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[0:00] Well, a very good evening to you all. It would be great if you could grab your Bibles and turn with me to Jude, the letter of Jude, which comes right at the end of our Bibles just before Revelation. So do turn up, Jude.

[0:14] Jude. So this is our second in a series of three on the letter of Jude. And last week we looked at the first four verses. And this week we're going to be considering verses 5 to 19. But I'll read from the very start for us.

[0:41] The letter of Jude. Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James. To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.

[0:57] May mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you. Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

[1:16] For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation. Ungodly people. Who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

[1:34] Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

[1:46] And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.

[1:59] Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

[2:16] Yet in like manner, these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke you.

[2:38] But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them!

[3:18] Wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame, wandering stars for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

[3:30] It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed, in such an ungodly way.

[3:50] And of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires.

[4:02] They are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[4:13] They said to you, in the last times there will be scoffers following their own ungodly passions. It is these who cause divisions. Worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

[4:30] Worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

[5:00] I wonder if you have ever ignored a warning sign of an unnoticed danger and wish you hadn't ignored it. My brother David has done that plenty of times.

[5:12] He sees warning signs as an invitation to do the very thing prohibited. So, as he was boarding a train in India a couple of years ago, he was greeted by a sign that warned passengers not to keep luggage hanging out the windows.

[5:27] So, all the luggage had to be inside. Now, David didn't think this applied to human limbs. So, in a bid to keep himself warm, he had his feet outside of the train windows.

[5:40] And some way through the journey, something hit his foot. And he still to this day doesn't know what it was, but needless to say, he struggled to walk for the next few weeks.

[5:52] I think he might have broken a few metatarsals. Now, he ignored a warning about an unseen danger to his peril. And it is a clear warning about an unnoticed danger that we have in Jude this evening.

[6:09] Jude is warning us about an unnoticed danger. Now, last week, as we were basking in the glory of Andy Murray, winning at Rimbledon, we were confronted and brought up short by this short and very punchy letter.

[6:26] We spent our time focusing in on the very heart of Jude's message, his great concern for the well-being of these beloved Christians that he's writing to. If you look down at verse 3, where Jude sets out his central plea to them.

[6:41] That is Jude's central appeal.

[7:02] He was obliged. He had no choice but to write to them, urging them to agonize for the faith, to strive for it, the one true gospel. But why the need to contend?

[7:15] Why does these beloved Christians need to contend for the gospel? Well, Jude is very clear, isn't he? As we saw last week, there is a dangerous, subtle threat to the very foundations of the gospel.

[7:29] And it's going on before their very eyes. But these dear, beloved Christians had missed it. They didn't see what was going on. These real, intelligent, taught Christian folk had missed the danger.

[7:44] What does Jude give as his reason for the urgent appeal? Well, it's there in verse 4. For certain people have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were designated for this condemnation.

[8:00] Ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

[8:10] The danger that Jude identifies is a devastating threat. Why? Because certain people, real people in the church with real influence were subtly peddling a false Christianity.

[8:26] And no one had seen it. It was going on before their very eyes. A false Christianity that struck at the very heart of the gospel. Two central elements of the gospel were being eroded.

[8:39] The grace of God and the lordship of Jesus. And what is shocking is that these people had just slipped silently in.

[8:51] They didn't stand out as dangerous looking people. They wore the same sorts of shirts and jeans as everybody else. They helped to make the tea and coffee. They were people with influence and yet they were undermining the very foundations of the gospel.

[9:09] Jude is warning his readers, urging them to see the danger sign. Don't get caught up with these people. Look where they're headed. And they're headed for condemnation.

[9:22] So that was Jude's plea. Contend for the gospel. And Jude's reason. Unnoticed people whose condemnation was predicted. They're undermining the gospel.

[9:34] Now I don't know about you. But as I hear Jude's message to us today. I immediately want to jump to the how. How are we to contend? How do we go about that task?

[9:47] But Jude doesn't go there straight away. In fact he doesn't get there until verse 20 of the letter. He spends 15 verses on other things before he gets to dealing with the how questions.

[9:59] And it's these verses. Verses 5 to 19. That we're focusing on this evening. Next week. We'll look at 20 to the end. Where Jude deals with the how.

[10:11] How are we to contend? But our verses tonight. 5 to 19. They form a unit. All of their own. Did you notice two little words.

[10:21] That sort of bookend this section. That gives us a clue to what Jude is doing. Look at verse 5. Now I want to remind you. And again verse 17.

[10:33] But you must remember beloved. Remember says Jude. That such people have always been around. Just look at the Old Testament.

[10:45] And remember what the apostles themselves told you. There are still such people today. And all that falls within those two bookends. Forms the central section of our letter.

[10:57] And it's here where we'll focus tonight. But why does Jude spend just so long on these verses? Why so many references to the Old Testament?

[11:10] Why does he go on and on about judgment? Why all these words to describe these false teachers. These people. Why so much time? Well I think.

[11:21] It goes back to what we saw last week. That these people had gone unnoticed. Look how Jude describes them in verse 12. These are blemishes on your love feasts.

[11:34] As they feast with you without fear. That can also be translated. As hidden reefs. That word blemishes. Hidden reefs that your love feasts.

[11:46] These people are hidden rocks. Which are threatening to shipwreck the church. The church Jude wrote to. Hadn't spotted the warning signs. They completely missed the fact.

[11:58] That right in front of their eyes. Were men who represented. Real and present dangers to the church. They were undermining the gospel. They were undermining salvation.

[12:11] And in our section tonight. I think Jude is trying to do two things. He's saying remember that Jesus is judge.

[12:21] Remember that Jesus is judge. And secondly. Recognize the danger signs. Recognize the danger signs. So let's jump into the text.

[12:33] And firstly. We're going to be thinking about. What Jude is trying to say about. Remember that Jesus is judge. Jude is opening up. The minds of his readers.

[12:45] To the reality. A reality that they had forgotten. About the coming judgment. When Christ returns. He points back. To Old Testament examples.

[12:55] To show. How these people's folly. And certain judgment. Is matched. By. The false teachers. In Jude's day. God is the same God.

[13:06] Then. And now. And we need to learn. The lesson. Of what God has done. In response to false teachers. And will do again. So we look down.

[13:17] At verses five to seven. There. We see that no one is immune. When they rebel. No one is immune. When they rebel. Anyone who rebels.

[13:27] No matter. Past achievement. Or position. Is subject. To judgment. Think back. A couple of years. To the MPs.

[13:38] Expenses scandal. Now. I don't know. What was going on. In the minds. Of some of those MPs. But surely. Some of them. Had delusions. Of grandeur. And privilege. To such an extent. That they thought.

[13:49] They would just get away. With it. It. Having. Duck houses. Built in their gardens. Whatever it was. They thought. They could get away. With it. But. In the end.

[14:00] They were not. Immune. From facing. The consequences. And so it is. With those. Who rebel. Against the creator. God. Jude. Begins. Jude. He begins. In verse 5.

[14:10] With. The nation. Of Israel. After they have left. Egypt. After they have left. Egypt. Through the exodus. God's great. Act of rescue. The people. Make their way.

[14:21] To the promised land. But. They would not. Trust. And obey. And enter the land. They showed. A lack of faith. And they refused. To enter. And as a result.

[14:32] All the adult. Israelites. Including Moses. Who had left. Egypt. Would not enter. The promised land. Apart from. Just two men. They wouldn't.

[14:44] Enter the promised land. They would die. In the deserts. God destroyed. Those. Who had not. Believe. And so it is. With people. Today. Regardless. Of past. Privilege. No matter.

[14:55] How privileged. They've been. In the past. Those. Who disobey. Face. Judgment. The second. Example. There. In verse six. Is.

[15:06] A reference. To a rather. Curious event. Back. In Genesis. Chapter six. The angels. Had been given. Areas of responsibility. By God. However.

[15:19] Unsatisfied. With that. They. Infringed. The. Boundaries. Given to them. They intermarried. With humans. Angels. Were. Intermarrying. With. Human women.

[15:30] And God. Was. Not to be. Rebelled. Against. And he. Has. Kept. Those. Angels. In gloomy. Darkness. Until. Future. Judgments. God's.

[15:40] Judgment. Is. Inescapable. Even. For the. Angels. They're. Not. Above. It. And. We. Must. Not. Think.

