A Peculiar People
Notes
Transcript
A Peculiar People
A Peculiar People
Today, we are going to wrap up Jude
When we started looking at Jude, we considered this phrase
For certain men have secretly slipped in among you—men who long ago were marked out for the condemnation I am about to describe—ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Certain people...
DISCUSS CERTAIN PEOPLE
Last week we neared the end of Jude.
Jude is going to give us some direction on what to do.
But you, dear friends—recall the predictions foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. For they said to you, “At the end of time there will come scoffers, propelled by their own ungodly desires.” These people are divisive, worldly, devoid of the Spirit.
We are instructed by Jude to read the apostles, read your scriptures
(Otherwise, how could you RECALL the predictions about these people)
And...
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves in the love of God while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.
So read, study, and through your study, BUILD YOUR FAITH
PRAY in the Holy Spirit
MAINTAIN yourself in LOVE
EXPECT the MERCY of Jesus
WATCH for ETERNAL LIFE
Now, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THOSE WHO WERE CAUGHT UP BY THE CERTAIN PEOPLE
Well for that, we are going to need to go back to another OT book.
The book of Zechariah.
Next I saw Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “May the Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Isn’t this man like a burning stick snatched from the fire?” Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood there before the angel. The angel spoke up to those standing all around, “Remove his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “I have freely forgiven your iniquity and will dress you in fine clothing.” Then I spoke up, “Let a clean turban be put on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood nearby. Then the angel of the Lord exhorted Joshua solemnly: “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, ‘If you follow my ways and keep my requirements, you will be able to preside over my temple and attend to my courtyards, and I will allow you to come and go among these others who are standing by you. Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you are a symbol that I am about to introduce my servant, the Branch.
I want to introduce the scene (Zechariah, the LORD REMEMBERS)
We have a divine council scene where we have several characters:
Zecheriah
Joshua (priest) (BURNING LOG)
Angel of the LORD
The satan
The LORD
The LORD of Heavens’ Armies
The Branch
Okay, regardless, some very interesting things happen:
The accuser is there and is REBUKED by the LORD before he speaks
We have Joshua the Priest rescued like a burning log from the fire
The priest is dressed in clothes covered in human excrement
AND THEY ARE IN HEAVEN BEFORE THE LORD
Interesting that something unclean can stand before the LORD
FIX Him up
He is forgiven
He is clothed
He is charged
The CONTEXT is the priest JOSHUA is part of the temple rebuilding project in Jerusalem.
People are returning from Babylon
They are wavering in their faith and the PRIEST is UNSURE
BECAUSE of what PEOPLE are SAYING!
So Jude, who knows his scriptures really well, jumps in to say this.
And have mercy on those who waver; save others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy on others, coupled with a fear of God, hating even the clothes stained by the flesh.
**** HAVE MERCY ****
**** SNATCHING THEM ****
**** HAVE MERCY ****
**** Change the CLOTHING ****
Jude is speaking about those in the church that are wavering.
Speak to them with mercy
Snatch them from the fire
Have mercy but fear God
Change the clothes, they are stained with human excrement
ZECHARIAH, the Angel causes the priest to stand in the presence so HE WILL NOT FALL.
Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.
Jude affords Jesus as the Angel in the Zechariah passage.
And it is only through Jesus that we are able to stand
But…AT THIS POINT...
WE HAVE NOT INSTRUCTION AS TO WHAT TO DO ABOUT the CERTAIN PEOPLE
ONLY the ones CAUGHT...
When you are deceived, you:
Waver with doubt
Are a log in the fire
Have apathy towards God
Wear filthy clothes
By all means, address the deceivers, but you are commanded to address them in mercy in order to rescue them.
NOT PROVE THEM WRONG, but CHANGE THEIR ALLEGIANCE
By all means, address those deceived, but you are commanded to address them in mercy in order to rescue them.
THEY ARE A BURNING LOG on the FIRE
You must be CAREFUL, FEAR God, DON’T WAVER
Rescue the deceiver and the deceived in the truth and mercy of Jesus Christ
A Peculiar People
A Peculiar People