Witness Tampering (Part A)

In the season of joy around of the season. Whatever's going on with long-suffering teach the word stay focused on these eternal things you witness your calling, regardless of the corruption of government, cultural immorality, along with all of its hatred towards Jesus. That is just expanding and in society right now. What we do with these things. 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 the book of Mark, 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, here's Pastor Rick in Mark chapter 9, with a new message called witness tampering. We are in the gospel according to Mark chapter 9 take verses 38 through 50. In a moment gospel of Mark chapter 9, John answered him, saying, teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in your name and we forbade him, because he does not follow us. But Jesus said do not forbid him when no one who works a miracle in my name can soon afterwards speak evil of me or he who is not against us on our side.

Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ. Assuredly, I say to you, it will by no means lose his reward, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to send cut it off is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched where their worm does not die fire is not quenched. If your foot causes you to send cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having 2 feet to be cast into hell to the fire that shall never be quenched where there were hundreds not die.

Fire is not quenched, and if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire where one does not die and the fire is not quenched where everyone will be seasoned with fire and every sacrifice will be. Season with salt. Salt is good but salt loses its flavor, how will you season it have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another, witness tampering, that's what were going to be talking about this morning. Witness tells what Christ has told them what was has shown them. The witness says this is what I've seen on the witness what quiet Christ is revealed to me, and for those of us who were born again. The first stop is to conviction the truth and love all at one time.

My approach to pulpit ministry in response to our problems in life, whatever you may be going through whatever I may be going through politics around us. The culture my response to these things as a pastor is to remain focused as a witness on what Jesus has shown me as shown his people shown the world through his word, even when we have not gained the victory.

Maybe there is a pressing need a life maybe it's a health issue. Maybe all legal matters maybe family problems, marital problems, the list goes on and on.

We wait for the Lord to answer our prayers and he often times delays. What you do, fret, keep moving forward. Pastor, the pulpit keeps moving forward and I need to have something from the word that tells me what to do, how to approach these things. What you do pastor when you have all these are unanswered prayers and all these problems going around well you preach the word. That's what you do all from prison writing to a young pastor said preach the word be ready in season and out of season, convict, review, exhort with all long-suffering in teaching in the season of joy around of the season of joy. Whatever's going on with long-suffering teach the word stay focused on these eternal things be a witness for your calling, regardless of the corruption of government, cultural immorality, along with all of its hatred towards Jesus.

That is just expanding in and in society right now. What we do with these things. There are many biblical examples. I'm going to take this one from Daniel six now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed. This was the writing that forbade Daniel to practice his faith he went home in his upper room with his windows open toward Jerusalem. He knelt down on his knees three times that day and prayed, gave thanks for his God, as was his custom since early days is not going to defy you and start doing this in your face. This was I'm going to fire you because it's what I do I worship my God, and if you classify that as the finance will that's what you have to do for me it is obedience. I say these things because I think that many times are Christians expected the pulpit to address particular needs to cherry pick them well. If God points out something that I need to say than I will preach a topical message on that as he gives it to me is not a week that goes by where I do not first go to the Lord and say what you want me to say on Sunday and most the time he says well what you have before you and the text is just what I want to be said for the assembly that will listen to you and so here we are we going verse by verse. The Scripture in season and out of season because that's was going to make a strong, stronger, no matter what. If you do not believe that I question your approach to your faith word of God is a very big deal to God is the mind of God is the voice of God, and in it everything we need to have covered is covered now in this section that we are looking at as witnesses, our Lord is been speaking against self-promotion in ministry. Remember they were on the road heading towards Capernaum and the apostles were arguing with themselves who was the greatest was the better. One of the bunch Christ and let it go by so will you guys talking about didn't want to answer. So he's been encouraging them to remain innocent witnesses, blameless witnesses told him that you gotta have that childlike innocence in ministry. We are not looking to harm others. We are dependent upon God not having a competitive spirit that is clawing snarling and growling and reaching for things that it thinks it wants to have the childlike spirit because he picks the child up and they all can look at the little child in his hands. They can see the innocence personified in the child. This prompted John the apostle to recall something that was man in line with what Christ was teaching John remember that you know I got in the flesh in a bit with will all of them did with John is the one that brings it up.

We were very childlike. When we chased the man away who was dealing with demonic things in your name and search for the for John this was an all moment when he heard Jesus speak about these things in relationship to their arguing and striving.

