Urgent Needs (Part C)

We see it with other things and just easily my eyeballs as God is doing. I have the spirit is alive. I can see in other way.

Fanny Crosby, who wrote so many hymns that are in him books. She was blind and she loved on the Lord course, she's not the only one Peter in his letter. One of his letters these men.

They follow Christ were chosen by Christ to leave the church and they wrote things to the church and the Holy Spirit is preserved, and they become Scripture, the Bible.

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, and now here's Pastor Rick with the conclusion of his study called urgent needs as he teaches through acts chapter 4 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 work talk 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 will be 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 I prefer, 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 you 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 red mother 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 the sky we like what he did with and make them say that's that is on 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 Coliseum. They were living individual Christians when he said to the sainted barn. They were Christians or a problem you know that emoji with the hand over the face like oh boy that goes on Corinth 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 want one to go to Smyrna where they were killing Christians, but I was his little side note note. Maybe you would've stayed in Corinth they'll cookie me nevermind not all of them, but a great many of them had had hijacked the church and they broke Paul's heart 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 you we reseal with other things and just our eyes.

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 to 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 when they become Scripture, the Bible or Peter saw Jesus used the 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.

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 were 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're just letting an insult flyby when Jesus to turn the other cheek cheek. That's grace.

Psalm 90 verse 17 and 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 and dependence on God and and it's painful sometimes. However, with all this grace flying around chapter 5 were injured were ending chapter 4 this morning. I think I was time anyway. Chapter 5 is coming any time in the Bible you find grace and love of God, there's the rod there's a stick like don't forget if you abuse this I am going to use. Now you parents.

The rod is not only for striking a store rule. If you discipline them early. You won't have to deal with is so much later on they'll get the rule you know physical punishment sometimes necessary for on a child, but the ideal is to have them respect the rod by rod and thy staff they comfort me. Not only is the rod's staff use on the wall for can be used on me to not to the same degree of intensity, of course.

So as with talking about the giving and the loving chapter 5 we get these two Christians that want some of the attention and they lied to Peter they lie about who they are and they are struck dead will open that one up next week, but there is verse 34. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold.

Verse 35 and laid them at the apostles feet, and they distributed to each as anyone had need will. That's not going to last. But for the moment. It was very necessary.

In Deuteronomy, Moses promised material blessings to to reward those who were obedient to Yahweh. Again, Yahweh, Jehovah, Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament the goal became amongst the Jews. This need to acquire material wealth as a sign of God's blessing. Not all but many of them felt if God is going if I'm obedient God will bless me with with material gains and that will be proof that God is blessing me and he I am in favor with him.

There's elements of truth to that within a certain approach to Lazarus. Lazarus died a beggar and the angels took him to Abraham's bosom and taken to heaven yet paradise Christ had not yet died in that parable wears the rich man was in hell and he just deal.

They are tormented, so you know the context belongs to everything anyway if I say just make sure when you leave you dry between the lines. One doesn't mean in the wrong lane coming going the opposite direction. This context is very it's critical to understanding. Of course, so material went wealth gave many of these Israelites a sense of security and self-righteousness. They felt they were better than other people, and this explains the arrogance of the Sanhedrin, the those who had Jesus arrested and got Rome to crucify him their thinking at this time was summarized, whom the Lord loves he makes rich sound familiar, still thinking taught false churches today. Many gave alms to beggars as to to gain merit favor with God.

But here's the point. Christians here are giving out of love, not giving to get the giving to help. That's what they're getting in return for not saying what we give them God's going to bless that seed offering brother.

If I put a dollar and he's going to give me $100 back.

Why should God do that anyway. Verse 34. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked for the material needs were met.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. But the clock is ticking.

They need to get to work and evidently they don't eventually because this is unsustainable and it becomes a hindrance to preaching we get to chapter 6 will see that the people will be distracted from the word and it will be the loving welfare that they begin to look for and Peter under the spirits as we are not going to be doing that anymore we going to give ourselves the word and to prayer. This is a fundamental, I've noticed many times Christians who are into your pantries and soup kitchens. Kind of a thing. Good work nobody. It's disputing that I'm not but if doing it without the word that I have a big problem with it and if you give the word. You'll have less people to minister to them that way because they'll become stronger and the ones that I met were two that I can remember here that it while I do this and would you know maybe you church could use it in the not mentioned in the description. It is looking to dismiss that AAA one.

How does that work what with them he would.

This is not Mother Teresa's paradise where you can just never mind what God's word says I'm going to help people who need things.

In fact, I'm going to help them believe in things of God forbids if it makes them comfortable. That's the kind of thinking that were not with and that brings persecution on us. People think we are loving, shut up. He taught about.

I'm not loving what is that your secret weapon is like once you tell me I'm you know seeing this with these people who is saying I was born this, but I'm now going to be that they them were seeing them. If you don't agree with them somehow you're not loving well how does this at a one-way street. I mean, are you not loving by not agreeing with me that Jesus Christ is Lord in your center need to repent, abandon that right you the loveless one towards him well course reason doesn't matter in those arenas doesn't but it does to us. We stand our ground and just telling the truth, does not make us loveless, though telling the truth requires love Rosie just clobbering people. Well, there's no mention here of the apostles as they oversee these funds. There is no mention of the people specifying where the funds are to be spent. The no strings attached can give the church that this is for you. Give the church and the leaders take it from there. That is the biblical template. If you say well at my church does it differently.

