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November 22, 2021 6:30 am
Episode 842 | Adriel Sanchez and Bill Maier answer caller questions.
Questions in this Episode
1. My coworker listens to demonic heavy metal music, to the extent that the bands are encouraging listeners to go to hell and embrace it. He said that he accepts and is content with the fact that he is going to hell. How would you recommend talking to this guy?
2. How important is worship in service? I live in NYC & finding a church sound in doctrine is quite a feat. I found a church with great reaching, but the worship is dreadful. I am convinced the singer’s voice is a joy only to the Lord. I am visiting and trying to determine if I want to become a member of this fellowship, but the singer’s screeching both depresses and aggravates me. Should I look elsewhere for fellowship, time my arrival for right before the preaching begins, or wear earplugs during the singing?
3. If Jesus is in heaven at the right hand of the Father, what work is he doing for us now?
4. Is Melchizedek a prefiguration of Christ?
5. Did God create the serpent in the God?
6. Can Christians be pro-choice?
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Should I leave the church if the worship is cringe worthy. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity why this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.
Would love to hear from you and our phone lines are open right now at 833-843-2673. That's 833.
The core can also post your question. One of our social media sites you can actually watch a drill right now on our YouTube channel and sent him a message that way course you can always email us at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today. Here's a question we received from one of our listeners named Brandon at work on a very demonic heavy-metal where writing and playing there's no way to have any thoughts on target with background music, made today about going to your pretty content with how would you recommend talking to thank you and I love the fact that you are wanting to engage her coworkers with the gospel, and it seems like there's an open door here, an opportunity to talk about these things and if there if there speaking with you and saying I am going to hell and I'm okay with that an opportunity for you to talk about just that the seriousness of what it is that there talking about a minute.
I think most people, they just sort of minimize the idea of hell, of God's justice of God's judgment and so I think that you can you can help one in just in just bringing that the sobering reality to bear.
This isn't something that that we should be joking about this is that a small thing, and ultimately what what you need to be doing is praying for your coworkers at the spirit of God would open their hearts to receive the gospel to God would give you boldness to share the gospel clearly with them, and as you continue to work with them and and you know build a relationship or friendship, but also one.
What were your you know talking about the Lord with them. You may the Lord be with you and bless you that the one passage of Scripture that comes to mind. Here is what Paul said in second Timothy chapter 2 verse 24 the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach patiently enduring evil correcting his opponents with gentleness God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth and they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil having been captured by him to do his will. That's what your pure prayer is is that your coworkers would come to their senses that the Lord would grant them repentance. And so as you as you pray for them and pray for that.
Pray that the Lord will open their eyes and God will give you opportunities, wisdom, boldness to share. Clearly, God bless you Brandon is you do that, Brandon. Thanks so much for your call and we do appreciate the fact that you care about these coworkers and want to see them come to trust Christ to me. What a blessing that would be so will be praying for you and that'll situation this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and if you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life Christian doctrine, theology, or how your faith intersects with today's culture.
Would love to hear from you.
Here's our phone number it's 1-833-843-2673 will be taking questions for the next 20 minutes or so, so hop on the phone right now. 833. The core is the number here's an email we received from one of our listers in Christiania. She says how important is worship and service. I live in New York City and finding a church sound in doctrine is quite a feat. I found a church with great teaching, but the worship is, alas, in a word, dreadful.
I'm convinced the singers voice is a joy only to the Lord I'm visiting and trying to determine if I want to become a member of this fellowship, but the singers screeching both depresses and aggravates me, though it's difficult to imagine it's only me thinking this should I look elsewhere for fellowship time my arrival for right before the preaching begins, or wear earplugs during this thing yet. That's sorry to hear about this experience sounds like a painful to sit to the worship there.
I'm glad to hear that that the doctrine sounds he is is like that. The preaching is good and you're able to receive that well, but you're having a hard time being distracted by the worship violently to say this, there are two things that can be really distracting when it comes to the musical part of church worship. They can either be such a such a big performance amid just a bunch of professionals up there.
Basically doing the worship on behalf of everybody else. It's it's a performance and that can be a distraction because it keeps us from engaging because we feel like I'm just not I'm not good enough to sing. There they are doing it up there there there up there and I'm here and I'm more of a spectator. I'm observing this show I've seen that in churches and in large mega churches that that's one distraction we need to be careful that we don't fall into, but the other distraction is sometimes you know in this you can be the case usually and in smaller churches, the music and just be so so bad that that's the distraction that that you know what were not were not really caring to do this part of the service with excellence.
