Rejection Galore (Part A)

We are surprised to find in the history of the Jewish people and abundance of rejection against God against his prophets. This is what Stephen is going to bring out and this is not an assault on the Jewish people because when you get to the Gentiles in the church to get their own problems. It is an assault on sin. Sin does to any people whether they are called by God or not sin is constantly at work. 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 7 as he begins a brand-new message called rejection galore we are in the book of acts chapter 7 and it's so long chapter. Those of you familiar with it will no verses one through 50. That's the goal.

Acts chapter 7 verse 35 this Moses whom they rejected saying, who made you a ruler and a judge is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. I felt God leading me to say some things that need to be said and that's going to take up the first portion of this consideration and then rather than doing and more in depth analysis of verse by verse. We will do a summary paragraph by paragraph because the chapter is so long and the material if we were to go in debt would be in this chapter for a long time. We are surprised to find in the history of the Jewish people and abundance of rejection against God against his his prophets.

This is what Stephen is going to bring out and this is not an assault on the Jewish people because when you get to the Gentiles in the church to get their own problems. It is an assault on sin. What sin does to any people whether they are called by God or not sin is constantly at work, Stephen exposes there through their history is not a motivational speech that he's giving them. Christians are to point out the way of the Lord in the land of the lost. That is one of our directives from the Lord go into the world and make disciples will going to make disciples going to have to point out that they are sinners and that God saves sinners peptalk sermons hinder the truth means the time to encourage for sure that is a part of preaching is a part of Christianity. Bible intends to shape our understanding of God of mankind of life and of ourselves we can get theological's with goddess life. It's mankind and leave ourselves out. But no, it was right at us. What makes me stronger will the Bible will tell me that what makes me weaker. It's included in their what helps me to serve what keeps me from serving you may have a broken heart. You men have a broken heart. Right now I'm not talking about a season of morning for some great loss. We have those seasons in life and in those do sit us down for a while until God does his work through time, but there are times in life that we have a broken heart a heavy heart. We heard we have broken hearts without broken hands Bible teaches this Hosea, the prophet was not excused from ministry because his married life was in shambles matter-of-fact God uses broken heart to write Scripture with unbroken hands is a hard lessons with a valuable than vital and I think we miss leads to the peptalk from sermons God used that broken man in a mighty way. A pastor can mean well, but misuse the pulpit was a lot of ways he can do that. I don't know from experience, but I've heard by losing opportunities misuse the pulpit by my missing opportunities that God has given.

We have a proverb, not a biblical proverb. It's just a folk proverb is a good one go preach to the choir or you're preaching to the choir, which means you telling us something we already know and we agree with you not doing anything for us. We just all sitting there nodding our heads yeah and Sunday after Sunday as I'm standing here there churches where the pastors in the pulpit detailing preaching the congregation already saved in a bridging message of salvation to the say, hoping that maybe somebody will walk in off the street or something that's not saved, then there are those sermons and I'm I'm not being too critical of saying this goes on all of us have to watch for it. There is a time to preach for the lost, but that cannot dominate was coming from the pulpit. The message of God.

There are those sermons that are bandage at top of bandage, always preaching all life hurts but you will be better it's going to be okay on this put a bandage on this in a bandage on that you put enough bandages on someone you end up with the money and we don't want that. What the Bible teaches us to convince including convict to correct and to cheer those three CDs are found in the Scripture the words that the doesn't have to be identical. The meaning is there. The fact is there. These are all covered when the apostle Paul told Titus take any get some pastors there who will hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort this cheering and convict. That is, of course correction and convincing those who contradict to Timothy said preach the word in season and out of season. Other words preach all the time. But what Molly continues convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching.

These are our instructions from Scripture on how to handle the pulpit with the assembly. It is for the flock to arm you to send you out broken hearted or not we are supposed to be about our father's business. You. What if what if pastors only went to the pulpit.

When things were going well in their lives. You would have many pastors and pulpits.

How many times I've been up here with things hurting my breaking my heart my life that I have to just bypass and do my duty Stephen sermon does all three. He is going to convict them and correct them and cheer them on what they doing that you know the story because they receive none of it. Not immediately, at least, and so we are going to summarize his summary of Israel's history of their abundant rejection of God's prophets and God's people. That helps me when I want to share my faith. He points out that they have a long history of getting it wrong and using their Bibles to do it powerful is he is using the Scripture to correct them. That validates everything he is saying that makes it authentic.

Bottom line the Jesus as Messiah. We'll talk about Abraham talk about Joseph, Moses, the wilderness experience in their beloved temple. And then he will get them right between the eyes before they kill we will get to that part will look at what got him available at first one then the high priest said. Are these things so what I goes back to verse 10 of chapter 6 and there they they could not withstand the Stephen they could not refute him in discussing spiritual things from the Scripture.

