1 Thessalonians 5:19-28 (Part A)

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. So we see grieving the Holy Spirit is something that a believer does to God rejecting the Holy Spirit is something that the unbeliever does to God and then quenching the Holy Spirit in first Corinthians 5. This is something church does. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Kasten. Rick 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, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of first Thessalonians chapter 5 with today's addition of cross reference radio. This is important stuff is talking about the Holy Spirit and quenching the Spirit heightens the risk of being quenched by the spirit and that's why it's so very important.

For example, there was King Saul. Most of you avoid those of you were Bible students are familiar with King Saul. Not a very noble man at all, and yet the spirit was gone from him in spite of Samuel the prophet being in his life. In spite of the many blessings and it was Judas Iscariot.

You can't top him when it comes to apostates.

He walked with Jesus saw the miracles heard the sermons and yet he still betrayed the Lord then there was Ananias and Sapphire and so we have to remember that the Holy Spirit is as much King as the Lord Jesus Christ. He is coequal with the father and the son in every way to cut him short to interrupt him or ignore him or interfere with what he is doing is not only rude and rational. But in some cases it is blasphemous when it is taken very seriously does not operate as a king because that is not his role within the Trinity does not draw attention to himself, but he draws it to Jesus Christ. This in no way diminishes who he is and he is a person he is very much God.

So here are four ways in which we can oppose the Holy Spirit, which is to oppose the father, which is to oppose the sun.

He can be resisted. He can be grieved. He can be quenched, and he can be blasphemed and we need to talk about how these work out in life you notice there is a devolution that belongs to this first is resisted, then he is grieved and the quenched and then he is blasphemed.

It is working downhill all the time church and quench the Holy Spirit's work within their assembly. This is part of what Paul meant when he said to the Galatians, having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect in the flesh. Have you tossed him out of the boat and now you can do these things on your own. This is the whole case with the churches that were rebuked in Revelation 2 and three by the Lord Jesus himself, namely the church at Ephesus church at direct hire and predominance the church at Sardis and Laodicea, all of them rebuked for their behavior. So a church and assembly of believers and quench the Holy Spirit by refusing to repent of any sin that they may be guilty of by allowing any to usurp his authority.

Again, this is detail for us in Revelation 2 and three. By refusing to follow his leading. By permitting false doctrines and practices by permitting immoral behavior to take root within the assembly.

That is how you quench the Holy Spirit is done too often. If it is done once and it is important I think to remember that the Chrysler soul is in a perpetual state of resistance and should they die in that state of resistance that is under the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. It is the unpardonable sin. God has no solution to those or for those who reject him except to be rejected by him at death.

This is why preaching the gospel is serious business and you know I want to get ahead of myself. Just briefly here, but someone may listen to the gospel message and say it's too good to be true in the God response to that is too good to ignore. It's too good to resisted too good to die without it.

Don't be a fool. It is too good because I made it I make all things good. The New Testament warns about resisting the Holy Spirit for believers. Believers are the ones that can grieve the Holy Spirit. But before I get back to that first the unbelievers they resist him.

Stephen the apostle. You might remember in acts chapter 7 in verse 51 return there, read this part of his sermon, because it is still takes place is a very powerful part of the sermon. He says you stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. In other words, you have no covenant with God.

You pretend that you do what you don't and the evidence is and how you behave. It is contrary to what he says in the covenant and it really doesn't even bother all of that is built into that little statement that Stephen just made and he continues, he says you always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did, so do you, then hits them with this. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute the killed those who foretold the coming of the just one. I didn't mean to read all that but I love reading Scripture, and perhaps what I like more or as much in reading scriptures being able to read to a group of people to read God's word out loud is a high righteous calling back to this consideration of the New Testament warnings resisting the Holy Spirit by unbelievers is fatal in the end, then back to grieving the Holy Spirit.

This is something that believers do grieve is a love word. It is a word that you do not use for an enemy we grieve over that which we love and Paul when he writes to the Ephesians.

He's writing about the church of Christ when he writes to the Colossians he's writing about the Christ of the church very important for a doctor and very helpful. Very useful in going through those letters, but he says in Ephesians, do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. And so we see grieving the Holy Spirit is something that a believer does to God rejecting the Holy Spirit is something that the unbeliever does to God and then quenching the Holy Spirit in first Corinthians 5. This is something a church does now we move to blaspheming the Holy Spirit, Jesus spoke about this in Matthew chapter 12 anyone can blaspheme the Holy Spirit and it is to reject what he does and what does he do we said what he does.

He does not hold court. He brings us to Christ. That's what the Holy Spirit does.

