Deliverance and Endurance (Part B)

What good is if you cannot protect us from such horrors in this life planning. It can also affect us through the horrors of life, while those things are taking place faith can protect us and keep a strong there have been those believers that have gone to the state, burned at the stake, singing hymns, raising their hands in protest against their persecutors and to to say in a defiant way. I serve the 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 today. Pastor Rick will continue his message called deliverance and endurance as he teaches through Hebrews chapter 11 Philistines were against God and against God's people.

They had their own gods. It was satisfied with making up their own gods. They really didn't appreciate God revealing himself to the Jews. And so they were the inveterate enemies of the Jews centuries of your Philistine, you are offended by the scripture verse you are race centered, not Christ centered now coming closer to the point. Whatever is said of. In truth about your race is not the issue for Christian issue for us is not our race, but our kingdom. That's where we pledge allegiance to our king, the kingdom of heaven.

I hate racism and you should too. It is been the cause of countless deaths and miseries over generations in every culture on earth when the Bible talks negatively about a particular people where to component that's the story.

It is always given with an opportunity to repent to change sides to come under the authority of the King. That's why when Paul said there is no longer Jew nor Gentile in Christ all this stuff is gone.

I ethnically you will be what you are, maybe you don't know it doesn't really matter. Maybe you do know doesn't mean you cannot celebrate certain ethnic holidays does mean that your citizenship, your primary citizenship is in heaven.

You are the child of a king who is God the son God the father and God the Holy Spirit. There is no kingdom will race that I want to belong to except his kingdom. That is the race that I am running so I just take the time because again you this Philistines here but what if it was insert your ethnic group there and he stood against the you fill in the blank. Would you be offended. I think it's you design is anyone that shortsighted that they think when they get to heaven is going to be an Irish section German section of you know this is the Asian town do the room. Is anyone here that shortsighted Christ.

There will be people from every tongue, every kindred, every people in heaven still no longer will no longer belong to anyone but the king will all be in it together, world without end without suffering without fighting without clicks and divisions. Churches should not have clicked the other people in a church that you may get along well. A veteran with one than another. That's fine, but we don't really know the block others out left spent a lot of time on that with a long way to go, turned to flight the armies of the aliens of these were the outerspace Martians that were landing in Israel. Everybody knows that. Of course these were the foreign forces that were coming against the people of God, Isaiah and Hezekiah are is a great example. The Assyrian army had had taken out the northern kingdom because of the idolatry and now they were coming to the southern kingdom that was struggling with idolatry to but it was not as full-blown as brazen in the South yet and and God raised up the man Isaiah and and and King Hezekiah and Isaiah greatly influenced and supported Hezekiah one of the good kings and in Israel and Judah and the Isaiah succeeded with his influence but Jeremiah, who would come 100 years later he couldn't sway the kings the kings were so based so depraved, Jehoiada, Kim, and Zedekiah. They were so messed up, the great prophet Jeremiah could not sway them to righteousness, and he suffered for but this time, Isaiah succeeded in you. You know the story of the Assyrians came. Isaiah prophesied that God would deal with them because of Hezekiah's prayer and then in Isaiah 3736 and the angel of the Lord went out and killed in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000 people arose early in the morning there were the dead corpses all dead, says the Scripture Isaiah 37, six, and so turned to flight the invading forces the armies of the aliens and we again are translates into New Testament may, with truth we turn away the lies that are launched again against our Lord. Verse 35 women received their dead raised again to life.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. Well, of course, Elijah and Elisha both prophets used by God to revive those that had died, but this first clause verse 35 women received their dead raised again. It really should be in verse 34.

The reason is because it is a turning point in this lasts mention of deliverance through the next list of events that are the righteous confront and in in our lives.

This is an abrupt will be and when I read it.

One moment an abrupt. Such a change from deliverance to endurance is the Christian life. Not as intense in this country.

As a rule right now, but in other countries, it is had Jezebel won the last election it would have ramped up against us.

You will know them by their fruit and I don't know how much time we have left before we are finally encircled and pounced upon the forces of evil hearted word to bring about this to come in and destroy the church to persecute the church.

So here this this change is now significant, so removed from women received their dead verse 35 raised again to life and all the glory and beauty that accompany those moments to this. Others were tortured. That's pretty intense when Saul of Tarsus, who was a Pharisee under the rabbinical teachings of the Jews after in the days of of of Christ and just after Christ. He hated Christians he hated church and he set out to destroy it and to persecute and when he was saved and God said to another servant Ananias I want you to go to him. We pick it up in acts 916 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my namesake every combat soldier wonders how they going to do if there a time when the battlefield comes, will they cower. Will they turn and run or will they fight and be brave. I think every Christian should have that thought. As far as facing persecution goes, how will I perform will I deny my Lord, I will set my heart to never do such. I know that this is what he will strengthen me to do. He will strengthen me to be strong in the face of opposition. So he says. Others were tortured, having mentioned again the blessings the victories of Joshua Ray have all the names of the preceded this and now he gets to those the cavalry did not come they went to heaven heaven didn't go to them in terms of delivering them from the moment of torture that word in the Greek torture tomb. Pat is so you won't hear that likely again today. It means it is essentially a trauma and it is connected with the circular device that they had made especially for torturing than they would stretch out the victim on this circular device as you would stretch the skin over a drum. You know making that skin tonsil when you beat the drum. It would make the noise while they would stretch out the victim and while they were fully stretched on this wheel. This drum, the shape item they would then beat them to death with rods or clubs or whips whatever instrument of cruelty was the choice moment and so when he says others were tortured. Other believers were victims of violence to the death OR goodness, faith, if you cannot protect us from such horrors in this life planning. It can also protect us through the horrors of life, while those things are taking place faith can protect us and keep a strong there have been those believers that have gone to the stake burned at the stake, singing hymns, raising their hands in protest against their persecutors and to to say in a defiant way. I serve the Lord and I'm not going to recant. I'm not going to take away now here's the thing. Other people not believers of Christ suffered just as much, as any other.

Their other martyrs for their causes to the problem is is that in most cases that's it. So they get out of this life.

Nothing beyond a come back to that point later. But faith is not a magic lawn where when there is danger. We just wave it in the danger goes away. That doesn't make faith hollow at all. It is not for us to be spared this or that it is for us to obey hold to our testimony, we read this in second Kings 13 then Elisha died and they buried him the great prophet Elisha, one of the prophets who was using the Old Testament to raise the dead back to life to revive them and that yet with all that faith, they came when he had to go home because they really didn't have much faith in more faith than anybody would make such a silly statement like that about him.

So we may feel it empty. God is not come along and rescue us, we may feel what's the use of faith.

This is the story of the end of the book of Malachi. We tried trusting you when you get anything from it.

So ours is to be faithful to the end of the wise it's not faith so so Satan has the understands that he can get people to leave the faith by attacking them the story of Job yeah Joby Corsi doesn't curse you. Of course he's blameless you give him everything. Take that stuff away from him and I'll show you who curse you to his face, and of course he he attacked Job and it didn't happen. So, not accepting deliverance here. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance. Matthew 1022 we Christians need to hear this is about persecution is about suffering in life we need to hear it.

It's in the Scripture and is not in there to be passed over or ignored.

Just as all the rest of Scripture is not to be passed over or ignored. Jesus said and you will be hated by all for my namesake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

The one who endures to the end and persecution is just that endurance not deliverance all the time.

We must be ready for that others can die for their suffer and die for their causes. We are not to be an exception. So at the cost of faith. The devil demands that believers renounce Christ so that they can gain temporary relief escape suffering.

Denying Christ worsens death. That's what it does. Faith embraces God will not leave me in that he does not deliver me does not mean he hasn't delivered me because my relationship with him exceeds this life. It goes beyond this life. It is not defined or limited to this life does not mean that he will spare us because he is always with us from the things that come against us. The New Testament is more concerned with preaching the gospel under all situations as led by the Spirit, then protecting the righteous.

As with the armies of the Old Testament, the New Testament is more concerned with the message being delivered at any cost to those delivering so again, our marriage vows. We being brides of Christ. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part thing is with the Christian death will not do us part from Christ. We are forever joined to him. Satan does not want pastors to preach these kind of messages and he likes to make Christians uncomfortable. Hearing them so that he can continue to fortify his causes, but we remain weak and not facing the facts concerning what we believe. So we have to understand if God is glorified by something that happens to us and we receive it we don't we not supposed to belong to a faith where talk is cheap. Yes, Lord, all serve you all my days anywhere you want me to, and then the pressures come on out.

He didn't rescue me. I'm done Bible doesn't work promises don't apply.

Again, that's the story the end of Malachi chapter 3 at the end of that chapter that they might obtain a better resurrection of their two resurrections. There is resurrection of the just and his resurrection of the unjust.

Both will stand before God one to condemnation the other to address their service in this life. The rewards are not and so by faith. The church in Smyrna that is in the book of Revelation in chapter 2. That church was persecuted and the Lord said you you To my name in the face of persecution. Satan's throne was source of power. Satan's darkness was upon verse 36 of Hebrews 11. Still others had trial of markings and scourging just of chains and imprisonment. There are others still others is more that we encounter had trials of markings. Is it true that someone can be brave in the face of violence and danger, but can't stand being left. I mean there are, I think it is true I think that there are those that cannot. Barrett you better if you're Christian maybe you been in the workplace or school, and you've heard someone make take a shot at Christ are some of you are very bothered when you hear someone use the name of the Lord in vain. While they are not under the covenant as we are there lost that got more problems than that we can get to the source of the problem will no longer take the Lord's name in vain. But what I'm trying to say is that we feel the pressure of that Peter is writing again to persecuted Christians. He said yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian that him not be ashamed. Let them glorify God and in this matter. So there are those that suffer not as Christians. There are those that suffer as Christians, one will get the crown. The other gets nothing. And that makes all the difference whose king whose kingdom you belong to which king are you subject to because that King will be the victor and the other king will be vanquished so will his subjects along with him. He says here in verse 36 that they had received scourging's yes of chain and imprisonment. Jeremiah never back down from his message.

All the junk that he had to endure from his family from his countrymen of the ridiculed being hunted physically attacked Jeremiah 30 860. They took Jeremiah cast them into the dungeon and which was in the court of the prison and they let Jeremiah down with ropes and in the dungeon. There was no water. But Meyer so Jeremiah sank in the Meyer you know you know how miserable that was for him. It was this not all. This is a Bible story and the some actor just carrying it out and afterward they are going to clean up and go to some restaurant and have a good time. This really happened to some spasm and worse has happened, but he sank in the Meyer.

How many times have I thought about that sinking in the Meyer of something. Why is this nesting of the little things really get me anything more than the big things you expect the bogeyman the big ones those little fleas that just want to show unnecessary, but their unstoppable so you find yourself saying the least I find myself saying I have got to work on my response to these things. I have got to stop being so hurt by things that in the scheme of heaven really nothing I'm right with Christ.

That is the major thing I will keep that the major thing in the hits that I take well I have I have armor enough to survive, not to take the hit. You know if you've ever had a shield. Growing up I had a friend that had a shield and of course with the boys do when you have a shield you get something to hit the shield with you behind the shield and if you've ever been hit that you feel that your team shape that the guy has been another knock you down yeah it does you didn't get hit with a direct blow would you get hit you feel that the impact that's Christianity the shield of faith will take hits. It's not about you know it's not enough force field activate the Christian force field that will happen. We get to heaven. Hebrews chapter 13 the writer of this letter is writing at the time the Christians are already being persecuted for being Christians, so he writes in the 13th chapter. Remember the prisoners as if change with them. Those who are mistreated as a euphemism for you since you yourselves are in the body also party your body is being persecuted being tortured.

Remember them in prayer.

Verse 37. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword wandered about sheepskins and goat skins being destitute, afflicted torment. Now he's emphasizing of course the Old Testament believers at the New Testament will have this year also where he says they were stoned. That's Stephen and Paul accepter.

Seven and they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and sing Lord Jesus, receive my spirit didn't say Lord Jesus, if you don't save me from this I'm going elsewhere. He allowed himself to be stoned to death in faith, knowing that there better things on the horizon when it comes to Christ, so the Christian martyr dies the death of meaning.

The reject or Christ may suffer and die meaningless sleep. Just this life that it is nothing. After that's how we have to preach it because that's what were told to preach the mercy of God is the mercy of God that his department. I cannot exercise the mercy of God on that level on his level. I can exercise the mercy of God and the spear that he's given me to exercise it, but it will never reach the level that he hasn't dealing with those who have left this life without confessing Christ as Savior.

That is his department. So while I am here. I have to preach it as he is given it to me. He says they were sawn into a prevalent form of of the execution in the ancient world. In Daniel chapter 2 we we read about Nebuchadnezzar's analyst will go to Soriano cut them into our yeah I have to say there is outside of the Bible there is some history that says Isaiah the prophet was ultimately moderate great men of God we have the prophecy of Isaiah put in the hollow of a log and the log was sawn into with him in it that such a tradition of of the Jews weather is true or not is irrelevant because it is certainly is happened in other places, now's a good time to read John Bunyan and Pilgrim's progress gets to a scene would Christian the character is in heated dialogue with Satan with Apollyon the enemy and is winning the argument, so the enemy gets infuriated and attacks him physically and but one of the things that led to that was with these words, and in the story about why God does not deliver his people from all sorts of things, says God's forbearing at present to deliver them is on purpose to try their love whether they will cleave to him to the end move 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