Christianity’s Close Call (Part B)

What you can support pastoral authority or you can challenge the people here are going to support August guard challenge and which one are you in the picture.

Pastoral authority is not a power trip. First Peter five verses one through three lead right out not as morning over the flock with shepherds of the house of God, you have to lead not a tyrant. It is guarded gift to the church. 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, and now here's Pastor Rick with the continuation of his message called Christianity's close call in acts chapter 6.

It is unrealistic to expect that the one accord that the apostles enjoyed in the early days would go on contest. It would be unrealistic.

Same with you doing great, Christianity would be unrealistic to suppose that you're not going to have some kind of attack come against you could be internal. You could just get bored with Scripture. That's a big attack doesn't feel like it when it's happening, she noticed it.

If you are perceptive enough you know it's a big attack.

Says here, there arose a complaint. The Greek word are grumbling.

Faith fertilizes criticism, sterilizers, wilderness Jews in all the ones came out of Egypt didn't want to going to the promised land didn't believe God's word.

They were sentenced to 40 years of wandering those Jews complained regularly and what happened to them.

They became expert. Grave diggers in the desert. That is what happened to them. What a lesson is Paul didn't want the Corinthians. Going that route, so he taught. He said to the Corinthians in chapter 10 of first Corinthians is. He says your complaint as some of them also complained and were destroyed by the destroyer. He parks it here for a minute because this is a big point is moving along to make his points and he stops here and then he says, making this pertinent to us as long as we are in this world.

Now all these things happen to them as examples. They were written for our ad my mission upon whom the ends of the ages have come these things are preserved. Paul said, for we the church in the last days, which began with the Christ, and now we are in the last of the last days as signaled by all of the technology and world events.

Abraham. Abraham left in Canaan alters everywhere. If you wanted to find Abraham you just follow the altars lead you write to him what his offspring in the wilderness. All they left were forgotten. Graves you can't find one. To this day because they had become good at complaining now that's not entirely. What's happening here with these folks. These folks have a valid complaint but it is an opportunity for us to address something that pops up in all of us the keys to criticize it so easy that our lives are we to be talking about. Eliza hitches that came very easy to realize or just criticizing everybody. I'm the only one in us that anyway back to what is happening here.

Often the first evidence that Satan is about to strike is through a complaint, especially heavy one.

There is no mention that these people rebuke for their complaining about what was happening because again there was an injustice taking place. It was valid and Luke leaves out any details that he filters out you know they don't need to hear. They need to just understand there was a problem in the early church and the apostles sprung into action and the people went with them and they got it done.

That's what Luke is telling us problem came up and everybody in one accord resolved, says against the Hellenist by against the Hebrews by the Hellenists and still in verse one, who got the extra scoop of ice cream welded the Jerusalem Jews, the Jews from Judea goes native to Jerusalem and Judea. Those that were really keeping there as much distance as possible from the Roman Greco culture that was surrounding them and they looked at other Jews who did not live in Jerusalem or Judea came from around the world, or even up in Galilee. They looked with them with suspicion, saying to themselves. They're not Jewish enough that compromise their compromising our heritage didn't even speak the Hebrew and clumsy with the Aramaic they speak fine great though that is how they criticize and this happens today there's you know I there's some some of the Jews for Jesus are a little like this radio you're not a Jewish Christian okay you go sit over there is a good guess, fallen nature and we all have to watch it. I mean my judge people a little bit about you.

Not bald like me don't do that nor nor do I rejoice when I see someone older than me. The Hellenists Jews. These were ethnic Jews who practice Judaism. They were just as devout and their love for Yahweh as the other ones, but they had adopted much of the Pappas from the great Russian culture.

Aristotle was one of the teachers of Alexander the great.

When Alexander went around conquering places ourselves in a assimilate the people to the aggression call to make the whole world.

Greek and it had he did.

By doing this he gave us a common language to spread the gospel world and even though God was using them.

The Romans were laying down roads everywhere, so Paul could come along and preach the gospel and build churches using the aggression language in the Jewish faith is his foundation. God always knows what he is doing well.

These Hellenistic Jews the most of them spent much of their lives outside of Jerusalem and Judea and it showed in.

This is the problem, and so it here at Pentecost.

Remember that the Jews came from all over, and thousands of them got say and many of them said was staying here now that we found this new faith was going to stay here with the apostles are, and this created overcrowding.

Many of them did not have a means of income. Many of the widows that were accompanying them as family members could not be supported. This was a serious issue and that the church sprang into action. But there were dangers with in the end. That's why to this day again of the church become sidetracked and she's no longer upholding God's word. First and foremost would start getting into social program seasonal. She stops becoming a church not of course I'm going to return to that this morning is that I think is that important this distribution. The church became a distraction because it was nudging the church very slowly very deliberately away from her assignment, we can take away social programs from the church and still have a church but you can't take the Scripture out of the church and still have a hard lesson. You can't take away the teaching and the preaching of God's word and still call it seriously.

The church, the ecclesia, the Lords, it's not for people to dictate on this God has spoken and that they ignore this. I would encourage you ignore them nor them back you disagree with God's word.

I disagree with you.

I don't anyone here anymore. You may ask what what I love Jesus taught in all of a golf course he did but balanced everything was balanced.

Jesus said, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me and I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me when you did it to the least of these, you did it to me, but he speaking to individuals, not the church. Individuals make up the church, but they still remain. Individuals talking about the assembly. Mark chapter 14 verse seven Jesus said, for you have the poor with you always and when ever you where should you may do to them. Good but me you do not always have. We can say that about Scripture man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of the mouth of God. We would look we have this adoration for the word of God because the Bible does. That's why it's not something like what you know and like this one. Let's take this one better to put a Bible study in a soup kitchen in the soup kitchen and a Bible study. Would you disagree with some don't. Some don't get it. They don't understand this because they looking for looking at people first to define God instead of looking at God to define people is the church supposed to fix leaky faucets to and what is it that if the church is about the people in that way we are about the people what is it profit a man of his faucets on bullying and he goes to hell now were keeping things in perspective. Satan will do one standing for this urgent needs should be met by born-again churchgoers first.

That is the first line. Sometimes the church can and does help overlooking fellow believers who were being slighted in their culture what's happening here in acts chapter 6 presented a very serious problem.

Again, injustice could not be given a pass, you couldn't say, well, you know, these disease use Jewish Christians are taking care of those Jewish Christians more than the others, and that's just the way it is. That would've been terrible.

That would've been another crisis in the Christian faith that would've had to have been dealt with this program, incidentally, does not continue and that is educational to us. The church does not continue to do these things. There are other needs that arise in Paul rallies this born-again churchgoers to meet the needs and they do that with the church is kind of left out so she can retain her McKey permission division in the church is always a problem.

First Corinthians chapter 1 Paul writing to the Corinthians quarters been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you, and then he goes on to say this got to stop Jesus taken a house divided Stan a cannot, verse two, then the 12 some in the multitude of the disciples and said it is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. I like that they summon the multitude and the multitude responded they didn't say who you they were very eager to get with their their leaders, and certainly not the entire thousands that were being converted these of the people of position in the church and if the murmuring disappoints us the way in which the apostles meet the murmuring, the complaining is inspiring and and how the people react to the apostles is further inspiring heartening to see this unfold before us, it says here in verse two. It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

Now these men knew serving table is nobody in this group serve tables like these boys did by way of proof and literally Matthew chapter 15 verse 38 now in those days apartment now those who ate were 4000 men, besides women and children well who serve them. That food, Matthew chapter 16 Jesus kind of takes them back down memory lane.

He says them.

Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five Army do you not. I really messed at Alyssa's closing prayer assists is traumatic. Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the 5000 and how many baskets you took up that's what he says and then he says this right after that nor the seven loaves and the 4000 and how many large baskets you took up to those men were servants before they became leaders in the church.

They were men now of authority because they knew how to be men under authority and here it is faithful in the little things. Now they're leading the church delete not only the church deleting Christianity. This was a close call but these men rose to the occasion. I came into ministry serving tray tables. I became an officer in the house of God, and in that church. It was there. We met in a ballet studio which the men were permitted to do ballet during service.

Anyway it was a ballet studio.

The two floors. One week we did the ballet was in town would be on one floor.

If they were not in town. We get the better floor and anyway the chairs you had the folding chairs. Headset 300 of them and if you are on the top floor you had to bring from the bottom floor and load up the elevator 50 at a time to come up walking to the next room set them up in this process would go on before anybody got there and I loved it one time guys relate I started I got there stunned. They were really late. I could finish this before they get here. I did and she saw the look on their faith. They probably hate me. To this day. Show real well you know you are late mean, come on, we were not at your post. Anyhow, sorry go on that rabbit trail down memory lane. I can still see their faces.

Anyway hope they can see mine and they so I got into ministry serving waiting on tables and it was wonderful as a noble and a high work for the Lord. We have many table servants here. I serve this table to pulpit.

We have others to serve other tables throughout the church.

Every Christian is encouraged to two find where they belong in a church if you just at the phase we are just receiving the word consent and receive the word until God says otherwise. In fact, it took me two years to figure out. I should be serving. I wasn't the brightest light bulb in the lamp, but that one day I'm sitting in the pew right about that area in which of the church and the announcer came up with very mild home. We need ushers in the and God said, you should get that get into that and and I did and I never I have not stopped serving since, and so don't undervalue the announcements God can speak to you.

They are also. Anyway, other ministries were not to take away from their ministry, Jesus apostles were majoring in the majors and many churches have stopped in the book of Kings is a story of the wicked King Ahab was commanded to go execute the wicked King Ben had that Syria and he doesn't execute them. He spares his life. So the prophet is dispatched and he goes he's going to miss it. You should've killed him another schedule be more problem and put to illustrate his point. He acts as though the prophet acts as though these as a soldier that lost his prisoner and he says to the king first Kings 20 verse 40 while your servant was busy here and there he was gone he makes his point.

The king was pretty mad with him. Question Providence is hard to be just me my parable to you, but the point is made from Scripture. He had one thing to do by command and that was to take care of that prisoner, but he was busy with this and that and he lost what he was supposed to retain and there is a lesson that is. That was the meaning of the parable that King was supposed to do what he was assigned to do what he got into being a politician. King got into other thing is wicked anyway. This word for serve.

Here diagonals from where we get our English word deacon.

Now we know not refer to our directly as to our ushers here.

For example, as deacons, because all that serve in the church are deacons from those who sing to those who work the cameras.

Those in the chapel store the café. The children's ministry. Those who clear all deacons you're all servants. In that sense, ushers actually is a word that comes to us from the Latin and means doorkeeper that goes back to the book to the Bible does not the doorkeepers in the house of God. There were some serious guys that mean is a honorable position when you come to this church. I see the men often open the doors for you to let you in and lock them to keep you know they don't do that, but it's a good idea too many Christian activists are loyal to a cause and not to causes of Christ, the person of Christ and Satan attacks us there is so if you have a church or you're in a church and you you succeed you achieve your goal objectives. Now you've got a fight to retain them because they going to be forces in the way of humans claiming Christ going to come in and try to take it from you because many Christians.

They visit a church they feel entitled they feel distant title to come in and just take over Gaza, verse three.

Therefore, brethren seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business, church workers from church attendees. They were not important.

They raise them up from the within this goes back to Exodus chapter 18 Moses summarize this yet again in Deuteronomy and Deuteronomy 1 he looks back at the many years ago and is so Moses was overwhelmed, but his father Jethro said to him you doing too much. You've got to delegate some of this work, and in his advice.

Choose wise, understanding and knowledgeable man from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you and make them and that's what happened.

That is exactly what happened in and it helped the people survived that wilderness experience and so there's the precedents biblically for the apostles to choose those of understanding and knowledge from among the tribes in this case the church. The people were allowed to nominate who they thought should take on this task is made perfect sense. The apostles might not of been so familiar with all of the Hellenistic Jews are there a lot of ways that could've gone.

Veronica said, listen, you know what will let them choose this witness backfires and beyond them. That would've been wise, but I don't I don't think that was for thinking. I think they just all right Julio comfortable with just delegating this out because the people felt cheated and to have their own impositions as overseers greatly reduce the tension that he says of good reputation, character proceeds, mention of being filled with the Holy Spirit. You notice that some claim to be full of the spirit, but their behavior says otherwise maybe the just not developed yet. They are full of the spirit of the just not developed as a Christian, you still have a lot of the world and at your new crew a new believer can be full of the Holy Spirit in just a little clumsy still. First Timothy chapter 3 where Paul addresses these things in the church is is but let these also first be tested and let them serve as deacons being found blameless. Let them service servants.

That's what he's saying. Another of the Greek words as as as its root errand boys those who go on Aaron servants read and that's who we are. We are unaware about the king's business is not a derogatory menial task it's honorable position to be a servant to be an errand boy for God Almighty. I'll take it.

David said I'll be a doorkeeper in the house of God. Really, that's just wonderful. But there are those that think when they come to a church that they should be allowed to serve right away, but the Bible says no let them first be tested. You know who they are and then really know who you are. I get to know each other a little bit first Corinthians 4. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful steward is someone who manages someone else's property and all servants of Christ manage what belongs to him, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, not people of talent, people of character people of God being a hard worker is not enough. We need more if the if that's all you have than you you leaving your letting other resources that you do have and are not developing your letting them waste away evaporate. But if you are filled, you will work hard because the love of the Lord will compel you Christian character is not in good doing Christian character is not in good doing it is in Christ likeness and that Christ likeness will do good and this is the did the balance between show me your deeds, and also your faith show me your faith and I'll show you my dates. It's that the sub perfect balance paradox is not a contradiction character counts because it exerts influence it, influence it, it makes things happen or not or stops things from happening. So men of reputation, but otherwise enough. Okay the good, but are they wise enough for this job full of the Holy Spirit. Okay, yeah, there was no disputing that. But have they been tested to see how they operate under pressure wisdom okay there wise, but do they have the spirits is all tied in together and if they arrived over the years we've come across.

Christian get offended at this, just like they just say I'm here now and you need to know that you need help and I'm on that helper and move over, and we we we left them so at them so hard with Roland for pointing at them holding a belly giggling okay we don't do that, but the flesh would like us to do that we don't never reuses disappointing enemies were very take ups work very seriously and I make the jokes like that because I know that you are thinking the same thing.

You're in my spot. Anyway, whom we may appoint over this business.

Well, you can either support pastoral authority or you can challenge it. The people here are going to support Paul just Garth, the going challenge it.

Which one are you in the picture pastoral authority. It is not a power trip. First Peter five verses one through three lead right out not as rewarding over the flock with shepherds of the house of God, you have the lead, but you're not a tyrant. It is guarded gift. Those who ignore this again should be ignored as they are.

This regarding Scripture clearly says 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