I think it's important that we we do the entire service with excellence and so the worship quote unquote that the musical part can either be distraction because it's a it's a performance or because it's just poorly done and it sounds like. In this case you're distracted because it's being poorly done and so I mean there are couple ways to go about this one. You could just have a conversation with the leadership of the church and say this is a distraction to you. The apostle Paul in first Corinthians 12 through 14 and sees talking about ordering Christian worship services as everything needs to be done for the edification of the body for the building up of the body and it needs to be done. He says that says this at the end of first grade beans 14 decently and in order. In other words, is not it's not just this this big spectacle that is it. I distraction again. It's work fixing our eyes on Jesus and everything that happens in the service should help us to do that and so if if the singing is not helping you to do that.
I would say have a conversation with with the leadership of the church and and just say hey I'm I'm struggling here. How do we go about getting up picking the songs and who's up there singing in and whatnot and really I think that's that's an important conversation to have a think that that can be a way maybe that you even encourage the church there and so I don't know that I would say you need to go find another church. Certainly, I was the main thing that we need to make sure were getting from from the churches were in his faithful Bible teaching the proclamation of the gospel. So if that's their great and I wouldn't say show up in the middle of the service so that you just hear the preaching that you miss everything else not been part of it is is still fighting to be engaged, even when it's hard for you to be engaged, even when maybe you don't like the song or the singers aren't as good as you would like I would say you know seek to be focused on the Lord still to try to get through the distractions obviously don't have those distractions but to continue to worship there with others and to draw near to the Lord and to to worship him. And so thank you for that question and that may God bless you as is you get plugged in and on under the ministry of the word, and as the Lord continues to work in your life, discredited by Sandra, but let me ask you this. What if that worship singers. The pastor's wife yeah you know and often times isn't that the case right like that's maybe that either of the well. I would say maybe still have that conversation.
And that's a little touchier in that situation is not it. My wife is not being on the worship team and she'd be the first to tell you.
You wouldn't want me to.
So you know we need to have the humility that been able to to say that I appreciate this question and again I think he gets right to the heart of you know we in worship we we don't want to be distracted. We want to focus on the word we want to focus on Christ and so trying to remove those distractions.
I think this is important.
That's great.
This is core Christianity with pastor Ariel Sanchez. If you are a parent or grandparent. We have a special resource want to tell you about today.
It's a book by a friend of this program, author and theologian Nancy Guthrie yet. The book is called every child should know about prayer. I know that just as a pastor, prayer, something that many of us struggle with and how many of you can can think back to when you were a child you know lessons on prayer times were were your parents or grandparents came alongside of you and and try to help you at that young stage grow in your prayer life. Many of us didn't have that but it's so important that our children learn about prayer date they can go to the Lord to in this this book is can you help them to do that and will help you encourage them as well. So if you have children or grandchildren. Please get a hold of this resource. Again, it's called what every child should know about prayer. You can find it by going to core Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers a look for what every child should know about prayer.
While our phone lines are open right now. If you have a question for Pastor Israel about the Bible or the Christian life theology or doctrine. Call us at 1-833-843-2673 let's go to John in St. Louis, Missouri. John what your question for atrial gene of God and you have available up picking you a heart of God the father enters the interstate between what the devil is saying accusing you of all approach and follow in what Christ was going to intercede for his saints, and ultimately all the Holy Spirit working people lives.how does Boalsburg for Jesus while Giardina is not here on earth but he's in heaven. How does the Holy Spirit of God starting Jesus present the heart and their guard or his qualities, God, I want to stand there, yet I John thanks thanks to that question. So yes, Jesus is has ascended bodily at the right hand of the father and his position of authority and power.
He's raining right now, making his enemies a footstool for his feet. As with the apostle Paul says in first grade is chapter 15 quoting from Psalm 110 and so Jesus is been exalted and we see this very clearly at the beginning of the book of acts, and what did he do when he was exulted. We ascended on high, he sent his spirit into the world. He baptized his church in the Holy Spirit.
That's what took place on the day of Pentecost in the spirit of Christ lives in us we are the adopted children of God.
Now Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 6 through eight, and the spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and we cry out, Abba, father to the father through the spirit of Christ who lives in us so that the spirit of Christ is in us, conforming us day by day, more and more into the image of Jesus sanctifying us a sanctification is a work of the Holy Spirit. Now you brought in the topic of spiritual warfare.