Well, that's them but this church tries to follow the template as we understand if they understand it a different way than they should get some of my CDs and whole hitting anyway is more to say but let's Jesus said this when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. If you give it does all and by the way, give it a just just to give it and you leave it with the Lord.

It is a gift to him. You may be doing on behalf of people, but it is still to Jesus, when you did it to the least of these, you did it unto me. There is this sort of a story that the man gets to heaven, and he sees Jesus wearing his jacket and he says when you get that and he says you gave it to me when she memory so that beggar that had no close on you took your jacket off and put it on him.

You did it to the least of these, you did it unto me. That's a good story. I should take credit for that. But there's no money in it, so why bother anyway, that's lampoon anyway this is not socialism. It was love is not forced. Number one is not communism. Either they only contributed as need arose and in preparation for need voluntarily and they continued to grow their personal income and spend it as they wanted to so visited anybody that's all this is communism in the know is not. There are times when people do things like that, as Christians, you can use judo on them. It's somewhere in the Bible, you can use judo on people that you don't agree with. For those of you who suppose that tithing was for the Old Testament.

Here's the New Testament pattern. Sell everything you give to the church year cheapskate need to be shoved as that's the truth and Josie's who is also named Barnabas, verse 36 by the apostles which is translated son of encouragement, a Levite of the country of Cyprus verse 37 having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles feet.

This is a critical character in the New Testament and in all the Bible, humanly speaking, had Barnabas not been who he was being all possible that we as we know him.

That would've been of Christian living in the Celestia doing church and that would've been pretty much it. So work will open that up. We will comment that the name Josie's here is the Greek version of the Hebrew Joseph the name Joseph meetings God will address the idea behind word and this man added to every environment. He went into and he is worth studying and learning from and he will rebuke all of us without even trying them in a wonderful way.

Not a harsh way so I limit my comments on him. It says that the they make the disciples named him encouragement, they noticed him because he could build people up and the disciples had enough discourages that the sky stood out what is actually encouraging us you think you think because these men were handpicked by Christ and did miracles that they did not have those snarky snide remarks Co. their way J – what I never done it like that you know they did this. As you know and and so his Barnabas like men.

The Lord would've been like that. I mean, he must've told you had a very discomfort good news just brings sunlight into the room.

The other was a closing the blinds and shouldn't mailing them shut. Empty barrels make the most noise so if you're sensitive your you pick up that it here's a man it's actually encouraging us and God takes notices that so to Satan.

Remember the honor of the Christian your flesh is armor two for every action is reaction you know Newton's third law of physics. Know this John Newton who wrote amazing Grace this Isaac Newton was a Christian and came up. These laws of figure figures, physics, and then this fig Newton when we all love so all right, a Levite of the country of Cyprus. He and Paul then he and his cousin Mark will visit Cyprus were out of time will get to this as we move forward his first visit was Paul was was powerful is first and second visit was Mark came from an era from a big fight that he had with Paul and we have to open these things up so I'm close with this catch the emphatic events that happened after the apostle prayed and in verse 31. The place quite when he prayed for boldness, the place shook, they were all filled with the Spirit in verse 31.

They spoke the word of God boldly in verse 32.

There was unity in the church there was availability.

You know, if you say look, I really I can help serve the church. I do this and I do that but you don't make yourself available, then it's it's a waste of talent. Great power to witness verse 33 great grace upon them.

Verse 33 contentment. In verse 34 and generosity throughout. Here in verse 35 and so when Barnabas became a Christian he gave his life to Christ gave his money also to Christ. Not all of it we pay attention to such men. Acts 13 to as a minister to the Lord and faster, the Holy Spirit said now separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them is up last night saying maybe I should do a topical on this. I was so moved by the things that were just coming out of the Scripture about this man anyway, let's pray our father your word so exciting, so real and yet there's still that life to live. That also is real, but not always so exciting. You are the one that has these two meet together and that's where work is hammered out. We thank you for the privilege. We who believe. Thank you for the privilege to serve you, to be used by you, indeed, may Christ Jesus in our heart increase in May our own self ways decrease. May you increase may we decrease if you been listening and you cannot open your heart to Jesus Christ. Why not.

What about Christ makes you put him off is the appetite for sin. Perhaps you've followed some lie about Christ in you don't believe he is who he says he is. You have a chance. You have a chance to have all your sin past, present and future washed away the recurrent grace of Christ, but it only is for those who come to receive. You cannot earn it, which you can receive it. You want Jesus to be your Lord and Savior want to be a child of faith, according to the word of God, then come open your heart make this prayer with me right now God will receive you, you will be his if you say Lord Jesus, I am a sinner I broken and break your commandments and I come to you and you alone to be forgiven because only you died for me.

Only you rose again for me and only you will bring me into heaven now father if anyone is made this premise may act on it may then not be ashamed of forward and share with passions.

I've open my heart to Christ as my Lord and my Savior. These things we commit your hands in Jesus name, amen. Oh, 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