THE DEDICATION

Week 2 – we talked about the depravity – the call to protection in God’s Word, that punishment is not escapable not even for the fallen angels, the pride and perversion of culture like Sodom and Gomorrah and the blasphemies being taught – and to allow God to rebuke evil – not us but Him

Week 3 – we talked about the degradation – the pride and power of control – reminded of Cain, Balaam and Korah’s rebellion – called to watch for hidden reefs that will sink us, waterless clouds promising relief but not delivering, fruitless trees that never bear fruit and wild waves that only destroy and not moving people to God

And 2 weeks ago Week 4 before Father’s Day we talked about the deprivation and the dedication – there is still prophecy to be fulfilled – Christ will return, He will execute judgment, will account for sins both spoken and committed thru action – so we asked ourselves - are we working for God or against God? For His Will or Our Will?

Today we close looking at the dedication of believers – faith coming through prayer, power to keep going until His return and rightfully placing glory and praise where it belongs –

Let us Pray!

Jude 20-25 – THE DEDICATION

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

I. THE DEDICATION—vv. 17–21

Jude in his closing calls us to 3 things –

a. Remember the predications of the apostles and Jesus Himself (verses 17-18) – But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”

b. Remain in God’s Love (v20-21) – But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

c. Reach Out and Restore those who listened to the false teachers (v22-23) – And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

1. Personal—vv. 20–23

Jude 20-23 had four guiding principles – faith, prayer, love, and mercy

v20 - You beloved – Dear Friends – fellow believers – build yourselves up in your most Holy Faith and praying in the Holy Spirit

Build on a solid foundation

Matthew 7:24-27 – “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

1 Corinthians 3:10-13 – According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

Romans 15:20 – and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation,

Ephesians 2:20 -22 – built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Your Holy Faith (principle 1)

Romans 10:17 – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Colossians 2:7 – rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

James 2:22 – You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Not only build yourselves up in faith but be planting seed –

Praying in the Holy Spirit (principle 2)

Ephesians 6:18 – praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Romans 8:26-27 – Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 14:17 – For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

v21a – keep yourselves in the love of God (principle 3),

John 15:9-10 – As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

Romans 14:18-19 –Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Matthew 6:1-4 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

v21b – waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (principle 4 – mercy 3 ways – wait for the mercy of Jesus, Mercy on doubters, mercy on those headed to hell).

Luke 6:36 – Be merciful just as your Father is merciful

James 2:13 – For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Hebrews 4:16 – Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

1 Peter 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Psalm 23:6 – Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

2 Timothy 1:18 – may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! — and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.

v22 – And have mercy on those who doubt;

Matthew 5:7 – “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Matthew 12:7 – And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

v23 – save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

This verse is where Christians get the saying – “Love the sinner – hate the sin.”

Those who are not saved – on the highway to hell – show mercy to them with the fear of the Lord – snatch them from the fire – but do not give permission to keep sinning – WWJD – WDJD (What Did Jesus Do) – go and sin no more

James 5:20 – let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Zechariah 3:2 – And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”

Isaiah 6:8 – And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

(TREE IN ROCK PICTURE)

Remember only God can see their heart – only God knows if their heart is fully hardened or if there is still room for a seed to take root.

Close with doxology – short hymn and praise to God – used in Jewish Synagogues to end a section of the service

Jude and Paul both include Power and Praise in their doxologies

2. Power—v. 24 – Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

Romans 16:25-27 – Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 – Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Jude’s

As we walk out and live out our faith – we are called to do this – not just Jude but Paul also calls us to this allow the one true God to keep us from stumbling –

Romans 16:20 – The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

That requires total submission to Him, His Will, His Way

1 Thessalonians 3:13 – so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Colossians 1:22 – he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

3. Praise—v. 25 – to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

All praise and glory belongs unto God. Not praise to man, nor a church, but God.