A Warning Against Apostasy Part Ii

Title: A Warning Against Apostasy – Part II Scripture: Jude 1:12-16

Type: Expository Where: GNBC 8-21-22

Intro: “Tweet” is a word that has become a part of our vernacular. Literally, tweets used to only be for birds, but now, even world leaders can apparently “tweet”. Nowadays, to “tweet” is synonymous, not so much with birds, but posting on social media. Twitter allows up to only 280 characters in a Tweet, which makes for its popularity. Its easy to scan a post or scores of posts because of the paucity of information. Tweets are usually succinct and to the point, ideal for our attention deficit world. If we were to categorize books of the Bible, works like Isaiah would be compared to novels, II & III John, Obadiah, Jude, etc., would be “Tweets”! Much less content. However, a tweet can be very important, even with limited content. Same is true to Jude today.

Prop: Examining Jude 1:12-16 we’ll see 3 Critical Characterizations of Apostate teachers.

BG: 1. Again, written by ½ brother of Jesus. Period of apostasy – falling away from the faith by many.

2. False teachers were “creeping” into the Church. Telling readers to “contend for the faith”. Need to be on the lookout for dangerous doctrines of false teachers.

3. In spite of its brevity, Jude has fairly decent attestation in patristic literature. There are possible allusions to it in Clement of Rome, Shepherd of Hermas, Barnabas, and Didache, and probable allusions in Polycarp, along with Clement of Alexandria and Origen. Why? Important message.

Prop: Let’s look at Jude 1:12-16 to see 3 Critical Characterizations Jude makes of Apostate teachers.

I. 1st Characterization: Jude Defines & Describes Apostate Teachers vv.12-13

-Jude gives a very vivid, graphic, and dramatic, and even frightening description of apostates in his era and ours.

A. Jude Says These Men Are Dangerous and Lacking in Spiritual Substance. V.12

1. These men are Dangerous and Lacking in Substance. V. 12

a. “hidden reefs” in your love feasts. Illust: You may remember that the Titanic was sunk by an iceberg. The tip, which was barely visible was but a tiny portion of the total. These reefs were usually just below the surface, had to carefully navigate waters with reefs or would tear the hull out of the ship, damaging or sinking it.

b. A lot of times we can be impressed with a preacher or teacher’s charisma. Big personality. Larger than life persona. Maybe boasts. Possibly flashy. Possibly very “spiritual”. You are looking at the surface. Surface looks fine. Jude says to beware of what’s below the surface. Bad theology. Immorality. Deception. Fraud. Greed.

2. Jude warns that these men were dangers in one of the most meaningful aspects of 1st century Church worship.

a. Jude says that these men were “hidden reefs at their love feasts”. Illust: If you were to ask the ordinary Christian today what a Church meeting was like in the days of the apostles, you would probably get different answers. An evangelical Christian would probably answer that it consisted primarily of strong preaching and teaching. A charismatic Christian might reply that it primarily incorporated worship, praise, and the exercise of miraculous gifts. An Anglican might reply that it was principally a celebration of the Eucharist. Of course, all of those responses are partially right. However, a rather dominant part of apostolic worship that few Christians would think of today is that it centered around a meal. Yes, a meal. As part of worship. This was called the “love (agape) feast”. At the end of this meal believers would celebrate communion together. Need look no further than Last Supper (Mt. 26) and Early Church (Acts 2:42) which tells us that the believers were daily worshiping and breaking bread together.

b. v.12 – “feast with you without fear”- At nearly every communion service we read from I Cor. 11:27-33. Because communion was rooted in the Jewish Seder Supper, the early church practiced eating together and then taking communion together (agape feast). We are told in I Cor. 11 to “examine ourselves” before taking communion. If not a Christian, shouldn’t. If have offense, should not. These apostate teachers were not examining themselves, they were not regenerate, many were utterly reprobate, and no fear of potential judgment o God for their behavior.

B. Jude Warns Apostate Teachers Lack True Substance.

1. Jude Makes Several Important Comparisons with regard to these False Teachers.

a. v.12 – “clouds without water” – Clouds carry moisture. "Nimbus" comes from the Latin word for "rain.". Two examples of rain clouds are the nimbostratus or cumulonimbus clouds. Nimbostratus clouds bring continuous precipitation that can last for many hours. These low-level clouds are full of moisture. Cumulonimbus are generally speaking what we call “thunderheads”. What do you expect when you see those on a hot Spring or Summer Iowa day? Rain!