Lying to God (Part B)

This was a joy for Peter. It was unprofitable for Safari Ananias, so the lessons they are all over the place, you hear a sermon like this.

This is what it says that I make others comments then the person goes back and reviews this sorts of and that's how theology is built. That's how we know what we believe, not just summonses. The Trinity believe that's okay no I any deceit in Scripture, myself, 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, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of acts chapter 5 as he continues his message lying to God.

Judas Iscariot was chosen to be on staff of Jesus Christ.

Because Christ saw in him the potential to be like the other apostles. It was Judah's choice to become the trader before Satan filled the heart of Judas. Judas was already embezzling from the moneybox so it wasn't that night that he betrayed Linda suddenly this happened, he was already up to no good.

And there are other cases in Scripture and that we needed from Scripture. I don't want to give you my opinion, unless the Scripture can back it up or Scripture is always in the lead make it sound like it's secondary to my opinion. My opinion secondary to Scripture and so is yours.

So this this judgment of Peter's this not man's jurisprudence is not man's court of law where the best litigator wins regardless of the facts. This is the king's court and he doesn't have to say.

We know you did this and here's why the case as a whole is saying you did it when not asking you if you did it. Psalm 98 verse nine for he is coming to judge the earth with righteousness he shall judge the world and the peoples with equity. Unlike the court of men coming.

There are some good judges but there are great many foul people who should be nowhere near the courthouse.

They should be in jail and they are loose and they are out there, continues here in verse five is a great fear came upon all those who heard these things well again, no surprise at this point, only a handful heard these things and within three hours.

This would have been suppressed or twisted by the evening news. If the evening news got hold is what the church is able to do this to people really telling anybody that or those butcher Christians took out machetes and they were twisted or suppressible they would not uphold it. Word spread around Jerusalem with sobering results.

Imagine you go. How is church today will he do like you do every Sunday sermon was the best I've ever heard.

And then if you come to this church. Other churches you know the sermons with the second best ever heard.

You should hear Kelly's havoc as okay if you give your visiting. You have to know I'm serious. Okay, just kidding what so you go on house a sermon. It was good.

All right go home, or have an interest today to people instructed by the pastor wall so that sobriety just like with Aiken and Judas Iscariot, they did not live to to profit from them again. Aiken did not get to spend any of the spoils he'd had taken Judas did not get to spend 30 pieces of silver sapphire Ananias the wages of sin is death is very serious and again I have to preface that because we all struggle and that's not what is meant by that is the one that is boldfaced when Ezekiel and chapter 18 talks about the one that sins will die. He's talking about idolaters that are amongst the Jews talk about every little thing is if you're into idolatry you done and if you come out of your good person and you go into idolatry you going to be judged for that sin of the first commandment.

Peter did not throw a stone at him did not smoke him with his hand. He exercise the gift of discernment in the office and power of a prophet twice within three hours with the same result God Slough religious deceivers today that be nothing. It would be what is called there would be no what is called the prosperity movement, as though where the one Scott wants us to prosper. I want everybody to prosper in this service to him in men and women have gone to their graves doing that. Not trying to amass material wealth in this world. Verse six and the young man arose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him head. It's got a cute almost. How that said like they were sitting outside just waiting in the arose and went and got him and buried him in the. Of course, this is Lou reducing story down is getting to the point we have no record of Jesus Christ laying anyone at his first coming, but at his second coming, he will slay entire armies the world needs to be told these things, they shall go ahead and mark now. I wouldn't if I were in your place.

Make no mistake, he is the lion and the lamb. Which one do you want him to be towards you totally your choice to the righteous. Of course he is the Lamb who was slain, and who lives forever and to the world.

He will come as a line verse seven. Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in not knowing what it happen.

Now I'm not trying to be funny when I said she's probably out shopping because they get this money into got all this money would also that of the burning a hole in her pocket and she may be by looking for new house. Who knows what it I that's my first thought, I can what I can back it up anyway wherever she was. She now is comes comes to the church and when she's invited to go see Peter.

She's probably thinking I'm going to his office to receive accolades is going to tell me he's going to give us a nickname like Barnabas go tell everybody how wonderful that's what she's probably going to the office thinking how many people leave this world thinking well you know I wasn't so bad of a guy in which you rejected Christ Have figured out you've already figured it out. You're the one. Again, the severity of our message across is this good emblem of death and or life. Your choice. But verse eight goes on to tell us what Peter answered his response to her tell me whether you sold the land for so much and she said yes with so much so Peter gives her a chance to confess it doesn't even bring up.

Oh by the way your husband's dead, which to me is this is how the Holy Spirit wants us to examine this verse based you can't read into it. She's in his office or before him because they did first urgent half of church building and it gives her this chance by omitting the fact that he's dead.

The Holy Spirit is saying lying to the Holy Spirit comes before condolences got his first and it is sobering to read the story with thinking it through. Like this verse nine lease to me.

Then Peter said or how is it that you have agreed together to test the spirit of the Lord looked at the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door. They will carry you out.

