Sermon #8 of 11
Jude: A Call to Defend
The Enemy’s Judgment
Jude 14-16
Introduction
We have spent several weeks talking about the apostasy portion of Jude.
Apostasy is basically living, and/or teaching that is counter to the truths of scripture. My basic definition is false teaching and false living.
There are many in our churches who fall under apostate lifestyle. They say they are Christians but in actuality they are not.
I spent time last week talking about this as we looked at verses 12-13 of Jude.
If you say you are a Christian but are living a consistent godless lifestyle, you need to go back to you “salvation experience” and see if it was genuine. Measure yourself against Galatians 5:16-21.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
If your life is consistently following the flesh instead of the spirit you need to understand that you may be living an apostate lifestyle.
Here today we see the judgment of the enemy, the judgment of the apostates.
14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.
Our culture does not like Judgment of God. We have shied away from it. One has said that our evangelistic efforts have fell short because we do not talk about the Judgment of God.
Folks the judgment of God is real. Our God is a holy God and He will execute judgment upon sin. The only thing that will save you from God’s judgment is the blood of Jesus Christ. This safety net, this salvation is available to all, but not all take hold of it.
It is your choice on whether or not your come before the judgment of God. You see it is your choice to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ to save you from the penalty of your sin. No one else can make that decision for you. It is your decision and your choice.
If you refuse to trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will face this judgment of God. You are an Enemy of God.
There are three things that I believe Jude points out about the Enemy’s judgment in these verses.
1. The Lord will come to execute judgment.
The Church has anxiously awaited the second coming of Jesus for the past two centuries.
As the Church has anxiously awaits Jesus’ second coming, the world mocks this future event.
2 Peter 3:1-4
1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."
There are people today, even in the church, who say that Jesus will not come back because He never came. It is just a great story, but it not true.
Folks, they will be surprised, because Jesus has come and He will come again.
It reminds me about the attitudes of the people before the flood.
Jesus said in Matthew 24: 37-39
37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Understand that the Lord has held off in coming because of His desire for people to come to faith in Jesus. Notice 2 Peter 3:9-10
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
You see the Lord will come to execute judgment, but He is holding off because of His grace and mercy. His desire is not to destroy but to save and thus He is waiting for people to respond in faith to Him.
Have you responded in faith to Jesus?
2. The Lord will not come alone.
the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,
Who are these holy ones? They are the angels.
2 Thessalonians 1: 5-8
5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering-- 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
This judgment will be a majestic and glorious scene. But it will also be a scene of guilt and fear.
These angels will be with the Lord watching over the judgment like guards in a courtroom.
There will be no escape as they bring forth the godless before the Holy One to be judged.
3. The Lord will come to judge the ungodly.
There will be two judgments at the end of time.
The Judgment Seat of Christ for Christians– 2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
It will happen after the rapture of the church.
The Great-White Throne Judgment for the Lost --
Revelation 20:11-15
Jude is describing this judgment.
15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
The word convict means to find guilty.
Jude is talking about all those who have rejected Jesus and God’s truth with their words and actions, and in a climatic ending we see them judged for all that they have done against God.
See with me this judgment played out in Scripture ….
Revelation 20:11-15
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Folks, understand this will happen for the lost. It will happen for those who choose to reject Jesus as Savior and Lord.
For those who choose to reject Jesus, they will be judged for every action and every word they have spoken.
But notice that this judgment will be done publicly. Everyone will see what you have done, what you have said. They will see the ugly side of you.
Because their name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, they will be thrown into the lake of fire, Hell, forever.
Do you want that to be your fate?
Does your life line up with living in the flesh instead of living in the Spirit?
Have you have fully trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord?
If not this is what awaits for you! Do you want this to be your eternity?
If not, I invite you to come forward and trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
