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July 19, 2022 6:00 am
Pastor Rick teaches from the book of the Acts
Betty Wright choose for or against God, you have no right to choose the outcome resisted stiff arm God the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey him.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit also gives directly, but he allows beatings of those who obey him and that that's the case with this event taking place that we're reading about an at the end of acts chapter 5. 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 begins his message. Repentance versus retaliation book of acts chapter 5 versus 3342 when they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them. Then one of the Council stood up, a Pharisee named Molly L. Teacher of the law held in respect by all people commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while and he said to them, men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men for some time ago.
The flutist rose up claiming to be somebody a number of men about 400 join him.
He was slain in all who obeyed him were scattered came to nothing. After this man Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him.
He also perished in all who obeyed him were dispersed and now I say you keep away from these men and let them alone for if this plan or this work is of men. It will come to nothing but it is of God.
You cannot overthrow it. This you even be found to fight against God. They agreed with him when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name daily in the temple, and in every house they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ well at first verse when they heard this, they were furious.
Verse 33 and plotted to kill them.
What set them off. I mean, this wasn't just a they wanted to murder these men and not figuratively. What we have to go back to what Peter said beginning in verse 29. He said this to their faces. We ought to obey God rather than men weaning we automate, obey God rather than you that that was not in Peter's favor with the court was with God, because God was giving Peter these things to say. Peter also said the God of our fathers in verse 30 raised up Jesus, whom you murdered hanging on a tree him. God has exalted to the right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins that did not sit well with them. But again, Peter was not finished because God was telling Peter what to say how do we know that how do we know that this is what God wanted to say to these men through this man, while Jesus told the apostles this. Matthew 10 but when they deliver you up to not worry about what how or what you will speak for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak. This is a special kind of grace. This grace comes when we are cornered and being persecuted. Whether it is a beating or execution. So everything we were reading here from Peter's mouth is coming directly from the throne of God to these men to anyone else has a chance to listen and choose either to repent or to retaliate. Of course, these men chose to retaliate against Peter and the message that he brought which means they retaliated against Jesus Christ Peter go went on to say in verse 32 we are his witnesses of these things, so also is the Holy Spirit of God is given to those who obey him, meaning if the Holy Spirit is in you that you will have a problem with what I'm saying you because he's not in you. You have a big problem with what I'm saying to you. They took it that way and so verse 33 when they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them, God was condemning them through Peter as he does with us. Paul said, you know we give off this fragrances Christians.
Ideally as either a sweet fragrance of salvation orders the scent of doom that they will perish.
And that is what the gospel message brings every time we preach it. It is a take it or leave it.
But if you leave it it will only view the consequences will not give any right to choose for or against God, but you have no right to choose the outcome if you choose to resist him to stiff arm God the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey him. Sometimes the Holy Spirit also gives directly, but he allows beatings of those who obey him and that that's the case with this event taking place that we're reading about and at the end of acts chapter 5.
Those without Christ, may either repent.
As I said or retaliate when told the truth about Christ retaliating here unlike Nineveh, the Ninevites heard the ultimatum given repent judgments coming they repented, even at Pentecost 3000 over 3000 had come to the Lord. They did not retaliate. They repented, Sodom and all Sodom and Gomorrah so committed to sin when it came time for their judgment that there was no message to be given again. There were no more chances. The timer ran out Sodom and Gomorrah.
Those that belong to lot had a chance to get out.
Not all of them took it lot. He lived there, but he lost his ability to be taken seriously, may that never happened to the Christian to become so insignificant that what you have to say is not taken seriously. His sons-in-law, they look they laughed at him when he told you we had to get out of this place judgments coming. They thought he was joking was no joke there whole churches that are taken seriously by the world.
There are Christians that are so busy trying to jam the gospel down somebody's throat without the Holy Spirit, that they no longer taken seriously by those who lived would like to see saved. It is interesting the will to going to world to all the world and make fill in the blank not converts disciples is greater than converts the presupposes that there converts a part of that.
Of course that's not enough, not enough to convert somebody to Christ because Satan is going to look to snatch them back and Jesus give all parable on the seeds that fell on the various types of ground God withholds what he has to say from those who discourage his truth. If your only responses discourage the gospel discourage the message discourage the messenger from the Bible. The no pearls for you.
God will not cast pearls before swine, and this is the case with Sodom and Gomorrah of the time ran out, and it is the case with these men at this inquisition for. How dare they preach in the name of Jesus Christ. Prophet Amos was sent to Israel with this message, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord Jehovah that I will send the famine on the land not of famine or bread, nor a thirst though for water, but of hearing the words of Jehovah or Yahweh interchangeable.
I'm going to you guys going to be a famine. You will find anybody preaching the word of God because you don't deserve it anymore because you've trampled it because your response to my truth was to retaliate against me.
God means business how we need to respond to God's word and his holy Scriptures, but we are to be convinced that he is right without argument.
It is a matter of eternal life or eternal death to bring this message to people in the workplace. We have to be good workers week with the ruins I witness one with a slob on the job, but when we are diligent not to be the best that we should strive to be when we are diligent we take we start reducing the resist of the points of resistance we win friends that way to be friendly to unbelievers. Two point them when that friendship is established, the doors begin to open quite possibly preach the gospel. God knew that sinner knows their perverted before him, and he's provided a way to do it.
They just don't like it Sodom and Gomorrah refused to be convicted of their sin.
Jerusalem would do the same thing all Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one that stones the profits and kills those that are sent to all what you need to send anybody what would Jerusalem with the religious correct will have to have a message from any profit. We are the prophets doesn't matter that we don't listen to God. We have our rituals, so the prophet Ezekiel, God speaking to him rubbishing I'm going to destroy Jerusalem, but I'm going to make a distinction between my people, and those who retaliate against my truth and a retaliate all sorts of ways all cleverly sophisticated ways crude ways, making little statues making up opinions contrary to what God is said Zedekiah was the last king in Judah.
The last king of the Jews among men in the room in the nation. He further message that Ezekiel said he sees this vision of Yahweh said to him when the vision he sees these men, one of them has a name: a marker of recalls markers that don't wash off don't you whatever I can hear you sound like this to me. I anyway and the vision God has since these four men.
Three of them armed with weapons forth as an ink on both of the myths of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over the abominations that are done within her those of the righteous. The righteous remnant. Those who repent those who say I am wrong in my sin.
God is right, I am a wretch before God or wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death. Thank God there's Christ Jesus is with the apostle Paul said, and is true of him was true of us. Some can't take it because they think they're good enough to be received by God based on whatever is in their imagination comparing themselves with themselves.
Sinners comparing themselves with sinners before, only God remain doomed these apostles.
However, they were taken seriously. In contrast, a lot less whether being persecuted they are a threat to hell. They are threat to that which is evil. They are being taken seriously, not for being oddballs, but for making sense and this is a lesson we hopefully come away with. I don't know if Christians understand the value of expositional teaching Jesus started it. He expounded to them. All the prophets, all the books things concerning himself, he exposed to them those things. He turned the lights on for them. So if you come to church and you looking for something you're going to miss it more than likely, in less you're looking for what the Holy Spirit has to say to you is notorious for singling us out and not prejudgment for exaltation to encouragement to build us up verse 34 then one of the Council stood up, a Pharisee named Molly Ella, teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. Molly always the most influential rabbi of his day. He lived during the days of Christ walked in Israel perform the miracles he would've been well aware of the life in the times of Jesus Christ leaving us asking him this question. What did you do what did you do it with all of his scholarly credentials. He lacked spiritual discernment. What profit is it a man if he gains the world you can go take as many Bible courses as you want.
You go to best churches that that that that exist. If you still if you lacked spiritual discernment as to who Jesus Christ is yet entity of Christ profit you nothing sermon of the most crucial matter of this personal existence, identifying God if you can identify God.
Your identity is messed up. A lot of Christians struggle with their identity who they are in Christ, what their role is in life to go into the world and preach the gospel, making McPhail's disciples is an honor to be deputized by God himself to be entrusted as we do discuss the angel free Peter, but then you can preach the gospel that belongs to sinners saved by grace.
Paul the apostle. If you don't know Paul the apostle is you missing out. He was a pupil of this very good Molly Elvis popular rabbi later will get to ask. Sometimes in 2050.
When we get to chapter 22. He says Paul speaking I am a Jew born in Tarsus of Celestia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Kamali L taught according to the strictness of our father's law and was zealous toward God. As you are today speaking to colleagues what one time colleagues, fellow Pharisees, fellow Jews, would you catch that and was past tense, zealous, just like you this more so much more surrounding Paul's conversion in connection with this man.
Kamali L. The fact is the teaching of this, Kamali L, and those like that like him produced this effect in Paul.
