This broadcaster has 1120 podcast archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
July 4, 2022 6:00 am
Pastor Rick teaches from the book of the Acts
So here were nurses and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
That's what it takes to do many things for Christ is not an exhaustive list.
Hopefully the men come in on Sunday mornings to prepare the church to make sure it's clean to wash the windows would blow the leaves sweep the floors when they come in to do this is the filling of the Spirit in their hearts. That's what's doing this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston because 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 conclude his message called fortified prayer as he continues through acts chapter 4, the rabbis call the law offense of the law, it protected you in it blocks you from entering into things that would do you harm.
This is still true of God's law when he prohibits something he is trying to protect us with people don't believe it because they get away with sin in one lifetime. They think that therefore it is somehow acceptable throughout the great tribulation. God will give mankind a chance even in the midst of the great tribulation to repent, but most will opt out and they would demonstrate their refusal to subject themselves to Christ through blasphemy.
Revelation 16 and men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues and they did not repent and give him glory. So they double down in their stubbornness. It was pointless. It was irrational. The source and will do once it's embraced Revelation again. Chapter 16 verse 21 and great hell fell from heaven upon men, each hailstone about the weight of 75 pounds. Men blasphemed God because the plague of the hail, since the plague was exceedingly great bitter against God hating him for being God for exercising his right to be God. He has no right to judge me. Oh yes he does its prerogative of God to judge sinners and anybody else you'd be ones to judge. Verse 26 now when I was still would go talking about Psalm two, which applies to Jesus Christ and the world's hatred of him which the apostles were dealing with at this point. Verse 26 the kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers were gathered together against Yahweh and against his Messiah is anointed Christ in the Greek Messiah for the Hebrew anointed in the English the whole world endorsed Calvary. Release and representation, Luke, chapter 23 an inscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This is the king of the Jews of the Greeks. They were the ones that gave the Romans that really there. Their newfound culture. The Romans took the gods of the Greeks need to rename them and claim them as their own juice was now Jupiter, for example, and they've greatly admired the Greeks removing the carpet them but that was the culture grew. The Greeks represent the culture, then the Latin which the government to this day you go to some courthouses that got Latin inscribed on it is like is this and usually it says they'll translate with most of them say you think you will find justice in here is what he put in Latin. They don't want you to know what they're up to.
Now granted there are good judges they really are about 30 but there there good judges, but there are a lot of bad within the system is just a you know sinners just gone wild. Anyhow, of course, in the Hebrew representing religion without God's Messiah without the Christ. And that's what the Hebrew religion became the Judaism that we understand in the Scripture, and today is the Old Testament without its fulfillment. They've missed it and we talk about how difficult it would be for someone to come along now and say I am the Messiah, because you could say you do, how are you going to prove you, from the tribe of David Yuki.
The records of gone and then if you could prove you were from the tribe of David, how you going to do a zero down to being from the house of David from the tribe of Judah to the tribe itself.
They've missed it. That is rationale that you would think all alone, which stir them to reevaluate what you know when you're up against the believer. Often times you're up against the network. It's not just one. Their belief system. It's their family. Also, many times, or their culture. If you're witnessing to or for me witnessing to Roman Catholics, Irish Roman Catholics, mainly in New York.
It was up against the family, they they were concerned with their family would think if they became a believer in the Bible and no longer a follower of the Pope and the magisterium and that was a hurdle and I tell them that I said I know you got you got a worry about, you know, your wife, your or your fiancé or your mom your dad your uncles you love your family understand that. But if you love your family more than Christ. You know, worthy of Christ as comes with a high payment. Well, at the first and second coming of Christ, the world's opposition is organized and official and it is pointless when he first came the first coming. It was organized it was official and it was pointless and that will be the way it Armageddon to just he won't stand for so the psalmist saw the kingdoms of men opposed to the kingdom of heaven, and he saw their doom. Verse 27 were truly against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together, man against God.
This part here for truly against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed Peter and that was not Peter not announce all the believers as part of what was going on when they gathered together for prayer and they begin to speak the word in and praise the Lord and here's a speaking of the word. According Scripture because they knew Scripture this holy servant, Paul says let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. This is the spirit of humility very difficult to be humble as to when I say humble. I mean, mindful of who you are in the presence of God when you've got things picking at you couldn't might be other people could be yourself, telling yourself you know where is that line between, you know, confidence and arrogance and things like that.
Well the believer sorts these things out through the word of God.
Paul says being in the form of God, nobody else can that apply to put Christ you can't say that about Michael the Archangel, who, being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a willing servant coming in the likeness of men to the Greek in the Greek the servant. The bondservant is really slave is just like that slave but but the context the usage of it is connected to that Jewish bondslave because what made a bondslave, a bondslave versus just a slave is one was willing and the other was not one was enslaved and the other was a bondslave and Christ was willing and so when when the Christians here in verse 27. For truly against your holy servant is this is connecting to everything. Isaiah was saying about my servant once when his holy servant comes the messianic Psalms. Of course, if the going to reach the Gentiles the going to have to learn to shave some of the Jewish culture down in the presentation and really none of them could do it well, except Paul and Barnabas, and then the others. Of course you know would learn from that. But it was just what a task to be raised up in such a strict religious culture and not not not a condemnation of that culture but to then reach those outside of it without losing the essential points and being able to dismiss not only the nonessentials but the detours the unimportant things well is God anointed David to rule Israel Jesus is anointed to rule the world, both Herod and Pontius Pilate.
