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#6501 - Fight For the Faith - Jude 1:1-4 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
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Ed, Taylor recorded live from Calvary Chapel in Aurora,
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Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
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through abounding Grace media, visit us online at Calvary
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Aurora dot org, or download our free app on all platforms.
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And now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Amen. Amen.
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Take your Bibles, open them to the book of Jude. right there
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before Revelation, the book of Jude only one chapter and our
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first study in the book of Jude, I've entitled fight for the
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faith, fight for the faith, Judas toward the end of the
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Bible. It's a small book.
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It's just one chapter 25 verses and a little over 600 words but
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it's packed with powerful, spiritual wisdom for believers
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of all ages and Judah is writing in times were false teachers
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were increasing and were proliferating and coming into
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the church, doing great damage to the precious flock to the
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Believers that had a sincerity about their faith.
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He was writing in times, where many Believers were leaving the
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love of Jesus for some otherworldly Pursuit, one of the
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studies will have is just focusing on that instruction to
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keep yourselves in the love of God.
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Why? Because so many were wandering
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away from the love of God, from that place of Safety and
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Security. Judah's writing in times very
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much, like our own and he's calling us to stand for the
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truth, to stand for the truth of God's word and to protect the
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house of God against falsehood to stand in the gap for fellow
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Believers. And you'll notice when Jude
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began to write this letter, he didn't intend on writing, what
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he end up. Writing the Lord changed his
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Direction, he wanted to write a show, to short note of
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encouragement that dealt with the common salvation of all
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believers. Notice with me, in verse 1 Judah
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servant of Jesus Christ, the brother of James to those who
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are called Sanctified by God, the father and preserved in
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Jesus Christ. Remember what Peter wrote that
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we are kept by the power of God and here's another beautiful
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picture where preserved and protected in Jesus.
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He says, in verse 2 Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you
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beloved while I was very diligent to write to you
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concerning our common salvation. I found it necessary to write to
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you exhorting, you to contend earnestly for the faith, which
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was once For all delivered to the Saints for certain men.
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Have crept in unnoticed who long ago were marked out for this
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condemnation, ungodly men who turned the grace of our God into
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licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus
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Christ. So he and he wanted to encourage
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them that was his motivation as he started, but the Holy Spirit
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changed, he placed the Holy Spirit, placed, a heavy burden
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and a heavy concern. For the The Believers on his
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heart called heretical groups were denying the foundations of
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the Christian faith and undermining the love and faith
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and worship of many. Now, when you think of Cults and
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Heretics, I want you to think of in that in your mind blatant
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false teachers, they're not doing this by accident.
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Now they may have stumbled into it.
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They may have been lied to, they may be deceived, but when they
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come to, when someone comes to you with a false teaching
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especially I'm a cult or some weird heresy they do.
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So on purpose and they're not new to our culture.
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False teachers have been with us as long as as long as truth has
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been established. There is always someone wanting
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to dilute the truth to undo the truth to undermine the truth.
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And like we see in the very beginning of the church.
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Even going back beyond the church in the Garden of Eden.
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The devil, the serpent is there doing what questioning Being the
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word of God causing creating doubt that the word of God that
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what God Said is true and that's still with us today.
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It's our responsibility, it's your responsibility to know the
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truth and to fight for it and to contend for it.
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And that's really where Jude is. As he writes the short letter,
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the burden that he has a Believers being ripped off and I
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think that's one of the first questions and the first prayer
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request you should have for yourself.
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Do you care about Believers being ripped off and being
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distracted? Do you have a sense of concern
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for your fellow brother? You from, for example, in your
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own church family, let's say you sit in the general section on
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midweek, Bible study, you come to one of the services on the
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weekend. You sit in the same section
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generally and you begin to notice even after the covid
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stuff and now we're gathering together that people aren't here
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anymore. Are you concerned?
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Not only that, they're not here, you know, a particular Ticular
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person in specific you go. Well, you know I don't know
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their name, I didn't never met them.
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Well, that should even be a greater burden if you're sitting
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with the same people and you're not meeting them and you're not
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really concerned about them. And now you don't see them
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anymore where is the caring concern for the church.
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Because I know if we don't have a caring concern for the people
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that are close to us, we're really not going to care about
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the world. We're not going to care about
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the lost and that seems to be a theme that God's bringing our
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church back to As we study through the book of Acts is a
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care and concern for the lost. But, you know, it's also a
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caring concern, right for us here, locally, like, who are
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hanging out with who were serving with the house of God?
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And so Jude says here in verse 1, he says Jude a servant Circle
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that word Servin. It's the familiar Greek word
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doulos, do low. So you could translate it Bond,
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slave or again that word referring to the under rower.
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As we've looked in previous studies.
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He describes himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, and the
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brother of James Jude is a form of the Hebrew name Judah, or
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even a form of Judah to Judas and the word.
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And its root means to praise His name, means praise and Jude
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identifies himself. As he's writing this letter, not
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only as the author, but he identifies himself in that
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unique. Relationship with Jesus, as a
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voluntary servant, that's what doulos is a ball and Terry
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servant. And that's what he chooses to
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emphasize. He emphasizes that relationship
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as servant to Jesus Christ doulas.
