CHRISTIAN STEADFASTNESS
September 7, 2021
A. Starting point: 1 Tim. 2:1-6

B. Praying from: JUDE

“Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
Defense of the faith
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
A Reminder of God’s Judgments
5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Shameful and Wicked Lives Condemned
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Denunciation of Apostates
12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
Predictions of Judgments upon Ungodly Scoffers
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Spiritual Foundations, Hopes, and Service
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
I. THE DANGERS—vv. 1–4
1. The persons—v. 1. Jude, brother of James and Jesus Christ.
2. Peace—v. 2. Mercy, peace and love multiplied.
Defense of the faith
3. Persistence—v. 3. John writes, urging the people to defend the Christian faith.
4. Problem—v. 4. Wrong teachers got into the church, denying Christ and encouraging sinful living.
II. THE DEGRADATION—vv. 5–16
A Reminder of God’s Judgments
1. Protection—v. 5. Salvation for obedient, but destruction to the disobedient.
2. Punishment—v. 6. Angels were punished!
Shameful and Wicked Lives Condemned
3. Perversion—vv. 7–8. Sodom destroyed because of sin.
4. Power—v. 9. The angel used God’s power to rebuke Satan. Satan is a powerful person!
5. Problem—vv. 10–11. People acting like animals. Not showing they were created in God’s image.

Denunciation of Apostates
6. People—vv. 12–13. Picture of today’s people.
Predictions of Judgments upon Ungodly Scoffers
7. Prophecy—vv. 14–15. Christ will come, sending judgment upon the loose-living people.
8. Plans—v. 16. These complainers never satisfied. You cannot praise and complain at the same time.
III. THE DEDICATION—vv. 17–21
1. Prophecy—vv. 17–18. A prophecy of people in the last days, who would enjoy living for sin, and having a good time.
2. Problem—v. 19. They loved the world—not having the Holy Spirit. Non-spiritual people.
Spiritual Foundations, Hopes, and Service
3. Personal—vv. 20–23. Faith comes through prayer.
4. Power—v. 24. Power to keep us until we meet Him personally in heaven.
5. Praise—v. 25. All praise and glory belongs unto God. Not praise to man, nor a church, but God.
IV. THE A-MEN OF ROMANS 16:20, 24, 27
16:20 “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. A-men.”
16:24 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. A-men.”
16:27 “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. A-men.”