Give ’em Jesus (Part C)

Paul was not trying to lead anybody to be almost a Christian. To die almost saved is to die damned.

And this is in his life. It's theology. God is not after almost saving people. And being almost saved is sort of like being almost alive.

There's no such thing. You either are alive or you're dead. Even if your vitals are low, there's life there. We even have a special office to confirm that there's no more life, right?

The coroner or do we have doctors to sign to do that? 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 called Give Him Jesus in Acts chapter 26. God says, throw down your weapons of war against me and open your heart and receive me. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them because they're spiritually discerned. Well, that's not the whole story because if it was, nobody would get saved. The natural man cannot unless God invites him. And we have a God who's willing that none should perish.

So the invitations abound. Peter had no idea that Satan was working behind the scenes influencing him as a disciple of Christ. He had no idea when he said to Jesus there in Caesarea Philippi, you're not going to the cross, Jesus.

Just get that out of your mind. He didn't know he was saying you cannot die for sinners. He was ignorant.

He was ignorant of a lot of things, oblivious to the fact that he had become the devil's instrument, the devil's voice. And Jesus was not having any of it because God was there too. In Christ, in the Spirit, Father is always present. And Peter and the disciples were going to be taught a lesson at this point. Mark chapter 8 verse 33, but he turned around and looked at his disciples. When he heard Peter say this, Jesus looked at the disciples and he said, class is in session.

Don't miss any of what I'm about to tell you. And this is what he said, and nobody ever forgot this. Get behind me, Satan, for you are not mindful of the things of God but of the things of men. That's the world.

That is the world. That is the person that comes to a church and doesn't want to hear the Bible preached because they are mindful of the things of men, and that will damn your soul. We don't hear enough of that perhaps today. Do we preach to people there is a damning of the soul?

Maybe it was overplayed at certain points in our history, but now it seems to be underplayed. There is a hell. There is an eternal death that is not going to go good for anybody who dies in that state, and that's why the angels rejoice when one sinner converts.

They understand what these things mean, such as the story of spiritual blindness, the devil at work, and the instrument oblivious, not willing to admit it. I mean, where would you get the name Satan from the Bible? And is he, is Satan not the character that loses?

He's thrown into the abyss in the end. Why do you have Satanists siding with that team? Why would you have anybody attracted? Well, I'm a Satanist. No, you're just stupid. That's all you are.

You put any of the titles that you're insulting? No, you're insulting yourself. You're born with more intelligence with that, but you have overrode the system.

So now you're defective, and nobody can fix it because you've installed booby traps. This is the world we live in, and it is important to stay focused, and one of our examples is this man Paul. He is staying focused. So Festus, the Roman governor, says to him, Paul, you're beside yourself. Now, that is sort of an idiom, I guess. You're walking down the street talking to yourself like there's two people there.

I mean, we all talk to ourselves sometimes, but not carry on an argument. There's two separate people there, and so that's what it means. You're beside yourself. You're not right. The audience had a good laugh at that.

When he said that, you can bet there was a yukking it up going on in that room. Why? Because a crucified king, a crucified Savior was unappealing to the Roman mind. A risen Savior was unbelievable, and that's what you're getting with Festus.

I don't believe this risen stuff. Yeah, but Festus, if we talked about what you believe in versus what I believe in, you would have to admit, I mean, the gods beating people up, attacking each other, getting drunk. I mean, come on, your mythological gods are pathetic.

I'll hopefully get back to that one, too. Anyway, well, we'll stay on a little bit more. The gods of the Greeks were adopted by the Romans. The Romans said, we like those gods, but we just need to make them ours, give them our names, and that's what they did. And that's why, you know, Zeus becomes Jupiter, for example.

Those gods were violent, they were vindictive, they were petty, and Rome preferred those gods over the god that said, I love you so much, I'm gonna deal with your sin for you. I just need you to side with me. That's too much to ask. Yeah, well, because there's a real devil there in the background.

And John 3, verse 19, men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. They're up to no good. And you gotta face that.

