God Is Reliable (Part A)

Joy in Christ. You would have to have a sore breastplate and a helmet you going to have that cover your your legs a little bit you going to need more stuff than just a thrill. These books, I think, teach us how to be let down, how to ignore reality and become disillusioned with the Christian faith into you have people using Jesus name preaching think the just on troop just on in the Scripture.

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 Hebrews. 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 let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 6 as he begins a new study called God is reliable you have your Bibles. Please open to Hebrews chapter 6 Hebrews chapter 6. We will try to get the remainder of the chapter, verses nine through 20 will begin at verse nine but, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you. Yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak. In this manner God is not unjust if you get your work and labor of love which you have shown toward his name, that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end.

You do not become sluggish but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. When God made a promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no one greater. He swore by himself saying, surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.

So after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise for men indeed swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is for them and end of all dispute. Thus, God determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise, the immutability of his counsel, confirmed by an oath that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast in which enters the presence behind the veil with the forerunner as entered for us. Even Jesus, having become high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, God is reliable that's where we're going with this this morning because that is largely a part of what is being said in this section of Hebrews now in the first 12 verses the writer addressed those who profess Christ, and were thinking about refusing him. They probably would not of come out and said it that way. In the early stages, but they were drifting they were drifting back into Judaism and the ended that first section, verses one through 12, with the contrast between that which is cultivated in that which is burned up because you cannot cultivate and he was saying that there are those whose hearts God can cultivate and they will be blessed and then there are those whose hearts. God cannot cultivate. They refused to let him do it and they will be burned up and now he turns his attention. Beginning in verse nine starts to address all who profess and don't refuse Christ would want to hear any changes his tone a little bit and so you can imagine he's gotten word that their issues is is not present with it with the this body of believers were what is gotten word that there were issues there big ones.

The church many of the, the congregants were looking to go back to Judaism so he takes to writing to addressing this. He's not going to give this a pass is not little look the other way. There are souls involved that will be damned if they continue on this course. So he writes what we know is this letter to the Hebrews and as he is writing he begins talking about the superlative nature of Jesus Christ that he is superior to all and then he he sort of gets moved by the Holy Spirit to pinpoint some of the things that they were doing wrong and he says your babies, you still need milk, you're not growing you're still discussing about repentance and baptism faith and laying on of hands judgment and eternal life, and you should be moving past these things and then he saw the settles down again. That's where he begins at verse nine he says, but, beloved cc not scolding them because he's against them. He loves them but he cannot dictate God's word God dictates God's word and he is certainly a servant of the Lord and he is going to uphold what God says is best he can on their behalf. So he says, verse nine but, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you.

Yes, things that accompany salvation, but we speak.

In this manner.

Taking this verse just for a moment from the bottom of this. Though we speak in this matter is refreshed, referencing all that he had just said previously, hard-hitting stuff calling them behaves in saying listen if you did you taste the Lord, and you throw it away. You will going to line up for judgment is not apologize for saying it is drawing this contrast so this gentle word there.

They are being lured back to Judaism, which was an indication that they did not surrender. They were not surrender to their Messiah. They were at one point, according to the information we have from this entire Hebrew document but there were those there that were now drifting and he is going at them as best he can with truth, firmness and in love. They had become confused that confusion was very dangerous writing to the Romans. This was dealt with already years before by now that Roman letter had circulated throughout Christianity. In that letter, Paul said Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes they had embraced that but now again I am purposely repeating this throughout the beginning of this message. They were walking away from it very seriously says yes, things that accompany salvation, the better things better than all the other religions of the world is Christianity, our Savior loved us enough to die for us as much truth in those four words, things that accompany our salvation. How much is compacted into that Satan baits people into piling on to their salvation things that insult God. That's why we have these epistles from Romans right through Jude there all correction go correcting aberrant Christian behavior there all dealing with problems that Christians are bringing into the church because Satan again had been luring them to do these things. Galatians letter to the Galatians also letter that dealt with this very thing that Christ is sufficient. You cannot mingle him with something else and still have Christianity. Galatians 1 verse six I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel which is not another. There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. So he says that I'm amazed your following Christ when they know you are turning away from him to some other junk that doesn't come from God. It is an insult to God and yet you putting his name all over. That's forgery of spiritual forgery. Revelation 22nd chapter. John had to close the revelation writing to Christians. He says I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to these things, God will lead to him the plagues that are written in the book is quite severe.