This is in the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered Peter names names. They can be arrested for this Penrod was still alive. Pontius Pilate went on to where he was at the street probably was still there is not too far from the crucifixion timelines that he still there and the Gentiles and the people of Israel, so he'd been aiming he's naming names. Collectively the kings governments the Gentiles a society Israel religions without Messiah.
And so there's a sad irony here that Israel's religious leaders took their stand with pagan Gentiles against Yahweh's Messiah. But wait a minute you guys and suppose you have the oracles you you you you supposed I be able to identify the Messiah. We understand the Gentiles by getting it.
Why didn't you get it. Other Jews got it well and that what they were applying. Here is an enemy of my enemy is my friend and it damn their souls mostly repented. Verse 28 E. connecting that with verse 27 to do whatever your hand in your purpose determined before to be done. Well, of course, the cross was no accident to God. God was not. He was saddened by the crucifixion he just wasn't surprised was the first thing that comes in your mind at the name Jesus Christ.
What's the what's the lesson name in the title or did name and distinction Lord is his title Christ distinguishes him from everybody he is the anointed one.
Jesus is the name that he had identifies with sinners through that name.
What's the first thing that comes to your mind right back to you teens. Those of you teens who are around who have embraced unbelieving friends. They are on the attack. And if you are defenseless. They're going to storm you and the next thing you know you will be an antichrist and you will have resentment towards Jesus Christ and his people. This is with the devils not playing each of guts and he gets dumb enough to not believe that he's going to exploit it so are you two going to line up with those who are antichrist or you adequately go to show backbone.
Are you going at your young age say I believe in Jesus Christ and I will set my life to follow him. I don't take orders from Satan. My flesh gives me a hard enough time that I don't have to help him out or you go to resent me for saying I don't care about that too much. I just hope with you if you letting Satan pick your friends well she can let them do for you. You know he's not finished you can strike back. You can fortify yourself in prayer you can get a plan be part of the plan to attack the alignment you preached your friends whether they get to introduce drinking to you and drugs to you and what of the lawless things they want to introduce you and you can introduce righteousness evil company corrupts moral, says Paul, who raise your hand if you doubt that. I know you and Rita anything.
But were anywhere I'm semi my getting a little in the spirit. I hope so is my intention is to let the spirit this lead me through it anyway. Verse 28 and I get angry I got. I get angry at Satan taken off our kids. What should I do throw party. This comes down to you know mom and your mom and did not set up this you is you before the cross. What are you going to do. Mom and dad are not going to fill in for you at judgment you want to stand there alone. Rather than be book at the expense of that word, buck naked or you going to be clothed in righteousness and is up to you. Verse 28 to do whatever your hand in your purpose determined before to be done. Of course God was. As I mentioned, saddened, but not surprised at the savagery poured out on the sun. Isaiah 53 Shirley is born out griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. So the prophet called it Isaiah over 700 years before the crucifixion. This is going to happen to the anointed one. Many of the rabbis missed the point that there would be a suffering phase in the Messiah's life, and then the victorious phase. Ergo, Calvary, and of Armageddon. But the New Testament churches picked it up to God. It was worth it to God. I was worth it for him to smite his son see him stricken, and afflicted. It was worth it if it got me to heaven, and if that's true of me.
Course it is true of all who will come. Isaiah 5311 he shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied is yeah that's what I was after.
Yeah, I suffered yet they spat on me. They pulled on my beard.
They punched me they went to me and then they mailed me to a tree to across yeah it was worth it. I'm satisfied with the results manner that not as net not going on the attack and verse 29 now will look on their threats and grant your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word because they were afraid so.
They had asked for boldness that makes perfect sense. I'm right there with them fortification to be used in the attack Body Armor in the attack.
Your flesh has armor to don't think that because of the helmet of salvation while your flesh is a helmet of defiance and the shield of faith really is a beautiful but your flesh is got 12 don't think that this is going to be an easy fight in the flesh is going to look at that uniform is already formatted to get out of the way, Satan will get all the way before your flesh does anyway all follow this pattern. Also, Ephesians, chapter 6, praying always. This is after he talks about the Christian armor, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for me is a praying always and for me.
He says pray for me, that utterance may be given to me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel. He's in jail for serving Christ and he's asking for boldness. While I think boldness got you there Paul and Paula saying what I want boldness to keep me wherever God wants me to be.
I'm not going to take for granted that I was bold yesterday and therefore I'm going to be so tomorrow. It is his mercies are new every morning, meaning I need a refill notice that they did not asked for the opposition to cease or for protection from them. Not that those things would've been wrong to ask for what it it doesn't come up there asking to be aggressive. Do not asking to be defended there asking to be turned loose. Send us into action, and there asking for the courage to speak God's word.
