Signs and Wonders (Part B)

Should you just know the Bible because you showed a picture gotta pay attention.

You have to apply yourself until you teams and you adults also if you're not familiar with the section of Scripture and you coming to a verse by verse exposition of Scripture read up for before you get this you can follow along at least a little bit how many of you started attending here and you couldn't follow along. You were very like what is he talking about, but in time. Now you're able to keep Bob 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 pastor Rick's message today is titled signs and wonders will be teaching in acts chapter 5, they removed the high places and broke up and broke the sacred pillars cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it and called it. No question.

So they are the people had become superstitious.

They had taken a work of God, and they had devolved into this superstitious idle Hezekiah comes along assisting is nothing, it's nothing. No question is nothing, and he destroyed properly so we here in the book of acts we see the people think the shadow of Peter shadow of Peter well is power in the shadow of Peter does nothing ordained but the. The people were struggling. The Jewish people were struggling at this time in their history to receive Messiah because they were not getting it from the leadership the Sadducees and the Pharisees were antichrist God is helping them along God is meeting them where they are is absorbing their superstition saying I'll deal with this.

I'll take them in for now.

But I'm going to deal with this Paul when writing to the Colossians he had those people that were going around trying to use religion in the law and commandments and things like that rituals to live the Christian life boasting about these things. Paul wanted to deal with these people know there was a lot I don't need this in IE that the racks of the self-righteous stuff pulses these things indeed have an appearance of wisdom and self-imposed religion false humility and neglect of the body but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh, so there's a real fight going on in these things are going to win it for you. I do believe Jesus breaks change, but I also know he does very slowly and I also know that sometimes chains are broken to you leave this life and get to heaven. And I also know that no matter whether you are chained or not.

You and I are expected to be witnesses for Jesus Christ of greater things in a greater work and I'll come back to the greater work in the believers little bit pulses by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God's salvation is received is not earned. So to kinda get back to this when they brought their sick out to the streets and laid them on beds and couches. God says I'm going to honor this because this is where they are in the church is young, it will stall the church will stall if I don't breathe life into it and this is the method he chose and says that here in verse 15 that at least the shadow of Peter passing my fall on some of them.

This is the shadow of life, as opposed the shadow of death. In Psalm 23 Peter's link to Christ was circulated. Somebody said the skies got power is get the power of Christ again linking this to Safar and Ananias superstitions they abounded. In those days, and the superstition is a baseless belief in some unseen power some unseen force. It's irrational, but it is often deep-seated. It's okay if you fall out of an airplane with no parachute lungs your clover four leaf clover in your pocket survival as a craziest thing that might be ability bit extreme, but it's along those lines, and Christians are supposed to be buying into this stuff. Throwing salt over a solo don't step on a crack or you know… Cecelia baseball is infested with stupid superstition. And if you're Christian baseball player, you should be buying it any of that stuff well. It also speaks of a person's desperation, but again without truth and in those days, people believe that the shadow of an evil person could affect you and so you would avoid the shadow of an evil person or here they reversed it. This will this is a shadow of a righteous person. Let's have some of that rub off on us and and again is goddess and you know this is this not is really knotted up and to undo this is going to take time are some today so desperate for the miraculous that they no longer listen to Scripture. Yes, there are many who claim to be cruel Christians and then audio.

This Bible has a say.

They just want the miracles and we you know have to face the world and straighten those things out if they think that is the church. This expositional Bible teaching boring to you. If it is you.

You may be a sensation seeker is too much to just go by verse by verse, line by line, precept by precept. You don't see the value and you want to feel something you want the pad and Adrian Rogers was good for these catchy phrases I can't do any of them. IME item and intent are not bashing Adrian Robbie was manicotti. Preach the gospel is something that my way with I do things and on his way in mind a better but anyway you know some Christians he just got have that okay that's not the worst thing but can you endure the word is hard work should be easy.

Should you just know the Bible because you showed up.

The church got to pay attention. You have to apply yourself until you teens NU adults. Also, if you're not familiar with the section of Scripture and you coming to a verse by verse exposition of Scripture read up for before you get this you can follow along at least a little bit how many of you started attending here and you couldn't follow along.

You are very like what is he talking about, but in time. Now you're able to keep up. I think I hope there are some Scripture does not say here that peters shadow explicitly healed but it says they were healed. You know it doesn't connected to the shadow Lucas being careful with this is telling us what happened is not endorsing it 80s and God. God did this, but he is not saying this is how the church should be used, and in the shadow of the personal you want and nothing's going to rub off on you except shade so of course, verse 16. Tell us about the healing. There are always those who like to listen to expositional teaching with the never learning to that's another problem you hear it goddess made it very clear and yet you just going to something else and you can drink out of a clean glass or dirty glass. It makes no difference. You're always learning and never coming into the knowledge when you come into the knowledge you can drink from a dirty company you use has to be right is unfortunate that there are people that can listen to some of the charlatans that are out there than they can come to a church whether the word is just being taught Nicholas know that to something is wrong with that. That spring is giving up sour and sweet water at the same time.

That's not right. It will learning what are we doing with the do we ever ask ourselves, what am I doing with all this expositional teaching one of what now what happens work. I love that about the apostle Paul who are you what you want me to do. He goes and does and that we should.

We are to follow these example and it takes work. Anybody who thinks the Christian life does not involve suffering and pain and hard work and sweat of the brow doesn't understand Christian life. You can become disillusioned when you name it and claim it doesn't yours. It's a very sad sad teaching. The somebody ever came along with thinking they could name something to God than claimant as though they have this power to make God give them what they're claiming and yet it is widespread sincerity as is not enough to validated this to what does the Bible say the prophets of the Alps were cutting themselves in front of Elijah. They were very sincere and very emotional and very much blasphemers and very much wrong and in the end they were killed they died. Verse 16 also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities of Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits and they were all healed and so that there is this ministry taking place here through the apostles. These are Jewish people at this time. These are not Gentiles may be some proselytes in their Gentiles converted to Judaism, but these are the Jews, and as I mentioned, had God not done these extraordinary miracles by the apostles. Would Christianity have stalled even failed. I think so.

Or else God would not of done this because of the people's inability to think outside of rabbinical Judaism saying this twice.

Rabbinical Judaism misrepresented God what is rabbinical Judaism. All the rabbis, the teachers, they began to teach things about God that were actually many of them. Contrary to Moses, they begin to come up with their own ideas in their own rules and they begin to lay them on the people and enslave the people and they became these celebrities and Jesus went right at them and in the days that Christ walked, he targeted the Pharisees. Paul will be and Peter in Jerusalem. They will be dealing with the Sadducees and what what will come to that in a moment, but this was God's mercy at this time not God's approval. Mark chapter 6 verse 34 and Jesus, when he it when he came out he saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things. Where were the rabbis they were supposed to be the shepherds. They didn't have and this is why the sermon on the mount was so fierce in their face Christ that unless your righteousness exceeds the Pharisees and scribes you not going to get into heaven, that one.

A statement that was that's the how you make an introduction with your ministry as you go right at those things will sacred cows was wrong, things that everybody wants to protect nobody wants to notice the elephant notice the people in the room that's random but it's the thought anyway. How different is the beginning of Christianity. God is looking to heal. God is looking to help people how different from our or what characterizes the beginning of Christianity truth in love and healing and a firm hand versus Islam Islam's beginnings to threats and violence allows hitmen and that's it. You either convert we kill everybody in that history. That is fact. That is not taking a cheap shot, it is that way. To this day there are those religions that when they are not in power there like a fox there real slick. They fly beneath the radar, but when they get power. They are tigers they are abusive they persecute the whole Spanish Inquisition was just that they were in power and the persecuted millions of Jews and anybody else that disagree with them in the name of Christ, no less, that beware the devil not only makes himself appear as an angel of life. Sometimes just as outright killer so could Christian today handle this type of spiritual power.

I think not. That's what I think one of the church had the superpower way to get the signs and wonders.

Because remember, this is mainly in the apostles, not the common Christian the apostles of the main ones doing Izmir.

They have some ill Philip is quite miraculous with the things that Philip did not a bunch of them but wanted what I have in mind what about today what what about obedience.

What if you could obey Christ all the time. Would you become one of those that would cast the first stone. You know, when Jesus said, let him without sin cast the first a little of still stone her until he started writing in the second body laying out what he knew about them that they they drop their stones and left from the oldest of the youngest, I think God leave sometimes these moral struggles in our life to keep us in place because we would become self-righteous and judgmental. Why is that this was sinners that tell nature to get it wrong already.

You can get a person that you know is is a perfectionist and would work really hard to get things right in the very intolerant of anybody who messes up why is that comes from wisdom to the Christians to maybe you are successful at this so that in the you think that that gives you the right to look down at other people to belittle them. You don't have that right. If you take that right your thief so we fight these things we see man of struggling with pride. I'm struggling with funeral greed. I'm struggling with road rage. Whatever it may maybe I've never had road rage is that Pinocchio thing true.

It is one of the best proving grounds for your faith.

You think you going to grow out of it. You know when I get older I'm looking to be like this all you better learn to keep that thing corralled and that is much of what so you struggle with a sin much of the work that you are assigned Venice to contain it. If you can't cast it out contain it. That is a lot that is not a little bit, you know, we have your bite your tongue kind of thing restrain yourself. God honors that God told David. David uses in your heart to do this right thing and I and God applauded David for that. If you don't learn to do that and you continue to fail. Satan is going to swallow you up until your religion doesn't work. Christ doesn't love you, that you are the exception of wrong not right and so we we learn to fight the devil we become skilled at being a Christian and if you're the same Christian you were 10 years ago. What's wrong. Have you progressed are you doing better in any other areas. I hope it's very difficult. That's a difficult question because we don't want to boast to be home bread. We don't want to set ourselves up for failure to morally accept getting this pretty good adjustment. A little while ago we were in the my office with the musicians are saying you I cough almost all season long, from the pulpit.

Now it's pollen allergy season.

I'm not coughing but all of a sudden I felt no. I could feel some stuff. Come on, I was having fun with them. I wasn't sealed well little serious, but not a lot to bring, so I knew my point is I know you know in our fight we want to be compassionate. We don't want to be self-righteous. That's who the Sadducees and Pharisees were and they were deadly.

They killed the Lord, and this is who are apostles here are dealing with these signs and wonders, did not continue with them. In the latter years of their ministry. What became dominant was there preaching and praying their teaching, preaching and praying that became the dominant characteristic of the apostles ministry. As I mentioned before, Paul said, I left ultra-famous in Miletus sick could heal him how educational that is so. This goes back to my my point in verse 12 about God using miracles before a large undertaking Jesus and the apostles. They perform signs and wonders to launch the gospel to launch the church to separate events is the church as we know it was not yet when Christ walked, there were the ecclesia. They called out the righteous people but not the church is the New Testament church that did not happen until after the resurrection, and then Pentecost God was.

Not doing any a single thing but a couple of things to bring about and we if you don't track that you you miss a lot you gets hard to understand the sermon on the Mount, if you don't really understand New Testament theology. You go right back to the Old Testament and that's Old Testament only to define what is going on. So then I should be a lot of fun hope in a confusing anybody you a pretty good at doing that us virgins that are missed in the pulpit as a fog in the pew stand that saying because I know sometimes it's a missed its heart is due dealing with topics that have different views and you trying to say okay. Which view do I go after. Who here believes in the signs and wonder movement who here doesn't get that emotions are good when they are kept subordinate to the Scripture and to the to the brain. But when they get when they take the lead. They are, they will terrorize others.

The person who is very emotional really doesn't care about the other person's approach is insecure about their emotions that I noticed these things over the God, has also been exceptionally protective over new work not only giving miracles but protecting give you an example.

Two men name may dab in the Bible. These were the two eldest sons of the first priest of Israel first high priest of Israel, Erin, and on the day that God was going to bless the priesthood and bless the altar they were struck dead why with why did they well why was God so intolerant. What did they do, they try to mix the fire of man with the fire of God. And that's what got them killed and my point is, this was at the beginning of the Hebrew priesthood the Jewish priesthood Mosaic priesthood, God was very intolerant but yet we have a high priest here. This persecuting Christ the he made his statement back then Aiken is another example slain for stealing and lying at the early conquest of Canaan. I'm sure as time went on we know from Scripture.

There were others who did evil things on the battlefield and they want slain, like Aiken Scott made his point is that the beginning of his work is with Ananias and Sophia and so because of these things we learned them, and we become more skilled at what we're doing. Do you want a dentist that is not skilled sorry folks are open.

I want you to be sorry. I want to stop hurting me because I'm going to hurt you back anyway, moving on, instead of looking to walk on water in the storm. I think it is better if we learn how to preach Christ even if were stoned.

That is a sign and wonder that I would rather have given the choice, which would you rather do showoff that you could walk on water in the storm or preach Christ when you were called to preach Christ at all.

Take the preaching of Christ. John's gospel Jesus is most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me, and the works that I do he will do also and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my father, we read that was a greater work, so he must be talking about miracles, signs and wonders. I don't think so. I think the works that Christ is talking about their are greater because we are going to win souls without miracles he saw down through the ages that the apostles would lay the foundation for the church to function, survive and be effective without signs and wonders as a routine part of its existence. I believe in miracles. I just cannot believe that they happened like they happened in the book of acts. I think the Lord has walk that back on purpose and hopefully have explained why by truth and by witness to the Holy Spirit. We do greater works.

I mean think about it. Christ could do miracles because he was God the son, we can lead people to Christ not being God the son being sinners. The value not the volume. That's what Christ was talking about.

None have done the mighty works to crime.

He was quick to all villages. It's healing every body apostles of never achieve that level so it cannot be volume that he is talking about greater miracles is the value of the when the angel let's Peter out of jail that will get to in a moment where his time going. Time flies when the angel let's him out of jail. How come the angel doesn't go preach the gospel is forbidden is not a sinner. This it's for us those saved by grace.

A lot of emotional Christians will struggle with what I'm saying but it is true it is a fact. And if you look for less miracles and more effective ministry. I think it be a greater blessing you have this burden because I watch people over the decades who claim these miracles and they don't happen in a keep claiming them.

They don't go back is to change this is not us. I must be getting something wrong.

Verse 17 will be done in a minute.

I think let's see. Well, maybe not. We've got doctrine to go through you let Amir to quote with God sister.

I think were going to have to stop there. We gotta get into the word zeal and envy and jealousy, and there's a lot coming on Peter Peter's the one that started with this word of life with the get to that.

See that here's the angel using Peter's phrase and bill in the Bible.

He coined aware also be going to go. You have the words of eternal life, and then the Angels is gone, preach the word of the words of life and adjuster exciting to see that and I don't want to rush through so.

There at the verse 16.

Next session will pick up in verse 17 and I don't know what will happen after that move you 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.

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