1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (Part C)

You are wrong, you're wrong. But I tell you I have justified you, I sent you one aside for me and I'm going to glorify you that you going to be holy and pure. So forget those things which are behind what you preach and reach for those things which are ahead of us, not an exact quotation, but that is certainly the interpretive rendering getting those things which are behind why so I can reach for those things which are ahead, because if I don't forget. I will reach all be overwhelmed with guilt.

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 today. Pastor Rick will be teaching from first Thessalonians chapter 4 of this edition of cross reference radio. The church is to deal with moral impurity sexual impurity when it is not there when it surfaces when it comes to attention.

We can't go all that didn't happen we have to deal with it and as a pastor, you begin to say will be better have some foxholes around the church.

So when you deal with this you can jump in them because people going to shoot at you but then you learn what right is honor here to hold up God's word on the diving in the foxhole but keep the other guy in and if you pastor should be laughing on the floor right now what I think of it anyway back to this.

Remember, the essence of sin is abuse of something that is legitimate legitimate behavior when it is abused, it becomes sin. Jeremiah chapter 10 Jeremiah says the Lord. I know the way of man is not in himself is not in man who walks to direct his own steps man gets into trouble he cannot write laws that really in the end produce the justice we all want so we must be aware of the sinfulness of legitimate things. Something can be relatively innocent but is really sin is running interference for Satan it's going against righteousness and holiness. Okay got a get to this, still holding it out because there's more. We have to get about the beer in church and all that other stuff got a little time with first.

This is a group that they want to change the world. The Christians, they say, and I'm sorry the world's not going to be changed going to be destroyed. God so loved the world, not the system of the world, but the human beings on it, but the system is by definition scripturally opposed to God. James says that friendship with the world. You are at war with God. Their opinions their ideas their standards when they conflict with God.

That is the world and the University has become the leading pulpit of the world entertainment industry also being there alternate pulpit were here at this particular conference. Whatever it is they're having. I'm reading the background of these speakers. One of them. They boasted he delivered the sermon at the inaugural prayer in Washington DC if I was allowed to do that prayer right after the prayer they would've taken me out back and shot me. What can you say to people that are making illegal every dirty thing they can get their fingers on my sermon. Would you know you know you say this, that's why guys like me don't get invited they affect them. They listen to this sermon see what they were okay. He's good, they would listen to one of my sermons and then they send the IRS and the EPA EPA is getting to the point of their claim your head the stairs anyway. Then this other one. This is a writer now.

She is written a book called Christianity. After religion the end of the church and the birth of the new spiritual awakening not on the what's in that book. What I can tell from a similar thing read about this person, but some of you might not be a very uncomfortable with this, lampooning them in all, that's the problem.

That's why they've gotten this far someone in their childhood did not laugh at them for laughing at God. Well anyway, this one does she understand that the church is the body of Christ purchased with his blood and with all her failures to attack her is a grave mistake is better to build her up in mind your field. Never mind the other guys but is says she blogs at the Huffington Post. You know what the Huffington Post is you know what they're about who and what Christian would want to blog their then it also says, also for USA Today time, the Washington Post, CBS, CNN, PBS, NPR, all of these Abilify Jesus Christ consistently. It's their agenda. You love the Lord, you raise your hand you sing to him. They hate him no Christian ought to be boasting about you. I was schmoozing over there. We notched on ships for a while and dip, then there's 1/3 one, the fourth one is the big one.

This one she's been featured in interviews on the today show and PR Huffington Post Oprah.com. She has a book called evolving in monkey town.

What does that have to do with Christ for me to know once I see Zondervan printed it. I wouldn't read anything, Zondervan Prince then there's this worn-out name. Maybe this sums it all up. Do you want the senior church. This person says that he is in his fourth decade as chief dreamer. I'm not kidding you.

What is that what you like a pastor or chief dreamer. I me and then he goes on, that he is a spiritual intrapreneur of ministry marketplace innovations you might not be disturbed by this.

I happen to believe people really go to hell and I happen to believe the role of the church is not to play with the sort of language we are to preach the love of God but the truth first, there is no agape if there is no truth truth.

The truth of God trumps the love of God, or us to cannot get to love you have affections or you have erotic love or some other thing called love its affectional perversity or anything if it's not held together by the fact of God. That's what it means. The truth of God, is the fact of God and the church's role is not to appeal to people is to tell the truth. Paul said, is the pillar and the ground of truth. What is this disturbed Christians what they did upset when I don't like it you go about exposing them to bad they need to be exposed. Elijah mocked the prophets as they cut themselves and blood gushed out they were sincere in their worship, but they were wrong. They were leading Israel and the people in Israel to hell, and the prophet decided to deal with them as they needed to be dealt with now. You always have to be careful with this, I have more that's just phase 1 want to get to phase 2 see with this lands us first voices that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, again no honor in this behavior that wants to sort of be accepted by the world you know there was a time with when the evolutionists were coming along with their lies. No evidence in the church was embracing it because they wanted to be accepted by the University's well we can say God created man on the clay of the earth because the people will know everything.

