WEBVTT 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.460 Well, if you brought a Bible this morning, I'm going to invite you to go ahead and open up to the Book of Jude. 00:00:04.980 --> 00:00:09.220 Having trouble finding that it's because it's like 25 verses in one chapter. 00:00:10.140 --> 00:00:12.910 And the easiest way to find it is go to the Book of Revelation. 00:00:13.860 --> 00:00:16.379 And right before the Book of Revelation, you'll find the Book of Jude. 00:00:16.700 --> 00:00:24.100 And that's where we're going to be here this morning as you turn there, let me let me just begin this morning by, uh. 00:00:24.100 --> 00:00:27.080 Opening up, setting the background with where we're going to be together. 00:00:28.270 --> 00:00:35.440 We tend to live in a culture that puts values on actions over beliefs that come from 00:00:35.440 --> 00:00:36.620 the heart. 00:00:37.140 --> 00:00:41.880 What you do becomes more important than the beliefs that drive the actions. 00:00:44.290 --> 00:00:49.060 and I would like to just throw some thought towards that this morning. 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:56.480 And I would say this what you believe is as important as the sincerity of the belief that you carry towards 00:00:56.480 --> 00:00:57.410 that belief. 00:00:58.380 --> 00:01:05.420 The truth is, you may sincerely believe something, but you could be sincerely wrong in that 00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:05.519 belief. 00:01:07.660 --> 00:01:10.660 This was as important as it is to have sincerity in the belief that you carry. 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:15.580 The very belief that you hold is of equal value to the sincerity through which you hold it. 00:01:18.380 --> 00:01:23.790 Truth is, God and knowing him should be important to us. 00:01:25.260 --> 00:01:30.330 I would say to us this morning that God isn't fully known by anyone. 00:01:32.060 --> 00:01:35.420 But God desires to be personally known by everyone. 00:01:37.320 --> 00:01:42.020 And God has revealed himself to us in several ways. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:51.040 Bible describes God in two platforms, and knowing he doesn't fully, we can't fully conceive him, but he desires for us to personally 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:52.020 know him. 00:01:52.020 --> 00:01:57.980 And that's to say that God is both transcendent and immanent, meaning God is both distant and near. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:05.080 An understanding God accurately the way that God has revealed himself to you. 00:02:06.700 --> 00:02:11.740 Is precious to your growth and relationship with him. 00:02:13.340 --> 00:02:17.840 Left to a belief that is erroneous to the identity of who God is. 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:23.510 In light of who you are, will ultimately rob you of truth and will lead to the robbing of joy. 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:33.580 The deception of lies tricks us into a religion that leaves us hopeless and empty, wanting 00:02:33.580 --> 00:02:34.460 more for our lives. 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:41.960 But the Bible gives the opposite indication of understanding Jesus that Jesus has come. 00:02:42.100 --> 00:02:44.690 It tells us in Galatians to set you free. 00:02:47.200 --> 00:02:54.440 Jesus tells us in the book of Matthew, his yoke is easy and his burden is light, and the book of John, that his joy 00:02:54.440 --> 00:02:58.230 may be in you as you are in him. 00:03:01.180 --> 00:03:08.280 Jesus, and speaking with the woman at the well, outlined it very plainly for us when he said in the book of in the excuse me 00:03:08.280 --> 00:03:09.340 in the book of John in chapter four. 00:03:14.320 --> 00:03:16.120 There it is in verse 24. 00:03:16.140 --> 00:03:17.180 You're going to have to click for me here. 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:23.700 God is spirit and his worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:28.550 The indication to us as we gather in our worship is that truth is important. 00:03:28.660 --> 00:03:36.320 And when Jesus talks about worship, he says it must be emphatically done in spirit and 00:03:36.320 --> 00:03:37.870 in truth. 00:03:39.160 --> 00:03:42.160 Together, we've begun a series called Rethink Church. 00:03:43.500 --> 00:03:50.480 The idea within our minds as we started this together, as we opened up our new facility is for us to rethink Jesus and our identity in him. 00:03:51.640 --> 00:03:54.040 Who does the Bible really say Jesus is? 00:03:54.060 --> 00:03:55.940 That the world may portray him in a particular way? 00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:04.820 And knowing that Jesus has come and Jesus has displayed himself for us, and Jesus desires for us to know him as he truthfully has made 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:05.430 himself known. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:11.920 Jesus then created the church and he told us in Matthew 1618, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:21.579 Saying to us as believers, when your faith is in the proper Christ, the biblical understanding of who Jesus is, the fortress that is hell cannot 00:04:21.579 --> 00:04:25.340 withstand the forces that you bring against it. 00:04:27.940 --> 00:04:29.600 This morning. 00:04:31.160 --> 00:04:36.420 We talk about Rethink Church, we've rethought Jesus, we've rethought the purpose of the church. 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:40.800 And now this morning, we rethink the beliefs that we carry in light of who Christ is. 00:04:41.140 --> 00:04:46.140 Because what you believe is as important as the sincerity of the belief that you carry. 00:04:48.860 --> 00:04:51.980 The Book of Jude is a valuable book for us as believers. 00:04:53.520 --> 00:04:54.220 Especially if you like brevity. 00:04:57.500 --> 00:05:01.340 Interesting thing about Jude is that Jude is brother to Jesus. 00:05:03.540 --> 00:05:10.880 I got to tell you, if there's anyone in this world that I would want to hear from in light of their relationship with Christ, it's 00:05:10.900 --> 00:05:14.420 the one who would call Jesus his very brother, born from Mary. 00:05:16.220 --> 00:05:23.240 Now, before you even open to the pages of the book and someone just insert that thought within your mind as you run to that portion of Scripture, you've got 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:26.280 to be thinking to yourself, man, what is it that Jude could share with us? 00:05:26.280 --> 00:05:30.220 There's got to be just this infinite amount of information he could tell us about Jesus. 00:05:31.800 --> 00:05:32.280 Nope. 00:05:35.060 --> 00:05:36.720 Imagine what it would be like to be married to this guy. 00:05:37.540 --> 00:05:39.010 Yes and nos is all he said. 00:05:41.340 --> 00:05:42.320 And in 25 verses. 00:05:43.960 --> 00:05:45.420 Jujt shares with something to us. 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:48.760 It's very significant in light of your relationship with Christ. 00:05:50.060 --> 00:05:54.750 Can imagine, as Jude comes to this portion of scripture, he's about to put pen to paper. 00:05:55.180 --> 00:06:00.220 The idea of what's running through his mind is what Jesus has called the church to fulfill. 00:06:02.260 --> 00:06:09.220 He may be even thinking about the time in Matthew chapter 16 where Jesus said, the gates of hell will not even prevail against you. 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:11.360 That's how powerful this church will be in me. 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:16.740 And now Jesus having been gone for some time. 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:22.460 Jude now reflects on the movement of the church throughout the world. 00:06:25.780 --> 00:06:27.830 But how can we do what you've called us to do? 00:06:29.840 --> 00:06:37.160 But how could you gear us within our minds, our hearts, our souls, our beings, to focus on what is important in 00:06:37.160 --> 00:06:42.490 this world and live in light of what you called your church to be in this world. 00:06:45.520 --> 00:06:46.660 Jude begins to write. 00:06:48.220 --> 00:06:48.700 His letter. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:58.120 Bible tells us within the first couple of verses in verse three that his desire was to simply write in the common salvation 00:06:58.120 --> 00:06:59.280 in which they shared it says. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:07.100 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about the common salvation, I felt necessary to write to you, appealing that 00:07:07.100 --> 00:07:12.380 you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all, handed down to the saints. 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:23.120 Jude saying, this portion of Scripture for me, what I desired was a celebration for us as a church in the salvation 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.080 that Jesus brought and the hope that comes in that. 00:07:26.180 --> 00:07:28.330 But we're digging deeper in that salvation. 00:07:28.500 --> 00:07:35.700 And what I'm saying to you as people this morning is I, I felt it necessary within my life worth considering what 00:07:35.700 --> 00:07:37.940 it is that the church has been called to in this world. 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:42.400 There's something important that the church should hold to and that is its beliefs. 00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:46.160 If you have nothing to stand on, you have nothing to share with this world. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:53.360 And so your beliefs are important because what you believe as significant as the sincerity of your beliefs, because 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:58.500 if your beliefs in their sincerity are wrong, it will lead you astray and run you dry. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:02.360 It's how you end in religion. 00:08:04.100 --> 00:08:06.020 Of a relationship in Christ. 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:13.220 It's how you experience bondage rather than freedom in Jesus. 00:08:14.660 --> 00:08:22.040 And Jude says to the believers that what we need to rethink, as we consider what God has called us to, 00:08:22.220 --> 00:08:25.840 is what we believe about who he is in our own lives. 00:08:28.520 --> 00:08:35.640 In Jude as he writes just these 25 verses, he opens up this passage of Scripture with a picture illustration within 00:08:35.640 --> 00:08:42.799 our mind as to the seriousness of the statements he's about to possess within these passages of Scripture. 00:08:44.280 --> 00:08:51.320 It tells us at the end of verse three, Jude carrying these thoughts, he says, I write to you, appealing that you earnestly, that you 00:08:51.320 --> 00:08:55.980 contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all, handed down to the saints. 00:08:57.880 --> 00:09:00.260 What Jude is saying to the body of believers here. 00:09:00.460 --> 00:09:04.160 There's two word expressions in which he carries in this thought in the opening verse. 00:09:04.520 --> 00:09:05.750 The first is the one appeal. 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:09.380 Some translations would render it exhort. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:19.540 And the thought behind the word is a military commander giving instructions to his army and the duties through 00:09:19.580 --> 00:09:20.600 which they are to fulfill. 00:09:22.520 --> 00:09:24.540 Due to saying, I'm calling to you. 00:09:24.580 --> 00:09:30.920 In this responsibility, he refers to you as the beloved, the loved in him and the loved in the Lord. 00:09:31.020 --> 00:09:38.040 Listen to this responsibility that you carry for as a church, because if you don't stand on this, you have nothing to present to 00:09:38.040 --> 00:09:40.340 the world in order to minister it to it for Christ. 00:09:41.260 --> 00:09:43.480 What you stand on is important. 00:09:44.980 --> 00:09:45.260 Beloved. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:51.660 I exhort you in this way, or I appeal to you in this way. 00:09:51.660 --> 00:09:54.140 And he says this earnestly contend. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:09:59.580 I carry this thought within my own life. 00:10:00.380 --> 00:10:03.690 I don't want to fight for something unless it's worth fighting for. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:10.220 I only have so much emotional energy to exert and physical energy to exert in this world. 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:17.360 And so it's unless it's something significant like the New England Patriots or, just kidding or some other thing that's important to life. 00:10:18.800 --> 00:10:20.570 I'm not going to exert my energy on it. 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:29.680 And what Jude is saying to the believers here is this is significant to your identity as a church, the beliefs through 00:10:29.680 --> 00:10:31.320 which you rest upon. 00:10:31.380 --> 00:10:35.080 I'm exhorting you and appealing to you in this that you earnestly contend. 00:10:37.520 --> 00:10:41.400 And the idea that Jude is sharing with us is that we struggle here. 00:10:43.420 --> 00:10:50.500 So there's this identity within all of us to rebel against the Lord and to fight for beliefs in which we desire for our own life apart 00:10:50.500 --> 00:10:51.380 from God. 00:10:51.560 --> 00:10:54.540 And this for you will be a struggle. 00:10:56.860 --> 00:10:59.520 All the things in life that are worth fighting for. 00:10:59.820 --> 00:11:02.810 Jude simplifies it for you and says, listen, I'm not going to say a lot. 00:11:03.860 --> 00:11:04.340 Just one thing. 00:11:06.420 --> 00:11:09.040 Contend for this. 00:11:09.660 --> 00:11:12.460 Struggle for this. 00:11:13.260 --> 00:11:20.620 Everything in the world, everything about Satan's kingdom, everything about sin and selfishness desires 00:11:20.620 --> 00:11:25.260 to rip from the identity of God and His glory in your life. 00:11:25.460 --> 00:11:26.820 And so this is important. 00:11:27.280 --> 00:11:29.840 Contend for this. 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:35.020 While Jude identifies for us is what every culture must identify. 00:11:37.220 --> 00:11:44.720 And that is every culture in this world faces theological battles in every generation to 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:46.120 exist. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:54.500 Did you know that much of your New Testament, I would almost say all of your New Testament was written on the back of 00:11:54.680 --> 00:11:58.420 correcting theological inaccuracies and the lives of believers. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:07.380 I mean, you open up your Bible and in the book of Romans, as you get to the first epistle, Paul is defining for us salvation, as people have 00:12:07.380 --> 00:12:10.160 contradicted the idea of what salvation is. 00:12:10.920 --> 00:12:12.880 Jude even records in this passage of Scripture. 00:12:12.880 --> 00:12:13.810 Give me a click in verse four. 00:12:14.580 --> 00:12:16.530 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed. 00:12:16.780 --> 00:12:24.460 Those who were longing beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness 00:12:24.460 --> 00:12:28.080 and deny our only master and Lord Jesus Christ. 00:12:30.040 --> 00:12:34.500 The argument within Jude's time is the exact opposite that we say today in regards to salvation. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:35.900 That's what Jude is talking about here. 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:44.560 During the life of Jude, people would look at what Jesus accomplished on the cross and they would say, man, Jesus certainly covered all 00:12:44.760 --> 00:12:45.120 of our sins. 00:12:45.640 --> 00:12:52.920 And so, because Jesus paid for every sin I would ever conduct past, present, and future, I'm going to go into this world and live like hell and do whatever I want. 00:12:54.700 --> 00:12:54.880 Today. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:57.650 The opposite thought rests within our mind. 00:12:57.740 --> 00:12:59.500 I wonder if Jesus is sufficient enough. 00:12:59.540 --> 00:13:01.580 I better work myself to earn his favor. 00:13:04.180 --> 00:13:08.470 Jude in this book is written this book on the back of theological error. 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:12.460 First and second Corinthians, a hodgepodge of theological problems. 00:13:12.560 --> 00:13:15.620 Galatians denying the doctrine of salvation. 00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:16.600 Paul corrects it. 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:18.620 Colossians about the deity of Christ. 00:13:18.980 --> 00:13:23.500 First and second Thessalonians the second coming of Christ, Timothy and Titus. 00:13:23.520 --> 00:13:24.700 How the church should work. 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:25.340 Philemon. 00:13:25.340 --> 00:13:27.040 How relationships should operate. 00:13:27.260 --> 00:13:29.880 The book of Hebrews Jesus is sufficient. 00:13:30.060 --> 00:13:31.080 The book of James. 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:36.000 When you claim that you believe and walk the walk, don't just talk the talk. 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:38.100 Your New Testament. 00:13:39.820 --> 00:13:45.320 Was formed on the back of people who walked into the church carrying theological errors. 00:13:47.660 --> 00:13:50.040 And Jude rests on his thigh. 00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:55.640 But what you believe is as important as the sincerity of your faith. 00:13:57.680 --> 00:14:04.680 Every culture can today contends with theology that contradicts what God has communicated 00:14:04.680 --> 00:14:06.710 to us. 00:14:06.900 --> 00:14:14.020 All cultures have bad theology and philosophy that ultimately leads nowhere, but temporarily will 00:14:14.020 --> 00:14:14.820 lead you somewhere. 00:14:17.020 --> 00:14:24.420 Listen to some of these thoughts that we share within our culture today that seem to contradict just theological ideas in which the Bible carries 00:14:24.420 --> 00:14:24.760 for us. 00:14:24.920 --> 00:14:29.020 The first is this whatever makes you happy, right? 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:32.340 Or as long as you're happy, that's all that matters. 00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:34.850 I heard that this week. 00:14:36.420 --> 00:14:36.720 I don't know. 00:14:36.860 --> 00:14:38.020 You could hear that for the first time. 00:14:38.020 --> 00:14:40.450 Be thinking to yourself, man, God does not want me happy. 00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:45.020 I mean, you're saying that contradicts scripture, but I thought God created the happiness. 00:14:45.260 --> 00:14:46.860 Why doesn't he want me to be happy? 00:14:48.660 --> 00:14:52.060 I got to say before I give you the information, God does want you to be happy, okay? 00:14:53.520 --> 00:14:55.460 He wants a smile on your face and joy in your heart. 00:14:57.260 --> 00:15:00.630 But when you say this, the pursuit of my life is whatever makes you happy. 00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:05.040 The God that you make of this world is happiness or pleasure. 00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:13.220 And so the pursuit of your life is you create this hodgepodge of theological systems within your world that you tend to grab beliefs that whatever 00:15:13.220 --> 00:15:16.100 you want to believe at the time, that's what you choose to believe. 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:18.130 And so you grab hold of that because it makes you happy. 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:22.400 And whatever you want to do at the time, you grab a hold of that because you think it makes you happy. 00:15:22.400 --> 00:15:30.290 And then after you live that lifestyle for a while, eventually you find out in the end, ultimately it still doesn't satisfy. 00:15:31.300 --> 00:15:35.100 I mean the whole book of Ecclesiastes we went through together in past months. 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:37.580 That is the backbone of the book. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:45.020 When you pursue pleasure in your life, Solomon says, it leads to emptiness. 00:15:45.180 --> 00:15:45.600 In our world. 00:15:47.660 --> 00:15:51.260 God is not concerned primarily with your happiness. 00:15:51.560 --> 00:15:56.310 What God is concerned with is your holiness and your relationship in light of that to him. 00:15:58.500 --> 00:15:59.000 God knows. 00:16:00.780 --> 00:16:02.940 Rather than making happiness your goal. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:09.960 When you make your relationship with the Lord your goal, your soul is ultimately satisfied and joy 00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:10.900 may fill your heart. 00:16:13.800 --> 00:16:14.380 How do I know that? 00:16:16.420 --> 00:16:23.020 Bible tells us the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness. 00:16:25.960 --> 00:16:33.240 God's desires that you seek him, and in seeking him, he satisfies your life with a joy that is unending in 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:33.990 him. 00:16:35.760 --> 00:16:40.980 A joy that regardless of what happens in this world, you find peace in Christ. 00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:47.740 Whatever makes you happy is fine, as long as that's rooted in Jesus. 00:16:49.020 --> 00:16:49.680 What about this one? 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:52.080 As long as you're a good person. 00:16:53.540 --> 00:16:54.000 It's all that matters. 00:16:55.760 --> 00:16:56.700 Right. 00:16:57.220 --> 00:17:01.520 As long as you're a good person, that's all that matters. 00:17:02.260 --> 00:17:07.520 I read in Matthew chapter seven where people come before Jesus and they say, Lord, did we not cast out demons? 00:17:07.619 --> 00:17:09.900 And did we not do these wonderful works in your name? 00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:14.599 And Jesus says to them, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.460 I never knew you. 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:24.060 Meaning if goodness was all that mattered, then Jesus didn't know what he was talking about. 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:29.340 Relationship with God is not about goodness. 00:17:29.540 --> 00:17:35.800 Your relationship with God grows as you walk in the light, as he is in the light, but your relationship with God is not merited. 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:37.140 It is not earned. 00:17:37.260 --> 00:17:40.160 It's extended by his grace on the cross for you. 00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:44.580 Freely given that you may enjoy him. 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:46.280 Or how about this for our culture today? 00:17:47.660 --> 00:17:49.540 To publicly talk about your beliefs is wrong. 00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:53.450 Or we say separation of church and state. 