The Fathers Love (Part B)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

That is an assurance that's not a yes. Well, if I play my cards right about if you come to the cross.

If you just come to the cross of Jesus Christ. It will happen because God loves you. That's why didn't save you because of any other reason than he loved you first.

This is cross-referenced with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Ricky is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first John, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross-referenced specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of first John chapter 3 as he continues his message called the father's love, Peter talks about being born again out of the incorruptible seed through the word of God lives and abides forever. That's a double meaning. There word of God is the word become flesh and it is also through the revelation of the will of God and his word without which the generations following the apostles would never have known about the Word becoming flesh you can be adopted into a family if it is a good family you're every bit of a child of that family is if you were born into the family. Romans chapter 8 verse 14 for as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are the sons of God's critical to be led by the spirit of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry. Father that's visit is the closeness you know is you can have many fathers but is really one dad is the idea. Maybe someone's been fortunate to have more than one dad is possible. I'm getting off point.

You can marry into a family. Romans seven. You also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ that you may be married to another to him was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. Pulses to him was raised from the dead he saw him he saw him after the crucifixion. Perhaps not before, but he saw him after inserted you and so did I, not in the same manner of Paul that we've seen in their other eyes to see with outside of our eyeballs.

The eyes of faith, so the price is emphasized three times there in those verses that we are God's family with your adopted with your married into it. Whether you are born into it. All of them are available and that is a point of emphasis that he makes when Jesus gave the parable of the prodigal son in that one little parable 12 times he mentions the father died with the name of the father on his lips, father, into your hands I commend my spirit.

He rose from the dead, assuring his loved ones that his father was there father.

This emphasis is not to be wasted is to be embraced. It is to be used in times of hardship in times of trouble. In times of confusion of times and times when you feel abandoned by God. Times when maybe you felt angry with God. God has allowed oceans of misery in this world.

Just look at the history books.

Just consider the massacres not only of Christians, and yet at the end of it all. He says get to me follow my love concentrate on that all deal with the oneness later. Another words with us. John says, therefore the world does not know him because it did not know him up on me. The world does not know us, because it did not know him.

The world is missing out.

It's their choice.

The love that saves also separates God loves those who come to him, but he will separate those who do not love him from those who do the sheep and the goats, we would say we live in a time where knowledge is everywhere that our fingertips, and yet with all this knowledge. The masses of people know, not their maker and a great many of them couldn't care less. He's a stranger.

Jesus is to the unbeliever so often he is treated as though he's hostile because he doesn't approve of the lifestyle doesn't approve of their lies concerning him. Their outlook on life in heaven in eternity, and death that they even get that far to to consider those things they don't approve of his view, and they resent him having a view that disagrees with theirs.

They resent him saying this one way there's not many ways. While all rows can go to Rome but they don't all go to heaven is only one that goes to heaven and I met refuse their maker refuses love because they suppose they are better off without it, or even do about that Christian Wheeler to do with the people you rub elbows with earlier. I read from Romans where he says as many as are the children of God, these are led by the spirit of God.

So we pray, God help me with the person in the workplace which ones all pain is a mention can blur our vision of God. But faith refocuses us and that is his work, we applied we hang with him. The winds blow the storms, we remain on the on that tree on the vine.

Verse two beloved, now he calls saints.

Beloved, we are children of God, and it is not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is where he says now beloved or beloved, now, of course, through Christ, now that you're in Christ God is not the father to everyone that is called universalism. Someone's name that that it's an appropriate title. He is the maker of everyone but he is not the father is more that has to happen before God will become the father Jesus that no one comes to the father except through me.

Will that disqualifies a lot of people because a lot of people don't want to come through him. You see, that's harsh, to whom to God about him. What about God, you and me being re-being rejected. He made the place and is being rejected. Isn't that harsh to him. The sinner can come and repent.

They know their centers.

John chapter 8 Jesus said to her religious group of leaders you are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. See you saying you're not God's. God is not your father the devil's your father that a human being can have Satan as his great influence and superior is possible.

Remember the story of the pigs that ran off a cliff.

One man can hold more demons than 2000 pigs. The capacity for man to hold evil and iniquity in his heart is astounding. He says John doesn't, it has not yet been revealed what we shall be flat out insane is more to come. If questions cut eternity. Your questions about what I'm I going to be bald in heaven if I want to be. Otherwise I'll be flicking the hair out of my eyes for the hope.

