A Powerful Promis (Part B)

If this were promised only for the apostles of the church God is not is a promise that we will be witness to Christ in the power of the Spirit because of Christ. It is for us. It is a promise will all come to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit and you can do it any other way. So what does Jesus want for my life vest. This is that to be his witness. So let's not pretend that it's something less.

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 acts. 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 a powerful promise in acts chapter 1 all baptisms speak are supposed to speak of commitment something to be immersed in Ezekiel kinda gives a picture of it in Ezekiel's prophecy in chapter 47 when he starts off with you know, he saw a vision, a man stepped out. He was ankle-deep in the waters in the waters of course are speaking of the spirit and that's you know that the experience of salvation. Then he ventured out a little deeper and now he's he's knee-deep speaks of prayer and then he's these waist deep and that's where the power and strength is but ultimately he's swimming and the only thing you can see it on is the head because he swimming. He's immersed in the head of every Christian is Christ, and so that's the beautiful picture of the experience that is of available to us as Christian and entering in the spirit of Christ until we are immersed in an Christ is who is most visible.

We call it Christ likeness. The most essential element and being baptized. Whether it be by water. The spirit for the Christian is agape's love because if I have not love the Bible says I am nothing. That's pretty big news and you know and I know that Satan works to keep you from loving what you know he wants you to love those who you like, but he does not want us to love those who really get under our skin and as a pastor I think I got more than use a rule and so I better learn how to love and when I feel the flesh, coming up I go. I run to the father as Lord Jesus, help me love and he's been so faithful over the years to do it in his own subtle and powerful way.

Not many days from now.

He says, and if his instruction here occurs 40 days as verse three, sort of suggest that in 10 days or so they going to have this experience with the Holy Spirit. Now verse six. I know this a lot of information, but nowadays not to worry about it too much. Could you just get the recording in the wind and listen to it again and then cross reference the verses and do your own research as a Peruvian minded Christian would verse six. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel are very comfortable dialoguing with him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom. Understandably, they wanted to know the future.

I thought that maybe now he'll unseat the Roman authorities give Jerusalem back to the Jews to rule. They again did not understand his ministry of salvation and the mature ministry of his rule.

So again the church is evolving here, the need to did the apostles and then not ready to still work that has to take place and it will keep having to take place in them. As the years go by. We know even Peter was a student of Paul's writings, he said. Paul says some hard difficult things.

The bottom line is right.

Scripture is God and others who twist them. They do to their own harm. There's a caution here for us. We can become distracted by end time lessons we can to the point of missing what our mission is right now shortly be is all saying them in Christianity so heavenly minded of no earthly use. So just watch out for that to we were not so into end times we forget everything else. I like to think about my own life I when I first became a Christian I love the thought of the rapture who did not hear baby but in time dealing with parents who have children that are lost. My attitudes change like Lord I'm I'm ready to stay to be part of getting people saved.

I'll get to heaven when I get to heaven, but in the rapture is beautiful and we should be excited about it but there that's not the entire story about Christian experience. Once the church is taken out of your to the rapture is going to get very nasty here on earth you know aim is the promise that you no longer run running rousing the date of the Lord, the Dale like this going to be some wonderful day is going to be judgment is going to be rad. So while while these are the seven years of fee of of harvest but me do all I can do to be ready and in that of course applying it to being useful to the king to save souls well semi-here for what what what are you here for what is, what is your life for me to live is Christ sent Paul to die is gain but is more than advantageous for me to be with you that I can do the work of the kingdom.

We should see these things we should embrace these things we we should be very mindful that this is why Satan attacks the church is is why Satan loves to attack Christians. He hates that you have this message and the power to preach it and you should know that this should not be any Christian walk around. Well I don't know what to say lately people to tell them what you know about Jesus Christ your witness, not a lawyer and God verse seven.

Again, and he said to them, it is not for you to know times and seasons which the father is put his own authority. Please, not rebuking them, nor is he saying that he doesn't know the answer to that question is a saying that's not the focus right now I'm going to give you power to stay and to preach and you're talking to me about wanting to have the kingdom back in every and all that was going to come.

How discouraging would have been had he said in answer to their question. When you you want to know when the king is going to be restored over 2000 years from now I'm all man put your bill so he just it dismisses them in and they go along with that they don't given is no record of them fussing over this. He says in verse seven, at the bottom which the father has put in his own authority. In other words, something is a classified now back to business. And that's exactly what he does in Luke captures that he says realistic seven and eight together. He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons with the father put his own regarding by what you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

FYI, that's that Greek word FI upon you, in addition to being in you. Another experience that we shouldn't be afraid of doesn't make us less Christians you at comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth you how many people how many people are in heaven simply because some Christian along the way, preached Christ maybe very subtly and maybe that Christian didn't even know it was just, you know what I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe in the Bible all want to run with the culture run with but I'm not going there with you. I know my Savior lives. I know I'm a sinner and then that's the end of the speech and somebody hears that that person may never see again in this life and they act upon, and they become a Christian.