He was convicted in these he says in verse 38. Now we look at how John answered him, saying, teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in your name and we forbade him, because he does not follow us so is not random this statement. If you look at verse 37. There we read Jesus words.

Whoever receives one of these little children in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives, not me, but him who sent me.

Will that prompted Jonathan to answer and say will wait a minute, I've lost some of this innocence we we went after someone because we were protecting our territory. We were really thinking about you too much.

We were striving in ministry in the flesh so that again verse 38 is not random Christ was been telling them when you serve. You should not treat other servants as opponents Lester opponents of Christ choices we forbade them think teacher we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in your name. John's not boasting he's confessing a failure thought that someone would be casting out demons in the name of Jesus or early before the resurrection were there was and when he says again, we forbade him, because he did not follow us the apostles that they believe they were the sole agents of Jesus and this was a mistake. They did not say we stopped in because he does not follow you a stop in the building. Follow us in Jesus doesn't call him on that isn't have to seize the John is saying okay, this wasn't right. But if you wanted to because it was discussed stuff with the following us is following me and Dolores is once you leave such people to me, I'll do with the states. Now this isn't what will cut open it upward because there are certainly times with you have to address people want on Christ side using his name.

Nonetheless, verse 39 but Jesus said do not forbid him. No one who works a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me. This is the ideal. This is not the not talking about those who are frauds and he says do not forbid him indicating that Jesus to me as I read it, he knew of the situation. He knew of the mat. Certainly the bibs of the apostles did not have information or Christ did not have pricing not deal with them over. They dealing. They should've brought it to him. Of course in his name. Do not forbid him or no one who works a miracle in my name under his Lordship. That is how many people say that Christians within not under his Lordship's authority does not mean you will have a problem with authority have a problem with the authority of Jesus Christ. They have the problem with the authority of those whom Christ has appointed to have authority levels of what you call troublemakers and hopefully they'll work it out and if they don't work it. I won't go well for them and that's what is being dealt with here. Don't mess with the witnesses of Christ.

Don't mess with those who see what Jesus is doing and telling it like it is.

John was a handpicked follower of Christ. He walked with Christ and still got this wrong and Christ does not humiliate him. He just lays it out for now as far as those who do preach in the name of the Old Testament the name of Yahweh.

Those in the New Testament era who preached the name of Christ, but don't adhere to what is been captured in the words of the Bible has safeguards for us in the Old Testament, for example, Deuteronomy 13 is clearly lays it out. You have someone come along, telling about dreams and prophesy, but they're not sticking to my word, and the false prophets and I'm allowing them to do these things to test your faith because you are supposed to refer to the Scriptures to my word to you in the New Testament we have passages such as this from Galatians repulses but even if we are an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that. What we have preached to you, let him be anathema, let him be accursed. Let him go to hell, if that's what he wants to do. There is no other gospel. There's no auxiliary gospel when we have is good enough visions. He says having been built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone to those of us who love the word these words mean something to me a lot to us because they come from God. There are instructions on how we should live.

You know we talk about solar script for a Scripture alone scriptural on what it well.

It is the authority for salvation, and it is the authority for human behavior not interested in psychology from the world, especially when they put in a glaze Christian over all.

I got accepted notary predrilled that he himself is given some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, psychologists whole has not a lot of Christians get very upset at that but they don't want the pastors they don't want the church to uphold the word so they seek other sources because they're not facing what they need to face the right way so the problem knows it doesn't go away. The good of the world and look for a book or side order of Christ with their order and and hope that the problems are going to be solved, and they don't get so he himself has given and that's what we're interested in the book of acts we find the apostles investigating emerging ministries early in the in those days, for example, when Philip goes to Samaria business through this acceptance.

This outburst of the faith people are coming to Christ.

And so what did the church in Jerusalem, which at that time was the hub of the headquarters. You could say what did they do in response to that. They dispatched Peter and John to go up and look into this. What were talking about is what is Jesus saying someone who does a miracle in my name who believes in me is one hour side and we say to that. Yes, Lord, we agree. However, there are those who use your name and are not on your side when we do it that well of course the Scripture says you they have to be dealt with. The proper way. That's what we see in the book of acts how the apostles are handling the ministry of Jesus Christ and so the John and Peter go up to where and to Samaria with Philip was in there they encounter Simon madness magician was interfering with the ministry and they dealt with him Peter dealt with him severely: he was poisoned with bitterness and bound in iniquity. In other words he said are you going to hell the way you carry yourself right now is very firm. Then there were the seven sons of Skiba who it who attempted an exorcism person whom they were attempting to exercise turned and battered them enemy dip them in batter. I may beat them up because they were casting out demons in the name of Jesus whom Paul talked about wasn't there.