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It's the words used about 120 127 times is what I was able to
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count in the New Testament and this was a title that's often
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used by Paul and others that they give themselves in saying.
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Hey look This is who we really are.
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I mean, Paul the Apostle, like the Superstar, if you want to
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use that language of the New Testament, but he does not
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identify himself that way. He doesn't latch onto that.
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What you see today in the church that celebrity culture like
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somehow pastors are more important.
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They're higher in a different category than other people, in
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some respects. Of course, pastors are in a
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different category and the responsibilities that they have
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in. We're seeing the church but no
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pastors any better than anyone else.
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And certainly never in a million years identify a pastor of some
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kind of celebrity. We're not celebrities were
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human, were men that are living life as unto the Lord.
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And because God has allowed some kind of breadth of ministry to a
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certain Pastor. They're no better than you.
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You're no better than them. It's best for us to describe
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ourselves as a bonsly as a doulos.
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Someone Is sold out completely and voluntarily to his master.
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You know, those times when you're serving the lord, you're
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starting to get upset about it, you're mad about here.
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I'm serving, nobody's helping me.
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I don't want to do this, you know, you're just copping an
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attitude about serving, but remember, if you've identified
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yourself as a doulos, you said you wanted to do this, you
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volunteered, you, you said yes. Lord, you own my life?
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Yes. Lord, this is my calling.
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What you've called me to do? Yes.
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Lord, instead of grousing and being upset about what's been
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placed before you it's really a heart check, isn't it?
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That Revelation it's easy to say that we're Servants of the lord
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we can all say it just say it out loud right now I'm a servant
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of Lord you ready. I'm a servant of the Lord very
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easy to say but you know the depth of your servanthood is
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when someone starts to treat you like a servant and just expect
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you to serve And you know, the depth of your heart is a servant
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when you don't get any human appreciation.
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Like you do some and your kind of expecting someone to say
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thank you. And nobody says, thank you.
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And you're like, whoa, what was I doing this?
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Foreign key again, her the Holy Spirit going.
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Didn't you just say you were my servant?
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What is it about getting recognition?
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What is it about people seeing you?
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What is it about? I know what it's about as I've
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dealt with that many times in my own person alive.
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I'll tell you exactly what it's about Pride. and arrogance, it's
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a form of Pride that when we begin to serve to be seen by
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man, To have the accolades of men to have the Applause of men
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and anyone that's ever enjoyed the Applause of men know that it
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doesn't last very long at all. Jesus himself, being the epitome
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of the perfect servant in one moment in his life, you hear the
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cries of hosanna, Hosanna blessed.
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Is he who comes in the name of? Or we're so glad you're here.
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We've been waiting for you messiah, messiah, come, and save
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us. Save now, Lord, and not too
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long. After that crucify him, crucify
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him. Give us the murderer.
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Let loose a murderer in our community and kill the innocent
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one, nor accolades and our approval is from the Lord.
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Would you hold your place here? We're going to turn quite a bit
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in our study today. Would you go over to Second
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Corinthians? This verse has come up a couple
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times now in the last few days, and I'm just so encouraged by
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it. I want you to be encouraged by
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it as well. Second Corinthians, chapter 10,
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when you pick up there in verse 12, Paul is writing to the
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church in Corinth. He had a very special
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relationship with them, a special relationship, and a
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difficult one. The first letter was a letter of
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Correction. This second letter is more of a
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pastoral, you know, how we have those Pastoral Epistles.
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First Timothy, second, Timothy Titus will second Corinthians as
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a Pastoral Epistles, it's really the heart of a pastor, notice
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what he's writes to the church. When he says, in verse 12 for
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our boasting is this? Okay, Paul.
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What are you going to post? All your missionary Journeys are
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all your writings, how many people love you?
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How many people follow you? How many people extol?
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You look to you for wisdom, Look to You For answers.
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What do To boast in Paul what is the boast of your life?
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Notice what it is the testimony of our conscience that we
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conducted ourselves in the world in Simplicity and godly
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sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God
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and more abundantly towards you we're not writing any other
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things to you than what you've read or understood.
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So now we trust you understand even to the end.
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No. Otis.
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He says as you also have understood Us in part that we
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are your boast as you are also hours in the day of the Lord
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Jesus. The longer Paul served, the more
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into knee was with his Humanity, the more he saw, the glory of
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God, the more he recognized, it was exactly as John.
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The Baptist said he must increase.
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I must decrease doulos. That voluntary commitment to
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serve Jesus. The doulos existed to please and
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serve his master. Deal Moody once said and I quote
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the measure of a man is not how many servants you have but how
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many men you serve? So could It's not how many
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people serve you, it's how many people you serve.
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So if it's used a hundred times over a hundred times in the New
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Testament, why is Jude's using it so important?
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Why would why would it be especially important to notice
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it here in pause and verse 1. Well, Jude after a little bit of
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Bible study and a little bit of searching, you'll come to the
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conclusion, biblically. That Jude was the half-brother
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of Jesus. The half-brother of Jesus.
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The Bible teaches us very clearly that Joseph and Mary had
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no sexual relationship until after Jesus was born prior to
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the birth of Jesus Christ. They had not consummated, their
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marriage, through sexual relations.
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Jesus was virgin born but after he was born, Mary, and Joseph
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had regular sexual relations that led to other children.
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Notice with me in Mark 6:3, they look at Jesus.
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Say, isn't this the carpenter? The son of Mary?
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The brother of James Joseph Judas.
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Simon are not his sister's here with us and they were offended
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at him, the word brother, and sister mean exactly what they
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sound. Like, in the English language in
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the English translation. In the original words, these are
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his physical relation, his brothers and sisters Mary Was
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not a Perpetual virgin. She had normal relations within
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marriage and gave birth to other children that we would consider
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today half-siblings to Jesus Christ.
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And we know that prior to the resurrection prior to his death
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and Resurrection Jesus family didn't believe in him.
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Early on. They thought he was mad.
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They wanted to take him away and convince him.
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He stopped this but it was after his resurrection and for the
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reference, John chapter 7 verse 5, it says for even his
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brothers, did not believe in him.
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Even his brothers, I believe this would include Jude.
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But after his resurrection, his unbelieving, family was born
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again, Jude being one of those who surrender to his savior,
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check this out. Who is also his half-brother.
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It's amazing. The thing and I'm sure that Jude
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treasured his brotherly relationship with Jesus, but
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even more his spiritual relationship, but to consider
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himself a doulos also speaks to the T of Jude because Jude could
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have written. I am Jude.
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You know the Jude. Yeah.
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The one. You thought the half brother of
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Jesus? So listen to me.
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Pay attention to me. I'm right there.
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I am one step below. Geez, that's my bro.
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I grew up with him. I know him.
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We shared a home together and you know how it is.
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I'm sure you've had people drop names before you to try to sound
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more important than they are. We, you have people that want to
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impress you by dropping a name here or drop a name there.
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And, and really the best impression you can make on this
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world as to be a faithful servant of Jesus.
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And Jude doesn't do that. Says it look.
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And I'm just a dual oh. So that's who I am.
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I know I'm related to, I know, I know who I'm connected to, but
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the reality, the most important part of my life is not my.
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Blood relationship with Jesus, but his blood relationship with
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me. That's what's most important.
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That new identity. That's how weird to live our
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life. It's not what we have done for
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God. It's what God has done for us.
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It's not our response, but it's the initiation of what God has
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done for us. When you get that backwards then
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you become very self important. In your own eyes, it doesn't
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really make a lot of progress in other people's lives because
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other people are not thinking about you as much as you think
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they are. They have their own lives and
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their own concerns. We don't want to be in the world
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in which we live today known as self-important self-centered.
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We want to be known as the under rowers, the Servants of Jesus.
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That that is the right identity. We want to be known for our
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servanthood. That connects us to the blood of
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Jesus Christ, because we're born again. he writes notice in verse
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12, those That are called. Sanctified by God, the father
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and preserved, great descriptions of the Believers.
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Those that are called those that are this.
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This phrase is referring to those that have been called out
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of the world and end to Faith in Jesus Christ.
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For some of you listening to me right now.
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You have yet to repent of your sins, God is calling you now.
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Using my voice using his word, to call you away, from your sin
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to call you from this life that you've been living.
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Call you to repentance to call you to life, change to humility
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those that are called and Sanctified.
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That word literally means set apart and that makes sense for a
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doulos, a duelist is set apart, he's got a new Direction, she
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has a new focus in life. This word means set apart to be
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used for special purposes and then finally that word preserved
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for those that are under great duress, those that are under
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great trial, those are being lied to those are be going.
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Going after with false teachings. 22 says look you're
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preserved. You're protected the down,
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payment of the Holy Spirit of year going to make it.
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You're going to get through this your preserved in Christ.
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He says in verse 2, mercy and peace and love be multiplied to
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you. Just a beautiful, beautiful
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introduction, verse 3 but love it again, another familiar word
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that Peter used. A word that is okay to use in
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the body of Christ that you can genuinely sincerely, look,
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someone in the eye and say, I love you in Christ.
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You can use the phrase beloved or beloved.
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I have a pastor friend of mine. Pastor, Dave up in Fort Collins
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that is the go-to word that he uses whenever we talk or when
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he's sending me a text. Hello beloved.
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And he uses it in all sincerity. He's a wonderful man of God.
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He an Angel and the Read that God is doing up in Fort Collins.
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It's a great word to use, but it's awkward, isn't it?
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We don't usually talk about our love for one another and the
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world is so jacked it up and messed it up, that that it could
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be misunderstood, but there's a relational aspect to the body of
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Christ. And if you use the word beloved,
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you're using in such a way, we are identifying yourself as
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someone that wants to serve the person that you love.
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You don't want to take advantage true.
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Love of God doesn't take advantage of people.
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The true love of God serves and sacrifices for people.
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So if you truly want to use that word just you'll be reminding
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know what I'm introducing. Myself is my love for you as a
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brother my love for you as a sister in Christ.