May we never maybe never diminish the power of the tongue can start off how great a forest a little fire can kindle works both ways Satan can use the tongue create big problems. Many of you is busy holiday time you these family problems because somebody said something Dom would mean or just can't let go of the past okay as the flesh, the sin fine. But then there's the other side, there is the preaching of the truth with fire baton, but again it's hard because as you preach from the book of actually saying yourself, I'm just not bringing you now, I'm just not bringing out the truth speak good and did you know you think that some Christians just scratching their heads of what is he talking about the beer next to you and you upon you sexy very basic and is all right here can just want to use the Greek when we want to make your you know your doctrine profound and forget about other areas that spits across the board. We go a little deeper when we go into the original languages.

Anyway, having dismissed their question he gets back to business.

He says doing the mess we get our rings word dynamite from this Greek word says you going to get dynamite and that's going to help you blasts through things and I am. I know when I used to preach the gospel in the world. It was the power of God, and I could feel it. I knew it I knew one reason why new because I never preached to anybody that God didn't open the door for me to preach to and when he opened the door was like a hallway and I could just walk right in and I could preach Christ that I did in those days were wonderful. I didn't. I look back with nostalgia because now my mission is to say to Christians to get out there. Don't preach a word to the Holy Spirit says preach it and watch what happens. I mean you can, you can't speak, but so many times in the workplace.

You wear out your you know what God can bring you other people from other places and other experiences would you want your pastor say something less would you want me to say you don't really need the Holy Spirit this a little bit over done here. Just make sure you read your Bible and enough funeral reference materials and listen to sermons online and you'll be fine well going to hear me say that what I'm going to say is you read the Scriptures. Of course, and study up be ready for those years of famine, but wait and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit. Luke again. Chapter 24 verse 49 behold this is the first time records this promise acts years. The second type is Luke wrote acts. Also, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, and to you are in his why wanted to read this verse until you are endued with power from on high, not casual statement, it's not Leo a Brava preposition. It just helps you get to it is the point to be endued with power from God Almighty and then crisis here in verse eight, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you said with utter confidence that is going to happen.

I hope if when you leave here this morning you feel like Ms. Eisler preach somebody that's of the, you know, the spirit moving in you that's the Holy Spirit you don't have to go back to Pentecost is not going to happen.

You have a personal Pentecost. John's Gospel chapter 16 and I enjoy reading these four verses that I'm about to read up from reading a few times lately.

I enjoy it, and when he has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment how Ziegler do that through us. There is no other vehicle is the Scripture does the written word. Of course, but the dispatch of angels preaching is not yet come. It's us it's the church that's why we are suffering the garbage in this life amongst unbelievers rains on the just and the unjust. Get out there get excited about, he will convict the world of sin through you and through me of sin, because they do not believe in me, though. That's where we come in. That's how I became a believer. Somebody preach to me that tongue of fire and that is the power of the Holy Spirit and nobody else. And of course we talk about Christ and the Holy Spirit, and the father we talk about the Godhead there. Don did not do.

You can't divide them. John continues, he says, Jesus speaking of righteousness, because I go to my father and you see me no more of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. That's our message.

Satan's dealt with yet I can still do a lot of cause misery here, but in the end when I breathe my last. He's done. I'm finished with him. I never again have to worry about Satan you want to come up and in that mean that literally and metaphorically. Anyway, the power of the Holy Spirit participating in mind serving God. That's exactly what the Scriptures are teaching Satan again.

You know you find any church in a world where there preaching the gospel from the pulpit and trying their best to uphold it in the in the clock and I promise you. Satan's going to attack is going to attack through is going to attack with enemies foreign and domestic is going to use people from the outside to attack is going to use people to from the inside to attack.

Don't be so let it be you don't fall for that just repeated's tactic that he uses all the time and pulls it off to Paul writing to the Philippians that you know you sent to key you rodeo your you got this problem with each other was brothers help these two women out there.

They get their their emotions gonna mess everything up for everybody that's all he had to say. Well, he says, and you will be witnesses to me. That is a guarantee. If this were promised only for the apostles of the church would've died with them. But it is not. It is a promise that we will be witness sister Christ and the power of the Spirit because of Christ.

It is for us. It is a promise for all who come to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit and you can do it any other way.

So what does Jesus want for my life vest. This is that to be his witness.

So let's not pretend that it's something less or something other Ephesians chapter 6 this is Paul, under the power of the Holy Spirit that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body, and partakers of the of his promise in Christ through the gospel which I became a minister according to the gift of grace of God given to me by the effective working of his power.

I want that I want every bit of that. I don't how much of it out yet, but I want every bit of it and when I hear Paul speak, and I hear him I see me and I know I can serve that way but I do but I did get up portion of invited to skilled little bit of that I'll be a lot better off than without it. And if he can do it. I can grab some of it to Judas Iscariot wanted something else being a witness really wasn't high up on his list of priorities. Being a conqueror was more important to him. Mark chapter 13, Jesus says, if you will being persecuted for me the Holy Spirit to speak to you thereto, he can preach he can speak through you. When you're preaching the gospel and he can speak through you. When you're being crushed for the gospel when they arrest and deliver you. Do not worry beforehand or premeditate what you shall speak. But whatever is given you in that hour speak that Britt is not you who speak.

But the Holy Spirit. These are beautiful things. Who else has this nobody. No other religion on earth comes even close. We are the people were to tell the truth about Jesus Christ and the first time the first time we hear the voice of God in our Bible.

It is in the creation of light. One of the most quoted verses of all the Bible, let there be light.

Jesus said of himself that he was the light of the world and he also said that the individual believer and the church assembled of the light of the world. Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 you are the light of the world.

The city set on a hill cannot be hidden city.

A city is made out of a multitude he continues in Matthew 516 let your light so shine before men, that they see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Don't let that become too basic to you to be part of your life. You see, yeah, but I'm being crushed by this and that my life is still supposed to have you be a light just because of heart hardships not supposed to quench the spirit put out the light is one thing to be filled with the spirit is quite another thing to have the spirit flowing out of you and I can do that and hardship. Good Times bad Times.

He says in Jerusalem amongst the worshipers. This is what Jesus said of Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. That's where I want you to start preaching start preaching their beginning at Jerusalem. Give them another chance to hear the truth and that's what they did, and many were saved will will we get the job you will see it by beginning in Jerusalem.

The apostles gain the advantage over skeptics or he's not. He's not risen while the graves right around the corner. Cisco see. Are you telling me the fisherman stole the body from Roman soldiers, that's that. This is goofy I won't. I will be part of such a silly debate so Jerusalem ground zero. Of course Judea amongst their countrymen.

Judea came to include all of the Jewish areas in time Samaria amongst their opponents rivals. You know the Samarian's you do save you worship in Jerusalem that we were severe in New Orleans and Jesus saying listener forget them yet at the preach of them to the end of the earth amongst foreigners. At one point Ella restrained his disciples, he saw what you going to the Gentiles. I want to go to the Samaritans. Just go to the Jews.

But things change. Matthew chapter 10.

These 12 Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying, do not go into the way of the Gentiles and do not enter the city of the Samaritans.

Well as I said exchange. We are not to use the sword but the tongue of fire to spread the gospel.

Islam was spread with the sword and it is maintain the same way. Loyalty to Islam is kept under threat of death. Christianity is not that way. Never has been in any Christian who tried to pull it off that way. False Christians were outside at the very least with the Scriptures teach loyalty to Christ is maintained by love power of Christ. Well, that's 45 minutes were going agree we can finish these last two verses because they did.

The counter flow very quickly. Verse nine and when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up in a cloud received him out of their sight. Grand departure in front of his people as witnesses they would never forget this this this is the kind of stuff that would come back to their mind when their life was miserable for them in the work of ministry. This is the kind of stuff that they would go back to determine to be recharged when they felt that ministry was just stripping them bear and leaving them with nothing. You've heard me say before water. No, maybe you have been maybe distorted my head, but there have been times that I felt that I was a much stronger Christian before I became a pastor but you what was really happening is you're in the arena you really mean that you don't have the luxuries you used to have. You can't just you know what I don't like you anymore and don't call me. Don't you just lose a lot of ground you can see, you know what meet me outside you can, but it's is not so you know, it just comes down to just get stripped and just beaten down and that you know nobody likes that. But God is faithful kind is faithful. I mean Jeremiah when he was being pulled up a by the Ethiopian from them. The pit that he was and he didn't say the law. What took you so long. Just continue to do what he was doing before continued preaching well.

Here again, as I mentioned, he did not remain visible with them throughout those 40 days he was teaching them that though he wasn't seen visibly did not mean that he was not present or unreal. He was very much present Christ in heaven but not absent.

And that's what Romans 10 verses six through eight talk about and I we don't have time to get into that, but heaven is not far away. It's right here in the sense of the throne of God is totally in touch with us.

Verse 10 and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel all their awestruck as zero.

As he went up the uninteresting almost all the commentators like to say we presume these were angels know they were icy salesman they were selling Italian ICs and they just happened request they were angels. Who else could they be humorously been a very nonchalant and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel who also said, men of Galilee, why do you stand verse 11, gazing up into heaven. This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will also come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. While they were once men of Galilee, but there are going to be a lot more wet by the time the spirit gets hold of them where the angel says. Why do you stand gazing up into heaven.

Angels tend to ask in the New Testament unknowing questions and and this is one of them is, are you kidding me hold you don't not that you don't see this every day. You never see this and why you standing up and I'm awestruck what you think. Anyway, this same Jesus, the angel doesn't let them ring and he just keeps talking the same Jesus who was taken up from you to heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven is another promise of the Son of Man coming in clouds great glory in his earthly ministry is now ceased with the ascension. This is the ascension that the goes up into heaven, the Holy Spirit is the substitute on earth for the bodily presence of Christ. We don't have the bodily presence and we have a read from John chapter 7, that the spirit could not be given yet and while Christ believers glorified. Well that's what's going to happen and accept this verse from Revelation 7 behold, he is, and every eye will see, even they who pierced all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. Even so. Amen.

Move you've been listening to cross reference radio daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast.

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