And if you don't face it, you try to sweep it under the rug, you just created a trip hazard. It's still there. You are accountable. What's the difference in our theology? The kophar in the Old Testament covered the sins until Messiah came, then the sins were removed.

They weren't covered no more. They were actually washed away in the blood of Christ. It is significant. These parallels in this created universe, they make a lot of sense.

They make points. Much learning has driven you mad. 1 Corinthians 1, 23, Paul already wrote this letter. He says, we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, to the Greeks foolishness. And he's living it out right now.

Well, not all Greeks, because Luke, who was the author of the book of Acts, he was Greek. And Luke loves pointing out the beauty of the Jewish scripture, of the Jewish Messiah. He comes to Christ, there's no racism anymore. He understands where everything is coming from, where everything is going. He understands who's useful to Satan and who is not.

And he has recorded it for us. The devil never puts up with truth. Never. If you say, I'm going to stand firm in Christ, that is a truth that comes from the scripture, we just read about Paul saying that, the devil's going to say, I'm not standing for that.

I'm going to attack it. John chapter 10, many of them said about Jesus, many of them said, he has a demon. He's crazy. Why do you listen to him? Satan is still saying that. Why do you go to that church that preaches the Bible? That's why I go to that church, because they preach the Bible. Why do you stay out of that church that preaches the Bible?

Because your deeds are evil and you love the darkness. How convenient for the world to hope that Christians and our Christ are mad or insane. How convenient.

Just brush it off. Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess before the Jesus that the world thought was crazy. We have an entire generation who is not bothered by being proven wrong. You can just turn on to any of the, you know, the university students who think they're so smart and they're going to trip up and then they get shot down and they don't go, wow, I never saw it that way. I'm going to change my position.

No, they just double down. You've completely destroyed my logic, but I'll find more illogic to replace it. Reason doesn't help them because it interferes with preference and that's madness. That's insane. Smuggly schooling each other in the ways of wicked irrational. This is what we're watching in the world and pretending to be savvy. It's global. Again, you just, we now see the book of Revelation coming to the prophecies global. The book of Revelation is global. Such tribulation, such as the world has not known, not one part of it. And there will be wars, there'll be rumors of wars, there'll be earthquakes, there'll be floods, there'll be fires. Lightweight to what's coming. What's coming, there will not be, well, there's a local flood in so-and-so place.

No, there will be everything's falling apart everywhere at the same time. And many of them will still harden their hearts. Some of them will be saved. For many, their sacred purpose in life is to overthrow truth and decency with queerness and anarchy and we can't, we don't want to hate them. We're forbidden from hating them. We've got to call them out on it if it comes off across our desk. I don't believe that. It's okay to say that.

You say, well, I might get fired. That's what persecution is. God will provide something else. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony because they did not love their lives to the death. I think every Christian, you know, every infantryman, every sailor on a warship says to themselves, I would think, how am I going to do in combat? Am I going to want to run or am I going to fight? Well, Christians should be saying, how am I going to do if persecution comes? Am I going to stand firm in the Lord no matter what or am I going to run away and change teams and lose my soul? It's not something to panic over.

It is something to put in its place. The way I do it is I say, Lord, you know what I want to do and I know what you want to do. So if it comes to that, I know what's going to happen. You will give the strength, you will give the power, and I'm comfortable with that. That's blessed assurance. There's a blessed assurance that says I know I'm going to heaven and there's a blessed assurance that says I still know I'm going to heaven no matter what. Verse 25, but he said, I'm not mad most festous.

It's kind of odd sounding, is it not? I'm not mad most noble festous. But speak the words of truth and reason.

Respectfully, I'm not giving you an inch, but I speak the words of truth and reason. And as with Felix, the governor before festous, now's not the time for truth. Some other time, churches who trade truth and reason for nickels and noses, that's what they're doing.

You know, we want people to come back. We better stop preaching the Bible. Do they and their attendees not know that that is millstone-ish? Matthew 26 verse 24, woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.

It would have been good for that man if he had not been born. Their soul will be like having a millstone wrapped around the neck and cast into the sea, which he uses as an example when he talks about those who are influencing children, who are harming children. Where are the child protective service agencies when they have these drag queen shows for kindergartners?