You want all the arguments and so this it will assume that's what we'll do with this is a practice to this day with mean-spirited people and they charged him with speaking against the temple and speaking against the law blasphemous charges that they were putting on him and so he's asked how do you plea they are going to hear him out because they want to bust him. They want to catch him say the wrong thing that's whether letting him give us this long sermon.

His association with Jesus had already agitated them to the point with their minds were closed because they close their minds to Jesus because they have a history of rejecting who God sends in spite of the evidences the signs the wonders the teachings that the righteousness rejection galore belongs to the human experience, not just the Jewish people by any means doesn't belong to any single people. It is for mankind.

So they thought that they were there to judge him there.

They are lined up in front of Stephen like potted plants.

He sees the opportunity. He's not going to let this slip through his fingers. He's not going to miss this opportunity. Jesus said they will lay hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for my namesake, but it will turn out for you as an opportunity for testimony you're heartbroken because you're stuck in jail you can get out from take care your family. You will have a chance to preach at no time is Stephen apologetic.

At no point is he on defense. From the moment he opens his mouth he is charging straight up the hill with truth, and they can't stop. That's why they killed so masterful is his assault tone know they're being attacked until their position is completely overrun is a magnificent approach.

He just tells the truth.

That's all he has to do. It doesn't have to sit down and create some real clever pole and come up with a catchy story just tells the truth from the Scriptures. All he has to do. It is a heroic assault and it finishes with a gotcha on Israel on those that are judging him. He, in the end says to them I got you. God has got you exposing them for always resisting the Holy Spirit. That's what he says to them what to the prophet.

You guys not kill the whole man is Stephen is his magnificent then he goes on to tell you murder the righteous one and the there's nothing they could say we learn to preach from these things Saul of Tarsus is present listening to every word, staring at that angelic faith face theologically being destroyed but unable to admit he Kenny and Paul is not Paul. Yet he still goes by the name Saul of Tarsus is part of the Sanhedrin. More than likely he certainly is a Pharisee is a big shot. He will receive authority to prosecute the Christians and he is there for this, and he has no defense to everything he hears and is still isn't enough to make and repent.

Have you preach to somebody is solid preaching where they could not argue. And yet they don't come to Christ. Still, now we look at verse two and he said, brethren, and fathers listen, the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in her ran and said to him, verse three.

Get out of your country and from your relatives and come to a land that I will show you. Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in her ran, and from there when his father was dead. He moved him to this land in which you now dwell in God gave him no inheritance in it, nor even enough to set foot on but even when Abraham had no child. He promised to give it to him for possession to his descendents after him. God spoken this way. His descendents would dwell in a foreign land and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them for hundred years that nation whom they will be in bondage. I will judge said God, and after that they shall come out and serve me in this place. He gave him the covenant of circumcision so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob.

He got the 12 patriarchs that he's going back to a time before they had this law of Moses that there charging him with of course blaspheming this is before the temple was built in the tabernacle was given the ark of the covenant goes way back. At the time that he saying this he says Judah has the temple. It has the rituals and the law in the priesthood, but they don't have the Lord.

That is where this is going. Christianity has returned to that original state without the temple without the ritual we have the Lord he is the substance of things hoped for.

He is it we have Messiah and Stephen is saying this to them. Christianity functions well without rituals because it has Jesus as God the son has God the Holy Spirit. God the father. How would you illustrate to a child or an adult. The Trinity that there are three there's one person with three personalities triangle does well. Each tripod, a triangle has 3 Quiet St. corners. Each one of the just distinct from the other. Yet all belonging to the same inseparable. You can't separate normal trialing. Each has a role.

It is God's way of showing himself and interacting with humanity and of God has not done that would be so much we would not know about him and it is been so useful to God for us to understand where he is going with things so here Stephen is sidestepping the plea is not entering a plea. He's not saying guilty is nothing innocent is on the priest you guys. I got you here you go to get so this is an expositional sermon, beginning with Genesis 12 and then going through to kings makes it clear that his God is the same God as Abraham's. As Isaac is Jacob there. God wants no confusion about this identity is critical so often predicates Christian don't know they are to keep looking to the world.

How should we behave, what should we do next. How should we live and identity problem. These Jews knew their history as well as Stephen. They just didn't know how to apply it. What good what good is having at or in the boat. If you don't Amaral he's trying to help them with this they will hate his guts for it, kill him and go off smug and satisfied that they're serving God. Jesus warned about that he said in a finger doing God service by killing you not listening.

