Call to Arms
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Call to arms, we are warned that we all need to be ready.
In lots of movies we see a call to arms, we see the general, or the king ride in front of His troops giving them some great speech. I like reading books and one of my favorite books is the Lord of the Rings. It was written a long time ago by J R Tolkien. He made up a whole other world complete wit different languages, alphabets and histories. They are actually languages that you could learn if you wanted to. Now I can barely speak English so learning another language doesn't make sense for me. In one of the scenes, a king and His army is going up against a foe that is much bigger then His own. And as is typical in lots of movies and books like this there comes a speech to get the men in the mood to fight for king and country. Before this he gave a speech to call His kingdom to arms, to inspire them to get everything together for the enemy was upon them and they needed to get up and fight.
We as well are called to arms. we are called to fight but it looks a little different for us. We are called to fight for the faith. Our captain is Jesus and we are his soldiers, those of us who are part of the family of God. we are exhorted to fight for the faith, to be prepared and on Guard for people are going to come against us and attack us for our faith.
But what does this look like? What exactly does it mean to fight for the faith anyways? does it mean that I take up a sword like Peter and start cutting off peoples ears? Does it mean that I be like Jesus and start flipping tables and scaring out people from churches that are not following the word of God? We are called to “contend for the faith” that is to fight for the faith but in a different way then maybe what you would think.
We are to be on guard and know our faith and what we believe for there will be people that come and teach things that do not line up with the word of God. We must not be led astray but stand firm on the word of God.
1-4 - The reason - Call to Arms
1-4 - The reason - Call to Arms
In the beginning we get a typical intro. We see the letter was written by Jude, Brother of James, possibly a brother of Jesus. He didn't come to faith till after the resurrection of Jesus as we can read in the gospels. So it this very humble intro to the letter makes sense. Although I understand not believing your brother to be the foretold messiah. If My brother had told me that I would have been a little skeptical as well.
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James: To those who are the called, loved by God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
The letter was written to believers, those that where already followers of Jesus and part of the church. It would Seem to have been circulated around the different churches which would have been normal for the time.
Another important thing to remember is that 2 Peter utilizes Jude. The material is very similar. as we go through it you can see the warning to stand on the word of God, warning against false teachers and the judgement that is due to those that lead people away from God and what our response is to be to them.
3 Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write, appealing to you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all. 4 For some people, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into sensuality and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.
The purpose of the letter as we see in Verse 3 was concerning the salvation that we share, our common salvation. Those that hold on to the word of God that have a faith based on the truths in the word of God hold to a common salvation. We are the universal church. But in that same breath we need to understand that there are churches, as we have learned, that claim to be a christian church but teach things that go against the word of God. This is what we must watch out for.
What concerns the salvation we share is that we need to be reminded to contend for (to fight for or make a strenuous or labored attempt on someone's behalf) the faith. To contend for the faith is a word that mean that we are going to wrestle earnestly, to fight for. The basic meaning being like a wrestling match. (expositors). But what is it that we must fight for, why do we need to do this and what does it look like? the idea of fighting for the faith is different then maybe you would think.
One of the reason why we need to fight for the faith is the enemy that has snuck in. In Galatians 2:4 we read the same thing, the church is becoming infiltrated by false teachers whose sole purpose is to change the church into what they want and when the damage is done they sneak away again. No more need to stay when there are more churches to divide and destroy. we would much rather give as joyful message any day but we must be warned. Those who where designated for Judgment, that is the false teachers have snuck in the church and are teaching doctrine that goes against the word of the Lord.
In Expositors Bible Commentary I read:
Contemporary culture is becoming indifferent to the question of truth. Christians have found truth in Jesus (Eph 4:21). Jude warns of the dangers in the mixture of error with this truth. So his eloquent tract for maintaining the purity and truth of the Christian faith is needed in view of the relativity and syncretism so common today.
There is no room for syncretism in the word of God. the errors of false teaching, of progressive Christianity do not and can not mix with the word of God. They are teaching that the marvelous grace of God allows us to live immoral lives, they have even gone as far as to say that Jesus is not Lord (He knows us campaign)
5-11 - False Teachers - Examples
5-11 - False Teachers - Examples
The we get to examples. Like Peter, Jude reached back into the OT to show examples of God's victory over those who had turned from God. As we go through these remember the promise we have in the NT in 2 Peter. God is patient and withholding judgement, like He did back then waiting for people to turn to Him.
5 Now I want to remind you, although you came to know all these things once and for all, that Jesus saved a people out of Egypt and later destroyed those who did not believe;
Saved some out of Egypt and destroyed the unbelievers.
It is amazing the great display of power and sovereignty that God displayed when He rescued the people out of the hands of Egypt. This is not an example of a case of God’s people losing their salvation. We have to remember that God did not save them based on anything they had done, they didn't have the faith and turn to God. God saved them out of His covenant love for them.
After all God had done for them there where still some unbelievers in their midst. They where judged for their unbelief and false teaching. A reminder of the judgement due to those who go against God.
Angels who turned against God and where thrown out.
6 and the angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deep darkness for the judgment on the great day.
We have gone over this already, but look at the judgement poured out on the angels who rebelled against God. They knew better and they where not given a second chance. We have the truth in front of us and we are given a second chance to turn to the living God.
Soddom and Gomorrah
7 Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns committed sexual immorality and perversions, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
Another example that we have gone through Sodom and Gomorrah where utterly destroyed for there wretchedness. God promised He would save them if there where any that where righteous, Abraham kept asking, Lord if there be just one righteous person will you still destroy the cities, God said no He would not destroy them for one righteous person. The cities where destroyed in God’s judgement.
Links the examples of God's judgement to the false teachers, whom he calls dreamers. in the sense of the saying "you must be dreaming". relying on Satan's lies having turned away from the truth of God. (8-11)
Even Michael the archangel would not Satan who is an angel. But rather referred the dispute to God.
These men presume to speak evil against what they know nothing about, they have no knowledge. They are destroyed through the things they practice.
In the same way, these false prophets, these false teachers will be judged for what they have done. This is why the warning we are given is so important. We must know the faith we fight for, the word of God we stand upon. For there will be people that will lead us astray and we are given plenty of examples of what is in store for them. Do not be led astray by these false teachings.
12-17 - There doom
12-17 - There doom
12 These people are dangerous reefs at your love feasts as they eat with you without reverence. They are shepherds who only look after themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn—fruitless, twice dead and uprooted. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.
(12-19) - These people are dangerous. They are selfish and life becomes about them, but they will destroy you. They are fruitless and arrogant and only look out for themselves.
They will be judged for what they have done. do not align yourselves with them for there doom is pronounced. It was predicted that this was going to happen, they create divisions instead of unifying.
16 These people are discontented grumblers, living according to their desires; their mouths utter arrogant words, flattering people for their own advantage.
Their teaching tends to be for their own Greedy desires. God is for you, for your best life now. The faith becomes all about you and what God can do for you and we forget that it is for the glory of the Lord that we live and breathe.
17 But you, dear friends, remember what was predicted by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They told you, “In the end time there will be scoffers living according to their own ungodly desires.” 19 These people create divisions and are worldly, not having the Spirit.
They are here to divide and to separate. To get us fighting against each-other. It seems like I am speaking a divisive message. But what I am saying is we must remain untied on the word of God, and not allow people to come in with false teaching to Divide us. They do not preach the word of God, it is a false gospel.
20-24 -In conclusion
20-24 -In conclusion
I want to go through the last few verse for a conclusion, Jude concludes it better then I ever could. As we go from here remember these things. We must fight for faith, we must be earnestly seeking God with all that we are and be on the watch for false teachers that sneak in and try and divide us with things that go against the Bible. What we end with is how we do this, How we fight for the faith, how we stand together on the truth of the word of God.
20 But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.
Build yourselves up together
Build yourselves up together
Continue in the gospel together, fellow-shipping together as the body of Christ as we stand on the word of God.
Pray together in the HS
Pray together in the HS
As children of God we all have the Spirit of God within us. This is not praying in the spirit as in speaking in tongues. That is a misinterpretation of this passage as read within the context of scripture. We are to pray together according to the will of the HS to accomplish God’s work in us by the power of God. His will is set forth in His word, and we need to pray by the power of the HS for the power of God to help us fulfill the will of God in our lives.
Keep your attention fixed on the mercy of God.
Keep your attention fixed on the mercy of God.
Salvation is never a matter of what we have done, the works we can do but by the mercy of the living God. We to deserved death but instead can receive life eternal
22 Have mercy on those who waver; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; have mercy on others but with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Fight for the faith in how we deal with those around us. we have three groups of people. I love this passage here.
We are to show mercy to the doubting as it says in verse 22. The people that have been confused by the false teaching and are not sure any more. Be patient and merciful while teaching what the bible says.
The second group, dealt with directly. “snatching from the fire”. The picture being like a brand snatched from the fire, someone slipping into eternal fire but rescued from error by the grace and truth of God.
The last group appears to be immersed in the teaching of the false teachers. Their very clothing is stained by corrupted flesh. Show mercy like in the first case but with caution and fear that the “infection” will spread to you and you fall to the teaching as well. Not even the most defiled sinner is beyond salvation, they can have their defiled garments exchanged for righteoussness but while we show mercy be warned, we must not be caught falling prey to their false teaching.
Fight for the faith by standuing on the word of God. Fight for the fiath by mercifully showing those around us what it means to live for God. No sinner is so far gone that God cant save them from the fire, but we must remain cautious that we to do not become affected by the lies they are living.
so wait patiently for God as you live for Him. Wait expectantly for the Lord to return.
In the mean time show mercy to those who waiver in the faith.
The second group needs to be dealt with directly and vigorously
The final group of people appears to be deep in the immorality of the false teachers
Christians are to show mercy as in the first case, but now they are to be fearful lest the infection spread to them