1 Thessalonians 2:5-7 (Part B)

Paul knew how important it was for these believers to learn how to be led by the Lord, not by pressure, see when you say to somebody if you don't get $50 more when not going to be able at lollipops and whatever it is you pressuring the people do not lead by God to be pressured by leadership sure money know it's not God's money.

It's not my money is not the church's money is not your money is God's money. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Ricky is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first Thessalonians. 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 as he continues teaching verse by verse through first Thessalonians chapter 2 on cross reference radio has to be dealt with now in this lifetime, one lifetime, not one day, one lifetime someone Proto. What about what I what we already have established God is able to deal with everything a child born with a severe handicap for example, mentally, physically, God's going to deal with. I don't know how it always go to do Y is allow this or that and in detail. Overall I do, but not in detail, but I'm good with it because I know him and I know he'll fix this flat tire and it will be good.

And when we get to heaven.

I like it when the roll is called called on your name Rick here, sir.

When that moment comes, it will be God does all things good.

It will be all silence in heaven. Nothing you can say Kimberly from here. Kimberly, my wife here getting a saw the shot I took it but anyway Romans chapter 7, he says, what shall I say, then announced in Romans seven he's talking about the weakness of the flash and ruminate these gives us the cure for it doesn't say what shall save me says, who shall save me as was Christ Jesus.

What he says in Romans and what shall we say then, is the law sin, certainly not on the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. The law is that test is the microscope.

It pointed out.

That's what the law of God is this is perfection. This is what I demand from you and if you get it wrong you separated yourself from me. We don't get it wrong. That's is will he only way to fix that is through Savior Christ Jesus the Lord by taking your punishment and then making opportunity to fill you with my spirit. So we say quoting Alan Redpath conversion of the soul, the conversion of the soul when he taps out that is a miracle of the moment. It's a miracle because most don't do it, and is a God done thing. Then he goes on to say Redpath does the manufacturing of a saint is task of lifetime his whole lifetime to develop sainthood discipleship not sainthood is not defined by religious group will vote on it.

See if you get in. How arrogant St. in the Scripture is defined as anyone who is separated themselves from the world system and have come under the system or the kingdom of heaven in Jesus Christ separated is the definition of the word saint, you may not of learned that all you like you can love. Maybe you are 140 years old and you walking around thinking this from the time you were to and you come here and you hear me said you don't like it when that's relevant what is relevant is what you going to do it it is it right or is it wrong is a true is it not. Paul wrote his letter to the saints. They were dead people were voted into some form of sainthood. They were living Christians, many of them slaves. People just like you and me. That is who he wrote to and this is why the word of God is relevant and anyone that comes along as it is barbaric. It's archaic. This strings are being pulled by someone underneath.

We are here not to mock them was very easy once you see the light is always easy to point out somebody else who was dirtier than you in the sense that they are not washed in the lamb not in the sense of our inherently it's always easier to beat up little guy establish a pecking order, real quickly.

That's not the goal of the Christian life would point these things out. We expose them that they can be dealt with because they can be dealt with in no other way. We all applaud medical you know what they do. Pretty soon to be doing brain surgeries drive through his pull-up holy habitable bouquet next. I mean they've made such advancement and we applaud it did not God. I mean, you know the car was something to the guy with the buggy whip all right together, put yourself there with the buggy whip, but these advancements, we applaud when they can look inside you. The pitching machine to do all these things to find out what's going on but God can't do it no known they can look inside you and tell you what's wrong he cannot give a diagnosis he cannot be the great physician because I really want a genie in a bottle, not of God's sovereign and gracious me tell you without grace. Everything is done for us is not grace is the kingpin of man's relationship with God. King thing is that tenant owes the trailer to the tractor so if there is no grace. There is no salvation there are no rights with the rights with guy with the right for him to hold it against those that were sinners that said Saul Grayson saw his goodness and so coming back to this. He says God is witness.

God is always witness is not only supporting the attributes that declares him as God, that he is omniscient, he knows all this going on is ubiquitous is everywhere at the same time is omnipotent. Nobody is more powerful than him is no higher witness but this witness is also the prosecutor. The defense, the judge and jury. You will get a fair trial tells about this and that's was scary right.

My pastor used to say I don't want God's justice on me. I want his mercy. Amen. I want his mercy. That's what I want, but to the wicked it will be justice well verse six we got there her six nor did we seek glory of man, either from you or from others when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.

And remember, these are Friendly's that he's writing to. This is this is these are the saints that love him that believe is use similar language to other churches where they were his friends anymore. Many people in there. They were not his friend.

So the tone of this when he says nor did we seek glory from men. It's a very comfortable tone, whereas he uses it in other places and read this as we seek anything from you is part what so you have to keep that in mind, because the individual at seaward side of mine on here who would I be in that congregation would I be the one that would be bothered by what Paul was saying resenting him for saying or what I be the one, blessed by all what I be the one converting the being moved into action because of what is being said you live long enough, you know things can be. You become jaded you are susceptible to where you not moved anymore since you're never too old to be moved by the truth of God, your net, you can meet maybe not moved by the truth of a baseball game or something like that when it comes to God, you are never too old to not be moved. SAIC and Albany haven't seen it all was the backside of Mars look like quick quick you don't know you haven't seen it all so so that's an absurdity, but it's true. To be alive is to invite the spirit of God into our hearts to see things as he sees them and to do this you are going to need to be exposed to others who pulled it off. Need to have in your life.

Those men and women who set the example. In Christ otherwise is no hope for you is not seen it while your God can overcome that this not how he how he works. He works through others. Each one teach one because of what he is doing and all those who belong to him and so he says we didn't see the glory of man and it is because he had a message to give, not something to get now we do this we Christians we are to do this, we ought to preach the truth without hostility, but equally without compromise his firmness. We don't compromise we Christians. That's why the world hates us so much when I wasn't written, we have to compromise with the truth. If we compromise the truth is no longer the truth just a takes a pinch of ally to leaven the truth and muddy the waters and so we need to be firm and resolute need to know what we believe why we believe it and it needs to be powers individually so that if everybody else says, you know what I'm tired of being a Christian. You haven't moved.

I mean if my mom and dad decide you know what were not good with this anymore. Well I love you Celia.

My children have a expose of the gospel that raising crazy about you know, I don't think I like demonic world will have it drink all you want. I'm not going with you that is being firm.

Maybe not in that home tone certainly would be okay but he says we might have made demands. The Greek word here for demands and remember our New Testament is originally written in the coin 80. The common Greek that Greek word for demands is weight.

We might've put weight on you.

The weight of leadership in this case.

As leaders, people tend to respond to the leaders. That's why they are the leaders in Christianity's leaders are leaders by consent of the people, never forcing anyone to do anything we shepherd the flock of God among us because we are one of you, but you know if you've come across people are always making demands on you.

It is a drag. Why are they doing this they need is some need to feel self-important is this insecure, I will. I know I can't.

I am not trying to sort these things out. But I sure like it when people allow me to be free. We love for you to come but if you don't come we love you, no less. That's freedom. But you better be at my birthday party kill you. That's not freedom, sharper Kevlar but in other things.

Okay. All right. So he says we could've put weight on you as leaders but never ruined everything is not the gospel gospel is an invitation, it carries its own way in this message.

It is a do or die is take it or leave it as is one way no other way. What about again.

God is capable of dealing with all those water bows and in the end he will do it right. We explore exposed to this with Abraham, when he sort of being an advocate for Solomon Gomorrah. Abraham I know you understand what God is about to do this place and how severe is going to be. But these people need to be dealt with and so Abraham, of course, the SYSCON you God of the universe.

You do the right thing always. Don't you go you got that right. Every baby whatever he used to call him Abraham is what he called and in the end Abraham was good with it is fine, but that whole dialogue exchange is preserved for us. It comes from God through Moses to us so that we get a look at the character of God. I am amazed that he tolerated the conversation of Abraham and you know like 5040 to go all the way down is like they just cut to the point you read the Bible a lot you sometimes you just say you know what I could probably cut a lot of this edited out and got to the point, but why not what why numbers in Leviticus likely would that it didn't describe it will just be one tribe out the problem, Moses would have wept because it was an official document. I know, I will trail here, but it's fun when you read the book of numbers and you hear the tribe after China says the same thing for each tribe that is set for the last rights in the document more.

It's a scripture to us. But at the time was written. It was also an official government doctrine. I know you say government you hair stands up and move on.

That kind of government well anyway Paul knew how important it was for these believers to learn how to be led by the Lord, not by pressure, see when you sing to somebody if you don't give $50 more when not going to be able have lollipops in whatever it is you pressuring the people do not, led by God to be pressured by leadership sure money know it's not. It's God's money. It's not my money is not the church's money is not your money is God's money. If you do not have a relationship with him.

Or that's what we work on and that's the extent of it. You have to learn how to be led by God you believe you have to come to a place in your life you can make a distinction between the restrictions of God and the readiness of God versus the meddling and misleading of Satan. You have to learn these things, you will not learn them without getting some taking some some hits getting her God is going to let you go ahead you thought that was me speaking to you. Did you will now you know it wasn't next time you be a little bit more reverent. Watch next time you won't be running out there as though I pray for what is that I pray for now.

God, you're obligated to do when I hear your special youngers imagery well but I pray for all. He said no. Now you're dealing with no wanted to show something else about you or me or something like a how good I look. I don't know whatever it is I don't mean that it's wise, when he way for visitors sake. So God has to teach the people how to be led in a do does that reduce that through other Christians. And he's doing it through Paul and Paulson. When I try to force you to do things like putting weight on you.

We want you to be led by the Holy Spirit and we do this by exposing you two choices based on God's word. You get to make the choice and you sink or swim on those.

What about make the wrong choice. God is loving, he's ahead of you.

He will protect you even when it goes wrong, so you better pack this in your knapsack. The will of the Lord that's what you better have I me don't use it carelessly or schedule that will mean Islam those that may shoot God's will and MNS not right. Sometimes we find that is God's will and is our full with learn eastings be submitted. Be patient, have faith.

Paul said he would rather starve to death than anybody think that he was begging them or forcing them. First Corinthians that when he wrote for Sprint disease. These were problematic people. This was a troublesome church of the church. He did not want to go to the church yeah are you Philadelphia Army, Pennsylvania. I me that like his value gets go to go to Thessalonica but do not go to current now wasn't that bad but it was bad there were some good folks and struggling through this church. Paul writes to them, he says, do you not know that those who minister the holy things.

Each of the things of the temple and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar, in other words, the shepherds live off the flock. The wall the Martin. It's okay. That's what he's getting at 90s continues. Even so, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel, but I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things, that it should be done so to me, for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my posting void rather die than you say you bought me that I was here are enriching myself off of you. I would rather die than make the gospel message die. The truth make it void so when King David said in first Chronicles 24 David said to Oren, and no one answered.

I did this to you for free.

David you buying this for God are given to David said no, but I was surely by for the full price for. I will not take what is yours for the Lord nor offer burnt offerings with that which cost me nothing. When we were privileged enough to purchase the land we have. We did not haggle just we did not want the world to think that Jorge comes another way to church where we didn't need me, you should give to Leslie a 501(c) with the tax cost is not.

God is not poor privilege for you to sell it to us flash so you know we as Christians, we are trying to present God is pathetic and needy and help in need of help. Again, it's a honor it's it's an honor for God saying I'm going to use you.

I had unbelievers come to my rescue.

At times in my life.

And of course as a Christian and Ives. You know you say of one Lord, may you bless them what is that mean. May they be converted by the day, they put it together and so we move on verse seven he says but we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. You know you know that picture is, before I comment on the versus just a reminder, or how this this section as outlined verses one through six. Paul itemizes the things he did not with them I think is a great lesson in that for we Christians in the workplace in the neighborhood and the church were in the family.

What are the things we don't do that we should not do so. Paul is saying I don't bake from you. I didn't do this it do that is making a record blazer.

You are witnesses of these things all in a good spirit, but here in verses seven through 12. Now he's going to start talking about things he did do the proactive things with the gospel. One of them and I was like a mom to you, not a mother.

Mom and I can come to play with our English words like that any almost anyone can woman can have a child not anyone can be a mom. We say that about dad still and if a man can siren a child doesn't mean that he can be a father to the that takes work and so Paul is saying I was like a mother to you who cherishes her child. Is there a stronger and sweeter word the same time. Love and cherish. I mean it's like with me is like the awesome should be reserved for things actually are awesome, not trivial things, but if others are doing to many of you who I love and caring cringe when you say it but you know that's no big deal, but cherish, I know I don't cherish fulfilling me on a cherish but I had ever aside from that guy said that this is a special word. It's even hard to say. Sometimes, especially for men not some human you got it you got the romantic streak in you sickening with it and you just make it harder for the rest of us who don't have it is labor, like a baseball bat. Here you are with flowers and the sky got it wrong again. What cherishes a very beautiful word and that's why we use it in the marriage vows to have and to cherish documents about back to this, but we were gentle among you, and that's what I cherish are the loving mom is gentle. Now there are those that think to his son. They behave as though to be gentle is to be dishonest because if you tell them the truth you're being brutal.

So if you live in them.

You're being a liar. You can't win the don't try this on them there trying to wiggle out so Jim and verse seven he'll say gentle as a mother in verse 11. He'll say with direction like a father and then in verse 14 he will say encouraging like a brother that is what a brother and sister should be. Is it not an encouragement to the siblings. What is an easy, sometimes you give them encouragement.

They take of the criticism, sometimes encouragement is in the form of gruesome, I encourage you to be smarter in all that you go again you dismissed the cuffs so truly be encouraging and one sometimes relationships are so strained that you got so much baggage and a history that is just best to keep quiet and hope God brings you somebody else that you can make up make it up vicariously so this is just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. This in contrast to greed. So could you imagine nursing mother hitting up the baby for a seed offering. If you just I give me $100.

God bless you.

I get those shoes I want so much and but this is how ministries conduct themselves in the passage drive around with funeral Cadillacs or whatever supercars out there and then the people of her pushing the cost of the church lot under the understanding that God's going to bless them if they give their last nickel and that is not God and and they don't figure it out little scene I been here 20 years and I'm still in debt. I better go somewhere else. They don't they say they understand that they keep giving it.

That is a weird thing and it hurts the gospel. The unbeliever see at the market, and rightfully so. So the test of the prophet is the prophet's life. The test of the apostle was that of how he treated the flock, and you know Paul when he had to stand firm like with the vessel in Galatians, he says who's bewitched you, having begun in the spirit you now being made in the imperfect and the flesh have you done all this for nothing and then and so Doug don't misunderstand, don't take his kindness for weakness and so many people do you young children still in the home don't think when mom and dad being nice to that that your opportunity to try to rip them off as to not live that not think that someone is kind there.

Therefore, week that comes from Satan. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of first Thessalonians cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you will find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe, you will be notified each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio in your favorite podcast app as well. That's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. It's Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of first Thessalonians, right here on cross reference rate