1 Thessalonians 2:8-13 (Part B)

The Bible is viewed as archaic barbaric outdated. And the culture is what is important to people and is not enough of God's word and those five types of churches to make soup for sick grasshopper just is nothing there.

They insist all that they're fine with God. God insisted do not we we have to understand 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 first Thessalonians. 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. First Thessalonians chapter 2 is the text. Pastor Rick will be teaching from today on cross reference radio.

The labor is worthy of his work wages.

You shall not muzzle the while it treads out the grain. Do the math. Think about it. We talked about this earlier of the cult shame Christians and how they care for their churches and their clergy and how they give of themselves and of their means is not a pitch.

It's a point if you don't take care of those men of God. Why should God take care of you and he develops the thought later but the point is here he was when he was in Thessalonica.

He worked when he moved on the car. He worked even more. In fact, I think when he got the car it he was so charged up by the victory in Thessalonica from where he writes this first letter is incarnate. Writing this letter says men of this is a bigger city if I can just have the results in Corinth that I had in Thessalonica think what would happen and I believe that helped Paul's stay in the fight in Corinth so when he finally says I wanted to come back to you in Thessalonica when I was chased out of wanted to come back. But Satan hindered us as a broad meaning, but part of the meaning is I'm here incarnate and I cannot get to Thessalonica because if I leave the work here incarnate Satan's going to get the victory so I can stay here and deal with this. I want to get to you but I can't prioritize bit of triage says here again in verse nine that we might not be a burden to any of you pastors must be careful.

Do not be a weight on the flock. First Corinthians chapter 11 Paul writes in everything. I kept myself from being burdensome to you and so I will keep myself again.

He writes to them in his second letter in Corinth. He writes to them, he says for the third time I'm ready to come to you and I will not be burdensome to you, for I do not seek yours, but you for the children ought not lay up for the parents but the parents for the children in our understanding of leadership in Christ Jesus.

He says here in verse nine of Thessalonians were back to our text again. He says we preach to you the gospel of God, he would rather die than contradict the faith in the message.

The good news of God again.

First Corinthians 915 better for me to die than that anyone should make my postings void and I love this section, and he starts out first Corinthians with with these is my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of power of the spirit and the power of the Holy Spirit that status the way to go about ministry not just for pastors but for all Christians. I have noticed that many great Christian man of our time when they get tied up too much in the Reformation and the apostolic Asia. After the apostles.

They get too much into the philosophies and the arguments of the faith, and that the stuff, drifting from the word a little bit and they get a little dull, kooky to begin to uphold doctrines that have much good in them, but assistance something missing from them and we like to learn all of us would love for someone to give us a new tidbit on something especially if it's in if it's an anecdote about you and also mixes some event in life's story that that took place that makes the point. Now I'm not saying all of this is bad, not by any means, but I what I am saying is I have noticed that much learning can make you mad if you're not careful, it can make you it's it's Dean on the extreme side, but the can take something from us when we step out of the word of God, and we been going through this in Lamentations and in Thessalonians, the Jews had gotten rid of the Scripture of Moses and the prophets and in its place. They were now teaching what the rabbis taught until finally the rabbis teachings were about Scripture anymore but about tradition. You might remember fiddler on the roof to what we do. That is why we where the prick law. Why do we go to Sabbath tradition whose tradition rabbinical the rabbis the teachers the pastors had become the dominant force in Judaism.

What was the result of this happen after they came back from the captivity of 70 years in Babylon. They came back and they develop this rabbinical form of authority within Judaism and when the temple was finally destroyed. What would an event that they did not recognize the Messiah the dish.

The temple was destroyed, and then it's supercharged to this very day. Certain sects of Judaism. They actually prayed to Ted rabbis said they know better, don't have the basics of the Scripture.

Though they know that God said I killed Saul because he dared to talk to the dead do they know that no they don't.

They don't read the Scriptures and so we are supposed to look at this Christmas will act like I learned something before the Lord because he taught me. That's why he's given us the Holy Spirit. Thank you God for sending Jesus, thank you Jesus that you came Holy Spirit want to teach us more about his lovely name Peter writes about the same thing. This honorable conduct.

We look now in verse 10 Thessalonians chapter 2, your witnesses, and God also has powerful how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe man I wish I could say that devout just blameless warming going to be wrong, but as I was sick and said of me. I feel I have violated these things, but I think humility was to have a lot of not allow any of us to boasting these things your witnesses. God also this devoutness. This dedication the specific just to be just involves not only doing the right thing, but understanding it, appreciating it blameless.

Now you know a tendency of of of a Christian who struggles with legalism. Legalism is always judging the other person and always thinking about itself.

The legalist is always self-centered when it comes to thinking and it always is.

