Tracing Christ (Part C)

Human history is never seen such restraint is in Jesus Christ. Note 91 all is none righteous, no not one. That's the truth. None have the restraint of Christ. No, not one face the mock trial. The false judges the lying witnesses, biased jury did not take law into his own hands. Even though he had every right 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 first Peter, 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 continues his message called tracing Christ as he teaches through first Peter chapter 2 what the Greeks had was a tablet with all the Greek letters on and they would put paper over that and they would teach the students how to write the letters by tracing the Greek letters from Alpha to Omega copy. It was something to trace, leaving us an example, we ought to trace Christ, we are to follow his example.

His life were to put a top of his life, our life and mimic it as best we can imitate better word so the word there again. For example, in the Greek is the word for the tablet use. It had other uses to essentially a letter to copy. You could also say that would be accurate. How we come up with these understandings will we look not we me. Those who are scholars of language they look into the various secular writings and see how a word was used by their philosophers and their scholars and that brings them closer to understand how the word was used so they make sure they get it right and its context intact. All the text about it and we are very grateful for them and so that is a powerful part and we just were going to move on because it doesn't need to be enhanced. You don't paint gold you polish it you take it as it is and that is one of those sex.

This is one of the section of Scripture where he says he leaves us something to trace himself. Verse 22 who committed no sin.

This is one with tracing nor was deceit found in his mouth is a quotation from Isaiah 53, but it is also a statement of observed fact Peter was there as in the case never had anything on him. Isaiah 53, one of the most beautiful chapters in all the Scripture because of how Christ fulfilled it but a very sorrowful chapter to read so much so the Ethiopian eunuch asked Philip who is he talking about himself or someone else who is this great supper of Isaiah 53 verse nine of Isaiah 53 they made his grave with the wicked by with the rich at his death because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. Prophet called long before it happened to be nothing in Christ charged with falsity of sin. There was no work of the devil in him. The only sin found in Jesus belong to you and me.

The only righteousness found in you and me belong to Jesus.

Thank you Lord, because he could have just scrapped us. He did not die for us sending his son. He was incapable of sin because of who he is John's Gospel.

He says this in chapter 14 the ruler of this world that is Satan is coming and he has nothing in me is nothing inside of me that he can commit to.

The only person the Bible says is sinless in this way is Jesus the Christ our Lord.

And anyone who says otherwise speaks heresy is walk his talk, his work, all of it flawless.

All of it perfect.

Such a statement can be made of no one else not boot or not.

Confusion is not Mary, not Mohammed. All of them that I just named need needed a Savior to be forgiven by a holy God. Like every other human being. The great heroes of the Jewish faith Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, all of them need Savior. All of them were sinful men in Christ, there is the Savior.

You either you know no one really goes to hell because of sin. Go to hell for rejecting Christ because if you went to hell because of sin and we are all going to hell what keeps us out of that hot place is him. The Lord Jesus Christ. What about all those other ones those hard cases and hardly God to do the right thing and is good with me. Verse 23 who, when he was reviled not revile in return when he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously read that when he was reviled.

He did not revile in return, I say to myself. Are you kidding me.

What happens when I revile my feelings get hurt and you know what happens when you when your feelings get hurt. I mean it is a big thing when there when someone has penetrated your defenses and touched you emotionally bad way. It is a big thing you look at them. You can have contempt discussed, you want to avoid is a whole range of things depending on the moment the personality circumstances all range of things that make you want to strike back in some form even of it. I just will withdraw. I will be around him was that I will is also some stuff going on. Christ did not know they hurt his feelings. They said your child the fornication were not. He took it he continue to minister preach truth the one that detonated the universe could have snuffed them out at any time and he did not.

Human history is never seen such restraint as in Jesus Christ. Note 1.

All are sinners.

There is none righteous, no not one. That's the truth. None have the restraint of Christ. Note not one face the mock trial. The false judges the lying witnesses. The biased jury did not take law into his own hands. Even though he had every right to.

He said I can call 72,000 angels. All I have to do is sigh deeply.

And you've had it. One angel, one angel grab Satan chains him and trust him him to jail. One angel, what would 72,000 of them do, and is just toying with them because he doesn't have to call any of them. What a magnificent Lord we have the truth of which is not yet been fully told. But we have enough of the truth to get to the second part while his miracles were awesome. Proper use of the word pass that up his restraint what you call that I again the one that has formed the galaxies and maintains them.

You know how much energy is tied up in the universe and Adam how much energy is built into that, and yet he holds it together as we are told, even in the new testing estimate upholding all things by the word of his power. Keeping it all and check to have such power to create and hold together so much and then to hold back against those who will going to hurt you and hurt the ones you love.