You know how does how does Jesus interceding for us. You know the address that issue. I think of what what Jesus told Peter note in the Satan's desire to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you. He said to Peter, you're going to be restored and that's hope that we have the Bible teaches very clearly John that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for his people. It's part of his priestly office.
He didn't just offer himself for us for the for the cleansing of our sins that was a part of his priestly office as well, but he also is still interceding for us as our great high priest. Romans makes us clear the book of Hebrews makes this clear to soak through his intercessions through his prayers.
We are kept in the hands of Almighty God and protected from the evil one and so a lot going on there, but that, but that's a great comfort that we have that the spirit of God lives in us that Christ is in us by the spirit and that he keeps us by his grace.
Thank you for your question hey John, thanks for calling in and thanks for being a listener to core Christianity let's go to Scott who's listening in Iowa today Scott what your question for atrial model melt you like mysterious thing three times about finding it a little bit more about how I yeah it's got great question yeah was of them been preaching to the book of Genesis when I got to that seen in Genesis chapter 14 with Melchizedek had a great time. The passages are gonna want to go to is what we think about Melchizedek bar Genesis chapter 14.
Rather, only three places.
Genesis chapter 14 Abraham after this great great slaughter of this great battle is met by this priest of God most high, whose name is Melchizedek and you learn more about the other the other text to go to is in the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 7 say about those text opened here before me just read some of Genesis 14 it says after his return from the defeat of Kendra Lauber and the Kings were with him. The king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Chevette that is the Kings Valley and Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wind and wine. He was priest of God most high, and he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram by God most high possessor of heaven and earth and blessed be God most high, who was delivered your enemies into your hand and Abram gave him 1/10 of everything that it was he gave Mattias so so this kind of an interesting scene because you have this great father in the faith.
Abram giving a ties to this guy, this mysterious figure. Just a single.
He dropped out of the sky.
There's no genealogy given. Of course, if you're not familiar with the book of Genesis. Oftentimes we get some background some genealogy. Nothing like that here, but is identified as this priest of God most high, and he blesses Abram and other was ETF's position of authority. This this this superior position, Abram gives him a tight week.
We hear about them again in Psalm 110 verse four, but he really is. Got up picture of Christ and of that, the priestly office that Christ would fulfill an eternal priesthood if you will, are an everlasting priesthood, not like the Levitical priests working to be instituted later in the Old Testament. This the priesthood long before the Levitical priesthood and one which focuses on Jesus's work is special work, as the Lord as our great high priest and so you turn to Hebrews chapter 7 and the author.
The Hebrews gives us a little bit of an exposition of that scene he says in verse one for this Melchizedek king of Salem, priest of the most high God met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him and to him. Abraham appointed 10th part of everything. He is first by translation of his name, king of righteousness. And then he is also King of Salem that is King of peace.
He is without father or mother or genealogy.
Having neither beginning of days nor end-of-life.
But reassembling the son of God. He continues a priest forever. Now that word resembling is really important needs to be similar to, or like something else. In other words, I don't think that Melchizedek was pre-incarnate appearing appearance of Jesus Christ. I think he was just this individual. This this kingly priestly figure there, who according to the Revelation were given in the Old Testament doesn't have any background of no genealogy given to sort of falls out of the sky.
As I said, and in so far is that that's the case, he resembles the son of God who is uncreated who had no beginning, who is the eternal son of God, Jesus and so Melchizedek is really for us a picture of Christ, who is the great prophet, priest and king of the people of God who we submit to. We love who we worship, and so it's really amazing when you when you trace all of the stories in the Bible you way back there and in Genesis chapter 14 to see these great pictures if you will of Christ, of his priestly office of his kingly office. Even there in Genesis 14.
What is Melchizedek do. He brings out bread and wine as it reminds you of what Jesus did with his disciples right before he went to the cross sitting with them in in the upper room.
There he brings out bread and wine and says this is my body, this is my blood for you and so check out those passages read those passages. Genesis 14 Hebrews 7.
Meditate on those texts and be in awe of the glory of Christ, less this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, just a reminder, the wonderful book we have available for parents and grandparents just in time for the holidays. It's called what every child should know about prayer by our friend Bible teacher theologian Nancy Guthrie.
You can find out more about that by going to core Christianity.com/offers.