[15:50] That. We. Can. Get. Away. With. Rebellious. Behavior. Ignoring. The. Authority. Of. God. Thinking. We. Know. Better. I. Can. Recall.

[16:00] Using. Some. Of. The. Sports. Facilities. At. The. School. My. Dad. Teachers. In. And. Where. I. Had. Been. A. Pupil. Myself. And. This. Was. After. I. Left. The. School. And.

[16:11] I. Was. Using. The. Facilities. That. Non. Pupils. And. Non. Teachers. Had. To. Pay. For. And. Now. I. Thought. That. I. Was. Above. All. That. You know. I. I. Been. At. The. School. My.

[16:21] Dad. Still. Teachers. There. I. Don't. Need. To. I. Don't. Need. To. Pay. Surely. But. No. I. Was. Pulled. Up. And. Asked. To. Pay. Up. I.

[16:32] Was. Aghast. Don't. You. Know. Who. I. Am. But. I. Was. Met. With. Steely. Resistance. Pay. Up. And. So. It. Is. For. All. Of.

[16:42] Us. Before. Jesus. The. Judge. If. We. Rebel. We. Not. Immune. We. Face. Judgment. The.

[16:53] Third. Example. There. In. Verse. Seven. Refers. To. Sodom. And. Gomorrah. And. The. Surrounding. Towns. They. Had. Given. Themselves. Up. To. Sexual.

[17:03] Immorality. And. That. Is. Any. Form. Of. Sexual. Activity. Outside. The. Bounds. Of. Marriage. Between. Man. And. Women. And. The. Specific. Example.

[17:14] In. Sodom. Gomorrah's. Case. Was. An. Attempted. Homosexual. Gang. Rape. The. Consequence. Of. Sodom. And. Gomorrah's. Rebellion. Against. God. Was. The.

[17:24] Punishment. Of. Eternal. Fire. Now. These. Towns. Were. Greatly. Privileged. They. Lived. In. Fertile. Lands. They. Were. In.

[17:35] A. Great. Place. And. Yet. They. Were. Not. Immune. From. The. Holy. Judgment. Of. God. Rebellion. Against. God. In. This. Instance. In. Terms. Of. Sexual. Immorality.

[17:45] Will. Result. In. Punishment. So. There's a. Whistlestop. Tour. In. Old. Testaments. And. Jude. Directly.

[17:56] Applies. These. Old. Testament. Examples. In. Verse. Eight. To. These. People. Who. Are. In. The. Church. If. You. Look. Down. At. Verse. Eight. There. Yet. In. Like. Manner. These.

[18:06] People. Also. Relying. On. Their. Dreams. Defile. The. Flesh. Reject. Authority. And. Blaspheme. The. Glorious. Ones. Jude. Is. Saying. This. Is. Nothing.

[18:17] New. These. People. Existed. In. The. Old. Testament. People. Of. God. And. They. Still. Exist. Now. In. The. Church. And. No. One. Not. Even. These. People. In.

[18:27] Your. Church. Are. Immune. No. One. Is. Immune. From. The. Judgment. Of. God. Last. Week. We. Saw.

[18:38] That. Jesus. Brings. Salvation. For. Those. That. Are. Called. Beloved. And. Kept. It's. There. In. Verse. Three. He. Wanted. To. Write. About. Common. Salvation.

[18:50] Jesus. Is. Savior. But. He. Saying. To. These. People. Realize. That. Jesus. Is. Also. Judge. Don't. Forget. It. Those. Who. Rebel. Are. Not. Immune. Do.

[19:02] You. See. What. Jude. Don't. Become. Complacent. All.

[19:12] These. Old. Testament. Examples. Enjoy. Huge. Privilege. And. Yet. They. Threw. It. Away. Through. Disbelief. Denial. Of. Authority. And. Sexual. Immorality. Don't.

[19:23] Be. Complacent. Says. Jude. You're. Not. Immune. So. That. Was. The. First. Thing. To. Notice. About. The. Fact. That. Jesus. Is. Judge. No. One. Is. Immune. From. That. And.

[19:34] Secondly. Looking. At. Verses. 14. And. 15. We. See. That. Judgment. Is. Certain. Judgment. Is. Certain. Jude.

[19:46] Issues. A. Stark. Warning. That. These. False. Teachers. Will. Be. Judged. And. He. Does. So. By. Directly. Applying. A. Prophecy. From. Enoch. If you. Look. Down. Verses. 14.

