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Jude 17-23
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Due to working late last night. So I wanted to get back on here today and and join you and be with you and do do a Saturday video. And just see what was going on with you today we're going to continue in Jude unless somebody chimes in and wants to chat and Ask questions or talk about scripture.
We're gonna go back to Jude. And we're gonna look at verses 17 through 23 today we're looking at Jude by request and I really appreciate those requests that Someone requested that we go visit Long Shoals Wesleyan.
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And.
Pray for your church while we do a video. The reason we do a video is because we want to reach our community those that are in my network. We all have a passion for God's glory for the truth of his word and for the people here on this earth.
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I Didn't I didn't go over the verse. For the themes of this video ministry, but it comes from Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15. We're gonna get there in just one second. We go.
Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15. But speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in all aspects into him who was the head even Christ. That's where I get the title for this video ministry is. We want to speak that truth and we have a zeal to get that truth out there but we are to do it in love and We are to as we're doing that to have a desire to grow up in all aspects not just Put our Bible on the shelf not be content with where we are.
But to grow up in all aspects and continue to grow in him. So without any any further ado if you have any questions, like I said chime right in let me know that you're watching. Say hello and ask questions.
So let's jump right into Jude verses 17 through 23. Let me read those verses and then we'll get started talking about them and it says God's Word says. But you beloved ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That they were saying to you in the last time there shall be mockers following after their own ungodly lust. These are the ones who cause divisions worldly minded devoid of the Spirit. But you beloved building yourselves up on Your most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit keep yourselves in the love of God waiting anxious anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life and Have the mercy on some and have mercy on some who are doubting save others Snatching them out of the fire and on some have mercy with fear hating even the garment polluted by the flesh so the thing about Jude is that he is.
He changed course in his writing to them. This is just just a quick review. He changed his course. He wanted to write to them about their common salvation. And maybe go deeper in the faith maybe just just elaborate.
Whatever his intentions were. He specifically says it was to speak about our common salvation but then The breaks but got put on that really quickly when it come to his attention that he should write about this thing that's happening at That time at that moment that was very serious to him it was These men there are certain men.
He says have crept in Unnoticed and these men are what we call apostates false teachers those that would lead God's people and other people astray away from God and It was it had come to the attention of Jude and It was such a serious issue that Jude had to reach out and write this letter and warn folks about the apostates about these false teachers and Jude gives examples he gives examples of Folks in the past who were apostate who?
Maybe spoke the name of Jesus, but with their teaching with their actions. They were far from him and they would lead others astray and for each example they there is harsh judgment pronounced and we think that Jude.
Maybe since that his readers would feel that fear because it was such a serious thing to be a False teacher of an apostate those who may Speak or think they they know or believe Jesus in their mind or with their lips but but live and teach a different way there was such a fear in that because of the the wrath and the judgment that That was pronounced by Jude.
That Jude Jude had a concern for his his listeners his audience. When he gives them a triple blessing Right right after he reminds them of who they are in in verse 1 He says beloved in God the Father.
He wants them to remember that that they are Beloved by God those who are the called he says and then they're kept in Jesus Christ. So you have love and you have security and then you have this triple blessing.
Not only is it a triple blessing. But he says that he wishes this or he's he's hoping this triple blessing is multiplied to them. May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. Why. Because of You have you have the Jewish leaders you have civil leaders and then you have these folks who are creeping in unnoticed Attacking the faith attacking them personally and then you have this warning from Jude Against these apostates these false teachers and the judgment that's pronounced and laid upon them.
That is that is fire that is eternal that is forever. And so there's this fear maybe that the readers would have that they they don't want to. They don't want to be one of these apostates. They don't want to be deceived and they don't want others deceived by this apostasy and have this judgment on them and so Jude gives this Triple blessing that he wishes is multiple or hopes that is multiplied to them.
It's such a serious serious book that I said in our last video that It should arrest us. It should take hold of us the seriousness of of Jew this little tiny book of the New Testament. It should really arrest us.
