How to Keep Yourself in the Love of God

Text Genre

Exhortation

Sermon Text

Jude 20–21 NKJV

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.

Background Study

Jude is the brother James the brother of Jesus.

The book of Jude is almost like the sister text 1 Peter chapter 2

Peter wrote in the future tense while Jude said the problem is present tense.

The problem that Jude is referring to is apostasy.

Peter wrote about the coming apostasy and Jude wrote about the present apostasy of their time which is still present in our time.

Jude was so concerned about the apostasy of his time he decided to write to the people of his time.

He wanted to write about the common salvation but decided to take a detour and warn the church of the apostates.

Purpose

Jude exhorted his readers to contend earnestly for the faith.

Jude 3 NKJV

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Context

The Warning of Apostasy

Historical Examples of Apostasy

Description of Apostates

The Duties of Believers

Immediate Context

The Duties of Believers is to distinguish themselves from Apostates by being faithful to God.

Text Context Among the People

There is a need to distinguish ourselves from people who are Apostates

Jude 17 NKJV

But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Jude 18 NKJV

how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.

Jude 19 NKJV

These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

Sermon Introduction

MIT (Main Idea of The Text)

Jude exhorted the readers to keep themselves in the love of God through the Word of God.

IOT (determine Intention of the Text)

Today we must keep ourselves in the love of God through the love of God.

GOT (Goal of the Text)

Today we must keep ourselves in the love of God through the Word of God by building ourselves up, praying, and looking for the mercies of Jesus unto eternal life.

Sermon Body

We Keep Ourselves in the Love of God By Building Ourselves Up On The Most Holy Faith

Jude 20 NKJV

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

Parallel Passage(s)

1 Thessalonians 5:21 NKJV

Test all things; hold fast what is good.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 NKJV

Abstain from every form of evil.

Acts 17:11 NKJV

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

2 Peter 1:1–11 NKJV

Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4:11–12 NKJV

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

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Transition Sentence

We Keep Ourselves in the Love God by Praying in The Holy Spirit

Parallel Passage(s)

John 14:11 NKJV

Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

John 14:12 NKJV

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

John 14:13 NKJV

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 14:14 NKJV

If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Romans 8:26 NKJV

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Romans 8:27 NKJV

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Transition Sentencei

We Keep Ourselves in the Love of God through Looking for the Mercy of Jesus

Parallel Passage(s)

Titus 2:13 NKJV

looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Jude 2 NKJV

Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Ephesians 2:4 NKJV

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

Transition Sentence

Conclusion (Summary)