Earnestly Contend from a Place of Security.

INTRODUCTION:

Good morning, Let us read the Word of the Lord to us today.

Jude 20–22 CSB

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. 22 Have mercy on those who waver;

Today we finish the book of Jude.

A book that reminds to that we must contend for the faith, for their are wolves, snakes who have crept into the church, sowing division, and intent on destroying Jesus’ Church.

Jude, starts by reminding the Church to contend and fight from our position of strength.

That we are Called by God

Beloved by God

And being kept by God.

Our identity is anchored in His work on our behalf.

Called, beloved, kept is the foundation of our faith.

God called us to Himself and gave us faith to respond.

God places us in Christ making us His beloved - the Church.

God looks out for our salvation, keeping us in the hand of Christ.

WE DO NOT CONTEND FROM A POSITITION OF MAYBE JESUS WILL WIN.

WE FIGHT FROM A POSITION THAT JESUS HAS ALREADY WON!

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TODAY JUDE BY THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TELLS US HOW TO CONTEND AND REMINDS US THAT THE VICTORY IS ALREADY WON!

Jude 20–23 CSB

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. 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.

AS JUDE GAVE US THREE FOUNDATIONS TO FIGHT FROM - CALLED - BELOVED - KEPT. HE NOW GIVES US THREE WAYS TO CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

First, Contend for the Faith by Building yourselves up in the holy faith.

God calls us into the faith but we must build ourselves (Us and the Church) up in that faith.

How?

Praying in the Holy Spirit!

1 Corinthians 14:15–16 CSB

15 What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, how will the outsider say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

Ephesians 6:18 CSB

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

Yes Jude and Paul are both referring to a spiritual phenomenon

Romans 8:26 CSB

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.

To build our faith we must allow the Spirit of God to lead our prayers.

Ask the Spirit to lead your prayers

But also as Paul teaches we pray in the spirit and with the mind (understanding).

(Example in my life: Tongues - then I pray in English as my mind understands).

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SECOND, WE CONTEND FOR THE THE FAITH BY KEEPING OURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD….

God CALLS US His beloved and places us into the beloved (Body of Christ - The CHurch).

HOW DO WE KEEP OURSELVES IN HIS LOVE?

Jude 21 CSB

21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.

We keep ourselves in the love by waiting with expectation for the return of Christ.

Hebrews 9:28 CSB

28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Titus 2:13–14 CSB

13 while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

THIS IS AN ACTIVE WAITING THAT LONGS FOR THE RETURN OF JESUS.

Be watchful and ready - live your daily life as if he is coming back right now.

Be Patient and humble - Wait with a quiet humility. Not getting angry in God’s delay. Trust God with the difficulties of the Christian life.

Wait with diligence in service to our King - He said to go not set. As we wait, we serve the King by taking the Gospel of Jesus to our home, neighbor, and the world.

AS WE EAGERLY WAIT FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD, WE GLIMPS THE FUTURE IN OUR OWN LIVES IN THE PRESENT.

WE SHOULD LOOK FORWARD TO THE SECON COMING WHEN JESUS SETS ALL TO RIGHT

WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE WORLD TO ONE ANOTHER

WE SHOULD COMPARE THE INJUSTICE AND SUFFERING OF THIS WORLD DUE TO SIN, TO THE SINLESS AND REDEEMED WORLD TO COME.

WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH BY REMINDING ONE ANOTHER WHAT THIS HOLY FAITH LEADS TO.

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FINALLY, WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH BY HAVING MERCEY ON THOSE WHO WAVER.

Jude 22–23 CSB

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.

We contend for the faith with mercy. As God grants us mercy we are to be motivated by mercy to those who waver.

Rather than draw away we should try to rescue. We avoid the wolves but we rescue the children of God who have been lured away by the lie.

Our mercy should also be surrounded by fear of not falling into the sin but in love we despise, hate the sin we are rescuing them from.

Galatians 6:1 CSB

1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.

WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH BY SPEAKING TRUTH TO ONE ANOTHER.

IN MERCY SEEK TO KEEP ONE ANOTHER IN THE FAITH.

JESUS KEEPS US THROUGH THE CHURCH CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH FOR THE SAKE OF ONE ANOTHER.

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GOD CALLS US / MAKES US HIS BELOVED / AND KEEPS US.

He multiplies mercy, peace and love to us in Christ.

OUR ROLE IS TO

BUILD OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER IN THE FAITH GOD CALLED US INTO.

KEEP OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER IN THE LOVE HE HAS CALLED US INTO.

AND WE ARE TO SHOW MERCY TO THOSE WHO HAVE WAVERED FROM THE FAITH BY HUMBLY AND WITH FEAR BRING THEM BACK TO THE FAITH WITH TRUTH.

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JUDE STARTS BY ANCHORING OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST - CALLED / BELOVED/ KEPT.

HE THEN GIVES US THE TOOLS TO CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

BUILD OUR SELVES IN THE FAITH WE WERE CALLED INTO

KEEP OURSELVES IN THE LOVE WE WERE CALLED INTO

AND FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO ARE BEING KEPT BY JESUS WITH MERCY, HUMILITY AND FEAR.

NOW JUDE ENDS BY REMINDING US

JESUS HAS ALREADY WON!

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

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CONCLUSION

WE ARE TO EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

WE CONTEND FROM A POSITION OF VICTORY - THAT IS THE VICTORY OF CHRIST.

WE MUST KNOW, SATAN WILL NOT WIN - THE OUTCOME IS FINAL - JESUS HAS ALREADY WON!

WE CONTEND FROM A POSITION OF VICTORY.

NO FEAR - NO SHAME - NO GULIT -

ISLAM WILL NOT WIN, MATERIALISM, POSTMODERISM WILL NOT WIN / NO LIE WILL WIN -

AND OUR ULTIMATE RESPONSE WILL ALWAYS BE

GLORY, MAJESTY, POWER, AND AUTHORITY BEFORE TIME, NOW AND FOREVER TO OUR ONLY GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS THE LORD OF ALL.