[19:56] And. 15. There. Now. If you. Were. To. Search. Your. Old. Testaments. And. Look. In. Every. Nook. And. Cranny. You. Would. Not. Find. This.

[20:06] Prophecy. Anywhere. And. That's. Because. Jude. Is. Quoting. From. A. Book. Called. One. Enoch. And. It. Was. A. Book. That. Was. In. Wide. Circulation. At.

[20:16] The. Time. And. It. Would. Have. Been. Very. Well. Known. To. His. Readers. Jude. Does. The. Same. Thing. In. Verse. Nine. Where. He. Takes. A. Story. From. A. Book. Called. The. Assumption. Of. Moses.

[20:27] Again. It's. Not. In. Our. Bibles. But. We. Shouldn't. Be. Alarmed. At. Jude. Use. Of. Either. One. Enoch. Or. The. Assumption. Of. Moses. It's.

[20:37] Quite. Common. For. Biblical. Writers. To. Use. Non. Biblical. Sources. And. Jude. Uses. Them. To. Build. And. Support. His. Arguments. And. As. He. Does.

[20:47] So. He. Follows. The. Teaching. The. Overall. Teaching. Of. The. Old. Testament. He. Uses. These. In. A. Way. That. A. Preacher. Nowadays. Might. Quote. From. John. Bunyan. Or. C.

[20:58] Lewis. So. What. Is. The. Point. Being. Made. By. Jude. Here. What's. He. Saying. In. Verses. 14. And. 15. It's.

[21:08] Simply. This. That. Jesus. Is. Coming. Again. To. Judge. Everyone. And. He. Will. Convict. The. Ungodly. Including. These. People. In. The. Church.

[21:18] That. He's. Writing. To. Their. Judgment. Is. Certain. Because. Of. Their. Ungodly. Behavior. Look. Up. Says.

[21:28] Jude. And. See. The. True. Picture. What's. Really. Going. On. See. Where. These. People. Are. Ultimately. Headed. They're. Headed. For. Judgment. And.

[21:39] Condemnation. It's. Not. A. Possibility. It's. Not. Even. A. Strong. Likelihood. It is. Certain.

[21:49] Says. Jude. And. We. To. Live. Now. In. Light. Of. The. Certain. Coming. Judgment. Of. God. Don't. Pretend. It's. Not. Coming. Says. Jude. Don't. Be. Taken. In. By. The. Fact.

[21:59] That. Everything. Looks. Good. Now. Remember. That. These. People. These. False. Teachers. Were. Turning. Down. The. Lights. On. The. Eternal.

[22:09] Future. And. Turning. Up. The. Lights. On. The. Here. And. Now. Live. Now. Enjoy. Now. Whatever.

[22:23] You. Do. Follow. These. People. Because. They're. Headed. To. Destruction. Sobering. Stuff. Isn't it? And. That's. The.

[22:33] First. Thing. That. Jude. Is. Doing. In. These. Verses. Tonight. He's. Reminding. Us. That. Jude. That. Jesus. Is. Judge. And. That. These. False. Teachers. These.

[22:44] People. Who. Are. In. The. Church. Are. Headed. For. Judgment. Just. As. Those. Old Testament. Examples. Were. So.

[22:56] That. Is. The. First. Thing. That. Jude. Is. Doing. Secondly. He's. Unmasking. These. People. For. Who. They. Really. Are. Because. They. Hadn't. Been. Spotted. He's. Unmasking. Them. The.

[23:06] Symptoms. Didn't. Look. Too. Bad. Even. The. Most. Innocuous. Looking. Symptoms. Can. Lead. To. The. Most. Deadly. Disease. And.

[23:17] That's. What's. Going. On. Here. Jude. Paints. A. Vivid. Picture. For. Us. Showing. These. People. Up. For. Who. They. Really. Are. He. Wants. Them. To. Recognize. The. Danger. Signs.

[23:28] So. That's. The. Second. Thing. That. Jude. Is. Doing. This. Evening. Recognize. The. Danger. Signs. Jude. Piles. Up. Image. Upon. People.