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And it reminds me that I've been put on the planet to serve.
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You not to take from you but to serve you God's calling upon my
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life. He says in verse 3, beloved
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while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our
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common salvation, that's how it started.
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Jewel is going to jot them, a note just to encourage them in
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our common salvation, just to write an encouraging note. but
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he says, Yeah, I found it necessary to write to, you
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exhorting, you to contend earnestly, for the faith, which
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was once for all delivered to the Saints.
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He found it necessary. I think that's happened.
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Many times in my life where I've set out in a certain direction,
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prayerfully and God, put a burden on my heart and I could
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say the same thing. I found it necessary to say
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something hard. I found it necessary to say, In
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hard. I wonder how many times the Lord
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has placed upon you. The necessity of saints
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something hard, but you just won't say it an exhortation, a
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strong word, that's where he's saying.
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I was going in One Direction, I wanted to encourage you but I
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found it necessary. I sensed a burden from the Lord
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to talk to you about something else.
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It's so encouraging for me to see.
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Jude open to the leading of the Holy Spirit here.
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He wanted to go on One Direction, God took him in
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another Direction and instead of writing about their common
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salvation, notice he uses, he says, I found it necessary to
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write to you exhorting, Circle? That word exhorting.
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It might be surprising for you. Two to find the Greek word here,
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it's from the root word para cada.
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Año the same word that's used to describe the Holy Spirit.
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I found an To come along side of you.
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That's what the word means, para Kaleo.
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To come alongside to give you a strong word in the context here.
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How do we know it's a strong word because of the word it's
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connected to. That's why I believe the
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translators use the word exhort here because it's connected to
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the word contend. Again, you can circle the word
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content. It's a very simple translation.
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It means to fight. It means to firmly fight.
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To fight for the faith. To resist the temptation to
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fight or stand fast on the solid foundation of Christ para Kaleo.
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He wants to come alongside the Believers with a stronger word
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of warning about notice he says can turn contend earnestly for
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the faith because in verse for certain men A group of people,
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there is a specific group of people that have crept in
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unnoticed. Why?
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Because certain men that want to teach false falsely want to take
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advantage of your faith. Come in under the guise of
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deception. This is what Jesus described
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sheep in wolves clothing. No wolves and sheep sky.
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Always get that mixed up. Wolves in sheep's clothing.
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You don't want to be a sheep in Wolf's clothing.
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Get rid of that. You can just be a sheep.
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Wolves in sheep's clothing, where they look like sheep.
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They sound like sheep. They know all the language.
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They got the Bible. They I mean it's happened.
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Hundreds of times where we've identified someone we've talked
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to them a goal, but they know the scriptures.
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They actually don't know the scriptures, they know a few
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scriptures, they know how to craft Ali use to gain your
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confidence. So that once they gain your
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confidence, And trust, you will follow them look to them, always
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go to them, and they take advantage of that sincerity in
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your life. So the certain men have come in,
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and that's where the burden somehow Jude found out about
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these certain men that have come in, and he wants to warn them.
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He wants to talk to them about him and he wants to help them
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contend for stand up for and fight for the truth.
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Notice also in verse 3 that he refers to Notice this phrase,
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the faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints that's
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an important phrase here that we want to spend some time,
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unpacking the faith that was once and for all delivered to
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the Saints. So by the time Jude wrote this,
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at the end of the first century, the body of Truth The body of
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Truth. The whole gospel was delivered
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in full, literally, the essential truths of the Gospel.
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You could say, by the end of the first century, the Bible was
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complete. It may not be completely put
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together in one package, but all of the Bible was complete so
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that the faith was once and for all delivered, to the Saints.
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And we see this throughout the New Testament, I want to, I want
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you to follow along, so get your Bibles, I want you to follow
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along. A stream of thought.
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So you can see how an important phrase this is and how important
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it is for you and me to know the Bible wants and for all
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delivered to the Saints. So let's start in Acts chapter
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6. So go back with me to Acts
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chapter 6, we want to look at a few verses how the faith was
25:41
delivered. So that by the time we get to
25:43
Jude it's once and for all delivered for the saint in every
25:46
word has meaning their 6:7 in the book of Acts.
25:51
It says and the word of God spread and the number of the
25:57
disciples multiplied, greatly in Jerusalem and a great many of
26:01
the priests were obedient to the what what does your Bible say to
26:05
the faith? So here, the faith is connected
26:08
to the known word at the time and of course, in the beginning
26:11
of the book of Acts, what was the word that they were using
26:14
the words of Jesus and the written, the written word of the
26:20
Old Testament, Because the old Covenant was pointing what to
26:24
the New Covenant. So right here in already in Acts
26:28
chapter 6, in the early part of the church, the word of God as
26:31
it was known and it was still being written over time.
26:34
But the word of God, as it was known Old Testament and the
26:37
Revelation to this point is connected to the Fate, turn over
26:40
to Chapter 14 verse 22, Acts 14:22 Really pick up in verse
26:47
21. Says, when they preach the
26:49
gospel to that City and made many disciples, they returned to
26:53
lystra, Iconium and Antioch. Strengthening The Souls of the
26:58
disciples exhorting them to continue in the faith.
27:05
It doesn't say continue to have faith.
27:07
They continue to end the faith because this phrase is being
27:10
used as the fullness of the revelation of God to that point
27:16
because with me so far Hello. Yes.
27:20
You still with me if you have any questions, email me.
27:23
Pastor Ian after service but right now stick with me.
27:26
So the sum of faith is known collectively as it's being
27:30
revealed as the books of the Bible being written, you have
27:34
the Old Testament, you have the oral traditions of the words of
27:37
Jesus. By eyewitnesses that were also
27:39
being written down. You have what?
27:41
Luke was writing, both in the Gospel of Luke.
27:43
And now, the book of Acts turn over to Romans chapter 1, verse
27:46
5 chapter In verse 5, I think I walk some people up on the radio
27:50
there too. So you guys can say, out loud on
27:52
the radio. Are you with me?
27:53
Yes. Let's be together.
27:55
This is so important because any time somebody comes and knocks
27:58
on your door and says, I've got another Revelation.
28:00
The answer is no, you don't goodbye.
28:03
We've got an extra book of the Bible a brand new testament.
28:06
Know you don't. It's a lie.
28:08
Goodbye. Now, you don't have to be that
28:11
forceful, but some of you might choose to be that way because
28:14
you're not equipped to deal with all their lies and deceptions.
28:18
And I just tell you, I know nobody has a new revelation,
28:20
even when I've shared with you so far, is enough to tell you,
28:24
there's no more, but there's more.
28:25
I've got more Romans chapter 1, verse 5.
28:28
So, notice in verse 4, it says declared to be the Son of God
28:31
with power, according to the spirit of Holiness, by the
28:35
resurrection, from the dead through whom we have received
28:38
Grace and apostleship For obedience, there's that phrase
28:41
again to the faith. The phrase, the faith is the
28:46
psalm of the revealed will of God, the revealed word of God up
28:52
to this point. It's also referred to as the
28:55
gospel many times. Do you want to just turn the
28:57
page 2 verse 16 of Romans, 14, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of
29:02
Christ. It's the power of God to
29:04
Salvation for everyone, who believes for the Jew.
29:07
First, for also, for the Greek quiz in it.
29:10
In it, the message of the Gospel, the truth of the Gospel
29:14
righteousness of God, is revealed from Faith to Faith,
29:17
turn over to Colossians chapter 2, Colossians chapter 2.
29:20
I try to put them in order for you so you can go through and
29:23
just read them in order and Colossians chapter to pick up
29:26
there in verse 7. Really verse 6 as you have
29:30
therefore received Christ, Jesus, the Lord.
29:34
So walk in him rooted and built up in him established.
29:39
What and The FAE as you've been taught abounding in it with
29:45
Thanksgiving, the faith is the result of what what you've been
29:50
taught and what have you been taught the word of God?
29:56
So come back to Jude, no Jude uses the same phrase.
30:00
We're going to contend earnestly for the faith, the sum total by
30:05
the end of the first century, the sum total of the writings of
30:11
God, that we know, today of the, as the Bible has wants, how many
30:16
times Church wants for all been delivered to the Saints.
30:23
There are no New Revelations or books or Revelation to some
30:29
modern day. I said called teacher, there's
30:33
nothing more that will ever be added to the Bible.
30:36
Why? Because by the end of the first
30:39
century, the faith has been once for all delivered to the Saints,
30:46
turn over to Revelation chapter 21, this is important.
30:49
Listen to what he says in Revelation chapter 21 at the
30:53
end. Finally, this revelation, God is
30:55
revealing his word. And at the end of the Bible,
31:01
listen to what John says, in verse 18, chapter 22, revelation
31:06
22 verse 18. He says for I testify to
31:10
everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book.
31:14
If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him.
31:18
The plagues that are written in this book.
31:20
And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of the
31:24
prophecy, God shall take away his part from The Book of Life
31:27
and the Holy Spirit. The from the things which are
31:29
written in this book, the book is not to be added to.
31:32
Now, this is to contextually to the Book of Revelation, Don't
31:37
Mess With The Book of Revelation, don't add to it,
31:39
don't take away from it and you go Edward, it doesn't say
31:42
anything about the rest of the Bible.
31:43
Turn back to Proverbs Chapter 30.
31:45
I'm glad that you noticed, Proverbs Chapter 30, notice,
31:49
even in the old, Covenant, the wisdom of Solomon.
31:52
Look what God inspired Solomon to write in Proverbs Chapter 30.
31:58
In verse 5, Proverbs Chapter 30 verse 5.
32:03
If this doesn't cover the whole Bible for you, I'm not sure what
32:06
else to show you and you can open the Bible to the koltes,
32:10
you can open the Bible to the and you just look and you know,
32:13
they're just so all that they'll still you've taken the
32:15
revelation of all your Justice to Revelation like okay bro.
32:18
Like seriously like you really really believe that God says you
32:23
can add to the rest of the Bible but just not Revelation you
32:26
really believe that. That's what it says.
32:29
Okay. Well then turn with me to
32:30
Proverbs Chapter 30 and let's see what wisdom of And says,
32:33
which is the same, Holy Spirit, inspiring John.
32:37
As in spite, the one author of The Bible, we have one author of
32:42
The Bible, the Holy Spirit. God is the author of The Bible?
32:44
This what he says in verse 5, every word of God is pure.
32:51
He's a shield who put their trust in him.
32:53
No, look at verse 6, do not add to his words.
32:58
Lest he reprove you and be found a liar.
33:03
And Judah saying the same thing here, certain men have come in.
33:07
They're trying to add to the word of God.
33:08
They're trying to undermine the word of God, but the word of God
33:12
has been delivered once and for all it's not to be added to,
33:15
it's not to be taken away from its to be a book to taken
33:19
seriously as inspired. We believe in, what's known as
33:23
the plenary inspiration of the scripture means, it's all
33:25
inspired not bits and pieces. It's all inspired in its
33:29
original manuscripts. All of it from beginning to end,
33:34
Allowing God to speak. There's a word that we use when
33:38
it comes to write teaching and it's the word Orthodoxy, you may
33:44
hear it described as Orthodox. I know that words to describe a
33:48
section of the church. Greek, Orthodox Russian
33:50
Orthodox, but the word itself. Orthodoxy just literally means a
33:55
straight line. It means to draw a straight line
33:58
or to have a straight rule. You could use the word orthodox,
34:03
and you could also use the cinema synonym sound Doctrine,
34:08
Orthodoxy equals sound Doctrine, or right teaching, is what sound
34:14
Doctrine means. I'll just read these verses to,
34:16
you can jot them down because this is so important Church.
34:19
It is all you ever. Get the only time you ever visit
34:21
the only time you ever listen to Christian radio or flip through
34:24
of YouTube video. And this is what you do.
34:26
Ended on. This is so important, to
34:29
understand what Judah saying here.
34:31
Not just in the first century, but for us today, for you today,
34:34
so that you're not ripped off so that you're not undermine so
34:38
that you're not swept away. So the you're not taken away by
34:40
some fancy novel, new weird teaching that is that attracts
34:46
to your flesh and that appeals to you.
34:48
And the, the proclivities that you have to, man, I really never
34:52
liked that about the church and I never really liked that.
34:54
And I got a hard heart, this is so important to land.
34:56
And on what's true in 1st Timothy 1:10 it speaks of for
35:01
fornicators sodomites, kidnappers Liars, perjurers.
35:06
If there is any other thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine.
35:12
According to the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God, which is
35:16
committed to our trust. Why is that verse important?
35:18
Because sound Doctrine is equated to the Glorious gospel.
35:23
And there are many things that are contrary to it. that's how
35:28
you know sound Doctrine many things contrary I guess you
35:31
could say in its most simple form there is a right and there
35:35
is a wrong And the definition of right and wrong.
35:41
Is the creator of the universe. Who put it down for us in the
35:45
scriptures? Second Timothy 4:3 for the time
35:49
will come. When they will not endure sound
35:52
Doctrine, but according to their own desires because they have
35:56
itching ears. They will Heap up for
35:58
themselves. Teachers turn their ears.
36:01
Notice away from the truth and be turned aside to fables, But
36:06
You Be watchful and all these things endure afflictions do the
36:09
work in the managers. There's coming a time where
36:12
sound Doctrine will not be in door, Sound Doctrine does need
36:15
to have this endurance about it. The systematic teaching of the
36:19
Bible, the regular teaching of the Bible regular reading of the
36:22
Bible. The regular receiving of the
36:24
Bible requires endurance because the Bible cuts to the heart it's
36:29
not like reading any other book there's no other book that cuts
36:34
to the heart of the matter like the Bible.
36:35
None on the planet Earth never have been written.
36:39
Never will be written. The Bible alone is alive and
36:43
Powerful. Awful sharper than any two-edged
36:45
sword. And one of the reasons, so many
36:47
people don't want to read the Bible is not because they don't
36:51
understand it. It's not because they don't like
36:53
to read. It's not because they don't have
36:54
the time. It's simply because they don't
36:57
like, to submit their lives to the truth of God's word, because
37:02
it cuts, even you've been walking with the Lord, some of
37:05
you. Perhaps you've been walking
37:06
Lord, with 50 years. Now, you would think you'd be a
37:08
little farther along than you are sometimes and how do you
37:11
know that because the Bible Viewers.
37:14
This is an area son. This is an area dot daughter.
37:18
Yeah, but but Lord, I'm born. And I thought, we dealt with
37:21
this 30 years ago and we're dealing with it again today.
37:25
It's come again. And so you don't want you got to
37:28
understand that there's for many years.
37:30
I would look at this and I kind of just relegate.
37:33
They will not endure sound Doctrine, kind of like to people
37:36
outside of the church but that's not what he's saying.
37:38
He's talking about believers. There's coming a time where
37:42
Believers don't want to hear the truth anymore.
37:45
They want to embrace the truth. I mean are we not living in a
37:48
day like that today. I mean popus don't even have
37:51
real pastors in them anymore. Churches don't even reuse a real
37:54
Bible anymore. Like as we're developing our
37:58
foundational documents of our church and we're reviewing them.
38:01
Like we've got to identify, we'd only just believe in the Bible
38:05
but we leave in, we believe in the real Bible.
38:08
We never had the say that before.
38:10
Like, we actually have to put it in writing.
38:12
This is how we determine the development like in a past time.
38:16
20 years ago, we say we believe in the Bible and it was
38:18
accepted, but now there's so many weird translations out
38:21
there that you could pick up translation.
38:23
Now, to make it, say whatever you want it to say.
38:26
And we want to have that Bible, That's most accurate to the
38:29
original manuscripts. so that we will learn to endure sound
38:35
Doctrine. And don't miss this.
38:37
It's your own desires as my own desires.
38:39
That lead me away. My selfish desires earlier, it
38:42
was all this sexual sin and sin that leads you away.
38:45
In Titus Chapter 1 verse 9. It says holding fast the
38:48
faithful word as he had his been taught that you may be able by
38:53
sound Doctrine both to exhort and convict those who
38:56
contradict. So there is a need for a pastor
38:58
to keep teaching, keep teaching, keep teaching teach the truth,
39:01
teach the truth, teach the truth, and there's just going to
39:04
be a lot of conviction and a lot of exhortation.
39:07
The word. Another reason why the modern
39:11
church today doesn't want to teach the Bible because there's
39:15
a lot of exhortation, a lot of conviction.
39:16
You walk out today. Go man, that was Heavy.
39:18
Yes, that's what God intended for it to be in your life.
39:22
It was Heavy. That's exactly right.
39:24
Well, you know, I don't like heavy, exactly. neither do I,
39:31
Especially when it hits home. I mean, you know, maybe what was
39:34
heavy for you tonight was not all this instruction on sound
39:37
Doctrine. Maybe it was a lot simpler than
39:38
that you've just been. You've just been a person call
39:41
yourself a servant but not acting like a servant and the
39:44
Lord called you on it just by the definition of a Greek word,
39:48
doulos voluntary servant submitted to the master Born
39:52
Again. Those simple words, you like, oh
39:54
man, that's me and you'll either respond to it.
39:56
Would humble repentance you were there just say Lord please.
40:00
Make me a servant. We still seeing that make me a
40:03
sir. Make me a servant or your heart
40:08
heart and you'll become worse and you start hurting people and
40:12
you start veering away from the truth because one of the truths
40:15
of sound Doctrine is the example of Jesus as the ultimate
40:19
servant. And then finally in Titus,
40:23
Chapter 2 Verse 1, it says, but as for you speak to things that
40:26
are proper for sound Doctrine. So throughout church history
40:29
from the early church into. Now, there have been there, have
40:32
always been an orthodox line of beliefs.
40:35
We tend to refer to them as the essentials.
40:40
You hear that phrase being used. You know, we are in fellowship
40:43
with every Church in town that hold to the essentials of the
40:48
Christian faith. Even if there and there's two,
40:51
I'll give you too fancy. Words, you ready.
40:53
Orthodoxy is Right teaching and here's another word to add to
40:57
that. Orthopraxy is right worshiper,
41:00
right actions. And and so the orthopraxy, it
41:05
does vary among different churches where they still have,
41:10
we may be differing with people in their orthopraxy, but we
41:13
agree Orthodox. And I know those are fancy
41:16
words, but one day, you'll be able to throw it on some trivia
41:19
game and you'll win to understand.
41:21
You'll be able to win because as really simple simple with you
41:25
have the right action, you have the right believe, it's going to
41:27
lead to the right action. And so other churches, as we
41:31
hold to the essentials of the Christian faith, that their
41:35
their practice may be different than ours.
41:39
And you should be okay with that, the practice may be
41:42
different, they may do things a little differently than they do
41:44
things a lot differently but they believe in the essentials
41:47
there are certain truths that make a true Christian and if you
41:51
miss out on them you're not a True Believer.
41:55
Things like the deity of Christ. The Eternal that is the doctrine
42:00
of Eternal God in human flesh. The Virgin birth, Jesus was born
42:04
of the holy spirit. In Mary conceived, the Trinity.
42:08
God, Himself as 13 persons. The vicarious atonement of Jesus
42:15
which basically means Jesus died in your place because you're a
42:20
sinner and you need forgiveness. That's an essential the bodily.
42:24
Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is alive.
42:27
The tomb is empty. Jude is saying, don't let anyone
42:30
come with lies to rip you off. Jude had what we call
42:35
discernment. He was going to write this group
42:39
of Believers and encouraging note with the Holy Spirit said
42:42
stop. I want you to write to them
42:45
about the unbe certain men that have come in and notice again at
42:49
the end of verse 4. As hard as it is for you to
42:54
accept this, especially those of you involved in a cult or in
42:59
false teaching you need to receive the word of God today.
43:03
These certain men that crept in unnoticed long ago, marked out
43:07
for condemnation. They're described notice as
43:10
ungodly men. False teaching is ungodly.
43:16
False teaching is ungodly and for them, they turned the grace
43:19
of God into licentiousness. And deny the only Lord God and
43:26
our Lord Jesus Christ by licentiousness was the sinful
43:31
Behavior by sensors has a sexual connotation to it as did many of
43:35
the other verses related to sound Doctrine.
43:38
We read. So it was appealing to the
43:40
flesh. To get you away from.
43:44
The true essence of the Holiness of Jesus Christ and his identity
43:49
and his character and his nature.
43:52
Every cult and false teaching, no matter what fabrication how
43:57
pretty their pamphlets are, what the root of they?
44:00
What? What guy started it?
44:02
What gal started it, it doesn't matter every false teacher,
44:07
every heretic, every cult has the same, fundamental issue the
44:13
same issue, they don't have a right understanding of who Jesus
44:18
Christ is. That is the essence of veering
44:23
away from the faith. They don't receive the truth
44:29
that Jesus himself said about himself, which is what got
44:33
people in trouble when they were in his very presence.
44:36
They didn't receive him for who he said he was.
44:40
And who he proved, he was. And who he demonstrated he was.
44:46
Jude had discernment. And we need to sermon today
44:49
church. I can't emphasize it enough
44:53
church. That's here church.
44:54
That will be watching. Listening your live with us
44:58
right now. I can't emphasize.
44:59
You must know this book. This is the key.
45:06
This is it, this book is more important than any other book
45:09
you might read about it. This book is more important than
45:13
any sermon you hear from it. This book, master the book Read
45:20
your Bible everyday. Pray every day.
45:24
You don't need to try to be a scholar.
45:27
You don't need to understand every Greek word.
45:30
You don't have to understand every nuance and answer every
45:33
difficult question. If you just spent the rest of
45:36
your life, reading the Bible and worshipping Jesus, you'll be
45:40
better off for it. But you know, when you read your
45:43
Bible and pray every day and you make Jeet knowing Jesus a
45:45
priority, you automatically grow.
45:49
You're reading thing go. Oh that's great.
45:51
Oh I don't want to do that. Yeah, I should step that.
45:53
Oh, I don't want to have that in my life.
45:55
The Bible says in Romans 12:2, don't be conformed to this world
46:00
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
46:03
How do you renew your mind by washing it with the water of the
46:06
word and as the world gets darker, we need more cleansing
46:11
of the word. We need more understanding.
46:14
We need to see things happening in the world from a Biblical
46:17
perspective so that when we And then we can act properly,
46:21
there's a lot of Christians today.
46:23
Even some of my friends that are not acting properly.
46:27
They're abandoning the Simplicity of the Gospel,
46:30
they're not acting properly, they're getting involved in
46:33
things. I'm nothing to do with the
46:34
gospel. Nothing to do with washing their
46:36
mind, with the word, nothing to do to helping people grow in
46:40
Grace, grow, in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
46:43
There's no way you could think they're not able to stand up and
46:45
say, Grace, Grace. Instead it's law law anger,
46:51
anger control, control fight, fight.
46:55
You see, Jude's definition of fight is different than what you
46:59
think it is. And that's why we titled our
47:03
series. Let's fight on purpose because
47:06
some people saw that and go. Yeah, it's about time.
47:09
Finally. Finally, Ed you finally.
47:12
Come, it's time to fight. It is time to fight.
47:16
We need to fight God's way. With God's weapons.
47:23
We wrestle not against flesh and blood. and one of the greatest
47:29
things that you can do today to contend for the faith, Is to
47:34
know it. And grow in it.
47:42
So father, we know that truth matters.
47:45
And we know that you are allowing us to live in this epic
47:49
generation. It's your will that were alive.
47:52
Today we were born for this season and we certainly want to
47:56
fight. We want to stand strong and
47:59
contend for the faith. We want to be able to know you
48:04
so well, that a counterfeit will be completely obvious.
48:09
But then the, we have those desires, you know, the
48:12
licentiousness on God. Like we have this tent, these
48:15
Temptations. We have these weaknesses.
48:17
God that are easily preyed upon by false teachers.
48:22
So help us. We don't want, we want to endure
48:25
Hoopa Mone. We want to Bear up under the
48:27
weight of the Situation's of, but we also want to persevere As
48:32
we receive the word, we want to be changed even tonight.
48:35
God, even now, you are changing us molding us, and shaping Us by
48:39
your word. And perhaps there's even one
48:41
person that saw the title. Okay?
48:43
Finally, we're going to learn how to fight this current
48:45
culture, and fight these current situations.
48:47
And and tonight, you change them, Lord.
48:50
You revealed to them. It's a different fight,
48:52
different weapons, different methods than the world uses.
48:59
So help us learn to walk that straight line abiding in you
49:04
relying, upon you for our strength and wisdom Simplicity
49:10
Godly sincerity. Let those be the marks of your
49:13
church in these last days, in Jesus name, amen.
49:19
We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible.
49:21
Study delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary, Aurora for
49:25
prayer or a copy of the study, call us at 30 Grace, that's
49:31
eight 77304, 2:53 or visit us online at Calvary, Aurora
49:38
dot-org, be blessed as you worship Jesus this week.