Notice again, these words, “And of some have compassion MAKING A DIFFERENCE…”
There are some folks that have deep feelings for the things of God. That word “compassion” here has to do with WORDS and ACTIONS.
You can tell some people love the Lord by the way they TALK and LIVE.
• The Pastor can talk to them about things they can do to enhance the work of God, and because of the deep feelings they possess for the Lord, they are more than willing to do those things they are asked to do
• There are others who say they love the Lord, and when you ask them to do something that needs to be done for the Lord, they will give you a thousand excuses for why they can’t do it.
Look at all the things that never would have been done if the great men and women had patterned their life after them.
For example, look at the life of Thomas Edison. He was a born-again Christian. He lived a life that has affected every man and woman alive today. He lived 84 years on this earth, and look what a DIFFERENCE he made with his life.
• 1868 he invented Electrographic Vote-Recorder
• 1869 he invented the Printing Telegraph
• 1869 he invented the Stock Ticker
• 1870 he invented the Telegraph Transmitter
• 1871 he invented the Telegraphic Recorder
• 1871 he invented the Typewriter
• 1872 he invented the Automatic Telegraph
• 1872 he invented the Galvanic Storage Batteries
• 1873 he invented the Duplex Telegraphs
• 1875 he invented the Quadruplex Telegraph Repeater
• 1876 he invented the Telephonic Telegraphs
• 1876 he invented the Acoustic Telegraphs
• 1877 he invented the Pneumatic Stencil Pens
• 1877 he invented the Perforating Pens
• 1877 he invented the Phonograph or Speaking Machine
• 1878 he invented the Carbon Button Microphone
• 1879 he invented the Dynamo
• 1879 he invented the Incandescent Electric Lamp
• 1880 he invented the Magnetic Ore Separator
• 1880 he invented the Process for Preserving Fruit
• 1881 he invented the Electric Meter
• 1881 he invented the Electric Motor
• 1881 he invented the Dynamo Current regulator
• 1882 he invented the Underground Electric Conductors
• 1884 he invented the Telephone Repeater
• 1885 he invented the Fuse Block
• 1888 he invented the Thermo Electric Battery
• 1888 he invented the Phonograph Recorder
• 1888 he invented the Phonograph reproducer
• 1897 he invented the Kinetograph and Projecting Kinetoscope
• 1900 he invented the Reversible Galvanic Battery.
• 1931 he invented the Holder for Articles to be Electroplated
All told, Thomas Edison received patents for 1093 inventions, as either sole inventor or co-inventor.
The reason I mention these accomplishments in his life is to show you what a DIFFERENCE some have made with their lives. Every one of us has benefited tremendously because of this man’s life. WHAT A DIFFERENCE HE MADE WITH HIS LIFE!
There are men who are like Edison, who have made such a tremendous impact upon this world that when they leave this life at death, the world is no longer the same place, but a better place.
You and I cannot make much of a difference in the field of sports, music, entertainment, art, and politics. We could spend our whole life trying to make a difference, and most likely would not be able to achieve that much in these areas of life. What we need to do is find the areas of our life where we can make a difference, and then MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
This morning I mentioned to you that we can make a DIFFERENCE IN OUR CHURCHES. But also-
II. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY
Sometimes the “scum of the earth” will move into our neighborhood, and will corrupt the whole neighborhood.
But listen, if the devil’s crowd can move the “scum” into our neighborhood and MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE WORSE, God can MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE BETTER by using His people.
• But listen, you cannot live in your neighborhood and make a DIFFERENCE FOR THE BETTER by gossiping about everybody
• You cannot live in your neighborhood and make a DIFFERENCE by one day talking about the Lord, and the next day talking about the church members
There are some folks who profess to be saved, who could never get anyone in their neighborhood to come to church, because they have completely destroyed their testimony for the Lord. Before they can MAKE A DIFFERENCE, they will have to rebuild their testimony over a period of time.
This is why God tells us to live a godly life, so that men may SEE OUR GOOD WORKS. Look at Matthew 5:16, we read, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Illus: Saving faith is always a working faith. It not only trusts God for everyday needs, but also motivates the doing of good deeds.
For example, in the 17th century:
• Professor August Francke founded and maintained a great orphanage in Germany
• In the 18th century, George Whitefield did the same in America
• In the 19th century, George Mueller established an orphanage that was home to more than 2,000 youngsters in England
• And C. H. Spurgeon established a ministry to poor and homeless children in London
These men were all devout Christians.
We can make a DIFFERENCE in our CHURCHES and COMMUNITIES, but also-
III. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR FAMILIES
We see families all over this nation that we would like to help. But the fact is, there is not much we can do for other families. But we CAN make a DIFFERENCE in our own family.
A. AS HUSBANDS
• Eph. 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
• Col. 3:19, “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.”
• Eph. 5:28 “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”
Husbands, you can make a difference in your home by the way you love your wife.
B. AS WIVES
Wives can make a tremendous difference in their homes.
• Eph. 5:22, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”
Wives, you can make a difference if you are willing to submit to your husbands as the Bible teaches.
C. AS PARENTS
Prov. 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Col. 3:21, “Fathers, PROVOKE NOT YOUR CHILDREN TO ANGER, lest they be discouraged.”
As Parents we can MAKE A DIFFERENCE in our home by the way we raise our children.
D. AS CHILDREN
Exo. 20:12, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”
Col. 3:20, “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.”
God said, “...OBEY YOUR PARENTS IN ALL THINGS....”
We have looked at a number of ways we can MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Before we close we want to find out HOW WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
This same passage of scripture that talks about making a difference also tells us HOW WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Look at Jude 1:20-23 again, we read, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, MAKING A DIFFERENCE: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
There are several things that Jude suggests we need to do to MAKE A DIFFERENCE, such as:
(1) BUILDING OURSELVES UP IN THE MOST HOLY FAITH
Have you ever had anyone come along and try to wreck your faith? It is important that we recognize that there are people the devil will use to wreck our faith.
But listen, there are some folks that do not need the devil to send anyone to wreck their faith, they will wreck it themselves.
HOW DO THEY DO THIS? In a number of ways, such as; they choose to make time for everything but church, prayer and Bible study.
If we are going to MAKE A DIFFERENCE in this life, we have got to be aware that:
• OTHERS CAN DESTROY OUR FAITH
• WE CAN DESTROY OUR OWN FAITH
Listen, if no one will brag on you and build you up, brag on yourself. Do not tear yourself down, you cannot make a difference doing that. We are to build ourselves up, not tear ourselves down! As Christians, if we are going to MAKE A DIFFERENCE, we are going to have to BUILD OURSELVES UP IN THIS HOLY FAITH, NOT TEAR OURSELVES DOWN!
HOW DO WE BUILD OURSELVES UP?
(2) PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST
What does it mean to pray in the Holy Ghost? It certainly is not the kind of praying that many folks do.
Illus: Some folks prayer life is like some of these women who go to the grocery store with a grocery shopping list. They have this long list, and one by one they check the items off.
This is the way a lot of folks pray. They have a grocery list of things they feel they need, and they bow before the Lord and start checking them off one at a time.
There is something good that can be said for a prayer list, but praying in the Holy Ghost is not always praying for WHAT I WANT, but praying for WHAT HE WANTS! And sometimes WHAT HE WANTS is for us to PRAISE HIM FOR HIS GREATNESS.
Illus: Listen, suppose you were the most beautiful person on the face of the earth. That is, no one that has ever existed had the beauty that you possess. But with all that beauty, suppose everyone IGNORED YOU, and no one ever mentioned HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE! HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?
If you had this beauty, you certainly would want someone to acknowledge it in some fashion.
Listen, there is nothing in heaven or on earth that can compare to the GREATNESS and BEAUTY of God. And there are times when we need to get beyond “Gimme”, “Gimme” and recognize the GREATNESS and the BEAUTY OF GOD, AND WE SHOULD PRAISE HIM FOR HIS GREATNESS!
Praying in the Holy Spirit means we become dependent upon Him to assist us in our prayers. We do this in two ways:
(a) WE AGONIZE IN OUR PRAYERS
Look at Romans 15:30, we read, “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.”
Remember, MAKING A DIFFERENCE is done through compassionate people. People who have compassion have FEELINGS. And people who are compassionate toward the things of God have deep feelings about the things of God.
Look at the word “strive”, this is the Greek word sunagonizomai, (Pronounced as soon-ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee) which means to struggle in company, to be a partner, strive together with. The word “strive” implies PUTTING FORTH SOME EFFORT, BEING AGGRESSIVE.
The reason that some folks never express any kind of feelings for the things of God is because the things of God do not mean that much to them.
These deep feelings that we have about the things of God get us aroused emotionally and we AGONIZE IN PRAYER.
(b) WE BECOME DEPENDENT UPON HIM
HOW DO WE DO THAT? Notice, Paul used the word “groanings” or “groaneth” two times in this chapter.
• He first used it in Romans 8:22, we read, “For we know that the whole creation GROANETH and travaileth in pain together until now.”
WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT? He meant that MAN and CREATION are intertwined together. When man sinned, the curse fell on MANKIND and CREATION.
And now he tells us that the WHOLE CREATION GROANETH and TRAVAILETH IN PAIN TOGETHER UNTIL NOW.
Illus: Now that means that because of sin, you and I cannot hear it, but God can hear the GROANS OF CREATION wanting to be delivered from the curse of sin.
• He used the word “Groanings” the second time in Romans 8:26, we read, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? This mean, for you to hear me I have to utter words. But I can bow before God the Father and never open my mouth, and the Holy Spirit can make “groanings” which can not be uttered by man, but God hears and understands these “groanings”.
You can MAKE A DIFFERENCE by:
• BUILDING YOURSELF UP IN THE FAITH
• PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST
And also, you must-
(3) KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD
God loves every one of us. You and I cannot keep God from loving us. The rain and sun fall on the JUST and the UNJUST. The Bible says, “God is love”.
Illus: But you know God can send a shower, and we can throw up an umbrella and block the shower from hitting us. And God can shower us with the blessings of God, and we can throw up a spiritual umbrella and block the showers of blessings from falling on us.
Jude said we are to KEEP OURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD.
(4) Then Jude says this, “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
WHAT DOES JUDE MEAN BY THAT?
Illus: Dr. J. Vernon McGee said, “There was a man here in Southern California, a professor in seminary, whom I had asked to preach in the church I served, and someone questioned if he really believed in the rapture of the church. So I had lunch with him and asked him this specific question: ‘Do you believe in the imminent coming of Christ?’ ‘I do.’ ‘On what basis do you believe that He will take the church out? That is, on what grounds do you and I expect to be taken out at the time of the Rapture?” He said very definitely, “I was saved because God extended mercy to me, and when He takes me out of the world at the time of the Rapture, it still will be by the mercy of God.”
Dr. McGee said, “That is a good answer, and it cleared up all doubts of his position of the rapture of the church.”
If we are going to MAKE A DIFFERENCE, we had better understand that everything we receive from the Lord is not because we DESERVE IT, but by HIS MERCY!
Jude says that those who want to MAKE A DIFFERENCE need to go through life looking for HIS MERCY! After he mentions all these things, Jude then talks about us MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
Conclusion:
Illus: Burial customs vary in different lands and among different cultures.
• Most commonly the body is buried facing east
• But in some places the dead are buried facing the sunset
• And in some places the dead are buried facing the north or the south
• Among some people the body faces toward the dead person's birthplace
• And among others toward the holy city of his faith
(Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1997).
How we are buried should be a concern of all of us. Some will jokingly say, “When I die, it does not matter what you do with my body.” Listen, this body we live in is the temple of the Holy Ghost, and we should show respect for it after death.
But we need to realize why we are living in these bodies. God has placed us here TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, and shame on us if we live here so many years and do not use this life God has entrusted to us TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The reason today that many do not know how to DIE is because they never learned HOW TO LIVE. God wants us all to live our lives in such a way that we can MAKE A DIFFERENCE while we are here.
I. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR CHURCH
II. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY
III. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR HOMES