I don't know. I mean, my decision, our decision for homeschooling was this, I don't want to go to jail because the minute they started with, you know, their psychology, you need to do this, you know, I would open that can of spinach up and it just would not have been well. So that's, you know what, let's just, let's just intercept this because we were able, not every, not all Christians are able, not many Christians can, they got a public school and we have no right to look down on them for that. They're in the thick of it.

If anything, we should be holding their arms up and say, we got your back. So anyway, where was I? Okay, here I am. So on matters of human origin, human behavior, pain, sorrow, death, afterlife, only Christianity makes sense. I don't say that because I've always been a Christian. I have spent my time not being a Christian.

I know what the world has to offer. I know what the other religions say. Enough of them. And I think they make no sense.

They can't back it up. They have no spiritual feature. What is a spiritual feature? Our prophecy is high up on that list that I can tell the future. This is, we've been going through this with Isaiah. God says, all right, let's chat, bring your little fake gods and you tell me what's going to happen. And they could not. God is not ashamed of Christianity, but many churchgoers are. And they want to be able to go to church, feel like they're still going to heaven, and God's somehow going to look over their lives while they thumb their nose at the things he said. Sort of like an ingrate teen or an ingrate child, because there are ingrates that are past their teens.

They're in their 40s and 50s and they're ingrate. Well, don't give up. If you have loved ones like that, don't give up. So long as there is life, don't give up. And then after life, you just leave it with the Lord. He always does the right thing. And when you get to heaven, you won't have, it'd be a little like this church.

There's nothing to complain about. Verse 26. Why is that funny? Verse 26. Oh, we got to finish this up. Verse 26. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things. For I am convinced that none of these things escape his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner.

He's talking about the life and crucifixion, resurrection of Christ. He's singling. Now he's moved on. Fine. Festus, you think I'm crazy?

I'm done with you. Now he goes on to Agrippa. And this is the Christ on the cross. You know, the thief, the outlaw that didn't want to hear it, so he didn't get it. But the other one, he dialogued with him. Well, Festus said, you're crazy.

Paul says, all right. You, Festus, I mean, Agrippa, let's deal with you now. Now, when he says, I know you know these things, because you got your spies out.

You got your spy network. When Christ rose again, and he comes along, and he finds Cleopas and another going down the road to Emmaus, and he joins them. And he says, what's going on, guys? Why so glum, chum?

Because, you know, they're sad and all. And so we pick it up, Luke 24. Then one of those, whose name was Cleopas, answered and said to him, are you the only stranger in Jerusalem?

And have you not known the things which happened there in these days? In other words, everybody knows about the crucifixion of Christ. And Paul is now, over almost 30 years later, saying to Agrippa, you know the story. You know it, and I know you know it. Verse 27, King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?

I know that you do believe. Oh, man. Agrippa is saying, can somebody just pull the fire alarm? Just get me out of here. He's the king, and he is in a hot seat. No one ever stood up to him. No one ever did this to him before.

I don't think he gets another chance, though. Well, he knew Agrippa knew the Old Testament. He knew Agrippa enjoyed the Old Testament.

And he's saying, you know these prophecies are in there. Paul is, again, more interested in their salvation than his freedom. Verse 28, then Agrippa said to Paul, you almost persuade me to become a Christian.

Again, break the momentum, change the subject. Depraved Agrippa could tell that Christ was inviting him. This is a man in incestuous relationships, just to begin with. And yet, he can tell from what Paul talked about repentance and serving God, that's enough of the gospel for him to say, you're inviting me to be a Christian.

And yet, he won't take a step further. Matthew 7 13, enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction that is hell, and there are many who go in by it. Perdition. The Bible teaches choice when it comes to believing God. In Isaiah, Isaiah said, you know, if you follow those fake gods, it's your choice.

Isaiah 41, verse 24, indeed you are nothing, speaking to the idols, and your work is nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination. Oh, but the Bible doesn't mean that.