It always is always critical of others. That's how it lives and thrives off of that Paul was not that type. He was a saying we were devout we were just we were blameless because were better than you need to change everything and conform to us he was just saying you are there you know that we dedicated ourselves to the gospel. That's the devoutness you know that when we spoke to people about their ways.

You know in the early church there were people who polygamists that come out of the Gentile was not an endorsement of polygamy but they were, they had multiple wives and they would get converted or could they do send their wives and children out into where Paul said, you know, this is an awful situation to deal with this. They dealt with and it must've been very difficult patients in the love of God we think about the song of Solomon again. It speaks of Solomon and his concubines is not an endorsement. It's how it was God's superior.

He's wise and merciful and he knows how to deal with these things and he too has to apply triage when the Jews said we are not weighted when three to have five kingdoms that we do not want to enter the promised land that you promised us. We like this other side more. Can we have God's mercy. That said, I'll give it to you. You parents. You know sometimes you don't like something your child is doing and you just can't slam him down you find find out find out the hard way. You have to, let it go lets you be viewed as a tyrant and so what were talking about is a holy and righteous God, and messed up human beings were sinners whole called entire cultures and societies ruined by sin, then the gospel shows up legalist as long as I get rid of it magic.

Paula said well you're polygamists could stop that now I'm not saying he endorsed it. He probably even put prohibitions on them, but he did not strip the take.

Well, you gotta take your two lesser wives and their children and just throw them out on the streets. That's what Paul would not of done very difficult even talk about it, but it's a fact is, how it was. We see this in Abraham I could go on and on. We need to get through this and so we are called to wonderful impossibilities. As Christians, God says I want you to be perfect as Job said, I've never made a covenant with my eyes not to have lust for any other woman except proper desire for my wife is saying those words easy to make a covenant reminder that I shall not lust. He does that, but Satan works to undo such pledges. They are high.

They are wonderful with call to them even without achieving them. We acknowledge their splendor, but more so acknowledge the one who said it. When Jesus says I don't want you to do something the born-again Christian who is in love with him filled with the Holy Spirit is good with this fine I'm does even think twice about well let me try to mess with the world as we share the gospel with them.

They well it goes against my desire goes against my culture goes against my upbringing again again again and it is up to us to share with them the Jesus who is greater than all those things. Remember, man's way takes them as far as death, and that sin is no other verse 11, he continues, he says, as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you as a father does his own children with it. Leave out any by this was for the entire congregation to comfort is to speak tenderly and he gave charge to them again. He was not content to just convert them to Christ. He knew they had to be discipled and you knew that because Jesus told him it didn't fill in the blanks go and make disciples go make students go make people who will learn teaching them to observe. Unfortunately, in many churches. The Bible is viewed as archaic barbaric outdated archaic and the culture is what is important to people and there's not enough of God's word and those site types of churches to make soup for sick grasshopper just is nothing there. They insist though that there fine with God. God insisted do not we we have to understand these things and so it was imperative to him, converts to Christ become a lethal force against the forces of hell. Second Corinthians chapter 2 verse 10 for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. You may say look, I've been a Christian for 34 years. I believe all these things, but they had there not easy to get what that's why it's war. That's why it's a struggle, a conflict which is still here is still preaching Christ. Satan is still trying to preach to you is trying to tell you listen is not all that is too high to glorious you'll never get it quit once it don't quit are the ones that Raquel is why Jesus said the gates of hell will not prevail multiple meanings and that statement the gates of the ancient city was where they planned the strategy for it was also the entrance to the city and so in the Lord says the gates of hell to not prevail.

He saying, this strategy won't win number one you will make of you will win souls number two the block the gate. The entranceway you will crash throw it because behind those walls through those gates are lost souls. They are hostages and it is an extract mission that your central that's why says in Ephesians 6 for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual numbers of wickedness in the heavens and the spiritual around, not the heavens were God, six. This what is all about. You can escape it. Every alternative out there into the Bible fails begins to make silly things up when God starts doing the creation and is DB puts on record. He says in the beginning God created from nothing.

Everything you see and he separates himself with one stroke from matter from material things in the universe polytheism. God is in the wood of this pulpit and God is in my head and a look.

The dandruff on your your shoulders while have hair anyway so God is higher than all of these things.

Satan is a created being, and he will be judged as a created being. Also, in all those who sided with him whether they did by recognizing them into thinking Satanism is not the dumbest thing on and in wait let me get this right you worshiping an entity you were told about in the Scripture who loses in the end loses throughout, and you worship, you know what, if you're that bad. I going to the next person is only God can straighten that bent Road, verse 12. He says that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory how many problems with this solve someone comes up pastor can I do this, is it worthy of Christ is worthy of description is worthy of holiness in what he calls us to do so, we must walk worthy not to be saved but is evidence of the salvation that is in us, who calls us into his own kingdom and glory. He says here in verse 12 oh Paul better not say that goes against the God of culture and demands of sinners who must be allowed to stampede into heaven on their terms.

