The 18^th Sunday After Trinity

SERMON

Text: Jude 17-25

But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

In Christ Jesus, Who promises a crown of life to all who prove faithful until death, dear fellow redeemed:

Jude was right wasn’t he when he said, "There will be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts"? The lead article in Friday’s The Free Press confirmed this week’s buzz, that Governor Ventura, in an interview with Playboy magazine, stated that, "Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in num-bers" (The Free Press, Friday, October 01, 1999, A:1). We are involved, dear friends, in an in-ense and ongoing spiritual struggle in this world—a struggle between faith and unbelief, a struggle in which each of us is involved and in which each of us must choose a side. To attempt to remain neutral in this great spiritual struggle is to join the opposition. Jesus once declared, "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad" (Matthew 12:30).

This ought not surprise us, for throughout the Scriptures God warns us as His children that the world will oppose us, even as it opposes God. In our Gospel lesson this morning Jesus describes us as "sheep in the midst of wolves" and warns us that faithfulness to God, or the lack thereof, will divide families (cf. Matthew 10:16,21). Jude, earlier in his epistle, warns us that false teachers will arise and that believers will have to "contend earnestly for the faith" (cf. Jude 3-4). Let us, therefore, consider this morning THE CHRISTIAN’S CONTINUOUS CALLING—CONTEND FOR THE FAITH! This is a practical reminder for us, for our calling should have a daily impact on our thoughts, words, and actions. We are to contend each day for the faith. How are we to do that? Our text reveals three ways by which we can successfully contend for the faith.

I.

First of all, Jude urges us to heed the warnings! Jude writes, "But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit." Jude, it appears, wrote his epistle after the deaths of Peter and Paul, for he alludes to the warnings that these men gave. Time and time again in the New Testament Scriptures we find warnings issued against false teachers who would distort or deny the gospel message of salvation. The admonitions that accompany these warnings are always the same—beware of them, avoid them, depart from them, exclude them, do not walk together with them. Why the seeming urgency? Why does Jude urge us to recall these words? It is because of God’s intense interest in protecting and preserving our faith. Our faith can at time be a fragile thing, especially when we think we are strong and begin to trust in ourselves! Paul warns us, "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12). My dear friends, let us heed the warnings and be on guard against false teachers and false teaching.

How can we identify such false teacher? Jude says earlier that false teachers, "change the grace of God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord" (Jude 3 NIV). He also says that they frequently use "flattering words to gain advantage" (Jude 16). In our text he says that such false teachers will mock the true teaching of the Word, "walk according to their own ungodly lusts," "cause divisions," and be devoid of the "Spirit." Notice that the over-riding thought is that false teachers will oppose God’s will as revealed in the Scriptures.

Before proceeding further, let me make two observations. Jude speaks of "ungodly lusts" and "causing divisions." We tend to use the word "lust" to refer to sexual sins. While this is often the case with false teachers, and we need only think of those religious leaders who today promote homosexuality as an "acceptable alternate lifestyle" in spite of Scripture’s condemnation of that sin, it does not necessarily have to be so. Any false teaching, which serves to satisfy the ego of a false teacher, can be considered his "lust." Secondly, we ought to be aware that in our day false teachers frequently accuse faithful believers of causing divisions on the church. We are living in an ecumenical age, in which churches are drawing together in spite of doctrinal differences and in spite of the adamant warnings of Scripture against false doctrine. Such union is not God-pleasing. Yet false teachers accuse faithful believers of sinning by not participating. When God speaks of this matter, He accuses false teachers of dividing His holy, Christian Church by teaching their false doctrine and consistently urges faithful believers to separate from them.

My dear friends, we need to heed the warnings of Scripture in our day. We live in a country, which was founded by individuals fleeing religious persecution--a country, which in time embraced the principle of religious toleration. That is good and God-pleasing. We cannot nor should we attempt to force anyone to believe God’s Word, for any action, which does not proceed from faith, is displeasing to God. However, in our day a subtle change has taken place. The rejection of the concept of absolute truth has led most institutions in our society, and by institutions I mean schools, churches, and civic and semi-religious organizations, to replace the concept of tolerance with the notion of respect. Respect implies that everyone’s view are equally valid, because in the end no one knows what is really true. Such attitudes can only lead to religious indifferentism, which is a denial of Christ and inevitably leads to a religion of work-righteousness. My dear friends, heed the warnings! CONTEND FOR THE FAITH!

II.

You can do that, secondly, when you hold on to the love! Jude writes, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude tells us to "keep yourselves in the love of God." Literally, the picture is one of "holding on" to God’s love, just like you would hold on to a rope in a tug-a-war. Hold on to God’s love for you as revealed in Jesus Christ. Never forget that God loved you, in spite of your sinfulness, and that He sent His only-begotten Son out of heaven’s glory and into this world to be our substitute. Jesus took our place in life and in death so that we might have life after death! Hold on to that truth and never let it go!

Once again we might ask ourselves, "How can we do that?" Jude gives us three ways. He says, "Build yourselves up on your most holy faith." There is no better way for us to hold on to God’s love than to immerse ourselves in the Bible. Let us read it daily in our private devotions and in devotions with our families. Let us take advantage of opportunities here at church to study the Bible with fellow believers. Let us attend worship service whenever possible. All of these things will keep God’s love before our eyes! Jude also urges us to "pray in the Holy Spirit." God the Holy Spirit has created faith in our hearts through His Word. He also, according to the Scriptures, dwells within our hearts to strengthen our faith. We are His holy temples, and He can and will fill our hearts and lives with His fruits. But if we never ask, we will not receive! Let us pray that the Spirit would fill our lives with "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, (and) self-control," all of which are fruits of the Spirit ready to be sown in our lives as we ask for them (cf. Galatians 5:22). Jude then urges us to keep "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." What is the hub on your wheel of faith? Yes, envision your religious faith as an old-fashioned wagon wheel with spokes running out from a central hub. What is the teaching, which makes up that hub? If it isn’t the teaching that you are saved by God’s grace and mercy through Jesus Christ; if it isn’t the joyous news that eternal life is yours as a gift from God, then you are missing the point of Christianity! Focus on Jesus—hold on to the love as you CONTEND FOR THE FAITH!

III.

Finally, you can indeed CONTEND FOR THE FAITH when you help the brethren! Jude says, "And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh." Jude recognizes that whenever there is a struggle, there will be casualties. He urges us to sincere and earnest action. The Bible tells us that in the later days many people will be deceived and misled by Satan. We are to help these brethren, if we can. There are some, Jude says, who will have their doubts. There are others, who by straying from their Lord will place themselves in extreme danger, but yet who can be rescued. There are still others who will be overwhelmed and for whom there is little that we can do other than to continue to bring them God’s Word and to pray for them. The key, however, is sincere and earnest action. We are to be involved; we are to show our love; we are to be in touch—reaching out both with God’s law and gospel to explain, to encourage, to admonish, to comfort, and to instruct. That means reaching out to people, and should someone remain impenitent, it could mean that we in love excommunicate him in an effort to point out the serious nature of his sin. Admittedly this is not always easy. It is not easy to answer everyone’s doubts, nor is it easy to confront people with their sins. Yet, out of love and concern we are to seek to help our brethren in any way that we can.

As we CONTEND FOR THE FAITH, will we be successful? My dear friends, listen to the final section of our text, for in it we find our answer: "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever." Amen.

—Pastor D. Nolting