Closing Encouragements (Part A)

So many of us Christians, we tend or lose sight of the fact of reality teaching from Jesus Christ himself that the pastors rule over the church and all help to open that up. The immature will struggle with patrol understand and it is emphasized by the writer because it is taught by God throughout Scripture. It's not just found 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 Hebrews. 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, here's Pastor Rick in the book of Hebrews chapter 13 with part one of his message. Closing encouragements you have your Bibles turn to Hebrews 13 verse seven will take seven through 17 verse seven. Remember those who rule over you who have spoken the word of God to you is faith follow considering the outcome of their conduct.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines, or it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which not profited those who have been occupied with them.

We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. Here we have no continuing city. We see the one to come. Therefore, by him, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God. That is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name, but do not forget to do good share with such sacrifices God is well. Please obey those who rule over you be submissive, they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account that them do so with joy, not with grief that would not be profitable to you in Jesus name, amen. Verse seven. These are closing encouragements. Incidentally, so before we reread verse seven for those of you who've not been following consideration of this Hebrew document, just a quick overview of what's going on. The writer who is very likely Paul the apostle is writing to Jewish Christians who are considering leaving the faith or mingling the faith with Judaism leaving the faith because of Judaism. Wanting to go back to the temple since they had suffered such reproach and pressure from their countrymen and their family members, and so he writes this document to say if you do if you leave Christ you are doing your soul is doing. I know that doesn't match many Bible teachers are saying will want your Savior always save and things like that. That's not what this document preaches at all. Not even close. Sorry I can disagree with even the biggest of the guns among human pastors are not the only one, but we are in the minority, but you have to read it for what it says it is better to take it as as it's delivered and then try to have it fit some theology and so he's writing to them throughout this letter saying you you must stay with Christ gives them so many reasons that he gave them in the last consideration. Chapter 13 of Hebrews verses one through six critical points of the faith continue in love. Marriage is sacred and undefiled in this next section. He's has closing encouragements for them and it it might serve as an awakening for some Christians who never come into this passage and consider what it has to say.

So let's now look at verse seven.

Remember those who rule over you who have spoken the word of God to you whose faith, follow considering the outcome of their conduct. So vital is this first clause that it is repeated three times in this 13th chapter that causes those who rule over you.

You might have another translation, and maybe it doesn't use the word rule. It might substitute appropriately.

Those who lead those who are chief among. It has to do with the pastors in the context makes it clear these are those that are ministering the word of God, and it is unfortunate that so many of us Christians. We pretend or lose sight of the fact of this reality.

This teaching from Jesus Christ himself that the pastors rule over the church and I'll have to open that up. The immature will struggle with this patrol understand and it is emphasized by the writer because it is taught by God throughout Scripture. It's not just found here in the Old Testament we have it illustrated very hard lessons earlier. The pastor even though the writer of Hebrews mentioned the rod of Aaron that butted because Aaron was given the assignment of ruling over the priesthood. He was the high priest under. Of course, Yahweh, and so I am emphasizing it. Not because I'm a pastor but because God emphasizes this as I mentioned three times in one chapter, whenever that happens when God repeats something in close proximity. It is an emphasis when he doesn't three times. It is a great emphasis needed shepherd's rod is an emblem of his protection from walls those who would harm the flock from predators, but it is also accompanied by will the also includes the shepherd's rod and staff. Those are also emblems of correction for believers in the church now not in your lives, not outside these walls. We don't go to your house and tell you how you have the range of furniture would job you can have and who you can marry though if you want to marry an unbeliever. We will of course raise up the word against that and love and kindness. Of course, but firmly. And so Paul writing to the Corinthians who were the cause of so much grief for him. He writes to them in the first Corinthian letter he says what do you want first Corinthians 421.

Shall I come to you with a rod or in love in a spirit of gentleness sees a shepherd is a pastor and he says when I come back to current. If you don't clean your act up.