00:17:55.300 --> 00:17:57.120 You know I am all for. 00:17:58.740 --> 00:18:00.270 Learning to speak the truth and love. 00:18:02.300 --> 00:18:03.960 Matter of fact, I wish that's what we said and said. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.690 A separation of church and state. 00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:07.140 You think about this. 00:18:07.500 --> 00:18:14.660 The most important thing of the identity of a human being rests in your belief in who you are, why 00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:16.160 you're made, and where you're going. 00:18:18.120 --> 00:18:25.440 I'm the big questions of life are theological questions, and so divorcing yourself from God separates 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:29.200 you from the one who gives you the identity of living in this world. 00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:34.750 We'll need to separate ourselves from it. 00:18:36.620 --> 00:18:39.070 We need to do is learn to communicate it in truth and love. 00:18:41.780 --> 00:18:48.800 Jude, coincidentally, as he shares with us the importance of your faith when he closes this book, he shares with the 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:53.790 church how to discuss the truth of who God is with the people around him. 00:18:56.180 --> 00:18:58.420 Separation of church and state isn't a biblical thought. 00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:03.300 God pervading in all things. 00:19:03.780 --> 00:19:05.100 All things are sacred. 00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:08.500 There is no separation from secular and sacred in the mind of God. 00:19:08.660 --> 00:19:09.690 It is all sacred. 00:19:09.840 --> 00:19:13.380 It all belongs to him, not just Sunday. 00:19:14.900 --> 00:19:15.860 Every day. 00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:21.020 This dude says this for us in verse 21. 00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:23.900 He answers the question, why contend? 00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:25.280 Why? 00:19:25.560 --> 00:19:27.120 Why contend for this faith? 00:19:27.340 --> 00:19:29.600 Why do we have to exert and why do we have to struggle? 00:19:29.800 --> 00:19:36.840 He says, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal 00:19:36.840 --> 00:19:37.280 life. 00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:39.860 The answer is simple. 00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:49.010 Not that God would love you more because you're in the truth, but that you can experience the love that God already has for you. 00:19:50.780 --> 00:19:52.860 God can't love you any more than he already does. 00:19:54.620 --> 00:19:57.100 God has given his life for you. 00:19:58.200 --> 00:20:05.400 God has created you in his image and imparted His Spirit into you, that you could commune for him with eternity and offered you a hope in 00:20:05.400 --> 00:20:06.540 heaven forever in his presence. 00:20:07.260 --> 00:20:09.740 God can't love you any more than he already does. 00:20:09.800 --> 00:20:14.790 He's already given everything he could possibly give to demonstrate that love towards you. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:17.080 What Jude is saying here. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:24.540 As the maintaining of our relationship in that love that God has extended to you. 00:20:26.320 --> 00:20:30.860 He who worships me must worship me in spirit and truth. 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:39.480 Meaning if your heart's desires to truly connect with the one who loves you so graciously, then walk in truth in 00:20:39.580 --> 00:20:40.640 light of who he is. 00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:47.190 Judy isn't saying I'm writing these things to you to kill your joy. 00:20:47.320 --> 00:20:50.660 I'm writing these things to you that you may be alive in Christ. 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:56.960 Earnestly contend for the faith. 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:04.180 There's a story within Scripture about the life of a man named Jacob, and you can click for me here. 00:21:06.140 --> 00:21:06.920 Story goes like this. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:08.420 If you know the story of Jacob. 00:21:08.760 --> 00:21:26.540 Jacob means deceiver. 00:21:26.540 --> 00:21:26.540 But. 00:21:26.540 --> 00:21:26.780 Australian. 00:21:26.780 --> 00:21:27.440 Something in my neck. 00:21:28.320 --> 00:21:30.520 Hey, Jacob. 00:21:32.100 --> 00:21:33.140 Jacob means deceiver. 00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:37.910 His spirit is haunting me at this moment. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:45.580 The life of Jacob is recorded in Scripture is something that doesn't present a pretty picture for us. 00:21:47.280 --> 00:21:52.640 If I were to get it a plain statement rather than deceiver, I would say Jacob is a liar. 00:21:54.760 --> 00:21:56.600 Story goes that Jacob had a brother, Esau. 00:21:56.780 --> 00:21:59.440 Esau had this birthright that Jacob wanted. 00:22:00.100 --> 00:22:07.260 Jacob and his mother go into cahoots together and decide that they're going to deceive Jacob's father, that Jacob could receive the birthright rather than Esau. 00:22:08.620 --> 00:22:14.640 And Jacob received that birth right after tricking his father, Esau became angry and desired to kill Jacob. 00:22:16.360 --> 00:22:21.880 Jacob flees from his land to a foreign land where he finds his wives. 00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:25.140 And then the story. 00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:27.550 And in the book of Genesis that we're about to read together. 00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:35.240 Jacob is now going back to the land of his forefathers, to the nation of Israel, where they will prosper and grow 00:22:35.260 --> 00:22:36.080 in the future. 00:22:36.300 --> 00:22:41.180 Jacob has the birthright through which the nation of Israel will grow. 00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:48.280 And let me tell you, I know from a theological perspective why this story is in the Bible, simply to show us that God's promises. 00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:53.570 Are being carried and fulfilled, fulfilled that God is faithful. 00:22:55.560 --> 00:23:01.340 Yougod makes these promises of the coming Messiah through the nation of Israel. 00:23:01.660 --> 00:23:03.980 Jacob now has that birthright. 00:23:04.100 --> 00:23:05.540 The Lord is fulfilling it. 00:23:05.540 --> 00:23:11.160 He's showing how this story continues in light of the redemption of man at the coming of Christ. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:14.500 That's the big picture of why the story is in the Bible. 00:23:15.760 --> 00:23:18.470 Let me give you the little picture of the story of Jacob himself. 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:24.720 Tells us in Genesis 31 and verse 24 Is Jacob's going back to the land. 00:23:24.760 --> 00:23:29.820 He's about to cross the river into the Promised Land, and he sent his family on. 00:23:29.820 --> 00:23:32.340 He's about to see his brother Esau for the first time. 00:23:32.580 --> 00:23:37.640 He's concerned that he might be killed by Esau, because the last time he saw Esau he was running away for his life. 00:23:38.760 --> 00:23:39.080 It says. 00:23:39.080 --> 00:23:40.360 Then Jacob was left alone. 00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:43.540 And a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 00:23:45.040 --> 00:23:48.760 And when he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh. 00:23:49.100 --> 00:23:53.200 So the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 00:23:53.280 --> 00:23:54.650 You can think how painful this is. 00:23:56.120 --> 00:23:59.240 Then he said, let me go, for the dawn is breaking. 00:23:59.540 --> 00:24:03.080 But he said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:05.360 So he said to him, what is your name? 00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:07.600 And he said, Jacob, go ahead and click for me. 00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:12.220 And he said, your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel. 00:24:12.280 --> 00:24:14.920 For you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed. 00:24:15.420 --> 00:24:18.120 Then Jacob asked him, and he said, please tell me your name. 00:24:18.120 --> 00:24:19.980 But he said, why is it that you asked my name? 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:21.040 And he blessed him there. 00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:28.420 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, I have seen God face to face, yet my life has 00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:29.240 been preserved. 00:24:30.840 --> 00:24:32.280 Many people believe this is a pre-incarnate. 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:41.220 Meeting of Christ in this world, which makes the story so much more important in what it communicates to us about God's 00:24:41.360 --> 00:24:45.430 promise through Jesus, as he seeks to redeem the world that he meets Jacob. 00:24:45.740 --> 00:24:50.720 As Jacob is getting ready to go into this promised land, to say the birthright is being fulfilled in you. 00:24:51.520 --> 00:24:53.620 But the little story that's behind the bigger story. 00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:58.380 The scene in Jacob's attitude. 00:25:01.140 --> 00:25:04.190 Jacob's story communicates this to us. 00:25:05.060 --> 00:25:06.720 When life gets hard. 00:25:08.040 --> 00:25:10.120 When your back's against the wall. 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:13.820 Jude comes in and he exhorts you. 00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:17.280 To earnestly struggle. 00:25:19.020 --> 00:25:20.700 And to earnestly contend. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:23.340 To see the truth of who God is. 00:25:25.320 --> 00:25:26.420 And then the story of Jacob. 00:25:28.800 --> 00:25:32.460 Jesus has come before Jacob as he's going into his promised land. 00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:36.360 And for the first time in his life. 00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:40.430 Jacob has owned his faith. 00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:48.980 When you read the stories about Jacob's life, and all you see is his struggle with man and God blessing his life, but you see little of his relationship 00:25:49.060 --> 00:25:49.700 with the Lord. 00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:57.100 And now when Jacob is looking at the Promised Land that God has offered to his lineage, Jacob 00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:58.560 is owning his faith. 00:26:00.620 --> 00:26:07.780 And the thought that comes within our mind as we read the story of the Lord and the story of the struggle that Jacob is having before 00:26:07.780 --> 00:26:14.780 the Lord, is that as you struggle in your relationship with God, don't stop 00:26:14.780 --> 00:26:17.740 until the Lord has blessed you. 00:26:20.680 --> 00:26:21.540 When you see the name Israel. 00:26:23.840 --> 00:26:30.640 God changed his name from Jacob to Israel to literally mean Jacob is struggling with God. 00:26:30.780 --> 00:26:37.080 Jacob is owning his faith and Jacob is fighting for his relationship with the Lord. 00:26:41.020 --> 00:26:41.220 Well. 00:26:41.360 --> 00:26:48.400 Jude carries the thought of the story of Jacob into his verses when he says to us, as people don't leave 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:53.520 the love of God in your life, contend for this faith. 00:26:55.540 --> 00:26:57.140 Give me another click for just a moment. 00:26:59.260 --> 00:27:06.300 As you get to verse 12 and verse 13 of the book of Jude, Jude describes what it looks like for those who are fine in their 00:27:06.560 --> 00:27:10.680 pursuit of just some hodgepodge of theology that makes you feel good apart from the Lord. 00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:11.280 And he says this. 00:27:11.780 --> 00:27:19.100 These are the men who are hidden reefs and your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves, clouds 00:27:19.100 --> 00:27:26.120 without water carried along by the winds, autumn trees without fruit doubly dead, uprooted wild waves 00:27:26.120 --> 00:27:33.420 of the sea cast upon their own shame like foam wandering stars from whom the black darkness has 00:27:33.600 --> 00:27:35.300 been reserved forever. 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:44.480 You get a good picture of all of these things, of what Jacob or Judas sang to us as where bad theology leads 00:27:44.620 --> 00:27:46.200 our relationship with God. 00:27:46.260 --> 00:27:53.420 It's this emptiness and all who pursue it walk away with this emptiness in our lives and even to the point where he says, you're these 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:54.540 wandering stars. 00:27:55.320 --> 00:27:56.960 You ever wonder what the wandering stars are? 00:28:00.120 --> 00:28:02.180 You are familiar with your GPS. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:04.500 You don't leave home without it now, right? 00:28:05.040 --> 00:28:10.660 It is your staple for anywhere you go that you don't know where it is, right where that is. 00:28:11.580 --> 00:28:12.540 Grove in the time of Jude. 00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:16.200 If you wanted your GPS, your GPS rested in the stars. 00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:24.030 If you wanted to know the direction that you were to take, the way that you followed that direction was to follow that star. 00:28:24.080 --> 00:28:26.940 And if your star was wandering, you were going to be far from home. 00:28:30.260 --> 00:28:31.620 When Judas sang for us. 00:28:33.060 --> 00:28:35.360 Why are we contending for what we're contending? 00:28:35.620 --> 00:28:38.750 We're contending for these things because it leads us astray. 00:28:38.920 --> 00:28:46.060 And when Jude writes in verse three, he says, I earnestly contend that you are a pill for you, that you stand 00:28:46.060 --> 00:28:47.580 for the faith. 00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:51.700 The faith in Scripture. 00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:56.900 The word faith can be defined a few different ways depending on what Greek text you're reading. 00:28:58.240 --> 00:29:02.580 And the word faith in this passage of Scripture doesn't mean your faith in what you believe. 00:29:04.360 --> 00:29:07.540 It literally means the faith of what you've been taught. 00:29:09.060 --> 00:29:13.100 And so, as Jude describes the people to contend, here's what you contend for. 00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:18.640 You contend for the faith through which Scripture has proclaimed for you in your life. 00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:23.210 It's the faith that we rest upon. 00:29:23.940 --> 00:29:24.760 Cut and click math. 00:29:27.020 --> 00:29:28.580 If you were to leave this morning. 00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:32.760 As a church family, we understand the significance of what it means to contend for the faith. 00:29:32.760 --> 00:29:37.620 If you come to Alpine Bible Church and you visit for the first time, you get one of two things as a guest. 00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:44.880 Well, you get a Bible for sure, but the second thing you get is a book, and one of those two books will either be how good is good enough? 00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:46.410 Or more than a carpenter. 00:29:46.600 --> 00:29:50.020 Those two books answer one question apiece how good is good enough? 00:29:50.300 --> 00:29:55.220 Is the idea of salvation in Christ the hope of eternity in him? 00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:56.020 What is salvation? 00:29:56.740 --> 00:29:58.780 And it's a stand upon that so we can see it. 00:29:59.520 --> 00:30:02.020 The second is more than a carpenter. 00:30:02.040 --> 00:30:09.220 It's the identity of who Jesus is as a stand in who Christ is for us as Scripture has communicated it 00:30:09.560 --> 00:30:09.820 to us. 00:30:10.100 --> 00:30:12.000 It's a defense of the faith. 00:30:13.640 --> 00:30:16.720 Spear to go on our information table today and grab a book. 00:30:16.820 --> 00:30:21.120 If you're wondering when I say you defend the faith, what exactly is the faith? 00:30:21.120 --> 00:30:26.920 Well, there is a pillar that the early church has stood for these doctrines in which they have written. 00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:34.020 When you read in the Bible, the Bible is written on the back of theological error, correcting the erroneous thoughts that the church 00:30:34.020 --> 00:30:36.540 carry, that we may see the purity of who Christ is. 00:30:36.740 --> 00:30:41.200 And once the apostles died, the church didn't stop writing these letters. 00:30:42.540 --> 00:30:48.740 The early church leaders continued to pen to surrounding churches what it means to hold the faith. 00:30:50.040 --> 00:30:51.070 At the point of persecution. 00:30:53.320 --> 00:30:55.800 Bible tells us that they gave life or not the Bible. 00:30:55.960 --> 00:31:01.700 Well, the Bible does tell us, but history even tells us that after Jesus they gave life and limb for Christ. 00:31:01.880 --> 00:31:08.920 The point of the beginning of the fourth century, when Constantine came along and he put his faith in Jesus and he legalized Christianity. 00:31:09.600 --> 00:31:16.700 And for the first time, Christians behind prison bars are set free shortly after they gathered at 00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:18.220 the Council of Nicaea. 00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:25.440 They began to gather at councils, dictating to us the faith in which we believe. 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:27.880 A faith that has not been lost. 00:31:27.880 --> 00:31:29.840 A faith for which we stand. 00:31:31.740 --> 00:31:33.740 Council of Nicaea has to be one of my favorite. 00:31:35.620 --> 00:31:40.180 Because that council existed shortly after Christianity was legalized. 00:31:40.300 --> 00:31:47.460 It was the first time the church had the opportunity to gather together as leadership in and not worrying 00:31:47.580 --> 00:31:51.320 about, fear of persecution and fear of death. 00:31:51.580 --> 00:31:56.300 But the real story behind that story for me are the individuals that gathered together. 00:31:57.500 --> 00:32:04.740 Hundreds of church leaders gathered together to articulate against the theological error that was growing up 00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:05.360 within the time. 00:32:06.700 --> 00:32:12.740 And history tells us out of the hundreds of church leaders that gathered together at the Council of Nicaea. 00:32:13.980 --> 00:32:14.800 All but 12. 00:32:16.420 --> 00:32:17.020 Had given. 00:32:17.780 --> 00:32:24.460 Lim suffered persecution and been behind prison bars to stand for this faith. 00:32:26.360 --> 00:32:27.920 And here they walk into this meeting. 00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:34.520 Staring at an emperor who holds life and death over them. 00:32:34.800 --> 00:32:38.980 But having already declared that they are not afraid, they stand for the faith. 00:32:41.520 --> 00:32:45.090 What sort of things did the faith of the faith that they define? 00:32:45.360 --> 00:32:52.560 If you were to go to our information table, there's a green book called grow, and it defines the major doctrines of the faith, things 00:32:52.560 --> 00:32:53.540 like this. 00:32:53.660 --> 00:32:54.420 Who is God? 00:32:54.440 --> 00:32:55.330 Who is Jesus? 00:32:55.380 --> 00:32:56.720 Who is the Holy Spirit? 00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:57.940 What is the Trinity? 00:32:57.940 --> 00:32:59.480 What is the Bible? 00:32:59.760 --> 00:33:00.720 How can we trust it? 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.380 What is salvation? 00:33:03.140 --> 00:33:05.540 What is eternity in heaven and hell? 00:33:05.660 --> 00:33:05.980 People. 00:33:06.140 --> 00:33:12.560 Today it's popular to not believe in hell, but Jesus taught about hell twice as much as he taught about heaven. 00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:17.400 What is the church? 00:33:20.360 --> 00:33:21.060 These doctrines. 00:33:23.080 --> 00:33:25.220 Or what the church rests upon. 00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:29.100 These truths are significant. 00:33:31.160 --> 00:33:34.900 The identity of the church in light of who Christ is, it is the pillar. 00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:37.160 To which we rest. 00:33:39.100 --> 00:33:39.560 Bible. 00:33:39.840 --> 00:33:42.550 According to Jude chapter three or verse three, go ahead and give me a click real quick. 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:44.680 So is this. 00:33:44.900 --> 00:33:45.340 Beloved. 00:33:45.340 --> 00:33:52.420 While I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you, appealing that you contend earnestly for the 00:33:52.420 --> 00:33:56.440 faith which was once for all, handed down to the saints. 00:33:57.740 --> 00:34:01.900 This truth in which Jesus has given us will not end. 00:34:03.460 --> 00:34:06.330 Bible tells us it was once for all entrusted to the saints. 00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:08.380 Jesus gave this promise we saw last week. 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:16.080 The gates of hell will not prevail against the church, meaning the church will forever stand on these truths. 00:34:17.300 --> 00:34:19.199 We're to break it simply down this morning. 00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:24.440 I would say the very identity of who we are as a church rests on two pinnacle points. 00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:27.100 Who is Jesus and is the Bible trustworthy? 00:34:30.580 --> 00:34:30.820 I say. 00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:38.100 Usually I get to a place like this when I read the book of Jude and I, I want to create a sermon that says, we can defend the Bible and we can 00:34:38.100 --> 00:34:43.120 trust in it, and then give us ten reasons as to why the Bible is trustworthy today. 00:34:43.139 --> 00:34:45.139 And it's been translated correctly throughout history. 00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:50.760 But this is all I want to say this morning. 00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:51.060 The Bible. 00:34:53.780 --> 00:34:59.380 In comparison to all other religions religious works in the world. 00:35:00.220 --> 00:35:07.320 There is no literary literary work in all of religious history that can even begin to hold 00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:14.980 a candle to the authenticity and the integrity with which Scripture possesses for us. 00:35:15.740 --> 00:35:20.980 Nothing compares, nothing compares to the literal integrity of the Bible. 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:24.610 Meaning when you study history. 00:35:25.240 --> 00:35:32.600 We today have 25,000 manuscripts of the New Testament dating within the first couple of centuries after 00:35:32.620 --> 00:35:36.500 the last apostle wrote the final book of the New Testament. 00:35:37.540 --> 00:35:43.460 In the Old Testament, you have manuscripts hundreds of years older than Jesus, literally the Bible. 00:35:43.460 --> 00:35:47.080 Jesus would have walked with repossessed manuscripts that old. 00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:51.020 Nothing compares with it. 00:35:51.140 --> 00:35:51.680 Let me show you this morning. 00:35:53.040 --> 00:35:53.460 I've always had. 00:35:53.640 --> 00:35:54.190 I've had a dream. 00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:56.640 I have a dream since. 00:35:57.200 --> 00:35:59.500 Since I have conceived of or thought of. 00:35:59.740 --> 00:36:03.040 You know, the possibility of having a church here in Lehigh one day. 00:36:03.860 --> 00:36:04.700 I always dreamed of. 00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:06.520 Of buying. 00:36:08.140 --> 00:36:10.540 Archaeology that validates Scripture. 00:36:11.240 --> 00:36:15.760 Somebody you can go back in history and just say, the Bible talks about this and here it is. 00:36:15.780 --> 00:36:15.880 Right? 00:36:16.740 --> 00:36:19.190 And I had another one, but I dropped it somewhere. 00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:23.240 But on eBay this week I was sitting in my office. 00:36:24.860 --> 00:36:29.340 First, first week in here and the first thing I did, I jump on eBay and I just look for biblical archaeology. 00:36:31.020 --> 00:36:38.140 The first things I bought were bought a manuscript of the Bible from 1599 about coins from 00:36:38.360 --> 00:36:41.680 scripture that anyone can buy on eBay, and you can get a letter of authenticity. 00:36:43.940 --> 00:36:45.280 somewhere up here is an arrowhead. 00:36:45.560 --> 00:36:46.140 Be careful. 00:36:46.180 --> 00:36:51.880 I don't know where that went, but I bought a Roman arrowhead dating back from the time of Jesus. 00:36:53.340 --> 00:36:55.350 Things you find communicated with in Scripture. 00:36:55.600 --> 00:37:02.640 There's such a plentiful fine of archaeological facts that validates the Bible that you can get 00:37:02.640 --> 00:37:05.660 on eBay of all places and buy them and hang them on your wall. 00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:06.740 Isn't that cool? 00:37:09.180 --> 00:37:13.260 In comparison to or in addition to the Bible, I would also say the same thing for Christ. 00:37:15.140 --> 00:37:19.870 There's nothing in this world I can compare it to the personal integrity of Christ. 00:37:20.700 --> 00:37:27.880 There is no religious teacher in all of religious history that compares to Jesus, because none of them were crazy enough to say I am 00:37:27.880 --> 00:37:30.600 God and then validate it in this world. 00:37:33.340 --> 00:37:35.680 We rest on Jesus in the Bible. 00:37:38.380 --> 00:37:40.490 And so the thought for us as we end this morning. 00:37:41.900 --> 00:37:46.600 When I hear the word contend, I'm like, I've got this scrapper mentality within me. 00:37:46.680 --> 00:37:48.560 I don't know what football season or I don't know what it is. 00:37:49.360 --> 00:37:54.220 But when contend, I think of the word contend, I'm ready to box, right? 00:37:55.760 --> 00:38:01.020 And Jud ends this portion of Scripture, and he shares with us what it looks like in your life to contend. 00:38:02.020 --> 00:38:09.280 What does it mean to stand in the faith that Christ has called you to, that you may truthfully know him because the 00:38:09.800 --> 00:38:15.260 belief that you can carry is as is important as the sincerity that you hold towards him. 00:38:16.120 --> 00:38:16.910 This is what Jude says. 00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:18.780 Verse 20. 00:38:20.380 --> 00:38:20.940 But you, beloved. 00:38:22.600 --> 00:38:25.430 Building yourself up on your most holy faith. 00:38:25.720 --> 00:38:27.180 Praying in the Holy Spirit. 00:38:28.660 --> 00:38:35.370 Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 00:38:36.680 --> 00:38:42.200 When Jude talks about contending, he defines it two ways for us at the end of the Bible, the first or the end of this passage. 00:38:42.700 --> 00:38:44.590 And the first is that you contend upwardly. 00:38:46.340 --> 00:38:50.080 God has given you multiple ways to connect with him relationally in your spirit. 00:38:51.400 --> 00:38:58.460 God has given you a church family to exhort you and to encourage you, that we could demonstrate his love for you in 00:38:58.640 --> 00:39:02.040 tangible ways and give you the opportunity to demonstrate that love back. 00:39:02.420 --> 00:39:04.740 But the two that Jude points out here in this passage of Scripture. 00:39:06.280 --> 00:39:07.080 Deal with the Word of God. 00:39:08.700 --> 00:39:09.260 And the prayer. 00:39:11.560 --> 00:39:14.280 And the idea that Jude carries to stand for the faith. 00:39:15.900 --> 00:39:20.820 Is that if you truly believe in the Lord, that you would become a student of the word. 00:39:22.840 --> 00:39:25.950 Or we encourage you this morning, is to be a student of the word. 00:39:27.400 --> 00:39:34.420 When you get to theological parts of your relationship with God, and it feels like a struggle, the idea is to think 00:39:34.620 --> 00:39:38.700 like Jacob and wrestle with God. 00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:43.860 Seek his face until the Lord blesses you in it. 00:39:45.040 --> 00:39:51.700 Judas saying for you to contend for you to grow strong, for you to be the church that God has called you to be. 00:39:51.940 --> 00:39:58.220 Contend first, upwardly strengthen yourself and your relationship with God. 00:39:58.220 --> 00:39:59.940 Become a student of His Word. 00:39:59.960 --> 00:40:04.720 And if you're doing it for the first time, I got to tell you, the hardest place to start is Genesis. 00:40:06.280 --> 00:40:06.880 Don't do that. 00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:12.180 I mean, if you want to read through the Bible and you're and you're gung ho, then we support you. 00:40:14.740 --> 00:40:16.170 You're the best place to start. 00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:18.960 Just open up a new test. 00:40:20.620 --> 00:40:21.780 Turn to the Book of John. 00:40:23.240 --> 00:40:26.040 We'll pick a New Testament epistle that's short and sweet. 00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:31.250 Just start reading a chapter at a time, a day at a time. 00:40:33.180 --> 00:40:37.320 Give the Lord the opportunity to pour within you His spirit. 00:40:39.460 --> 00:40:41.030 May you be filled in that spirit. 00:40:41.220 --> 00:40:44.620 And Jude goes on to say this, that you be a person of prayer. 00:40:46.660 --> 00:40:51.580 If you're interested in being a contender for the Lord, you will be a prayer warrior to the Lord. 00:40:54.080 --> 00:41:01.140 And if you're the type of person that gets angry about the way things are going and you think about prayer last, how about begin by praying for the 00:41:01.140 --> 00:41:04.480 things that irritate you before you do anything about it? 00:41:06.440 --> 00:41:08.120 That's not the only way you can pray, but just pray. 00:41:10.060 --> 00:41:13.880 Seek his face content by building yourself upward in the Lord. 00:41:14.080 --> 00:41:15.560 And Jude goes on in verse 22 and 23. 00:41:16.780 --> 00:41:21.940 And have mercy on some who are doubting, save others, snatching them out of the fire and on. 00:41:22.020 --> 00:41:25.240 Some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. 00:41:26.680 --> 00:41:27.720 And what Jude is saying here. 00:41:29.780 --> 00:41:30.040 Is. 00:41:30.040 --> 00:41:30.850 Don't be obnoxious. 00:41:32.620 --> 00:41:35.000 Don't be a Bible basher. 00:41:35.300 --> 00:41:39.940 Don't be a self-righteous Christian hater in this world. 00:41:41.760 --> 00:41:42.540 We speak the truth. 00:41:42.620 --> 00:41:43.460 We speak it in love. 00:41:45.180 --> 00:41:52.280 And what Judas is saying here is he's describing three individual people through which they can communicate God's truth to, and 00:41:52.280 --> 00:41:58.100 in all cases carry mercy in that because you understand in your own life how much you need mercy. 00:41:59.680 --> 00:42:01.020 Somewhere to ask me. 00:42:03.080 --> 00:42:09.400 How much heresy will God accept before he gets angry and he does something about it? 00:42:09.440 --> 00:42:09.620 How much? 00:42:09.860 --> 00:42:12.450 How much heresy will God put up with? 00:42:13.320 --> 00:42:15.720 And I got to say, no one knows God perfectly. 00:42:16.320 --> 00:42:18.260 So my hope is that it's a lot. 00:42:21.420 --> 00:42:22.200 But my hope also is. 00:42:24.260 --> 00:42:24.850 Is that if I'm wrong. 00:42:26.460 --> 00:42:27.300 For that I air. 00:42:28.980 --> 00:42:30.390 That I may come to know the truth. 00:42:32.340 --> 00:42:35.030 That I may see him as he has truthfully revealed himself. 00:42:37.260 --> 00:42:39.920 Don't ever comes to you and says, I know God perfectly. 00:42:40.380 --> 00:42:42.620 Just turn around and walk right out. 00:42:45.740 --> 00:42:46.440 The judge says this. 00:42:48.040 --> 00:42:50.500 There are three types of people through which we think about reaching. 00:42:52.520 --> 00:42:59.020 Have mercy on some who are doubting, meaning people that are just searching who you don't really know but you want to know. 00:42:59.080 --> 00:43:05.920 The Lord have mercy on that as the way that the Lord has had mercy on you and has communicated his truth to you. 00:43:06.080 --> 00:43:07.260 Have mercy on them. 00:43:07.260 --> 00:43:10.800 And he goes in verse 23, save others, snatching them out of the fire. 00:43:11.240 --> 00:43:18.440 There are people who have heard the lies of contrary to what God would desire for them to know, and they're believing 00:43:18.440 --> 00:43:20.440 that, and it's robbing them. 00:43:20.940 --> 00:43:26.620 And God calls you to reach out to them in a merciful way and love them in Christ. 00:43:26.840 --> 00:43:31.900 As Jude says in verse 21, as he desires for you to experience the love of the Lord in your life. 00:43:34.400 --> 00:43:36.780 And he ends it with these and the false teachers. 00:43:39.020 --> 00:43:43.620 Even the ones who proudly proclaim contrary to God. 00:43:43.620 --> 00:43:46.900 God's heart is that they may know him. 00:43:48.620 --> 00:43:51.660 And so Jude says, share with them in mercy as well. 00:43:51.920 --> 00:43:54.420 But he also says it this way and in fear. 00:43:57.400 --> 00:44:02.040 Knowing that you're not above being fooled in your own life. 00:44:03.900 --> 00:44:07.780 You're not above believing some lie against God. 00:44:09.040 --> 00:44:16.880 And so when you go before this individual to share the mercy of God and the truth of the Lord and their lives, go 00:44:17.040 --> 00:44:19.060 humbly and fear before the Lord. 00:44:20.820 --> 00:44:21.040 Pray for. 00:44:23.340 --> 00:44:24.640 Seek out God's truth. 00:44:25.080 --> 00:44:28.640 Contend upwardly so that you may contend outwardly. 00:44:31.540 --> 00:44:33.280 Curiosity has me wonder this. 00:44:34.700 --> 00:44:35.820 As Jude writes this book. 00:44:36.140 --> 00:44:43.440 And he concludes in these final thoughts to us as believers, I wonder what it would be like if Jude were the person 00:44:43.440 --> 00:44:49.080 going against this individual that's speaking contrary to God, to the church. 00:44:50.980 --> 00:44:51.680 What would you say? 00:44:56.180 --> 00:44:57.780 You know, when I contend for the faith. 00:45:00.980 --> 00:45:03.100 Let him see a lot in the past has been. 00:45:04.240 --> 00:45:07.680 To argue with someone to convince them of the truth. 00:45:09.420 --> 00:45:16.640 Not necessarily start an argument, but to apologetically just to articulate these important steps that you need 00:45:16.640 --> 00:45:20.000 to know in order to have the truth, because you don't have it. 00:45:22.680 --> 00:45:29.720 They're going to think when Jude starts talking about mercy in this passage of Scripture, he also begins to contend more than just on an intellectual 00:45:29.720 --> 00:45:30.370 basis. 00:45:30.640 --> 00:45:32.460 He begins to deal with the heart. 00:45:35.280 --> 00:45:35.920 Reality is. 00:45:38.040 --> 00:45:40.190 Most of us don't need intellectually convinced. 00:45:41.940 --> 00:45:42.440 And we're all. 00:45:45.460 --> 00:45:46.540 Sometimes we know we're wrong. 00:45:48.620 --> 00:45:50.500 We're just too proud to admit it. 00:45:52.420 --> 00:45:59.880 And when we know that we're wrong or there's something wrong with what I'm holding to, that's contradicting God and I can't figure 00:45:59.880 --> 00:46:00.380 it out. 00:46:00.380 --> 00:46:07.380 If you come to me and you're arguing with me and you're just sharing these steps with me, I just built up a wall in defense. 00:46:11.440 --> 00:46:18.600 Not going to think is Jude when he talks about mercy here and walking in fear and sharing with an individual that he's not just talking 00:46:18.620 --> 00:46:24.070 about an intellectual basis, he's also talking about dealing with matters of the heart. 00:46:26.320 --> 00:46:32.990 Romans one says this though we see the beauty of who God is, we deny it and worship and serve the creature rather than creator. 00:46:33.020 --> 00:46:36.320 We exchange the truth of God for a lie. 00:46:39.060 --> 00:46:40.280 In the evidence of God is there. 00:46:42.320 --> 00:46:43.200 It's the heart that's broken. 00:46:46.500 --> 00:46:48.890 So you get a wonderful platform as a believer in Christ. 00:46:50.560 --> 00:46:52.970 To go into this world, not to beat people up. 00:46:55.000 --> 00:46:56.190 It speaks of hearts. 00:46:57.980 --> 00:46:58.360 You say this? 00:47:00.520 --> 00:47:01.000 You have seen. 00:47:02.520 --> 00:47:05.310 You living this life that has left you empty. 00:47:06.740 --> 00:47:10.800 Your pursuits of happiness that lead you after a ghost that will run dry. 00:47:12.300 --> 00:47:13.180 But there is Jesus. 00:47:15.440 --> 00:47:22.600 And he has made himself known, and he desires for you to know him and to experience him, 00:47:22.980 --> 00:47:24.660 and to be with him for eternity. 00:47:27.360 --> 00:47:31.180 And when he calls you to him, he starts with your heart. 00:47:33.740 --> 00:47:40.740 Bible tells us that the heart is deceitful, but Jesus desires to make things new in your relationship with him, 00:47:40.820 --> 00:47:44.220 and so he's called you as your king. 00:47:44.240 --> 00:47:46.920 He has given his life for your sin. 00:47:46.920 --> 00:47:54.200 He has paid your debt and your rebellion that you've brought against his kingdom, and he's asking you to 00:47:54.600 --> 00:47:56.270 trust in him. 00:47:58.260 --> 00:47:59.100 You don't have to know everything. 00:48:01.540 --> 00:48:03.800 It starts with him. 00:48:05.000 --> 00:48:10.560 Your heart's turned over to him. 00:48:10.940 --> 00:48:12.940 And so as you contend for faith in this world. 00:48:15.440 --> 00:48:16.340 The idea that you carry. 00:48:17.840 --> 00:48:18.960 Is that you'd be a person of mercy. 00:48:21.320 --> 00:48:25.720 Person of mercy, knowing the mercy that the Lord has brought you in this world. 00:48:27.520 --> 00:48:34.540 A person who contends upwardly, to grow in your relationship with God that you may extend outwardly for the for the Lord in this world, 00:48:34.540 --> 00:48:40.180 and demonstrate his mercy for this world and his behalf that they may know him to. 00:48:42.620 --> 00:48:43.200 What you believe. 00:48:44.420 --> 00:48:46.420 This is important as the sincerity. 00:48:47.360 --> 00:48:47.880 Of your faith. 00:48:49.840 --> 00:48:52.620 May you be like Israel and struggle with God.