This is nothing in that verse that it makes you scratch your head and said I don't know what that means we know everything. That verse means it's inescapable with the fact and yet there are those that behave as though the this will be excuse this type of behavior. The letter to the Hebrews are saying God will not excuse such things he loves you he wants you on his terms. Scripture alerts us about dupes and devils who spoil salvation is better things by trying to add to it.

Things that Christ has forbidden many become bored with Christianity even disillusion the first board and then disillusion they expected this, but they got that and they blame Christianity for not satisfying them for not giving them that joy that never ever goes away. They had been promised and so many sermons and by so many authors of so many books.

Incidentally, because you can write a book doesn't mean you should. Solomon said to writing books. There's no man but they thought the following Christ would make joy a regular feature of life that every day you would put on joy like you put on your shoes, your fancy. Whatever you're wearing that day that is not joy. There is a joy for us and we are to go at it.

We are to have it but I'm afraid it's not what the world thinks and is not what many Christians think Jesus said, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves not a lot of joy as the world finds joy in those words he said therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as dogs.

Where's the joy in that the joy in that is obeying it.

The joy for the Christian is being wise as a serpent harmless as a dove's Jabez prayed that I would not cause pain. Though conviction has its own pain, but that is a different type that is not is what is meant by our prayer when we say that we would not cause pain. I should put that on the side. Another verse telling us what Jesus says about this Christian life of ours, they will deliver you up to tribulation to kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my namesake. Where's the joy in that the joy in that is in obeying the Lord no matter what I want to develop that a little bit of spittle.

Most of our time on this verse and then will go with the other ones after and then there's Mark 1021 take up the cross. Your cross and follow me Christian cross represents death to our views death to our self-will and self life for Christ's sake, though it needs some definition. It's not just you know the dying to self well then what Christ's sake the things that belong to our salvation. That's what the author is saying that is what is provoked or stirred.

What I am saying this morning.

Yes, things that accompany salvation. Second Corinthians 12, Paul writes therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distress, for Christ sake. It's not meaningless is not meaningless persecution or distress is because is reaching souls is upholding truth is doing the work of his king and is suffering for it and he has no regrets for Christ's sake in that is joy. We don't define joy that way we define joy is feeling good. Just feeling good, feeling bad is been a lot of preaching and writing about joy in Christ, which I think falls far short of reality in Christ cannot just drug ourselves with things that make us feel good, but are true and so had all of these book writers who tell us how to find joy been accurate. We would've only needed one book as we would've had the recipe.

One book is how you find you okay we don't need anymore. We've got it so the fact that there are so many is to me a testimony that that's not how it works. They lack the things that accompany our salvation and I just read a few verses that speak of those things that accompany our salvation such as taking up the cross sheep in the midst of wolves. These things accompany our salvation.

I can grown and complained my life to God about how I wanted a Billy Graham type ministry Christians are being persecuted.

Know the places of the world would you say to that, say, not my will be done with your will be done as I don't know what is right. You tell me what is right. Things that accompany my salvation. A very deep and very broad. These books that talk about joy, not maybe every single one. But the great majority of them they have things that people want things that people want without fighting for the just handed to you said you are like babes, getting me need milk that predigested food you can handle the hard stuff is what happens in a world that is contested by Satan. If you want joy. I could write a book on joy would be one paragraph. If you want joy you have to fight for it because it is contested that is what this world is about. If you going to get joy in Christ you want to have to have a sword, you need a breastplate and a helmet you going to have that cover your your legs a little bit you going to need more stuff than just a thrill.

These books I think teachers how to be let down, how to ignore reality and become disillusioned with the Christian faith into you have people using Jesus name preaching things are just untrue.

Just find the Scripture. Joy is Christ assurance that his will is what we're going to go after this should encourage every believer not frighten them how not to face facts, how not to face life, how not to face yourself how not to face Scripture. That's where we would land.

If we want to live in the pretend world there are things we don't want to face as it says in Isaiah 33 verse 15 a righteous man stops his ears. The mention of bloodshed you want to feel this bad stuff like you doing think about stopped drowning me in, it that is right within their other areas of life that we must face, we must face with courage. That is what he is saying to them is saying there are things that accompany our faith in you want to walk away from it and you should not be walking away but going towards it.

