We’re Counting on you!

Jude 20–25 NRSV

But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies. Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Intro:

The best way to gain an appreciation for what Jude is saying here in today’s text is to understand both who he is......

.....and why he is writing this letter in the first place...

(pause)

And according to he says....

I am a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.

which really means.....

He is not only a servant of Jesus Christ, he is also his younger brother.........found in

Matthew 13:55 NRSV

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?

(pause)

And so Jude connects himself to his brother James who is well known as the main leader of the Jesus movement in Jerusalem........

........and he humbly and indirectly connects himself to his brother Jesus who is the entire reason for the Gospel......

(pause)

the reason this is significant to me is because this means Jude has an entirely different level of understands the importance of the Gospel movement.

Up close and Personal for him....

(pause and expound)

And not only is this up close and personal for him..

....but also in verse 3 he shares why he writes this letter in the first place....

“I eagerly prepared to write to you about the salvation we share, but I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.”

In other words.....

I wanted to write to you about one thing.....but I have no choice but to motivate you for this serious struggle that you are in that you don’t even know anything about!

And......

I don’t want you to go into this with a mindset that is concentrating only on defending the Christian faith......

....but I want you to also focus on advancement........

(pause)

Freedom family.....

.....it’s one thing to know.........

.....that you are being attacked.....and get on the defensive

.....but it is entirely different to be the victim of a sneak attack!

And then make up in your mind that defense is not enough for the victory that God has in mind for your life......

......because the type of victory that God has in mind for you requires not just defensive maneuvers.......

......but also a mindset that is decided on ADVANCEMENT!

(pause and expound)

And what Jude is communicating to this faith community reading his letter is that.......

.........that is exactly what’s going on in their community.

(pause)

False teachers have slipped in through the front door and are trying to destroy the momentum of the Gospel.....

(slight pause)

And not only should we be ready to defend the faith......

.......but there has to be a shared Spirit of Advancement!

(pause)

[Note: Relevance should be made here....]

(pause)

And unfortunately our lives are no different today.....

.......because Satan is still trying to use others to stop our momentum

And.....

......the attacks are not always as obvious

....because if they were...

(slight pause)

........the fighter in us would come out and defend against these attacks.

So......

......instead of attacking you and I where we can see it coming...

.....the enemy slips in...........and tries to slowly tear down our lives.......and our faith by closely positioning themselves to us..........and tapping into our desires!

Because....

.....if I’m going to throw you off, I got to tell you what you want to hear

.......and say it like i’m your friend!

(pause and expound)

And Jude says.....

Beloved........this is why I have to write to you now!

(pause)

Jude 20 NRSV

But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;

In other words....

Dear friends it’s extremely important that you grow strong on a foundation that is completely concerned with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit directs your life!

(pause)

Growth depends on foundation

.......something has to be solid enough to handle all of the change that’s going to happen in our lives naturally as we become who God has created us to be.

and that’s called a foundation.........or what Jude calls.....

“A Building Place!”

(slight pause)

And the text says our “Building Place is our Faith!”

(pause)

And he doesn’t just say any type of faith.......

......but he says, “build on your most holy faith”

which means........

Our Foundation depends on Christ Jesus....

....because Jesus Christ is the subject of our most holy faith

Psalm 61:2 KJV 1900

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

(pause)

Psalms 61.2

The Hymn writer said....

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name...

(and then he goes on to say…)

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand!!

(pause and expound)

then he says......

“Pray in the Holy Spirit!”

meaning.....

Our Direction depends on the Holy Spirit

.........we can’t experience moving in the right direction or correctly growing the way we should without proper guidance.

And proper guidance depends on proper communication.....

.......and that does not mean so much what we say

.......but more importantly it means our focus should be on who we are speaking to!

(pause)

Jude says.....

Don’t talk to stuff that has nothing to do with our foundation!

(pause)

We need to communicate with what gives us instructions that are connected to us from our......

Design all the way into our Destiny!

(pause)

Look at it now....

Jude 21 NRSV

keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

The text says.....

Keep yourselves....

......or persevere, or keep in step

In other words....

- We should live in such a way that God’s love can be a blessing to us....

(pause)

“awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.”

And this is important because the text is saying....

- We should expect or look forward to Jesus Christ showing how kind he is.

(pause)

Look at it now....

Jude 22 NRSV

And have mercy on some who are wavering;

In other words....

There are some who have not gone very far astray.

There are some who can be dealt with compassionately regarding their doubts about the Christian faith.

(pause)

The text says....

Contend for the faith....or advance the Gospel

....by showing compassion to those we are in this position around us.

(pause)

Look at it now...

Jude 23 NRSV

save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies.

In other words....

There is a second group who are in greater spiritual danger and they don’t even know it.

These are the unfortunate souls who have accepted false teachings.

(pause)

And the text says.....

Contend for the faith by.......

......snatching or rescuing them out quickly!

(pause)

And then the text says.....

There is another group who can be rescued and who are to be brought back by saving help, but with great caution......

(pause)

Look at it now...

Jude 24 NRSV

Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing,

Jude 24–25 NRSV

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

Jude says........

We’ve got some CONTENDING to do!

We’ve got some major ADVANCEMENT that’s necessary!!

And so he makes a dramatical shift in his letter........

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling!”

Freedom......

If we are going to Advance without stumbling

......its going to be because God is KEEPING us!!

.....because God is PROTECTING us!!!

“Now to Him who is able!”

(pause and expound)

“And to make you stand without blemish in the presence of His glory with rejoicing.”

(pause)

In other words the text says....

Let me ASSURE you......that Jesus Christ has the POWER to bring you into the presence of God without fault.....

And so that means....

Nothing is beyond RECOVERY with God!!

And because God is acting on our behalf.......

......we are able to CONTEND....

Because God is acting on our behalf......

........we are STANDING.......vs. FALLING

(pause)

“To the only God our Savior

......we’re counting on you!

through Jesus Christ our Lord

........we’re counting on you!

Glory.......Majesty......power.........and authority

Honor........prominence........sovereignty...

(slight pause)

before all time......

now and forever........Amen

“We’re COUNTING on you!”

.......................COMPLETION.......................