We need courage.
No man is strong enough spiritually on his own is not possible you can be strongly encouraged on carnal matters stronger than on spiritual matters. You can muster up enough strength to face death. Unbelievers do it but to face life in Christ, you need Christ.
So here we have the glory of God, not the needs of men, the glory of God, not the needs of man is the highest purpose to answered prayer. A lot of people don't believe that they they do know they think the church is a social service institution of some sort and they missed the point of having the gospel we been at Reno. Paul lays out some heavy-duty rules about giving hell handouts in church and that were going to come to that in chapter 6, not this morning… Let's you got nothing else to do.
We can we can go there anyway. Coming back to this Augustine. Augustine is in always one of those characters highly articulate in his devotion to God. But still, his attachment to Rome was just kind of makes it store. Rome wasn't yet had not yet evolved what we know it today in his day, but it had some of the going on but you would do well to read some of the confessions of Augustine's worth reading. He says this pray as though everything depends on God and work as though everything depended on you perfect sense. Verse 20 verse 30 by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus, what the supernatural activity of God open the door for preaching us with Peterson and with the disciples essay we want to preach and of miracles going to get us to preach the Lord pour them out that another sensible thing to ask, and the signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant, you know, these are the initial confirmations on apostolic authority. Those apostles needed these miracles for everybody to line up and back. You know, we could say it this way. Following Jesus Christ is a tough act to follow, and so God says you know, I know that it's I'm going to give you an advantage over everyone else. I'm going to give them advantages to what you going to get a super dose because you're going to be my authority. We would have the New Testament were not for the apostles not trustworthy. One Mark chapter 16 and they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs so the very thing that brought negative attention to them and made cause them to be arrested there asking for more. Hey, the miracle got us arrested because we then preached the resurrection of Jesus. Can we have another dose.
That's what's going on here. There's so they have tunnel vision.
All they can see is the preaching of the gospel.
I would like that but you know that has to God has to govern that this is heavy duty ministry. The God we need to make more lame people whole. And if persecution doesn't and bringing ring and will will will face in verse 31 and when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they's spoke the word of God with boldness and speak in tongues. They spoke the word of God. This is not uncommon for God to shake things up when he shows up. I know her brother, Jesse and I wherever you are, you know we were praying. I think I was praying you were listening and it was earthquake.
Remember that gay men I was praying this I will never ever be able to lead that story out. Yes it was. It was a fun was it not but anyway. Others felt the two and you know in the area. I don't know that anybody else felt this one seemed like only the disciples did anyway. I have a question for those of us who struggle to pray is that a busy schedule that keeps us from praying or unbelief which one if you're not praying, if you don't pray. Is it because you're too busy or you don't believe that's a question that you only can answer prayers. Hard work and you gotta take it than his narrow gauges squeeze in anyway and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. This is is only one Pentecost is only one Calvary is only one Pentecost is one baptism of the Spirit. Many subsequent fillings fresh fillings of the Spirit is going on here. We are living in the day of Pentecost. We don't need another Pentecost. We need to act on the existing one. We don't need new revelations of Scripture, we need to act on the existing revelations is enough here. So these are very powerful points that the Scripture may the Holy Spirit did not come as a visitor at Pentecost. He came as an occupant. He did not just touch down in the day of Pentecost. Okay see you later, he stayed John's gospel chapter 14 and I will pray the father and he will give you another helper is the Paraclete, the comfort that he may abide with you.
Comes forever is permanent arrangement seven times in the book of acts we read of men being filled or full of the spirit we see the filling of the spirit, and they were speaking God's word that's acts chapter 2 verse four acts chapter 4 verse eight and in here in verse 31 filled serving God's people. Acts chapter 3 verse six filled to verify God's work. Acts chapter 11 verse 24 filled to counterattack God's enemy acts chapter 13 verse nine and then filled to die for Christ acts seven verse 55 in each one of those. It is explicitly stated that they were filled or full and so here we are sinners and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. That's what it takes to do many things for Christ is not an exhaustive list. Hopefully when the men come in on Sunday mornings to prepare the church to make sure it's clean to wash the windows would blow the leaves sweep the floors when they come in to do this is the filling of the Spirit in their hearts. That's what's doing when they set off, sign up for that was the filling of the Holy Spirit is a mean you're not full of it.
In some well maybe maybe now's a good appointment plus and built the house doesn't mean you're not called to do that every need is not a calling. It is impossible you can have no one can answer every need is the calling that has your name on it.
That's the one you must answer and if you don't, you probably won't get another one into you act on that one. When I came into ministry. It was only in the announcements.
The announcer came up and said we have a need in the ushers ministry for men to serve anyone on the talk about other things and God said, I need you to do that and I didn't I never stop serving. So in addition to listening to the announcements and praying and shaking the place and I have many talents just for the doesn't lower the price of gas for me anyway and they spoke the word of God with boldness and there it is, notify them through prayer.
West hold to God's word, trouble and anguish have overtaken me in your word is my delight. I want this in my life every 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.
Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply visit 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 to 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 acts right here on cross reference radio