[23:46] That's. How. He. Keeps. Referring. To. Them. These. People. So. Look. At. Verse. Eight. They. Defile. The. Flesh. They. Reject. Authority. They. Blaspheme. The. Glorious. Ones.

[23:57] Verse. Ten. They. Blaspheme. All. That. They. Do. Not. Understand. Verse. Twelve. They. Are. Hidden. Reefs. Shepherds. Feeding. Themselves. Waterless. Clouds. Fruitless.

[24:07] Trees. Wild. Waves. Of. The. Sea. Wandering. Stars. Verse. Sixteen. Grumblers. Malcontents. Following. Their. Sinful. Desires. Loudmouth. Boasters. Showing. Favoritism. Verse. Nineteen. They.

[24:17] Cause. Divisions. Worldly. People. Devoid. Of. The. Spirit. It's. Overwhelming. Isn't it? It's. As. If. Jude. Has. Brought. Us. Into. A. Large. Art. Gallery.

[24:28] And. He's. Hung. All. These. Vivid. Portraits. Around. The. Room. He's. Seeking. To. Expose. These. People. For. Who. They. Really. Are. These. Unnoticed.

[24:39] Normal. Looking. But. Dangerous. People. So. We're. Going. To. Spend. A. Few. Moments. Rearranging. These. Portraits. Into. Some. Sort. Of. Distilled.

[24:49] Order. And. There. Are. Three. Things. I. Think. We. Are. To. Recognize. The. Danger. Signs. By. A. Different. Authority. A. Different. Fruit. And. A.

[25:00] Different. End. So. A. Different. Authority. A. Different. Fruit. And. A. Different. End. So. Firstly. Then. A. Different. Authority. This. Is. Our. First. Collection.

[25:10] In. The. Jude. Gallery. And. We're. Given. Some. Insights. Into. The. Identity. Of. These. People. They're. Peddling. A. Different. Message. One. That. We saw.

[25:20] Last. Week. Strikes. At. Two. Core. Gospel. Fundamentals. The. Grace. Of. God. And. The. Lordship. Of. Christ. Theirs. Is. A. Different. Message. Because.

[25:31] These. People. Do. Not. Rely. On. The. Revealed. Word. Of. God. As. Their. Authority. Unlike. Jude. Who.

[25:41] Reminds. Us. Of. What. God. Has. Done. And. Said. In. The. Past. These. People. Rely. On. Their. Dreams. That. Is. They're. Relying. On. Some. Sort. Of. Claimed. Personal.

[25:52] Revelation. From. God. That. Flies. In. The. Face. Of. All. That. We. See. Revealed. In. Scriptures. And. Through. The. Apostles. They. Reject. Authority.

[26:04] And. This. Is. Why. Jude. Us. And. Have. Understood. The. Straight.

[26:14] Away. The. Point. Of. The. Illustration. Which. Is. This. These. False. Teachers. Are. Ones. Who. Reject. Authority. Which. Expresses. Itself. In.

[26:25] This. Blaspheming. Of. The. Glorious. Ones. Which. Is. Essentially. The. Blaspheming. Of. The. Angels. But. In. The. Illustration. Not.

[26:36] Even. The. Archangel. Michael. Dares. To. Pass. A. Blasphemous. Judgment. On. Satan. He. Defers. To. God. He. Says. The. Lord. Rebuke. You. Rejecting.

[26:47] God's. Rightful. Authority. Is. Not. The. Behavior. For. Godly. People. As. We. See. Later. On. In. Verse. 18. The. The. Apostles. Have. Predicted. This. They. Said. That. In. The. Last. Time.

[26:57] There. Would. Be. Scoffers. Following. Their. Own. Ungodly. Passions. These. People. Reject. The. Authority.

[27:07] Of. God. They. Relay. On. Their. Own. Authority. And. We. Have. In. Verse. Eleven. Another. Three. Old Testament.

[27:18] Examples. Which. Demonstrate. The. Point. That. They. Rely. Upon. What. They. Understand. Instinctively. They. Like. Animals. They. Just. Understand. What. They. Know. Instinctively. And.

[27:28] Jude. Speaking. About. Them. Says. Woe. To. Them. Because. They. Followed. In. The. Same. Road. As. Cain. Balaam. And. Cora. So.

