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July 20, 2022 6:00 am
Pastor Rick teaches from the book of the Acts
Uses knowledge. We all want knowledge when you like to speak 30 different languages. Just you could ignore people he didn't like this because Linda Lincoln.
We all like knowledge.
We wish we could just keep knowing that that's not that's fine so long as the tail does not wag the dog and for Eve. The tail wag the dog sold out stop listening to what God said something else became more important. 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 repentance versus retaliation is the title of Pastor Rick's message and he'll be taking us through acts chapter 5 today. Molly always the most influential rabbi of his day. He lived during the days of Christ's 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 with it. With all of his scholarly credentials. He lacks 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 lacks spiritual discernment as to who Jesus Christ is yet entity of rice 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 just discussed the Angel freed 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 them like him produced this effect in Paul. He tells 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 Richard man but 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 so is rubbish.
It would be like if you were a 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 Christian, 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 raises the feet of Kamali L in Jerusalem. He says in Philippians 37 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 average and 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 machinists 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 trashed all taught would 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 to 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 saints 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. That's Christ likeness the measure and the stature in the fullness of Christ for the world doesn't have.
They don't even pursue it and 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 off when it 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 the lack Jesus and you admire them to a fault. By that I mean if you're 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's 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 bar about bugs them because they they love their university and this is more with those those who are graduates is 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 and or adoration. If you have if that is your alma mater.
What is that Latin word meaning 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 needed like this because I'm not like we all like knowledge. We wish we could just keep knowing that that's not that's fine so long as the tail does not wag the dog and for Eve. The tail wag the dog sold out stop listening to what God said something else became more important to her. The serpent wasn't yet Satan releasing her knowledge. He was indeed in. In fact, what she did was not there yet. It says here in verse 34 and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while while the fontanelle knew he was smart enough at about common grace is smart enough, pragmatic enough to know a massacre of the 12 prophets was not the way to go. They will later kill Stephen but they will be a solitary event and in that. He asked for this part was that they would tell you so verse 35 and he said to them not remember this is the Kamali alleys of wisemen God is using him here but still he is he is not just convert doesn't go far enough. Verse 35 and he said the men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. So God is intervening on their behalf. He saving the lives through grammatical Kamali L they don't know this yet there outside, and Molly L is going to speak wisdom without grasping their message. He's looking at the facts, but he's missing the point. And again this is something that we Christians can do and we come to our Bible when we come to church and hear a sermon we can miss the point looking for something else said what God is trying to show us. Verse 36 for some time ago, food us rose up claiming to be somebody a number of men about 400 joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. Yellow these guys before them right now are going to come to something you ever read a book by Camellia or letter which you have by these guys not only read the letters you've studied them if submitted. This was a common name. He's not to be confused with another revolutionary around that time that Josephus, the Jewish historian mentions this is a different one.
Verse 37 and 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 well through this and Judas of Galilee, not Judas Iscariot of you know Kiryat, but Judas of Galilee as this one. They both resisted Roman authority and yeah Rome had rule in Jerusalem.
They conquered the land so together all of the Centauri.
The assassins are all these groups that work looking to break free.
These good guerrilla groups. The census that spoken here is not the one in Luke chapter 2 later when Judah was becoming when the Romans came in and they begin to divide up the land put governors there.
They would conduct the census to figure out how many people they wanted to tax her own government and this this would excite riots in these zealous Jews and you can understand they felt. This is God's money went to paying at the rawness the whole thing when he said, is it lawful to pay taxes in Jesus's will, whose inscription is on that limit, and those you give to Caesar what blasé him give God what belongs to him. God still saying that whose images stamped on you take that give it to God or give it to Caesar. Figure it out. Well anyway, this is a that's who Kamali it would Kamali I was talking about, and they're all nodding their heads in listening to him because when he speaks, people listen as they feuded his treason to pay taxes they submitted, many of them, but the rebels.
These two mentions the distant Judas of Galilee, they did not they rebelled against it and and Rome put them down.
Well, the big difference between Christ and those men is that the apostles are serving someone who's already dead and risen again. Those guys died and that was it Christ is alive and his movement is continuing on, so with those other two, their followers abandon them and there were other such characters at that time. Ultimately, this rebellious attitude will cause the Roman armies to completely wipe out Jerusalem is the structure and killed countless people. Verse 38 now I sit, you keep away from these men and let them alone for if this plan for this work is of men. It will come to nothing. Verse 39 but if it is of God. You cannot overthrow it less. You even be found to fight against God so so as not to receive Jesus Christ. Content can can say the right things but distills the foreign office like of you could be a great way to swim in the world of all the foreman speed but if you fall overboard, and you don't make it to a safe place you die you and make it and that's the case with people like Kamali L they can have great insight they can borrow wisdom, but they can identify God and that's what it comes down to is the difference between someone like Lazarus who was a beggar and the angels took him to the bosom of Abraham. This is Bible language goals. Having greater meaning to that of course versus the rich man who died and went to hell.