We applaud firemen when they run into the burning building about our faith about face trusting God not expect a miracle I don't want to expect a miracle I want to expect obedience. I want to be faithful to the Lord.

That is miracle enough. How about faith no matter what comes into my life no matter what is contested is proof that life in Christ is contested, how many of you have been around Christ for a while and have not felt the urge to say Eloi Eli Lamas about my God, my God, why have you forsaken me why you letting me down. Why did this happen why why why we all get there some important that we recover from and after that season of anguish and struggle and grief get up. So what accompany salvation is faith writer to this of this letter is going to have a whole section on by faith, by faith, by faith, and he's going to name names single out events faith in the face of the contest be harsh faith can be a harsh experience with faithlessness is worse. Thus, we consider our persecuted brothers and sisters. The writer of this letter will say.

Towards the end of the letter. Remember those who are in chains as though you are chained with them staying reality wake up to get nothing done for Christ by pretending that real things aren't so get it done by looking at what is before us working with what we have financial solutions in Scripture. So what is the solution of faith resolve to resolve within our hearts that we will serve unconditionally Christ because he is given us enough proof to do that and no one else has obedience. While Christians are afraid of obedience. The word all wanted, but we all discover we can produce it all the time. Somebody's going to come along and push those buttons whether there are buttons to Morris into something that gives us a pleasure court to react in a way that does not give God pleasure the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God put that on your dashboard. Well, that was supposed be a little funnier than what it came out to be a break here obedience as best we can.

It will be contested lifelong so that's okay. Jesus knows how to deal with that in us the solution again is perseverance. Second Corinthians verse four chapter 4 verse 16 therefore do not lose heart even though our outward man is perishing, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. No part of preaching is slamming that which is wrong and encouraging that which is right in all of us. The speaker included that keeps the balance is supposed to at least there is a good example. Christ says you want joy go after obedience do my will.

If you love me, keep my commandments, do you love me Peter not like you want me Lord, do you love me Peter yes but not like I want you three times, Peter had to go through that Peter was not fired for giving the lesser answer each time Peter said that Peter said you know I love you Peter do you agape me Lord I find Leo. You I don't love you like you, I thought I did. I just don't have it. Christ said 10 my sheep feed my sheep. Watch out for the flock.

Use them anyway. Even though Peter did not rise to that high standard that God calls us all to rise to.

We should be strengthened by this. Encouraged by this each and every one of us truth. You want joy you want things that belong to our salvation is better things truth without additives without supplements or modifications.

That's where Christians get in trouble want to add to the truth want to sprocket up and improve it. What is the solution to this hate lies. That is the solution to loving truth that which is false and fake and phony. Don't embrace it. David in one place.

In Psalm 119 says through your precepts. I get understanding. Therefore I hate every False Way, God doesn't apologize for that verse is the author of any does all things well that worked. Precepts rules through your rules. Now, many Christians think that they should not be held any rules in the coming to the house of God do whatever they want to find people apart rules of the get very upset with rules govern us. This should be no reason why we are offended by the in this particular church. For instance, in the sanctuary.

We believe the word of God is high and lifted up God says if you blaspheme my name penalty according to the law of Moses his death by stoning. But I will honor my word above my name is pretty high. Is it not a death sentence for blasphemy blaspheming the name of God would get the word is even higher than that is, the word is the expressed will of God is his route that the outcome of who he is out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. And so we give special attention to the word, and there's a distraction. We look to eliminate the distractions because this is called the sanctuary sort of locks out everything else for an hour or so we can worship with as much attention as we can muster to the one who is worthy.

There are those to get very upset when you do it this way. I think that the distractions should be promoted permitted, but to precepts.

I get understanding through rules. I'm gonna run from them going to run to them if they come from God. I'm not going to find ways to weasel around them because I'm weak. I'm going to find ways to get stronger to line up with them. Love well when you don't have love.

You can leave this one. Love belong to everything we do, no matter how many times we hear it is so difficult to love. Some people all the time. That's life that's facing the fact but I still have to love like a person may be the culture. Maybe I just don't like him have to love there is a great difference.

Love is not motivated by mood, choice except the choice of obedience to Christ submitted will to him as we know what happens when love is not there. All of us have at some point been a victim of loveless next raise our children. We we admire how much love they have in the home and we are concerned about how much love the going of loveless Mr. going to find outside the you've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast.

Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio