Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / Jude 24-25

Transcript

Jude 24-25 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
Good morning, CFC. Thanks, Chris. Go ahead and take your copy of God's Word and open up to Jude, verse 24.
0:10
! Jude, verse 24. We're going to be wrapping up our study in Jude this morning. I am getting over some sickness. I'm not contagious, so nobody be alarmed.
0:21
So I hope I'm able to remain standing by the end of this, that my voice will not give away.
0:29
And I also just want to take a minute just to thank so many of you. I'm just very thankful to be in a church where I know that I'm loved and supported,
0:40
and I've just had a lot of really great encouragement from so many of you as a young person who's growing as a preacher and trying to get this thing down.
0:49
So I'm very thankful for the opportunities I've had, and I'm sorry that you had to deal with me awkwardly saying okay whenever you were encouraging,
0:57
because I'm just weird about receiving any kind of compliments. I blame it on my siblings, because I never really got many,
1:05
but that's why I'm just a little awkward about these things. But I really do appreciate it, and it really has been encouraging in so many ways.
1:14
So our text today is Jude 24 through verse 25. As I said, it's the last bit of Jude.
1:23
And this text is a doxology, and this one in particular is probably the most famous, or it's at least up there.
1:32
What is a doxology? Doxology is a compound word. It comes from the Greek.
1:36
The first word is doxa, which means glory, and the second word is logos, which means word or saying.
1:44
And so a doxology is simply a glory saying.
1:49
Or you might say it is a statement of praise, worship, and adoration.
1:53
So simply put, it is a statement that conveys something glorious about God.
1:59
Now I once heard a story about John Piper, a former pastor and seminary president in Minnesota.
2:09
Piper was giving a speech to a bunch of incoming seminary students at his seminary.
2:15
And basically, Piper gave this whole speech about the glory of God,
2:20
and how God is infinite and eternal, and therefore his glory is infinite and eternal.
2:26
And with this, he discussed how God as an academic subject, right, which we call theology,
2:34
is the only academic subject that is inexhaustible.
2:38
So this simply means you will never fully know everything about God,
2:44
because God is infinite, eternal, and inexhaustible, whereas we are finite.
2:50
So the math does not work for somebody like us, right, creatures.
2:55
Finite creatures to fully know and understand the infinite God.
3:02
And Piper then turned to his audience, and remember, his audience is a bunch of nerdy,
3:07
geeky, know-it-all seminary students, right, who love theology, who love the Bible.
3:13
And Piper said to that crowd of knowledgeable, studious types, he said,
3:17
God will not be dissected.
3:20
He will be worshipped.
3:22
So God is not a field of study like biology or chemistry, which are exhaustible.
3:29
Have we exhausted those fields?
3:31
No.
3:32
But anyone will tell you there is an end or a limit to those fields.
3:36
Eventually, we can know everything there is to know about those studies,
3:40
but not so with God.
3:44
God is one in essence, three in person, without beginning and without end.
3:49
He cannot be dissected.
3:52
There is no limit.
3:55
And Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2, verse 10,
3:59
he says,
3:59
So this morning I have no points.
4:20
I just want to walk through the text together so that we can understand what Jude is saying.
4:28
And by doing this, my goal this morning is simple,
4:31
that we would glorify God together in light of the doxology that Jude gives us
4:36
through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
4:39
So worshiping God is a demand that runs throughout Scripture.
4:43
Psalm 150, verse 6 says pointedly,
4:46
Let everyone who has breath praise the Lord.
4:49
Praise the Lord.
4:52
And worship is not only the demand, but it is also the reward.
4:56
So remember the psalmist we read a few weeks ago, Psalm 27, verse 4.
5:00
David says,
5:03
One thing have I asked of the Lord, one thing that I seek after,
5:07
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
5:12
and notice this language,
5:14
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
5:18
That is worship language.
5:21
David wants to adore God by gazing upon him
5:24
and learning about him with him, with God.
5:30
So I invite you all now to read Jude 24 through 25 with me
5:35
and to worship God with me.
5:37
There is nothing greater, nothing higher, nothing more meaningful
5:40
than what we are about to do,
5:43
to reflect on the glory of God and worship him.
5:48
So verse 24, Jude writes, to end his letter,
5:51
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling
5:56
and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
6:01
to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
6:06
be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority
6:09
before all time and now and forever.
6:12
Amen.
6:17
So Jude begins by saying now to him.
6:20
And throughout the letter of Jude,
6:22
he has switched his address numerous times.
6:24
He starts off by addressing the believers
6:27
who are called, kept, and beloved by God the Father
6:30
in verse 1 for Jesus Christ.
6:34
But because of the occasion, as we've studied,
6:36
of these false teachers who have wormed their way in,
6:40
Jude had to switch plans and address them.
6:43
And so throughout the letter, we saw him say these, these, and these.
6:48
But here, at the end of Jude's letter,
6:52
he says now to him, to God.
6:56
And this doxology at first glance might seem oddly placed.
7:01
We just spent weeks unpacking text after text
7:04
that speak of false teachers
7:06
and their damning threat to the church.
7:09
We've talked about the dire situation that the church is in.
7:13
Yet here, at the end of Jude's letter,
7:15
he concludes not with some word on how to fight these people,
7:20
nor how to contend for the faith.
7:22
That was last week.
7:24
Nor does he offer any kind of further arguments to give,
7:28
or anything like that,
7:29
for the believers to defend themselves with.
7:31
No personal greetings of any kind,
7:34
as you might expect with Paul's letters.
7:36
Rather, he ends by worshiping God.
7:40
Jude addresses God to worship God.
7:45
So think of all the times in your life
7:47
when you put worship to the side.
7:50
I have a lot of work this week.
7:52
I better forget about prayer.
7:54
Or I'm tired this week,
7:56
so I better skip church.
7:58
Or my spouse and I are getting into it again,
8:00
so I can't afford to read my Bible this week.
8:04
All these petty excuses,
8:07
and many more like them,
8:08
have dominated so much of our calendar
8:10
far too many times.
8:14
And you can imagine someone in Jude's church
8:16
using a pretty good excuse.
8:19
They might say,
8:20
I'm going to have to put aside
8:22
my relationship with God for now
8:24
because of all these false teachers.
8:26
This threat that is opposed to the people I love,
8:29
my brothers and sisters of the faith.
8:31
I don't have time for all that stuff.
8:33
I've got to contend with these guys.
8:37
And yet, that's not what we see.
8:40
We have an amazing example from Jude.
8:42
He begins this letter in verse 3
8:45
by saying he can't write about the gospel
8:48
because of the occasion of the false teachers.
8:52
So notice this.
8:53
This is an extremely important and dangerous occasion,
8:57
so much so that Jude is unable to write
9:00
about the gospel,
9:01
our common salvation, as he puts it.
9:04
Rather, he has to address the threat
9:06
of the false teachers,
9:09
these antinomian false teachers.
9:12
So wouldn't you also conclude
9:14
that Jude has no time to write a doxology
9:18
if the situation is so lethal,
9:20
so important,
9:21
and so consequential?
9:22
That's where my mind goes at first.
9:26
And yet, here Jude writes a long, beautiful,
9:29
glory-saturated doxology to God.
9:35
So let Jude's example be a cue to us.
9:38
No matter the life circumstance,
9:40
we are to be a people characterized
9:42
by worshiping God.
9:45
If any one of us should ever be written about
9:47
in the history books,
9:49
live in such a way that your biography
9:51
would scream,
9:52
one who worshipped God.
9:57
So now Jude goes on to describe God
9:59
in the doxology,
10:00
and refers to him as the one who is able.
10:03
He is the one who is able.
10:06
Just think for a moment
10:07
about the power of this phrase,
10:10
God is able.
10:14
You cannot be confused about
10:16
who this person is
10:17
whom Jude is addressing,
10:19
because there is no one else
10:21
who is able.
10:23
Able to do what?
10:24
To save us and keep us from sin,
10:26
which we'll see in the next two phrases.
10:28
But do not miss the underlying point
10:30
in this phrase.
10:32
Jude singles out God
10:33
as the only one who is able.
10:36
There is no one like him.
10:39
So God is the one
10:41
who is able,
10:42
verse 24,
10:44
to keep you from stumbling.
10:47
So last week we discussed
10:49
the reality of divine sovereignty
10:51
and human responsibility.
10:53
So yes,
10:54
we are called to keep ourselves
10:56
in the love of God,
10:57
as Jude says in verse 21.
10:59
But as I said then,
11:01
and as Jude reminds us now,
11:03
ultimately it is God
11:04
who keeps us from stumbling.
11:07
The idea of stumbling
11:08
is found throughout the Bible,
11:10
especially in the Psalms,
11:11
which I think influenced
11:12
Jude's writing of this phrase.
11:15
Psalm 56, verse 13,
11:17
the psalmist writes,
11:19
For you, God,
11:20
have delivered my soul from death.
11:22
Yes, my feet from falling.
11:24
There's the stumbling idea.
11:26
That I may walk before God
11:28
in the light of life.
11:33
In Psalm 66, verse 9,
11:35
refers to God as the one who,
11:36
quote,
11:36
So the idea of stumbling, right,
11:45
it usually connotes the idea
11:48
of falling into sin
11:49
in such a way that we apostatize.
11:52
When someone stumbles, biblically,
11:54
they are embracing sin
11:56
and intentionally rejecting Christ.
12:00
So here's part of the good news.
12:02
God is able to keep you
12:04
from stumbling.
12:07
Or you might say,
12:07
Well, what about the false teachers?
12:09
Aren't they a threat to us?
12:11
And the Psalms have a wonderful prayer
12:13
for you to use.
12:14
Psalm 140, verses 4 through 5.
12:17
The psalmist writes,
12:19
Guard me, O Lord,
12:20
from the hands of the wicked.
12:23
Preserve me from violent men
12:24
who have planned to trip up my feet.
12:27
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
12:29
and with cords
12:30
they have spread a net.
12:32
Beside the way
12:33
they have set snares for me.
12:36
So the psalmist prays to God
12:38
because he knows God is able.
12:41
This is true of God over the devil too.
12:44
2 Thessalonians 3, 3.
12:46
But the Lord is faithful.
12:49
He will establish you
12:50
and guard you against the evil one.
12:54
So no one will snatch us
12:56
from the salvation of the Lord.
12:59
So essentially,
13:01
Jude is praising God
13:02
for his ability
13:03
to preserve his elect
13:04
unto salvation.
13:06
This is what we often call
13:07
the doctrine of the perseverance
13:09
of the saints.
13:11
This biblical doctrine teaches
13:13
that those who are truly saved by God
13:16
will never lose their salvation.
13:18
Rather, they will persevere to the end
13:20
by faith in Christ.
13:23
And again,
13:23
this does not negate
13:25
our responsibility to obey.
13:26
As Paul so concisely describes
13:30
the relationship
13:30
between divine sovereignty
13:32
and human responsibility
13:33
in 2 Timothy 1, 12,
13:35
he writes,
13:36
But I am not ashamed,
13:39
for I know whom I have believed.
13:41
And I am convinced
13:43
that he,
13:43
referring to God,
13:44
that God
13:45
is able to guard
13:47
until that day
13:48
what has been entrusted
13:50
to me.
13:51
So likewise,
13:53
we are entrusted
13:55
with keeping
13:55
our salvation,
13:57
yet ultimately,
13:58
it is God
13:59
who guards us.
14:01
And that is very
14:02
good news.
14:05
That news means
14:07
we who are in Christ
14:08
already have victory
14:09
over any and all
14:11
false teachers,
14:12
any and all
14:13
traps in this world.
14:15
So praise the Lord
14:18
for his steadfast
14:19
faithfulness
14:19
to uphold us
14:20
against any
14:21
and all foes,
14:22
any and all
14:23
traps,
14:24
any and all
14:24
temptations.
14:27
And not only is God
14:28
able to keep you
14:29
from stumbling,
14:30
but the second half
14:31
of verse 24,
14:31
he's able to present you
14:33
before the presence
14:34
of his glory
14:35
with great
14:36
joy.
14:38
So truly,
14:38
this is
14:39
an astounding
14:40
statement.
14:42
Jude
14:43
is assuming
14:44
the gospel
14:45
underlying
14:46
this statement.
14:47
Otherwise,
14:47
he would not be able
14:48
to make such
14:49
a statement.
14:51
And I guarantee
14:52
you that
14:52
Jude's audience
14:54
who knew this
14:54
gospel well,
14:55
as we know
14:55
from the earlier
14:56
parts of the letter,
14:58
that Jude's audience
14:59
would immediately
14:59
think of the gospel
15:01
when they hear
15:01
this phrase.
15:03
We are not able
15:04
to present ourselves
15:06
before the presence
15:06
of God.
15:07
We are sinners.
15:10
The Lord says
15:11
in Exodus 33,
15:13
verse 20,
15:14
no man can see
15:15
me and live.
15:17
This is because
15:18
all of mankind
15:19
has fallen in sin.
15:20
We are unholy
15:21
from the moment
15:22
of our conception,
15:23
and therefore,
15:24
we cannot stand
15:25
in the presence
15:26
of a holy God.
