“Judgment on False Teaching” - Jude 1:3-4

“Judgment on False Teaching”

Passage: Jude: 1:3-4…

Date: 12/1/24 (Sunday)

Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Location: 1677 Delaware Crossing, Independence, KY 41051

Series: 1/2

INTRO

Title: “Is Truth Flexible and Sin Questionable?”

Address Audience: Good evening, I am extremely thankful that you all made it a priority to come to youth group tonight.

It is truly an honor and great joy of mine to open up God’s Word with you to see what the living Lord has in store for us.

If there is one thing that gets me excited… if there is one thing that I look forward to… it is jumping into God’s Word…

WHY?

Because of verse like…

Isaiah 55:11 (ESV)

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me EMPTY,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

That Word EMPTY means = “Without Effects, Results, or Accomplishments”.

In other words… With produce a result and accomplish its intended purpose… The words of God will come to pass… and the end result be exactly what God designed, intended, and desired…

Therefore, I want to know what it says… I want to be aware of the Words of God because they are not empty words… they hold value…

EXAMPLE:

Have you ever known someone who’s words are empty… That whatever they say they are going to do… does not happen… You put no stock, value, or trust in what they say because they are always making “empty promises”… they are always saying they will do something or be somewhere… and then they don’t do it or don’t show up and you start to not take what they say seriously… they become empty…

Friends… Every Word of God will come to pass… it is not empty… it is worth paying attention too… it is worth diving into… they hold power, value, and are true…

With this glorious truth about God’s Word in mind… Lets dive into Jude 1:3-4… it says this…

Jude 3–4 (ESV)

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to CONTEND for the FAITH that was once for all delivered to the saints. 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.

CONTEXT:

The CONTEXT provides us with the CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING the STORY… allowing us to get a full picture of what is truly happening…

So what is the context of the Jude 1:3-4?

AUTHOR: Written by the hand of Judah… one of Jesus’ half brothers… In fact, Judah was an individual who did not believe that Jesus was the Christ (the Son of God) until after the resurrection… when he saw Jesus risen from the dead…

DATE: Between A.D. 80 - 90, this is not concrete, but speculation by Scholars… In other words, the book/letter was written 80 - 90 years after the birth of Christ…

WHO: We do not know the specific audience or church the Judah was writing too… but we do know that he was writing to a group of believers based upon the content within the text…

Reason/Why: The book of Jude is one of the shortest books/letters in the Bible - containing only 25 verses… and after diving into the book of Jude… here are two reasons why it was written:

1.) Expose the False Teachers that had Infiltrated the Christian Community

2.) Encourage Christians to Stand Firm in the Faith and Fight the Good Fight of Faith & Truth

TRANSITION:

I can see how the book of Jude is still very applicable to people like you and me...

Where we live in a world that likes to try to distort, Twist, and Compromise the truth of God’s Word…

We live in a world that… like Satan in the Garden… says… Did God Really Say that? Did God Really mean it?

We live in a world of lies and deceit that likes to take God’s Word and twist it… leading many astray…

TRANSITION:

Two questions we always ask ourselves when we approach and read the bible - God’s Word:

What is God Teaching Us Through the Text?

How Do We Apply that Teaching to Our Lives Today?

Lets not waste anytime and lets jump right in…

POINT #1: You are a CONTENDER for CHRIST

Look at Jude 1:3

Jude 3 (ESV)

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to CONTEND for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

CONTEND = “To make a STRENUOUS or LABORED effort in someone or something’s behalf”

In other words… If you have professed, claimed, or called Christ Jesus your Lord will have to be a CONTENDER for him…

You will have to be someone who makes a strenuous effort and labor on behalf of the LORD…

STORY/ILLUSTRATION:

On November 22, 1986… 20 Year Old Mike Tyson entered into the wring to take on 33 Year Old Trevor Berbick for the Heavy Weight Boxing Championship…

On November 22 of 1986… Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history…

It took Mike Tyson 5 minute and 35 seconds to defeat Trevor by knockout…

You see Mike Tyson was and is a CONTENDER in the world of Boxing… he strenuously labored and worked hard in arena of boxing… and when the time came to fight in the heavyweight championship… he was prepared… he was ready… and he won…

But the championship would not have happened or occured if Mike did not labor or put forth a strenuous effort with his training before the fight…

Mike Tyson began training at thew age of 13… and before his fight on 11.22.1986 he trained for a year and a half in preparation for this one fight…

In other words, Mike Tyson trained for a year and half to win a fight that lasted for 5 minutes 35 seconds…

Some sources say that the trained for 8-10 hours each day prior to the fight…

All this to say… You are a CONTENDER for CHRIST…

And in order to battle against false teacher, false teachings, and lies that try to twist to the truth… you have to be prepared and ready to fight…

And a fight may last for a short amount of time… but to be ready for the fight you have to put the work in, you have to prepare, you have to labor and put forth strenuous effort in order to be ready to fight…

SLOW-DOWN & HOOK

A CONTENDER for CHRIST puts in STRENUOUS effort and PREPARES well in advance for the FIGHT…

TRANISITION

You may be thinking… Tanner this is letter or book of Jude has nothing to do with the heavyweight champion - Mike Tyson…

How does this relate to me today? What exactly I am training for? What is it that I am fighting against? What is it I am fighting for?

Lets look back at the text… Look at Jude 1:4… for it says…

Jude 4 (ESV)

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.

The text is saying… that there were individuals… who have CREPT in…

That word CREPT = “To slip in stealthily or secretly”

And they have gone unnoticed… and they are people who PERVERT which means…

PERVERT = “To exchange or replace with another”

The grace of God into Sensuality…

SENSUALITY = “an indulgence in pleasure - unrestrained by conviction or morality”

and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ…

In other words, Jude 1:3-4 is saying…

There were individuals who slipped into the church with stealth and by secret… individuals who went unnoticed… and they exchanged and replaced the grace and gospel of God with an indulgence and satisfaction in sin - without any sense of conviction or moral code… denying or rejecting God - the one true Master and Lord - Jesus Christ…

Friends… there will always be individuals who attempt to replace and exchange the Gospel of God’s Grace and good news with worldy and sinful pleasures, that do not last… pushing you away from God (your creator, Master, Comforter and Lord)…

How is this happening today?

The Gospel of God’s Grace is being twisted and perverted in this way today:

Chase after whatever makes you happy, indulge in what makes you feel good, despite what other people think… and if they do not agree with you… then cut them out of your life and just chase after whatever makes you happy

That listening to your parents is optional… that respecting them and honoring them is simple a matter of your preference and not something that God calls you to do

That social media and popularity from hundreds, thousands, and possibly even millions will bring you far more validation and value than God

That acquiring more wealth and things this world has to offer will bring you security and a sense of stability

That worrying about and being anxious about the things in your life simply shows that you care… not that you don’t trust in God… and so you make every effort to control and predict a certain outcome because you think you being in control is better than if God was in control…

That choosing your gender or what you do with you body is your right, privilege, and final. Forgetting that God is the one who created you and bought at a price - the cost being his one and only Son - Jesus

That going to parties… and behaving however you desire is acceptable… because all the kids your age are doing it… even though God calls you to live a holy life to look different and to follow him and not everyone else…

That speaking evil and behind your friends back is justified and okay, because they have said something bad about you… that slurring up drama is just fun and doesn’t actually hurt anyone…

That telling jokes at other peoples expense and for the approval of a couple friends is more important or worth while than speaking kindly to all… despite what your “friends” may think

There are many ways we like to twist and pervert the truth of God’s Gospel and Truth in todays world…

The question is… Are you prepared to fight as CONTENDER for CHRIST? Are you prepared for the battles that are going to come… where you will have to stand up for the truth of the Gospel and fight against the lies of individuals who have crept in and perverted the message of God?

Question: Are you prepared? Have you trained and put for the strenuous effort in order to be ready to fight for the Gospel? Or are you intimated and lacking in confidence to be a CONTENDER for CHRIST because you have not gotten to know his message, his Word, and his Son Jesus Christ - the one you are fighting for?

TRANSITION

Go to 1 Peter 3:15

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being PREPARED to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

PREPARED = Completely Prepared or Ready and in CONDITION of immediate ACTION or USE

Friends… are you ready and in a place where you can immediate spring into action to defend the Gospel… the truth… and the reason as to why you believe in Jesus Christ? Are you a CONTENDER for CHRIST or are you a TWISTER and PERVERTER of GOD’S TRUTH, WORD, and GOSPEL?

CLOSE

At this time I am going to ask the Worship Team to come back on stage… and I am going to ask that those who are able and willing to please stand in honor of reading God’s Word…

I want to end tonight by giving God Glory, praise, and honor for giving a the Gospel, truth, and good news by reading Psalm 105:1-4

Psalm 105:1–4 (ESV)

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

Sing to him, sing praises to him;

tell of all his wondrous works!

Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually!