This broadcaster has 1120 podcast archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
August 16, 2022 6:00 am
Pastor Rick teaches from the book of the Acts
Admit that you are a sinner before God that you broke his law that you do in your sin because you have violated God's word.
If you refuse to repent, to admit that that baptism is not for you. If you reject that Jesus died for your sins for all sinners that he alone is the savior of souls no man goes to the father except through him you can't be baptized medicine.
I believe in Jesus, I believe, is my Lord and Savior, then you said you believe that the same 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. Now here's Pastor Rick with the conclusion of his study call placed to preach in acts chapter 8 we come to verse 20. Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her for Esther obeyed the command of Mordechai as when she was brought up by him so she's a young woman now and she doesn't think all I got it I don't need you anymore Mordechai and these things stand out about her character is her beauty was more than skin deep.
It was in her personality. No one else on earth is caught this but me and that's because I am humble and when you humble like me. God gives you special things. I know it's stupid and it's meant to be to draw attention to anyone who just thinks that there is safety and arrogance. There's not. I don't know why arrogant people are arrogant, except to say that sin is doing its thing on them.
We don't have to be that way. So here this Ethiopian man.
He has some willing spirit of teachable spirit. Psalm 69 verse two the humble shall see this and be glad and you who seek God your hearts shall live.
So the Ethiopian doesn't say to Philip, have you been to seminary I just want to know.
Have you been in the word of God that's good enough for him is make this complicated as we tend to do there in August. Nothing wrong with digging deep and going deeper is something wrong when when you begin to make that the normal for everybody else and you go so deep that you've lost your your way. Verse 32. The place in the Scripture which he read was this, he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before it.
Shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth. This the word of God, along with the servant of God equals salvation. That's the formula and hear the Scripture. Faith comes by hearing, hearing the word of God. Here is the word of God. But Jesus didn't go to the cross drag is a victim.
He engineered the whole thing. The author and finisher of our faith. He went in submission and he was eager, how I wish it was here, he said to his disciples before he was arrested the goals without protest. What if he opened his mouth in protest. Revelation 1921. Speaking of Jesus and the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. That's what could've happened.
This is to Antichrist and his armies. That's what this is speaking about the forces of antichrist. Yeah IPE could have called 12 legions of angels like adjusted himself. Verse 33 in his humiliation still reading from Isaiah's justice was taken away. And who will declare his generation for his life is taken from the earth will in his humiliation and the son of God if he can get give us useful. Christ says I want you to do what I'm doing and washing the feet your feet.
I want you to do this to each other. We have no problem washing the feet of Jesus to Peter though.
I don't know if I want to wash his feet. The person in the pew next to me. Don't look I don't know that I don't know if I'm ready to do this will. This is the thing the Christ calls us to do and when you start disobeying those kind of commandment you start disobeying other kind of commandments a lot faster than what you should and should not disobey any but then it becomes easier's Mike. My point so here the Lord Jesus in his humiliation. There was no justice says his justice was taken away.
Meaning there was no justice at his trial. It was a kangaroo court.
His life was taken away because he was the substitutionary sacrifice. He died in my place as me on my cross, that is the substitution like the Laman and out of Egypt.
The blood of the Lamb put on the doorpost of the house and is is who will declare his generation. We had no children. He was cut off and is as we would've not because he was his ministry was not in that direction, but this is clearly a reference that there was no generation. If they killed him. So Isaiah adds in this section, which is not here, for he was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgressions of my people he was stricken and we are his people. Incidentally, verse 34.
In other words, the Jews yes and then beyond, as were seeing in the book of acts, verse 34. So the eunuch answered Philip and said I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this of himself or of some other man, I get no attempt to cover his ignorance like oh I knew that I should know that know he's learning. I don't know what was this guy talking about now. The Ethiopian more than likely heard the rabbis divert debate this verse because it was a verse that they did debate. Some believe that the slaughtered sheep hear the Lamb represented Israel but that really is a stretch. It does not fit this too much personification belongs to the character in Isaiah 53. Others thought.
Isaiah spoke of himself. And that certainly he couldn't come close to what Isaiah 53 talks about others knew this to be Messiah that Isaiah was talking about the Messiah, the Christ, the Hebrew word Messiah in the Greek is Christ, and this is of course what Philip is going to tell when I'm getting everything Philip told him we know that just by the events that take place verse 35 and Philip opened his mouth the Lord did not open his mouth and the weight of the Segway been filled and opened his mouth. The breach of the door is open and beginning at this Scripture preached Jesus to him.
Member Christ on the road to Emmaus. He opened the Scriptures. He dove that all about himself.
He he he gave them the Scripture and where he was and here we see Philip beginning at this verse, Ephesians, chapter 3, Paul said that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, you struggling in life all the time.
You don't see those riches of Christ is so wonderful.
You just want relief in God is saying. I need you to do both at the same time, I need you to suffer and serve at the same time. That's what it takes. If you're not suffering good serve if you are suffering serve in season and out of season all the time. Colossians 120 we just read this one, but I like it a lot and we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ. How many churches are they are not preaching Christ.