It means exactly that. Agrippa has a choice right here, and he's going to make the wrong one. Festus already made his choice. No verse in scripture tells us we're so bad that we cannot accept the invitation. Then why give an invitation? Well, Paul hit them with, verse 20, that they should repent, turn to God, do works befitting of repentance.

That's an invitation. Verse 23, that the Christ would suffer, that he would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. These are the scripture verses that Paul is saying, do you know the scripture, Agrippa?

You know the story? Connect the dots. What are you left with? You're left with Christ is the Messiah.

That's what you're left with. You almost make me a Christian. Agrippa realized what was happening here, that he was on defense, that his soul was being attacked and invited at the same time. Now, Agrippa used the word Christians, a nervous dismissal. Christians wasn't the word used by the Christians at that time in history.

That became our title. They were those of the way, disciples of Christ. When Paul answers this statement of Agrippa, he's not going to use the word Christian. He omits that word. So it's like Agrippa saying to him, you're almost making me a Jesus freak.

That's what's going on. And instead of Paul saying, I wish you were a Jesus freak, he's not going to do that. His act is two together. Verse 29, Paul said, I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today might become both almost and all together, such as I am, except for these chains. The description of Paul, according to 2 Corinthians 10, 10, his bodily presence is weak, his speech is contemptible.

Add to that chains. And yet he's running the show. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weak things of the world to bring to nothing the strength of the mighty. And we're seeing it in action. Here is Agrippa in his purple robe. Bernice is no doubt bedecked with jewels.

They came in with great pomp and ceremony, we're told in Acts 25, 23. And Festus is robed in scarlet. And there's Paul in chains. I don't know if he's in rags or just a common, more likely just a common robe. He's not, you know, been in prison that long for that.

He's loud visitors. But he's in chains. He's a common man. And Jesus has not come into our lives to enslave us, to shackle our life. He says, you should know the truth and the truth should set you free.

And he is the truth. And he says here, Paul, the very important, you might become both almost and all together, such as I am. Paul was not trying to lead anybody to be almost a Christian, to die almost saved is to die damned. And he, this is in his life, it's theology. God is not after almost saving people. And being almost saved is sort of like being almost alive.

There's no such thing. You either are alive or you're dead. Even if your vitals are low, you're still, there's life there. We even have a special office to confirm that there's no more life, right?

The coroner or do we have doctors to sign to do that? Anyway, verse 25, Paul says, God is not saved. He's not saved. Verse 30, when he had said these things, the king stood up as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them. He stood up and said, well, if nobody's going to pull the fire along, then we're going to just end this thing.

We're almost done. The cost of refusing Christ is not worth it. Revelation 21 8, and I read these verses to we Christians so we can use them. Revelation 21 verse 8, but the cowardly, those afraid to make that commitment, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. Well, let's finish verse 31 and 32.

I'll get to the other quote. And when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves saying, verse 20, 31 is where I am, this man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains. Verse 32, then Gripper said to Festus, this man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar. Well, you're stuck Festus, you should have thought about the charge on him before he was allowed to appeal to Caesar, but now you're politicking and now you're stuck. That's basically what he's telling you.

I can't help you. I don't know what charge to make against him. The most persuasive saint cannot persuade a soul against their will. Christ could not save anyone when he walked the earth or else they wouldn't crucify him. Paul could not, neither can we, but we're after the ones that can be saved.

When the roll call is given in heaven, missing from that call will be Felix and Drusilla, Festus, a Gripper, and Bernice. And I'll close with this verse, Revelation 20, verse 15. You all know this verse. Let's recite it together. I'm kidding.

I'd be pretty impressed. Yeah, I got it, Pastor. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

There's a serious consequence for messing around with the Christ. And the world does not believe it. Many of them do not know it. And that's part of what we're here for.

That's our assignment, our mission. You've been listening to Cross-Reference Radio, the daily radio ministry of 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 crossreferenceradio.com. That's crossreferenceradio.com. We'd 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 can subscribe at crossreferenceradio.com or simply search for Cross-Reference Radio in your favorite podcast app. Tune in next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Acts, right here on Cross-Reference Radio.