Handling Christians (Part C)

And wept like a baby and control is just devastated. That was the first phase of putting it back together because the law we know, was a look of love the look of understanding, not condemnation roster would've been no restoration of Peter. The next phase was when the Lord rose from the dead. Peter had a private session. He still wasn't back together with third phase came when they were by the sea and Jesus asked him three times. Do you love me Peter. 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 gospel 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, and now here's Pastor Rick and Mark chapter 14 with his continuing study called handling Christians, we should also not lose sight of who we are in this world anyway. Our New Testament. It emphasizes what is inward. What is spiritual is just no way around that. But that's not all it does it leaves a place for those things that are tangible physical things about us not only the inner man, but the outer man in and hence is this sense as their minister to.

Also in singing. Does that which Christ did with his disciples.

The meal did that very thing. It's not all spiritual debts.

Primary, but there are just other things about us. It's okay. It's okay to enjoy things they build us up if you doing a budget for yourself. You should leave some space for fun.

I mean it all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and can drive you nuts. It's okay to do that years ago as a young man I got put this accountant in my life who just did so much for me to get me to Virginia and be able to preach and laying out a budget and he said you that I have some money here for just you and it was wise advice, trying to be the stoic. I know some you husbands like don't say it don't. Maybe the wives are saying you can't say it because the men can be brutal to look hi just bought a new boat is slow, man.

So it's you know they say love comes in love goes out the window when poverty comes in the door so watch out for those things were all born with a full sack of law and an empty sack of experience in the goal is to fill that sack of experience before the sack of luck runs out and I don't believe in luck as the world believes but I am saying you've got experience things you can do them by putting your hands on it and getting them gnarled or you can perceive.

I prefer perception and when I hear somebody say hold my beer.

I'm not holding it. I'm getting away from that person is just that person does not perceive any way. So our Lord goes to Gethsemane.

But how does he go fortified the communion table his disciples with him. He knows the trader is Lucy knows what's coming, but he is a fortified man. He is allowed his inner man and his outer senses, the tangibles to be ministered to verse 27 then Jesus said to them, all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.

No exceptions.

All of you. This is the word of Christ is the word of Scripture is a twofold witness here. He could've just said all of you. But, he says, as it is written, reports that in Jesus said to them, all of you will be made to stumble because of me, for it is written to the written part moment. No exceptions. They will scatter and panic. Simply leaving the Lord to do his perfect work, but not without messing things up a little bit, he says, for it is written yet another fulfilled prophecy. As I mentioned one of hundreds. Zechariah 13 verse seven is what he is quoting here now, in Zechariah chapter 11 God addresses the false shepherd Antichrist ultimately but here in chapter 13 of Zechariah's prophecy is now addressing Messiah a Waco sword against my shepherd against the man who is my companion and the Hebrew word for companion, translated companion like new King James is actually the equal. So the father is speaking about Messiah and he is calling him his equal. Here in Zechariah 13 that's a bonus won't charge you for that one.

Anyway, says Yahweh of host.

Incidentally, one of the high-level Psalms that they would sing said Yahweh is God. So we don't lose sight of that either. So it says Yahweh. Here is God strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered, then I will turn my hand against the little ones and that's the persecution that of course is followed. So there we have Jesus quoting Scripture. Now we have to remember, they've never witnessed him fail. So who is in his walked on water, he stop storms. These cleansed lepers interested.

I mean Christ could just go to a hospital just empty the place with just you know everybody's okay now you get up and go as a good incredible, but now they going to see him fail.

Then I wrote this so that they can get their heads around this easily. Anyway, it wasn't up to them to understand they had been exposed to enough of him to submit just like you and I we have been exposed to enough logic from Scripture that went just off to obey. Now this no more trying to convince me you know Satan coming along, having it in early stages of your faith. Perhaps you read the Bible looking for contradictions.

That's okay you work through that.

But as you start eliminating those contradictions.

You get to the point was okay were done with this now. I will reconcile it for theological purposes, but I don't doubt the word of God anymore because doubt brings confusion and confusion brings weakness and weakness can bring disaster with her see that in just one moment, so they don't have to understand what he saying they have to submit which they do not. Thought-provoking point. Jesus says because of me. You will all be made to stumble because of me that is all the martyrs through the ages.

All the believers who have accepted the hazards of following Jesus Christ understand that it is written that in God's word is true, and it is because of him that they suffer persecution and he's worth it. Ergo, the word worship so here had Peter listen to what the Lord was saying quoting Scripture instead of having his feelings overrule the Lord and Scripture, he would have been ready, he would've been ready in Gethsemane and he was not ready and 70 and he was not ready through that night. Verse 28. But after I have been raised. I will go before you to Galilee now.