Jesus said he will not testify of himself, but of me and so to reject the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to reject the gospel is to reject the cross is to say Christ. I do not need you to deliver me.

There is no pardon for that say what about the unborn, who were murdered before they are born different category. They did not deliberately, willfully reject the Lord Jesus Christ and so we are on guard that we do not extinguish or mark or attempt to create or paint the fire of the Holy Spirit wanted wanted under his supervision under his leadership all the time. Many churches and individuals. I think you all have notice this through history and even today, many churches and individuals are capable of continuing in their claim of Christ long after he is departed from them.

The religious machinery continues to grind godless grist in his name. Churches that practice blasphemy and insist they arrive.

One of the brothers was just telling me about a church service where the communion table where the priest of the leader of the group, whatever was said that he wanted to catch the football game and that if you want the communion articles here.

They are to help yourself in the flesh. In Jesus name you want to take him to task, but in the spirit. It is grievous. It is heartbreaking. Is this what Christ died for so that he could play second fiddle to anything below a sporting event that he could say, if you want to help yourself. Use of the ordinances of God.

We are entrusted to the church.

We are entrusted to men who have been called by God appointed by God to minister them to the people of God in sobriety seriousness. What does holiness mean what is the word sacred for if you can trample the blood of Christ. That's what the writer to the Hebrews said you trample the blood of Christ is not for you now. Israel did this, they trampled Jehovah a viscera. The prophets wrote about it extensively.

Jeremiah he wrote this he said God speaking to the prophet.

I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, because my people to hear my words. Then they would've turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings.

I would add that when the pastors neglect their ministry. The people begin to emulate that they fall in line with this was the case in Israel. Not all of the people. Thank God the righteous. Don't go that way, but the masses do and in Israel. This was the case they did not warn the people. So the people began to enjoy the sin that came from the pulpits. In fact, the people applauded this pastor or priest or whatever you want to call him pastor would be a misapplied word disease not shepherding the flock. At that moment if these things are so people applaud this.

They think it's cool. Not interested in coolers in Christ Jesus the Lord is nothing more cool than that, nothing more hotter than hell. Israel was addressed by the prophet Ezekiel, he talked about how they quench the Holy Spirit and he tells us how God the Shekinah departed from the temple of God in stages. It was sort of a reluctant goodbye.

First we read Ezekiel 9 verse three now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub where it had been to the threshold of the temple.

That's the seat, the mercy seat that was over this, the ark of the covenant with the cherubim wasn't so there's the Shekinah leaving going by the doorway of the temple of any rights again in Ezekiel 1018 then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple in the later he read. He departs from Jerusalem altogether. Jesus Christ reread this of him coming into the city into Jerusalem. He writes Mark doesn't chapter 11 of Mark's gospel verse 11 Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple.

So when he looked around at all things is the hour was already late.

He went out of Bethany with the 12. So he comes into the city. He looks around at everything on the temple campus is evaluating them in this evaluation led to the action that he takes the very next day we pick it up again in Mark's gospel chapter 11. This time, versus 15 through 17th. So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold dogs and would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.

Then he taught them, saying, is it not written, my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations but you have made it a den of thieves and an amazing rebuke. They didn't listen to Ezekiel 500 years ago, Jeremiah and Daniel 500 years ago. Isaiah 600 years ago in here the Lord comes in he looks around at all things, and he makes his judgment and he still doing it to this day he comes into the church which belongs to him and he looks around at all things in the bed church is just honoring him. He quenches the Holy Spirit. Revelation chapter 2 verse five remember therefore from where you have fallen repent and do the first work or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. The consequence of not repenting the consequence of leaving the first love is that he leaves us. He puts the fire system quench the Holy Spirit you don't know who you're messing with you rather pull on Superman's cape and do this. He says this almost matter-of-factly don't quench the spirit. But if you're sitting there listening to this letter being read.

You can't miss the statement they could be talking about anything and then he says don't quench the Spirit and of you know the Holy Spirit of God is you don't miss a syllable of what was just said and then he says in verse 20. Do not despise prophecies. Now we must define this because there are multiple meanings to this prophecy is manifold. According to the Scripture.

It is one of the most abused gifts given to the church is the movement of spiritual information in some form, but not limited to a single form and certainly not limited to predictive prophecy. Yes, there is the such a thing as predicting the future because God is revealed it will get to that in a minute. The context will spot for us. The operation of which facet of prophecy is in operation, when Nathan the prophet stood before David and told him the story of the man who had a dear lamb and that land was taken and eaten by a rich man who had a huge flock just to satisfy his pleasures and David said who did this, he will die for this. Nathan said you the man, David.

