Attached and Attacked (Part A)

We not always look to be better at our faith, we fall, we are determined to get up and do better next time. Now Satan comes along any chops is down sometimes. Again we get up what can he do with that. If we live we spend a lifetime getting back up. We've demonstrated that were sin abounded, grace did much grace is the kindness of God that we don't deserve.

That's the meaning of grace.

Here you go.

I don't deserve it, will we know that we received grace we don't learn this is cross reference radio 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 reference radio, 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 2 as he begins his message attached and attacked your and John's first letter.

Chapter 2. If you have your Bibles please turn to verse 24 we will read verses 24 through 29. Beginning in verse 24 therefore let that abide in you, what you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the sun and in the father and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life. These things I've written to you concerning those who try to deceive you, but the anointing which you have received from him abides in you and you do not need that anyone teach, but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and is not a lie just that it is.

It has taught you, you will abide in him now, little children, abide in him that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him title for this verse by verse consideration is attached and attacked because that's what belongs to our faith as Christians we who abide with Christ are attached to him, and that draws course attacks from the enemy. Since we are friends with God the father and God the son that is, we ought to remain with them to abide be attached. That's what John has been preaching all the way through and so when he starts off in verse 24 therefore is linking what he is about to say with everything he has been saying and he just finished talking about how the father and the son are inseparable in this relationship that we have with the Godhead.

The father the son and the Holy Spirit gives to us makes available to us discernment the ability to distinguish what is from God and what is not from God.

It is the touch of the Holy Spirit is one of his many touches helps us to remain with the Lord through thick and thin through good times and bad times through obedient times through disobedient times sickness through health whatever comes our way is the power of God that sustains us.

That is what is meant when Peter is that we are, by the power of God.

Because if we if we relied on our own power, we would not be. Paul said this, he said yes. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution that persecution can come from the world in the form of violence or mockery. For example, it can come from hell directly against us, or it can comfort from our own sinful and fallen nature, known as the flesh. Yes, Paul says all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will go through it and those who stumble and sin and those who backslide, these are those who were wounded and prisoners of war casualties there in the fight they believe in the Lord, but they stumble sometimes they have a very difficult time picking themselves up. This as opposed to those who are apostates there are not wounded. Casualties are not prisoners of this war.

They are deserters they have detached themselves. Apostasy is something that is willful, it is not by accident. It is not something that I didn't know what I was doing. It is something that is very deliberate and John is fighting this in the church as were all the apostles keeping the deserters from sneaking back in with their influences and their ideas. These are genuine threats to genuine Christianity since the days of Christ.

To this very day, as the apostles throughout the New Testament work hard to beat back.

These influences the church not supposed to get that were supposed to do something with it. There is far more to our faith.

However, than just winning souls as critical as that is making converts we are here to do that. But there is war to retain them to shield to make them fit to make more converts otherwise when we converting people to we don't understand what we believe we just Jesus is the way, and then then what happens while the devil comes along and he plucks them up. So Paul says, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, the edification of the body of Christ. That's why the Lord has given some to be pastors or apostles.

He starts off with prophets, evangelists, pastor teachers, those for evangelism and discipleship action perseverance.

That's how we beat back the devil.

John writes in the fifth chapter, that you may continue to believe in the name of the son of God. That's what his work is about playing with Paul all the writers James Jude that's that's what's going on here in this last section. That's what's standing out for us this morning.

We look now in verse 24 therefore let that abide in you, which you heard from the beginning.

If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the sun and in the father.

I mention he is linking that, therefore, with verse 23 whoever denies his sons not have the father he who acknowledges son has the father also there been many attempts by those who claim to be Christians and are not to somehow divide the father from the sun the original message that he is referencing.

Here is what you heard from beginning the message of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one, the son of God versus the false influences of these Gnostic teachers.

In this case, but today it can be come they they have any label doesn't matter the label. What are they saying, what are they doing, what are they up to is what John is saying I'm trying to reach you, my beloved children in the faith to recognize these things to understand what you've been given. As believers the Holy Spirit to identify to make these distinctions, and to go against them. You are to be attached to Christ. You will be attacked in Christ, but you shall prevail.

Jesus said to Peter, but I have prayed for you. Satan has asked for you but I have prayed for you Paul put it this way saying the same thing dealing with the same junk that last for one lifetime.

He says foolish Galatians who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified but only this, I want to learn from you. Did you receive the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith are you so foolish, having begun in the spirit. Are you now being made perfect by the flesh you started out with the basics of the faith, the relationship with Christ built on his work. You were walking with him. You will filled with the spirit now is happened you taken a turn who's done this to you who has suckered you. That's what he is asking John stealing. As I mentioned years later, decades later same stuff we are to this very day.

The concept of abiding with Christ is emphasized by Christ the Lord himself use the vine and branches.

This metaphor for our life with him. John's gospel chapter 15 I am the vine, you are the branches.

He who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing attached to him. That's the metaphor he uses it as a perfect metaphor vine and the branches. What is the nature of these vines, these branches first thing is they cling, do we not cling to the Lord, we who love him no matter what's going on. They climb doing not always looked to be better at our faith, we fall, we are determined to get up and do better next time. Now Satan comes along any chops is down sometimes.

Again we get up what can he do with that. If we live we spend a lifetime getting back up. We've demonstrated that where sin abounded, grace did much more grace is the kindness of God that we don't deserve.

That's the meaning of grace.

Here you go.

I don't deserve it, will we know that we received grace we don't learn. One other thing vine that clings the vine that climbs has fruit in clusters, clusters of fruit for others, even the vine is again perfect.

A perfect metaphor. So when Christ says I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, say, John wrote that because he heard that when he heard it.

It's stuck with him all of his life, and centuries later in a centerpiece that make it very very old. Decades later he still preaching the same thing.

He is still himself abiding stick with the faith develop the basics. Don't be taken off the basics it is not advancement to throw away the basics. It could be a genius in calculus. If you've thrown away the basics, you are no longer successful. And so it is with us, and yet there is this determination amongst Christians to always look to sensationalized the faith to discard the vague basics and to try to bring something in.

That's more thrilling if they're not being wowed.

They feel like they are not following. We want to bring forth fruit through action by staying attached to the Lord his word and spirit in our lives.

This is the outcome of the truth that produces love that produces work. God does not show honor to laziness in the faith.

It's a fact.

But again it attracts the spoilers so keeping with this metaphor of the vine to highlight this attachment we have to Christ in song of Solomon, which is the story of love. It's supposed to illustrate that loving relationship between the good Shepherd and his is beloved the church's bride.

Shula might in the story have one seeing we hear of this phrase catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines for our vines have tender grapes deal with the problem that's what's being said there are other things that belong to the song. I don't want to go into that sort of a distraction to keep the Shula might the beloved away from her Shepherd that I went into a little bit sorry Sumi, no, don't anyway what that says though what it tells us keeping to the metaphor is that there are small elements in life that will cause ruin, if not given attention, proper attention and that's what John is saying be attached but remember the little foxes, even the little foxes can come spoil the vine so Jesus etc. watchmen verse 25 and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life. That's the price there. So you get something were built that way.

We need incentive need various incentives what they heard from the beginning. Verses 23 and 24 life without end. That's that's the eternal life, but that's not all it's not just living forever. That would not be good if that's all we had. This is why God put a cherubim in the Garden of Eden. After the fall so that they would not eat from the tree of life, so that they would not discontinue in this fallen state your eternal life that Jesus promises is that without sin without sorrow I quote John's Gospel verse three of the 17 chapter Jesus speaking. This is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

That's gospel. That's where it leads us to know God to be friends with them, to be attached to him. That's what it is about and all of his variations. Later John would write in the Revelation would God told him God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying should be no more pain for the former things have passed away. Then he was set on the throne said, behold I make all things new.

And he said to me, is that very, very personal and he said to me right. These words are true and faithful so he did and by faith we we believe that we received and we act on them. We are attached Christ. We don't plan on going anywhere else as the apostate does as the Gnostics, who were apostates.

Most of them that know all of them that John is dealing with verse 26 these things I've written to you concerning those who try to deceive you and there is there are those coming after the righteous to just not satisfied that you believe Christ did not satisfy that you believe in the word of his apostles was known as the New Testament. It is a key verse in this letter, alerting us against Faye, Christianity, fraudulent Christianity that not only does it exist but it is invasive to me. Why don't they just go somewhere else if they don't believe it. If you don't believe the Bible why you continue to call yourself a church in Christian when when you get this from know they insist on nesting within Christendom to corrupted to sway everybody to their faithless views. It is not an enigma. When we recognize this is the work of Satan. If it were just human beings would be perplexing because it's illogical. I mean if you don't like something if you don't like a particular type of food or restaurant you don't go there, but you don't go to the restaurant and bring your type of food with you magical Chinese restaurant were to play the spaghetti you be meeting Mr. kung fu so what kind of people are these the ones that are being dealt with throughout the Scripture, as we do it all again.

Judah wanted to write about our salvation, but I had to deal with these knuckleheads creeping in, because a lot of Christians seem to live as though there is no such thing as deception. They had to so there's no such thing as heresy or blasphemous fraud, so they just believe anything drinking out of any mudhole they find liquid. I will want to get anything from Joel Alstyne does not think biblical there that wouldn't be a problem if that's all there was to the problem but is using the name of Christ to strip away from people. The truth of Christ. Powers of persuasion. They belong to the wicked.

They belong to the righteous, and we should know these things.

It's okay to ask a Christian are you out of your mind numbing when they follow some of these admitted on the they don't understand because they won't come to churches that preach the word and arm them. We all need to constantly be stirred and reminded to not let that sword go doll verse 27 but the anointing which you have received from him abides in you, you do not need that anyone teach you. But as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and is not a lie just as it is taught you, you will abide in him like how he starts. It's essentially says, but you it makes that distinction. Yeah, they're doing their thing. People who want to believe in anything want to go to a church who does not share their view and convert them to hell and are very indignant about these things. We should be indignant and return.

I mean I mean indignant and return try to soften it, but I does no way this is no way to make a blasphemer comfortable in his blasphemy.

As believers we can send out the word to work out know it won't unless they repent, and so John says here in verse 27 that believers need no Johnny-come-lately's which is something that what is wrong with us. I wino it was a new book out that I care would go. The cover looks good, and this has something to do with you feeling better about your fate. It's got to be good. You need discernment to pick these things up. This concept of watching out for Johnny-come-lately's originates with Moses and release straight out. Moses comes out and says Deuteronomy Deuteronomy is it, don't skip that book.

There's so much in that review of the law that is out since the 13th chapter of Deuteronomy where he says Satan's gotten moves and is going to use them on you and God's going to see if you fall for them concerning following other gods, but in chapter 32 Moses says, speaking of those who follow false gods. They sacrifice to demons, no Moses, no they don't think their demons that they are sacrificing to what he knows they are, and of course we know Moses was politically correct.

No lying in the pulpit brother know he was not.

They sacrifice to demons, not to God to God's they did not know two new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear Johnny-come-lately's they show up late.

They don't know that talking about going over there doing the wrong they're not time-tested and not proven not trustworthy, not true, and we are against that and the people who hold those views. We hope to reach but when we can't hope to destroy their influence. Any chance we get. Just like they're trying to destroy ours. That is called war. Paul says it this way in the New Testament is, but I fear less somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ he's talking to men and women say over just you women are susceptible like he's all of you are susceptible to this the simplicity that is in Christ. Why a Christian so often trying to paint Christianity to improve it. It doesn't need any improvement. It needs practice it needs to be put into work.

I don't need another chapter of the Bible. I have my handful with everything I have already.

I just need to pull it off to do it. Paul writing to Timothy. He says the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, that time is here and he continues, according to their own desires because they have itching ears, they just gotta have something.

He says they will pile up for themselves teachers. That's what he says and they will turn the ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. This is what John stealing for all of them were doing this is what we deal with.

If you're looking for relief from this, it ain't happening here not on earth.

He continues in verse 27 and you do not need that anyone teach you know clearly well should be clearly he's not prohibiting teaching because that's what he's doing is to be fed well would be like thank again when it teaches the libido. Listen to me since this is exactly what he is doing instructing them as he has been told by Jesus. We know that he is a there's a deeper meaning to this and deeper. I don't mean a distance where that's hard not not in that sense at all. I'll get to that, but Jesus said to his disciples, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

That's the mending of course, Ephesians 4, he himself gave some to be in it with teachers, pastor teachers, not pastors and teachers that we have other teachers in the children's ministry, for example, but I believe that pastors are to be teachers. Otherwise, what's he doing running for office all the time kissing babies and handing out lollipops or something trying to get people to like him. Find out who's housing going dinner at a nothing is wrong. To do that, especially if the food is very good but I am saying. That's never a motivation for a pastor faster goes to people's houses, but the Lord tells him to and he doesn't go to other houses because it not he's telling them not to be led by the Spirit, and you can do that in different ways a person's disposition. Some basses, the very people reminded that just they can do that is no problem for them. They like being around the people walked into that one.

I don't dislike people well let me brief thing I like him for us a period of time and then I got a go to my corner. I signal blinking time or something but it so I'm going going to church for a few hours, but if I had to be with you all for 24 hours, I'd be dead. I mean I getting get away from me sometimes.

But that's another story Seth have any of you ever felt that you'd like to get a break from yourself. The Army you do something really dumb. I cannot be like Pastor Rick. Anyway, let's bring this back to what room saying this teaching John 17. I do not pray for these alone. Thank you Lord Jesus, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. How many multitudes or into that. That's us. That's almost between thanks for tuning in to cross reference rate cross reference is a ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia.

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We're glad we were able to spend time with you today to the next time to continue learning from the book of first John pastor I hear cross reference