CONTEND FOR THE “THE FAITH”
Rev. Scott Epperson
4/29/07
(Jud 1:1) Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.
(Jud 1:2) Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
(Jud 1:3) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Subject : To CONTEND for the FAITH
To whom: The sanctified, preserved, the called
#1 Contend for your sanctification-
To designate for a use, or to make holy.
(1Co 6:11) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
(1Co 6:19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
(1Co 6:20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
It is our reasonable service to contend for the sanctification of this temple! To live a separated life for God, and to abstain from sin.
(Gal 5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
If you desire to live spiritually, there will be some contention.
(1Pe 2:11) Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
(Rom 8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
It takes effort and contending on your part. Some believe they have chosen to give there heart to God but as for there personal life and there hobbies, and their love life, and their this and that, well that is none of Gods business.
#2 CONTEND FOR YOUR PRESERVATON-
Preserved - to maintain or secure
(2Co 1:6) And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
(2Co 1:7) And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
(2Co 1:8) For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
The late Roland Q. Leavell in his book, Evangelism: Christ’s Imperative Commission,
stated that of all the reported Church members:
15 per cent cannot be found,
20 per cent never pray,
25 per cent never read the Bible,
30 per cent never attend Church services,
40 per cent never give to the church,
50 per cent never go to Sunday School,
60 per cent never go to Church Sunday night,
80 per cent never go to prayer meeting,
90 per cent never have family worship, and
95 per cent never win a soul to Christ.
If these statistics are correct, they simply mean that only 5 per cent of the Church members are obedient to Christ.
“Leave it to the Leaders” !!!!!!!!!
“Leave it to the Church”
(Rom 12:2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, ….
WORLD HAS ATTACKED
Jesus Name
Military- chaplain lost job and pension for praying in name in uniform on the White House Lawn.
Gov. leaders - are not encouraged to pray in Jesus Name.
Schools- graduation prayers not in Jesus Name.
Word
10 commandments taken down
Some places like peoples work places do not allow reading bible on lunch brake.
Youth Pastor in Canada- prison for hate crimes
Church
Some states discourage small assemblies
(Joh 15:20) Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
(Joh 15:21) But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Civil rights leaders:
Rosa Parks and many others contended for their rights, now it is Christians rights etc.. Just as many people have had to contend for their freedom, it is no different for us. We are America and we choose if America will be a free Christian nation or just another country full of ungodliness.
Third Century leader Tertullian observed, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."
#3 Contend for your calling-
(Mat 9:36) But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
(Mat 9:37) Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;
(Mat 9:38) Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.
Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium."
There is a message in the world that teaches TOLERANCE
SOME CHURCHES TEACH AGAINST EVANGELISM
"The work of evangelism is never complete until the one evangelized becomes an evangelizer."
~ Dr. Herschel Hobbs
