Sermon Tone Analysis

*“Being on the Lookout”*

 

*Introduction*:

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The Book of Jude

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Who was Jude?

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Jude in Hebrew is Judah and in Greek is Judas.

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This was a common name in those days but there are two that stand out.

i.

One being the apostle Judas (Not Iscariot)

                                                            ii.

And the other being Judas the brother of our Lord.

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Most widely it is believed that he is one of Jesus’ fleshly brothers.

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There is decent evidence for either but in my opinion more for the case of Christ’s brother.

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Either way it doesn’t change the message of this book…

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Who was he writing to?

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Verse 1 gives us a very general audience, “To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ.”

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It could have been written to Jewish Christians, Gentile Christians or both.

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Their location is not clear either.

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The scripture reading came from 2 Peter 2:1-12.

This is a parallel passage to the book of Jude.

But even though they are both so closely similar we can’t assume that they were written to the same people.

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The problem addressed here in Jude was a wide spread problem in those days and is still today.

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So I believe that this book applies just as much today as it did to his original audience.

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If you are not already there please turn with me to the book of Jude.

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Read Jude 1-25

 

*Outline*:

I         *Lookout!

– False Teachers are Real *

A      Jude warns us of the reality of false teachers.

B       This was not just a problem in the Old Testament or the New.

C       The Christian faith is always vulnerable to those who would distort or pervert its message.

Jude gives us *Three* characteristics of these false teachers.

1        *They live ungodly lives*.

a         In verse 4 they are called “godless men.”

i          Vs.

4 “For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.

They are godless men*~/,* who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

b        In verse 8 we are told that they “pollute their own bodies.”

c         In verse 16 we see that these men are “grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”

d        They don’t care about others they only care about themselves.

e         They have their own agenda in life, not Gods! 

2        *They pervert the gospel*.

Vs.

4b

a         Apparently these “false teachers” were saying things that Paul had warned us about in Romans 6:1-2 when he said, “What shall we say, then?

Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?

By no means!

We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”

b        Moral relativism is the same thing that had crept into their churches even way back then.

“Whatever is right for you is right.”

c         The gospel tells us that because of God’s grace manifest in Jesus, you and I can find forgiveness and new life.

d        However, these teachers will tell you that God’s forgiveness is so great that it doesn’t matter how you live your life.

i          They say things like, “Come on, you don’t have to worry, you’re a Christian aren’t you?  God will forgive you!”

ii        While this may be true it SHOULD NOT be how we live our lives.

e         That kind of response or lifestyle is how many will rationalize

i          Marital unfaithfulness, embezzling company funds, killing someone, lying, cheating, stealing, etc.

ii        Basically giving no regard for God’s standards for life.

f         They fail to see that Jesus Christ is not only our Savior but he is our Lord.

·         He not only saves us from the penalty of sin, He is the one who should be leading and directing our lives through the Holy Spirit’s influence.

g        It is inevitable that we will all sin (even Christians), but that should ALWAYS be a tragic time in our lives.

i          Our desire should be to live our lives in such a way that we will ALWAYS be pleasing to God.

ii        A person who excuses their sinful lifestyle by pointing to the cross perverts the gospel and is not a true believer!

3        *They lack respect for God*.

a         /Read verse 8-10/

b        In verse 8, “reject authority and slander celestial beings.”

c         Jude speaks here of the time when Moses’ body was being fought over by Michael the Archangel and the Devil.

i          Archangel – the highest angel in existence.

ii        Michael didn’t even stand up to the Devil himself.

a)      Remember that the Lucifer was the highest and most beautiful being “Created” by God.

b)      He was demoted from his position but we don’t find anywhere in scripture that he was demoted in strength or power.

iii      Even the Archangel didn’t bring a slanderous accusation against the Devil in his own power but simply left it in God hands saying, “The Lord rebuke you!”

d        Jude is telling us this to illustrate the point that “false teachers” don’t have any respect for authority – God.

i          They will take this whole matter of casting out demons and evil spirits into their own hands and have big crusades and TV programs, notice ALWAYS asking for your money.

ii        They are promoting themselves and seeking the attention instead of giving God all of the glory and attention.

e         Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:  and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

i          Respect for God is the foundation of a truly Christian life.

ii        God is Sovereign and we are not.

iii      He is Lord and we are His servants.

iv      There is no fear in the heart of the “false teachers,” they do not respect His power, wisdom, justice, or knowledge.

v        They treat God like their servant instead of being servants of God.

D      Well now we have looked at the reality of “False Teachers” they are Real.

E       Now let’s look to the second point.

II      *Lookout – False Teachers are dangerous*.

A      It is easy for us to kind of dismiss or ignore the reality that “false teachers” are dangerous.

B       But they truly are – Jude knew it and he gave his readers three Biblical incidents.

1        *The Israelites Egypt~/Wilderness *Vs. 5

a         God delivered Israel from their bondage and slavery in Egypt.

i          In the process they witness MANY miracles.

ii        Of all the people in the world, they were richly blessed to see such miraculous signs.

iii      But when they were there standing on the opposite side of the Jordan ready to take the “promised land” they failed and resisted God, they grumbled, ultimately they refused God’s leadership.

iv      Consequently, God sent them into the wilderness to wander until all that were present at that time (over 20) had died.

b        If this can happen to a people who had God right there in their midst, cloud and fire.

It can surly happen to us.

c         The whole nation suffered because of a few “false teacher” who had wedged their way into the group and had an influence over the whole.

2        *The angels who *“*abandoned their home*.”

Vs 6

a         When angels where first created there were no Demons.

b        You see in Isa.

14:12-14 Satan fell:  “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!

/How/ you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

For you have said in your heart: ‘*I will* ascend into heaven, *I will* exalt my throne above the stars of God; *I will* also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; *I will* ascend above the heights of the clouds, *I will* be like the Most High.’”