And and when we hear Jude say I write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith. We should feel that because of the The severity of the issue because the magnitude of the issue the feel that Feel that fear that comes from the the judgment of God being laid upon these that are that are false teachers that that speak Jesus name, but are Living for themselves and leading others astray and teaching falsely.
There should be such a deep concern his concern was so great that he he put on the brakes on his the subject of his letter and had to address this Tremendously Important issue within the church at that time.
So let let this little book in the New Testament arrest you and be changed by it. Leave from Jude changed walking in a in a different direction in a in a more serious minded direction. But let it let it guide the direction of your life and your thinking.
So as we've looked at Jude's thus far. We've we've he's called out these apostates and he's given us examples of past past apostates. He's spoken of their character their nature what they look like and now he is switching gears in verse 17.
He says but you all right now. So he's he's making a contradistinction between these apostates these false teachers. And he's drawing a line and saying now let me address you The called ones you remember in verse 1.
He says those who are the called. That's who he's addressing this letter to so the called ones and he says but you in verse 17.
Beloved.
Where do we hear? What did we hear that before in verse 1 beloved in God the Father? So this is a divine love this is that a got a love. You the called ones as opposed to the the false teachers as opposed to.
Excuse me the the apostate teachers. You the called ones those who are beloved agape a Divine love you ought to remember The words that were spoken beforehand by the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now I want you to I want you to hear this. He says remember the words. What entails remembering the words. What does it mean to remember words? It takes using your brain. Right. As opposed to these apostates that he he has mentioned that he's called out earlier.
Where.
Where they are desire driven where they are emotion driven and we have such a tendency to be emotion driven and Desire driven that we get our theology from our emotions from our desires instead of truth we fall into the trap of getting our thinking our emotion our truth our Theology from our emotions and desires instead of letting truth Define what our emotions should be we let our emotions define what truth is to us.
But Jude wants the called ones his audience to begin with the truth. Remember the words that is that is you have to use your brain you have to use your intellect you have to use knowledge and understanding.
That's the beginning. That's where we start. That's the starting point is Remembering the words remember the truth from who that were spoken beforehand by the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's something that we've heard before remember in verse 3.
The faith that he wants us to contend earnestly for which was once for all Delivered to the Saints. So so this message that was once for all delivered to the Saints by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that's where it came from.
That's what it is. It's the Word of God. It's the truth and that's our starting point. It's not our emotions it's not our desires our starting point as the called ones is the truth of God's Word and He is calling them to remember those words.
If you guys ever have any questions Type them up and I'll look over here and I'll see if you have any questions if you ever would like prayer I'll pray for us at the end and and you can request prayer and I'll pray for us at the end.
Let's go to verse 18 we move past our starting point, which is God's Word and in truth, and then he says that they were saying to you in. The last time there shall be mockers following after their own ungodly lust now.
Here's something interest interesting that I'm not going to camp on because this issue could could really divide us. Unintentionally, I don't want to I Don't want to bring up a subject that's going to divide us unintentionally.
It doesn't have to and it shouldn't I enjoy having conversations about things with folks that are that that that will. That we have a disagreement on and we can we can talk about those disagreements, but we're gonna walk away in fellowship.
But with some folks. Some folks are unable to do that. And so I don't like to to specifically bring up things that I know can cause division and Unintentionally do that, but I do want to Make this statement about verse 18 because it it's here and we have to address what he's talking about.
That they were saying who were saying you have to listen to verse 7 17. These words that were spoken by the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ that they were saying the Apostles. To you who is the you?
It's Jude's immediate audience. The you here in verse 18 is Jude's immediate audience. So Jude was writing this specific letter at a specific time to a specific people. And he says these words that the Apostles of Jesus were writing that they were saying to.
You in.
The last time there shall be mockers so the expectation Was that The audience of Jude would be there to witness the last time and In the last time there shall be mockers following after their ungodly lust now there.
This is about eschatology in times in things and There are multiple different views and we We can all have fellowship together and hold different views about in times in things known as eschatology but I think this is in reference to or a verse that ties into and speaks to in times and Eschatology and so I just want us to be aware of that and aware of what Jude is saying.