But call themselves churches still were prohibited from slapping them things like that is the flesh. The flesh is who I know to do in the spirit says no you don't read it.
We don't do that, we focus on the feet you know a liberating thing for an individual Christian is to focus on the field you've been given to plow the field you have, to take the lot that you have been assigned.
Remember the tribes of Israel.
Each stride was assigned a lot and not a bunch, but a lot so you got a renal some signs you've heard me say this before you see signs of say a lot for sale and is nothing there and they're lying to you is another one that's kinda irritating to see who wants to hear something you tell me something I don't know fireworks. I know that every July to go around saying this right, that's a laughter moment back to work included in what Peter about what Philip told us Ethiopian is water baptism which is unique to Christianity the Jews had their their mix was that the bands, but they were for cleansing. They didn't bear the symbolism of the water baptism go into all the world. Jesus said to make disciples make students of the word is more than just you don't just convert them to view they need more of all nations. Philip is engaged in this in Jesus and baptizing them in the name of the father the son and the Holy Spirit. While they were commanded to do this and therefore we are commanded to have this done to us.
And since the next verse tells us that the eunuch sought baptism verse 36 now as they went down the road, they came to some water in the eunuch said, see, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized. What he didn't just pick that out of a rabbits had Philip had to tell him about this. Obviously pill Philip made it clear that a public confession was was part of Christianity.
Remember this is a large caravan could be 100 people in this caravan and he says what what hinders me from being baptized will all tell you in penitence, refusal to admit that you are a sinner before God that you broke his law that you do in your sin because you have violated God's word.
If you refuse to repent, to admit that then baptism is not for you. If you reject that Jesus died for your sins for all sinners and that he alone is the savior of souls no man goes to the father except through him that you can't be baptized medicine. I believe in Jesus, I believe, is my Lord and Savior, then you said you believe there any other savers yell happy to some other ways what you getting baptized, refusing to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While I believe I'm a sinner and Jesus died for me.
Do you believe he died and rose again, as the Scripture says you say no then then you don't get baptized. Romans 10 Nine and 10 now this verse. If you are leading someone to Christ. You know what else to say. Open your Bible and read this verse out loud to them. It's legal. And even if it is, it is necessary that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. There is a template refusing the deity and Lordship of Christ over your life that will be just a reason to not grant water baptism that salvation must be earned or can be earned and not, as opposed to received, that would be nice when I baptizing you on on them. If you don't understand that you do don't earn salvation you receive it is the price has been paid by the blood of Christ.
Incidentally, the word translated here baptized in the Greek, which is the language of the New Testament means immersed. It doesn't mean sprinkled. Now there are times where sprinkling is acceptable.
A deathbed confession. You know the person can get of all, we gotta get into water know you can symbolically do it there. That would be fair, someone to six do it or of some other legitimate reason not, but ideally that it is to be requires immersion in the water, and that's why they going to go down down into the water is deep enough. Verse 37 not at canteens. It was sprinkling it is considered at this water jug here in Puerto my head.
Well, verse 33.
I'm offended by people who think that they can get away with just making up things about the Bible and then teaching it as though the Bible approves of these things that are actually spoken against mere infant baptism. What is that you have to believe if you believe verse 37, Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you may and answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Now, at that time when he makes this statement and that that time in history that meant that Christ was equal with the father in his understanding. This is why they called Christ the blasphemer you make your so you being a man make yourself equal with God said the Pharisees Christ was like because I am and they just stood there would not have that. So I condition was placed upon the one who wants to be baptized. If you believe with all your heart, Mark 1230. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
Infants can do that infants cannot say I believe that he is the son of God. So this this kind of behavior and was spending more time why they do it in the bottom line is it's wrong. That's all I need.
This condition is restricted its conditional but is gloriously inviting these of the terms you take it or you leave it so simple. If you believe otherwise. No acts chapter 16 the Philippian jailer after the earthquake and the apostles. The apostle Paul and his assistant Silas they didn't.
They did not flee the jail and the jailer called out anybody bought them out and said serves what must I do to be safe so they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved you and your household that they believe, that doesn't mean if you believe your household will be saved you and your household under these terms would be silly. It would just be silly to suppose that it meant something. Otherwise, if you said jump out of the burning growing out of the burning building and you will be saved you and your family will be silly to say will affect the gotta be saved, even if they don't come out are not going to be safe that that made that since they did you like it will will thumbs up me later, they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in the house.
The word goes with it is no getting away from it. Now can we just have a Christian concert with music know you can't. The word of God living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul.
The spirit, the joints, the word of God is going to mess with your flash, that's what God wanted to do otherwise.
Who else who else is going to do it anyway after you come to the Lord with your next step in this age is to find some feel-good podcasts to listen to some deep thinking books that are on my really smart people so you can really learn what the Bible says find a church that believes in some of the Bible of any of sarcasm.
Sarcasm.
Sarcasm. Whatever you do as a Christian.
Don't lose the simplicity of the word. Don't lose it. Keep the faith simple. It does not need improvement, and it is some this powerful, just as it is when you came to Christ, having begun in the spirit he now being made in the flesh.
When you came to Christ was not the simplicity of the message, was it not you are dirty before God, he will make you clean you will be his school tell somebody else.
I mean that this is a can you improve on that and he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God amazing answer is he saying the Philip let me be very clear about what I believe any saying it. He says he is the son of God, not was the son of God.
Now there are those corrupted manuscripts out there that some of you have been talking about the New Testament only if you have the NIV the NASB the ESV the NYPD. If you have one of these translations of the New Testament, they there's two sources, primarily we get our New Testament from the Alexandrian text from Alexandria not Virginia but Egypt there was a large Gnostic influence there and then from Antioch Syria will get the majority text and of course the Texas receptors. The one from Syria is a trustworthy one, so the brainiacs come along and they say well we know everything and this is what we want you to understand that the older manuscripts are better and that's why the NIV and is alleges in this untrue knowing that they were so at the roller there's a few hundred because they were were circulating at what the other one has thousands of manuscripts and parts of manuscripts we get the King James, the new King James and some of the majority text Bibles from Hobart it lose you in this reason I'm bringing this up is because they're sick of this verse is not in the original somebody added this which it did.
They bring nothing but doubt to the word they did, well let's take that verse out.
Let's go up to verse 36 acts chapter 8 verse 36 and Philip opened his mouth now as they went down the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, see, here is water.
What hinders me from being baptized now skip 37 because all that's not there.
Verse 38 so he commanded the chariot to stand still.
Wait a minute, he says, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized when Philip say they answer that question, because verse 38 is the unit commanding the chariot to stop. Philip has no authority to do that so it doesn't even make sense this part missing so on the grounds of logic on the grounds of the corrupted manuscripts from the Alexandrian source materials.
I say this verse is very much part of it. You can trust it and all those newer manuscripts up at the little star next to the verse, not in the older manuscripts thumb your nose at them. They deserve that because they don't they do nothing but metal. The Johnny-come-lately's and they bring nothing but doubt. Now they won't.
They don't withhold the message of salvation, but they inject doubt me do this with other verses to, and then the next thing you know you got some Christian and is departed from the simplicity of the faith he wants to argue each virtual vigil hurting and calm her and I got all these names. And somebody needs to think it through and when they're done. Leave us alone for I know I've heard the argument somebody scholars a sharp guys, but they could still be wrong. That's why don't want to be a sharp guy so I won't be wrong. Anyway, the amazing answer.
I don't think you guys are catching the humor. I think euros like a beat behind but you're forgiven anyway.
Verse 38 so he commanded the chariot to stand still in both Philip and the unit went down into the water and he baptized him again knows they went into the water. Remember that it was the Ethiopian that initiated the request to be baptized.
Immersion is symbolized in Romans three we don't have time to read Romans chapter 3 of chapter 6 verses three and four were Paul says the water baptism symbolizes your death in the flesh in your life in the spirit of what you do with a dead body. And when you come out of the water, immersing emerging immersing. It symbolizes the burial of the old nature and coming out of the water symbolizes that new life in Christ doesn't mean the fight is not on it just means this preaches to us, the work of Jesus Christ in the life of a sinner and our response to that work and were making it known. This is where I stand. Verse 39 when they came out of the water.
The spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so the eunuch saw him no more anyone on his way rejoicing. So hope the unit goes on around here. I am saved, I have the answers.
I am a happy unit. Not that I trade places just saying the gospel did what is supposed to do.
The Greek word translated here.
Caught is a puzzle in the Latin, it is wrapped us so when Jerome takes the New Testament translated into Latin, from the Greek that word that a hub puzzle. He uses the Latin word wrapped us where we get our rapture. So in the Jehovah witnesses, though Iraq is not in the Bible.
They are wrong they don't understand the movement of language and the fact that is taught it means to abruptly snatch away when in first Thessalonians 417 we will be rapture. We will be caught up. It is just like that, taken when Jude writes of the churches as you see somebody tripped up and since snatch them out of it. It is again abrupt was Philip rapture O'Rourke for a lateral raptures have a vertical, so it seems like that's exactly what happened hands up and as Otis languages happen. Brett Lucado just brushes over it. But you can't escape the language and how that word is used verse 40 Philip was found and as Otis and see that's the kind of uses found there.
Walk there. How did he get there he was rapture. I believe that in passing through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea/God is as Otis Greeks did change the name to that language again moves just like the apostles when they came up to Samaria the people rejoicing.
Eunuch is rejoicing. Philip is preaching the word the apostles when they left Samaria. They preached their way back to Jerusalem, and Philip is going to that beautiful section of Israel Caesarea by the Mediterranean Sea. This is just a beautiful story well were out of time. Even though I have more things to say I would do want to mention that a mere good example of a mere good witness is not enough to save the soul. You got to at some point, preached the word no one's going to look at the stars and come to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ nine takes the word of God and if they do they going to have bullet holes in their relieved. That shouldn't be there, and that's where we come in. 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