And I believe is listed in the document and in the letter. The list what needs to be straightened out amongst of the in bickering, I'm up Paul, I'm a Peter I move up all of this junk and he says when I get there. You want me to take my belt off you want me to enforce the word of God spiritually or will you examine yourselves clean this up and then I can come and be gentle and do the work that a pastor loves to do choice was theirs. Christians, especially today looking at what we know from history in the church and even in the early church. I should add the apostolic fathers. Those first leaders of the church after the apostles had died. They emphasize this very point. Ignatius in writing to the Ephesians, he emphasized to treat the pastors as though they were Christ. I'll expand on what would happen if you treated every believer as though they were Christ, think twice about how we behave will be not Christians do tend to deny shepherds the rod of correction, rendering them non-shepherds does have a rod is not a shepherd is a guy walking out front of the sheep. So we have to stay on this just a little bit I'll try not to overdo it. But again, if the Scripture emphasizes that we cannot sweep past because it might be unpleasant for some, many, many good-natured Christians are good-natured, so long as they get their way. Never mind what Scripture says so long as it fits their temple that is called carnality in the Scripture because they become quite ill will in the shepherds exercise authority that is been given them to Christ in the house of the Lord and rule template is also found in Moses is found in King David and the kings. It is found in the apostle Paul and Peter and John, where do we hear Paul putting anything to a vote. Don't because he speaks with the Lord is told him God doesn't put that to avoid another somethings you can kind of vote on, you know which brand of half-and-half you going to use café template be to generic one or would be some namebrand so we have to remind ourselves at this point in this time in our history.

It's not the militant homosexuals. It's not insane. Liberalism it's not Islam. Christians are killing churches, Christians are doing it the way they do it well. The result is the church still continues to call itself a church. Just as an operator's one and they continue to gather and sing songs and to the Lord. But they've walked away from obedience to the Holy Spirit and the abandon such teachings as this, and why I don't know because it not better off for we have I think in this church. Many Christians will abide by these principles and I think all of us a better off work because it comes from God. Now if I was the author of this verse do you have good reason to reject but I am not so we have to face it, there is legitimate use of authority, even in the lives of Christians because Christians had tend to think within the think I'm saved. Jesus love me died for me, therefore, get out of my face, not Christianity. First Timothy chapter 5 he writes to the pastor. He says let the elders rule.

See there it is again let the elders who rule well be counted on worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word in an doctrine teaching of the word taken away from the church of what you left with hollow shell husk. So let's reverse this verse that sound weird forget those who lead you who have spoken the word of God to you. Don't follow their faith ignore the outcome of their conduct. See that happen. We see pastors coordinate moral sin in the entire congregation sweep aside because he's popular is cuddly. I am not that I don't think I've been cuddly since I was in a blanket. First Thessalonians 512 and we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you and over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. I know that there are people in this church to pray for me because I'm the pastor. They pray daily.

They tell me I greatly appreciated Charles Spurgeon a great preacher of England.

England many years ago was asked what why he was so successful in his ministry and his answer is a standard answer my people pray for me. Take that away and spiritual elements that make things work for the people of God begin to fail so clearly commanded in Scripture clearly violated in many church buildings. He says also. Here in verse seven is faith. Follow considering the outcome of their conduct should be any other way.

If you have a pastor that stumbles into immoral sin. He is disqualified from pastoring the soul may still be saved. But he is disqualified from pastoring if he has not stumble and he is adhering to the word, then you have evidence in your midst of the hand of God working in the flock verse eight Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. Now this is, it appears almost random. He says in the beginning, consider those. Remember those who rule over you and this is Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever. It is a transition into what is about to say, but it does seem random. Here's how I think it came to be. I think as he was writing these things, mindful of what he had experienced as a seasoned Shepherd of the flock raises remember those who rule over you spoken the word of God to you is faith. Follow considering the outcome of their conduct. There were false teachers rising up even then, and then he has this outburst of praise and adoration built on all and hope he burst out Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever. His solid what I'm telling you is is not something that shaky or fickle or bad, is permanent does nothing about him that needs to change is no way to improve Jesus Christ. He doesn't need it. So it comes out in his writing is writing this because of you ever used a pen and writing in your devotional time or preparation for any think you should have experienced moments where the Spirit of God comes upon you, and you Blessed be the name of the Lord, everything sort of converges on you. At that moment that spiritual that's what happened to him. I believe whether or not it happened at that verse. It happened in his life. Time and time again you cannot produce such a document is Hebrews and not be the recipient of wave after wave after wave of experiences the Lord Paul said a messenger from Satan has been given to me to buffet me to attack me to stabilize me.

I'm paraphrasing now because of the many revelations because God has spoken to me so many times so many ways less go to my head.

I have my struggles to keep me in check so this outburst over church rulers. Don't be afraid of that does not mean that they are tyrannical despots or totalitarians or anything like that means that they have total authority when it comes somebody at some point has got to be able to have the ability to say this is the way we are going with this is not this is also this being the same.

This immutability of God is an exclusive attribute of God either attributes that God has that we share into some degree the ability to love.

For example, with this to be unchanging only and uncreated being possesses.

This no moods, steady always consistent, never have to wonder if God is in the mood to hear our prayers if he is in the mood to love us. He does not change. He is perfect. Verse nine do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines word is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. Well this. Do not be carried about with various strange doctrines, heresies, man-made teachings that contradict that contradict what is been established in the Scripture strange ideas, things that don't belong because they're false and they are harmful at the same time. Now if you go home or if you just got your car after service and there's an uninvited stranger in your car when you get there you know instantly you got a problem. Something is not right if you go all matter to get in. What's his motive.

Same with false doctrine is strange. It doesn't belong. There's not been invited. It comes in and out of line if you want to appease it. You go right ahead into heresy and do that but if you want to serve the Lord, you will chase it out. There is always been those within the faith call upon Christ who get tossed to and fro by anything that excites them emotionally to get it like that you like it or not is not paramount at secondary what is primary is it from God.

Is it true because the false teachings that Satan injects into churches are meant to seduce there meant to appeal. They are faster than such a way that is a wound that glitters but it's not gold when he wrote to the Ephesians. He said that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceit or plotting.

Satan comes up with some new thing that the world just adores in the shin. The Christians embraced.

We love what they're doing. Let's do it to that seduction. You say that hurts hearing it all. If you guilty it will hurt.

That's with appealing begins.

But if you harden up how dare you presort how dare you make that application your goose is cooked so he says these things because he knows better.

He knows what it's all about when he says that pastors are watching over your soul.

It's not just him going include this because it just sounds good. James will come along and remember start getting your heads ready for James if we can say like this Hebrews is the good cop. James is the bad one. James is going to rip us all open. Is he gets no mercy to carnal ways.

It keeps the spirit in front of us. When Jesus said be perfect for your father in heaven is perfect.

James behaves like that's the only thing he heard is going to be good for all of us. Well, back to this when he says don't be carried about with various there are many of them strange doctrines. What is the alternative to sound doctrine, harmful doctrine, not just bad you can you can bite into a piece of fruit say that's bad and it not be harmful, but you can poison poison is harmful and it is bad for you.

Jude and his little letter that is that this gigantic document, even in the early church when the apostles were still there is a certain men crept in unnoticed long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. He sees guys of crept in unnoticed. Somebody was not discerning somebody thought everything is okay so long as Jesus name is put on it. They are wrong. We are made strong by hearing what is right, not by hearing what is wrong. You know when the writer says bad company corrupts morals. He saying spiritual scrubs will make you a scrub spiritual reject is of Christ will make you reject the truths of Christ starts settling for lesser things. For course, things for things that have no place on the table of Christ things that you never do or say in front of him, you begin to do and say and dismiss it under the guise of grace. So second Timothy Paul writing to the pastor says for God is not given us a spirit of fear but love power. Power to do right to serve Christ and continue with him, and he adds this, and of sound mind is not giving you the spirit of fear but of love and of power, and of a sound mind and how many Christians behave as though they've lost their mind so we are on guard against these things continues in verse five it is good that the heart be established by grace. Grace is undeserved kindness from God to you and it is often undeserved kindness from you to others. That's grace.

Obedience is not legalism enforcement of God's commandments is not legalism. Legalism is the enforcement of things that God is not commanded. Grace is obedience in the form of Christ likeness born out of love for him to move. You've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

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