SERMON OUTLINE:
First Instruction: Remember the Training Manuel (vs 17).
(a). keep in mind the Faith (vs 20)
(b). keep in mind the Apostle’s Teaching (vs 17)
(b). keep in mind the Apostle’s (vs 17)
Second Instruction: Keep in shape (vs 20-21).
(a). Building (vs 20a).
(b). Praying (vs 20b)
(c). Keeping (vs 21)
Third Instruction: Rescue the war-torn. (vs 22-23).
(a). Show mercy (vs 23c).
(b). Show mercy Urgently (vs 23c).
(c). Show mercy Sensitively (vs 23c).
SERMON BODY
Ill:
• A man walks into a bar with a gun,
• He points it at the bar maid and says; “What’s your name?”
• The nervous woman replies; “Ruth”
• The gunman replies, “Oh, I can’t shoot you my mother was called Ruth”
• He turns to the man next to her and says; “What’s your name?”
• The man replies; “Simon, but all my friends call me Ruth”
• TRANSITION: In this short letter, the apostle Jude,
• Has taken the gun of truth and fired it against the false teachers/apostates,
• These false teachers, crept into the Churches;
• And at first, they looked like genuine believers,
• But after a while they started to distort, to change the message of ‘The Faith’
We noted in study two that the faith that Jude is talking about is…
• Is the body of Christian doctrine,
• Contained, or found in the scriptures.
• It involves content (what we believe) and practice (how it works out in our living).
• Not just belief, but also behaviour.
• Not just a creed, but also conduct.
In last week’s study (#3):
• We saw in last week’s study (#3);
• How Jude informed these Christians how to recognise these apostates.
• In todays, study Jude turns his attention to addressing the troops.
• He will in verses 17-25 give instructions to his own people.
Note: the words in verse 17: "But you dear friends".
• Jude changes the subject:
• From the grumbling, fault finding, arrogant, flattering words of the apostates.
• Jude changes it to the inspired, lasting words of the apostle:
First Instruction: Remember the Training Manuel (vs 17).
• "Remember the words of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold".
• Jude is encouraging these believers to stand firm and contended for the faith:
• He has already said that in verse 3 and now he will echo again in verse 20.
Verses 3:
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about THE SALVATION WE SHARE, I felt compelled to write and urge you to CONTEND FOR THE FAITH that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people”
Verses 20:
“But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your MOST HOLY FAITH and praying in the Holy Spirit,”
(a). Keep in Mind the Faith (vs 20)
• “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith. “
• As you read this short letter,
• It is obvious that Jude assumes that his readers know what the holy faith is!
Questions:
• Do you what the faith is!?
• Are you able to say what you believe as a Christian?
• Are you able to back that up with Biblical references?
Ill:
• I enjoy chatting to Jehovah’s Witnesses whenever I stumble across them;
• Or they knock on my door.
• If you ask them how they came to be J.W.’s
• You might be surprised to know that many had a religious background.
• Many of them come from a Church of England or Catholic background.
• Very few seem to have been atheists.
• J.W.’s seems to target or attract religious people,
• Those who have a belief but have very little Bible knowledge
• And when pressed to explain or prove from the Bible what they believe,
• They are unable.
• And for an experienced J.W. it is a no-contest;
• They will out argue them from the Bible every time!
• For them it is like taking candy from a baby!
• Notice Jude doesn't just stop at saying contend for the faith,
• He tells us how to pull it off, how to do that.
• Verse 17:
• "Remember the words of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold".
(b). Keep in Mind the Apostle’s Teaching (vs 17)
• “But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. “
• The apostles teaching is what we would call the New Testament.
• Remember the Words that were spoken;
• Well we have them in our New Testament.
• That is why we need to be people of the book!
• If we are ignorant of this book, we will not be able to explain our faith,
• We will not be able to detect error when it crosses our pathway.
Ill:
• Two cows were grazing in a field next to a busy road,
• They looked up at the traffic and saw a milk truck pass by.
• On the side of the truck were the words,
• “Pasteurized, homogenized, standardized, vitamin A added.”
• One cow sighed and said to the other,
• “Makes you feel sort of inadequate, doesn’t it?”
• TRANSITION: We need not feel inadequate when it comes to this book.
• Regular reading and study will prepare us, will help us and will guard us.
(c). Keep in Mind the Apostles (vs 17)
• Notice: Who spoke these words!
• They were the words spoken of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• These are the words approved and were brought together by the early Church.
• These are the words approved and taught by the early Church fathers.
• These are the words and doctrines of the early Church.
Ill:
• We do not need or follow the Gnostics
• Who were on the scene at the time of the early Church claiming special knowledge?
• Agnostic is one who does not know. Gnostic is one who claims to know!
• We do not need or follow the teaching of Muhammad,
• The so called, Prophet from Saudi Arabia
• Six hundred years after Jesus Christ walked on planet earth.
• We do not follow the teaching of eighteenth century American religious leaders;
• Who claim that; ‘God appeared to them with new revelations or teachings’
• Sorry Mr Mormon and Mr Jehovah Witnesses, it is not for us!
• And today we do not follow the teaching of the New Apostolic Reformation.
• Men and women on some of the God TV channels,
• Claiming to be apostles, with the same authority as the early apostles.
• Once again claiming to have special insight;
• And an inspired prophetic message from God.
• This letter of Jude reminds us that God has spoken through his Son,
• And God is still speaking through his Word! It does not date!
• Do don’t let anyone else divert you away from those truths!
Second Instruction: Keep in shape (vs 20-21).
“But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
ill:
• In the city of Cremona, Italy, where the modern violin was born and built,
• To a standard not yet surpassed that job belongs to Andrea Mosconi.
• He is 75 years old, and he works, in a chapel-turned-museum.
• For the past 30 years, six days a week,
• He has finger-fed 300-year-old violins, worth millions,
• A diet of Bach, Tchaikovsky and Bartok.
• He compares his gentle job to the roar of Formula One racing.
• And he is serious with his comparison.
• Playing a violin made in 1715 by Antonio Stradivari,
• And comparing himself to the retired racing champion Michael Schumacher, he says:
“It is not a matter of habit, When Schumacher gets to 350 kilometres an hour, do you think he ever loses his concentration?
In my case, too, I must pay attention, you must give your best with these instruments. They make you sweat.”
• TRANSITION: A violin, it turns out, needs to be played,
• Just as a car needs to be driven and a human body shooed off the couch.
• And as Christians, we too need to stay in shape.
• Note in verses 20-21 the three ways Jude tells us to do this!
• By "Building yourselves up".
• By "Praying".
• By "Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ".
• To paraphrase it in military terms:
• We are to stay in shape.
• We are to keep in close communication with headquarters.
• We are to watch vigilantly for the coming of our Commander in Chief.
Let’s just dwell on those three things for a few moments:
(a). Building: “building yourselves up in your most holy faith”
• To “Build Up” suggests growth, development.
• It speaks of progress.
Ill:
• If we left a pile of Lego next to the children’s area of the Church,
• I guarantee that they will automatically pick it up and build with it,
• They will not leave the blocks all lying next to each other.
• One will create a house, another a dinosaur, another a space rocket. Etc.
• TRANSITION: Jude reminds these Christians ton the need to grow,
• To move on in their faith and not settle for the status quo.
• (Status quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs).
• To Build Up “Yourselves” suggests personal responsibility
• As Church leaders we are limited.
• We can only do so much to try and help you grow in your faith;
• And in your love for Jesus Christ.
Quote: David Guzik has written:
“Jude has shown us the frailty of men and how deceivers even infiltrated the church. If you entrust your spiritual growth to someone else, it will not only hurt your spiritual growth, but it may also lead you astray. Others can help provide an environment conducive for spiritual growth. But no one can make another person grow in their relationship with the Lord.”
Ill:
• I always like to see parents feeding their babies,
• That stage when they don’t want to eat, a
• And a parent tries the old train going into the tunnel routine;
• With the spoon and the food.
• Or the parent finally gets a nice spoon of food in the baby’s mouth,
• And a few seconds later it is spat out again;
• Normally over the parent’s nice clean clothes!
• TRANSITION: There is a spiritual parallel to that illustration.
• The preacher can try all sorts of ways to make this food enjoyable.
• (Remember the food is always good,
• It is either our appetite or the presentation of the food that can be wrong.)
• But please, don’t be a spiritual baby.
• Always needing to be spoon fed, expecting the preacher to feed you,
• Learn to feed themselves as well.
(b). Praying (vs 2ob): “praying in the Holy Spirit”
• Prayer is the complement to the Word of God.
• By the Word of God, God speaks to us;
• By prayer, we speak to God.
Ill:
• On the news a CNN reporter was at the Western Wall in Jerusalem,
• He was interviewing people as to why they were there.
• The reporter asked a very old Jewish man;
• Who had been going to the Western Wall to pray, twice a day, every day,
• Year after year after year.
• The journalist watched him pray and when he turned to leave,
• Approached him for an interview.
• The reporter said; "I'm from CNN. Sir,
• How long have you been coming to the Wall and praying?"
• The old Jewish man replied; "For about 60 years."
• The reporter said; "60 years! That's amazing! What do you pray for?"
• The old Jewish man replied;
• "I pray for peace between the Christians, Jews and the Muslims.
• I pray for all the hatred to stop and I pray for peace and harmony."
• The reporter said; "How do you feel after doing this for 60 years?"
• The old Jewish man thought for a moment and replied with Jewish humour;
• "Feels like I'm talking to a brick wall!"
• TRANSITION: As Christians, when we pray,
• Be assured that we are not talking to a wall, a ceiling or to the sky above!
• We have a God who listens a God who wants us to talk with him.
Question: What is meant by the term praying “in the Spirit”?
Answer:
• The apostle Paul uses a similar expression in Galatians chapter 5 verse 25,
• “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
• “Keep in step"
• Means just that, not running ahead of him and not to lag.
Ill:
• The Greek word used for “step” or some translations use the word "walk"
• Was a military, a soldier’s word.
• It meant "walking in line, marching in battle order”.
• For that to happen it requires daily discipline, regular practice
• Just ask anyone in the forces.
• TRANSITION: The Christian life is no different:
• Growth and victory for the Christian requires a daily act of the will.
• Growth and victory come as we discipline ourselves to choose God’s way;
• We need to be guided and controlled by the One who dwells within us;
• And the Holy Spirit leads us to seek His will and not our own.
Quote: According to the Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible,
“The Holy Spirit teaches what we are to pray for, and how. None can pray aright save by being in the Spirit, that is, in the element of His influence.”
(c). Keeping (vs 21):
“keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
Ill:
• One of the great concerts I have attended was at Wembley Arena;
• To see the American rock group Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,
• They were good, in fact, they were very good!
• One of Tom Petty’s songs has a simple timeless lyric,
• Some thirty years after its release (1981), the song “The Waiting”
• Still conveys that simple common truth.
“The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part”
• Whether it’s waiting in a que, waiting in traffic,
• Waiting for food service, or waiting for a train or a bus,
• Waiting in a Doctor’s surgery or waiting for the sermon to finish!
• Biding our time is never easy, most of us do not wait well!
• I do like Tom Petty’s take when he proclaims it “the hardest part”
• Waiting is hard because;
• We have been conditioned to have it our way, right away.
• Whether it be, fast food, instant coffee,
• Or download the app and in many chain restaurants;
• So, you don’t have to wait and read a menu,
• You can now save more time and order ahead!
• TRANSITION:
• Waiting may be one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life.
• Notice two key words; “Wait” and “Mercy”
• One is an act and the other an attribute.
• “Wait” and trust is what we are called to do.
• “Merciful” is unique everlasting characteristic of the one we wait for.
• God is never in a hurry!
• If we wait, if we are patient, we can afresh experience his mercy!
Notice that waiting involves the body as well as the spirit (vs 20-21):
• ‘Building up’ requires we use our brains to study God’s word.
• ‘Praying’ requires we get on our knees,
• ‘Keeping God’s love’ requires we guard our hearts,
• ‘Waiting’ implies a watching with our eyes!
• The word translated “looking” in English, means, “eagerly expecting”
• In other words, it causes excitement, anticipation, desire!
• As I was preparing this an old hymn came into my mind (verse 3 goes like this):
Quote: S. Trevor Francis - 'I am waiting for the dawning of the bright and blessed day'
“I am waiting for the coming
Of the Lord who died for me;
Oh, His words have thrilled my spirit,
"I will come again for thee."
Faith can almost hear Christ's footfall
On the threshold of the door,
And my heart, my heart is longing
To be with Him evermore.”
• TRANSITION:
• I’m not sure who else will give you Tom Petty and a S. T. Francis;
• In one sermon, but waiting may be the hardest part;
• But be encouraged because we wait EXPECTANTLY!
THIRD Instruction: Rescue the war-torn. (vs 22-23).
“Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh”
• Having reminded his readers that God is merciful (vs 21),
• Jude now tells them to be like God and show mercy to others.
• Mercy is being tender-hearted, loving and compassion towards people.
Ill:
• General Charles G. Gordon (1833-85) was a nineteenth century British soldier.
• When the English government wanted to reward him;
• For his distinguished service in China, he declined all money and titles.
• Finally, after much arguing, he accepted a gold medal;
• That was inscribed with his name and a record of his accomplishments.
• Following his death, however, it could not be found among his belongings.
• It was only later when his private diaries were found
• It was discovered what happened to the medal.
• General Gordon heard that there was famine in Manchester;
• So, he sent his medal with the request;
• That it be melted and used to buy bread for the poor.
• In his private diary for that day were written these words:
• “The only thing I have, that I value, I have now given to the Lord Jesus.”
• The General was being God-like by showing mercy to others.
• Mercy is being tender-hearted, loving and compassion towards people.
• TRANSITION: Jude reminds us that:
• We have received God’s mercy (vs 2), We should be looking for God’s mercy (vs 21)
• And while waiting we can demonstrate God’s mercy (vs 22).
(a). Show mercy (vs 23a).
"Be merciful to those who doubt".
• Doubt is when people have an intellectual, or emotional barrier;
• To what they read in the Bible or have experienced in life,
• That causes them to struggle in their belief.
• Jude reminds us that we are not to write off people who have doubts,
• We are not to look down on them as spiritual weaklings.
• Rather we show mercy, compassion.
• Our desire should be to draw alongside and show love and support;
• And help them battle through these misgivings.
(b). Show mercy Urgently (vs 23b).
"save others by snatching them from the fire".
Ill:
• John Wesley’s father, Samuel, was a dedicated pastor,
• For 40 years he ministered at Epworth and saw very little fruit.
• On February 9th, 1709, a fire broke out in the rectory at Epworth,
• Young John Wesley, was only five years old,
• And was stranded on an upper floor of the building.
• Two neighbours alerted to what was happening;
• Managed to rescue the lad
• One neighbour stood on the other’s shoulders;
• And pulled young John through a window just seconds before the roof crashed in.
• Samuel Wesley said,
• “Come, neighbours, let us kneel down. Let us give thanks to God. He has given me all my eight children. Let the house go. I am rich enough.”
• John Wesley often referred to himself as a “brand plucked out of the fire”
• (Zechariah chapter 3 verse 2; Amos chapter 4 verse 11; Jude verse 23).
• In later years he often noted February 9 in his journal,
• And would give thanks to God for His mercy.
• TRANSITION: It may be that Jude has in mind those of the Church,
• True believers who have been deceived by the apostates,
• And his desire is to restore them, to bring them back.
• That was the context that Amos chapter 4 uses that expression in;
• The people of God restored after being in captivity in Babylon.
(c). Show mercy Sensitively (vs 23c).
“to others show mercy, mixed with fear– hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”
• How do we reach out to people?
• Jude tells us to do it with mercy and with fear.
ill:
• I would not make a good doctor,
• If a patient came to me removed their bandage,
• I would be repulsed by the infected, puss filled wound.
• Or maybe if it were an illness;
• I would be ore concerned about not catching the disease than helping the patient
• A good doctor is always concerned about the patient.
• They will show mercy, compassion and concern.
• And yet, alongside mercy there is caution.
• Because every doctor who encounters a contaminated patient;
• Always runs the risk of infection.
• We saw that last year with the Ebola crises in West Africa.
• e.g. Pauline Cafferkey, the British nurse who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone,
Jude warns us that we must approach the infected person cautiously:
• "Hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh".
• Which is a symbol of all that touches or surrounds the sinner:
• As a garment is stained and spotted by dirt.
• So, the lifestyle of some people may be polluted.
• No Christian is so strong that they can let down their guard!
• But we must hate the sin and the sinful lifestyle or the false teaching;
• That caused the damage to the person we are showing mercy to.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=vTxdLFvHh57wdeUhlSSMh7oVhBx7Gmn8
