December 27, 2015

Jude

Sunday Sermons

What are the characteristic marks of nominalistic faith? How can we avoid falling into the trap of nominalism? What should be our response to others who have drifted away from the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints? The book of Jude is the second to last book in the New Testament. While it is a small book it is extra large with practical and spiritual insight and wisdom. Join Pastor Jim as he mines the riches of this ancient letter written by the half-brother of Jesus, as both a caution and encouragement to Christians everywhere.

Speaker

Jim Thomas

Scripture

Jude

Topics
Growth & Discipleship

Sermon Notes

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Acts 2:42

“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.”
Romans 6:17

“Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”
2 John 9

“Left to oneself, one could easily slide away from ‘the faith once given’ into a phantom called ‘my religion’.”
C. S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer

Characteristics of Nominal Faith

  1. crept in unnoticed
  2. ungodly persons
  3. turn the grace of our God into licentiousness
  4. deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ
  5. revile, censure, make fun of the things which they do not understand
  6. grumblers
  7. follow after their own lusts
  8. speak arrogantly
  9. flatter people for the sake of gaining an advantage
  10. cause divisions
  11. are worldly-minded
  12. devoid of the Spirit

“The problem is not wolves at the door but termites in the floor.”
Os Guinness

Exhortation and action points for our spiritual responsibilities to one another:

  • Contend for the faith once for all handed down (v. 3)
  • Remember the words of the apostles (v. 17)
  • Build yourselves up in the faith: praying in the Holy Spirit (v. 20)
  • Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life (v. 21)
  • Have mercy on some, who are doubting (v. 22)
  • Save others, snatching them from the fire (v. 23)
  • On some, have mercy with fear – tough love (v. 23)

The context of healthy faith = total dependence on God

  • Able to keep us from stumbling
  • Able to make us stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy
  • The only God our Savior, Jesus Christ
  • God of glory, majesty, dominion, authority
  • Now and forever = eternal God

“We do not see ourselves as offering a new Christianity, but as recalling the church to original Christianity.”
John Stott, Essentials

“It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian, and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice, and follow Christ, and believe in Christ, and confess Christ, requires much self-denial. It will cost us our sins, and our self-righteousness, and our ease, and our worldliness. All—all must be given up.”
J. C. Ryle

“He has asked us to be signposts of the world that will someday be, even as we live all day long in the world that is.”
Steve Garber