Jude 17-25
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Until the End
Until the End
This week I was reminded that there will be an end to all of us. The life that we know, even if we continue to love for many years…this life will end. It is easy to get caught up in our day to day lives and not think that just like that, it could be over.
Some people will live to be 70 or 80. Some people 50 or 60. Some may not live into old age and may pass while they are a child, like Blessing.
No one knows the length of their days…only God.
Because we don’t know how many days we have, the days we do have, we need to make them worth it. And when I say we need to make them worth it, we need to be wise about the time we have, making the most of every opportunity to live for God. Be be diligent, aware, and also being a witness for the gospel that saved even you.
Today we are going to finish the book of Jude. Jude, Jesus’ brother did not believe he was the Messiah until he was raised from the dead. After that he believed, and he was part of the gospel out and Jesus commanded that we should spread the gospel message throughout the whole world.
But as the gospel was going out and spreading, there were people who wanted to make it about them. Wha they wanted, not what the gospel was truly about. They did this for many reason.
They may have seen an opportunity (for riches, fame, attention) The focus was place don them and not the gospel.
They did not understood the teachings of Jesus so what they said was not correct. Remember they didn’t have the complete Bible yet, they only had the writings from the Old Testament. So sometimes they were teaching what they thought they knew, but it was going against what the apostles, those who had been with Jesus, hand been preaching.
But whatever the reason, they were not preaching the gospel as it was given to the apostles.
This morning Jude is reminding us to stay faithful to the truth of the Bible all the way until the end. The end of what. The end of our days, until we meet Jesus face to face.
***CORNERSTONE CREED***
Open your Bible to the book of Jude
17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. 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, 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.
Jude has warned them. He started the letter by stating
4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
And now once again reminds them that Jude 18
Jude 18 (ESV)
18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
Even Jesus, about 30 or 40 years before spoke of this while he was on earth.
Jesus said in Matthew7:15
Matthew 7:15 (ESV)
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
There wasn’t a question “if” it would happen, Jude says it will happen, Jesus, said it will happen, and we can see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears that there are false prophets.... wolves in sheep clothing trying to draw us way from the truth.
So how does Jude ends this letter to those believers?
Jude identifies them.
Jude 18–19 (ESV)
18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
Jude identifies them in four ways:
a. They follow their own ungodly passion
You see those last two words and the description is evident. Who are these wolves? People who follow their own ungodly passions. Passions that are not of God, passions that only will bring them up, make them powerful, make them rich. Their passions are not of God’s Word or of God himself, the passions are only for them.
The Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah in the Old Testament, and look what God said about false prophet then...
14 And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.
A false prophet speaks lies, gives worthless words, and deceives people. Their passion is for the world, not of God/
b. They cause division
The gospel message is a message of unity. The Christian faith is a faith that brings people together.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:10
10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
When one person is preaching a gospel that is false and another is teaching the truth of the gospel, there is division. I don’t like standing up and talking about false prophets, but the Scripture tell us to do so. False teacher and preachers create division.
c. They are worldly people
This is idea of worldly people can be seen in the fact that they are more concerned about worldly things that eternal things. Think about this. What are things of this world? Sickness, riches, desires....all wordly things. These things are anchored to this world. But when you think of heaven, do you need to worry about sickness? Do you need to worry about how much money you have. Do you need to worry if you achieve success or go to the right school or have the best job? No. These are worldly desires.
What are eternal desires? Our eyes are fixed on pleasing him. We want to worship Him. We want to love others because of him. And we want other to know him because of what he has done for us.
These false teachers, false prophets, and false pastors focus all their sermons of you having wealth. On you have good health. On you getting what YOU want. But that’s not what being a Christian is about.
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus and he warns them because they are not conducting themselves like they are followers of Christ. He says...
Ephesians 4:22–24 (ESV)
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
To live as a child of God, a true follower of Christ, we turn away from the ways of the world, and focus our lives and hearts on the eternal…not the temporary.
d. They are devoid of the Spirit
They are empty. The Spirit of God does not indwell in them. They call themselves Pastor…prophets…apostles.... and the Spirit of God is not in them. This is what they are so dangerous, they speak like they are a pastor, people follow and believe, but they only “talk-talk.” They’re words may sound good, but they are empty, because the Spirit is not in them.
Ezekiel 36:27 (ESV)
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
False prophets, false pastors do not have the Spirit of God within them. Why? Because when his Spirit indwells us we are mindful of how he wants us to walk.
2. Jude reminds them to hold on until the end.
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
Notice he starts with the words…BUT YOU.... He has just finished talking about the false teachers, the wolves in sheep's clothing, and now he turn his attention to those are listening. he says…BUT YOU...
a. build yourselves up in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit.
“to build yourself up” is to train yourself. When you train yourself, you get better everyday. Back when Dajan was wanting to play football professionally, I remember that early in the morning, he would go to the field, only himself, and train. All of those other boys, Bala, Chijindu, Ayuba, loved playing ball, but Dajan was serious about it. He trained, he built himself up everyday. Jude presents the same idea here. Are you serious about your faith and wanting to please God. Then train yourself everyday. Prayer, reading your Bible....training, growing in Him.
b. keeping yourselves in the love of God
When we take the time to meet with him daily, our love for God and longing for the day we see him will increase out love for him.
c. we have a passion for the lost
Our hearts break for friends who are going to hell. Jude says here, that by our faithfulness to tell them about Jesus we can snatch them away from the fire. We can play a part to helping them stay out of hell. I read this and I get a picture of a fire on the ground and your friend is walking by, he stumbles and it going to fall into the fire, but you are there to catch him. Just like you would help him stay out of the fire there on the ground, will you help him stay out of the eternal fire?
The subject of Wolves in Sheep’s clothing, false prophets and teachers and this verse from Jude about catching those before they fall in the fire also reminds me of this… Maybe the fire your friends are falling into is not unbelief, but believing the wrong this about God and Jesus.
Maybe they are falling for this false teaching. Maybe they are accepting someones words of untruth as true words from God…when they are not. DO you have a friend like that?
Do you have a friend who is hearing these words and believing them to be from a true prophet of God?
Is this what your friend is hearing and believing?
I decree as Son of the Lord this morning that.
Your season for breakthrough is now, nothing will stop you!
Every year that has passed, had been full of sorrows, delay and disappointment, and it looks as if this year is going to end like that, but because there is a God in heaven, who speaks and it is done, from today onward you shall weep no more in the mighty name of Jesus Christ
Is this what your friend is hearing and believing? Because that is just a lie. And that is not from God.
You see I believe what we have learned here in these verses here in Jude…one chapter is this.
1. There are people who want to deceive you for their own purposes or their own misunderstanding of Scripture. But whatever the case, they say they are speaking for God, but they are only speaking for the devil.
2. God gives you his Spirit and a mind to see what they are saying is not right.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
Jude closes with a beautiful ending. But again reminds his readers then, and us now.... to stand strong to the end...
Jude 24–25 (ESV)
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, 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.