Sermon Tone Analysis

Necessary change

Last week we started into this short letter of warning and the original intention of Jude changes in our passage.

Author Jude, bond-servant of Jesus Christ (v.1)

To the called, beloved, kept (v.1)

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied (v.2)

Let’s look at the passage together now (Jude3-4)

What was the intention originally (v.3)?

What was the necessity (v.3)?

What is the reason for the change (v.4)?

For a time was coming and a time has come that many did not adhere to the warnings of Jesus (Mt7:15), Paul (2Tim4:3-4), Peter (2Pt2:1) or John (1Jn4:1) that the false teachers, false prophets would come in, sneak in, creep in unnoticed to the church.

So, think about this for today how easy it would be for this to happen.

We are far from the original warnings.

All the more why we should know we need to contend for the faith.

So, this evening we will look at

The need to contend identified

The way to content magnified

The need to contend identified

As Christians we need to know the enemy and the enemy tactics, even if they are very subtle and slow.

We need to be sober and alert (1Pt5:8) so that they cannot sneak in.

We want to identify the enemy as Jude calls for the church to contend.

Well, that is an interesting way to say it, but I think in this case we are going to go back to a more traditional look

They were ungodly men (Jude4; 2Tim3:2-5)

Ungodly in their words

Ungodly in their living and thinking

Paul told timothy like this.

Holding onto a form of godliness, but denied its power for it is fake godliness!

They are deceitful (Jude4; Gal2:4; 2Pt2:1)

They crept in, slipped in unnoticed, or unaware.

Some can even come from within

Peter stands with Jude on this

So, how does this happen, happen within the body, the body of believers?

- - -

The soldiers of Christ did not arise and put their armor on.

They have fallen asleep during their watch.

What is the armor?

It is Faith, but it is also the sword, the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.

Many are not putting, or sharpening the word in them so to be able to see the enemies that are sneaking in unnoticed, unaware.

The spiritual leaders of the church have grown comfortable and complacent no longer wanting to raise an alarm or make waves.

People like John the Baptist, Stephen and the rest of the Apostles, minus John, were all killed for their faith and their boldness.

Today we get worried about offending people and being called intolerant or judgmental vs speaking the truth of God’s word calling sin, sin.

They are enemies of God’s grace (Jude4; Gal5:19-21; Mk7:21-22; 2Pt2:13-14, 19; 2Cor10:4-5)

turning the grace of God into licentiousness.

Oh wow, what a word, a word that should be defined

1. (a.) Lacking moral discipline or restraint, especially in sexual conduct; passing due bounds; excessive; abusive of freedom; wantonly offensive; as, a licentious press.

2. (a.) Unrestrained by law or morality; lawless; immoral; dissolute; lewd; lascivious; as, a licentious man; a licentious life.

A person who wantonly acts from self serving, self satisfying pleasures, operates within the flesh

It is from within that defiles a man, the evil desires of the heart as Jesus says (Mk7:21-22)

I love the way Peter states it

They don’t try to hide it, they don’t do it under the cover of night, but revel in the daytime, revel in their deceptions

Deception, promising freedom which is not freedom at all.

These enemies of God’s grace are trying to promote and defend their false doctrines.

- - - - as soldiers of Christ we need to go through basic training on how to use the spiritual weaponry provided

They deny God’s truth (Jude4; 2Pt2:1; 2Jn7)

Denying the Lord that he came in the flesh.

Denying the truth that the Lord bought them

Jude is affirming the Christ, the deity of Christ.

Many come and say “he was a good man,” “he was a good teacher,” but not say that He is the eternal God who came in the flesh.

This is a central fact that anyone who denies that Christ came in the flesh is one who is marked out for condemnation and is antichrist.

They are marked out (ordained) for judgment (Jude4)

God did not make them apostates, licentiousness people.

They chose it They are responsible for their actions and are marked out for judgment according to God’s word.

Why marked out, according to (v.4) they deny Jesus Christ.

Why marked out, the deceive innocent people (babes in Christ who don’t know any better); also deceive unbelievers with a false gospel that will not save.

- - - - so we need to contend for the faith, the faith of the truth of God’s word, faith of the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation.

Why marked out, the truth had been handed down one and for all.

They are trading the truth of God for something else.

The doctrine handed down needs to be contended for.

God committed the truth (1Tim1:11) to Paul; Paul entrusted it to Timothy (1Tim6:20) and called Timothy to teach it to others (2tim2:2)

The doctrine, the truth needs to be protected, it needs to be contended for.

One commentator said:

“You cannot fight the Lord’s battles from a rocking chair or a soft bed!”

Like a soldier, like an athlete you need to train, you need to focus and you need to engage and be engaged until the end.

We must not look at fighting one another, but when the truth of the gospel, the truth of God’s word is at stake, when it is at risk, when it is being twisted we cannot sit idly by and do nothing.

We need to get up and engage!

Charles Spurgeon said “False doctrine is a deadly poison that must be identified, labeled and avoided.”

So, follow the instructions given to Timothy

So, I want to continue a little more on the need to contend.

We need to content earnestly!

- For we can know

Contend for some will deny the sufficiency of scripture; and God has given us everything (Act20:27; 2Pt1:3; 2Tim3:16-17)

Paul to the Ephesian elders he preached the whole counsel of God.

Peter said that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness

And that all scripture is God breathed, Hold on let me put that one up.

Equipped to contend for the faith with knowledge of the Word of God, fully equipped for it (Heb1:1; Rev22:18-19; Jude3)!

Some people claim the the revelation is not complete that there is still revelation today, eventhough scripture tells us diff.

(Heb1:1) and not to add or take from it (Rev22:18-19) or that the revelation needs to be updated and repeated, but according to our verses today it was once given for all(Jude3)

Equipped to contend for some will pervert God’s grace (2Tim4:3-4; Tit2:11-14)

Paul told Timothy some will want ear tickling, trading for something other than the truth and conviction that brings conversion through God’s Word.

Titus was told this, and I want to keep it is context so enjoy this passage

Those who contend for the faith, who contend earnestly will know what to do, deny ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live sensibly, righteously, godly until our blessed hope appears

Oh wait, don’t forget to purify yourself by the washing of the water of the word and be zealous for good deeds not for faith but from faith.

Equipped to contend for the faith for some will deny God’s authority (Mt28:18; Eph1:21-22; Jn13:20; 1Cor14:37; Act2:42)

Jude is dealing with those who are denying the Only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ!

So this is our Lord God and our Lord Jesus.

And we know that Lord God gave all authority to Lord Jesus

And by that happening then all things are in subjection, have authority over, all things to the church.

Paul said it like this

We, as the believers who are to contend for the faith recognize the authority that Jesus gave to the apostles

knowing what they wrote was God given

And we should continue to study it

And be devoted to it, contending for the faith because