They have a history of not listening to have him because they don't listen.

They reject so he begins with the father of their faith amongst the Jews Abraham pointing to the separation that began at all Israel's patriarch furthered his walk with God by ending his walk with those who had wronged gods and they happened to be his own family. His father, his relatives, God points that out. Abraham get out from your father's house and your relatives and Abraham drag his feet a little bit to do that but he did do it. In fact, we have no mention of Abraham building altars to the Lord until he was separated and into the promised land where God had called him how many lessons are in that God's word came to Abraham he obeyed it worship was hindered by his ties to unbelievers only have to listen we have to have contact with unbelievers. Be kind and loving as best we can as toes or said we have to have contact without merging. We don't get too close, we have to understand their identity versus ours fraternizing with the enemy is a serious thing. More serious is if you get too close to the world of suck you back in.

That's help backsliders and apostates become backsliders and apostates is serious business. We learn from Abraham. God said I need to get you away from it got raggedy gods their fake you have the real God. The truth and I need you to get away from that 11 that influence and again not until we know who we are as Christians is true evangelism start to happen in our lives. Identity obedience worship service in that order is if you don't know who you are. How do you know who to obey. And if you don't obey. How can you worship and can worship how you going to serve, things mean something at you teens you're expected to keep up.

Don't be looking for us to slow it down and start talking you and baby talk.

You can get it.

We'll see you as babies we see you as adults in the mood in the making. Now is the time to write things down, look him up read the section before you get the church stay ahead of the game apply yourselves or do nothing and and sit there the whole time and wonder when the service going to be your choice, but I will add this just as there were Jews who understood stood who Jesus was and they submitted to him.

There are teens who can follow who can keep up and grow stronger, and many of them are now men and women in this church with their own family serving in this church. They were sitting in the pew just like so it is doable. Men like Rivers are crooked because they follow the path of least resistance will that's a true proverb as a true parallel fact make the most out of squeeze out of it is much as you can get and then do something with it wants to spend for six years going to get a Masters degree. For example, in the do nothing with one hears you want to say I do you know why I didn't invest myself in this just to lose it now.

Unfortunately, you get a Masters degree and some silly things that are useless and should I mean the retake of course not on the making Cheerios or something. Or maybe that's a good one itself, or something else anyway. Especially the honey nut ones right right verse nine and the patriarchs becoming envious sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Look at have to stop there because that whole thing about budget Jacob, Joseph, being sold as a slave they were going to kill him. That was planned. He became a slave and it says God was with him. I would be like where's God I used my own brothers sold me into sin, unless in slavery, where is God. Well anyway, back to this verse 11.

Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt.

He sent out. He sent out our fathers first verse 13 and the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. Then Joseph Santon called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him. 75 people. Verse 15 so Jacob went down to Egypt and he died.

He and our fathers, and they carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Ham, or the father of Shechem and so he's going over there history and what he's pointing out here.

This is important that Joseph came to his brothers. The first time and they rejected him, and where is going with this. Jesus came to you the first time and you rejected him. The next time Jesus comes, you will be rejecting him the second time that they get in front of Joseph. They did not reject me, and started out just as they had a dream MIC for my collection of window grain. It just was there and yours bow down to mine every he's very naïve. I would Joseph was not the sharpest knife in the drawer it came to dealing with people who might envy him and hated him for what he was saying to those what he was saying is I'm going to rise over you. You are about out to me in the course. The Bible says they hated him for that 17 years later.

There they were bowing down to Joseph and this is what Stephen is trying to say they got it wrong. Joseph was the deliverer, and they didn't see it coming because they don't listen to what God is doing. That's why God spoke to Joseph in on them.

Jesus came the first time.

As I said they rejected him to Zechariah chapter 12 verse 10.

I will pour out on the house of David on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication.

Then they will look on me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for him as one grieves for his firstborn and then Paul quoting Isaiah, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that he is Lord. So Stephen giving them their own history, telling them they get it wrong and now's the time to stop telling them that they have a habit of excusing themselves because of religious ritual and religious zeal in applying to their own Scriptures.

In the process you know is a notice of proverb type morning, not biblical progress you noted. They throw out the baby and keep the bathwater's kinda gross but it makes the point as to the patriarchs rejecting Joseph, the Sanhedrin, rejecting Jesus same reason envy were told that Matthew 27.

18. They envied him they envy the people were coming out they were listening to Jesus.

They were attracted to Christ what Christ do when he starts early in his sermons and his public ministry, that sermon on the mountain, they just cut them open points out all that thing tells the people unless you do better than your past. You can get them and asked us all messed up.

Then I'm going there this your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees and scribes. You shall not attempt to 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.

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