Way 

Introduction

The human experience is one of countless daily choices that must be made:

A. God created man with the ability to choose:

(a.) (Deuteronomy 30:19), b. (Joshua 24:15), c. (1 Kings 18:21).

·        Two gates to walk through

·        Two roads travel

·        Two animals: that symbolize good and bad

·        Two trees to confide in

·        2 fruits to eat

·        Two destinies. Tonight you must the tree of Life or the Tree of death:

·        I will pleading to choose the tree of Life:

·        These books are taken from trees, but the words that they contain and the way that there construed one will surely die if he eats from these hear.

Interpretation:

A.    God pronounces a woe upon those who are guilty of violating that Teaching or Doctrine that was once delivered unto the saints.

·       The word woe denotes a calamity. It is a word of hopelessness and sorrow:

·       Woe is an injunction of enunciation.

·       SO here we see our Lord pronouncing a woe upon 3 types of individuals those who pervert the worship of Christ in mode, motive, and manner:

B.     The sentence of woe is irrevocable and final and thus a very serious manner:

·       Why does Jude tells us of the ruin of these three men (Cain, Balaam and Korah) in verse eleven?

·       He wants us to avoid and avert their woe. 3 examples of those who were rejected and perverted the worship of God and thus were judged according to their works:

(1)   Cain was a dirt farmer

(2)   Balaam was a prophet

(3)   Korah was a priest … People from all walks of life!

1. Cain’s way perverts the mode of worship: Gen 4.1-7

A. On the surface it seems unfair:

·        Abel brought a sacrificial offering.

·        He brought a lamb and shed the blood of that lamb as offering to God.

·        Why did God have respect for his offering?

·        God was teaching us all a lesson that without the shedding of Blood there is no remission of sin Hebrews 9.22

·        Sin has never been forgiven without the shedding of blood. This is why 1 John 1.7 says, the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s son cleanses us of all sin Jn 1.29 …Those of us who have put Christ on in baptism! Gal 3.27…THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN BATIZED INTO HIS DEATH HAS COVERED BY THAT PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST

·        Abel’s lamb was a picture of the blood of Christ on the cross of Calvary.

·        Cain brought an offering of works of his hand. He brought the ripest grain and the best of his crop.

·        But God would not accept it.

B. One is prone to think that this seems so unfair.

·        Cain was a good man.

·        He was a hard worker.

·        He was not lazy. We are prone to think that since he did his best God should accept that.

·        ……… This is the reasoning of those that want to and have changed the way that God has prescribed for us to worship.

·        Cain’s Way is the way of HIS  works: Faith in self-ability:

• WHEN MEN AND WOMEN ASPIRE AND DESIRE TO WEAR TITLES AND TO WEAR TO PROP THERE EDUCATION ON THE BILLBOARDS OF PE0PLE MINDS. THAT IS THE WAY OF CAIN FAITH IN SELF ACHIEVEMENTS..

·        The way of Abel is the way of Faith in God,  works according to what God has said.

·        Cain knew that right way to worship he heard the same thing that Abel but Cain decided he would do it but he would do it his way.

·        Somebody to the Cain’s of world God does not need your hand but what he needs is your heart:

·        Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands    Acts 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Cain’s way is to worship according to the whims and imaginations of man.

·        Faith is believing what God and taking God for His word Romans 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, watch what you hear

·        Faith does not come by prayer but by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God

·        Faith does not come by feeling: Eph 3.4 and not how you feel.

C. Cain tried to cover his sin his way just like his daddy did when he tried to sew some fig leaves together, the work of his hand:

1.    Cain was too proud to admit his need of a substitute; he offered the best of his own efforts.

a.     Ephesians 2:8 for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

·        Cain tried to use: Music, Women, Industry in an effort to mitigate a life without God.

·         Cain ignored the word of God, Balaam opposed the word of God, Korah rebelled against the word of God:

·        First a person ignores what God has said.

·        Secondly they oppose what God has said in saying that the word doesn’t mean that.

·        God’s word does not say that and he must have meant something else.

·        The word of God is not sufficient to govern the lives of men.

·        There needs to be another revelation: Book of the Mormons or the watchtower. Dt.4.2,Rev 22.18,19

·        Then they are those who say that the bible is not the word of God but simply contains the word of God.

D. Cosmetic Christians: Bank robber dressed up like a woman,

a.     When they go to the mirror they don’t even see themselves because of the cosmetics, works of their hands: Money, Feeding the Poor, Clothing The Naked, Doing many good works but refusing to yield to God by faith.

b.     They are into religion but not into a relationship with Christ. Jude reveals 2 things about them their faith and fellowship are cosmetic.

c.      They suppose that gain is godliness: 1 Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself

d.     1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain…………..That sounds like Creflo Dollar

2. Worship:

When we consider the words used for worship in the O.T. and the N.T. and when we put their meanings together.

We find that worship involves both:

A.    Attitudes (awe, reverence, respect and honor) and

B.     Actions (physical expressions).

1.    Vain worship (Matt 15: 8-9)

2.    Ignorant Worship (Acts 17:22-23)

3.    Will Worship (Co 2:20-23)

4.     True Worship (John 4:22-24)

II. True Worship:

A. Contrast is being made between the law, Paganism and true worship.

·        It does not necessarily mean sincerity but spiritually (God has always commanded that man worship Him in sincerity: Dt 6:4-7; Isa 1:10-18)

·        Worshipping in Spirit is contrasted to worshipping God physically or with our fleshly senses:

·        From Hebrews 9:1-10 we learn that OT worship consisted of:

—   A physical structure (Tabernacle): Hearts of men:

—   Lamp Stands: He is a Lamp, a city that sat on Hill that cannot be hid

—   Burning Incense: our lives we send up a sweat savior, service that we render unto God

—   Instruments of music:

—   Animal Sacrifices: Spiritual Sacrifices!

—   These were sacred vessels they were symbols of truth.

·        These symbols were avenues in which God Almighty used to convey to the worshipper what could be known about His mysterious nature and character.

§        It made it’s appeal to the Physical senses of man

§        But New Testament Worship is geared toward the spiritual side of man

§        God’s Temple is spiritual, made up of Christians: 1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:19-22

§        All Christians are priest, offering up spiritual sacrifices: 1 Peter 2:5,9; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15

§        Are prayers are sweet incense Rev 5:8

§        Our music is making melody with the heart Eph 5:19

§        The physical ordinances of the OT were to last until time of reformation Hebrews 9:9-10 (which has occurred with the ushering in of the New Testament)

§        To worship in spirit is to offer up Spiritual worship as taught in the N.T. and not the Physical worship of the O. T.

B.     What is meant by in truth:

—   Some advocate that is obedience to the commands of God:

o       While that is true in every sense however it is not what this text is referring to:

o       What it is contrasting is that which is true and that which is a shadow, which pointed toward the new:

·        Many elements of OT worship were simply a shadow or a figure of what was to come: OT (Heb 9:8-9; Heb 10:1)

·        Because the OT worship was a shadow and the NT worship was the True we should expect that they are different

§        The Old Covenant was preparative:

—  But the New is executive.

§        The old tells us what not to do

—  But the new tells us what Christ can and will do for us.

§        The old holds us in bondage

—  But the New brings us into freedom

§        The Old involves a curse

—  But the new imparts a blessing

§        The old shows us what we are

—  But the new shows us what we may become.

§        The emphasis of the old is on doing

—  But of the new it is on being.

§        The old creates expectation

—  But the new brings to realization

§        The old stirs longings in the human heart.

—  But the new leads to satisfaction.

§        In the old man seeks God,

—  But in the New God seeks man.

§        By the old man is condemned as a sinner

—  But by the new he is delivered from his sin.

§        In the old God says you cannot

—  But in the New Christ says I can.

§        The old covenant is really bad news

—  But the New Covenant is Good News, that is, Gospel

The 2 covenants are interdependent

Each is incomplete without the other, if revelation had ended with the 1st covenant it would have been:

·        A lock without a key

·        A track without a goal

·        A story without a plot

·        A promise without a fulfillment a germ without a development.

