Hey Jude - Pt. 1 - Deception
I. Introduction
The Beatles released the single "Hey Jude" in August of 1968 (which is one of the most important months and years in the history of mankind). The song was written by Paul McCartney in response to John Lennon's divorce from his wife Cynthia. The couple had a son name Julian and Paul went to visit the son knowing he would be devastated by the breakup of his parents. The song was originally entitle "Hey Jules". Interestingly enough the son didn't find out for 20 years that the song was about him. The song is more than seven minutes long and, at the time, the longest single ever to top the British charts. It also spent nine weeks at number one in the United States—the longest run at the top of the American charts for a Beatles single—and tied the record for longest stay at number one (until the record was broken by Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life"). The single has sold approximately eight million copies and is frequently included on professional critics' lists of the best songs of all time. As you know and have just seen, Paul still regularly performs it and did so at the Olympics last year. The chorus remains locked in our subconscious. This Jude is famous.
However, there is another Jude that precedes the song who hasn't garnered as much air time or attention. It too is a single. A single, self-titled chapter book in the Bible that seems to fall almost unnoticed before the much more sexy, mysterious, attention grabbing book of Revelation! This Jude can be read more quickly than the song can be sung. It is a short, concise poignant book, written by Jude the brother of James. Although some debate rages over his identity many scholars believe that this claim to be James' brother would also make the author Jesus' brother! What is not up for debate is the necessity to read the 25 verses of this book and understand that the author was "reading our mail" today.
One day a man was on a business trip. He checked in at the airline counter, began the boarding process and walked down the aisle of the plane and took his aisle seat. After settling down and preparing to take off he glanced over at the lady that was sitting next to him at the window. He notice she was reading a large old leather bound book. Intrigued and thinking it must be some old Bible he asked the lady what she was reading. She responded that she was indeed reading a bible. However, it was in fact a Satanic Bible. In the course of the ensuing conversation, the lady stated, "We Satanist do prayer walks around every church in America. During these prayer walks we pray against the church and the pastors and we ask Satan to use 4 specific attacks and tools against them: Deception, Distraction, Divisions, Discouragement."
I will not spend any time trying to convince you that the Body of Christ is under attack. You should need no convincing. It is apparent that the battles continue and attacks are constantly underway. What I want to do is in light of that conversation is to run back to Jude. Because in this small book Jude addresses these 4 tactics. So my question is "Hey Jude, what do you have to say to these attacks other than "na na na na na na?"
II. Text
Jude 1-25
I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way! Dear friends, I’ve dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish. What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks our (Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master. I’m laying this out as clearly as I can, even though you once knew all this well enough and shouldn’t need reminding. Here it is in brief: The Master saved a people out of the land of Egypt. Later he destroyed those who defected. And you know the story of the angels who didn’t stick to their post, abandoning it for other, darker missions. But they are now chained and jailed in a black hole until the great Judgment Day. Sodom and Gomorrah, which went to sexual rack and ruin along with the surrounding cities that acted just like them, are another example. Burning and burning and never burning up, they serve still as a stock warning. This is exactly the same program of these latest infiltrators: dirty sex, rule and rulers thrown out, glory dragged in the mud. The Archangel Michael, who went to the mat with the Devil as they fought over the body of Moses, wouldn’t have dared level him with a blasphemous curse, but said simply, “No you don’t. God will take care of you!” But these people sneer at anything they can’t understand, and by doing whatever they feel like doing—living by animal instinct only—they participate in their own destruction. I’m fed up with them! They’ve gone down Cain’s road; they’ve been sucked into Balaam’s error by greed; they’re canceled out in Korah’s rebellion. These people are warts on your love feasts as you worship and eat together. They’re giving you a black eye—carousing shamelessly, grabbing anything that isn’t nailed down. They’re—Puffs of smoke pushed by gusts of wind; late autumn trees stripped clean of leaf and fruit, Doubly dead, pulled up by the roots; wild ocean waves leaving nothing on the beach but the foam of their shame; Lost stars in outer space on their way to the black hole. Enoch, the seventh after Adam, prophesied of them: “Look! The Master comes with thousands of holy angels to bring judgment against them all, convicting each person of every defiling act of shameless sacrilege, of every dirty word they have spewed of their pious filth.” These are the “grumpers,” the bellyachers, grabbing for the biggest piece of the pie, talking big, saying anything they think will get them ahead. But remember, dear friends, that the apostles of our Master, Jesus Christ, told us this would happen: “In the last days there will be people who don’t take these things seriously anymore. They’ll treat them like a joke, and make a religion of their own whims and lusts.” These are the ones who split churches, thinking only of themselves. There’s nothing to them, no sign of the Spirit! But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven. And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes.
III. Deceptions
Jude 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.
Jude, knowing we are under attack, uses language of urgency. Earnestly contend . . . fight with everything in you. Contend means to "agonize, defend, engage in an athletic contest, be a combatant, warrior, fighter for the faith."
We are too passive. We are not militant enough. Intellectually we know we are at war and yet we continue to live as if we are on vacation. Little to no prep. No diligence. We acknowledge the attack and simply roll over and go back to sleep. No gearing up. No impact on way we live.
Jude goes on after calling us to wakeup and fight and pulls the curtain back on two specific strategies by which the enemy would like to deceive us. He says these are the deceptions you must guard against!
Jude 4 - What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.
1. License
Jude refers to this deception as The Way of Cain. You remember Cain. He knew what was right. Explained in detail and yet instead he chooses an alternate self-devised option. Cain: self- centered, self sufficient, self-works: Live like he wants and believes he can save self by sacrifices he chooses – not blood sacrifice, but rather works of own hand. Able's blood sacrifice is accepted but Cain's offering was rejected and Cain throws a murderous hissy fit. God responds to Cain and lets him know that if he would do right he too would be accepted. But if he chooses license instead the Bible describes the results like this . . .“sin lies at door” - like a lion ready to pounce and devour you. But rather than adjusting his theology/doctrine/beliefs to meet God's Cain pushes forward with his own way.
We now see the same in church and our lives. The original sin of self is pushing back to the front. We are replacing God with us. Be your own god! You decide between good and evil – not what God says, but what you think. Set our own standards, our definition of sin trumps Gods. Reject what the Word of God says if we don't like it or if it doesn't allow what we wanted to do. We are in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah again. They were described by Jude as making religion out of their whims and lusts! Sound familiar? We are being force fed a "experiential theology instead of Biblical theology". If I feel something is OK then it must be right. We have embraced the lyrics of the song that says "If it feels so good then it can't be wrong!"
2. Tolerance and Inclusion
When you fall prey to the deception of license then the 2nd deception is right on the heels ready to move in. And make no mistake about it it is a doctrine! The deception is the doctrine of tolerance and inclusion. Since morals are now defined and determined by what "feels right" absolutes are rejected and redefined. It is no longer about what the Bible says so now church and "so called evangelicals" (guys like Rob Bell and Carlton Pearson) can dismiss hell, willingly, proudly, and openly embrace homosexuality, and proclaim universalism – all religions/beliefs lead to God/heaven. We must become tolerant and inclusive of anything and everyone!
Jude says very bluntly that if we don't stay on guard we will begin to call good evil and evil good. Jude would sound the alarm today while watching Sports Center. Tim Tebow is crucified (not for his ability or lack of ability) for praying, sharing faith, and witnessing. He is the butt of every joke and a cry arises from teammates, celebrities, and even fellow Christians for him to be quiet. Then in the same breath the day Jason Collins comes out as the first gay American professional athlete he immediately receives congratulatory calls from the President and Twitter praise from celebrities, politicians, and sports legends that herald him as hero! Some even linking this announcement to the ground shaking accomplishment of Jackie Robinson. When ESPN on air personality Chris Broussard eloquently defended his biblical view that opposes homosexuality he was immediately trashed and a petition was started to demand that ESPN apologize for the comments. A Bible believer turned into a villain. A sinner turned into a hero! All in the name of tolerance and inclusion! Just for the record I am sick and tired of the call for tolerance since it seems that the only ones that are intolerant are those calling for tolerance! They are free to set the standard and judgments but when someone wants to apply what God says then we are labeled as close minded, judgmental, bigots! I think Jude should be our standard. Hey Jude what would you say to this? Jude declares that we should be tender with the sinner but tough on the sin. This mandate of the tolerant is to be soft not only on the sinner but to make room for and accept the sin! Jude shouts NO!! Love the person, be tender with the sinner - knowing that sinners are supposed to sin - while at the same time we are to call sin what it is. Don't be deceived! Don't accept something just because we are told we should. Look to a different standard.
Jude reveals the 2 main ways the enemy attempts to deceive us and then he gives us a 4 dose prescription to inoculate us against deception.
Jude 20 - But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Build ourselves up in 4 areas:
1. Centrality of Christ.
He is the only way! To our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master! We must die on the mountain that there is only One name given under heaven by which man can be saved! In the face of the deception that any way to God works. We must stand firm on Jesus is the One and the only way.
2. Clarity of Message.
Know what I have believed! You have to revisit and reclaim what we believe. It isn't enough to just attend a Bible believing church. You have to know what we believe in the Bible! It isn't enough for the pastor to know what we believe. You need to know the what and the why of our beliefs! You have to know the absolutes and stand on them in the face of a society that would rather you embrace license, tolerance, and inclusion. Don't just buy what the media says or even what a preacher says. Remember the Command One? Love God with all your mind - your intelligence. Revisit what the Word says. Revisit what the great Christian theologians and scholars of yesteryear have embraced.
3. Courage.
Stand even if alone. Warrior mentality again. We are facing an onslaught. This is not a time to cower down and hide. We must take courage that God is with us.
4. Communication.
A growing church is a praying church - a healthy Christian is a praying Christian. A specified type of communication - Praying in the Holy Ghost . . . Why? Cause we don't know what to pray. I can't trust to my own wants, feelings, desire, etc. Need to pray with Holy Spirit praying through me! Communication produces power and peace.