I don't know. I things a little, but too much laughter for these ball jokes going on here. You should anyway John chapter 16 verse 12, Jesus speaking to his disciples in a beautiful versus tough sometimes but other times it is very encouraging. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. Sometimes I want to know now. Sometimes I want the answers immediately or the relief but there's a full transformation awaiting we who believe and not even the apostles knew how this was all going to work as much as they saw on the prophets as much as is. There were closed-door. John says we know that when he is revealed in this of course is either at death of the rapture and let me just stop for a moment to say you will miss nothing in this life. When you get to heaven there will be nothing missed. Will there is one sports coat. I really like no there'll be nothing heaven. You won't have time to think when we get to heaven. The glory will be so remarkable. He says we shall be like him. We know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him. When we see him woman finally face-to-face with Christ now does not say we will be equal with him, that is not going to happen crisis self-created self existent. He is God Almighty. We will not ever evolve into a state of godhood, but the hood that we will be living in will have much to offer. Second Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18 we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the spirit of the Lord is is repeated in first Corinthians 15 second Corinthians 3. In Philippians 3, it's other places we there's a transformation that awaits us. Now we are you know we were aging, but we get to heaven.

It all gets corrected. Every wrong thing about us physically and spiritually gets corrected. He is God and we are not your created beings is self existent. These things make a distinction between being God and being like God but not a God. We will not be identical to him.

The new body that we will have will not age. As I mentioned, nor gets sick. The touch of temptation and sin will not come near it. He says for we shall see him as he is. That alone will be a transformation. There's more to him than what could ever be written in any book or even expressed by him taking on humanity and walking amongst people. When we do see Christ faith shall turn into site will be need for faith no more will see it will be there. The answer is the mysteries of Scripture will dissolve will be unlocked.

We shall see what we have believed. Can you imagine seeing what you believe. Finally, no more enduring by faith. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. That is going to happen. We see him now what we're going to really see him then the pure in heart is a heart made pure by the love by the blood by the will of Jesus Christ. It is his work is not our work. The one whom the world refuses. We love but we have to be careful that we don't hate the people of the world.

It's too easy.

We have to know that the work is in loving them and praying for them.

I know it's it's hard to pray for an enemy. And if it is hard for you than pray to the Lord to help you with that. I can't think of anyone right now and we look see. No, I – I can't think of anybody that is my enemy. I can think of people that really irked me people I don't like people that I would like to do things to all. Maybe I am drifting into enemies with this if you know the other pick out a few of them because it be too many to get through the day if you had to pray for all of them. So the ones that are in close is that a written range verse three and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. Our hope is the hope of assurance not uncertainty is no way just hope it's true know that's not our hope when the New Testament speaks of the hope of the saints. It is our assurance and will wait with going forward is that it is an anticipation.

We can't wait to get there.

That is our anticipation.

That is our great desire. Titus chapter 2 verse 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

See, that's the New Testament calling Jesus Christ, God is not a disjunctive there's not separating God from Jesus Christ. Using Jesus Christ is God our Savior. The Bible tells us straight out. We have one Savior. It is God, even the Old Testament prophets taught that and it services in the New Testament and it surfaces in a big way and those who don't receive it.

Don't want to receive it. That's why they don't get it. And that's on them, but where he says, looking for the blessed hope, it would not be a blessed hope, it was shrouded in uncertainty. It was well the things we want to be true that were told by God.

They might not happen know that going to happen. So make sure we understand that Satan is not permitted to write our dictionaries for us. God gives meaning to the words and the hope there is a blessed hope. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. That is an assurance that's not a gas well if I play my cards right. How about if you come to the cross. If you just come to the cross of Jesus Christ.

It will happen because God loves you. That's why it didn't save you because of any other reason than he loved you first.

Then all the other reasons come into play, but he loves you. Think about that the next time you mess up big God does love Satan can't do anything about it. Just knowing that we will see him as a purifying influence. That's what he saying here and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, what we don't cleanse ourselves from sin original sin we can. That's only the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from Original Sin. But what this purifying hope does is it motivates us to obedience. Obedience is a thing we never can get absolutely right, but without trying to get absolutely right we wouldn't get much, so we keep plowing struggling would go against the resistance we resist the resistance.

That's what defines us as believers of people that are just determined to get it right even though we have a nature, you know what a nature is a way of thing operates wherever saying the nature of the beast. The old story of the scorpion that asked for a ride from frog across the lake not never seen this happen, but I know it's true.

Her just illustrates a point. And the frogs is null because once we get out that you sting me and the scorpion says no I won't.

I want to get to the other side to buy sting you will drown frog is all okay highborn start swimming across the lake and the get halfway through and the scorpion stings as a frog is feeling the poison go. What did you do that for Isis my nature, I count myself that's nature and you can train a dog all you want, you put a piece of meat in front of him. Eventually he's eating that meat. It's his nature, and that's with the sinful nature is so we try to fortify against it. We try to stay a step ahead of it.

What would happen if you stop resisting the flash you would be consumed.

Maybe that was the case of the beggar that ended up in the bosom of Abraham that bosom of Abraham turns out ultimately to be heaven. Initially it was not. But when Christ was crucified. He descended and set the captives free. In an instant. They were in heaven because that cleansing of his blood sacrifice had freed them to enter into the that the land of God. But as we think about that beggar. Something caused him to be that way something imperfect, something that was less than ideal, something that even God did not want it was allowed, and yet because he was loved by God, evidently or during God. In return is adoration did not change his life here in this world, but it put him in another one where he is a beggar no more, and so these things that we are very mindful of from the Scripture. They serve as a purifying influence. We strive to obey our father who is in heaven.

It is the mark or a mark personal salvation.

Why don't you do that because God doesn't want me to do that. I want to do it to us. He doesn't want me to do it and that's why am trying not to do it for him with something. My flesh wishes he would just go away.

My spirit knows better than it is on the battle is on John's gospel chapter 6 verse 37 all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will not catch this.

I will by no means cast out what part of that. Do we not understand. We should say no, I do understand all of it that God's love for me is something to behold that it is so great, so strong, no devil, a collection of demons can do anything about it that God loves me so much that he by no means will cast Mia's call blessed assurance. Anything less than that is not Christianity. John will end this letter with so that you may know that you have eternal life because he had to deal with this and Christians who had come out of paganism would soiled their lives with all sorts of rudeness and sin that still hounded them once they became believers. Yes, you come to Christ. Your heart is filled with the Holy Spirit, the transformation that begins which you are also targeted in the flesh is still very much alive, you are dead to it, but it's not dead to you. This is life and in the midst of it. We also say this is life to God loves me and is not casting me out. That's the message God has said, take that to the people. I thought this pretty good message. Hope no mess it up is real nice when you get it, but you also know in the back in the adventure of preaching is you just have a bad day in the pulpit.

You've never seen that because I'm a professional. Anyway, I also understand that this message is recorded and will be published in others will hear it helps me helps me as a pastor and I hope it's published by you. If you agree with this message.

I hope that it is something you can share it's not complicated when not asking you to to algorithms or something, which is asking you to repeat what God has said he loves you and us through Christ and if you come to him, he will not cast you out so we long for his return and that longing is indicative of a relationship. It indicates that we will have this hope purify ourselves because it indicates that he is first purified us at the cross enough to find a better deal than this anywhere. Talk about a sale you talk about a bargain. Why is humanity so interested in finding bargain. Funny how rich you are you still looking for a bargain.

And yet God offers this bargain and you say it's too good to be true. I'll have none of it.

It's insane.

That's goal nature that old nature is susceptible to spiritual insanity spiritual stupidity spiritual ignorance everything negative concerning the spirit of man. The old nature gobbles up so we battle our sinful nature because of our love for God.

This hope as I mentioned, it cleanses us because it causes it cleanses because it causes us to resist evil from ourselves.

How many Christians persecuted and had every right, according to man's terms to hate their persecutors pray for them. Instead John knew.

Again, the Gnostic boys offered neither hope nor purity. It was that you know the bait and switch. They talk to you about the name of Jesus. But when you got there. You wouldn't get the Jesus Christ of reality. You got this concoction of their imagination that had all these deep dark secrets she had to spend your life trying to find out that had nothing to do with love. The cross of Christ. Mena still doing this with Gianna. People have these Jesus seminars when they have said where voting on what stays in the Bible and what goes out. I have a what kind of craziness is that so well received by people who are deceived by Satan when he says, just as he is pure. John saw Jesus with his own eyes he saw him in his humanity as he walked the earth.

He saw him in his glory there on the Mount transfiguration with his glory flashed out before them in and it does that they could handle. He saw him resurrected.

He saw Jesus Christ remain clean and dirty world. That's what John saw no staying.

No scar upon the character of Jesus Christ ever never saw him fail and when he thought he saw him fail on the cross, he realized it was no failure at all to time couple of days, but he realized it he never saw Jesus Christ have to apologize.

That alone is remarkable, and he will see him again when he gets to the revelation which is not yet written adult chronologically. John's letter comes before the revelation of Jesus Christ. He will see them again in Christ will touch him and he will fall as though dead in Christ will encourage him. Give him a vision unlike any other. So Christ who remained without sin, which can be said about no one else took our sin upon himself. That's when he no longer was sinless when he took our sin on him.

What why what's in it for me is what I would've said Rick I want you to take on the sin of humanity.

No thank you, Dave. It's available is what's in it for me. That's the sinful nature God says I'll take it because you're in it for me, behold, the love of the father, look at it our darkness, our shame on him in front of everybody closer to one verse and one sentence. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned aside everyone to His Own Way, Lord has laid on him in the small wooden shoulders can handle. Remember there is a father and that he is your father you want him to be your father through Christ.

Is he your father. Are you his child. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference cross reference is a ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia.

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