Our Incredible, Amazing Bible - Jude Sunday, October 1, :30 AM

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1 Our Incredible, Amazing Bible - Jude Sunday, October 1, :30 AM Review Bible Survey Our Incredible, Amazing Bible contains 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New. The Old Testament can be divided into 5 sections 1. Law History Poetry Major Prophets Minor Prophets -12 The New Testament can also be divided into 5 sections 1. The Gospels History Pauline Epistles General Epistles Prophecy - 1 The Importance of The Bible: Jude 14 (NIV) 14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones Book: Jude Although Jude was very eager to write to his readers about salvation, he felt that he must instead warn them about certain immoral men circulating among them who were perverting the grace of God (see v. 4 and note). Apparently these false teachers were trying to convince believers that being saved by grace gave them license to sin since their sins would no longer be held against them. Jude thought it imperative that his readers be on guard against such men and be prepared to oppose their perverted teaching with the truth about God's saving grace. Author: The author identifies himself as Jude (v. 1), which is another form of the Hebrew name Judah (Greek "Judas"), a common name among the Jews. Of those so named in the NT, the ones most likely to be author of this letter are: (1) Judas the apostle (see Lk 6:16; Ac 1:1 and note) -- not Judas Iscariot -- and (2) Judas the brother of the Lord (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3). The latter is more likely. For example, the author does not claim to be an apostle and even seems to separate himself from the apostles (v. 17). Furthermore, he describes himself as a "brother of James" (v.

2 1). Ordinarily a person in Jude's day would describe himself as someone's son rather than as someone's brother. The reason for the exception here may have been James's prominence in the church at Jerusalem Grouping: General Epistles Placement: 26th of 27 New Testament Books, 7th of 7 General Epistles Key Verse: Jude 3 (NIV) 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. The Stories: Jude used a series of triplets throughout his epistle vi The author: 1. Jude 2. Servant of Jesus Christ 3. Brother of James vi Ones addressed: 1. Called 2. Loved in God the Father 3. Kept for Jesus Christ v2 Salutations: 1. Mercy 2. Peace 3. Love vv. 3-4 Purpose: 1. Wanted to write about Salvation 2. Contend for the faith 3. Expose those ungodly people who have secretly slipped in vv. 5-7 Examples of Judgments: 1. Unbelievers among Israelites 2. Angels who sinned 3. Sodom and Gomorrah

3 vv The dreamers: 1. Pollute their own bodies 2. Reject Authority 3. Heap abuse on celestial beings. v 11 False teachers went: 1. Taken the way of Cain 2. Rushed for profit into Balaam's error 3. destroyed by Korah's Rebellion v These verses contain six graphic metaphors: 1 blemishes at your love feasts. 2 shepherds who feed only themselves. Instead of feeding the sheep for whom they are responsible 3 clouds without rain. Like clouds promising moisture for the parched land, the false teachers promise soul-satisfying truth, but in reality they have nothing to offer. 4 autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted twice dead. Though the trees ought to be heavy with fruit. 5 wild waves of the sea. As wind-tossed waves constantly churn up rubbish, so these apostates continually stir up moral filth 6 wandering stars. As shooting stars appear in the sky only to fly off into eternal oblivion, so these false teachers are destined for the darkness of eternal hell. v The Lord is coming: 1. With thousands upon thousands of His Holy ones 2. To judge everyone 3. To convict them of all he ungodly acts they have committed v. 16 False Teachers are: 1. These people are grumblers and faultfinders: 2. they follow their own evil desires 3. they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. v Remember what the Apostles foretold: 1. The Last Days 2. Scoffers 3. Ungodly desires v. 19 These are: 1. people who divide you 2. who follow mere natural instincts

4 3. do not have the Spirit. v Christians are to: 1. Build up yourselves 2. Pray in the Holy Spirit 3. Keep yourselves in the love of God vv How to deal with those in error: 1. Be merciful to those who doubt; 2. save others by snatching them from the fire 3. to others show mercy, mixed with fear hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh v Giving glory to God: 1. To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy 2. to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority 3. Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Jude (NIV) 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People 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. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. 5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. 8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to

5 condemn him for slander but said, The Lord rebuke you! 10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct as irrational animals do will destroy them. 11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam s error; they have been destroyed in Korah s rebellion. 12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. 14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. A Call to Persevere 17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 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. 22 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. Doxology 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 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Main Thought: This Is WAR!

6 What We Learn: 1. The Stance of Warfare 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 {earnestly) contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God s holy people. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV) 13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. In today's politically correct world many find it difficult to take a strong stand for anything. They prefer to play it safe. Take the middle road, walk the fence, please both sides. Other's posture themselves with words of warfare, but are afraid to declare war when it comes down to it. We must take a stance for our faith, take a stance for what is right and stand against what is wrong. But in order to do that we have to know where God wants us to stand What is right and what is wrong. Training in identifying counterfeit currency begins with studying genuine money. 2. The Soldiers of Warfare 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. We need to know who we are in Christ Jesus

7 2 Timothy 2:4 (NIV) 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Twice in Philippians Paul refers to fellow workers as "Soldiers" 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. We need to know who is on the other side 10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct as irrational animals do will destroy them. 12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. No Help, No substance, no fruit, twice dead, stirring up sin, no guidance, no light in them, 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. 17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. By understanding what these people do we know what we are NOT supposed to do 20 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. A good soldier trains and stays fit

8 Ephesians 2:22New International Version (NIV) 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. 3. The Spiritual side of Warfare 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, The Lord rebuke you! 14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV) 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. The only way to deal with Satan is to refer him to a higher power: Take your accusation to Jesus, you slimy serpent. I am under His protection, and He will answer for me! Those who engage in a battle of wits with Satan always lose. Those who refer Satan to Jesus (for the Lord s rebuke) always win. Brogden, Dick. Live Dead Joy: 365 Days of Living and Dying with Jesus 4. The Sacrifices of Warfare 11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam s error; they have been destroyed in Korah s rebellion. Cain didn't want to sacrifice of the first or best of the fruits of his soil "An Offering" but able brought the firstlings of his flocks. The sacrifices of warfare mean that God comes first. Balaam did not want to sacrifice the possibility of financial gain Korah did not want to sacrifice his desire to be first or to be subject to any one else 22 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.

9 Sometimes it is a sacrifice to show mercy To snatch others from the fire means that we may have to get close to the flames (Missions) SOME WISH TO LIVE WITHIN THE SOUND OF A CHAPEL BELL. I WANT TO RUN A RESCUE SHOP WITHIN A YARD OF HELL. C.T. Studd To sacrifice means that some may not like us very much or even hate us because of our stance for the things of God Doxology 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 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jesus is our greatest example of sacrifice as we warred for the souls of mankind Scriptural Summary: Jude (NIV) 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 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.