Nuggets from the Book of Jude - Message on 1/7/07

Slide 1 - 1/7/07

Message from the Book of Jude
Authorship: by the half brother of the Lord Jesus circa 40-80AD

Slide 2
1. A Most Neglected Epistle
• Reasons for the neglect:
• 1. Brevity
• 2. Citation of non-canonical Jewish writings
• 3. Strong language in denouncing errors – “MA rated”
• 4. Unique vocabulary – 13 unique words used

Slide 3
2. The Epistles’ Recipients were
 Influenced by false teachers and false prophets ( the Gnostics)
 Devaluing the salvation in Jesus Christ
 Having “Attitude Problems” Immoral, Rebellious, Complaining
 Your attitude determines your altitude

Slide 4 - 3. How to Spot False Teachers
• Denying the sufficiency of Christ’s salvation (v3-4)
• Rebel against authority (v8)
• Slander God’s messenger(v9)
• De-stabilise, Deceive and Divide (v16) – like Absalom

Slide 5

4. THE JUDGEMENT IS SURE!
• 1. Look at the nation of Israel (v5)
• 2. The Fallen Angels (v6) (Gen 6:4; Job1:6; 2:1)
• 3. Sodom & Gomorrah (v7)
• God loves his children but He also disciplines them…

Slide 6
5. Eloquent picture of Doom
• Read Verse 11-13
• Cain – DIY & self-centred religion
• Balaam – blinding greed
• Korah – rebelled against Moses (Num16)
• Verses 12-13 – poetic depiction of vanity – asteres planetai – wondering stars, meteorites, going off course towards destruction. Foaming like animals in heat.

Hey, the language may be strong – but we must be passionate about what really matters!!!
If you don’t have something to die for, most likely, you do not have anything worth while to live for.

Slide 7
Scripture, Tradition, Reason/Experiences (Wesleyan quadrilaterals )
- Truth is colorful spectrum


Slide 8
6. Path of Grace
• Concentrate on the imperative verbs in these verses
• 20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
• 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
• 22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.


Slide 9
7. Finally – The Blessed Assurance

Not just surviving, but thriving!
• 24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Last Slide – God will keep YOU!!!