Winning the Lost
Jude Scripture
Introduction-
Good Morning, I want to speak to you about winning the lost to Christ –
You know that is for each one of our responsibility of those who profess Christ. It is not for the elite, those chosen few, those that have no trouble speaking, those that have time. Those that attend a charismatic church…each one of us who Christ has saved from eternal death has a responsibility to be sensitive to the people Christ brings into our lives.
You are not called to do someone else’s job- just yours.
Advent starts next week and it is a time that people are sensitive to God, sensitive to the true meaning of Christmas.
Turn with me to the book of Jude- it is the second to last book in your Bible right next to the book of Revelation.
This letter is written by Jude, not to be confessed with Judas Iscariot, this Jude is the brother of James and is considered a faithful servant of Christ as compared to Judas the traitor who sold Jesus out for a few pieces of gold.
The book of Jude is unique because it was not written to any particular church, it is directed at the whole society of Christians at the time. The church in it infant state trying to get some footing on making a difference and spreading the gospel, laying down a foundation that still impacts us today.
Designed to warn us of seducers of our faith
How we are to show the love of God to people we do not know.
To have a desire for God’s truth and to live God’s truth everyday in our lives.
To be healthy in the things of God and live holiness.
The book of James and the one chapter book of Jude address the issues of life for a believer
The book of James is one of my favorite books. It is life lessons. There are clear warnings to be heard.
Stumbling in our faith
Our tongue/ heart
Hearing the Word but not doing the Word
Dead faith
Friendship with the world
Foolish living
Fighting, unity, pride, impatience
Blaming God for things we do, wrong ambitions
Desire to minister to the poor
Did I leave anything out? If we lived these truths, would we be better servants of God?
James 5:14-15
“My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this; whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover a multitude of sins.”
We should change our names to “someone”- “and someone (you and I) should bring that person back” we have a responsibility to do our best to be that someone.
This sermon is really a continuance of last week as we looked at the Grace of God working in our lives and us having a responsibility to those that God brings into our lives.
Remember last week
Sin kills innocence- it takes us away of who we are to be in Christ
Sin kills ideals- Sin kills our senses for the things of God
Sin destroys- destroys relationship with God and others
Christ wants to give back what the devil has stolen from us. Amen.
We must look at people and sin in the way that Christ does and that will change our lives by the way we live and the way that we treat others. (Repeat)
Jude was happy to be known as the brother of James. The only title he desired was that he was a “faithful servant of Jesus Christ.”
James tells us how we should live and act as Christians-
Jude tells us what we should be careful of and what we should preserve in our lives.
Do you think we can learn something from these brothers who spent time with Jesus? I would think so.
I do not want to take the time to read the whole chapter of Jude though it is a quick read, I will break it up into two parts.
The first part as he speaks to the sin and doom of those who are ungodly and choose not to follow Jesus.
The second part the call of believers to persevere and reach out to those we come into contact with.
Jude (3-4) Read from Bible
He wanted to write about salvation but was compelled (urge) (pushed) to write about contended for your faith because there are people out there trying to deceive you and move you away from your faith.
There are good things done in abundance that takes us away from the things of God.
The pure faith in Christ was being polluted by a doctrine that pushed them away from Christ instead of toward Christ.
The very people that God himself brought out of Egypt had turned their backs on God repeatedly and were in danger of His wrath because they would not return to Him.
They had turned God’s Grace into greasy Grace- immorality perverted by a belief that God would forgive so it would be okay to sin because the more they sinned, the more grace would be given to them. (Doing things that you know displease God)
Denying the sovereignty of Jesus Christ and not making Him Lord of their lives but expecting Him to be savior of their lives.
Sodom and Gomorrah gave themselves up (willingly) to sexual immorality and perversion and what happen to them for not repenting.
There rejection of the authority of God, to believe that they were the authority. Arch angel Michael, the most powerful warring angel in heaven when confronting the devil for the body of Moses, said “The Lord rebuke you” because he knew it was Christ that was the authority and the power that beats the devil and his angels.
That sounds like today.
This world is lost in sin and has self proclaimed that they are the authority they will answer too.
They have become their own gods. To this Jude records that this is there dismiss unless they have a change of heart.
To me there is a big difference between baby believers and believers who act like babies. (Repeat)
Illustration-
Two little boys were walking home from Sunday School where the lesson had been on the Devil and one asked the other “What do you think of this devil business?” “Well” replied the other boy, “You know how Santa Claus turned out--- it’s either your mother or your father.”
ADRIAN ROGERS:
“And idol is anything you love more, fear more, value more or serve more than you do Almighty God.’
Fill in the blank.
As an infantry company commander in Vietnam in 1967, I saw Viet Cong soldiers surrender many times. As they were placed in custody, marched away, and briefly interrogated, their body language and facial expressions always caught my attention. Most hung their heads in shame, staring at the ground, unwilling to look their captors in the eye. But some stood erect, staring defiantly at those around them, resisting any attempt by our men to control them. They had surrendered physically but not mentally. On one occasion after the enemy had withdrawn, I came upon several soldiers surrounding a wounded Viet Cong. Shot through the lower leg, he was hostile and frightened, yet helpless. He threw mud and kicked with his one good leg when anyone came near him. When I joined the circle around the wounded enemy, one soldier asked me, "Sir, what do we do? He’s losing blood fast and needs medical attention." I looked down at the struggling Viet Cong and saw the face of a 16 or 17-year old boy. I unbuckled my pistol belt and hand grenades so he could not grab them. Then, speaking gently, I moved toward him. He stared fearfully at me as I knelt down, but he allowed me to slide my arms under him and pick him up. As I walked with him toward a waiting helicopter, he began to cry and hold me tight. He kept looking at me and squeezing me tighter. We climbed into the helicopter and took off. During the ride, our young captive sat on the floor, clinging to my leg. Never having ridden in a helicopter, he looked out with panic as we gained altitude and flew over the trees. He fixed his eyes back on me, and I smiled reassuringly and put my hand on his shoulder. After landing, I picked him up and walked toward the medical tent. As we crossed the field, I felt the tenseness leave his body and his tight grasp loosen. His eyes softened, and his head leaned against my chest. The fear and resistance were gone-he had finally surrendered. The God to whom we are asked to surrender too is not our enemy. He heals and cares for everyone he takes captive.
Let’s see what Jude has to say about how we persevere
Jude 17-25 Read from Bible
He says to us that in the last days we will see these things happening. The evils of this world.
Following their evil desires and not the holy things of God.
Those that divide instead of unite.
Those that do not have the Spirit of God in their lives.
(20) But you, dear friends, by building yourself up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
Building your faith, praying and seeking God, keeping yourselves in God’s love until God brings you home.
Church, you have been forewarned that these things will happen.
Don’t be surprised by it and do not be lead astray by those who pervert the gospel of Christ- Even if it be Shepherds seeking only to feed themselves.
Let no one sway you away from God’s Word. “Study to show thyself approved, a workmen rightly dividing the truth of God.”
(22) “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear- hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”
Show compassion for those that struggle in their faith.
Spend time with them.
Invite them to church- into your home. Share a cup of coffee with them.
Snatch them from the fire- one at a time
What difference will it make? In this vast world that is headed to Hell as fast as they can? It will make a difference to each one we (you and I) pull from the fire and show them the love of Jesus in action!
Reclaiming the lost
The aim is not to banish them from the church but win them back to Christian fellowship.
When the church stops doing that, they cease being the church of Jesus.
We must be ready to defend our faith and bring hope to the dying.
We must know the Word so that we can meet error with God’s truth.
Before we rescue, we must love the sinner and hate the sin.
Our feet must be on solid ground before we snatch anybody up.
We say we want to be used of God- it begins one on one each one of us.
I am an application pastor- I don’t just want to give information, I want it to be applicable to our lives. This text gives us Explanation, illustration, and application. Everything we need to be who God called us to be.
Right? One person at a time.
Begins by inviting people to our Christmas Advent services coming up. Now is the time people are open to God’s Word.
How do I close this service?
By the same doxology He uses to reach his audience- praying that God gets a hold of our hearts and makes us vessels He can use.
Challenging each one of us to be willing to snatch people from the fire of eternal damnation.
Billy Graham was asked if he would speak different to people today compared to the 50’s-60’s
“Nothing has really changed in terms of the needs of people. Wherever or whatever you preach, you must remind people of their sin, speak to them of heaven and hell, show them to the cross, and urge them to come to the Savior.”
That is good advice for us today as we speak to those around us. The message is the same but the receptivity of people today is a challenge because they do not sense the urgency of the gospel.
I was with a group of people last night that shared their stories- those are the stories that snatch people from the fire. Those amazing things that God has done for you and would be an encouragement to someone that needs to hear that God still saves and works in people’s lives.
D.L. Moody
After proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to a crowded hall in Chicago, the evangelist closed his message by encouraging the attendees to go home, consider the claims of the gospel, and return the next week to settle the matter in their lives. But that night Chicago heard the ringing of fire alarms and the clatter of horse-drawn water wagons being hurried through the streets. Mrs. O’Leary’s cow had kicked the lantern, and the Great Chicago Fire swept the city—hundreds of lives were lost. Because of that, D. L. Moody committed himself to never again forget to urge people to receive Christ immediately—before it is too late.
(24)
“To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy- to the only God our savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
Prayer
