“But You…” – FBC Morning Light (11/29/2023)

Well, a good Wednesday morning to you. Today in our Bible reading we're reading in Hosea chapters 3 and 4 and the little book of Jude.

Interestingly, this week on Monday we read an entire book of the Bible, 2 John, on Tuesday another book of the

Bible, 3 John, and today yet a third one, the book of Jude. Of course, all of these are just a few verses long, but nevertheless, isn't it kind of exhilarating to know?

I read three books of the Bible this week. Well, I hope you have. Anyway, today we're reading in the book of Jude.

I want to focus on a couple of verses in this passage because they give us some insight about how to deal with those who might be false teachers or those who would cause some harm and hurt to the church.

He talks about them in some pretty harsh language in verses 12 through 15, but then in verse 16,

I wanted to focus on verses 16 through most of the rest of the chapter here, but in verse 16 he talks about these people as being grumblers and complainers walking according to their own lusts.

Now, the way this looks in most churches where this kind of thing occurs, these are people who demand things function the way they want them to function, and that's what it means by walking according to their own lusts, their own desires.

They want their way of doing things to be done by the entire church, and because they aren't being done that way, they just grumble and complain about everything on the one hand.

On the other hand, on an individual basis, what they also do is they speak great swelling words and they flatter people to gain advantage.

So they try to get people to their side by use of flattery, and this kind of reminds me of Absalom in the

Old Testament, in his effort to undermine the authority and the rule of King David.

He complained about the way things were, and he spoke great swelling words about how he would make sure they got what they wanted, and he flattered the people to get them to his side and so forth, and it was very effective.

Well, how do we handle that? Well, two ways. Jude says, but you, beloved, verse 17, remember the words that were spoken by the apostles of our

Lord Jesus Christ, how they told you there would be people like this. Don't be caught off guard and think that these must be godly people, because after all, they're so -called

Christians, and they're in the church. Don't be caught off guard by that. The apostles warned us that there would be wolves in sheep's clothing, and these are the tactics that they employ.

He goes on in verse 19 to say, these are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the

Spirit. So be aware of the real character of these individuals.

Remember what the apostles told us about them, how they warned us of them. They are a very real danger to the church, because what they want to do is cause division in the church.

This is a typical tactic, divide and conquer, and Satan uses it to his advantage, and he has used it very effectively in churches throughout church history.

And then a second thing he says, another, but you, beloved, he says, these persons are sensual persons, sensuous persons who cause divisions, not having the

Spirit, he says, but you, beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the

Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, so that you don't fall prey to such people, and so that you don't become someone like this yourself.

Build yourself up in the faith. Be faithful to your church's services, where you can be built up in the faith.

I would just encourage you, if your church attendance is limited to an hour on Sunday morning, and that's about it, and beyond that, you don't really get much into the

Word, maybe these few minutes in the morning light devotionals is about all you get besides, and then sporadically,

I want to challenge you, again, you know, we're coming, wrapping up a year and starting a new one pretty soon, have it your goal and objective to add at least one of the additional services that your church provides.

I encourage people, look, be faithful every time the door is open, because the more you can sit yourself under the sound of the

Word, the more you can build yourself up in the most holy faith.

I would just encourage you to do that. And then he says, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our

Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Keep your focus right, keep your focus where it belongs, and you won't fall victim to these people who are flattering you, speaking great, swelling words, while at the same time undermining the unity and the authority of those who lead in your particular church.

So let me encourage you to do those two things, the two beloved things. But you, beloved, remember, but you, beloved, build yourselves up.

All right, Heavenly Father, we do thank you today for these challenging words from your Word. I pray that we would take them to heart, and I pray especially you would keep us from being the kind of people who would in any way undermine the unity and the blessing of the local church.

We pray these things in Jesus' name, amen. All right, well, listen, have a good rest of your