Rookie Mistakes Series: #1 Withholding the Gospel (Part B)

See, God does not block the cells. As you know what you too much of a sinner to be as you do, don't be used once dumb always. That's not true, is not that Satan's line God says I want you to learn.

Read what is going on to figure it out.

I want you to understand I do love sinners and you might not see their conversion for years of your work, you may not see it in your lifetime that is not your concern is not my concern.

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, and now here's Pastor Rick as he continues with his message called withholding the gospel in Matthew chapter 7. So not only is it ineffective that it is dangerous. That's what Jesus is saying we sell is dangerous to the individual yes but it is also dangerous to the causes of Christ, the next guy that comes along that may have been the one that you may have water watered the seal planted in the next one comes along this work more work than should be before them because of the damage.

The last Christian did remember not too long ago that was the Christian that decided he wanted to paddle out to this island off the coast of India, where there was an indigenous people there untouched by civilization pretty much but he is determined to go to them and preach the gospel. They killed him before he ever got to say a word that they could understand.

Concerning Christ, what a waste. The very thing Christ want to get well that's an extreme case, what about the lesser ones. I mean who here says I want to be used more by God than just coming to church or just raising my family or just keeping my job and being the Christian on-site.

The resident Christian. I want to be used by him all their steps to be taken. I read some of them to be blameless enough. For example, to be approved unto God, to be ready to be led by the spirit that involves prayer that involve the reading of your word. The study of the word not in the seminary level.

I do not encourage seminary. I don't think all that have gone are bad people for going. I think that they would've been good people for not going to. That's pretty much the end of that with moving on to this my great points that I have to make and I do believe that great, but not because they come from me, but because you sit before the Lord and you you agonize over this over and over again shave it down you crafted you work on it if obvious. I can't say that is too hard or know I need to say this is a hard enough or this is a good one. Glad I thought of it, Lord you and you when you prepared things to preach, you should be getting thoughts into your head that you know are not originating you.

So that's a good point. I can see that earlier know you didn't. That's why showed it to you God speaking. So these principles govern how we handle the gospel in the face of those who hate the truth when you do it that they could be loved ones in our family. What did they get no special pass in this application in our hearts.

They do love but you can't say while I will not preach to this person's no leading family anyway and then get in front of a family member but I love them so much. I'm going to give him the gospel, one God is saying, yet I'm working on them his warnings and instructions, may we not forget them. They're not unclear and they're not to be ignored. Who would want this on their epitaph. Who needs the Holy Spirit I can figure it out myself or I figured it out myself. Not me sarcasm. Of course, how many Christians like lean not on your own understanding. Trust not in your own ways acknowledge the Lord. We love that you live it. We why's it hard to live impulse, we begin to think emotionally begin to do the wrong thing. We forget the principal forget our training and everything begins to unravel and then we get discouraged we don't want to do well. I got many more verses to back all of this because without those verses. Without those witnesses could be mistaken for just my opinion, with the seriousness again the dogs, the hogs metaphorically because of how they treat what God says and then I must know how to treat them for the treatment of what God says because of fighting over so long as his breath. The hope is not over, and I want to be a part of and I suspect again that is unpleasant for some believers to hear the things that I'm saying because they been so used, to making the rookie mistakes that when it's address.

It is uncomfortable. We don't take matters in our own hands, but what holy things does the church have what holy things the Christians have viewer asked that question, what would you what would you say what would be your answer. If an unbeliever went US and what holy things of the church have you thinking about the casting of pearls before swine is again as I said earlier, the truth of Jesus Christ is illustrated in the book of Solomon. What is your beloved more than another, that you so charge us, and what does she do if she goes on a rampage of expression telling what is so wonderful about you know like she's counted all his teeth are lined up like go to the does the same thing. This is attention to detail that they love each other. They care about each other's the picture of what the model relationship should be in Christ is attentive to detail because you love and you care so we don't take matters into our own hands.

Again, that's the rookie mistake the church has the gospel and we begun in the spirit.

