are like aching men who are covetous and greedy?
Men who have don't have their eyes where they belong on their own family who are more caught up in other things of this world
in their own family
Men who uh dot will will put their own reputation and their own desire for vainglory above their family
Are achins and they're going to destroy their family and it's sad because they don't have to be that way
That's the worst part about it
If they just eat some humble pie
And shut up and just do what's right
They could they didn't you know aching didn't have to destroy his family
No one put a gun to his head and say pick up that babylocean garment
He said I saw it. I coveted I sinned
How about a proud
And it all leads to the fact and it's all pride at the end of the day
The lust of the eyes the pride of life
A proud husband who despises the man of god will destroy his family go over numbers chapter 16 numbers chapter 16
You know people people who get bent out of shape against the pastor
And then we'll just sit there for years just harboring this animosity
This happens more than you more often than you think
The pastor preaches something or comes to them privately and rebukes them or you know
He maybe even rebukes them publicly if need be
And then they and it seems like oh they took it
And they and they say oh i'm sorry. I took it but inside they haven't gotten it right inside. They're just festering
And then when an opportunity comes along for them to just jump all over him, they're all they'll take it
But i'm gonna say this right now this proud husband
Who can't just swallow his pride and take the rebuke and get it right and move on with his life
That guy's going to destroy his family
He's going to take everybody down with him just like aching
So that's what we see in numbers chapter 16. Look at verse one
Now korah the son of ishar the son of kohath the son of levi and dathan and abiram
The sons of eliab and on the son of pilat the sons of ruben took men
And they rose up before moses with certain of the children of israel 250 princes of the assembly
Famous in the congregation men of renown. So here you got guys who've got that reputation. They've got there's somebody right there men of renown
They're famous
That doesn't mean they have the paparazzi following them right it means that you know people know who they are their name
And let me just say this when bad people are given the spotlight. They just want more of it
When bad people get a little they get a little bit of the spotlight
They get behind from the pulpit. They guess preach the if the wrong person gets that
It's going to go to their head and it's going to destroy them
Because then they're just going to want more of it
And why do they want more of it to be seen of men?
Not to edify the body
Not to not to you know, lift god up and in song and praise
But to just be seen of men how great I am
Up here in this pulpit. Look how good I look up here
It's all about them. Oh, my sermon was so wonderful. Look at all the views I have on youtube
Look how everybody's sharing my hot sermon
And look i'm all for sharing the hot sermon. I love the hard preaching
But you know what? There's a whole lot more to life than just ripping on fags and jews all the time
a lot more important things
That need to get preached
Because without these things, you know, we won't grow as christians
And when bad people like this guy cora are given the spotlight when they're famous and known and they're renowned
It destroys them because all they want is more of it and they despise the man of god they want they're like
Well, this is so nice man. I like this guest preaching. I could get used to this everybody looking at me
Everybody amen in my sermon. Oh, this is nice, man. I could do this full time
I sure would like to pastor this congregation. Let me see if I can get do something to that pastor get rid of them
Make them look bad
Lift myself up this happens
Look at verse three and they gather themselves together against moses and against aaron and said to them you take too much upon you
Seeing all the congregation who are holy every one of them and the lord is among them
Wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation lord now did moses lift up himself above the congregation was it moses that exalted himself?
Did he see a help wanted ad in the paper of of the back side of the desert and midian?
Did he wander into laban's living room one day and see the help wanted ad or not laban? What was his what was his?
I'm forgetting now
Jethro, I got it. I had to think of the beverly hillbillies
Jethro's did he wander in there and say oh it looks like god's looking for someone to take out of you
I'm the man for the job step aside everybody
Here's all my credentials
I'm here to take over the congregation
Lift myself up. No
God exalted him in due time
It says there, uh
Where why lift yourselves above the congregation verse four and moses when he heard it he fell upon his face
He didn't sit there and make his case
Well, let me tell you why I lift myself above the congregation because i'm better than you
No, the humility he just falls upon his face
And spake and he spake to unto kor at all his company saying even tomorrow the lord will show who are his and who is
Holy, you know what I love about being right?
Is that you're right?
It's so much easier when you know, you're right and moses here. He knew he was right
And he knew he could just say well you want to find out let's find out
Let's get let's get everybody together tomorrow and we'll see who is holy and we'll cause him to come near unto him
Even him who he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him? He said, okay kor
All right, dathan, maybe you're right. Maybe i'm not the man for the job. Maybe you are let's find out
Let's see what god has to say about it
Let's go. Let's go to god and find out who's really qualified and who isn't
Not to lift himself up because you know, obviously he's been challenged at this point
So he says here
This do take you censors korra and all his company and put fire there in and put incense in them before the lord tomorrow
And it shall be that the man whom the lord doth do shall be holy
Ye take too much upon you you sons of levi and moses said unto korra here. I pray you you sons of levi
Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that god of israel has separated you from the congregation of israel
To bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the lord
Tabernacle of the lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to him saying look don't you feel important enough?
Just being a son of levi who gets to come into the tabernacle and and
Maybe you're not going to be son of aaron, you know who's going into the holy place every year
But isn't it enough for you? Just take the ashes out
Isn't enough you to just slaughter the animal and throw it on the altar
God's even let you boil some meat and you can eat it
Isn't enough to just do take down the the tabernacle and put it up when it's needed isn't enough for you
Just do the menial tasks
Because not everybody even gets to do that
And he's saying isn't that enough for you?
Nope, look at people who when the wrong people get the spotlight all they want is more
When wrong people are given responsibility all they want is more they want it all because they want it all to be about them
and not god
And he says here
He says in verse 10 and he hath brought thee near also and thy brethren the sons of levi with thee
And seek ye the priesthood also wasn't enough for them to just do the service in the tabernacle. They had to be the priest
You know proud men just can't stand it when somebody else is in charge
They really can't and look i'm not in charge of anybody's life here i'm not i'm not going to come to you
I'm, you're not ever going to find me out in your front yard
Looking at your house peeking over your fence
Trying to catch you off guard knocking on your door
What's going on in there
Come in and say get rid of this get rid of that get this in here do this
I'm, not going to come boss you around that'd be weird
And if I ever do that, you should probably go because you're about this close to a cult
But i'll tell you where I am in charge right here in this house in this building and what goes on in in this place
Because somebody has to be in charge
Otherwise we won't get anything done
And you know the the long I haven't been at it very long
But i'm telling you after what i've been through this last week. I could tell you this right now. I ain't doing this for my health
I'm not doing it for my wife's health
You know and and I could look at pastor anderson say he certainly isn't doing it for his health
He's doing it for all the right reasons
But proud men they just can't stand somebody else being in charge
They have to be the ones in charge
You know i'm in charge here in this building today as the deacon here
And pastor said do what you need to do down there make the decisions you need to make because you're the ones got to live
With it. That's what he told me
Whoever you whoever's got to come and go you just decide
And and that's it
But what was I gonna where was I going with that well here oh, yeah, so i'm in charge, right
amen, but
That was awkward no
But here's the thing was I always in charge
You think i've just been in charge of something my whole christian life
I mean when I got married I was in charge my home still am today
But do you think maybe just maybe I sat in another church where somebody else was in charge
Oh, yeah
I did that for a lot longer than being in charge
Do you think I ever had a man of god come to me and rip my face?
And tell me to fix this
And look there's a certain point, you know, i'm like I said, i'm not going to follow people around
Well when something comes to light and it has to be dealt with
I'm going to deal with it
Whether it's privately or whatever whatever way it needs to be dealt with
And i've had that happen to me plenty of times
And you know what?
If i'd been proud and i'm not trying to say on the you know
I didn't write the book the world's three most humble men and how I met the other two
I'm just saying I had at least at least enough absence of pride. I should say
At least enough humility to take it
And there's been plenty of times where I got my face ripped from the pulpit
Nobody else knew who the pastor was preaching to
But he and I had had a conversation and I knew who he was preaching to and he knew who he was preaching to
And if you know if one person's guilty probably five other people are
If one person needs it, they probably several other people do too. It's usually how it works
And I sat there and i've had my face ripped and i've gotten up red face and grabbed the family walked out the door
And just fall away home
Huffing and puffing
But you know what the more I thought about it the more I thought about and cooled down. I said he's right
And he said rather just get proud and go back and show him who's boss
You're not the boss of me
I'm, just gonna get right with god
I'm just gonna repent i'm just gonna i'm just gonna realize that the reason why he did that is to help me
Because that's the pastor's job
And that's that's the job description of the preacher to reprove to rebuke to exhort with all long suffering and doctrine
I'm, not your therapist. I'm not your marriage counselor. I mean if you need help and advice i'll do what I can
That's not my job description. I'm not your psychoanalysis
I'm not your psychologist
My job is to reprove rebuke and exhort with all long suffering doctrine and to do the work of evangelists. That's what i'm here
To preach the whole council the word of god. That's my job
So if it falls outside of that, you know, it's somebody there's experts for that
This is where I this is what I need to be an expert in right here. This is my expertise
I don't know where i'm going with any of that
But hopefully that made a point that we can use this morning, but proud men
They can't stand somebody being in charge of being in somebody else's under somebody else's authority
I mean try that on the job
When your boss tells you to do something, you're not the boss of me
You're gonna be looking for another job real quick
But it's just weird like it's just the weirdest thing people understand that on the job site
but then they bring that they come to the church and they think it's just
It's different like that doesn't like all of a sudden it's all bets are off
Nobody's in charge. They're real good about, you know, picking up after themselves at home, but we're at church. It's just
I'm, not saying we have that problem down here. And yeah, i'm getting a little stuff there's some stuff off my chest this morning
And i'm glad to do it and that's just human nature
You know kids are going to climb up on the sink in the bathroom
And but that's you know people get mad but that's what you do when you have a family integrated church
You got to take the good and the bad with it
Because it's worth it
But probably they can't stand when someone's in charge. So what do they do? They become contentious like cora here
I know I got to hurry up
So what happens to cora right they take their censors they bring their offering
And and of course we know the story in verse 18 and they took every man a sensor and put fire them and laid incense
there on and stood on the door of the tabernacle of the congregation of moses with moses and aaron and cora gathered all the
Congregation against them under the door of the tabernacle of the congregation
And the glory of the lord appeared unto all the congregation
And the lord spake unto moses and aaron saying separate yourselves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment
And they fell upon their faces. So this is another time
This has happened twice with moses. He's like i'm just going to start over with you
And moses is like it's about time you recognize my superior qualities
No, he falls upon his face because he's in it for the right reasons. He cares about those people
And he said he falls upon his face oh god the spirit of all flesh shall one man sin and wilt thou be wroth with
all the congregation
Proud men, you know, they become they can't stand someone's being charged
They become contentious and they don't care who they take down with them
They don't care because they're going down
And rather than you know suffer the shame alone. They're willing to just grab whoever they're like a drowning man
First person gets near and they're just going to take them right down with them
You know the man of god here he spares others from the fate of the proud he says
He's saying look don't take them all out lord
verse 23 and the lord spake unto moses saying
speak on the congregation saying get you up from the tabernacles of korah adathen and abiram separate from
These people these wicked people
And that's the met you know, let's apply that stay away from wicked people or suffer the same fate
Let's apply that stay away from wicked people or suffer the same fate
People a lot of times they're not even that necessarily that bad or wicked
But you know the the neighbors of korah dathan abiram, they you know, they spent time with them
They were over there at their korah's house. They were over at dathan's house their kids knew their kids
You know and they and then this happens and then they and this happens in churches
People get together they get to make friends with people
And then it turns out that friend you made is bad
And I don't mean bad, but I mean they're bad
Turns out they're bad
And rather than they have then they're in the spot of well, who am I going to side with? Where does your loyalty lie?
with your friend
Who's being found out to be a wicked person? Look nobody goes. Let me find somebody who's wicked and make friends with them
Because wicked people just don't walk around with wicked tattooed on their I mean, there's probably people out there with that
You know
no limits
But they don't advertise the fact that they're korah and dathan abiram they don't say hey, we're wicked we're here to cause harm
We're gonna we're gonna drag you down with us if we can they don't do that
They're nice. They're friendly. They're sweet
They'll bring you over they'll feed you
They'll talk nice to you
They'll do extra things look and I i've heard it said over and over again
The bat the bad people if you start when bad people are found out and you look back you can just see the flattery
Just the bringing of gifts always i'm not saying it's wrong to bring something
But it's just like they're always bringing stuff. They're always just treating you they're flattering you they're trying to win you over
And proud men they take others down with them
So stay awake from wicked people
Or suffered the same fate you say separate yourselves from them and anybody that doesn't whether they're good or bad
They're going to go down with them
It says in verse 25 and moses rose up and went onto dathan and abiram and the elders of israel followed him
And he spake unto the congregation saying depart. I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs
Lest ye be consumed in all their sins
And i'm sure cora dathan primarily where are you going no stay stay with us
We don't want to be the only ones that look bad
And you know what you're going to go down with them if you're if you get talked into that
When wicked people are found out
And it's a sad story it says in verse 27
So they got up from the tabernacle of cora and dathan and abiram on every side
And dathan and abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents and their wives
And their sons and their little children
And it says little children to emphasize the fact that this is a sad story because let me tell you something little children
Can't express consent
They can't separate and say my father they don't have the discernment
You think a little child knows that every little child just it's knows that dad's wicked and wrong
I mean, maybe there's i'm sure there's an exception to every rule
But these little kids, you know, they're just cora dathan and a debt and abiram. They're just daddy
That's all they are to them. They're just little kids
But you know what they go down the pit just like everybody else in the story
Because
Men can destroy their own families
You say why is this horrible story in the bible to warn us?
