Pursue Peace With All People - Zac Poonen

you want to turn to Hebrews in chapter 12 Hebrews has got a some very strong exhortations and that's the reason why many Christians don't like the book but is one of the most important books of the New Testament in my series of 70 hours through the Bible I took four hours out of 74 Ebru that's a little disproportionate compared to the number of books or even compared to the number of pages but you know that I felt that was the burden the Lord laid on my heart and particularly since I felt my calling was to emphasize what other Christians were not emphasizing I felt that burden for Hebrews and we read here in it's written too first of all let me tell you that it's written to god-fearing believers see this in chapter three verse one Hebrews three verse one you know to whom this letter is written there are people who don't know the Bible who try to teach others who say the book of Hebrews is not for believers in fact there was somebody from here who went to some other places in our CFC churches and told young people Hebrews is not for believers can you imagine that someone in CFC an older person could say such a crazy stupid thing as to say that the book of Hebrews is not for believers that is blasphemy it's like canceling the scripture it says if you remove something from this book the last words and the Bible in Revelation are if you remove something from this book God will remove your portion from the Tree of Life but obviously that person was not scared of saying that Hebrews chapter 3 for whom is it written chapter 3 verse 1 holy brethren partakers of a heavenly calling for whom Jesus is the Apostle and high priest of our confession very clear to whom it is written and to such people it is written in chapter 2 verse 3 how will you escape if you neglect such a great salvation he's not talking about rejecting it holy brethren in Christ do not reject this great salvation but they can neglect it do you know the difference between neglect rejecting your child and neglecting your child there are many parents who do not reject that children they don't send them out of the house but they neglect them that means you don't feed them you don't care for them you don't let them get the proper education you don't feed them clothe them that's neglecting so born-again believers don't reject the salvation but they can neglect it they can neglect the Bible I don't think any of you reject the Bible but it's quite likely that some of you neglect it and they don't reject this salvation they want to go to heaven but they neglect it this salvation which is meant to save us from our sins here on earth so it is to such brethren he says in chapter 3 verse 12 brethren please take care that in you in you you don't have an evil unbelieving heart that makes you fall away from the Living God can a holy brother who's got Jesus as a high priest develop an evil unbelieving heart that falls away from the Living God yes definitely I've seen it happen I've seen it happen to people who are in CFC young people who were were born and brought up here they've neglected rejected and developed an arrogance and a pride which has developed in evil unbelieving in heart that makes them fall away from the Living God the proof that they have fallen away from the Living God is they become so arrogant and proud you can't live with the Living God and be an arrogant proud person that's impossible those who don't dwell with God who become arrogant and proud we've seen young people like that they don't even realize they've fallen away from the Living God so to save us from that it says in verse 13 but encourage one another every day as long as it is called today because one of these days it'll no longer be called today there'll be no longer today it'll be yesterday because the Lord has come but as long as it is called today encourage one another because verse 14 we become partakers of Christ not because we just accepted the Lord once if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end I mean how many times does the Holy Spirit have to emphasize something and so today if you hear his voice don't harden your heart and then he takes the example of those who came out of Egypt led by Moses verse 16 you know that when they came out of Egypt they were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb they put on the door not everybody did it I think there were some Israelites who said what rubbish put the lambs blood on the door as if that's going to protect and they neglected it and their eldest son died even though they were Israelites but some Egyptians Egyptians put the blood outside the door and they escaped but the Israelites who did not believe that's for Albert's son died but they came out of Egypt but because they put the blood on the door and they were baptized in the Red Sea and came out and the Holies the cloud came upon them picture of the baptism of the Holy Spirit they were like today's saved people save baptized and baptized a spirit but in spite of that 4:17 God was angry with them for forty years that's a warning for us and God said you will never enter into you into my rest verse eighteen even though he saved them from Egypt they were not able to enter in verse 19 because of their unbelief so what therefore chapter 4 verse 1 let us fear lest we also have a promise of entering into his rest and you don't reach there it's not enough to have the good news preached to us verse 2 they also heard it but they were not united in with faith with those who heard but if we believe and hold on to our faith we will enter into rest so we want to just skip over to chapter 12 chapter 12 verse 14 pursue peace with all men and sanctification that is holiness that means the progressively getting holier and holier pursue it without which no one will see the Lord we don't get sanctified in a moment we are forgiven in a moment forgiveness is not a process when God says I've forgiven your sins that's it it's forgiven and God says I will not remember your past sins anymore that's it but sanctification which is becoming like Christ that's a process it's like climbing a mountain it's like running a race it says your pursue that sanctification without which nobody will see the Lord whoever you are you will not see the Lord if you don't see pursue sanctification forget about going to heaven you won't even see the Lord and if you don't pursue peace with all men very important that means it doesn't mean that we have to be in peace with everybody we have to pursue it but we're told in Romans chapter 12 a comforting verse so that we don't get condemned Romans 12 verse 17 and 18 Romans 12 verse 17 and 18 never me back evil for evil to anyone never means never if somebody shouts that you don't shout back at him if somebody slaps you don't slap him back if somebody throws garbage into your compound don't throw garbage into his combo don't pay back evil for evil to anyone believe our unbeliever if they take you to court you don't take them to court if they spread false stories about you or your children please don't spread false stories about them or their children leave it to God I know when people have trouble you know I've been serving the Lord more than 50 years now and so you know I'm a target of Satan that doesn't disturb me it's an honor to be a target of Satan but God has often told me don't deal with that person leave him alone I'll deal with him you want to deal with him or let me deal with him I said no Lord you deal with him you know when there was a man called Alexander the coppersmith who troubled Paul Paul say the Lord will deal with him I will not deal with him because it says here so don't pay back evil for evil respect what is right and then it says if possible verse 18 do you know that this is almost the only command in the New Testament the only command in the New Testament which begins with the words if possible you never read any other command like that if possible don't get angry if possible don't lust after women if possible speak the truth never never never because those things you can do you can overcome anger you can overcome dirty thoughts you can overcome telling lies but when it comes to peace with all men it says if possible because it depends on the other party as well that's why all those other things like anger and dirty thoughts and telling lies and all that depends entirely on you he's got nothing to do with another person almost since got only to do with me my attitude but peace with all men depends on is he willing to have peace with me that's why it says if possible as much as it depends on you that means from your side you always want peace with everybody but if that guy does not want peace you can't do anything about it you're not going to fight with him but if he wants to fight with you what do you do so sometimes the best way to pursue peace with all men is by never meeting them never visiting their home I give that advice to people I say don't visit that home because the Bible says pursue peace with all men some people think pursue peace with all men means I was going to visit that person and try and build fellowship with him no no no no the Pharisees who called Jesus Prince of Devil's Jesus didn't go visiting their home and saying hey let me explain to you I'm not a Prince of Devil's he couldn't care less what they thought he forgave them but he warned them be careful what you speak here to give an account in the day of judgment he was very faithful there but from his side he pursued peace and one of the classic examples of that to me is it always speaks to my heart when those evils people came to catch Jesus and I think it was the high priest servant Malka the high priest was furious with Jesus and his sermon must have been mad at Jesus because he was a servant of the high priest and they go to kill Jesus and go to capture him and when Peter takes a sword and swipes off that high priest servants here look at Jesus attitude He healed it he picked it up from the ground and attached it back I don't think that Malchus served that high priest anymore after that he said you can't ask me to kill a man like this I have a feeling I'll see Malka in heaven and he'll thank Peter said because you cut off my ear Olli I'm here thank you you know the good the evil that other people do what spoke to me is the attitude of Jesus put your sword back Peter this is a cup which my father has given me to drink Malchus is only bringing it he's the postman don't get angry with the postman it's a cup from my heavenly father I want to drink it she's his attitude was if other people are not at peace with me they come to capture me kill me I'm gonna be at peace with him I'm going to do good to them I'm going to do good to those who hate me I'm gonna pray for those who persecute me I'm gonna bless those who curse me and I praise God for the opportunities I've had in my life to do that how can you obey those verses if nobody curses you then how will anybody bless those who curse you thank God for those who curse you you've got a chance to obey God's Word thank God for those who despitefully use you because you get a chance to pray for them thank God for enemies because you got a chance to obey the word which says love your enemies so don't say I have so many problems this person troubling me that's present for me brothers sister you got a chance to obey God's Word as much it lies in you be at peace with all men and never verse 19 never never never just like it says in verse 17 never pay back evil never take your own revenge revenge must never be found in a believer you did this to me I'm gonna teach you a lesson that's for unbelievers the children know the devil can do that but we will never say that and we will never talk like that and we won't have that attitude as long as you live in the world if you're a disciple of Jesus Christ you're going to face a lot of problems from others but we have a tremendous comfort which we all know from 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God is in control of everything he will not allow anything to come to me which is beyond my ability to bear and till my hour comes like in Jesus case I cannot die Jesus died only when his hour came it can't happen if you're a wholehearted disciple of Jesus you can't die before your hour comes in no way and so and coupled with Romans 8:28 which comes earlier in this book all things work together for good then why should I take revenge that person's done evil to me God is gonna make it for work for my god it's like getting a promotion in my job I'm not angry with somebody who gives me a promotion in my job but that's what happens if you can see the tremendous power of your heavenly father that's why I say all sin comes from unbelief it's when we don't believe that God is in control that we try to fight back and we can't be at peace with people from our side never take your own revenge that doesn't mean nothing will happen God will deal with him but you don't have a deal with him vengeance is mine God does not say I might repay him no I believe what scripture says did that guy hurt you don't take revenge don't wish evil for him wish the best for him pray for him bless him but if he does not repent God says one day I will pay him back for what he did to you and you cannot hold these gods hand say no no don't do that he will repay that's for sure and I don't try to be more spiritual than the Holy Spirit and say God don't repay him see what the Apostle Paul who was such a godly man said in 2nd Timothy 4 verse 14 there was a person I don't know which town he was in second Timothy 4:14 I don't know whether he was a Jew or a backslidden Christian his name is Alexander second Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm now Paul was a man who had been beaten hammered imprisoned so it was not something small not once he did me much harm unsure Paul forgave him he forgave him completely from his heart 100% but inspired by the Holy Spirit Paul says one day the Lord will repay him according to his deeds but you say hey Paul aren't you supposed to forgive him oh yeah I've forgiven him aren't you supposed not to take revenge no I'm not going to take revenge but why do you say the Lord will repay because the Lord will repay him that's a fact that has got nothing to do with my forgiving him Jesus forgave people when he is hanging on the cross Father forgive them they were forgiven but the Lord is still going to repay those people who killed Jesus one day when he comes back they'll all be punished they won't go to heaven just because Jesus forgave them because Jesus as I have often said forgave only the horizontal part the human part you hurt me I forgive you but you also hurt God if you want him to forgive you you better repent such sins I've got two dimensions so coming to Hebrews 12 it says pursue peace with all men as much as it lies in you and sanctification without which no one will see the Lord but I want to emphasize this basically we must have your reputation brothers and sisters that we are men and women of peace we don't seek to fight with anybody we will not fight with auto rickshaw drivers if they I mean I'm not saying you should pay them more than what is deserved but don't get into a fight or with porters and the railway stations you see all the arguments or somebody who collides with us on the road we're not going to go for a fight there's a more peaceful way of doing all these things we pursue peace and holiness without which nobody will see the Lord I mean my great passion is to see Jesus one day and it says here if you want to see Jesus you better pursue peace with all men and sanctification if somebody doesn't forgive you that's his business but you make sure your heart is open to him and again let me emphasize it does not mean that you have to visit them it does not mean that you had to go and have fellowship with them because forgiveness is different from fellowship Jesus forgave everybody he had fellowship with very few Jesus had fellowship with very few people on the earth but he forgave everybody on the face of the earth that's my attitude I also have fellowship with very few people really those who are wholehearted disciples of Jesus but forgiveness forgiving everybody to the best of my knowledge I can stand before God and say my conscience is clear I have nothing in my heart I do not wish any evil to anyone who's ever done me any type of harm in all my life my conscience I'll keep it clear till Jesus comes not because I want to see the Lord because it's the right thing to do supposing it was written well even if you don't have peace with all men you'll still see the Lord I see I still want to have peace with all men I'm not doing it because I see the Lord I'm doing it because that is the nature of God he is put inside me to forgive people and I'll tell you this I don't forgive people so that God will forgive me no no no I want to forgive I want God to forgive me because I'm such a wretched sinner I've grieved the Lord so much in my life and because Jesus shed his blood for me O Lord to forgive me it's got nothing to do with forgiving others that is a separate thing I will forgive others but it is a condition the Lord has said if you don't forgive others God won't forgive you so this is very important and then in this connection it says verse 15 make sure that no one comes short of the grace of God there are many Christians who say this is not for believers foolish deceivers deceivers who say this is not believers and who is it for holy brethren consider the Apostle and high priest of our confession Jesus Christ I'm telling you he says don't come short of the grace of God can you can a believer come short of the grace of God yes otherwise what is the need of such an exhortation see that no root of bitterness spring up can a root of bitterness come up in your heart you tell me you tell me from your past experience as in bitterness come up in your heart even after being born again against different people can you say it never came who can say it never came and make sure when you get rid of that bitterness which you had some time ago against somebody maybe your mother-in-law or neighbor or your family member who cheated you of the property or somebody who did some evil to you or somebody who took you to court or something like that when you got rid of the bitterness you say okay I've forgiven make sure it says yeah there's no root of it still lying there inside your heart ask God to show you if there's a root I remember I asked Allah to show me once and I found there was a root I had forgiven somebody had completely forgiven someone and I said to the Lord Lord I have forgiven but one day when I heard that something bad happened to him I was happy I really was happy I said ah God is judging him and the Lord said you did not forgive him from your heart I said thank you Lord I forgive him from my heart you're dealing with him as a separate matter I'm not God God's judgment is another thing God resists the proud and he'll resist the proud when they are on earth he'll resist the proud in eternity also but my business is to forgive and forgive from the heart and so now I have discovered that whenever I forgive someone I must also sincerely be able to say lord I wish good for that person I really want good to happen to that person I don't wish any evil for that person you heard me say that before I know but has it worked in your life you say oh brother Zack I've heard that before I know you'll hear it from me again a hundred times till you come to the light come to that life where it will never come up in your heart wishing evil for another person but that you wish good did you learn multiplication and division just with one lesson your teacher taught you no did you Liz understand calculus with one lesson we don't understand anything with one lesson so we need to hear it again and again don't come short of the grace of God that no bitterness spring up there you forgiving outside the root is still there and that will cause a lot of trouble to you and one day you will mention something to someone and others are defiled and you mentioned something another person it says like that many are defiled I pray that we will not have brothers and sisters like that in CFC who defile others with some root of bitterness that has not been pulled out and thrown away what sort of forgiveness do you want God to give you do you want him to say to you I will not remember your sins and iniquities say that about other people also lord I don't have control over my memory there are a lot of things stored in my memory I can't take it out so you will naturally remember in that sense things that happened God also remembers your sin and mind but when he says I will not remember he doesn't mean he's forgotten there's a lot of difference between saying I've forgotten all your sins God doesn't say that Hebrews 8:12 says I will not remember read the Bible exactly God does not say I have forgotten your sins he has not forgotten because Jesus told a story of a king who forgave a slave and the slave went out and didn't forgive somebody else the king called the slave back and says I have not forgotten what you owe me paid back he unforgive the forgiveness he gave he canceled it God can cancel a forgiveness how does he do that because he remembers the same but Hebrews 8:1 says I will not remember which means I choose not to remember your sins it's a choice God makes and that's all I have to do if you ask me I do remember the evil things that other people have done to me but I choose not to remember when it comes up to me I say I'm not going to remember it I'm not going to do I choose I exercise my will as I have you heard me often say I live in my will I don't live in my mind or my emotions my emotions can fool me my mind also I cannot control but my will I choose to forgive I choose not to remember when it comes to my mind I say no I don't want to remember that it may come to my mind a hundred times in the next few years I choose not to remember after some time it'll slowly stop coming but it may come once in a while not to remember so that way I ensure there's no root of bitterness in our heart very very important because you can defile many people you define yourself and you defile a lot of others one of the first people you will define is your husband or your wife with that root of bitterness against somebody family member or whatever it is be very careful my brother's see how that sentence begins don't come short of the grace of God by a root of bitterness remaining in your heart he doesn't matter what evil other people do - I'll tell you what helps me in this battle it's not a battle anymore when you initially when you fight against it it is a battle but once you fight it the giant is down is no longer a battle you cut off his head but I'll tell you what helped me was to remember what a lot of evil I did against God what a lot of evil I did in my unconverted days and even after I got converted his sins I committed against my Heavenly Father and he doesn't hold anything against me he doesn't look at me and says yeah I know you're the guy who did all this 25 years ago of 50 years ago no not even I know what you said yesterday no it's forgiven I praise God that I have a father like that I want to be like that to other people I want to treat them the way God has treated me he says forgive others the way God's forgiven you it's very important you know when Jesus was born the angels came singing peace on earth and goodwill towards all men with whom God is pleased there are certain people on earth with whom God is pleased that's what it says in Luke chapter 2 peace on earth and goodwill towards all men with whom he is pleased it's a little different than different translations but that's what it says and I say here I'm a representative of this god the song the angels sang is what must be true in my life I want to have peace with all men and goodwill towards people God knows who pleases him and will be who doesn't that's not my business I am NOT God my job is to have goodwill towards all people and to promote peace and before it comes on the earth it must be seen in our church in this church we must have peace and goodwill towards everyone and if that is not true in your heart today I'm commanding you in Jesus name to repent yes I'm commanding you in Jesus name as a servant of the Lord repent if you don't want to have goodwill towards everyone in this church forget about the rest of the world let's start with this church goodwill and peace peace to all in goodwill you know this word pursue is a word in the original which the picture I get in my mind is you want to catch that last bus to your home and it's already left the bus stop how will you run after it how you run after that bus its moving you're not gonna lazily walk towards it you you'll run because it's the last bus to your home pursue peace like that are you seeking to pursue peace like that in your heart I mean don't worry about visiting the other person you never have to visit that person but make sure in your heart I say Lord I'm gonna run after peace and not wait for it to come that bus is not gonna stop if I don't run after it I won't get it I want it says pursue peace with all men that's a word that comes even another piece of the description 1 Peter also it says to pursue that type of peace because that's the type of peace we need and then it gives us the example of Esau verse 16 that there should be no godless person like Esau see when you think of Esau he so came from a very god-fearing family his father was Isaac his father grandfather was Abraham Ibrahim as grandson what an inheritance some of you children growing up in this church what an inheritance you have with a god-fearing father and what inheritance all of you have with god-fearing leadership of elders but Esau became godless and immoral and he gave up his spiritual birthright just for some temporary gain there are people who do that oh I can make a little money here I know it's a little unrighteous but everybody does it but then everybody's going to hell do you want to go there so don't use the word everybody does it you can't say that to God in the final day of judgment Lord everybody did it God will say I'll send you where everybody's gone so never use that expression everybody's doing it in the office everybody's doing it let them do it where are they headed let there be no immoral or godless person who sold his spiritual birthright for some temporary earthly gain the birthright was future many years in the future it was spiritual invisible this food that is offered to him was now satisfied his body so many people lose their spiritual birthright for a little bit of pleasure how long do you think he saw enjoyed himself by eating that soup which Jacob made maybe enjoyed it for one hour and relish the taste of it for some time then it was over I mean by the next morning there was nothing there there was no enjoyment of the soup II drank last night or ate last night is over and that little bit of indulgence you have in some sin how long are you going to enjoy it for a little while by the morning it's gone and yet what have you sacrificed you've given up your butt ride for that little thirdly sensual pleasure be careful brothers sisters sometimes it can be pornography sometimes it can be just I want to give went to my anger against this person sometimes it can be just stealing a little taking a little extra money which you don't you don't deserve it's a little pleasure for a temp temporary time if you have a few thousand rupees extra in your bank account which you did not righteously earn okay you can buy a few things with it which you could not afford but you might have the curse that you bring to yourself and your children you you guys should read second Kings chapter 5 second Kings chapter 5 how dare he ran after Neiman told a lie got some money got some nice clothes and Elijah told him is this the time to go and get money like this I often think about word of Elijah as many Christians need to hear is this a time to get money unrighteous lis like this the leprosy of naman will cling to you and to your children poor Gansey he went out as a leper 10 years later his little boys his dad what's his patch on my hand somebody told me it's leprosy how did I get it what can the father tell him son you got it because of me don't let that happen to your children the seed of the righteous will be blessed the righteous man is blessed that his children and grandchildren will never look for a job you don't had to worry if you honor God he'll honor you believe me he'll honor your children as well honor God don't be like Esau who sold his birthright for a single meal because you know verse 17 afterwards when he wanted it when he realized one day years later boy what did I do that day foolish man that I was for a temporary pleasure for a little while one hour I enjoyed something I have lost something eternally always remember he saw who sold his entire birthright for a single meal you know we asked the question why did God choose Jacob I'll tell you because he saw the future God has got no partiality all are the same but when he sees the future and he knows the choices different people are making he chooses us why did he choose me are you because he saw the future he saw one day you were going to choose him and so please remember this not because we have weakness in Jacob but many weaknesses till God chose him but he saw made a crucial choice I would rather have this temporary earthly blessing even if it means I lose my eternal birthright ah forget it horrible or he thought it will come to me at that time it won't a lot of Christians like that who play the fool with sin now and say no no no I can always be forgiven you know that let me tell you something every time you sin you're making yourself a little weaker against that particular sin and you keep on keep on keep on keep on like that you're in going into dangerous territory but if you battle it and battle it and battle it and battle it that's how we become strong you may slip up and fall get up and battle it and battle it never give up yeah I feel like I feel so hungry now I want this meal if he saw it said no I got to deny myself it's all right if I don't eat if it doesn't matter if I fast from this but I'm not gonna lose my birthright he didn't have that attitude I'm sorry to say many Christians don't have that attitude so this is that connection it says in verse 15 don't come short of the grace of God don't take advantage of God's goodness like Esau did because afterwards when he wanted the blessing he could not get it and he cried for seventeen and he repented but it was too late too late we are called to pursue peace and goodwill towards all let's build a church like that where in our personal life we never sell the birthright for any temporary pleasure and in our relationship with others that is sanctification pursue sanctification that means I will never sell my heavenly birthright for any earthly gain or temporary pleasure and that's why I need the part of the Holy Spirit I can't do this because the pull of the world is so strong I want to fight the devil in my flesh lord I need the part of the Holy Spirit I want the weapons you can give me and at the same time I want to pursue peace with all men whether they have peace with me or not I'm gonna pursue peace and forgive everyone and pray for those who despitefully use me or persecute me love those who are my enemies and bless those who curse me I tell you you will have an abundant entrance into God's kingdom and before you enter God's kingdom God will be able to use you as a blessing to multiuser people on this earth let's pursue that way and build this church is a strong witness the glory of Jesus Christ let's pray Heavenly Father we are such forgetful people we forget how much you have been merciful to us roll back the curtain of memory now and then we are human and humans forget roll back the curtain of memory and show me where you picked me up from where you picked us up from what we could have been today and because you picked us up we did not end up like that have mercy on us and help us to be merciful to others to help us from our side to pursue peace with all to make sure that by your grace we will never come short of your grace give us a great thirst to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day to walk the way Jesus walked to always said I will not do what pleases my self I will only do what pleases my father give us that strength of determination by the Holy Spirit we feel it right now help us to feel it throughout this week every day and the next week in the next week in the next week till you come back help us each one we pray in Jesus name

Channel: CFC India

Views: 17,116

Rating: 4.7854891 out of 5

Keywords: zac poonen cfc Christian Fellowship Church Church Fellowship Christian Zac Poonen, Sermons, CFC

Id: _D7tg1WxtF4

Length: 44min 6sec (2646 seconds)

Published: Wed Nov 21 2018