Whether God likes it or not, or else they gonna say he's not loving God.

God is not moved by anybody's opinion again you go back to the Genesis record in chapter 1, you see this God is so big it's not even like Ike. I'm like in the run even though I'm created in his image. I'm still a grain of sand in the universe, compared to his greatness. Isaiah chapter 8 verse 11 for the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people. Why can't Christians learn this. Why do Christians keep going to the world asked permission to live. France asked for instruction, how should we do our Churchill businessman tell us how we can bring a profit in something wrong with being a businessman, but of the businessman is going to serve in the church, you better forget the world's ways understand his child of God, born again, a new creation. And while there are the ways of stewardship that belong to business that the church has also they do not come from the business world come from God. Ephesians chapter 5 forces therefore be imitators of God's dear children that's a high standard. Imitate God. Such a wonderful impossibility that I'm commanded to go after and walk in love. Paul says in Ephesians 5 has Christ also has loved us and given himself for us in offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.

But here comes the disconnection with the culture, but fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you don't even speak that way continues, as is fitting for the separated Saints. The ones who are separated neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, of course, suggesting which are not fitting but rather praising the Lord is giving thanks that's what it means that the Christian life. In contrast to the world.

And so when you have the world trying to say we had these false prophets out there writing both people buying them. Not the writing books is bad likes all. I always think of the solace in writing, but no, it very few are worth reading.

Well, we have these false prophets out there who are endorsing sinful lifestyles because the culture does under the guise of a how we going to reach them well. Appeasing them is not how again we would fall day. We didn't come to you flattering wheelchair, your sins, find your your all these things that you're doing for these faint gods in the society and is based.

It is wonderful. Jesus loves you came to see Jesus loves you and I'm here to tell you that. However, he judges you, too. If you reject his love. Not because he's a jealous lover's feelings are hurt you, God Almighty, and the bigness of the definition of the deity of the word God cannot be measured. That's the idea behind space being so big. No matter how big space is, God is bigger vastness of our God. So when you see him. Big big like a giant. He's big like Englishness so they committed eternal side. It's like they think they killed their eternity. I made that word up a friend proud of myself and attended another one that I find a lot of problems with language okay just a little humor verse 13 so little you could find it.

Verse 13 for this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you receive the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God which also effectively works in you who believe efficacious is the big word that I think we should news I think effective, doesn't it says in the word of God.

They receive the Scripture as the truth, for it was again not appeasing society, not letting okay you know what you sinners let's make a deal with you have a compromise will give you this you give us that you come to our church is in you type and will stop talking bad things about all the sin that's going on. Go back to the guises. Is there someone else up there that's what the world of that's what idolatry is, well, we got the answer from the only true God who could speak from the heavens.

We didn't like what he said and so now were looking for someone aware well at the time is running out because eventually you going to let go and perish because of your own folly because of your lack of faith.

And so when he says, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us a free will and no other way is how you receive God's word.

None of this violates his sovereignty, but it does rule out his talk tyranny. It does say God is powerful, awesome, big is not a meaning is not indifferent and there are many good otherwise good Bible teachers out there that you can't think they lose it right here. While there is no free will. Goddess also already going to this this trance and it's because look at who they really read the reformers and little else, and they go back further to the apostolic age" and salaam and all these other men who had good things to say I'm not taking away from all of them but what I am saying is that becoming rabbinical, concentrating more on the traditions of the pastors versus the word of God in its entirety and for someone to say there's no such thing as free will is the dumbest. It's like saying is evolution is like come on, you have no faxes or the something emotional, it's does counterfeiting your intelligence, but is no point in trying to convert them. I say that like that tissue drift onto YouTube and watch some of their tirades how authoritative they are. God is sovereign and there is no free will. Well then, why am I free to turn you off, there is free will is everywhere and I'm grateful for it. And whosoever will let him what you do it that mirrors well you just insist it's not so okay.

I didn't want to used to beat up on some of those groups a lot in earlier days, but I enjoy not still irritate me and in the Lord doesn't help me with that she irritated by that. You need to stop that. I know feels good, so the opportunity we only covered this quite a few times. The mythology that was dominating this world that Paul was in the scheming, the lustful quarrelsome warring fake gods that they made up they were finished room… We paranoid is when the gods of the Jew of the Jews, the Greeks and the Roman many other places. They were fabricated gods by sinners. Gods made by sinners who thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of first Thessalonians 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 will find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe, you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio in your favorite podcast app as well. That's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. It's Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of first Thessalonians, right here on cross reference rate