If, on the other hand, there had been the revelation of the New Covenant without that of the Old:

There would have been:

·        An end without a beginning

·        A fulfillment without a promise

·        A supply without a need

·        A superstructure without a foundation

·        A consummation without a commencement

It was said in the long ago:

§        The New is in the old concealed--The old is in the new revealed

§        The new is in the old contained --- The old is in the new explained

§        The new is in the old enfolded --- The old in the NT unfolded.

§        The new is in the old latent -- The old is in the new patent

A fundamental distinction between the 2 covenants is in this:

—   That the old is embodied in a nation

—   And the new in the church the nation was exclusive but the church is inclusive.

—   This distinction constitutes 2 dispensations, which together reveal the redeeming method and purpose.

—   If God’s dealings with the Jews and with the Christians are not distinguished great confusion will result in ones attempt to understand the scriptures:

—   That is why so many have hard reconciling the old with the new:

o       OT a shadow and the NT worshipping is according to the true realities of God (God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth)

o       Therefore true realities of worship is spiritual in nature (immaterial part of man) that part that human eyes cannot see not human hand touch

C.     The only music that God commanded in the True the NT:

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Hebrews 2:12
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Romans 15:9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
1 Corinthians 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

D.    The music in the NT worship (the true avenues of worship) emphasized the spiritual

§        Making Melody (Psallnotes) in OT this had a reference to playing and plucking mechanical or manmade instruments

§        But notice that was a shadow that pointed to the NT true avenues of worship in the NT making melody in the heart Spiritual in contrast to making melody with the hand in the OT Physical

III. Man’s justification to use instruments:

·        It has always been a tradition in our church: “Vain Worship” Matt 15:9

·        I don’t see anything wrong with it: “Then worship is Ignorant Worship” Acts 17:22-23 it is not what we see but what has God said)

·        I like it in my worship: then it has become “will worship: Col 2: 20-23 Then your worship is akin to the worship of Nadab and Abihu Lev 10:1,2 giving God what you want Him to have verses giving God what He asked you to give Him!

·        Just because God commanded it in the past does not mean that he commands it now:

God does not change Mal 3.5; Heb 13 Jesus the same

·        The very essence of God’s nature does not change he has always been a merciful and gracious God those are some attributes of God’s nature that does not changed

·        However, medications and recommendations do change depending on the severity of the illness and maturity of the individual.

(1.)    Consider the sin of Moses:

§        Exodus 17: 5-6 to strike the rock

§        Many years later God told Moses in Numbers 20:7-8 to speak to the rock

§        Use the motion of your hand Moses of your hand Moses in order to bring life sustaining substance out of that rock.

§        Under the old command God wants you to use your hand but under the new command Moses God wants you to use your voice

§        Moses started looking at your hand as though your hand is responsible for the blessings that God bestows upon man.

§        Mal 3:5 but God’s law does and did change:

Once and for all

Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith, which was once delivered unto the saints:

o       Isa 55.8; Hebrews 13.8; acts 10.34; 1 Sam 15.23

A. Cains way of worship is with the hands and not the heart: When we sing from the heart unto the Lord:

In so doing we worship Him through the expression of Acappela music:

o       that is melody resonated and reverberate with the mouth, without the accompaniment of instrumental music made with the hands of men and played by the hands of men or blow by into by the mouth of man.

o       When you come to church you should have a song in your heart that is manifested by your resonating and reverberating through your mouth:

o       I now have to have to help my folk that want to play praises instead singing praises.

o       Hebrews 2.12 He says in the mist of the church I’m going to: play; blow; beat, shake rattle and roll, do the crump dance, do the Holy Ghost dance in the mist of the church I’m going to sing:

1)   In the Old Testament God allowed the instruments of music and even hand clapping Ps 47.1

o       Ephesians 5.19 (read it):

o       Amos 5.23 you can clearly see God’s attitude changing about instruments of music

A. 2 kinds of commands in the bible, Generic and specific command:

a.     Mt 28.20 to go but he did not tell me how to go…I submit to you that is an example of generic: when it comes to delineation of how to go I may go by bike, foot, airplane, mule

b.    But in Ephesians and Hebrews he tells me how to do it when God tells me what to do and how to do it. He does not have to turn around and tell you what not to do

—  Psallo: to act without a direct object!

—  Echo a word of warning: don’t ever draw a theological conclusion based on the etymology of a word because the meaning of words change: charity does not mean love, gay doesn’t mean happy, There are other words that effect the emancipation of that word

·        Instruments in the church are something that God heard from us.

2.    Sing with melody in your heart:

A.    It is a command: To the children of God

B.     Singing is a joyous expression testifying of the good in which The Almighty God has done in my life.

3. 1 John 4.8 says that God is love:

C.     Love Must have a subject to which he can express his unto and upon (Grace to you and upon you):

—   He made man as that subject and recipient of Love but love also yearns to be loved back. 

—   So when Love wrapped Himself in human flesh:

—   He didn’t need anybody to feed anybody

—   He does not need your hand to care for the poor

—   He does not need your to minister to the hurting, council them and tell them that everything is going to be alright.

—   He needs your heart! The motive for what you do when you do it must be because you what Love Him. With all your heart!

—   Otherwise your work is a work of Cain an effort of trying to mitigate the punishment of banishment. God is not with you!

An example of this Saul:

—   Genesis 4:21And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

—   1 Samuel 11:6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
1 Samuel 16:14-16

—   14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15 And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

—   1 Samuel 16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

—   Isaiah 14:12 how art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

—   Ezekiel 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

—   Daniel 3:5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

—   Amos 5:23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

Seed:

It was a miracle when God made the trees: He made something out of nothing when instituted a law the miracle gave way to the law: 

Genesis 1:11
11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

—   It was a miracle when God made man from the residue: but the miracle gave to the law: to be fruitful and multiply.

—   It was a miracle when.

—   Luke 1.35 when Spiritual Adam, talking about Jesus it was miracle when God wrapped himself in human flesh and became a man.

—   But the miracle gave way to the law: that a man must be born again. Water and Spirit.

—   How can man be born if you take an:

—   Watermelon seed:

—   Apple seed:

—   Peach seed

—   Luke 8.11 the word of God is the seed: If you plant in the heart of a man what you are going to get tonight you going to get a acts 11.26 they first called Christians at Antioch.

—       1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The Ark & The Church”

Noah’s Ark The Church of Christ:

·        One Source of Light: One Window (Gen. 6:16)

o      One Source of Light: The Bible (Psalm 119:105,130)

·        One Entrance or Door (Gen. 6:16)

o      One Entrance: Christ, the Door (John 10:9)

·        One Family Inside (Gen. 7:1,7)

o      One Family Inside (Galatians 3:28-29)

·        One Ark, No Other Boats (Gen. 6:14)

o      One Church, No Other Organizations (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4)

·        Saved By Water (1 Peter 3:20)

o      Saved By Baptism (1 Peter 3:21)

·        Saved In The Ark (Gen 6-7)

o      Saved In Christ & In His Church (Eph. 5:23; 2 Timothy 2:10)

·        Destruction To All Outside The Ark (Gen. 7:20-22).

o      Destruction To All Outside The Church (Acts 2:47; 2 Thess 1:7-9)

·        Noah Had Work To Do: Feed The Animals (Gen. 6:21)

o      There Is Work To Be Done In The Church (1 Corinthians 15:58)

o      One Hope: Life On A New World (Gen. 8:4-19)

o      One Hope: Life Eternal  (Matthew 25:46; Eph. 4:4)

Conclusion:

If you have not yet obeyed the gospel and entered Christ’s church, understand that your fate is as certain as the fate of those who were

Disobedient in the days of Noah.

Genesis 9:18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
Genesis 9:19  These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
Genesis 10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
Genesis 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Acts 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Acts 10:48  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Luke 11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

NAME

Isaiah 65:1 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
Isaiah 65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Acts 11:26 And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

There are something’s you must do

Acts 2.38 must               Acts 9 must go to Damascus

Jn 3.10 must be born again  Jn 12 must be lifted up

Keep My Commandments

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.                                            John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.                                                      John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love        

John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.                              1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Matthew 12:34 (KJV)
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Saved immediately from sins penalty, that is spiritual death. Justification! Saved progressively from sins power, the process of God sanctifying power

Saved one day from sins presence