SODOM REVISITED
#746 SODOM REVISITED
Scripture Jude 5-12, NIV Orig. 5/23/1979
Rewr. 9/7/1988
Passage: 5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord[a] 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 condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”[b] 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.
Purpose: Continuing a series from Jude, here calling attention to the perversions that had disrupted the church, and its 20th century application.
Keywords: Bible Study Immorality New Testament Characters, Jude Grace
Timeline/Series: Jude
Introduction
We may not know where they lived, or, for that matter, not very much at all about their origins. But, there are still many things by which these people are identified.
We know that the common denominator of this struggling congregation is Christ, Himself. We know that they have been called to participation in the family of God. We know that they bear the signs of God’s love on their character. And, we know that they had been assured of the “keeping” power of Christ in their lives. Their past, present, and future is inviolate.
We know that they share a common belief that Christ, the Son of God, is Lord. He is Himself the sin bearer, whose death at Calvary set them free. They, then, share a common humanity. Without Christ, they would stand condemned. With Him, they are the Kingdom of God on earth.
Ah, but here’s the rub. One cannot get into the Kingdom of God without God’s forgiving grace. There is no such extremity preventing them from participation in the koinonia fellowship: church.
Jude’s message to them is redemptive. Something must be done about the interlopers who have come among them. It is not a request for them to compensate for this disputed teaching. It is the strong advice of a friend for them to root out an unacceptable evil.
Remember, these men addressed so adamantly, did not perceive of themselves as enemies of the church. They were a vanguard of free thinkers, the elite of the new age. They thought they were setting a new tone for Christianity that would change the world forever.
I. Jude Presents Three Exhibits that are Examples of Moral Default. V7, “Sodom and Gomorrah . . . serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.”
Exhibit A was the Hebrew nation itself. They magnified the enemy. “They are stronger than we,” Numbers 13:31. They memorialize themselves. Past is greater than present. They minimize God.
Exhibit B was the example of the fallen angels. Little was said about this. Fundamentally, it was a denial of God’s right to sovereignty in their lives. It was a matter of demand for self-will. Do you really want to know what has gone wrong in government? It has to do with special interest groups. If they have enough money they can sway legislation/legislators. What that money does is to too often buy Babel towers of self-interest.
The third is seen here in the moral anarchy of Sodom and Gomorrah. This wasn’t mentioned last week. We call it to mind as a place of prestige and potential. Genesis 13:10, “And Lot . . . beheld all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere . . . Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord.” Ezekiel 16:49, “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness.”
This third exhibit becomes an example of divine judgment. Blessed with every conceivable opportunity, they defaulted. Our language carries a moral perversion called sodomy. It is homosexuality, and “Yes! The Bible does rebuke it as a sin.” Dutch/Reformed clergyman, living with his gay lover, adopted a son (NY). “The Bible doesn’t say much about homosexuality.” It is said, and I have no reason to challenge it, that more is said in scripture about judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah than any other. For believers, there is a spiritual sodomy, that is likewise a defilement of the body, and must be avoided. I Corinthians 3:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Romans 6:16, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey.”
II. Jude Then Likens these False Teachers to These Examples of Perversion. V8, “In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority, and slander celestial beings.”
They were using the marvelous creation of the human body to witness to lust and depravity. God has given us our strength for good. It is a sad debacle when one shuts out the spirit of faith. It is defilement to profess faith but to live life out of gospel focus.
The story is given over Michael’s dispute with Satan over Moses’ body. Moses death recorded in Deuteronomy 34. We can only guess [what] the origin of the story included, but known to readers. Scholars suggest an Assumption of Moses. Michael refused to deny on his own authority, one who been a spokesman. “The Lord rebuke you.” We best be very careful in divesting ourselves of the spoken word because we have some case against the speaker.
The parallel stated is of these mockers who rail at, and ridicule things not understood. What of those who scoff at conversion for no other reason than they have not themselves experienced? Of one who doubts prayer simply because it is beyond his knowledge? Those who spurn forgiveness who have never practiced repentance.
Huxley: Eyeless in Gaza—“Men don’t tell themselves that the wrong they are doing is wrong. Either they do it without thinking or else they invent reasons for believing . . . right.”1
III. Finally, Jude Reaches Back for Three Human Exposés of Such Incrimination. V11, “. . . They have gone in the way of Cain, and gone greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in Korah’s rebellion.”
Cain is an example of the unregenerate church member. Note Cain’s lack of faith. Not that his sacrifice [was] wrong. Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.” What we do, do we it of faith, or of some ulterior motive. Then heed the void of righteousness. Righteousness does not engender faith, faith engenders righteousness. Righteousness has to do with relationship. Titus 3:5, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” Too many people are content today to persevere in their own righteousness. Romans 10:3, “For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” This explains the lack of love directed, of all places, against brethren.
Balaam adds additional grist to the mill of unbelief. Balaam (Numbers 22:5f) as a seer was self-possessed. His blindness to judgment is self-induced. The donkey sensed this avenging presence. Our world runs according to plan. Nature co-operates completely. Man, himself, is the nail in the wheel of progress. True believers know that judgment comes, individually/collectively. The rapture wasn’t at 12:05 on September 13th, but it is coming.
Korah (Core) is found in Numbers 16. Korah’s problem was undisciplined desire, another form of moral anarchy. Why should we belly-up to the entertainment all-stars for their version of life? Karl Malone—Ruston Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
***The remainder of this sermon has been lost***
1 Huxley, A. (1974). Eyeless in Gaza. Harper & Row.
CLOUDS WITHOUT WATER
#746.1 CLOUDS WITHOUT WATER
Scripture Jude 11-16, NIV Orig. 7/25/1979
Rewr. 9/20/1988
Passage: 5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord[a] 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 condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”[b] 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.
Purpose: Continuing a series from Jude, here encouraging my people to be honest with themselves as to where they are in faith, and to work at a stronger commitment to Christ.
Keywords: Bible Study New Testament Characters, Jude Commitment Faith Revival
Timeline/Series: Jude
Introduction
The last couple of Mission Allocation meetings the same concern has been voiced. Some of our state mission work is suffering because of governmental regulation. These churches/missions are having to spend money they do not have in providing services for the handicapped, although they do not anticipate any such participation. The services need to be provided, even if it does work a hardship.
By the same token, it early was noted that such service would be offered without question by commercial ventures. As more and more states moved into the gambling business, they determined to provide such services. New Jersey started the pattern by providing machines that were in braille for the blind, and others that were nearer the floor for those who were in wheelchairs.
In fact, Jesus reminded us that this is the way it would be in a world where money takes precedence over everything else.
Luke 16:8, “. . .the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”
But that wisdom was a worldly, secular wisdom that served only a temporal purpose. The so-called “children of light” to whom Jude has written, are to open their eyes and their hearts, to the need to recognize what is not in their best interest, or the gospel’s, and to live accordingly.
I. First, We Need to Consider Jude’s Three-Fold Description of the Unprincipled Church Member. V11, “They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.”
The first problem is that they are without faith. Remembering who Cain was. Hebrews 11:4 tells us that “By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice” than he. Two people performing the same deeds, giving the same offering, studying the same lesson, yet one is accepted, the other- - - - Whether of Cain and Abel, Of Jude’s fellowship of concern, Of any 20th Century church.
We need to keep going back to Hebrews 11. A later verse will also be found. V6, “But without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Thank God for what the verse does not say, as much as what it says. Not “effectively serve Him”; But “earnestly seek Him.” Christians are not always required to do the right thing, but we are expected to have a Christ-honoring attitude. So, remember, faith does not result from righteousness, it issues in righteousness.
The second problem is a materialist mindset. Any time Balaam is discussed then spiritual blindness is at the key. An angel of death barred his way. He could not see past his material success. The jack-ass kept him from danger. Jeremiah 8:7, “Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtledove and the crane, and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.”
Brethren, we must not ever become dependent upon those who are spiritually blind. We need to resort to God’s leadership. We need men and women who move to His beat.
Thirdly, there was misplaced ambition. It wasn’t just the equality issue. How many men and women have risen above their roots, and have concluded that their achievement merits more?
II. We Must Also Heed a Prophet’s Warning about Instability. V12f, “These men are blemishes , . . . clouds without rain, . . . trees without fruit, . . . waves of the sea, foaming their shame; . . . stars, for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever.”
They are unstable in doctrine. Reference is to the Lord’s Supper. Partaking of the supper without the slightest regard for its deepest meaning. It ought to be the most regularly attended, most touched with prayer and commitment, of any gathering. Like it because it’s brief. Find it mindlessly boring. See yourself in hell apart from the substitutionary work of Jesus.
They are unstable in their direction. Jude refers to “clouds” that offer no relief to parched earth. We all know there are different clouds. Many are worried about changing weather conditions. Are we moving to an era of drought? Even so, are we living in a time when people dry up in spirit? I heard recently that three to four million acres have burned. The National Forest fire was said to continue to burn until snow. What a terrible thing it would be if people were looking for hope but knew no one who could share.
Recall the words of Amos 8:11, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”
They are unstable in their devotion. It is an interesting corollary of the fruitless tree. The Bible speaks of “fruit” of repentance. John [the Baptist] (Matthew 3:8) announced Jesus with that call to repentance, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” What is the source of true religion? Benign religious activity. Borrowing faith from parents. Bootlegging on our culture. Repentance is the only safe source of such activity.
Sholem Asch, in his piece called The Apostle, tells of one Simon, the preacher, preaching John’s “fruits meet for repentance.” In the call to decision, a wealthy man brings his riches. Simon sends him away. A strong, poor man brings his strength. Again Simon disallows. A third comes bringing only his sin. He hears Simon say, “You have given more than the others for you have given what is yours to give.”1
But we are told also of the fruits of righteousness. Philippians 1:11, “Filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” We involve ourselves in many good social activities. But the things done in the name of Jesus are the things that impact our culture.
There is also the “fruit” of reconciliation. John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit.” Jude calls this “fruitless” tree twice dead. Bearing no fruit, it is uprooted.
Time doesn’t permit attention to “wild waves.” Beach litter, erosion. Matthew 16:18, “Upon this rock I will build.” Or, “wandering stars.” Shooting stars may draw attention. But they quickly pass from consideration. The stars of worth, are the ones in their places to guide ships as the track the trackless ocean.
Conclusion
Filed with this sermon:
“Reputation, it is said, is about who you are when people are watching; character is about who you are when you are alone in the room.
“There is a similar duality in modern faith, a tension between faith externalized for public consumption and that which wrestles despair in the midnight hour.
“Each has its place. But only one will see you through till the morning comes.”2
*** The remainder of this sermon has been lost.***
1Asch, S. (1943). The Apostle. G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
2Pitts, Jr., L. (2012, February 9). Public faith versus private faith stirs debate. The Times, p7a. https://www.shreveporttimes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/628995.The_Apostle
BEING REMINDED
#597.1 BEING REMINDED
Scripture Jude 1-6, NIV Orig. 2/7/1973
Rewr. 8/30/1988
Passage: 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[a] 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[b] 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[c] 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.
Purpose: Leading a study from the Book of Jude, here seeking to open the minds of the people to draw from its rich legacy in our day also.
Keywords: Bible Study New Testament Characters, Jude
Timeline/Series: Jude
Introduction
A concluding quote last week gives us our beginning this week. From Tomorrow is Forever1, the disfigured father urging own son to enter WWII saying, “Every man opposes the evil in his own time, or else he accepts it.”
As Jude is calling his people to consider the evils in their midst and to oppose them, so also must we. Evils are tributary to our own times. Regrettably, these evils have their source in people who number themselves among the elect. Are we to do nothing? Or, are we to uphold our obligation to truth, regardless of opposition?
John Quincy Adams reminds us of the price of freedom. He said:
Posterity—“You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it,”
Thomas Payne of the same era added another such word.
