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April 15, 2022 6:00 am
Pastor Rick teaches from the letter to the Hebrews
We have these stories. These lives of faith that are here to challenge us that they are not challenging to stay home in our pajamas all day challenged to match those lives of faith in the arena that we find ourselves in Christian life again were not to say well I'm not Joshua I can bring down walls of Jericho will God is not asking you to bring down walls of Jericho. There are no more will bring down that he wants brought down. 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 12 for a brand-new message called Christian living in Hebrews chapter 12 verses one and two.
Therefore, we also since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. For the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and a set down at the right hand of the throne of God in the 11th chapter, we covered lives of faith faith that pleases God.
And if you're not a student of the Scripture. Hopefully you will be able to follow along and concentrate on those things that you do understand that that do minister to you and as we look at those lives in chapter 11.
How many of them struggled in life through hardship and danger. It would do us well to study those lives before it is our turn to go through hardship and danger, and suffer to analyze lives of faith in Scripture because they match so well our own lives at some point that 11th chapter toward the end we read these words about those saints, of whom the world was not worthy of the world is humanity and rejection of Christ. That is this a brief definition of what the Bible means when it says the world, not not the planet that in context. Of course does show up, but spiritually the world is that which is in opposition to the son of God saints of Scripture. We also gathered from that 11th chapter that the faith enables us to be more interested in God's approval than anyone else's.
And if we get that one right.
We will certainly be a benefit. A blessing to those around us and not hopefully a drain on good things.
As is so easy to do when we live in the flesh.
And now, for those again who are not students of Scripture the flesh is your sinful nature. We are all born with it.
We are born sinners, we are born sinners, even before we have a chance to sin. All of the codes everything necessary for us to sin is there and it is not a possibility if we grow and develop in life. It is a guarantee that we will offend God. We will sin, and thus we need a Savior. And so this faith that is been spoken of throughout the Scripture.
And this is particularly this Hebrew document has to do with the righteous in their walk through this life pleasing God, overcoming the things that would set us separate us God who loves us and that is what we preach. Now I should point out that if you are going through life and you have faith in you not being delivered from something that does not mean you do not have faith of that faith does not work. Having read that 11th chapter again. I keep referring to, because this chapter. This chapter it hinges on that 11th chapter you might read that 11th chapter and say well that's the climactic point in Hebrews and perhaps not. Perhaps not look now at verse one please in Hebrews chapter 12 he says. Therefore, we also since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us that therefore splices together. Everything said in Hebrews 11. Remember when the when Hebrews was written. There is no chapter divisions no verse division to just one single document. It is good that we have chapter and verse divisions.
They are coordinates on a map to help us find particular places and we would be very most stress to find this and that, in Scripture without them. I don't know.
I took so long to become about chapter divisions in verses. But that's how it is for that. Therefore it's critical that is one of the great therefore's of the Scripture, the writer a single slide that I was just talking about was real lives that followed a real God son of God name Jesus. Those lives. Therefore, because of everything we just talked about them is connected to us women faith to live just like them were not to say, well, they had faith the sun available to us any longer will I not the same God. He doesn't change. He hasn't lost power. Same God is available in all that he has for us is just that he is working right now in a different ways, working primarily through the truths that have been shared and preserved in Scripture that is our primary weapon is our primary tool. It is why Satan so targets truth in churches is a go to church and in our preaching the truth. The preaching the garbage that comes from the world that all churches are all but a great many of them I don't know if this the majority of the minority. I just know it's enough to watch out you better be careful, even before you recommend somebody before you say to a new convert. You need to go to church which one. Some of them on interested in Jesus Christ and are interested in the approval of men. And so we can say. As we read in chapter 11, by faith, by faith. Rahab did this by faith Gideon did that and I want to know what you said about you and I music by faith.
Put your name there. You did what Jesus by faith. I did nothing.
Rob sometimes there's by faith.
You're supposed to do nothing like keep your mouth closed and then there are the times we supposed to do something got to learn when to and when not to get to some of that, he says, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness the witnesses that surround us of the stories we just read. That's what he's referring to the Scripture is full of true stories about those who serve God by faith and brought about victory in honoring God through their lives. That is the cloud of witness know what it does not mean, as some have taught.
I think without grounds in Scripture at all that there are a loved ones in heaven, down there in the grandstands, looking down at us.
I hope not as pretty spooky. I makes me I will enclose in the shower as it is discomforting creepy. If that's the case of why, why would they want to relive our failures will see this. What would going through is no grounds for that in Scripture I don't I don't want them to see my loved ones in heaven. I don't want to see my failures and my struggles I serve God, not them as much as I love them love diminished in that why that's enough about that. I could go on if you'd like. That's enough means. Again we have these stories. These lives of faith that are here to challenge us. You bet they are one of were not challenged him to stay home in our pajamas all day challenged to match those lives of faith in the arena that we find ourselves in the Christian life. So again were not to say well I'm not Joshua I can bring down walls of Jericho. God is not asking you to bring down walls of Jericho.
There are no more walls of Jericho to bring down that he wants brought down the walls to be lifted up their walls to be brought down and you're only going to find out if you follow by faith and obedience. Let us not forget Grace will be covering grace in the section he says, let us lay aside every weight.
This is the ninth time we have heard the writer of this document say let us this 13 of them in Hebrews 4 more to go this show up quite a bit in all the writings of Paul. Almost for many of the writings of Paul. Not much in everyone else's writing another another evidence that Paul probably is the author of this for you who are Christian students or the scribe of the Hebrew document when he says let us it is a tactful way, he is encouraging to them for them to get past their failures. Remember the Hebrew Christians that he is writing to a particular were those Christians who would suffer for Christ. They knew the gospel but now they were growing weary because of persecution because of cultural pressure, family pressure and they were thinking about mingling Christianity with Judaism. You cannot mingle Christianity with anything and still have Christianity and end this is what he's writing to them. Stop doing this Associates let us it's an encouragement. If others live by faith, let us do likewise see this is still to this day that is that therefore the first verse. Therefore, because if they weren't encouraged. We too are encouraged to live by faith. He says lay aside every weight the unnecessary baggage that causes us to fail to gain altitude, there is usually no Adm. Byrd great pioneer explorer of an article and is in a plane on one of his trips there going through in a route and blazing a new trail in the sky and there they're going through a sort of a canyon with the plane, but the canyon is too narrow for them to turn around and they're not gaining altitude to get over these mountains 10,000 foot mountains so the pilot welcome tells Byrd we need to get rid of some weight so they all jumped out the hope of the been the end of the story so they had two options. Byrd knew right away what to do either get rid of fuel or food.
They got rid of the food and they just made it over the hump. They just got over the mountains. They were oppressed they had to get rid of baggage. It was a life or death in their situation and in many of our cases is life or death, let us encouraged encourage. That is what that means get rid of the baggage. The baggage, some of it we find is actually handcuffed to us by the flesh and it is a fight to get rid of this baggage would going to gain altitude, but we cannot give up now each one each Christian has to learn how and where to best serve the Christ whom they claim to love and if you don't love Christ, you're not a Christian. What makes one of the things that makes us Christian is that we love the Lord, that we believe he died on the cross for us not for himself for us and no one else could do what he did and that he rose again from the dead that we will see him one day and be like him heaven forever.
Well, how are you going to find out Bible stresses that we are to not satisfy that question in our own strength. According to our own wisdom. Many Christians will care for the wisdom of God.
You know Solomon, he stopped caring for God's wisdom started working with his own counterfeit Brandon where it landed him well. Proverbs 3. Many Christians know this verse.
I don't know how many are you eager to act upon it. Trusting Yahweh with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding whose understanding of my going to lean on. Well, it depends on what were talking about you talking about furniture, you might want a furniture maker but if were talking about faith serving the king Christian living and we have to go to Christ. How do we do that when he's given us the Holy Spirit just for that I will not leave you orphans. I will send the Paraclete integrate the comforter, the one who is beside you and he will guide you into all truth. So that's who we depend on this is happening even before the crucifixion and resurrection, and Pentecost. In Genesis we read about the servant of Abraham being sent on this mission to find a bride forwarded for Abraham's beloved son Isaac and servant does, he gets to his destination and he is praying to the Lord to show him what to do. We pick up this a section of a Genesis 24 verse 27 when he realizes that God is is is guided him and he makes it known he says. As for me being on the way Yahweh led me to the house of my Masters brethren, so we had that is necessary and proper as we have, but it is doable.
In Genesis 24 that we have that it is planned of the believer, Mark of the believer in Romans 814 for as many Paul writes as a led by the Spirit of God, these are the children of God, was a led by the Spirit. What about those who are led by the spirit. One of the lead by the they say Jesus is Lord within a led by him. The Lord leads these master's commander who you led by your own wisdom you have enough Bible knowledge. I understand you do not need to check with Jesus Christ. As you know, in the everybody's doing it that way. That is a blueprint for gossip and disaster and self will being in irritant everybody around you if I asked which one of you is ever irritated someone else and been on the wrong side of the irritation everybody should raise their hands and then if I said well which one of you have sought the Lord to stop doing that and to redirect your energies into something that is profitable for him, which would be profitable for others, and I hope everyone within raise their hand.
Also, in acts, we find this ongoing this concept of being led by God Paul that great apostle. You would think that while he is seen Jesus he received instruction personally homeschooled by Jesus in the faith. You would think they just want to be on automatic pilot.
Now just fulfill the imperatives laid on him at the beginning, but all through his life. We find Paul dependent on the Holy Spirit. Paul wanted to minister in a certain area instead of saying well the Gospels not there. We got the gospel would going. What else not work with what could be wrong with instead of doing that they sought the Lord, and this is what Luke writes about that moment he says after they had come to my seer. They tried to go to Bithynia but the spirit did not permit them. Not bad weather made of used bad weather. They knew this was from God himself were talking about laying aside those things that cause us to not gain altitude and one of them is not being led by the Lord. Now there are times where the Lord says you know they're just certain formulas that are out there that you don't need me to lead.
If the dog is chasing you than it is wise to run from him. You don't Lord, do I run from this beast. Maybe some ways it can do that and pull it off me.
I'm on the roof of a car right away. Jesus, of course, promised he promised that he would speak to us anything he promised it. It doesn't chat or understand God does not chatter. He doesn't walk every five minutes we do now monkey is high and holy. This is very important.
Jesus is my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. Can't follow Jesus and someone else at the same time. Unless you ubiquitous and you're not. But what happens when you've been following the Lord, you know it's him release you think you do. You act upon it and it fails wasn't him or not, will sometimes it wasn't. Sometimes it may have been the point is the next time you might be a little bit more sober minded and you are following and that's what God wants is not glorified by silliness. Christian immaturity does not do honor to Christ.
How to see burn that out of us. Failure mishap. I've been led by the Lord in my life as a pastor many times with their times. If I was that I know that was him. It didn't happen the way I thought it was.
Was it still him. So the next time I'll be a little bit more careful, but I hope I do not become so careful that I become timid and cowardly striking that balance requires an ongoing relationship all the time. That does not demand from Christ, but expects that I follow his demands, and often waiting as part of that process can take years, but if you're not laying aside every weight that so easily ensnares. You guess what you going to be ensnared. It tells us that next clause and the sin which so easily ensnares us. There is sin because of all sorrow and pain in creation in humans and animals and insects and anything all death is wrong. It is because of sin. That is the problem with sin is not something removed in this life over its judgment is for the believer.
Sin remains in this life is to be grappled with to be engaged to fight against so easily so easy for the Christian to sin just like that. Who can deny it is sitting in your your your car, your writing on your bicycle so you hear that you're listening to Christian songs like I have was put this here, listen you listen to Christian music done in a studio with people who get paid to get better and better at doing it in the studio. Then you go to a church and you're frustrated that they're not as good as a studio performance watch that that is sin that is wrong.
Don't do that.
If that is you become the critic of the musicians means be different if a song like me then you could criticize them, but back on course.
Are you listening to Christian music in your car or your or your whatever ureters and the next thing you know you're insane and angry at somebody else because they don't have enough turn fluid signal turn fluid in their signal and use our hate that guy is a bit much don't you think will depends bum in the flesh and not because of him in the flesh.
That's not a bit much is not enough. But if I'm in the spirit I'm convicted instantly. The Senate so easily perceptive and that's a mild example. I don't need to intensified you can do it on your own. So if others live by faith, let us get serious about doing likewise. That's what he is saying to them, therefore, let us lay aside the things that are holding us back, but let's respond to the gels, but pastor I responded and I felt okay the lie there, just lie there, go ahead. Satan will be merciful to you.
Of course, that's a lie. Satan will never be merciful to you and if you think he is setting you up for something worse. Maybe he is saying you know what I'm going to be merciful to this one so I can destroy all those we see it when pastors stumble, do we not some sin. The pastor stumbles into that is a disqualifying sin and whole congregation turned upside down. So, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares is now one of the thing about that clause and thus sin. That is the definite article, the thus sin is a particular sin, he is saying, let us lay aside each one has a particular want for you it might be you know you like cereal without milk and view it might be you know what I'm saying each one has to struggle with something their sins that have just never been a problem for me there problem for others but just don't bother me.
Then there are others that may bother me that don't bother others and so you know which one is thus sin that so easily ensnares you trips you up snare a booby-trap.
Next thing you know your dangling from a tree upside down because you've been snared. He says let us run with endurance. Who's going to be your running partner anatomy politically.
I mean running with this life.
Endurance.
But I'm all alone know you're not endurance is going to be with you comfort. Endurance is discomfort with hope. If it is endurance with Christ 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