When you came to Christ.

What effort, what effort did you put out that got you say zilch, not nothing and just accepting the gospel is not your effort that just a smart thing to do.

That's why Paul said to the Galatians are you so dumb foolish is where he uses by the week we get we need to hear little bit more sometime to give you another word for the same word, having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect in the flesh are you developing as a Christian and your carnality in your impulse and your think you thinking you've got a better way than the principal set before you. Why are you listening to people coming in on doing everything you've been taught from the Scripture and God's apostles. My first session was going to be asked to 42 got about 18 of them were not going to get all 18 you might be happy about that.

At the end of this but acts 242 is the foundational verse for how we move this Christian we move based on the doctrine of the apostles, which is attached to the doctrine of the of the prophets of the Old Testament and the new which is attached to the God of Genesis 11. These things are not detached there joined together. Jeremiah the prophet, saying all this going to be peace in God the God's not going to judge us for all the idolatry that were doing and the sins we were committing in the abuses that we are exercising on one of the guys are going to judge this piece is going to come in Jeremiah's whole ministry was saying you're lying is not true judgments going to come from God on the wicked. Those who are independent and at one point God says to Jeremiah tell him this, yet I did not send them or command them, therefore they shall not profit this people at all, says the Lord, when it is a lesson in the prophets that tells me that if I'm not sent. I may not be profitable.

This verse seven.

In Matthew's gospel to be led by the Lord.

It is difficult but it is more difficult to not be led by the line.

Many Christians jammed the gospel than other people's faces of the good feel better about themselves. There I did it. I'm not ashamed of preaching just been a mess. Hold the line numbers chapter 14, you know the story is the story where the spies came back from the land to Joshua and Caleb are ready to go into the landing and act on the promises of God. But no, the majority the majority, which is always right chasm. The majorities that we can do this. God was very displeased with that it was more displeasing the people begin to believe the majority report instead of him and is a judgment.

God said 40 years you going to spend will spend 40 years in the wilderness on the people heard this, they were devastated. So they presumed that they could still go forward without God and be successful. This is illustrated for us is saying to us. Don't be like them. Numbers chapter 14 verse 39 then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel and the people mourned greatly.

That's when he told in the judgment and they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, here we are and we will go up to the place which Yahweh has promised, for we have sinned. Okay, we pause there. They repented what they were guilty just as perfect sense. But that does not mean they can reverse God's will and then take things into their own hands is not good enough. These intentions to continue the Moses said why do you transgress the command of Yahweh for this will not succeed. Understatement. Do not go up this you be defeated by your enemies, for Yahweh is not among you that what Jesus just said. Don't cast the pearl before the swine don't take the holy things upon yourself and do with them whatever you want to do as much as you might want someone say wait for the Lord and saw King Saul's life was filled with I'm going to do it my way. He suffered all the way through so and encouragement follow the Lord who would object to that. He continues, he says, do not go up that should be defeated by your enemies. Yahweh is not among you, for the Amalekites and again a Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword, because you have turned away from Yahweh. Yahweh will not be with you, but they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, knew the ark of the covenant Yahweh nor Moses departed from the camp and the Amalekites and Canaanites. Brother Nelson came down and attacked them and drove them out, but in they just listen.

Why did they think they knew better. You can hear the appeal of the man of God of Moses don't do this, don't presume it. How many ministries we see exercising a good cause. Without any leading until they get to the point where what they exist to fund raise. They exist to get your money. They may still have good intentions, they may be decent people and not listening and as a result there giving the ministry of the Holy Spirit beggars name may pointing this out never make me feel better than they are superior to them. But I am not going to abandon the principles for the sake of anyone's comfort. That would be foolish.

It is not enough to know Scripture. We must adhere to the Scripture. And there are those that are not moved by this. Matthew chapter 10 verse 14 and whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

What is that you mean there is a feature that belongs to our faith that resists people that repels them. Yes, absolutely no question. No answer back rhetorical, but you can answer it in your heart. Does that offend you. These are the instructions of Jesus Christ and he does not pull them back. Matthew 1358. I did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief as much as he loved them. Acts chapter 14 then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said it was necessary that the word of God to be spoken to you first bought since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles to see.

That's the application of not Casting the pearls before swine. The they went into the synagogue, they preach the word, it was rejected instead of continuing in insisting and forcing it.

They moved to other areas of what happens often in the Christian's life is that you been ministering to someone and they become your pet project big trap big waste of time, just move on, no hatred, no animosity. Maybe later there be ready. That's not your concern directly to all of our concern in the heart of course. Ask 19 verse nine when some were hardened and did not believe what spoke evil of the way.

That was early named Christianity before the multitude, he Paul departed from them and withdrew the disciples reasoning daily in the school of tyrants, Paul said fine will just go have church.

Unbelievers don't want to hear we have a say.

It will preach to those who come through our doors. Matthew 1514 Jesus speaking let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind, the blind leading the blind. Both will fall in a ditch. The meanings are clear.

You need no seminary professor to tell you what those verses mean. Another example is Herod Antipas who heard John.

The baptizer gladly.

But other passions, overruled in the life of Gerard and he beheaded John then the day came when Jesus was standing right in front of Gerard is the only person in the Bible that Jesus completely ignored said nothing in return to Gerard Assange do something, go show us magic and are you the king and on Jesus.

Nothing Herod had become the dog hard by his own will, in the context of this verse that we are considering this is liberating as a Christian who wants to share the faith. This makes me say yes.

I don't have guilt to share my faith. I don't better share because I don't want Jesus to think I'm denying them or let's just brought up in the air made will get somebody you think I don't have people I love just as much as you have people you love art say what can you do about stay focused on the precepts you have to know when to withhold the gospel and when to let it fly. It comes from experience, or you make these rookie mistakes mistakes. You should not have made as an experienced believer everybody like that's all I got to know when the hold know when the fold. It's all about laundry will be like the song because we understood stand in life. We need discernment we need to be able to distinguish when to do something from when not to do something so that is why this text is on the list. It is the lead text is that my will was asked to 42 God's will was the gospel is the gospel.

I want dealt with my people can be more effective at sharing their faith and another thing that comes with this is waiting. A big part of war is waiting because it does more harm than good to not wait to be presumptuous. As I mentioned to be stubborn.

What about those who do it the wrong way and get results anyway. That is the mercy of God in spite of breaking the principles it is not an endorsement and you don't want to be that Christian Caiaphas was the high priest at the time that they were going to murder Jesus Christ. The classic example of God using a fool to tell the truth I'm going little extreme. With this because it will sit better with you Caiaphas. He prophesied he was a reject or of Jesus Christ part of the murdering clan against him. John's gospel chapter 11 verse 51. Now this he did not say on his own authority. But being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation. Caiaphas, it is expedient that one should die for the nation. We didn't know what he was saying what was true God knew what he was saying God's people knew what he was saying because one gets away with violating a principal again does not mean that they are approved unto God, people can get saved at a Satan route hearing something and all of a sudden the Holy Spirit penetrates through the darkness and makes them understand that what is going on here is now wrong to them by God that he does this because we're always got to work with and all of us make rookie mistakes.

But again, we don't have to keep making them. Not so much. He has entrusted us with this unmatched truth of his salvation is not the book of Leviticus a classroom or protocol for the believer, you get your read Leviticus avoid the kidneys got a come for the liver is a little for the kidneys. I don't know what what what we do in the lungs can resist all of these body parts are cut up of the animal and arrange in a certain way in the Levi Levites Levitical priest had to know how to do it and never would you see them take from the offering a piece of the ox of the Lamb and throw it to a dog or a hog because they understood they were able to make distinctions and they did not say what we know better than God. Remorse will more interested in saving law sold in God's were more capable.

Those are traps just don't do it is entrusted us with these truths when we have to be firm, not always, will the outcome be good. Years ago when I was in. Again, the industrial world. It was particular man named Mike that I was sharing the faith with we are working on the Brooklyn Bridge at the time a right on love you and is a walkway that goes across the bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn from Brooklyn to Brooklyn to Manhattan, but never the same way anyway so I am sharing the gospel will I would change in cable so when you hook on the decay we had to wait for the go up and you hello there is an interval of time.

There anyone asked me to tell me about what you know your faith and I would share with him and and he would be agreeing. But that walkway at lunch time would be loaded with women coming and walking across the bridge for exercise and is my wife here because they were ugly women. Anyway, this I couldn't resist. Anyway, Mike would why was sharing the gospel about fornication and lust and he would say wait a minute was to let the girls think about you tell me some and after one or two times.

Wait a minute he's mocking the faith. He's acting like he's right here with me and then right in front of my face. He tramples that. So I said Mike I can't tell you anymore about Christ are you serious you fine with three months later he was dead. When you do this is serious stuff is not a joke. And Jesus did and treated that way we can get so comfortable with the gospel that we lose sight of these things is a beneficial lesson. Lessons from the Scripture preaching is meant to make us better for the preachers preparation for preaching is supposed to make them better. It's called edification. We don't want to cheapen its message devaluing Christianity has repelling powers that belong to it as well is attracting powers and we don't know where they are all the time, not easily gospel appeals to those whom the Holy Spirit is drawing in them.

Only John's gospel chapter 6 verse 44 no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up the last day you see the control the sovereignty and that I will raise him up. The father brings them.

The father brings them to me. Nobody can do this. This is exclusive.

You can be a part of this if you'd like you can be a part of it the wrong way you can be part of it the biblical way which will it be every Christian should walk away and say I am stronger for that kind of a lesson, not weaker than their those that say so always to lead them into rookie question.

It's a question that belongs to an amateur, because the Bible has spoken on this Matthews gospel chapter 5, but I said you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those spitefully use you and persecute you, what am I gonna pray for them that they run out of ammo. Stop talking bad about me as part of it but the big part is this that they would be out of the darkness brought into the light because that's the only place going to bring the change for them. That's what we're here for.

And if you hate them you will pray for them because your emotions will get in the way been there.

It is something we can overcome about done and I don't want to be done so we can slow down without stalling.

We understand that you're in a rush to save souls slow it down.

You won't stall just love the Lord.

Worship the Lord be ready do what you're supposed to do. Don't think that if you are outside of Scripture and your devotions don't think that somehow God's going to find you magically useful comes from hard work close with this verse from Jude verse 22.

Just a short part of it, and on some have compassion, making a distinction see God does not block the séances. You know what you too much of a sinner to be use you to dumb to be used once dumb always done. That's not true that's not that Satan's line God says I want you to learn to read what is going on to figure it out. I want you to understand I do love sinners and you might not see their conversion for years, the fruit of your work, you may not see it in your lifetime that is not your concern is not my concern is our primary because you can't turn off you love your feelings.

But we have to believe by faith that God knows what he's talking about and that he can raise up witnesses from stones to our insult. What would be, you know what I my people were so hardheaded I had to use rocks. I had to bypass them know that will happen. But the point is made in his teaching.

If these these people don't were set up and worship other rocks will cry out what a shame. God had to go to inanimate objects to praise his name. Every Christian was a no Lord, I will praise you because your spirit… I need to make one other point.

Before this is over.

This does not apply to the church. The church will preach the gospel in the assembly whether their hogs, dogs or saints present doesn't matter. We declare the gospel all the time. The application of the first has to do with being out in the field. Face-to-face with those who don't have what you have these strongly encouraged people get saved. Just look around you and part processes of God according to his ways 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. Just search for cross reference radio iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast but a great way to keep God's word with you where ever you go.

We hope you'll tune in again next time.

As Pastor Rick continue studying through the Scriptures right here on cross reference radio