Well the collusion that is brought this conclusion for Jesus gave his pastor's authority to make field decisions. I'm not saying he's given the you know this is how passes this is not what anybody would want Peter certainly wouldn't want this but John's gospel chapter 20 is Jesus speaking to the apostles after he is risen. This is the chapter wasted Dino tend my sheep feed my lambs and this is where Jesus was ordaining Peter and the apostles to care for the flock we call them the apostles, but they were pastors they were the ones that shepherded the flock and James and Hebrews gets into this is a serious calling. So in John 20. Jesus said if you forgive sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

That's pretty big.

He's saying I'm giving you authority based on the your knowledge of the gospel in my imparting to you the knowledge of the gospel to move with that with authority in the flock, and we seeing it in its most extreme example I saw there were lesser ones but they were have the power now to say yeah you are saved, you've asked Christ into your life to be your Lord, you repented and with they said that that salvation then who could argue with that they have that authority.

And inherent Peter says you lied to God, and we have the evidence here that is authority, and it can be difficult submitting to authority all of us can struggle with that open it up a little bit more. Verse 10 then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. Again, it is contrary to the heart of the pastor to administer such extreme judgment but dereliction of duty is far worse. Peter knew that this is what he had to do again back to the Safari because again is not always easy to submit to authority, but it helps a great deal when you have confidence in that authority.

This is probably some of the difference between a little toddler who has the confidence in the parent and then the teenager who might get to the age where they now think they know more losing some of that confidence and they grow and they find out the hard way and then they come back and you know what I didn't know as much as I thought I knew. Hebrews chapter 13 three times in this chapter Paul emphasizes those who rule over you and we hear that as Americans loving our freedom waiting we rule over me will remain in the house of God in the context of the Scripture, not your lives. In fact, there's a name for it. Do among some Christians.

If you go to a church in the passes of trying to dominate your life tell you who you can marry, what car you can buy what house where you can live that's course shepherding and it is abusive and it should not ever be tolerated. But that's not what Smith when Paul writes Hebrews 13 verse seven obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

We see this exhibit in chapter 5.

Here acted out completely.

Peter rolls over the church in this and in this event, and there is to be submission. He's watching out for souls.

There are other people than Safari Ananias and not the only players in this whole thing is let them do it with joy and not with grief. This was an joy for Peter and it was unprofitable for Safari Ananias, so the lessons they are all over the place, you hear a sermon like this.

If this is what it says and I make others comments than the person goes back and reviews this sorted out.

And that's how theology is built.

That's how we know what we believe, not just summonses. The Trinity believe this okay no I any deceit in Scripture, myself, that's how our understanding of God is gained and matured.

That's why you come to church with your Bibles and fleas on .0 you said Moses, are you going to misspeak from the pulpit you going to say were pronounce words wrong is just going to happen, but the mature audience understands. Anyway, back to this mature or not they understood they understood the Peter had this authority, as with Moses.

They knew that it was best to side with God and not with the people Adam. Adam chose peace with his wife over peace with God, but that piece that he thought he was preserving in the home, collapsed on both of them. These are lessons for us false notions of P.

Spurgeon says this grace, which does not make us hate sin is false. Grace, their sin was religious pretense which grace could not cure grace could not fix this because they had long ago not paid attention and the young men came in and found her deadly probably heard the thud I seriously I mean, what was that you know I don't know, did these two suppose the church was unimportant to God's untold multitudes. They do ask chapter 20 recording it or referencing it in all quoted. Therefore Paul writing Paul speaking to the leadership the pastors of the church in Ephesus at a place called Miletus he call the Mountie didn't want everybody to come. It is one of the overseers of the church uses in his preaching to them. Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood Latin word, we get the word pastor from the Latin word shepherd, and that's where it is that accepted 20 how many of you don't answer.

But how many of you are familiar with acts as one of the great chapters of the Bible and how many Christians don't know what's in there – under the plan you the entire counsel of God.

It is a powerful chapter and will probably take us two years to get through it. But anyway, when pastors implement church discipline or say no to some popular churchgoer out from the woodwork come the blind advocate sometimes in support of things and I know that talking about how could you do this and why would you have egg and here they come.

Knowing little about the facts the rights the entitlements and the Scripture. They did not do that to Peter. None of the church goes to Peter how could you what what what what are you thinking how we got the church. You keep telling people like this, verse 11, so great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things, and nobody apologized his lesson when a church is to place where it's existing to recruit people to the church.

It doesn't understand who she is not looking to recruit anybody to the church looking to reach people with Christ where they go to church and worship that belongs to God unless God brings it to us and say a person is going to your Mormon thinking Mormon churches, Christian, then we have the right to say you need to get out of there.

That is not the church than what establishes the church of who they say Christ is so this has everyone's attention.

Proverbs 1315 the way of the transgressor is hard and Jeff Fox thinking about that. Where are those who would say Peter how dare you judge anyone you denied Christ three times.

Nobody stands up and says that the Peter would you after what you just did or what about those what God knows my heart.

