This past week has pretty much been uneventful. With the exception of my riding mower which refuses to start, (again,) about the most exciting thing we have done is watch the grass grow. Boy has it grown! All the rain we had seems to have awakened my lawn to new life. Bess and I have a friend who has a lawn mowing business, but I learned the other day that he is out of town on vacation. Does anyone have a cow we could borrow? Our yard would feed her well for a good while. I don’t remember the last time Miss Bessie milked a cow, but I’m sure she could do it.
The service at Friendship Harmony was awesome! The attendance was good, and there was a good spirit in the service. We sang Fannie Crosby songs. The plan was to do an entire service using her music, but there were so many to choose from that it was impossible to select some, and eliminate others. So, we will sing Fannie’s hymns again next week. Did you know she wrote over 5000 songs? Did you also know that there are songs in your hymnal written by her under a different name? I don’t know her reasoning for that, but she wrote under several “pen names” as well as her own.
I continued our series with the book of Jude. We looked at verses 8-11, where Jude continues his stand against the false teachers that had infiltrated the church of his day. Unfortunately, we still have them with us. Therefore, Jude’s warnings and admonitions are just as “on target” today as they were 2000 years ago. Below are the sermon notes. Please feel free to use them in your personal Bible study. Teachers and preachers are welcome to use them as well. I’m honored that anybody would want to. Hopefully soon, you’ll be able to follow the notes and see and hear the actual message. That way you can get the “filler” that is not in the notes. We are only about a third of the way through our receiving of offerings to begin our online video ministry. If you could see your way clear to help with a gift of any size, please send it to Friendship Harmony Baptist Church; 2296 Date Street; St. James City, Florida 33956. Please mark on your check, “video ministry.” I’ll be meeting with some people this Thursday who are able to help guide us through the process.
Woe Ye Deceivers
Jude v 8-11
Encouragement From Jude Series
7/23, 25-28/12
By Victor W. Cooper
Intro: In this section Jude cites three more examples of those who were rebellious and how it exemplified the false teachers of his, and our day.
What the false teachers were teaching --- licentiousness and the denial of Christ’s authority.
Licentiousness says that since the grace of God covers all sin, it is alright to give into fleshly desires; they are covered. This is known as a license to sin. Nowhere in Scripture does God give permission to abuse grace in this manner.
I. v8 Jude speaks of the false teachers of his day.
A. “Likewise” --- “just like the three groups of verses 5-7.”
B. “… these filthy dreamers…” --- the false teachers
C. They:
1. defiled the flesh just like Sodom and Gomorrah.
2. despised dominion just like The Children of Israel.
3. spoke evil of dignities just like the fallen angels.
II. V9 The great debate.
A. Logical questions.
1. What led to the dispute?
2. Could Michael have accused Satan?
3. Why didn’t he?
B. Logical answers
1. The Matthew Henry Commentary suggests that it was over the burial of Moses body. Satan wanted the location made known to the public knowing many in Israel would worship the site as holy.
2. Yes, he certainly had grounds to.
3. Scenario 1 --- Had Michael accused, it would have been opinion, no matter how correct. When God accuses/rebukes, it is an unarguable fact.
Scenario 2 --- Had Michael accused, it would have been outside the power of God.
It would have been, “I rebuke you,” vs. God rebukes you.”
Scenario 3 --- Michael’s invitation of God’s rebuke was accusation enough.
III. The false teachers further exposed.
Bible Knowledge Commentary --- Whereas Michael did not dare accuse the devil, these apostates, by contrast spoke abusively against what they did not understand. The apostates’ only “reasoning” was like that of unreasoning animals. Rather than comprehending what was above them (the angels), they really understood only what was below them (the animals). Jude thus demolished their Gnostic claim to superior knowledge…
IV. Three more examples of what the false teachers were like.
A. The way of Cain: three possibilities, or a combination thereof.
1. Cain devised his own way of worship.
[a] God had not yet decreed the sacrificial system, so what he offered was not the problem.
[b] It was how he offered. It was a heart problem.
2. Cain was envious. Remember envy is one of the seven deadly sins.
3. Cain hated with a murderous spirit.
1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
B. The error of Balaam, from Numbers 22.
1. Balaam portrayed himself as a servant of God.
2. He encouraged others to sin while seeking personal monetary gain from their error.
[a] This is greed, and it too is one of the seven deadly sins.
3. The false teachers of Jude’s day were doing similarly.
C. Korah’s rebellion from Numbers 16.
1. Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, denying God had given them authority over the children of Israel.
2. The denial was actually a denial of God’s authority to choose whomever He desired to lead Israel.
3. The false teachers Jude wrote concerning did the same.
Remember what the false teachers were teaching --- licentiousness and the denial of Christ’s authority.
4. The false teacher’s destruction was so sure that Jude wrote it in the past tense.
Conclusion: If you see yourself on the road traveled by Cain, Balaam, and Korah, get off that road --- you‘re going toward destruction. If you recognize someone else traveling that highway, take a stand and make it known. False teachers must be stopped!.
I hope you have a really good week. I’d really love to hear from you. Why not send me a e-mail and let me know how you’re doing. I really enjoy hearing from you. I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic!
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