To warn the rest of us that one man through his own actions can destroy his whole family
And it says in verse 28 moses hereby you shall know the lord has sent me to do well
We know the story right everyone knows what happens here
The earth opens up underneath they fit their feet and they all go down live into the pit
And if you go back to joshua chapter seven, you know, that's the same example in our text
God gives this warning over and over and over in scripture
We saw it here with cora dathan abiram that when one person gets out of sorts with with the with the lord
Or, you know for whatever reason if it's their pride their ambition their vainglory
Their whatever it is
They can destroy it can get to the point where they just destroy their whole family take every people that are even innocent
Little kids they had nothing to do with it. Just go down with them
They suffer the same consequences
Look at joshua seven verse 24 and joshua and all israel took him and aching the son of zera
The silver garment and the garment and the wedge of gold and his sons and his daughters
And his oxen and his ass and his sheep and his to everything all of it
Including his children and they stone them all
And then they burn them and they put stones on them. So everybody would know what happened and take heed
These things are written for our admonition unto whom the world the ends of the world are come that's why this story is here
Not just so you can try to figure out is god a good guy or a bad guy
But so that you can understand that when you know, god wants things done a certain way and when we get out of sorts with god
There's consequences so and sometimes
severe consequences
And our own sins, especially us as fathers as men can destroy our whole family
Can destroy our whole family one wrong decision one wrong move one bad attitude one bad day can just destroy everything
You know these stories are examples they're here to serve
As a warning, you know god's not you know, just trying to beat his chest here in these stories like look how bad I am
I'll just destroy them all he's trying to warn us
And you know, i'll have you go back I should have had to keep something numbers but go back to number 16. I apologize number 16
They serve as examples, you know, I love about well, I don't there's not really a whole lot to love about the story other than that
It's good admonition
But one thing I should say that's worth noting
Is that they serve as example even at that time like especially and that's probably pretty fresh right to those people
Did you hear what happened to cora dathan and the byram?
Look at verse 36 and the lord spake unto moses saying speak unto ilias are the son of the pre-air and the son of the priest
That he take up the censors out of the burning and scatter thou the fire yonder for they are hollowed
So he's saying look after he fire comes out from the lord and just consumes these guys because that's what happened in that story
Cora dathan abiram
All right. Yes, i'm sorry the pit swallowed them but there was this fire that came out and just consumes everybody
And he says take up the censors out of the burning right
And scatter thou the fire yonder for they are hollowed so they have these censors in their hand
They go and get them out of the ashes the censors of these sinners against their own souls
Let them make broad plates for a covering
Look what god's doing here a covering for the altar
For they offered before the before them before the lord
Therefore they are hollowed and they shall be a sign under the children of israel
And eliezer took the priest took the brazen censors wherewith that they that burned had offered
And they made broad plates for a covering of the altar to be memorial unto the children of israel
That no stranger which is not at the seat of erin come near to offer incense before the lord
That he be not as cora
And as his coming of the earth and his coming of the earth
He beat not as cora and as his company as the lord said to him by the hands of moses
But excuse me, but yeah by the hand of moses
She says take the censors that they had that they offered in take them out of the fire out of the ash
And make broad plates and put them on the altar now, where was the altar?
It was if you were walking if you were going to sacrifice you could see the altar it was right there
You know, you'd bring your animal they'd sacrifice and you watch and just throw that thing up
And so now when you go to that altar and you look at it you see these broad plates
And you go. Oh, that's cora and dathan and abiram's plates. I remember that story
He said put it on there. So these people be not as cora
Everyone who came to make a sacrifice they would see those censors on the altar
And they take warning just like in our story
back about
In the valley of acor he said he said look stone them burn them and then pile stones upon everything
And then they call it and then they call it the valley of acor unto this day
They they name it just like those broad plates to serve as a reminder
You know, how do I get there? Well, you're going to go down then you're going to take a left at the valley of acor
You know, oh, yeah. I remember that the valley of acor
Over there's the valley of acor. Why do you call it that?
The name well, let me tell you why we call that
And it's a warning
And what's the warning? What is the valley of acor? It's named after a man that failed his family
That's what it's named after a man who because of his own covetousness
failed his family
A man who just destroyed everything with one bad decision and that serves as a warning to them and to us today
The bible says in colossians 2 let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility
Let no man beguile you of your reward, you know, god wants to reward us
But if we're not careful somebody else might just come along and beguile us of it
And if we get too close to these khoras and too close to these dathans and abirams
You know, we might we might be beguiled out of our reward
We might end up
You know having a valley named after us
So, you know aiken he fought with israel, you know the story
He came over he was there when jericho fell he could have gone right on living his life
And saw ai come down and fought the seven kings and so on and so forth got himself an inheritance and had a good life
And serve god he could have had that it was his to have
And he fought with israel, but was it was his greed that destroyed his family, but he destroyed his family
I mean you say well, what was what was khoras children's only mistake? They were just born in the wrong house
So don't let all your work works just get burned and buried and forgotten by allowing yourself to be beguiled by some evil person
And don't lead your families
Down in the valley of akor. Let's go and pray