He tells us. Paul tells us what this kind of teaching did Philippians chapter 3 verse five he says I was a Hebrew of Hebrews concerning the law, a Pharisee concerning zeal, persecuting the church concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless, that was his boast before he met Christ and then after he met Christ or wretched man that I am.
But when Paul met this Jesus whom we love and justice, a door, the teachings of this Kamali L became to Paul as trash, he discarded since rubbish, it would be like if you were Mormon and UU header you went to the University to become a doctorate in Mormon theology and then you got saved as Mormons are not Christians, then you'd say I threw it all away every drop every jot every till everything I learned there was wrong about Jesus Christ and I salvage none of it. Philippians again Paul continues about his prior life in Christ, raised the feet of Kamali L in Jerusalem. He says in Philippians 37.
But what things were gain to me, these are counted loss for Christ yet.
Indeed, I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish as dong as trash, that I might gain Christ as a reason that he had to jettison to disregard that stuff he wanted to be like Christ, not like Kamali L. Shorey benefited from a formal education, but only to a point.
That point is not where men place where God places it. I encourage all Christians to go as far as you can go in whatever it is you are applying yourself in your studies if you can get a doctorate in whatever it is you're starting to get that doctorate it yourself with the with the arrogant unbelievers tend to roam get those credentials to be that Castle in the middle of a desert that you can make converts for Christ. If you choose not to go to take the academic route you become what is called a blue-collar worker. Maybe your machinist or whatever it is you are be the best at it for Christ that you would draw them to you that they would be drawn to the light because they going to see that light because it's going to be in contrast to those who don't have it and some will retaliate. Some may repent. Paul did not teach would Kamali L taught it was not worth retaining once he met Christ. It was flushed in an instant, three trash. Paul taught what God taught what is that Christ likeness to us going back to the Old Testament for us in the beginning when we read God created from nothing. When God created from nothing that's Jesus Christ, we begin to watch after that to learn and grow in the ways of Jesus, even if it displeases you know a lot of people that you come to Christ. Now you should be more this so that for them. Assessing work that way you retain your personality, just not the begin to deal with the parts of it that are not Christlike. Ephesians chapter 4. Every Christian should be familiar with Ephesians chapter 4. This is after he says that he himself was given some to be apostles and evangelists, prophets, prophets, vendors, pastor teachers with the equipping of the St. for the work of the ministry for the edification of the body of Christ. Another section of Scripture that seems to be sort of dismissed.
Many says he's given us these two.
We all come to the unity of the faith in the knowledge of the son of God to a perfect man, to the measure in the stature in the fullness of Christ. As Christ likeness the measure and the stature in the fullness of Christ for the world doesn't have. They don't even pursue it.
They don't know it exists that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, and cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. That's what he says I remember that when we get to the last verse. When they went all went went continued to preach and to teach is a great distinction between the two, but what I love about this fourth chapter is when we get the verdict of Ephesians when he says this I say therefore testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind having their understanding dark and being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart, who being passed feeling given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness, but you have not so learned Christ. That's Paul's theology, Christ, and it should be ours.
Some of you may have some college professor or some coach some mentor in life you really admire nothing wrong with that, unless you admire that person and they lack Jesus and you admire them to a fault. By that I mean if you or if if that individual were challenged on their lack of faith, would you be offended when you run to their defense.
If you do it's misguided allegiance to sort that out, go to the University. Some of those professors are very charming and engaging in an admirable as people go as common grace. You don't have to be a Christian to be a likable person. In fact, many Christians are good at becoming not to like some college grads don't care to hear that the universities are not the custodians of God's truth. Some get a little offended the book about bugs them because they they love their university.
This is more with those those who are graduates not so much, at least in my experience in other areas of life.
But when it comes to knowledge to education.
This seems to be to get us a little bit different attention and these universities begin to take this attitude of this position is not the church is not the Bible it's them. They appoint or they are the custodians of truth.
This is a cultic add to your adoration. If you have if that is your alma mater. What is that Latin word mean nourishing mother, that's what it means. That is the literal translation of the word.
If that is your nourishing mother and you are a Christian you have not counted all things as rubbish and you gotta get there. Otherwise you will be defensive. You will put up these little you know. Okay you can criticize this and that but don't you touch my alma mater. Satan still uses knowledge to seduce men and women as he did. Even the garden. He uses knowledge.
We all want knowledge.
Would you like to speak 30 different languages.
Just you could ignore people like we all acknowledge we wish we could just keep knowing that that's not that's fine so long as the tail does not wag the dog for Eve tail wag the dog 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.
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