This is this is a verse That can be linked to eschatology in times and What Jude is speaking to is a specific audience I'm saying this or these Apostles were saying this to you and There was this expectation that they would be there that they would see these last times and It's also confirmed in in Matthew 24 where Jesus says this this generation will not pass.
So I'm gonna leave it there It's food for thought you can take it with you. And If you ever want to have a further discussion about it Myself or there's there's many other folks who are open to those discussions but Just just food for thought and you can you can think about that on your own verse 19.
These.
Are the ones now he Jude uses that language before and When he says these men these men and here he says it again. These are the ones so These are the ones Refers to the the apostates that he has been describing this whole time here's an example of apostate here's an example of apostate and So these apostates in your time these false teachers in your time.
This is what they look like. They look like this and they look like this. They look like this example and they look like that example. And so he continues with that language. These are the ones or these men These apostates these false teachers who calls Division, so he's just reminding us that these that have crept in unnoticed.
This is what they are continuing to do. They are causing division. So if if you see that if you see someone causing division Be on alert and Then it says they are worldly minded and with without going into a big definition study.
When you see the word word Worldly minded or the hyphenated work to word here Worldly minded all we need to think of is selfishness. Okay, just think selfishness when you see that second second word. They're worldly minded think Selfishness and then this next part is pretty cool.
The next part is devoid of the spirit. So he says these people will cause divisions. They're worldly minded and they're devoid of the spirit. So when you look up the word devoid and you translate the Greek into English its M.
II.
The word me. So when you think of devoid of the spirit. Think of devoid in the Greek is Me. So when you have me at the center you are devoid of the spirit. It's for me. That's just a simple way to look at it.
If you have me at the center You are devoid of the spirit you don't have the spirit. You don't have any room for the spirit. It is filled up with me yourself and. And that word devoid It's a negative word in the in the grammar spelled out in English M e.
And if you have me you don't have the spirit and that's.
Further.
Further evidence of the definitions that we're looking at here of being worldly minded. Just they're they're selfish. They're they're following that natural inner self That that's of this world. And so that's that's what marks these folks that are apostates these false teachers now verse 21 Jude says to them Keep yourselves in the love of God.
So, how do we what does that mean is God is God's going to stop losing us if we do something? Not. God's not going to stop loving us if we do something. What Jude is saying here is Keep yours live in such a way That you're always in a place Where God can rain down his love on you and in other words live in such a way Where you're always in a place where God can pour out his blessing on you.
That's the that's the idea in the Greek That That Jude is trying to drive out here when he says keep yourself in the love of God. Just live in such a way, you know repent continue to be turning from your sin continue to grow in the faith.
Continue to be in prayer all these things that you're doing to be more like Christ live live in that way Where you'll remain in a place where God can pour out his blessings on you so keep yourself in the love of God.
Oh Excuse me, I fast-forwarded too quickly. We're in verse 20. That was 21. So just just hang on to that thought. He goes but but you so he's transitioning back again in verse 17. Remember he says but you as opposed to the apostates beloved.
He does the exact same thing here. He says but you.
Divinely loved by God building yourselves up on Your most holy faith now. He's not saying he's not speaking of your personal faith. What he's speaking of here is the the Christianity proper where the Foundation has already been laid by the the prophets and the Apostles and their teaching.
Keep continue to keep building yourself up on that foundation of faith of Christianity. And what does that mean? A theologian fire a Greek theologian says to give constant increase In Christian knowledge and a life conformed thereto.
And we have to be careful here. And this was this this is what sads being and frustrates me and and causes me a heartbreak sometimes is When folks run into the ditch on both sides here. Folks want to to leave truth.
They want to leave theology. They want to leave learning Anything that has to do with Bible and growing intellectual intellectually and growing in the faith and Studying God's Word anything that has to do with that.
They want to put it aside and they say well I've I've accepted Jesus. I've done that I'm right with God. What we really need to do is is live it. We need to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We need to be out there doing doing doing doing.
The Bible.
You would be leaving so much out of your life if you live that way. You will be leaving so much of the commands of the Bible out if you lived your life that way. Just like here is one of the one of those examples of where you would be cutting in half the commands of Scripture because the command here is to.