[27:39] What. Did. Cain. Do. Well. Cain. Deliberately. Infringe. God's. Revealed. Will. He. Decided. To. Do. His. Own. Way. Not. God's. Way. When. It. Came. To. Presenting. A. Sacrifice. Cain.

[27:52] He. Wanted. Personal. Autonomy. And. He. Thought. He. New. Better. Than. God's. Revealed. Words. And. Jude. Says. That.

[28:02] These. False. Teachers. Have. Taken. The. Way. Of. Cain. That. Is. They. Know. The. Standards. Required. By. God. But. They. Decide. That. They. Will. Not. Accept. Them. They. Know. Better. What.

[28:16] About. Balaam. Well. He. Was. A. Hired. Prophets. Hired. By. One. Of. Israel's. Enemies. The. Moabites. To. Pronounce. Curses. On. Israel. And. He. Was. Behind. A.

[28:26] Scheme. That. Saw. Israel. Israel. Men. Entering. Into. Sexual. Immorality. With. Women. From. Moab. And. He. Did. It. For. Gain. God.

[28:37] Had. Spoken. To. Balaam. And.

[28:48] Jude. Speaking. Of. The. False. Teacher. Says. That. They. Have. Rushed. For. Profit. Into. Balaam. Zera. These. People. Are. Greedy. And. Self. Interested. And. Stood. To. Make. Some. Sort. Of. Personal. Profit. From.

[28:59] Leading. Those. In. The. Church. Astray. Their. Prime. Concern. Was. Not. The. Spiritual. Welfare. Of. God's. People. But. Themselves. And.

[29:09] The. Last. Example. Is. Korah. He. Led. A. Rebellion. Of. 250. Men. Against. God's. Chosen. Leader. Of. Israel. Moses. God. Destroyed.

[29:19] Those. Rebels. In. An. Awesome. Act. Of. Judgment. Where. The. Ground. Literally. Opened. Up. And. Destroyed. These. Rebels. The. Implication. Is.

[29:29] That. These. False. Teachers. Who. Are. Seeking. To. Rebel. Against. God's. Authority. Will. In. The. End. Be. Destroyed. The. Picture.

[29:40] That. Jude. Builds. Here. Of. The. False. Teachers. Is. That. They. Choose. Not. To. Accept. God's. Revealed. Will. And. They. Instead. Rely. On. Their. Own. Authority. Their.

[29:50] Own. Dreams. They. Are. Going. Their. Own. Way. And. They. Bringing. Other. People. With. Them. And. The. Consequences. For. Such. People. As. We. See. In. The. Old. Testament. In.

[30:02] Jude's. Day. And. Ours. Is. That. Such. People. Will. Perish. Remember. That. Jesus. Is. Judge. Don't. For. A. Second. Be. Taken.

[30:12] In. By. Such. People. Because. Their. Ultimate. End. Is. Judgment. Says. Jude. And. We. Must. Be. Alert. To. Anyone. That. Claims. To. Have. An. Authority.

[30:22] Other. Than. That. Of. The. Bible. We. Must. Be. Alert. To. Anyone. That. Claims. Some. New. Insight. That. In. Reality. Takes. Us. Away. From. God's. Truth.

[30:33] Be. Alert. To. Anyone. That. Claims. Something. That. Amounts. To. We. Know. Better. Than. The. Bible. Now. That's.

[30:50] Not. The. Case. Says. Jude. These. People. Have. A. Different. Authority. And. They. All. Be. Judged. So. That's.

[31:00] The. First. Of. Our. Collections. In. The. In. The. Gallery. Secondly. We. Have. A. Different. Fruit. A. Different. Authority. And. A. Different. Fruit. We. To. Ask. The.

[31:10] Question. What. Does. The. Results. The. The. Influence. And. Jude. Provides. Some. Stark.

[31:22] Images. In. Verses. Twelve. And. Thirteen. And. We'll. Just. Pick. Out. A. Few. Of. Those. In. Twelve. And. Thirteen. And.

[31:34] They. Are. Blemishes. On. Your. Feast. As. They. Feast. With. You. Without. Fear. Looking. After. Themselves. The. NIV. Translate. That. As. Shepherds. Feeding. Themselves.

[31:47] And. These. False. Teachers. Feed. Only. Themselves. Which. Is. The. Opposite. Of. What. Any. