Contend for the Faith | Jude 1-4
End Times Living • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsJude, after founding his letter in the rich foundation of the Gospel, urges his audience to contend for the faith as they spot false teachers and thereby are enabled to avoid their doctrine and destruction.
Notes
Transcript
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 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.
INTRO SELF
Tonight we begin our third book in our 3-part series: End Time Living.
This month will see the conclusion of our series. It’s been a fun journey!
∆∆TITLE
Contend for the Faith
This is the focus of Jude’s letter. He writes to CONTEND FOR THE FAITH, and to appeal for his readers to COTEND FOR THE FAITH.
Anyone know who this Jude is?
Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
James and Jude, the brothers of Jesus were apparently not fans of Jesus’ ministry…
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him.
You get the sense of their disdain. ‘You’re such a ‘Big shot,’ why don’t you go up and make yourself more known!?’
Jesus responds afterwards saying that his time had not come and so he was not going to draw unnecessary attention.
I love how both James and John become faithful followers of Jesus after his death and resurrection.
That they both write books of the Bible, and you can see their humility in not claiming a title by being Jesus’ brothers.
v1 — Jude, A SERVANT “SLAVE” of Jesus Christ and brother of James.
The audience of Jude’s letter seems to be the church-at-large, and we see a lot of parallel between Jude and 2 Peter in the body of the letter.
We actually don’t know which one was written first.
Jude is focused on pushing back against false teachers in the church (Hence: CONTEND FOR THE FAITH).
Classification: NT Letter with Apocalyptic styling — “Judgement Oracle”
∆∆1) The Gospel Greeting (1-2)
∆∆1) The Gospel Greeting (1-2)
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
As has been the case for the previous two letters, there is a richness in sitting in the introduction to these letters.
Let’s start with the similarities and then focus on what Jude is specifically impressing upon his readers.
First, Jude has just a slightly modified greeting from Paul and Peter: Mercy & Peace… and then LOVE added, which was indeed a focus for Paul and Peter, it just came after the greeting.
MERCY = Pity & Compassion (Often seen as the other component of Grace in the Gospel).
If Grace is unmerited favor, us GETTING something that we don’t deserve…
Mercy is also unmerited favor, in us NOT GETTING something that we DO deserve.
We deserve God’s wrath but he has mercy on us. We get God’s favor, that is a grace.
All in all, we’re still focused on the PEACE & FAVOR that we receive from God. Much like Paul and Peter, in their letters.
Let’s now focus on what Jude has in his intro… not absent from Paul and Peter, but the way he focuses on it right in the greeting is truly sweet:
…To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ
∆CALLED - As has been the focus with the terminology of GRACE & MERCY, there is NO EARNING SALVATION in the Kingdom of God. You are a part of the Kingdom because you have been CALLED BY GOD.
In this calling you are now the next identifiers that Jude uses…
BELOVED in God the Father
KEPT for Jesus Christ / IN Jesus Christ
∆“Beloved”
∆“Beloved”
Who did God the Father call “BELOVED”?
Jesus!
and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Rant — Beloved = Greater Solomon
Jude is saying that the paternal love that the Father has for the Son is now extended to us in the Gospel!
∆Heidelberg Q26
What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?
That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father; on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage; for he is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.
Your Heavenly Father is not JUST able but he is also WILLING, for the sake of Christ his Son “The beloved”… who you are now found in and called beloved as well.
∆“Kept”
∆“Kept”
This keeping of you is done by the almighty God. Nothing is stronger, and he will keep you into eternity.
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
the people grumble…
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
The doctrinal title that the church has established for this rich truth of being kept in God is: Perseverance of the Saints
In SG time tonight you are going to add verses to John 6 that showcase this doctrine. I’ll give 3 others if you’re taking notes…
Ephesians 1:11-14
Romans 8:29-30
Titus 2:11-14
You see how practical and encouraging this introduction of Jude’s is, right!?
You have nothing to fear because in Christ you have Grace, Mercy, Peace, Wholeness, Action Oriented Love from God the Father.
He will never fail in holding you in Covenantal Love because it is given to His Son, the Lord of All.
∆∆2) The Appeal to Contend (3)
∆∆2) The Appeal to Contend (3)
Here’s the purpose of Jude’s letter.
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.
More than just reflecting and cherishing the Gospel, he finds it necessary to urge the church to CONTEND for the Gospel.
He’s spurring them into action.
Peter wrote similarly…
This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
Between Peter, Jude, and Paul there is a focus on being stirred up, awakened, provoked to struggle and contend… to “Fight the good fight of the faith” as Paul writes elsewhere in 1 Timothy.
Friends, even 2,000 years later, the church is charged by Jude, Peter, and Paul to CONTEND FOR THE FAITH.
∆
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Destroy arguments raised against the knowledge of God.
Take every thought captive, obeying Christ.
You need to know the Gospel, know how to contend for the Gospel…
Be educated to dismantle argumentation and stand for truth…
Be disciplined so you would be obedient to Christ…
It is these two focuses that Jude ALSO is focused on as he warns the church with…
∆∆3) The Marks of a False Teacher (4)
∆∆3) The Marks of a False Teacher (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.
Jude gives two primary marks of a False Teacher:
1) They pervert the grace of God — They do so to give license to distorted sexual sin.
2) They deny Jesus
∆Pervert Grace / Are Ruled by Passions
∆Pervert Grace / Are Ruled by Passions
This has been the focus for many different times throughout these 3 letters in this series.
False teachers, being unsaved themselves are not able to control their flesh.
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
The opposite to being ruled by your passions is having your mind in control over your passions, submitted to Christ.
Which of course, was our segue from 2 Cor. 10 into this next section. This is what contending for the faith looks like, having minds that are taken captive and submitted to Christ; so that we are not ruled by our passions.
∆Deny Jesus
∆Deny Jesus
As has been since 2 Thessalonians when we talked about the “Man of Lawlessness,” we’ve appealed to John’s reminder to discern who the Antichrist is…
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
Important reminder that a False Teacher can DENY JESUS while talking about “Jesus” a lot… but it is discernable who they are referring to as that “Jesus” is tested with the Scriptures.
Unlike these False Teachers, we in the church are enabled to tame our passions and follow as obedient disciples to the true King Jesus.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
In SG Time tonight, in addition to fleshing out the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints, you are going to put an action plan together to be the opposite of a False Teacher.
To know Christ more and more.
To submit your lives in obedience to Christ, and not be ruled by your passions.
This you are enabled to do by the power of God’s Spirit
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
It WILL look like CONTENDING
There will be s “struggle.”
But you lack no power in the Gospel
For the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus is NOW giving life to your mortal bodies.
END
END
We as the church will contend for the faith.
It starts by cherishing the Gospel, a call-to-action that has been impressed upon us for each of these 3 introductions throughout this series.
And then it flows out into our adherence to Christ and our control over our bodies by fixing our minds upon Christ.