Then I listening that part especially Peter peters. I, weaning with one of the sake you are not the trader I'm not the guy you talk about what he dips with me is not me. I stop eating after penalty did that but I mentioned I would've thought I would not at any over a week. Well milkshakes that's not eating. Verse 28 again after I've been raised. I will go before you to Galilee. Now he's in Jerusalem, but his heart is in Galilee Jerusalem is where they were sophisticated, cynical, snobbish, deadly Galilee. They weren't so in Jerusalem. They were religious people there who stoned God's people.

What a thought and look at history and how much your religion Imperial Japan. What drove them religion Shintoism where superior everybody else. Isabel slave no not the only one who will take time and all that.

Galatians chapter 2 verse 12 this is after the church is born after Christ been crucified in heaven. Years later, that couple of decades later, Christians from Jerusalem came up to Antioch in Syria with the church was thriving in the Gentiles were getting saved, and Christians from Jerusalem came up and cause problems. Paul got involved. This is very important because Christianity almost died that day. That would've been the end of Christianity had Paul not stood up to these men. Christianity would just have been a sect of Judaism and were nothing like Judaism. We have the same groups, then we jettison Galatians 2 uses for before certain men came from James. James led the church in Jerusalem talking about Peter and Barnabas. He would eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself fearing those who are of the circumcision they were mostly many of them were educated men will or should I safe formally educated minute Peter was not formally educated, according to the rules of men. I think it bothered him in his earlier years of ministry. He probably felt intimidated. These guys come up in your scholars they can pronounce words he can't pronounce. They can they can solve math equation that he can't solve the catfish. The and it can cut people's ears off. Peter can do that but he didn't think about it and I know what it's like to feel like you know what they have their more formal but then then I know that anointing just blocks everything out anointing is just just to solve it can take the most brilliant man and make him a superhero. It can take the most ignorant fishermen and make him an equal superhero when we see that in John and Peter and Paul and others, and so that's why Peter I'm sure cave to see felt outgunned and the pressure of that Paul didn't have that pork and careless anybody who messed with Christianity and the man was just a Terminator if you got in his way and all fine.

They want to be circumcised and he would just go off I went off to birth.

Verse 29 now. Keeping this in mind, so the Lord said that you're all going to stumble but after I'm raised I'll see you in Galilee. They don't bring up Galilee. All they going to bring up now is this thing about the stumbling sermons alike that are they not pastor to say one thing thing wrong. And, oh, not in this church gives you all know we will Taser you on the greeting, but other churches don't have Taser materials anyway. What we can have fun with things here. We can Centauri that budget your below funding.

Verse 29 Peter said to them, even if all made to stumble yet I will not be against his emotions were always right there. You never had to dig for them. Paul, you might have dig a little bit, not Peter, John, John, not Peter.

Again, this probably grew out of speculating who the trader was they still don't know it's Judas they will find that out until he is actually a rest. However, he just heard from the prophet's description of the profits of said you're going to stumble he just heard it from the Lord of Scripture who did more miracles than anybody put together a still not getting that part. He did not care for the Lord's application of the Scripture.

That's what it comes down to. I heard you Lord to preach on Zechariah 13 and I didn't care for how you handled the text yellow pulses this to the Corinthians.

Again, because they needed to hear. If I seem like I am picking on the Corinthians church IM just I feels I feel bad. The mess would probably made his life miserable.

They they were filled with the spirit in many areas and not all of them, just a good mount of them. The rest were just they needed they needed a beat down and he did you know he with his letters but I focus hard so many times anyway.

First Corinthians 4 pulses that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written and that's what he's telling that this will Peter needed to hear the direct letter would be written for another 20 years or so went that would Peter needed Peter Jesus said this is Scripture.

It applies to you all think beyond what is written and certainly don't think beyond what the Lord has said love does not excuse overruling the Bible, you can't say what I love Jesus so much I can disagree with him or the Bible.

Love does not excuse overruling the Lord Jesus Christ and this is what we looking at Peter saying I love you so much. I will never betray you. If it's anathema to Peter for anybody to think that there's a iota of disloyalty towards Christ.

That's not what it's about. Peter is more to it.

It's not one thing and then I'll say this, I forget Peter is no coward. None of these men were cowards and what a bring. Hopefully you'll agree with me if for your own sake because when you get to heaven you know God's gonna say you want to Mechanicsville while in Venice I hear you say that of other churches to his old man I thought I was special anyway. This is the Holy Spirit warning us all. Let not our views overrule the word of God or God this is Peter at his worse yes this is this a second time he's pulled this kind of a move, but this one is devastating. The other one was bad, but this one hard to recover. Last time it was Satan voicing his disdain for redemption on you to die. Lord, we are far from you, Peter.

You you're actually arguing against your own salvation, but he didn't know he was did later. This time though it is the flesh. It is his carnal nature, thinking that he has somehow superior knowledge to God's word and to God. That is what's going on here again. First Corinthians that you may learn not to think beyond what is written and then Paul goes on that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one another against one another and he is puffed up against the Lord. Right now this is so great a train wreck for Peter.

This self exaltation that it caused the Lord to put Peter back together in three phases three miraculous steps the Lord had to use to get him back on track. The first step was after Peter betrayed the Lord and denies him at the not betray partly I take that back. What I meant. Once he denies the Lord as he never traded the third time the rooster crows, Jesus looks right at Peter that look was not wasted. They made eye contact, Peter went out and wept like a baby uncontrollably. Jesse was devastated that was the first phase of putting them back together because the law we know, was a look of love the look of understanding, not condemnation roster would've been no restoration of Peter. The next phase was when the Lord rose from the dead. Peter had a private session with Lee still wasn't back together. The third phase came when they were by the sea and Jesus asked him three times. Do you love me Peter Lord dear Peter, do you you have that devout love for me, Lord, you know I love you but I don't have as much love as I thought I had Peter do you have that in three times and finally of course Lohse. Do you have love for you know I love you. Peter was humble, but he was put back together and you know just we benefit so much from this man and his silly questions throughout Scripture is such a benefit to us anyway. The Lord never called any of these men cowards because they will stumble this night than why why not because it wasn't fear of men that cause them to run. It was confusion of the will of God.

Peter was rated dipoles on the sword. I mean I think he just proved when he swung the sword against this sizable force that had come out to rest the Lord. He didn't care about himself. It was only the Lord Jesus he would've never warmed himself by the enemies fire. He would have been hiding somewhere under his blanket, but no various following the Lord after his arrest, confusion weakens us. He didn't know what to think.

He went to fight for the Lord.

The Lord told him that he lives by the sword parishes by the slip put it away, Peter. That's not how we do business.

What was he left with after that about us today.

You look at the insanity coming out of otherwise and the people who know how to order coffee and coffee shops mean that weird stuff coffee.

They know how to do this, always impressive. Okay, maybe you're not. Maybe I'm the only one that just likes coffee without all the other stuff but not but other than that they when it comes to morality and government morons and him and with we have to find it in our heart to not want to take arms against them and do some you know what, we have a solution for these people. But Jesus is no you don't.

That's not how you do it and then what happens with confused unless we know the word and know what our role is. This is where these men were, they could not fight with swords. What was left for them.

They Pentecost had not come in verse 30 Jesus said to him, verse 30. Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. Peter is resolve will dissolve. That's what's going to happen where he says three times as brutal to watch Annette instead is brutal for us to watch this Peter he's picking apart. Submit shut your mouth doesn't do that.

I can adolescent the dance is a be quiet make and then annexing all the kids on the moon wondering eyes going to get down to push that button anyway. Not once, not twice but three times. He says Peter you could you going to do this denial thing. And Peter I know you think you know what you're saying but you don't and I do this is brutal to watch this verse 31. Here he is arguing with Christ now after the communion table is up in the Lord's face arguing with him.

Man is scary. I know you all of never left church and got into an action that the parties on the road in the car or maybe grumbling.

You know they used to be said most people go home after church and have roast pastor. That's all say I did, with it. Vernon McGee did anyway. But I can blame me stucco I come and get me if you where was diverse. 31. Now we are up to, but he spoke more vehemently. He's going on is on a land that's what that means if I have to die with you, I will not deny you and they all said likewise.

Stubborn human love for Christ can morph very quickly into stupid love and were seeing it happen right here.

He love the Lord, but it was it was now was in the caramel phase he had, you know, turn the switch to exhilarate love and there is not to be an auxiliary love, no plan B when it comes to things like that and he will vehemently deny the Lord to carnality. Says he's my Savior, but is not always my Lord.

That is a carnal Christian why: God, if he does not know what he's talking about. Why is he the Savior Jesus Christ. If he doesn't know what he's doing so because it hurts. That's why that's why fussed back in Christ because it hurts when crisis will deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. My reward is with me, you'll be paid for this and we say when he says maybe after you die, we say yes to law, is why unions have trade unions so anyway he says if I have to die with you, I will not deny you.

He's out of control stubborn.

He's angry. He's incensed that the thought of him not standing up for Christ and still very wrong and all said likewise. When I just keep quiet. Let Peter appear to be the one Peter is telling the story to Mark and he wants Mark to know this and I wasn't the only one that's what he's doing is true of me not lying, but he just wants it on record that anyway just because Jesus lets Peter have the last word does not mean Peter is right is a know it all adolescent.

There are those who grew up in the church and they boast as they don't follow Christ anymore, they did. They grew up in a good church. Many of them and those that come out of a good church so yeah I grew up in a good and a church I grew up in a church with a smug little thing, but you never became a grown up in the church.

That's the problem you stayed a little TT ;-) the tiny non-St. instead of just stop agreeing, disagreeing with Christ, submit the Lord did not take back what he said is what Peter I didn't know you. This is not okay okay not stumble.

Going east expired. Christ was not impressed by what Peter said to let him have it, and what a lesson for me. Did I say something that I do something that Christ is okay fine I don't want that to happen.

I want him to say well done. 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.

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