Let's go to Janine in Missouri. Janine what your question for atrial hey Janine are you there you. Why did God make the serpent yeah will back our going back to Genesis again so early, early on in Genesis you have in Genesis chapter 3 the serpent more crafty than any other beast of the field with the Lord God had made. And the serpent deceived Adam and Eve and as a result. Sin enters into the world, and death through sin, and we've been in a terrible condition ever since. Now why did God make the serpent. I think it put a little bit different because everything that God made in this is absolutely clear from the first two chapters of the book of Genesis was good. There was no sin, everything that God made was good, including the Angels, all of them so so what happened is you have this rebellion if you will. This fall rooted in pride. One of the angels, Satan, Lucifer wanting to ascend to God, wanting to be like him, and as a result he felt God gave him free will. If you will, just like he gave Adam and Eve free will, freedom of choice here in in the garden and so I would say God made everything good. All the Angels good some of those angels including the serpent chose to rebel and and so and got allowed that now that that's a separate why did God allow this to happen. Well that's getting into some pretty pretty deep waters.
We know one thing we do know is that God did not allow anything that he hadn't already determined and purposed how to how to deal with how to fix and of course we have the promise of the gospel, given to us in Genesis 315 that the seed of the woman was going to crush the head of the servants of God allowed the serpent's deception to come into the garden, but he didn't make the serpent in that sentence. I think we have to be clear with our language and that's that's how I would unpack your question. Thank you for for that question and I may Lord bless you.
This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.
Let's go to Debbie who is listening in Martin Illinois Debbie, what's your question for atrial teacher and I deal with the abortion and said she went both pro-life and pro-choice as she think their government should rule on anything like that and I don't have a Christian can be pro-choice and pro-life, pro-choice. But anyway, how would you handle think that question one.
So a couple of things you God instituted civil government gives a civil government read about this in Romans chapter 13 and those governments that God has instituted these allowed to operate under his ultimately his sovereign rule are accountable to him, and there are accountable to do good to do justice. Now I would say abortion is a great injustice it's it's the taking of a life. And so it's okay I would say it's right for there to be good and just laws pertaining to this and people gonna disagree about it right but but we can't disagree about what's just and what's unjust what's right and what's wrong.
I think it's it's clearly with regarding this issue is clearly spelled out in the Scriptures.
Now it seems like I'm not entirely sure with why or what the reasoning is behind this this particular friend of yours or this Bible teachers is about pro-life and pro-choice, which I take to mean that they think there are some circumstances where an individual mean of the just fine for them to to terminate their their baby's life. I would want to get a little bit more information but III think just answering your question the way you stated it is okay and it's it's right but it's important that civil governments here on earth today govern justly, we should pray for that to we should pray for that we should pursue that ultimately that's that's what's the best for our neighbors in terms of loving our neighbors. You think that the law of God.
The second table of the law.
When Jesus calls us to part of that is how we treat the vulnerable and not just the unborn, but all the vulnerable in in society and so I've heard people say this before to you know pro-life doesn't just refer to how we treat unborn babies and that that's that's true.
We also want to think about all the other vulnerable people out there who we often overlook and it's never okay to overlook any of them delete we should have a consistent. I think as Christians pro-life ethic across the board, but that certainly includes taking a stand against taking a stand strong stand against abortion, and so yeah I'm glad I would just encourage you to continue to have those conversations with this renin and point to the Scriptures and and I encourage them as well so Debbie, thank you for giving us a call federal here's a quick email question before we go. This listener says thanks so much for your ministry.
My daughter is 11 years old. She has a good relationship with her dad who doesn't live with us. He's told her he doesn't believe in God and many of my daughter's friends at school are also nonbelievers. She's expressed that she finds it hard as I'm really the only one she can talk to about this, and sometimes she feels embarrassed. She's expressed to me she would like to be a Christian enjoys reading her Bible.
I want to help nurture her relationship. What would you advise yeah I I would advise that you certainly encourage her in her relationship with the Lord. In reading the Scriptures do that together pray with each other to make sure that you're in a good church right you're not always in a be able to talk about the things of the Lord with with the people in your school. Although it is nice and I think if you want to be able to be bold and and I talk about Jesus with the people ready make sure you're in a good church where you're surrounded by other believers who can encourage you in your walk with the Lord. And so I do hope that you are in a local church that's going to be important, not just that, as you and in your daughter doing the Christian life is the body of Christ together walking together, seeking to honor the Lord and to worship him faithfully.
So God bless you as you do that.
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