15:28
Psalm 51,
15:30
verse 5,
15:31
David says,
15:32
behold,
15:33
I was brought forth
15:34
in iniquity,
15:35
and in sin
15:36
did my mother
15:36
conceive me.
15:38
And this is true
15:39
of all of mankind.
15:41
We are totally
15:42
depraved.
15:47
And so we are told
15:48
from very early on
15:49
in the Old Testament
15:49
that we need a priest
15:52
to intercede for us
15:53
so that we can come
15:54
before God.
15:56
Numbers chapter 3,
15:57
verse 10,
15:58
God says to Moses,
15:59
So you shall appoint
16:01
Aaron and his sons
16:02
that they may keep
16:03
their priesthood.
16:05
But the layman
16:06
who comes near,
16:07
near to the tabernacle
16:08
of God,
16:08
that is,
16:10
for the layman
16:10
who comes near,
16:11
he shall be put
16:12
to death.
16:15
So no one
16:15
can stand before
16:16
the presence of God
16:17
apart from a priest.
16:18
We also need
16:19
a perfect,
16:21
spotless,
16:22
blood sacrifice
16:23
to atone
16:24
for our sins.
16:25
And this also
16:26
is apparent
16:26
in the Old Testament.
16:29
Deuteronomy 17,
16:30
verse 1 says,
16:31
You shall not
16:31
sacrifice to the Lord
16:33
your God
16:33
an ox or a sheep
16:35
in which is a blemish,
16:36
any defect whatsoever,
16:38
for that is an abomination
16:40
to the Lord
16:41
your God.
16:43
In the New Testament,
16:44
Hebrews 9,
16:45
verse 22,
16:46
echoes the need
16:47
for blood atonement
16:48
and says,
16:49
Without the shedding
16:50
of blood,
16:51
there is no
16:52
forgiveness of sins.
16:56
But of course,
16:57
the constant sacrifice
16:59
of goats and bulls
17:01
would never atone
17:02
for sin.
17:03
We needed
17:03
a better sacrifice,
17:06
a full
17:07
and final sacrifice.
17:08
We needed
17:09
a perfect priest
17:10
and a perfect sacrifice
17:12
because God's
17:12
glorious justice
17:14
demands it.
17:16
Justice is an
17:17
attribute of God
17:18
and therefore
17:18
it is part
17:19
of His glory.
17:22
So it is astounding
17:23
that Jude is saying
17:24
we are presented
17:25
as blameless
17:26
before the presence
17:27
of His glory
17:28
because we should die
17:29
in the presence
17:29
of His glory
17:30
since we are not
17:31
blameless
17:32
in and of
17:33
ourselves.
17:35
So how can that
17:36
be?
17:37
Who is our
17:38
priest
17:39
and who or what
17:40
is our
17:40
sacrifice?
17:43
How could we
17:43
possibly stand
17:44
in the presence
17:46
of God?
17:48
And as Jesus
17:48
told the disciples
17:49
in Matthew 19,
17:51
verse 26,
17:51
He said of salvation
17:52
with man,
17:55
this is impossible.
17:57
There is no one
17:58
worthy to be a priest
17:59
on our behalf
18:00
who is among us
18:01
nor any sacrifice
18:03
that we can make
18:04
that will save
18:06
our souls,
18:07
that will atone
18:07
for our sin.
18:10
But Jesus goes on
18:11
in Matthew 19,
18:12
verse 26,
18:13
and says,
18:13
but with God
18:14
all things
18:16
are possible.
18:17
Or as Jude
18:18
puts so simply,
18:19
to Him
18:19
who is able.
18:22
God Himself
18:22
is able to present
18:23
us before Himself
18:25
through the God-man,
18:27
Jesus Christ.
18:29
That is in the next
18:30
phrase of Jude's
18:31
doxology.
18:32
He says in verse 25,
18:33
to the only God,
18:35
our Savior,
18:36
through Jesus Christ,
18:38
our Lord.
18:38
So there it is.
18:39
God
18:40
is our Savior.
18:42
Somehow
18:43
and in some way,
18:44
God is the one
18:45
who is able
18:45
and the one
18:46
who is desiring
18:47
to save a people
18:48
to Himself
18:49
because He is a Savior.
18:51
It's in His nature.
18:54
And because He is Lord,
18:55
He has the authority
18:56
and the means
18:57
to accomplish
18:58
such a task.
19:01
And so we know,
19:02
like Jude's audience,
19:03
we know the gospel.
19:04
This is not
19:04
some mystery to us
19:06
in the fullest sense.
19:10
We know Christ
19:11
is our high priest
19:12
who intercedes
19:13
on our behalf.
19:14
Paul says
19:15
in 1 Timothy 2,
19:17
verse 5,
19:18
there is one God
19:19
and there is one
19:20
mediator between
19:21
God and men,
19:22
the man,
19:23
Jesus Christ.
19:25
Hebrews 3,
19:27
verse 1 says,
19:28
therefore,
19:28
holy brothers,
19:29
you who share
19:30
in a heavenly calling,
19:32
consider Jesus
19:32
the apostle
19:33
and high priest
19:35
of our confession.
19:37
So God the Son
19:38
intercedes
19:39
before God the Father
19:40
on our behalf.
19:42
Christ is also
19:44
our perfect sacrifice.
19:46
Hebrews 9,
19:47
verse 12 says,
19:47
Christ entered once
19:48
for all
19:49
into the holy places,
19:51
not by means
19:52
of the blood
19:52
of goats and calves,
19:54
but by means
19:55
of His own blood,
19:56
thus securing
19:57
an eternal redemption.
20:01
Hebrews 10,
20:01
verse 14 says,
20:02
for by a single offering,
20:04
He has perfected
20:06
for all time
20:06
those who are
20:08
being sanctified.
20:09
sanctified.
20:10
So notice the language here.
20:11
We are perfected
20:12
for all time.
20:14
Another way of saying
20:15
we are blameless.
20:17
The author of Hebrews
20:18
is speaking
20:19
in a judicial sense
20:21
in which we are
20:21
declared righteous
20:22
in a court of law,
20:24
though practically
20:25
we still give way
20:27
to sin.
20:29
But he also speaks
20:30
of a practical righteousness
20:31
that we partake in
20:32
as we are being
20:34
sanctified,
20:35
as the author says.
20:36
It's an ongoing process.
20:37
So, though we sin,
20:39
we are growing
20:40
in real obedience
20:41
every day.
20:44
So, through Christ,
20:45
you might say,
20:47
on account of Christ,
20:49
we are saved.
20:52
Now remember,
20:53
worship is not only
20:54
in demand of God,
20:55
but it is also
20:56
the reward of God
20:57
to the elect.
20:59
We are so blessed
21:00
because we alone,
21:01
who are spiritual,
21:02
by God's grace,
21:04
are able to worship God.
21:06
And it is all
21:07
of grace.
21:09
And I think Jude
21:10
primarily intends that
21:11
when he says,
21:12
through Jesus Christ.
21:15
Notice verse 25,
21:16
Jude is readdressing God
21:17
more explicitly
21:18
in the doxology
21:19
and says,
21:20
to the only God,
21:22
our Savior,
21:22
through Jesus Christ.
21:24
In other words,
21:25
Jude is saying,
21:26
we are able to offer up
21:27
this doxology
21:28
on account of
21:29
or through
21:30
Jesus Christ.
21:32
Only through Christ
21:33
could we approach
21:34
God and worship him
21:36
without being slain
21:37
where we stand.
21:39
Because Christ
21:40
has interceded for us.
21:42
Because Christ
21:43
has made the once
21:44
and for all
21:45
sacrifice
21:46
that seals
21:47
our salvation
21:47
in him.
21:49
So only through Christ
21:50
can we approach God
21:51
who sits
21:53
on the throne
21:53
of grace.
21:56
And to think
21:57
that Christ died
21:58
not only to save us
21:59
from hell,
21:59
which we deserve,
22:01
but then we are rewarded
22:02
to be able
22:03
to worship him.
22:04
Why on earth
22:06
are we rewarded?
22:08
We did nothing.
22:10
The only thing
22:11
we contributed
22:12
to our salvation
22:13
is the sin
22:14
which made it necessary
22:16
as somebody
22:16
once said.
22:19
And all this stuff
22:20
we're talking about
22:21
is captured so well
22:22
in 1 Peter 2,
22:24
verse 9.
22:25
Peter writes,
22:27
but you believers
22:28
are a chosen race,
22:30
a royal priesthood,
22:32
a holy nation,
22:34
a people for God's
22:35
own possession,
22:36
that you may,
22:37
so there's a purpose statement
22:38
in what Peter's about to say,
22:39
that you may
22:40
proclaim the excellencies
22:42
of God
22:43
who called you
22:44
out of darkness
22:45
into his marvelous light.
22:47
We are saved
22:48
from death,
22:50
from hell,
22:51
and we are saved
22:52
to worship.
22:56
And don't miss this.
22:57
Go back to the end
22:58
of verse 24.
22:59
Jude says,
22:59
we will be presented
23:01
with great joy.
23:04
So in your English translation,
23:06
you kind of assume
23:07
that Jude is saying
23:08
that God himself
23:09
presents us
23:10
with great joy,
23:11
which is theologically
23:12
true and wonderful.
23:15
But the Greek indicates
23:16
that Jude is saying
23:17
we will be
23:18
with great joy
23:19
in the presence of God.
23:20
And for obvious reasons,
23:22
right?
23:22
We are spared
23:23
eternal torment
23:24
and give an eternal life
23:26
dwelling with our
23:27
all-glorious God,
23:29
whom we get to enjoy
23:30
forever
23:31
by worshiping him.
23:33
No longer ashamed
23:35
to be in the presence
23:35
of God
23:36
as Adam and Eve were
23:37
when they hid in the garden.
23:39
No longer afraid
23:40
to be in the presence
23:41
of God
23:41
as Isaiah was
23:42
and the disciples
23:43
on the Mount
23:43
of Transfiguration.
23:44
But with great joy
23:47
we will be
23:47
in the presence
23:48
of God
23:48
because Christ
23:49
has removed
23:50
all of our guilt,
23:52
all of our shame.
23:53
Praise the Lord.
23:57
And Jude goes on.
23:58
He says,
23:59
to this Savior God,
24:00
he says,
24:01
be glory,
24:02
majesty,
24:03
dominion,
24:04
and authority.
24:05
So be glory.
24:07
This term glory
24:08
you might say
24:09
is shorthand
24:10
to describe
24:10
all of God.
24:12
God.
24:13
Again,
24:14
we can't know God
24:15
exhaustively,
24:16
but because he has revealed
24:17
to us that he is
24:18
all-glorious,
24:19
we can know that
24:20
in his totality
24:21
he is glorious.
24:24
Not one aspect
24:25
of his three persons,
24:27
of his one divine essence,
24:28
not one aspect
24:29
of his attributes
24:30
or anything else
24:32
about him
24:32
is not glorious
24:34
because he is
24:35
all-glorious.
24:39
And this serves
24:40
as a statement
24:41
to undermine
24:42
the false teachers
24:43
whom Jude writes against.
24:45
They attempt
24:46
to profane
24:47
the glory of God
24:48
by teaching
24:48
their wicked
24:49
lifestyles,
24:51
but that does not
24:52
add up
24:52
when you worship
24:53
an all-glorious
24:55
God.
24:58
And Jude says,
24:59
be majesty.
25:00
And this term
25:01
follows glory
25:02
in many ways.
25:04
It captures
25:05
the grandeur
25:05
and awe
25:06
of God.
25:07
So majestic
25:08
are his ways
25:09
and so glorious
25:10
are his ways.
25:12
Jude cannot
25:13
help himself
25:14
but find a synonym
25:14
to double down
25:15
on the majesty
25:17
and glory
25:18
of God.
25:20
Again,
25:21
what a counter
25:21
to the false teachers
25:23
who want to pervert
25:24
everything.
25:25
How could they
25:26
possibly worship
25:27
such a God
25:28
with their teachings
25:29
and their
25:30
living?
25:33
And Jude says,
25:34
be dominion
25:35
and authority
25:36
to this God.
25:37
Again,
25:38
Jude uses
25:38
two similar words
25:40
to give
25:40
a description
25:41
to a general
25:42
idea,
25:43
to give a general
25:43
idea much
25:45
weight.
25:46
And the idea
25:47
is simply
25:47
God's sovereignty
25:49
over all
25:50
things.
25:52
Everything is
25:53
within his
25:54
dominion.
25:54
And dominion
25:55
is another way
25:57
to say his
25:57
power in this
25:58
context.
25:59
God has power
26:00
to do
26:01
what he
26:02
wills.
26:03
And rightfully
26:04
so because he
26:05
has the authority
26:06
to carry it
26:07
out.
26:08
There's no one
26:08
higher than our
26:09
king of kings.
26:10
There's no one
26:11
whom God must
26:12
give an account
26:13
to or answer
26:13
to.
26:14
God reigns
26:15
far above
26:16
the heavens
26:17
and the earth.
26:19
And he is the
26:20
creator
26:20
of the universe
26:22
and therefore
26:23
has authority
26:24
over all
26:25
things.
26:25
All things
26:26
give an account
26:27
to him.