“What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a price upon its goods, and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.”2
If freedom is “so celestial an article,” truth both exceeds and succeeds its grandeur. And if we can lose the one by our indifference, we can surely lose the OTHER by our condescension.
I. We Were Told All We Need to Know about Author and Recipients. V1, “Jude, the servant of Jesus . . . , and brother of James, to those . . . called, . . . loved, . . . and kept.”
Jude, who with James were indeed brothers of Jesus. Several verses attest.
· I Corinthians 9:5 NIV, “Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?”
· Matthew 13:55, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?”
· Mark 6:3, “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
· Galatians 1:19, “I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother.”
He is writing to people who are themselves believers. People, therefore, who ought to be concerned about spiritual things. People who ought to remember that they were saved from sin, and from hell. And he reminds them of their appropriate relationship to Jesus: Who could attest it better than a real brother? Who could staunch our own prideful acknowledgement of who we are? Jude, as others of these writers, speaks of himself as a slave. How do you speak of yourself?
We learn also a measure of the attitude of this spokesman for Jesus. V2, “May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied unto you.” It is a prayer for them to receive. Mercy—he wants what is best—there is no axe to grind—only to call people to higher commitment; Peace—he knows that there can be no real peace until mercy has done its good, and they must remember that their warfare is not with each other, but with their enemy, Satan: too much infighting, too much denominational isolation; Love—everything that issues forth from the believing community is to be saturated in love: ministry, mechanisms of growth, administrative detail, discipline.
Then, the real spirit of the man is given: v3, “My intention was to write you about the faith we share. Instead, I must exhort you to live your true faith.”
II. We Must Be Reminded about What We Already Know. V5, “I will therefore put you in remembrance.”
They have been reminded of the danger. It is human in scope. Regrettably, they have found their way into the church. Lady Macbeth coached her husband in his treachery to Duncan. She said, “To beguile the time, Look like the time — bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue. Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under't.” (I.v.62-65)
The problem is that the enemy has intruded. People whose first allegiance is to other than Christ and His kingdom: Not to destroy the church; not to prevent believers sharing with others about Jesus; not to make blatant changes that are easily recognized; but, by degree, to change the focus of attention.
As insidious as humanism is, we are all still very, very human. The problem today is to make our churches more people-centered and less God-centered. If this looks bad in the local church, how about the seminary.
The essence of the age is originality. Yes, it is true, the forms must continue to change. September National Geographic anniversary issue tells of the struggle with change. But the message must not change. We have but one. It of our sin, and lostness. It is of Christ’s intrusion. It is of hope and eternal life.
The person who speaks for the church must speak what Christ spoke. To deny the word is blasphemy. To live in other focus is hypocrisy.
III. Finally, We Will Look Briefly at Examples of Such Deception. There were people delivered from Egypt whose unbelief destroyed them. The story is that of Israel delivered from Egypt, at the border of the promised land, but faithless to go forward after the ten spies make their report. Forty years later people of faith and vision were led into the land. We may teach our children all we know, see them baptized in water, but if not in the Holy Spirit is only adding fertilizer to the seedbed of apostasy.
He gives us the illustration of “angels” who forgot the province of authority. The occasion is from Genesis 6:1-4. Angels, like people, can get out of line, and sin. What our age hates the very most is to be accused of sinning. Most of you were guilty of sin before you got out of your house this a.m.
Let me give you a brief, three-part report on what the Israelites and angels die. First, they magnified the enemy. Hebrews said (Numbers 13:26-14:29) “We are not able, . . . for they are stronger than we.” How often that is our cherished line. They memorialized themselves. They pretended to be overwhelmed by this enemy (grasshoppers, Numbers 13:33). They were seeking not more of God, but more of what they were hungry for. They minimized God. In fact, they accused God of betrayal. Numbers 14:3, “. . . the Lord brought us into this land to fall by the sword.” How many of us believe that God means us harm? He means mercy, and peace, and love, but we must mean to be in His will for it to work.
Conclusion
Let’s close by reviewing what Paul wrote to the Corinthians about dependence on forms of religion. I Corinthians 7:19, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.”
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1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomorrow_Is_Forever
2 DeMoss, N.L. (Ed.) (1986). The Rebirth of America. Arthur DeMoss Foundation.
INTRODUCING JUDE
#597 INTRODUCING JUDE
Scripture Jude 1-25, NIV Orig. 1/31/1973
Rewr. 8/25/1988
Passage: 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[a] 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[b] 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[c] 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 condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”[d] 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.”[e] 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.[f]
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.
Purpose: Leading a Church Training study from the Book of Jude, here introducing the material from the background study and opening verses.
Keywords: Bible Study New Testament Characters, Jude
Timeline/Series: Jude
Introduction
Letters are important conveyances of communication. All of us have received letters that had a significant impact on us, and, I suspect, that it has mostly been for good.
We often hear of some rare performances of public sacrifice, or athletic prowess, or some other such thing gaining the attention of the President. He writes a letter to express genuine appreciation. The letter may be folded and carried to the person. It may be framed and prominently placed in the home. It certainly becomes a favored memento.
Many of us have had occasion to write a family member, or friend, far away, some encouraging word. It may not always be an affirming word, but it is inspired by love, and the deeper impact of personal relationship.
The letters of the New Testament are written in a similar vein. They, of course, are written most often to churches. Otherwise, to leaders of churches.
Think with me for a moment, what it must have been like to be one of the recipients of a letter like this one. I shared with some of you last year, the special relationship I had with an old pastor*1 who was a descendant of an early Baptist preacher who worked in north Louisiana, and who was alive before John O’Quinn’s death. It moves me still to think that I have a direct contact with one so directly connected with that early work.
[Editor’s note: John O'Quinn (1808-1898) pastored Big Cane Church in Louisiana and was a maternal great grandfather of Allie Keller b.1883, wife of John Fogleman* b.1877, mentor of my father, Rev. Lamar Skinner. John O'Quinn officiated the wedding ceremony of John O. Fogleman and Allie Keller. At Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Pollock, LA, while Dad pastored there, Bro. Fogleman hobbled forward at invitation time, saying, “Young Pastor, if there is anything left, I want to give that too.”2]
Now, to receive a letter, whether personally, or as here, as a part of a group, from one so directly linked with Jesus, must have made these people give special pause to what was said. Admittedly, there are those who disclaim authorship by Jude, Jesus’ brother, but the text says otherwise.
I. First, We Must Seek to Resolve This and Other Questions. V1, “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James.”
On what basis do we conclude authorship? Because it is what the text says. But some would remind us that other letters are pseudonymously written. Falsely named writings but in this case, a man who offers nothing of himself. Since “Jude” doesn’t claim Jesus as a brother, should we? What we note is that he claims to be brother to “James.” Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 acknowledge brothers James and Jude. Galatians 1:19 identifies one “James, the brother of the Lord,” prominent in the Jerusalem church. “James, the apostle”—the brother of John was put to death by Herod Agrippa—Acts 12:2. Another who was “son of Alpheus.” I Corinthians 9:5 NIV, “Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?”
Why would he have not claimed Jesus? He did not claim Him in life. How could he overstate the relationship now? More than modesty is found as he seems to say, “call me not brother, but slave of Jesus.”
The time of writing should offer further evidence of authorship. Some claim that the letter was written during the second century. A bishop in Jerusalem by that name. The gnostic controversy peaks. Late in the first century works better. Time for Judas to be converted. Time for the early church to have grown to internal problems. Time for problems to become serious. Early enough for Jude to still be a strong vote. Choose any date in the seventies.
We can’t consign a place, but we know about his audience. They were surely believers—“to those who have been called.” Klētos--from kaleō--root kal, “call,” “invite,” “summon.”
“Sanctified” KJ—does not here appear. But they are “beloved” agapetos of God. And, “kept”—tetērēmenois –preserved by none other than Jesus. The believing triumvirate—called, loved, kept. Past is prologue, present is providential, future is furnished.
How do we early perceive the problem? We note that he does not attack persons. He identifies the error. It is human in scope: “Certain . . . godless men.” It is abuse of truth: “change . . . grace . . . into a license.” It is exceedingly dangerous: “the Lord cometh . . . to execute judgment” (Jude 14). It is a griefsome burden: “I was eager to write about the salvation we share.” It is a burden they must assimilate: “Urge you to contend for the faith.”
Now, since the problem is Gnosticism, we must consider that. Gnosticism—gnosis—knowledge. Peaked in 2nd century, but was a growing problem for 100 years. It is interesting, and we must not overlook it. He defines what he fights for more than what he fights against. Remember the old western where the enemy leaves hat on stick and tries to circle around, and the cowboys are fighting the hat.
Basically, Gnostics claimed superiority over others. To them it had to do with knowledge. Today it may be libertarianism. Perhaps even pseudospirituality. There were two separate modes. Subject the body to severe discipline. Colossians 2:21, “Touch not, taste not, handle not.” Matter was evil, they were spiritual. They could indulge to any [text lost].
John, Paul, Jude confronted. Claimed a new theology. Claimed superior wisdom, insight. Pretended to be pathologists who could dissect the “word.” Jude sought to let the truth expose them, and the church take action against them.
II. The Message to the Believer in This Age. V3, “It was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith.”
We are so pleased with our faith in those settled times of ease. I Timothy 2:1f, “I exhort (same word) . . . supplications, prayers, etc., be made for all men (generic); 2, For kings; and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
Jude doesn’t call his reader to faith in the good times, but in the bad. In standing up for right. In recognizing the evils going untouched. To be unyielding against those who would divide and pervert the faith. To recognize the strong affirmations of faith: “build yourselves up”; “pray in the Holy Spirit”; “keep yourselves in the love of God”; “be merciful to those who doubt.”
Many of you saw a film after WWII about a disfigured WWI veteran (Tomorrow is Forever3) who encouraged his son to enter WWII. The apex was the line: “Every man opposes the evil in his own time, or else he accepts it.”
Remember Hamlet’s classic line upon discovery of his father’s murder, and of the complexity of mother and uncle. “The time is out of joint; O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right.” (I.v.189-190)
Conclusion
Don’t go to battle with gnostics. You may see his hat in the rocks and aim all your reserves his way. But he is to attack where we can’t guard. Remember this: “To him who is able to keep (us) from falling . . . to the only God our Saviour, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
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2 Email exchange between Fritha Skinner Dinwiddie and Joycalyn Ann Beard Skinner
BUILDING UP YOUR FAITH
#746.2 BUILDING UP YOUR FAITH
Scripture Jude 20-25, NIV Orig. 8/8/1979
Rewr. 9/30/1988
Passage: 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.[a]
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.
Purpose: Completing a series from Jude, here sharing with my people the author’s positive charge to them to live their faith.
Keywords: Book Study New Testament Characters, Jude Faith Grace
Timeline/Series: Jude
Introduction
Jude has spent the first three-fourths of this brief epistle admonishing his readers about what is happening in their fellowship. There are dangers about, and they must see to them.
The remaining few verses are to help them to call to mind, “remember” (v17), a few very important things.
Not only are they to remember, they are to recall that their remembrance is more than just words. These are priorities that have come to them by way of the apostles, from Jesus, Himself. More, they form a message from our Lord about critical times that have come. And how they live in those times is of extreme importance.
Jesus reminds us that such times are on the horizon:
Matthew 24:9, “You will be hated by all nations because of me.”
John 15:18, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”
Peter, in his second epistle, raises almost the same point. He even mentions “recalling the words spoken . . . by the holy prophets.” And in the 11th verse of the concluding chapter (2 Peter 3:11) he asks, “since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought [we] to be?”
Peter and Jude both address their readers in the very same way, agapetos, “beloved.” They all share a common heritage in Jesus, and that bond is stronger than anything else in their lives.
If we are to be the “beloved” children of God, then we must deal with the things that separate us. Social values, political issues, variances about the meaning of scripture, but especially in our day-by-day relationships.
I. He First Establishes the Dominion of Devotion. Jude 20f “. . . build yourselves up in your . . . faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourself in God’s love.”
No doubt about it, what we do devotionally is of great consequence. Our SBC records are replete with proof of reaching people for Christ who are involved in Bible study. How many encampment surveys have established God’s call to special service through Missions/Church Training, BYPU/BTU?
There is serious need in our lives to feed ourselves with spiritual nutrition. I went to St. Francis for Clergy Health Screening. The nutritionist pointed out some problem areas. If it were that easy, I have a nutritionist in my family. But my problem is, I like hotdogs.
Jude then instructs them with three criteria. First, they were to build themselves up in their faith. No doubt, a heavy responsibility rests upon those whom God calls. We are to be part of the cure, not part of the problem. Ezekiel 33:5f, “If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet . . . I . . . hold the watchman.” But they were responsible themselves. The word is “edification.” Acts 9:31, “churches had rest . . . and were edified.” It is a slow, deliberate process. I Corinthians 3:10f, “According . . . to the grace given me as a wise masterbuilder I laid the foundation.” Ephesians 2:20, “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, . . . Christ Himself the chief cornerstone.” And note it is “most holy faith.” There is no other its equal. We are wrong to placate a nothing/everything believing world. Someone has a sermon on this, “Sentinels in the Night.” How appropriate. Remembering the slow, deliberate, care given to this building, we must build on the right foundation. In New Orleans I watched as construction men added 5 floors to Ochsner Hospital while the hospital was in daily use.
[Second,] to sustain that building process, prayer was essential. As cement, mortar, bolts, nails, prayer is what keeps things in focus. But it is not just any old kind of prayer, but Holy Spirit prayer. Of the heart first, then lips. In certification of God’s will. It is opening our innermost being to God’s searchlight. It is faith evidenced. It speaks more to our yearnings than of special words. It is prayer that doesn’t quit. It has more to do with spiritual position than bodily posture. Romans 8:26f “We know not what we should pray for . . . but the Spirit . . . maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
The third of these criteria is not additional, but confirming. “Keep yourself in God’s love.” They are the agapetos. They are in God’s agape. Are we?
II. Out of This Dominion of Devotion Grows an Extension of Evangelism. We’ve already seen (Acts 9:31) “a church edified, is a church multiplied.” It is not just for ourselves that we are “edified.” It is to the end that our lives may touch other lives, creatively. The implication cannot be overlooked that there is a link between clean lives and faithful witnesses. It is another of the Christian graces that we are to grow in. We gain proficiency by our practice. We touch lives at the level of their own needs. If you remember Psalm of Confession (Psalm 51), David builds toward what he sees as a certain responsibility. “I will teach sinners your ways. They will be converted. Psalm 51:13, he calls for God to “have mercy . . . cleanse . . . purge me . . . create in me a clean heart.”
The essential ingredient of need seems to be compassion. “As you wait for mercy, . . . be merciful.” KJ uses the word “compassion,” which means to “suffer with.” Matthew 14:14, “Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed the sick.” Romans 9:1f, “I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish myself accursed from Christ for my brethren.”
That compassion is able to recognize differences in people, and the vagaries of their needs. I Corinthians 9:22, “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak.” We are to befriend. We must hold the line on spiritual values. We are not to lose sight of hell as the final abode of unbelief. The Holy Spirit must reap the harvest, but He does so from seed planted in our faithfulness.
III. He Concludes at the Last with the Foundation of Faith. Jude 24, “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.”
Here is the climax of the message. Someone calls it “Jude’s Doxology.” We can lift people no higher than we sense that we have been lifted. How strongly secure in our faith? How apparent is our joy?
We must not overlook the potential to “stumble.” There is one thing it may be, and one it may not be. Christians do stumble in daily life and in testimony. If we could, we would stumble in our hold on the Christian life.