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Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are
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A Closer Look
TEXT: Jude 8-13
INTRODUCTION:
In verses 1-7, Jude
clearly identified himself as a servant (slave) of Jesus
Christ and those to who he was writing as fellow
Christians. He gives the purpose of his epistle as a need
to "earnestly contend for the faith that was once
delivered unto the saints." (v3) He speaks of
certain apostate teachers who have slipped
into the ranks of the believers and stresses the very
dangerous situation this has created for the people of
God. In verses 5-8, he gives them a reminder through
three Old Testament examples of what happens when people
fall away into a state of apostasy and rebellion against
God.
As we look at the next few verses, Jude begins to give a
close up word picture of these apostate teachers. Let's
look at his very vivid description of them.
I. NOTICE HIS COMPARISON OF THEM. V-8-10
The word "likewise" points back to
what has just been said in the previous verses about
those who rebelled against God and faced the judgment of
God. Here is verses 8-10, he makes a comparison between
them and these "filthy dreamers," these
apostate teachers who were living in a fantasy world, a
dream world.
A. They defiled the flesh. V-8
They, as did the sodomites, had corrupted their
own bodies. Peter described them (II Peter 2:10) as
"They that walk after the flesh in the lust of
uncleanness." We read this, and yet we wonder today
how some can go through the motions of ministering the
Word of God while living in and practicing all sorts of
immorality. It was happening even in Jude's day.
B. The despised dominion. V-8
As with the three examples (V5-7), these filthy
dreamers also
reject divine authority. Authority of God is rejected by
apostates. They live and thrive under a selfish
compulsion to do what's right in their own eyes. No one
else's opinion matters, even God's!
C. The speak evil of dignities. V-8-10
Jude mentions the fact that even as Michael the
archangel
disputed with the devil over Moses' body, he did not try
to take on the devil. He just left him to the Lord as he
said, "the Lord rebuke thee." Yet, these false
teachers would even dare to speak evil and blaspheme the
things of God. The spiritual things about which they knew
nothing!
II. NOTICE HIS CHARGE AGAINST THEM. V-11
Here, Jude intensified the whole tone of his
message. He makes a three-fold accusation against them.
In verse 8-10, He was speaking of their attitude, but
here he refers to their actions.
A. They denied the atonement. V-11
Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the
ground and not a
blood offering. He denied the need for the blood. His
sacrifice was inadequate. These apostates were apparently
denying the blood atonement. Some today do the same.
B. They were greedy for reward. V-11
The "error of Balaam for reward" is
found in Numbers 22. Balak hired Balaam to curse the
people of God. He was willing to sell his own people out
for money. Many people today try to use the spiritual to
gain the material. Some spend their lives prostituting
the things of God for personal gain.
C. They were rejectiomg God's leaders. V-11
"gainsaying of Core" (or Korah) was
his rejection the authority
of Moses as God's chosen spokesman. He led a rebellion
against Moses and Aaron and God opened the ground and
swallowed them up. This same attitude prevailed in these
apostates and in many people's mind today.
III. HIS COMPLAINT AGAINST THEM. V-12-13
Jude seems to be saying, "in my opinion,
this is the way I see these people."
A. Notice the problem with them. V-12
They were spots (hidden reefs) in their love
feasts, only taking
care of themselves without regard to the needs of others.
They were like clouds that produced no rain. (empty
promises) Trees with no fruit. (appeared to be ok, but
produced no spiritual fruit)
B. Notice his prediction about them. V-13
He said they are dangerous (like a foaming sea).
They are
disoriented (like wandering stars). They are doomed, in
the end forever.
CONCLUSION:
Jude, in verses 8-13 gives us a close-up view of
who the apostates really are.
Sermon #4 in Jude
Series--Cecil Lovelace
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