26:29
From every
26:30
blade of grass
26:31
to every
26:31
person,
26:31
to every
26:32
planet,
26:33
all things
26:34
are under
26:35
him.
26:37
And what a
26:38
comfort it
26:39
must be
26:39
to Jude's
26:41
audience to
26:41
worship such
26:42
a God.
26:44
A God
26:44
who has the
26:45
power and
26:46
the authority
26:46
to keep
26:47
them guarded
26:48
against false
26:49
teaching.
26:50
And think
26:50
more broadly
26:51
too.
26:52
A God who
26:52
is able to
26:53
guard them
26:53
against their
26:54
own flesh
26:55
or against
26:55
the devil
26:56
and against
26:56
any and
26:57
all who
26:58
oppose him.
27:00
Who can
27:00
contend
27:01
with the
27:02
Lord?
27:03
Nobody.
27:04
God.
27:05
And all
27:06
of these
27:07
attributes of
27:07
God have
27:08
been his
27:08
from all
27:09
eternity
27:09
past and
27:11
future.
27:12
God does
27:12
not change.
27:13
He is
27:13
immutable.
27:15
So something
27:16
to know
27:16
about doxologies
27:18
is that they
27:18
always include
27:19
the duration
27:20
or the time
27:21
for which the
27:21
author believes
27:22
the praise
27:23
or worship
27:24
should endure.
27:26
And here
27:27
is the
27:27
duration for
27:28
which a
27:28
Jew believes
27:29
God should
27:29
be worshipped.
27:30
He says
27:31
in the second
27:31
half of verse
27:32
25,
27:32
before all
27:34
time and
27:35
now and
27:36
forever.
27:38
This is the
27:38
great I am
27:39
who we are
27:40
talking about
27:41
after all.
27:42
The Alpha
27:43
and the Omega,
27:44
the only one
27:45
who is without
27:46
beginning or
27:46
end.
27:47
And because of
27:48
his eternality,
27:49
because of his
27:50
infiniteness,
27:51
because he is
27:52
unchanging and
27:53
immutable,
27:55
because he is
27:55
all glorious,
27:57
he must be
27:58
worshipped
27:58
always.
28:00
He is worthy.
28:03
So finally,
28:03
Jude concludes
28:04
with the only
28:05
word fitting
28:06
to end
28:06
this epistle,
28:08
and the only
28:09
word fitting
28:09
to end
28:10
this magnificent
28:11
doxology.
28:12
He says,
28:13
Amen.
28:15
In verse
28:16
25.
28:18
Now this
28:18
word connotes
28:19
a great deal
28:20
and has such
28:21
a variety
28:21
to its potential
28:22
meaning.
28:23
I heard Al
28:24
Mulder preach
28:25
on this text
28:25
once,
28:26
and he said,
28:27
of all the
28:28
words in
28:28
this text,
28:28
this is the
28:29
word he is
28:29
the most
28:30
unsure of
28:30
as to what
28:31
exactly it
28:32
means,
28:33
so that is
28:33
pretty intimidating.
28:35
He is a
28:35
very smart
28:36
guy.
28:37
But the
28:37
gist of the
28:38
meaning of
28:39
this word
28:39
in this
28:40
context
28:41
is truly.
28:43
Jude writes
28:43
the word as
28:44
a way of
28:44
acknowledging
28:45
the truthfulness
28:46
of everything
28:47
that has been
28:48
said so far.
28:49
This is the
28:49
very same
28:49
word in
28:50
Greek that
28:51
our Lord
28:51
uses often
28:52
when we
28:52
translate
28:53
truly,
28:54
truly,
28:54
I say unto
28:55
you.
28:55
He is actually
28:56
saying,
28:57
Amen,
28:57
Amen,
28:58
I say unto
28:59
you.
29:01
It is a
29:02
word one
29:02
would use
29:02
to express
29:03
their total
29:04
agreement to
29:05
something,
29:05
or their
29:06
total commitment
29:06
to something.
29:08
And so
29:08
Jude is saying
29:09
that with all
29:09
this truth,
29:10
he is in
29:11
total agreement.
29:14
There is not
29:14
one aspect of
29:15
this letter
29:15
that he has
29:16
written that
29:16
he is concerned
29:18
about or somehow
29:18
secretly against
29:19
or not in
29:20
line with,
29:21
but he is in
29:22
total agreement.
29:23
covenant.
29:26
And this
29:26
also is a
29:30
writing convention,
29:31
right?
29:31
In the New
29:32
Testament era,
29:35
the epistles
29:36
would be read
29:36
aloud to the
29:37
congregation.
29:39
And when they
29:39
ended with
29:40
Amen,
29:40
it was understood
29:41
that the
29:42
congregation as
29:43
a whole would
29:44
recite this
29:45
special word
29:46
as well,
29:48
a way to
29:49
signify that
29:50
we, the
29:50
church,
29:51
are unified
29:51
in Christ,
29:52
that we are
29:52
one in
29:53
Christ,
29:54
and that we
29:54
are in
29:55
agreement with
29:56
these things,
29:56
that we hold
29:57
these things
29:58
to be true
29:59
and will
29:59
therefore live
30:00
in light of
30:01
these truths.
30:03
It's a way
30:04
for the church
30:05
to respond
30:06
to this
30:07
epistle,
30:08
a way for
30:08
the church
30:09
to say,
30:09
yes,
30:10
we too
30:11
are in
30:11
line,
30:12
we too
30:12
will submit
30:13
and find
30:14
these things
30:14
to be true
30:16
and wonderful
30:17
and good.
30:19
So we,
30:19
the church,
30:20
affirm these
30:20
things.
30:20
We are
30:21
in
30:21
agreement.
30:22
That is
30:22
what Jude's
30:23
audience would
30:24
signify when
30:25
they say
30:25
together,
30:27
amen.
30:29
And so
30:29
in a
30:30
similar
30:31
spirit,
30:32
I would
30:33
like to
30:33
read the
30:34
doxology
30:34
one more
30:35
time in
30:36
full.
30:37
And at
30:37
the end,
30:37
I would
30:37
like for
30:38
us all
30:38
to say
30:39
amen
30:39
together
30:40
as well.
30:41
But I
30:41
will warn
30:43
you,
30:43
do not
30:43
say so
30:44
lightly.
30:46
Let your
30:47
yes be your
30:47
yes and your
30:48
no be your
30:49
no,
30:50
only affirm
30:51
these things,
30:52
all of what
30:52
Jude has
30:53
said,
30:53
if you
30:53
actually
30:54
believe it,
30:56
if you're
30:56
actually going
30:57
to live
30:58
in light
30:58
of it.
31:00
And I'll
31:00
tell you that
31:01
a good
31:01
indication of
31:02
whether or
31:02
not you
31:03
say amen
31:03
with sincerity
31:05
is whether or
31:06
not you go
31:07
about this
31:07
week
31:07
worshiping
31:08
God,
31:09
whether or
31:10
not you
31:11
are able
31:12
to think
31:12
over the
31:13
truths
31:13
that we
31:14
have dwelled
31:14
on these
31:15
last few
31:15
weeks with
31:16
agreement,
31:16
joy,
31:17
and sobriety.
31:19
Whether or
31:19
not you
31:20
are able
31:20
to consider
31:21
Jude in
31:21
light of
31:22
all of
31:23
scripture
31:23
and God's
31:24
plan to
31:24
judge the
31:25
wicked and
31:25
save his
31:27
chosen,
31:27
whether or
31:28
not you
31:28
are working
31:29
to obey
31:30
him,
31:30
these things
31:31
will indicate
31:32
whether or
31:33
not you're
31:33
sincere.
31:35
Because only
31:36
in these
31:36
things then
31:38
are you in
31:38
submission to
31:39
the will
31:39
of God,
31:41
because you
31:41
delight in
31:41
God and
31:42
all that he's
31:42
doing and
31:43
all that he
31:43
is and
31:44
all that he
31:44
demands,
31:47
then you
31:47
can say
31:48
amen.
31:50
So in
31:51
closing,
31:51
I'm going to
31:52
read it one
31:52
last time,
31:53
and again,
31:53
I'd like for
31:53
us all to
31:54
say this in
31:54
agreement,
31:56
as the
31:57
church,
31:58
in Christ.
32:00
So Jude
32:00
writes,
32:01
Now to
32:02
him who is
32:02
able to
32:03
keep you
32:03
from stumbling
32:04
and to
32:05
present you
32:06
blameless
32:06
before the
32:07
presence of
32:07
his glory
32:07
with great
32:08
joy,
32:09
to the
32:09
only God
32:10
our Savior,
32:11
through
32:11
Jesus Christ
32:12
our Lord,
32:12
be glory,
32:13
majesty,
32:14
dominion,
32:15
and authority
32:15
before all
32:16
time and
32:17
now and
32:17
forever.
32:19
Amen.