Urgent Needs (Part B)

Is a lie. In Jesus name to say that God wants to make your bank account in all seven digits of some it's just not true. More to life amassing wealth was Jesus taught all that a man has is granted in this sentence by God.

Everything you have every possession that you have is granted, it is filtered through God. 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 continue teaching through acts chapter 4 and his message called urgent needs.

This same apostle Paul put serious restrictions on church giving to the needy, the same man is the one that rallied the Gentile church to send financial aid to poverty-stricken Jerusalem and you gotta say why.

Again, this is years later after what would the section and asked why was the Jerusalem Christians struggling financially and you had Pentecost is is the place that produced all of the converts who decided to stay and and then struggled life is real serious business and you can hide behind religion but to get away from the laws in a cursed world. You might say will some of them were planning it through where they will that might be true but with this is the record we have in this is what we have to evaluate alongside of life where we live today in you know this very easy. Well we have enough social programs we can handle things well you know that's not that's not always true restroom. A lot of cases but there are other cases that are genuine needs in the social programs just mess up. You know they put all these little laws on you and restrictions in and you and you have a genuine need and then not helping well. I remember before this one.

When this church is to meet in those apartments across the road.

There just about five or six of us. Those were hard times financially, and God sent a brother who was part of the little fellowship in every now and then he'd slip a check at all under the door something that would help God put that on his heart and God put on my heart to cash that check now never forget it. I have this brother was here last Sunday worshiping with us all never forget. I will go around saying hey it's him, God will do that when he gets there so you know these needs. The Holy Spirit knows how to talk to people and he knows how to move us if we willing to be moved and willing to listen and we have the means and I can also add in this church. We have some generous people here with people that give large and it is always a blessing to see that.

I don't know who they are. I never want to know who they are.

By the time we get to heaven I will be interested in that part.

But that is the work of the holy Holy Spirit and we should not undervalue it. This giving to the church. Initially, before the people was was given to the church for the people, but there were some other things going on here. At this point.

Again, the church is not moving out into the world as the Lord commanded Jesus and going to all the world and in ditches, huddled in Jerusalem at this point there is no outreach. There is only internal care what church wants to have outreach church wants to have some some method of reaching out from itself for us. Radio has been very good. We have a much larger congregation on the in the airwaves than we do physically in the building and we end in Florida some in Ohio and in here and in Virginia it's been very good and that's outreach is not cheap. I'm not whining about the price I think is worth it. The laborer is worthy of his wages but we always were looking to do more and that's what we have some outreaches coming up as we do not want to be just huddled in together doing our thing and that's it. Although we have our distinctives.

We have a directive from God to the pastor and that moves out to the congregation if the congregation is leading the pastor fire that pastor is not a pastor what he is speaker something. Usually this is not been a pulpit select the word of God, the man of God is to know the state of the flock. He is to lead the flock. This is biblical. We never read of Paul asking anybody. What do you think I should do when it came to ministry. I mean, mother said you know I don't know what should I get the vanilla. The chocolate euro but but when it came to preaching the word in ministry.

He got his orders from God and it it works wonderfully. The church at Laodicea in Revelation 7 the nauseating church and that's what it is. On the other hand, that was the people's church and they did they did with the people wanted Jesus said hey I'm outside trying to get in and you do you all in the doing your thing in my name and I have some objections for you. Anyway coming back to verse 32 now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul. Well, this is what Jesus asked the father twice in one prayer and when those kind of things happen there. That mean there's an emphasis that we should not dismiss John's gospel chapter 17. Truly this is the Lord's prayer was Matthew six gives us the prayer from Jesus to the disciples. Our father who art in heaven, which every Christian should memorize it is the template for prayer calibrate your heart. Get it right. First, where who you are addressing and who is our father who is in heaven.

Holy is your name that it is a big deal well when Jesus prayed he said to the father.

Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world and I come to you. Holy father keep through your name those whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are one. That's the first part of that prayer first time in that prayer that he asked for unity amongst his believers and then it continues in verse 22 John 17 that was verse 11. His verse 22 and the glory which you gave me. I have given them that they may be one, just as we are one Christ that I will.

I want the church. I want the assembly of believers, not just the universal church which is global and covers every age of human history from the church age on, but also the local church and is is you know you get a little disturbing here as well. The church is there yet is everywhere, but is also a local church and without that local church that church everywhere will die and so it that they're both a big deal, but let's make sure we don't put the cart in front of the horse local church is got to be strong in first and then the other will come as a product of that so twice he asked for unity amongst believers. The continues here in acts 432 let me pause here for a minute I might be going a little fast for some of you. I don't know how to slow it down, except to say that you can the recorded messages are recorded is a lot of information in Scripture. God is a lot to say to us, and it is none of its casual all of God's word is deep and demanding.

This criteria is high. It is so high we can't reach it without his grace in kindness but we can glean so much from what God is made available to us. We are far better off than we ever would've been without it a God does not say look, you know I love you. Guess about everything else.

He has it not only written down in blood and sweat is preserved and so if you're sitting there cement.

This is like phantasmagoria stuff just flying out at me. That's the Holy Spirit saying you got a lot of catching up to do your attaché. You gotta get in shape. You have to start getting in the my word take little baby bites at first and and you will grow stronger and I will use you.

It's not enough to be loved by God, I want to be used by God.

I want to use me up without burning me out and and God does that I don't stand up you're talking to you from God's word as though somehow I've dodged all the things that you struggle with maybe not the same brand that you struggle with the same intensity.

How about depression, what you do it that you stand up to depression and eager to show you mercy on you feeling bad today all account to back off. Then they happen. Stand up to it. So what you again.

I know who you are trying to steal my hope by the courage to face you neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common that this is not mean you could touch my truck. I just want make this very clear if if if you if you if you view sitting in my truck after service on calling 911 and asked for an ambulance for you anyway. Look this is repeated. He said this in chapter 2, verse 42, 46, he repeats it because it's remarkable. Neither did anyone say anything of the things he possessed was his own.

Of course it does mean that people Savior. My house is your house is taken over as he could make mortgage. This is the spirit, the attitude, the people were that they did not have a spirit of possessiveness is similar to the building of the tabernacle in the wilderness that God directed Moses to fabricate and erect make the materials and to build Exodus chapter 36 Moses you know they needed the resources. The goal they did a lot of gold and silver for that tabernacle. Exodus 36 verse three and they receive from Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of making the sanctuary so they continued bringing to him free will offerings every morning these people in the than the days of Moses that were banned from going into the promised land because of unbelief because of those who were full of doubt and and ready to tell it ready to get others to doubt along so we can move giants in the land. We can do this in case… They were like grasshoppers little guys and Caleb says I know grasshopper I'll take those dudes out, let's go get them boys and him and the voice of Joshua did not prevail that day and so they were sentenced as a people to the wilderness and good faithful people had to endure the punishment alongside the guilty such as life Exodus 36 verse five.

This time what happened people bringing every morning that bringing the free will offering nobody's putting a gun to their head nobodies up there if you don't give five dollars more this radio minute is going to go off the air.

You don't do this, we can build a new gymnasium for the children. The sweating Scripture. I hope a distinctive of this ministry is minute we find that was shoving this thing forward with him to stop. It goes away if if workers don't come out and do it joyfully. Then we get rid of it. That would be all the way to the if no one showed up here. Well we draft just close of the doors and then I'd have to go be a fashion model something anyway.

Verse five and they spoke to Moses, saying the leaders coming to the Moses. The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work of Yahweh that he commanded us to do so.

Moses gave a commandment and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp saying that neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary and the people were restrained from bringing for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done indeed too much. You think there's anybody there are many on television that would tell people pleaser given too much prosperity teaches you know got rich anyway, I'm off on my own thing there because it's annoying is alive in Jesus name. The say that God wants them to make your bank account you knows seven digits or something. It's is just not true.

More to life in amassing wealth is Jesus taught all that a man has is granted in this sentence by God. Everything you have every possession that you have is granted, it is filtered through God which some will say will head there is a discrepancy here, you know, why does this one get more and this one get less well if you're faithful to God. You'll find out when you get to heaven, but for right now you we have to be faithful with what we been entrusted with. When the Jews divvied up their land. This tribe got this lot and it was really small and then the other tribe got this lot and it was really big while God was the one that assigned the allotment and that is continued. So let's take new old and New Testament alike. Deuteronomy 8 Moses saying to the people that they need to depend on God. Then then you say in your heart my power and my might of my hand have gained me this wealth and you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get well that he may establish this in his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is this day they going to miss their gonna many of them are going to abuse these kind of versus Ezekiel pointed out this way to the people. He says you have also taken your beautiful jewelry from my gold and my silver which I had given you and made for yourself.

Mail images and play the harlot with them.

So Ezekiel is God is saying through the prophet Ezekiel, I've given you goal that I've given you silver in this what you've done with it. You made monuments to perverse idols La Scala that and it is to this day. Would God gives you what you can do it will these Christians here. Many of them selling Landon bringing the money to the church is saying we need you to take this and help the people out God was moving in them that way. And, as happened in other stages of Christianity in the world just can't sustain it, nor should it be sustained so certainly good for the time that it was live in and working first Corinthians 4, Paul says and what do you have that you have not received name one thing that you have that God did not allow. If you know what you whatever blessings you have the every good gift is from the father says James.

Alright, so we've established that verse 33. Pause here again, maybe you're not a believer in Jesus Christ.

Maybe you have.

You don't get it yet.