They will turn on us though because Bob begins the essay when one of them has a book here. Something about the Bible Belt, the one with the monkey evolution rights Christianity in the context of the Bible Belt in a year of the biblical womanhood how a liberated woman found herself sitting on a roof covering her head and calling her husband, master. Why just to be poor on the roof is the master but okay we will go into that. Do these people mean well I'm sure they do. I'm sure they mean well I don't think I got up in the mornings and let me see what I can. Damn today with this. Not good enough.

Why because the grass withers, the flowers fade with the word of God stands forever, and they have the word of God. And when they read things that are offensive. They skip over them and they look for things that spiritual intrapreneur of ministry marketplace innovation. I mean if you came to the church is to listen, I'd like to serve here.

I'm a spiritual intrapreneur, chief dreamer of marketplace innovation have to take me out on a stretcher laughing so hard… We can't stop them from laughing.

All right, I'm not mocking it for the sake of marking them, but we need to stand up when people try to give us the stuff you read the latest book did you read the Bible you ever read the Bible ever you read a good commentary on the Bible. Why get a warrant. Where's the commentary very insightful pack with Scripture, easy to read. If you read the Bible. He needs someone is is a good place to start. Harry Ironside read a W toes or Oswald Chambers just so much good stuff out there.

Why would you waste your time with this stuff. Verse four self-control.

He says that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in signification honor. This is self-control. It is underrated. It is understated the battlefield that we are going to meet the enemy in the world and ourselves on is the battlefield of self-control and when he says possess his own vessel.

He is meeting yourself.

Second Corinthians 47 we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God, not of us. Some commentators like to say no. He's talking about the wife that then rules out the value of everything Paul is saying for the women that is I think a wrong understanding.

In fact, the ancient Romans would refer to the body as a vessel and Paul knew that when he wrote to these Thessalonians.

And so, purity, self-control, or what is intended here in sanctification and honor, not having dealt with sanctification. In verse three will just discuss honor honor is not an entitlement. It is an achievement.

Now the media thinks they are entitled to be honored that you should believe everything they say I have a problem with the courts. You know, calling the guy Your Honor yeah I know it represents one or all of that. I still just have a problem with this lot is not very honorable and and it's always been that way but lest we offend. It's not an entitlement. And people who think they are entitled to honor while their behavior is anything but honorable are arrogant.

These just use definitions to come to this conclusion is not a personal tirade of faith without honor is not an asset to God.

It's a burden to him and honor is found in doing right no matter what the cost are that's what honor involves not taken too far. Honor becomes a hijacked virtue. An example of this would be feudalistic Japan with her to maintain the honor they were killing themselves.

Are you going to have to kill yourself now Bob Schuller that you spilled the teak and it was just way too far, but that is the case with every virtue, it can be abused. Verse five he says, not in passion of loss like the Gentiles who do not know God, now Gentile, did not know God, my protest or someone in the church bicycle Hogan reach of you who say things like that is not about appealing to people according to their understanding of what is appealing is about preaching God's truth. I almost went to hell because Christians wouldn't tell me the truth.

They would talk to me about tongs.

They were talking about going to church about being confirmed about lighting candles. They wouldn't tell me the truth about Christ and myself in sin polarizes.

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. There again, the will of God spoken up and we got a few minutes left going to get to the other interesting things. Verse six that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified that no one should wall that includes all of us take advantage here in the Greek is to overreach her to go beyond the idea of trespassing. I want to read this Proverbs. Some of you might benefit from it. Some of your victims of Proverbs 25 or 17 seldom set foot in your neighbor's house, lest he become weary of you and hate you well. This becomes a trespass after while no one is time to say I think we should be going. Then he says in verse six, defrauding his brother in this matter.

That is to rip off someone else because of sexual impurity to steal someone's sexual innocence and this is practice way too much even in churches, sexual predators, they defraud and they spoil the relationship.

David and Bathsheba is a biblical example premarital sex does this also. It robs the future partner of a Chase partner you spoiled it you've soiled it because he did not obey God. Now, those of us in Christ who may have been in the world before coming to Christ is wiped all that away says listen, I'm not lowering my standard. If you are wrong, you're wrong. But I tell you I have justified you, I sent you on the site for me and I'm going to glorify you one day you going to be holy and pure and so forget those things which are behind, but preach and reach for those things which are ahead. It's not an exact quotation, but that is certainly the interpretive rendering, forgetting those things which are behind why so I can reach for those things which are ahead, because if I don't forget. I won't reach all be overwhelmed with guilt should've done that. I feel so bad about this. He says, because the Lord is the avenger of all.

Here in verse six God is not mocked, he will deal with those who they want forgiveness without repentance. That's not going to happen from reading in verse six as also forewarned you and testified were testified there in the Greek is in an intensified form.

It would be as though Paul were saying you know how I stress this when I was there.

You know how I made it patently clear. Or you could say you know how I slammed the subject in the presence of God. And so when he says I warned you about sexual impurity in every reason to do this and so he is revisiting it with them. In verse seven he says for God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness, you better not tell that to a lot of Christians. They'll charge you with being a legalist upholding God's word is not legalist forcing others to do things your way. That's legalism may be you have heard about the churches they are now offering alcoholic beverages in the churches I call the soused in God's house squad.

What are they thinking that somehow this is going to make God attractive. How can we trust L and the cover will be limited to two beers. So you wonder when I talk about these other liberal minded approaches to the holiness of God will is connected only read something this is from Fort Worth, Texas, a church in a pub gets churchgoers into the spirit nonbeliever had to written this, so to speak.

Worship leaders hold communion at the bar and even sing hymns and songs of praise Phil Hintz who is part of Calvary Lutheran churches, bold new initiative said the idea is to spark curiosity and those around now. Curiosity killed the cat. And that's killing the church you want to spark curiosity.

He says I'm interested in having people have significant relationships around Jesus says fill part of Calvary Lutheran churches new initiative and if it turns out to be craft beer fine the parish in Portland Oregon does much the same First Christian Church holds an event called beer and hymns once a month, attracting about 100 swilling and singing young people to keep things in check. The church enforces a two beer maximum casual environment for from the notions of being in your starched Sunday best lends itself to attracting those who wouldn't be seen sitting in the pew. How did the church get to be like this that the find a righteous church to get designated drivers for people to go home. I guess I don't know how that works with what has happened here Paul says those were sitting rebuke in the presence of all that the rest may fear that's what I've been telling you these things were not to sweep them under the rug and pretend oh they're okay. All they want to reach Jesus, what a noble cause there sincere. Leave them alone have ever read.

The seven letters to the churches in the book of Revelation. These are twaddle artist and gibberish. Maestros that's what they are to come up with stuff that they've worded it so perfectly they packaged it so finally and people who don't want the word of God will take this and they are claiming that getting the word of God. Christians and they're not getting anything from God from people who seem not to even belong to God.

Now one batch again resents that I would lampoon their stupidity there uncleanness in Christ's name. Look you want. Do those things do them without putting Jesus name on them. Another batch resents that I dare expose them or disagree with them. Live and let live best Satan's line. Incidentally, when Jesus and go to the world and make disciples. It was a single let live go help people believe whatever they want to believe. For let him worship me.

Anyway they want to worship me. Still another group want tonight themselves as advocates of the ridiculous. We see this in homosexuality we see people saying well it's not for me is not my lifestyle but I don't think anybody has a right and they go on to present themselves as an advocate for the underdog and in so doing they are undermining any sense of righteousness, sensibility, and when it's in the church.

It is no question it is Satan we don't walk across the aisle.

We Christians don't compromise the truth of God is not okay Satan will give you a little and will take a little B fair and we walk away with something that is impure, destructive, it doesn't work is nothing like what God told us to do and yet this is happening all the time because we have people who work entering the pulpit with credentials such as, I wrote a book. I have a blog I have of this I have of that. I have thousands of people come to hear me every Sunday. Speak again my cure for that is, let me speak their luggage of thousands down to couple hundreds really quickly were not entrusted to give a popularity contest again. Looking at verse seven God did not call us to uncleanness. What holiness you don't need the Greek words because they mean just as much in the English holiness is something that people can even define any longer and we reject them as failures who have been entrusted with pursuing success in Christ. In other words, I'm no better than any of these people, but I am much better off following Jesus that I am these folks I am much better off following churches that and there are many good churches in this country in the world that uphold the things of Scripture. Even though we may not agree with them on many points the essentials we agree with them. They are our brothers and they are all sisters but when someone begins in Jesus name to take from Jesus's right to define holiness and cleanliness.

I think for me as we begin to part ways.

You now become the worker of iniquity leavening the church you're making a mockery of the things that men and women have died for, not only in the Scripture, but in history. Verse eight he says therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God was also given us the Holy Spirit man was created in the garden man is made in his environment and I don't come from a place of my upbringing where people fluffed things over if you got caught in a boldface lie reliably get beat up and when I find them doing this about Christ. I don't know how to be at peace with it. I don't know how to communicate my disdain for it and what they would say is a civilized way, where what they really mean is layoff civility is not defined for me by the universities. The debate team does not define for me what civility in debate is in fact Paula Corinthian said where is the scribe. Where is the wisemen. Where is the debater of this 84 has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world.

He swept all that awaits him.

I have discussed this on your terms. I am here to speak a message and that's what we are doing and so I close with this second Timothy chapter 1 verses 13 and 14. He says hold fast the pattern of sound words, which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus, that good thing which was committed to you. Keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us decision on hurting man begin verse eight.

Therefore, he who rejects this is not reject man, but God, who has also given us the Holy Spirit. Some of you have said you know Pastor, I love it that you tell it like it is sometimes I tell it like it is about something. Maybe somebody you care about is guilty of is not what I say is what Jesus says move thanks for tuning into 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.

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