If you are building yourself up if you're building yourself up on the most holy faith the faith of Christianity you're doing that by growing in Christian knowledge and.
Then.
With a balanced life. With a balanced.
Outlook.
You are.
Conforming to that knowledge your your life begins to conform to that knowledge so therefore it changes your life and then you do just like at the beginning when. This our starting place is God's Word.
We don't we don't know who God's got who God is until he tells us who he is. So we have to begin with words. We have to begin with Communication. We have to begin with knowledge. Otherwise, we'll just be doing this thing on our own apart from Christ apart from God.
Let's be warned not to go about it that way. So we have to begin with words and knowledge and so we have to be balanced but we also don't want to be unbalanced in the fact that we all we do is seek knowledge and seek understanding and Then it doesn't conform our living.
We don't want to fall in that ditch either the the balance of Scripture teaches both. That if we are building ourselves up in the faith, we are growing in knowledge. We are students of God's Word. We are conforming to it.
We're learning it that way we can Can you know conform our lives but also identify false teachers identify Apostates defend that faith where he says earnestly contend for the faith. We can we can defend it and earnestly contend for the faith if we are students of God's Word and we are growing up in Christian knowledge.
But in balance, we also have to be letting it conform our lives to to how we live so that we are doing and being After what we've learned from God's Word, so there's a balance and that's what Judas teaching here.
So that's the that's the definition of building yourself up in the in the faith. And then here's the how. This is this is pretty important. Here's the how first of all, he says Praying in the Holy Spirit.
And what does it mean to do that? This is this is just really simple. It's a simple way to understand it and it can go a lot deeper and I would encourage you to Go a lot deeper in your study of how to pray in the Holy Spirit.
But here's just three simple words That'll help us to understand. What does it means to to pray in the Spirit number one? Be motivated by the Spirit be empowered by the Spirit and be dependent upon the Spirit.
Motivated by empowered by and dependent upon the Spirit. Remember those three things when you hear pray in the Holy Spirit. So that's number one as a person who's building themself up in the faith growing in the faith pray in the Holy Spirit.
The second one is Keep yourself in the love of God and we've already talked about that. To keep yourself in the love of God is to live in such a way. You're you're Staying in a place where God can pour out his blessings.
You're turning from sin and you're constantly turning towards Jesus Christ. Remain in a place where God can brought his blessing. He cannot pour out his blessing. When there's sin in our lives and sin in our heart.
So remain in that place where he can pour out his blessing and then the third one Waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. So the third thing is to Have our eyes fixed on Jesus waiting on that day when we are redeemed not only Spiritually but physically and that day of glory comes when all it all is completely made right with him.
And did you notice something in verses 20 and 21? Jude does it to us again? Jude has a theme in his book where he uses threes. Earlier he used three sets of threes and in his examples of talking about apostates but here he uses three again and What's the three?
It's the original three that God gives us if you want to if you want to grow and build your faith on the Foundation that was laid by Jesus the Apostles and the prophets if you want to continue to grow in your faith.
What's the key component the triune God he says pray in the Holy Spirit keep yourselves in the love of God and Fix your eyes on Jesus Christ Anxiously waiting for him. That is the key component is to be dwelling in the triune God.
If you want to grow in your faith Amen, amen to that He uses he gets us again with that three now. We want to look at the the last two verses verses 22 and 23 Jude says and have mercy on some Who are doubting now he's speaking to us or to the called who are beloved in God.
This is our our response this is part of our How we should approach and behave. Have mercy on some who are doubting save them and snatch them out of the fire.
So.
We should come and approach some with mercy now. I know many versions are going to use the word mercy again in in verse 23. But I was reading this this Greek theologian. I don't know how to really pronounce his last name, but it's w a w uest word studies in the in the Greek New Testament and he gives.
He.
Gives different options and he speaks of at least five or six other Greek theologians who tackle this text. But he he points us in the direction that he thinks that Jude is pointing us in the direction.
If you if you look at verse 22 Listen to the language and have mercy on some who are doubting save others snatching them out of the fire and then there is a transition where he says and and On some so he says this word mercy this in the second half after the transition Should read convict or confess or or reprove others.
So on some you should have mercy and on some Which which reproving and calling for confession and calling for conviction is is a mercy in and of itself. It is a grace it is a mercy, you know, if we didn't warn folks about Encroaching danger then that would be unloving so it is merciful.
It's a merciful thing. So look at it in light of that. That we're proving correcting calling for conviction calling for confession is a merciful thing. So that's where the that's where the this theologian wants to take us where he thinks you he thinks Judas taking us.
That on these first folks. When we have mercy on them that are doubting that. You know some folks who are doubting they they're probably in a really weak position a really weak place. So he wants us to to save them and snatch them out of the fire and then on these others.
That we are to reprove call for conviction call for confection. Confession he says do it with fear knowing that we fall and sin ourselves and that We we could but don't want to Follow in their footsteps in in sin so there there's a fear that we should hold on to as we approach others because we We are sinful ourselves and we are prone to fall into temptation ourselves.
So it is not a prideful and boastful Confrontation that that we go after folks, but it is a fearful confrontation knowing who we are and knowing our weaknesses. But approach them with fear for for reproof and for correction and for confession hating even the garments Polluted by the flesh.
So every everything that's that sin Entangles and corrupts and messes up. Hate it not just the sin, but the garment that it stains hate it that much. That you would be merciful to someone and call them to confession and conviction.
What a powerful few verses here in Jude. I hope that was a an encouragement to you. If you if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, if you are not as Jews as Jude speaks of it. You're one of the called Those who are beloved of God those who are kept in Jesus Christ.
If you don't have that security that you're in Jesus Christ that he's going to keep you and hold you forever. Come to him today Jesus says of himself. I'm the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but but by me We are without excuse.
Anyway, Romans tells us that creation speaks that that there's a God of his his divine nature and We are without excuse that's that's what Romans says we are without excuse and We have all fallen short of his standard of his glory.
We've all broken his law and his commandments. And so the response to that conviction and And that's part of the that's part of the approving and calling for confession and conviction that Jude is talking about here.
Every single one of us has to do it. We have to do it if we don't address who we are. Then we can't turn from our sins and Fall upon our face at the mercy of Christ. Because we won't think that we need his mercy.
We won't think that we need his grace. Until we see our sins until our eyes are opened. And if your eyes have been opened to your need of Jesus Christ turn from your sins fall on your face get on your knees and Submit surrender to Jesus Christ.
Repent of your sins and put your trust in your faith in him to save you and what he did on the cross. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He's sitting on his throne and He is making all his enemies his footstool and the last one's gonna be death.
We are on the winning side his Gospels moving forward. No matter what happens. He is victorious and we through him are victorious and I would encourage you to desire to be on that winning side to be on his Team to be in his kingdom no matter what's going on.
We are gonna be victorious through him. So I hope that was encouraging to you. If I can pray for you, let me know. I'd love to be able to do that we're gonna go ahead and pray right now and And if you watch the video later and you you would like prayer.
All you have to do is type me and I'll pray for you when I see that notification. So thank you for watching and if you're still with me, let's let's pray together. Father, thank you for this time that you give us to look at your word.
We worship you and We praise you and we thank you. You are the one and only true and living God. You are the most high. You you measure. You measure the universe with with the span of your hand, you you know.
Every star my name and you know every hair on our head.
You.
You are beyond our comprehension you are so great and so we we worship you and and live in all of who you are and we live in humility that you You would communicate to us love us and Redeem us you would send your son to to rescue us those who Have spit in your face who have sinned against you that have Just trampled underfoot your love your mercy your grace As you've communicated to us your your law and your love Those of us who are your enemy You make your friend.
That love Will be gloriously worshipped forever and ever. So we thank you. Thank you for the time that you've given us to spend time on your word. And father we ask that you would bless it. We ask that you would save.
Souls.
They hear this message. And we pray all these things for your glory in Jesus name. Amen. All right, thank you guys for watching. Remember that Jesus is King. Go live in that victory and continue to go proclaim the gospel.
I hope to see you soon.