Who are you to judge me well my totality is God's man again, the church, the ecclesia's word has a Gentile and a Jewish ancestry that belongs to the word mean something and I cringe when I hear someone refer to the church of the campus. I know said this before, or the sanctuary as an auditorium, no schools have auditoriums, churches have sanctuaries schools have left terms churches have coal pics have one pulpit is not appropriate for people who are left-handed, and one for those who are right-handed. There is one pulpit there's ones thus saith the Lord point of contact is appointed by the Lord and a lot of Christians have big problem with this and I don't know why is the church. It is special to God is nothing like it on earth and all of these little of shoot parent ministries is that they take away from the traditional build up they do damage to it instead of rallying together saying we have got your back. We are in this with you know they want this other stuff on the side and they want to take from the church the resort. Below another man's foundation. I don't do it.

Nor should we. That's not the only present Absalom at the gate wanted Absalom at the gate do he stole the hearts of the people on blue excited about the schedule would 30 years of dealing with this stuff not so bad in Virginia. There been some New York it was a lot. But anyway guys go to church to steal congregations to build their own. Absalom stole the hearts of the people why they don't understand the church.

I don't think they're always up to snow good, but I think they just don't know don't know what the Bible says that's why the Lord is given some to be pastor teachers of the flock. Anyway, the ecclesia, the Greek for the Gentiles, the nonbelieving Gentiles. They use this word to describe a city of Rome. I will get to that in the chapter 19 verse 32 it was that the citizens ecclesia is nothing to do with believers. There were unbelievers in the Septuagint, which is the Jewish translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew into the Greek there. The assembly of the Lord, the ecclesia of the Lord, the righteous Jewish people. So this word is a special word when it finds its way to the church world has its meaning for those who called out the righteous Jews had their meaning which we've embraced and we are the separated ones. How it got the word shirts from ecclesia's curiosities Lordship the Lord Jesus Christ. The word church means the Lord is his and you and I should be very particular about this thing. How about a somebody just started walking up to you and calling you say whatever your name is and just gave you a name Gallatin Jay discussed calling you that you if you like the name to be pretty upset with the name means something and the church. The church be the same. Why don't you go slapping on a son named this these names ecclesia the curiosity that blood bought by Christ and his martyrs upon all who heard these things, it says we citizens of the kingdom upon all those who heard these things, this separated the curious people from the serious people look at verse 13 of acts chapter 5. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them partially after this event moved throws that in later because we get the healing after we get to the slaying we get to the healing of the next part but this filter the you know we get people that say I am a believer. Pardon me, but don't convict me. Well, that's not Christianity. If you're in blatant sin. There's going to be conviction and anyone listening supposes that the church must appease you don't understand the church does not appease the church heralds it announces the does it in a loving kindness, but very firm. This we have from Jesus Christ. Don't be afraid of it.

Don't think were going to go mad on you and and start violating your and disrespecting when someone says okay leaving the church we received them for that. Not confessedly for that, but we respect their their choice we all run back to no combat way would change everything okay will fix that. No, we respect their choice as adults and some of them will they never even called me well why should that you made the choice as an adult you just wanted the chance to let him have it.

That was let me get my mind know you need the piece you have anyway. It is again the responsibility of a visitor of one who invites we have responsibilities.

And don't just take it lightly. I invited everybody church.

Okay, if you invite in the district.

You might want to prep them for priesthood you might have been going to come every man out of come in touch with the church like this before. Listen when he gets to send. He's not a pull punches. Should he do you want a pastor like the diss of bad word. Let's not use that one. Let's downsize it anyway.

I'm about out of time. But Satan agitates he stirs up attendees.

He did this with Sapphire and Ananias and if he can.

He will do you in with me and may I your pastor never budge from what God has instructed me to do to what you tell me to do as far as the house of God.

I get my orders from him. That is not dictatorship. This is pastoring.

This is leading the flock. If you're leading the flock, then you are the pastor you have it upside down. This is God ordained. I wanted Chuck Smith to be Chuck Smith. I did not want to go to him for those of you who don't know used pastor of Calvary pastors wouldn't go to him and say Chuck you know you need to change this you need to do this. I think it is like when I would go to the conference is a CMI to shake his hand to thank you sir I would not have known this type of pastoring. Had it not been for this church is modeled after the old school, Costa Mesa, Calvary Chapel, not the present one.

I like it. I think it's right they can refer you to Hebrews 13 seven 1314 and Hebrews 1317 to get a better understanding that we are not dictators but we don't appease and it doesn't work well that way anyhow. In closing this up. God makes his point in a way no one forgets it.

Matthew chapter 15 verse 18 Jesus said these people, quoting Isaiah the prophet drawing near me with their mouth honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Well that's my cue to not be those people that your cute to not be the hypocrite. The actor to be myself. Christianity is a skill you go to work it to learn. Let's pray our father from the days of May that have been a by who the prophet Elijah. You have made it clear that the authority belongs to you and that there are those moments when it comes down to fear or extreme discipline, and these things are avoidable. Very avoidable thank you very much, so 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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