Exhortation to Believers
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
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Social
Prayer Requests
Prayer Requests
Miriam Smith Family
Edward Smith Family
Tom Jacobs Family
Steve Gagyi in the hospital
Missionaries
Missionaries
Birthdays
Our church plant - The Hill Church and Ebbie Davis
Dalls and Liz Vaughn
UPG
UPG
The Sarki of Nepal is an unreached people group with a population of 360,000. They are unreached with only a handful of Christians in their people group. The rest of the people are Hindu and believe in many gods. They have family deities as well as village deities that they worship. The local witch doctor is their spiritual leader.
Bible Study
Bible Study
Over the past few weeks, we have looked at Jude’s list of an apostate’s characteristics. Tonight, we will begin to close out the book of Jude by looking at the encouragement that Jude gave to the recipients of his letter, and by God’s will us as well.
But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
Jude 17-25
There will be mockers in the last days.
There will be mockers in the last days.
These mockers are also known as false teachers. The time for their presence is now. When we come to a biblical understanding, we can not help but conclude that the advent of Christ initiated the last days.
He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 Timothy
has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
Jude gives us five things about the mockers or false teachers.
The apostles predicted that the mockers would come.
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2
False teachers walk after their own ungodly lusts.
False teachers walk after their own ungodly lusts.
False teachers cause division among God’s people within the church.
c. False teachers cause division among God’s people within the church.
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
False teachers are worldly minded; they are sensual and carnal.
b.
False teachers do not have the Spirit of God.
c. False teachers cause division among God’s people within the church.
The five characteristics spoken of here were covered in earlier verses. Jude is reviewing for emphasis. We need to be mindful of the presence of false prophets. We are to grow in Christ and not rely on a weekly meal for our nourishment.
Believers should build themselves up.
Believers should build themselves up.
There are four ways that a believer can build his or herself up.
Our faith
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
We build ourselves up in the faith by immersing ourselves in the word of God. We are to study, meditate, learn, memorize, and live out the Scripture. We are to continually to build on what we have learned.
Praying in the Spirit
To pray in the Spirit means:
To pray in the Spirit means:
that we pray under His guidance and influence, under His energy and power.
that we seek and ask His help as we approach the throne of grace
that we focus our minds and concentrate upon the Holy Spirit helping us to pray, and depend upon Him to help us.
that we ask and depend upon the Holy Spirit to guide our requests so that we are praying in accordance to the will of God.
that we walk in the Spirit day by day and offer to God our prayers without ceasing.
that we set aside time each day to pray fervently for the needs of our loved ones, church family, and the world.
Keeping ourselves in the love of God.
This should not be perceived as keeping ourselves saved, rather it should be viewed as maintaining our fellowship with God.
When we are saved, we are adopted into the family of God. We must then do our part to maintain our fellowship with God. God has created us in His image. He has given us the ability to choose and make decisions. When we make the wrong decisions, we strain our fellowship with Him. We grow closer to Him by repenting of our sins, spending time in His word and in prayer.
Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The believer should build himself up by looking forward to Christ’ return. The return of Christ should bring hope to the believer. It should cause us to not only long for the day, but to live each day as if that is the day that Christ will return.
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we have seen tonight, we want to beware of false teachers while building ourselves up in the faith. Next Wednesday night, we will conclude Jude’s letter by looking at verses 22-25.