Rookie Mistakes Series: #2 Hidden Christianity (Part B)

You need not get angry with some people. How do you live this perfect this model life and he comes along.

He's been teaching you things that are wrong. This is what God wants and he lays it out to them. It is not the gospel in the sense of giving us the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ. The salvation of sinners is the teaching of God. It is the teaching of righteousness from God. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through a series called rookie mistakes.

Please stay with us after today's message here.

More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching hidden Christianity is the title of Pastor Rick's message as he teaches through Matthew chapter 5. What kind of city am I as a Christian, are we as a church. Are we safe for the things of God. Doctrine is a doctrine safe are we clean are we dealing with sin, when it rears its head, or we look the other way and let it have its way with us.

Are we well cared for as individual Christians.

Are we in the word we keep about devotional time do we follow hard after God as the psalmist wrote the Christian is unkind. Christian is uncapped, mean-spirited. If you are that way as a believer you should know better. You know that is not right that is a rookie mistake unkind Christians go to, you can go to some churches, or you can go around some people to profess Christ and the just not very friendly.

It won't even greet you. I mean you and friendly. Not but you know reaching a pocket give you $10, though I'm not opposed to that is not on biblical but for some of them you surprise you going to church and they don't even say hello. He is a passing in the hallway is the city well kept, or is it not the Bible tells us truths about God and ourselves with sin and salvation never leaves us without solutions and because of some of its truths become some of its truths are unpleasant to the natural mind, of course, some turn away and they begin to heed fables and they go after other things outside these walls and the walls of all the churches that are preaching the gospel in upholding the gospel is not enough to preach and must be accompanied by an earnest attempt to follow it to do it is very easy to preach the word. It's another thing to do it and we all know that is true, which is one reason why some make this amateur mistake in the workplace. Don't tell anybody their Christian because they they've not living the life in the right there in front of other people by telling the Christian they want to say to me you're a Christian way to deal with that is if you in two ways. In the early stages. Make sure you live the Christian life. And when people ask you things about yourself, you tell them the truth when they say would you do the weekend don't leave out the part that you went to church because of who I don't want to tell him once I know I go to church in the be watching me all that will go to help you out.

You know you because you can you be mindful and careful put attention into walking the straight and narrow.

If they don't know your Christian newbies trying to get all get away with things that you shouldn't be getting away with. But what if you have already been working someplace for years and you been hiding your faith you been a dim lit city stop go to put the clip the wicks make the lamps burn brighter make the announcement clear reevaluate everything I have my experiences true Christians in the workplace.

You don't have to look for them.

The light is shining and we should be that way each and every one of us and so again outside these walls, no shortage of people who are determined to reject Jesus Christ to hate him. Even want to remove his influence and destroy his children.

I just I just saw a headline the other day I stop listening to the news, but every week or so after find out if were still here and not and only they have that answer and and so was the first thing I got click on was one of the first things I see Chick-fil-A in London is closing after six months because of the sexually of the homosexuals protesting their presence because the fact that they have announced it as a corporation. They are very interested in Jesus Christ. They become a light to the world and there are those evil ones in this world that hate that light and I have to ask myself in my hiding my faith in light of these verses, no pun intended in the presence of these verses the move away from the bond do I hide my faith from anyone is a difference again from withholding the preaching of the gospel in certain environments in front of certain people or at the leading of the Holy Spirit. We covered that last session of even the apostle Paul was held back at times. That's one thing not to preach, but it is another thing not another thing to hide it. God did not illuminate the truth in our hearts so that we could keep it from others.

You know that there is visible speed of darkness.

There is a speed of light. We know that is very fast, but there's no speed of darkness except spiritual darkness spiritual darkness has speed because it influences others, evil recruits it goes out and seeks who it can corrupt and that is why the salt is necessary to slow it down. Darkness is metaphorically used in Scripture and several ways is the darkness of ignorance is the darkness of hardship, you know you can just be in poverty and and struggling and blesses the blessing seem to be distant and you just darkness in your life.

In that sense is the darkness of evil that is wickedness. Maybe you've been around someone you can see the evil in their eyes. You know this person is up to no good course is the darkness of sin. Oh the darkness of sinful man.

You know this, but we sing in the him though the darkness hide the but it does not travel physically speaking, but we need to remember. It travels spiritually and what are we going to do about it. Will you not to do anything about it. If you hiding the gospel because light defeats darkness. That's what the Scripture teaches teaches us that the physical law.

It's a spiritual John John's gospel chapter 1 speaking of Christ. In him was life and the life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The darkness couldn't deal with.

That's the meaning. One of the great meanings of that verse. Matthew five again in verses 13 and 14. Our text say this very thing you are the light of the world city set on a hill cannot be hidden is a spoken to believers in the beginning of the sermon on the Mauer text come from text comes from. It is made clear that Jesus started out the sermon for his disciples. Others then gathered around. We know that by the end of the big the sermon, but folks are wondering who is this man. No one's ever spoke like this and taught like this. Matthew look if you have your Bibles open the verse one of Matthew five not all just read it and seeing the multitude, the Christ, he went up on a mountain and when he was seated his disciples came to him and he opened his mouth and taught them saying than the sermon begins, of which our text is a part of. Incidentally, this is not a mountain of the Greek word can be a hill and that's more accurate wish the translators would do that. Be more consistent with that because if it were a mountain. Just I can have the multitudes climbing up the mountain to to hear the sermon, but a hill you can make a hill and in that region where he was in Capernaum, there are quite a few hills is so quick to always say whichever direction you're going in in Israel, especially Jerusalem, you're going up a hill, even when you're going down a hill, you're going up but spoken to believers. Do you know that in every unbeliever is the potential to be a believer. That's pretty insightful. That means those who are not saved can be saved by have a role in this. My part of the solution or my withholding it when I shouldn't be.

And so it is why Christ started his sermon to his disciples and the others began to gather around because he wanted them to hear it did not want to cover they needed it. As you read the sermon the flesh is just taken apart, dismantled you're done with the sermon on the mount and you're left with this, who will save me from the judgment to come. How do you not get angry with some people.

How do you live this perfect this model life and he comes along to the Pharisees been teaching you things that are wrong. This is what God wants and he lays it out to them. It is not the gospel in the sense of giving us the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ.

The salvation of sinners is the teaching of God.

It is the teaching of righteousness from God, and it tells every reader you don't have what it takes by yourself. You need help. And of course the story goes on to make it clear that God is willing to help when the disciples heard that there were other things that hurt and they would say they said on one occasion do them but who can be saved if this is righteous as this is the standard of God, who can be saved and God Christ said with medicine possible but with God with God. It is made possible.

We know that to be the gospel so city set on a hill. It is elevated is above above that surroundings have to ask yourself if I lost my elevation, my no longer a city on a hill but lowered the standards so long as the church is free to preach the gospel. She's not underground in this country.

We are still aboveground though it may bring some persecution love that it comes that's part of preaching the gospel's persecution. But a church or church or a Christian without light is to lighting hell and none of us want to be that at the end of the message. If you have been hiding your light in Christ and come up for prayer with the pastors. As for the courage necessary for the wisdom to be able to be a light in a dark place that no one is doubting where you stand. When it comes to eternal matters to salvation to Jesus Christ's is very important to Christianity, but as I mentioned, it's something that I've I've noticed that many Christians neglect they know they're not supposed to deny him, and they may suppose the because no one is asking them if they're a Christian that they're not denying Christ but it's not that way alone. In the mean of someone as your Christian. You say no I'm not.

If you are then you are denying him, but also if you're in the workplace of the school of the neighborhood wherever and you are hiding the fact that you are full out info. Christ then you are denying him if you cannot shine your light for as aggressively as you'd like to because just like doesn't have you in those places where you can then you can light runways for others to shine their life to do what they have to do fall into a role of a support role song of Solomon and you know the song of Solomon is about Solomon the king he wants the shoe might, but he can have her because she loves to shepherd, and he tries to influence her with his power and his wealth she doesn't take she stays in love with the shepherd and of this relationship that the two have.

She of course is a type of the church and the shepherd is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Solomon makes himself that the he doesn't see the church of course just sees this this this event taking place, but he sees himself as the one who is trying to spoil that relationship and he loses in the end, and we have this verse in Solomon's song of Solomon chapter 6, verse 10. Who is she who looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun awesome as an army with banners. It is a picture of the church. That's what the church is supposed to look like to others when it comes to the truth is that we hold we are as awesome as an army with banners and in those days. Of course, did they would have all these banners when they went out to battle it would be quite intimidating to the other side. That's how the church was in the book of acts intimidated those who were against its message until, of course, many were trying to destroy her. So how God sees the church is one thing, how does the church see herself how God sees the individual Christian is one thing, how does the individual Christians see themselves critical question because how do you see yourself do you see yourself as one. Yes, what I struggle but I love you and I know who you are or may be you see yourself as I believe you, but I'm afraid you have courage enough to admit that you afraid God will then say we can do about because it's not a pass is not. I am afraid to share the gospel. He said that is okay don't worry about it. Blessed are you doing men revile you persecution from my namesake, so they persecuted the prophets who were before you said that right early into the sermon there in verse verse 10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Once we get it in our heads is not so bad with resisting it.

We die a thousand deaths because we are running away from the things that we claim to believe and are full out against them release in our behavior. It costs something to shine and that's what we have to understand any of you here consider yourselves a mean Christian don't answer how loud but if you do, are you satisfied with are you going to do something about. You understand the harm that you doing to others. Do any of you here think that you are a dim Christian that you have this light, but you cover it you put it under a bushel.

Two things can happen if you take your light and you stick it under a bushel. The first is the bushel can put out the fire. The flame flames not big enough conditions are right stuff that out or that flame can ignite that bushel, which is a going to be. It's up to the Christian. It costs something to shine. It's not enough to build or to dwell on a hill after radiate shine and maintain it's going to cost you every time the those of you who get a utility bill you raw reminded it costs to illuminate cost to shine to stay bright second Corinthians chapter 12 verse 15 and I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls. Though the more abundantly. I love you, the less I am love to see the ones that he loved it and love him back. As they were willing to be spent. They resisted kindness and love and forgiveness. All Paul was doing was pouring out kindness and forgiveness on them and he never backed down from his points. He never backed down from truth if they were wrong. He stood his ground. He did not say peace at any cost sets another rookie mistake we make it to that some other point in the series, but that is a mistake that there are many Christians make me think that peace is more important than purity you don't have peace without purity. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Well I guess were not doing it purity as I just bit into it enough that now you will be interested but he spent his life while wisely this this apostle and so I read it again I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls.

If you are one of those Christians your mean-spirited you not being spent for the kingdom is spending yourself on your flesh and your carnality to pass that income sure to get beat up while you should be doing these things help you out won't even charge you give your give your flesh to be down it needs for free. All of these things matter. As you go through the Scripture and you live long enough, you find out if all matters. None of it is filler. None of it is insignificant.

You may not have enough savvy just yet to be able to pull out the value of so many things but as time goes on and you stick at it. The list of how many things you understand and apply will increase.

Solomon also said in much wisdom is much grief.

The more you know the more you hurt, how much does God know at this moment, how much does God know about all of the wicked things the painful things that are happening on this planet. He knows all in much wisdom there is grief okay. I know that as a Christian, what am I going to do with it going shine.

I'm going to be a city set on a hill, no matter what life is tough for everybody. I'm going to make it count and I'm going to make it count. The way the Lord is given it to me to count and those who refused to be spent will not shine if someone becomes a Muslim. They have little problem. It seems in telling everybody there was the women were gone.

The garb of of the most put the scarf walk around the neighborhoods they don't mind announcing who they are as much as we disagree with what they believe they are letting their type of light shine nowadays if someone is recruited into homosexuality and is a lot of recruitment going on. That's why there's numbers have increased swelled over the years, but if someone goes into that sinful lifestyle.

They have no problem flaunting it, and yet Christians make this rookie mistake this basic mistake hiding what they believe, which is far better than the two I just mentioned and everybody else wars are not won by defense there one by offense.

If you are fighting a war and all you have is offense you are under siege.

If you're going to win, you're going to have to attack in the way we attack as we broadcast our truth. That's why many nations don't want the gospel broadcast over the airwaves. That's why they're trying to silence the voice of the gospel in this country and to silence churches there so foolish to believe that it they mess with church's tax-exempt status somehow going to go away. I think that be a blessing. Actually, well we not that far along yet with the point I'm making is stay off of defense, only learn how to attack so that the gates of hell do not prevail. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. That's what is about to close with this verse, especially for those of you who may be struggling with this. And so, okay. It's okay if you go up to another Christians I'm struggling with letting my light shine. I'm afraid of what people will think of me.

You better be more free to what God will think of you that can work in your favor if you willing to spin around why my prayer would never be around somebody for any length of time and when they find out I'm a Christian to shocked to a Christian while that would be a nightmare. Isaiah 60 verse one arise shine your light has come in the glory of Yahweh is risen in you house sweeter is that verse in the eyes of the New Testament with all we know about the teachings of Christ the life of Christ, who exemplified living for his father's glory right there in front of us all you teens again don't you dare be ashamed of Jesus Christ. Be delighted to let others know that you believe in Christ that you go to church be ready for them to mock you to not like you for doing it so they persecuted the prophets who were before you is worth it.

You know, as a teen and I'll be done in one moment.

I remember as a team. When I identified hypocrisy. An adult I was very much turned off by that adult you want to be around them didn't want to just just won't be around. I believe that our teens today have the same sense the same feeling of their around an adult that is a hypocrite. Well, you run the risk of being a hypocrite if you claim Christ, go to church and sing songs, but you are ashamed around other not saying you have to cast for a forceful and wisest service is on the system, but if you have the love of Christ in you, you have no problem letting your light shine move. We're glad you joined us today to learn how to avoid some rookie mistakes in the fifth.

Pastor Rick will have more to share. Next time I cross reference radio ministry of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville, Virginia like to listen to more teachings from Pastor Rick. Or if you'd like more information about this program invite you to visit our website cross reference radio.com also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast so you'll never have to miss a program.

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