So this is true is true enough, and God is found enough of what he needs on that counsel. The news coming.
Of course, to use it to save the lives of his apostles was still one must confess Jesus was crucified, risen, and is Lord, to be saved in any fight against God is a fight against your own good. That is true of an unbeliever or or a believer.
This is in their own Scripture Isaiah 45 verse nine woe to him who strives with his maker for the restroom.
We have to learn that we that's why we submit. That's why we say, not my will be done, but your will be done.
If your final responses to Christ justice pragmatic of word of wisdom, but no confession.
I mean, I have spoken with people who have agreed together by was a good booking and you know I can't refute these things, but they wouldn't take the step into Christianity, they would not repent at least one last I checked with them ones I have in mind decades ago, but people still doing this.
Maybe you know folks like this. If you die with just a pragmatic view of Christ in you die and unpardonable sin will be too late for you and Jesus made it clear that it is not possible to be neutral when it comes to him.
Matthew chapter 12 verse 30.
He who is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad, I think there's just very clear.
You cannot be moved. Well Yanni the for Jesus or against him within your against him. According to him. I remember the unbelievers. They don't know this and some once they do not the still going to rebel, but others may repent and be saved. Verse 40 and they agree with him, and when they had called for the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go well again, useful successful in God's hands still spiritually shortsighted and when they had called for the 12 for the apostles, and beaten them. There's the resentment just couldn't let them go. That wasn't enough, they were bitter because again, remember what Peter open them up with you guys crucified. You murdered him.
He will want to treat you guys are foul because what Peter was saying to them, you are so messed up what I do what can I do it who they were there. They beat them probably would leather whips 40 blows each that would be according to the law. Deuteronomy 25, 340 blows. He may give him, and no more. Lessee should exceed this, and beat him with many blows above these in your brother be humiliated in your site well. Had these apostles been conformist instead of profits they could dodge the speeding investor same for you and me if we just conform to the culture we just lose our identity and begin to identify with them and begin to go around the cultures and what else can I do for you. How else can I be like you instead of being distinct that we can avoid criticisms and markings and beatings, but that's not our assignment, the apostles, this is an interesting thought they did signs and wonders feelings great miracles. Yet here they are beaten and they don't heal themselves of their own wounds because it's not magic. That's why because they had not tapped into some mysterious power in the universe for their own use. They were God's subjects and there is no other way around being his subject, and they're good with this. In fact, the boasting in a righteous way continues here in verse 40, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. This is the third time that they've said this to them as third times a charm. Not for you at this time. The world is aggressive and for right now in our lifetime, aggressively reenacting this great sin today. This is a grand sin. We don't want to hear the name of Jesus.
Ha ha.
To bed. That's the apostles response forbidding the name of Jesus to be spoken at graduation ceremonies telling chaplains.
You can't say this in Jesus name him him trying to just censor you can say Satan you can say Mohammed, you can say anybody else not Jesus will why is he distinct because he is.
That's why there's no other name given under heaven. Among no other name, and though they may not realize it. Satan is the one is trembling behind the scenes. If someone is advocating the censorship of the name of Christ, a never ending curse awaits those who applauded who advocated for this or are neutral in his presence.
I don't say that my own authority.
That's why we read Scripture verses Romans chapter 1 verse 18 the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. You know that unborn child murdering center that says what you can you know preach the gospel around us.
This this suppressing the truth. You can't tell the truth about them. Satan has no new moves role, but they are very effective. He doesn't need any new ones.
People keep falling into the old ones.
But there's a dish conch look as addicts concrete just keeps keeps going. If by this man, Jesus the sins of sinners are forever removed what penalty awaits those who withhold his name, who withhold the solution. This is what we have to tell the world what you have against Christ. By the way, what is it that irks you about Christ that he does not condone perversity of any kind I mean are various kinds of perversity stealing is a perversity something is twisted. It doesn't belong is not right. Lying is a perversity of holiness and purity in the list just goes on what what exactly about Jesus Christ. Did you not because of you know I can now stand judgment, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth that his sorrow and anger mixed together 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 in your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of acts right here on cross reference radio