Jesus wasn't there. Christ, someone else's Jesus Christ, and they were using it sort of as a code word. Then, when the church in Antioch Syria was bursting with the Gentiles Gentiles were coming into the church because the preaching and the ministry of Barnabas and Paul church in Jerusalem again sent men to investigate to see what was happening. Unfortunately, the men that he sent them to work models but but it was good that they went because it is dragged into the light of the problems of the church needed to deal with, which is Judaism.

My point again is that Jesus is saying listen if someone is doing my work uncle messing with them. We again counter with yes Lord, but there are many who say they're doing your work within not following your word and of course the Bible says and they need to be exposed. Paul warned in acts chapter 20 and verse 29. One of the great passages of Scripture is on his way to Jerusalem to be persecuted for Christ and his warning that the believers who work so hard to develop to disciple resistor. I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

Then he says this also from among yourselves from the church that you attend after I'm not here to stand guard on your behalf because all of course was given to the church, he himself has given some to be.

He goes on to say, and from among yourselves, men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves messing with the witnesses. How do you draw away from Christ. To me, my ministry John the apostle, he orders this to the church is his beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. While the apostles were still living who were dealing with these people.

So there we see them upholding Scripture the right way to the flock. Appealing to their faith saying to those who attended their churches. I know you got problems which you also have a mission and you supposed to do them both at the same time one is not supposed to stop because of the your mission impossible to stop because you got problems in your life you're still called to be a loving you still called to tell what you've seen in Jesus Christ.

So again, this is not a prohibition against validating ministry, but instructions against having the wrong spirit. Go unchecked continues in verse 44 he who is not against us is on our side is very basic but we need to hear it come from the mouth of Christ, the impossibility of neutrality. You can't be neutral with Christ loud ill and all is all right. He is one of the prophets, you know there are others to present your other with him and against anybody else's who claims to be equal with him or your you're not. Jesus said that himself. He was not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad each individual should be saying to themselves what is that mean gathering with Christ because I'm not. Gathering with Christ. Am I guilty of making a mess of things, scattering abroad man is in no sense against Christ and his word is for him, someone begins to disagree with him. I'll think that's Riley was wrong and he really doesn't believe the Lord warned in Matthew chapter 7. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven. So when he makes these claims, Christ does. As we look back again at verse 39 do not forbid him.

For no one who works a miracle in my name can soon afterward speak evil of me or he who verse 40 is not against us is on our side and then couple that with Matthew seven. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven is all tied in all connected New Testament is inseparably click connected to the Old Testament and vice a versa. We love that it is so we get the verse 41, he continues, he says forever per apartment for whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ. Surely, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward is pretty powerful.

Mattie saying as he said someone is tis is ministering to you being kind to you blessing you because of me is pretty powerful.

Imagine if I said that while somebody does a favor for you because of me, then you know of, they will lose their reward in heaven may be lesser elements of truth and that for us not in the absolute as it is here with Christ and what is this because you belong to Christ heart after God hardened the heart that is interested in God what he has to say no matter what that Daniel. When Daniel open the care what the world is saying I don't care what they going to do to me. I have this personal relationship with Yahweh and I'm going to maintain this personal relationship with Yahweh, and if they throw me to the lions.

I will probably be eaten, but it will be a meal. Someone with a personal relationship with Yahweh and the lions will love it course that didn't happen.

God protected him. We read these things in the Bible we love them were drawn to them until it's our turn to face pressure you know verses like this. He is God is not given us a spirit of fear, how many Christians do not hesitate to be afraid, but of love. How many do not look to love and of a sound mind. How many don't. How many conduct themselves as though they lost their mind. These are questions that we cannot just ignore verse 41 again because you belong to Christ, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. First Corinthians chapter 15 for I delivered to you.

First of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that Paul is saying is the Scriptures that validated all take that away. You got some serious questions. He continues Barbara's and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures something as incredible as the resurrection. Paul says it's gotta be connected to God. It's got to be part of his program. Otherwise you run the risk in being in Deuteronomy 13 God says you going to have people to do some extraordinary things with it leading you away from me, you being tested and it is the devil is doing the testing to find out what happens after that move, thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio.

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