That's a parable of what you did to Uriah that sheep you are the man that is called direct prophecy that is sundering the truth of God at the right moment to the right person that is applying God's word appropriately when Peter said Ananias, who is filled your heart that you should lie to the Holy Spirit in a dropdead that was direct prophecy with judgment, both under the umbrella of prophecy within in Scripture. There is also those who are singing or proclaiming God's word or exalting through God's word or through God's teachings and edifying one another.

That also is called prophecy. So we go 1st to 1st Chronicles chapter 25 verse one first Chronicles 25 verse one moreover David and the captains of the Army separated for the service. Some of the sons of Asaph Heyman and over to do a fun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments and symbols and so there you see that those who were ministering to the flock in song were said to be prophesying. They were not predicting the future. They weren't singing about the future they were singing praises to the Lord and then in acts chapter 21 we read of Philip the evangelist, the gift of evangelist. That man had he would preach and people would get safe. The church has those who their strong point is not in bringing people to Christ. What is teaching people who already come to Christ the gift of teaching is in operation and that regard well here he had for maiden daughters for righteous virgin daughters and it says here in verse nine of act 21 now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied they were telling the future.

They were encouraging the flock they were preaching the word. They may have been singing. But what we are establishing here is that biblical prophecy, according to the Scripture when it uses the word. It is not limiting it to predicting the future. This comes out further in first Corinthians chapter 14. This is why we could link it very easily to the events in acts chapter 21 what the New Testament church also thought of prophecy.

Chapter 14 first Corinthians verse three but he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. So when you see someone save us, fear the Lord of fire will come out of the sky burn off all your hair and strip you of your clothing and you'll be embarrassed by her as part of prophecy. A very edifying so who would say such a thing right well you you might be surprised. Well, there's more. And so that covers this point that there is direct prophecy. There's prophecy. What is meant by song proclamation of the word exaltation edification. Whenever you preach the word to someone at work or give a word in season to a believer of these are all under spiritual activity, according to God's word. According to God does not stand to reason again that these believers were predicting events that they were also praising the Lord we see the predictive prophecy and the singing of songs labeled as prophecy in the Old Testament and the life of Saul. We mentioned him earlier.

One of the great apostates of Scripture, Samuel. You might remember, was told by God the future concerning Saul first Samuel chapter 9 verse 15 of the Lord.

That's Jehovah had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came saying tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. You shall anoint him commander over my people, and he continues to develop the prophecy and that is exactly what happened and so that is predictive prophecy, God is given the word to Samuel. Samuel now knows the future concerning these events and then in chapter 10 we see the prophecy coming to pass. But we also see other usage of the word he says in verse five of first Samuel 10 after that you shall come to a hill notices Samuel telling Saul the future because God is told Samuel you shall come to a hill of God where the Philistine garrison is and it will happen when you have come there to the city that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with stringed instruments, a tambourine, a flute and a heart before them and they will be prophesying it be singing to the Lord. Then the spirit of the Lord will come upon you and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. So what we are hopefully establishing here is the usage of the word prophecy to teach us what does the Bible mean when it speaks of prophecy. Well, it's not limited to lipolysis don't despise prophecies is not only talking about the office of the prophet is talking about the various ministries of prophecy come to the next, to which bear warning with them. The ministry of the word ministry of the word is also considered prophecy and we find this in Revelation chapter 19 verse 10 John writes, I fell at his feet to worship him.

But he said to me, see that you do not do that now this is Johnny's in heaven and is an angel with him explaining to him. Much of what is being shown by Jesus Christ, and John is overwhelmed is just about out of the ageless.

That's because you 10 yards. You do not do that here.

He doesn't say.

That way I can add it because it wasn't me it was me, I'd be telling the story so Rick, you're smarter than that. But anyway that you do not do that. I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God for the testimony of Jesus is. Of prophecy.

So you see when you are ministering the gospel when you are sharing the faith. It is under the authority of prophecy and then there is predictive prophecy. Jesus, that you see this building, not one stone will remain upon itself and of course that happened just as the Lord said it was predictive and the Temple was destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D. so sometimes this predictive prophecy is immediate. As with Samuel, and sometimes it is delayed. As with the Lord's prophecy or as with Paul's prophecy of the rapture harp also in the Greek you will be by force taken away by the Lord, other imposters, counterfeit frauds, absolutely. Let's not forget charlatans Matthews gospel chapter 7 and he will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, that we not prophesied in your name. That means they were singing they were talking about Jesus is not think in a sense of always predictive prophecy.

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