Incidentally, Isaiah 43 verse three. A bruised reed he will not break the smoking flax. He will not quenched. He will bring forth justice and truth. Bruised reed. That's weakness atop of weakness arenas not very strong to have it damaged further weakens it and yet the Lord does not come in like a bully and trampled a week. He is the one that endears himself to the week that will have him smoking flax smoking flax is something that has an element of self-destruction at work. It's burning away and he doesn't come in and just snuff it out to patient to let his enemies smolder against him until the right time to let the bruise read be bruise without Dave doing it damaged but the whole time. There are other forces of his person at work to save and to reach the lost, it says here in verse 23 when he suffered, he did not threaten what he did what he didn't do what he did to suffer. What he didn't do is threaten these this is what makes him awesome because you look at this is who can do this stuff and didn't even where Kate Isaiah 53 verse seven he was oppressed. He was afflicted.

Isaiah speaking about events that would happen over 700 years after his writing, speaking in the present tense. He was oppressed. He was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth present past mix. He was led past tense, though a 700 years away, as a lamb to the slaughter as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. Grace is strength held back held in reserve. You can treat an egg with grace. Or you can crush it but committed himself to him who judges righteously see this is the thing I struggle with.

Sometimes, because God's again.

You know why I picked a joke humorously, but there's an element of truth in this God acts like he's got forever like his eternal will. Because he is but maybe I haven't I have a clock that's raising and the results that I want. There's effort that I put into things I want to see the harvest and I sometimes feel cheated. I don't believe it. I don't succumb to it. I just notice and notice the feelings that come with the package to feel cheated to feel robbed when I feel that way. It's because I'm not committing myself to the goodness and greatness of God. Christ did on the cross all the way through. He just this will be handled according to the Scriptures. He never allowed himself to be diverted from his faith or his mission. Verse 24.

I don't know about you but I love talking about Jesus.

Those of you might have a problem you love talking about other people. Maybe you should learn to talk about Jesus.

Verse 24, who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed well, who himself bore our sins, God personally and painfully got involved. We cannot follow his example in redemption we are tracing Christ we are following his example of leadership of life of faith, of suffering of everything except redemption week we can do that there are certain things about Jesus. We have no part and we stop its illustrative force very briefly in the book of Genesis and Abraham said to his young men stay here with the donkey the lad, and I will go yonder left. Abraham said when he was taken told to take his son, his only son, whom he love God said taken to a hill that I will show you and's offer him a burnt offering their Abraham knew God was going to let him keep that boy was a young man at this time. So he says prophetically.

You stay here I am the lad will go yonder and we will be back God the father says my son and I will do things you stay here will be back so that's a wonderful illustration. It says here on a tree. Peter states the gruesome fact Jehovah witnesses as they do their wrong with this whole thing "driving a tree, not across the Tom and just gotta be patient and rebuke them if given the chance the other day the other day outside, and these cities.

This couple walking to the neighborhood and I'm thinking stem so so they come the house and ring the bell and I step out and I'm ready ready and I said Joe witnesses, they said no Baptist waterlogged Baptist.

My brothers do you know how hard it is to get that pin back in the grenade so anyway, why does Peter and Paul, why do they refer to the cross as a tree.

That's what it was. By using the tree.

They tied the cross into the curse prophesied by Moses in the law and prophecy, Deuteronomy 21 verse 2340 was saying on a tree is accursed of God. You see that when they put Christ on the cross, he became accursed because he took our sin on him. It is tied directly to Deuteronomy so that when there's no mistake that he took our sin, he who knew no sin.

He who was incapable of sin, accursed tree as opposed to accursed cross because in Moses day crosses were relatively unknown as though Christ was crucified on it. Other means of executing people in the cross, was not it, but the tree is an image and emblem is timeless and so both Peter and Paul use it in the book of acts concerning the crucifixion of Christ.

They also use the cross of Christ because they understood it was one and the same thing but the tree put on that cross. The curse of sin Simon. This Iranian he did not carry the tree of Christ. He carried the cross of Christ that became the tree of the curse.

When Christ was crucified on it. So forever linking the cross to Deuteronomy's prophetic utterance. Paul says Christ has redeemed us. Galatians 313 from the curse of the law that ties it in with Deuteronomy. The second account of the law, not a different one. He continues Paul does having become a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree seed ties it into Deuteronomy so we understand that when we talk about the tree Christ was crucified on. We understand it was prophetically uttered in its connection to being cursed on our behalf that we he continues here in verse 24. Having died to sins, might live for righteousness was the alternative, if were not to live for righteousness. As Christians, what are we to look for anything you put in there. Outside of the righteousness of Jesus Christ is wrong. Which of Paul said for me to die is gain to live is Christ.

This one thing I do this all over on the testaments doesn't mean the annual what is that mean I how do I do this when you live in the place of God is put you. For example, if you are a middle-class person delivers a middle-class person in righteousness. It doesn't mean well and I gotta be poor and living by the garment that was seamless and where that be like if corset does their greater things God wants us to be concerned with, and that is tracing Christ on behalf of lost souls.

As long as a Christian has breath and consciousness. Our role in life is to minister the gospel in some way.

If we cannot preach it.

We can pray for those who do. I believe the Scripture says ladies are not to be pastors in the church having authority over the men, but they can give birth to pastors they can preach to the world the gospel. Nonetheless, without shame, without hesitation, they can get the full-blown gospel. It is not a dealbreaker.

It is a glorious thing to think about such mothers as Susanna Wesley, who gave us both John and Charles Wesley songs that you did you know John Wesley saved England from the reign of terror that befell France not long after his death. France fell apart became a theistic, violent, hostile butchers of the unborn and the born alike because there was no gospel, but in England. England, the preaching of John Wesley and his brother the songs of Charles Wesley, the ministry of those two men. It is said Charles John Wesley put over 400,000 miles on horseback to preach the gospel. Samuel Johnson was a great drain of that day was frustrated that Wesley wouldn't stay put, long enough to engage him in conversation because Wesley had other things to do but sit there and talk about dictionaries, ABR, preaching anybody could well mean just a great dynamo. He was almost lost his life as a little lad's father was a preacher, Samuel Wesley, the house, the parish court on fire and they just barely save Wesley from the fire and forever. He referred to himself as a brand plucked from the burning and and anyway, I didn't mean to go into 22 John Wesley was only about 5 foot 76. His Social Security number. I don't know why brought all that other somewhere in there, but the hope is life he lived.

Dumb. You can don't sell yourself short in Christ is you have the power of God works in your life. We all do is to fight not to buy the stripes we are healed. He says well without the stripes life without crisis life without salvation.

Those the stripe is singular in the Greek, one scholar has pointed out to the government pointed out, I try to get a bevy of scholars before I make certain statements to make sure not taking liberties.

I don't have any way. He's not talking about the beatings of Christ with the whip in the fist, and whatever other things that were put upon him.

He's talking about the cross, the suffering on the cross was the judgment of God on him. For us, as he was our substitute and so this verse recessed by the stripes we are healed. Healed the spiritual healing from which sin has done to humanity to the individual and that is damn this whole separate them from a holy God. Verse 25 for you are like sheep going astray, but have now return to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. Not very flattering to say the summons like a sheep.

Sheep they don't have the greatest reputation as being smart. I know there are those that will possess even real spotless and because they can remember one or two things that you know they really not.

And maybe because they're so emotional really ever see them try to get out of a small whole flock of them there to solve crime is a joke. Almost it used to be a finger to two men would try to walk to the door the same time they become wedged. That's humorous, but the shape they do it without trying to be funny because they don't know any better. I did a lot of watching YouTube videos on sheep because I'm not a country boy will why know about CPAP.

Nothing.

Anyway, again, piano. Where was I will they not strong, you never see a sheep pulling the cart not very well, at least then I swear if you see a fake out a wolf pitch is not they they did not intelligent animals that some intelligence. Of course, but not a lot, but they have not much knowledge of direction and being defenseless.

What an accurate description. We are like sheep again, though it's not flattering if he is said my people are like lions yeah man that's me know.

He said sheep and when we embrace this.

I think we get stronger. I think we begin to understand okay this is this is how it happening. So what's my what is my defense. Then, if I am a sheep Shepherd is your defense that is that now gives me hope pieces but now have returned or turned towards the Greek word can also mean convert turn towards the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

Once lost, now not lost the idea with the shepherd. The good Shepherd, this is Macy Janik because the Old Testament had much to say about the coming servant, the shepherd of God. It also has much to say about the fall shepherd antichrist and the false shepherds of the world and so once without a good Shepherd. Now we have him ask chapter 3 verse 19 Peter said repent therefore, and be converted, that is come to the shepherd turn towards him, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. People do not go to hell again because of sins go to hell because rejecting Christ, we are now and this is something that we have been God. As far as our message purpose. Preach this message and uphold it, and it takes a lot to move. We are so glad you tuned in today to study the book of first Peter on cross reference radio cross reference radio is the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia, and we are blessed to bring you God's word with each broadcast. If you'd like more information about this program or want to listen to additional teachings from Pastor Rick please visit our website cross reference radio.com also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast so you'll never have to miss a program. Just search for cross reference radio iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. We hope you tuned in again next time to join us as we continue our study through the Scriptures like here on cross reference radio