Untitled Sermon (40)

december (2) Authentic Living in the Last Days (Jude 17–25)

We need the message of Jude today as much, if not more, than his original audience because our culture, like theirs, is becoming more and more heretical and immoral.

In this passage, Jude gives us four requirements for authentic living in the last days.

Remember (17–19)

Knowing the deceit of false teachers, Jude writes, but you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ (17).

The apostle Paul, even as early as during his missionary journeys, warned the Ephesian elders that false teachers would come (Acts 20:29–30).

Also, what warning does our Lord Jesus Christ give in Matthew 24:11?

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:11?

Jude reminds us of the apostles’ warning: “In the last time there will be scoffers” (18b).

The last time is the period in which we live, the time between Christ’s resurrection and the Second Coming.

During this time, people will ridicule the Second Coming and will be “following their own ungodly passions” (18c).

Jude has already described these people in verses 4 & 15–16. Jude continues, It is these who cause divisions (19a).

They try to promote themselves as superior, causing divisions and separating believers from those who faithfully preach and teach the inspired Word of God.

False teachers are also worldly people (19b).

They just follow their natural instincts and fulfill their own worldly desires.

This is because, unlike authentic Christians, they are devoid of the Spirit (19c).

Therefore, they cannot properly interpret the Bible.

Only authentic Christians can do that.

Why, according to Jesus, in John 16:13a–b?

Authentic Christians have a spiritual “unction” that enables us to know the truth and thereby recognize false teaching.

To live authentically in the last days, remember the predictions about false teachers and.…

Remain (20–21)

To avoid being led astray requires continually building ourselves up in the most holy faith(20a), which is contained exclusively in the Bible.

Jude also describes authentic Christians as praying in the Holy Spirit (20b).

This means our prayers are prompted and directed by the Holy Spirit.

The result is we will always pray according to the will of God.

Jude also writes, keep yourselves in the love of God (21a).

This doesn’t mean we keep our salvation by our own efforts because that would contradict verse 24.

Keeping ourselves in the love of God means we consistently live for the things God loves.

Jesus commands us to abide, or remain, in His love (Jn 15:9c).

But how do we do that?

How does Jesus answer this question in the next verse of that passage (15:10a–b)

When we obey God’s Word, our works, or lives, will abide in God’s love.

To be sure there is no confusion about what saves us, Jude writes, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (21b).

It is not our works that save us but the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To live authentically in the last days, remember, remain, and.…

Rescue (22–23)

Jude now writes about three groups of people who have been confused, or captured, by false teachers.

They are the doubting, deceived, and defiled.

Jude tells us how to rescue them.

1. With the doubting, be merciful.

The first group is immature believers whom false teachers have confused about the truth.

Jude writes, have mercy on those who doubt (22).

Mercy, or “compassion,” means to show kindness by assistance.

It is being kind in word and deed.

Like a wolf attacking a flock of sheep, false teachers look for those who are easy prey—the spiritually weak and immature.

However, those who are spiritually mature and strong are to have mercy on people being led astray by false teachers.

But how are we to be merciful to them? By obeying what command in 1 Corinthians 16:14?

We are to lovingly assist them in understanding the truth of God’s Word, which will expose the deceit of false teachers.

With the doubting, be merciful and …

2. With the deceived, be helpful.

This group consists of unsaved people who have been deceived by false teachers.

Therefore, Jude writes: save others by snatching them out of the fire (23a).

The fire refers to the eternal fire of hell.

But how do we rescue the unsaved who are being led by false teachers into the fire of hell?

By using God’s Word to refute false teaching!

Never underestimate the power of God’s Word in conjunction with the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

In Isaiah 55:11, what does God promise about the Word that comes out of His mouth?

The way to rescue deceived unbelievers out of the fire is getting them into a church where God’s Word is faithfully taught and preached.

With the doubting, be merciful; with the deceived, be helpful; and …

3. With the defiled, be careful.

The third group is comprised of the unsaved who have not only been deceived by false teachers but who also promote the deceit.

These people are often well-versed in corrupt theology and know how to counter scriptures that reveal the error of their ways.

To them, Jude writes: show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh (23b).

The phrase with fear means “with caution.”

The word translated garment (chitōn, kee-tone′) means “undergarment,” which we call “underwear.”

The phrase stained by the flesh refers to bodily functions.

Dirty underwear is dangerously infected with all kinds of germs.

We must be very careful when dealing with people who have been stained, or contaminated, by false teachers, because false teaching is very contagious.

We must heed what warning in 1 Corinthians 10:12?

To live authentically in the last days, remember, remain, rescue, and …

Rely (24–25)

Rely on the Lord.

Now, we come to one of the greatest verses on assurance and security found in the Bible:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling (24a).

The word translated keep (phylassō, fi-las′-so) is a military term that means “to guard” or “to watch.”

This means God is at His post, guarding us against any attack of the enemy (Prov. 3:26).

If we rely on the Lord, He will keep us and present us blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy (24b).

Jesus didn’t die just to get us into heaven, but for us to be blameless when we get there, so we will arrive with great joy.

How does Paul describe this fact in 1 Corinthians 1:8?

8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thinking about the great joy awaiting us causes Jude to burst into praise.

Therefore, he writes, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty (25a–e).

Glory refers to God’s worthiness of praise and honor.

The word translated majesty (megalōsynē, mega-low-su′-knee) is made up of two Greek words.

The first is the word from which we get our word “mega.”

Mega means , or one million.

The second word refers to greatness.

Together, they mean God’s “mega-greatness,” or majesty.

The phrase dominion, and authority, or “dominion and power,” (25f) refers to God’s awesome sovereignty, or absolute control, over the entire universe.

God was in control before all time, or in eternity past, and will continue now and forever(25g).

Therefore, we can always relyon Him to keep us from stumbling.

This should cause us to voice what words of praise found in Psalm 104:1b–c?

Bless the LORD, O my soul.

O LORD my God, thou art very great;

Thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

To be an authentic Christian in the last days: remember, remain, rescue, and rely.