That Christians want to follow everything were taught to do from Scripture.

We don't say nevermind God I run my own life, then he is not Lord say that word Lord means he's the master he's the one that directs my steps in my light, when David brought the ark of the covenant that chess that represented the presence of God to the Jewish people. When he brought it to Jerusalem.

They walked six steps and they stopped and they worshiped and sacrificed unto the Lord sixes that number in Scripture that speaks of man and it was David saying we only go over so far without worship. We've got to stop to worship and David the consummate the consummate man of worship in the Scripture covering him one on Wednesdays we discovered is the most named human being in all the Bible well so you getting the Scripture verses. That's because that's the authority behind what we pursue as believers are not just these little snacks we throw out and say, isn't that cute should be on a T-shirt.

This is God's word to us and it's to direct our lives.

And when God says if you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven. We quicken our shoes or cowboy boots is hyper because it's true the mercy of God is something that is not to be dismissed. Verse 33 and with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

And great grace was upon them all. Think about how many believers since these ancient Christians came along have suffered and died for preaching the gospel because they believe this because they fulfilled this if we were looking for verse to summarize the entire book of acts. This would be a good one, would not see it again and with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

And great grace was upon them all. The apostles are referred to 30 times in this this book of acts.

This is why it is mostly referred to the acts of the apostles are interchangeable with the acts of the Holy Spirit. Either one is fine because these men were chosen by Jesus Christ himself and it is showing us the actions they took after Christ is risen, and then ascended to heaven. These are the actions of the of the followers of Christ. It has 29 chapters if you look in your Bible.

28 of them are posted.

We are the 29th chapter every church after the apostles is the 29th chapter of acts it is still going the acts of the followers. The disciples of Jesus Christ. This is a wonderful book and we haven't even started yet is going to intensify very much to be easier to read these things that are coming than it would be to have lived them. So here again the emphasis is on preaching the resurrection. That's what is clearly stated because the resurrection of Jesus Christ encapsulates multiple doctrines sovereignty of God, the love of God, because you have to civil what precipitated what happened before the rent.

While there was a death there was a death of God the son, why, for sinners to pay their penalty because we are all sinners.

Every single one.

There sinners that are saved by grace, and their sinners who are not saved by grace their saints and their agents and a saint to someone separated by God is not someone that you know the church voted on.

Okay, this guy we like what he did with and make them say that's that is un-biblical as anti-scriptural answers. I'm offended by that well in your offended by the Scripture.

A saint in the Scripture. When Paul says to the sainted, see they were living individual Christians when he said to the sainted barn. They were Christians were a problem you know that emoji with the Hanover the face like oh boy that goes on current because that was the church.

Thank God for that letter.

But I tell you I would've I would've moved out of Corinth and moved to Philadelphia, not Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and Asia minor. I don't know if I want one to go to Smyrna where they were killing Christians, but are I was his little side note, maybe you would've stayed in Corinth they'll cookie you mean there might not all of them, but a great many of them had had hijacked the church and it broke Paul's heart is so much so one of the Corinthian letters we don't even have wasn't preserved and Paul just you nose real tough fight for him anyway.

Their eye witness account made them what witnesses we reseal with other things and just our eyes, the only my eyeballs to see what God is doing. I have a spirit is alive.

I can see in other ways, Fanny Crosby, who wrote so many hymns that we singer and him books. He was blind and she loved on the Lord course, she's she's not the only one.

Peter, in his letter. One of his letters these men.

They follow Christ are chosen by Christ to lead the church and they wrote things to the church and the Holy Spirit is preserved, and they become Scripture, the Bible or Peter saw Jesus used to walk with him and dine with him, saw Jesus angry saw him happy.

Saw him in all of the.

The facial expressions and mannerisms gestures that go with that. And yet he finds himself amongst believers who never met Jesus Christ never saw him with their eyeballs but loved him just as much as Peter loved and this was Scott and I had to have been something that one based in the congregation singing with the kind of realizing these people loved my Lord and they never met him. First Peter chapter 1 verse eight whom having not seen you love. Now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. He saw the glories of these people are added when we were singing singing to the ceiling. When I singing to the singers when I singing to some lover on earth in a romantic ballad.

Not that there's anything necessarily wrong with that where singing to the one we love Christ, God the son on the throne of God in here right now and that's what we believe and were not ashamed of it.

In fact, not only are we not ashamed were eager to tell it. Were excited about in great grace was upon them all Grace's love and action, among other things, it is undeserved kindness. When you show grace you not saying listen, you deserve this niceness I'm showing most of the time you say, not every time. Many times you say you don't deserve this, but here maybe you just letting an insult flyby when Jesus attorney of tickets grace Psalm 90 verse 17. Let the beauty of Yahweh our God be upon us and establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands home in dependence on God and it's painful sometimes 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 could 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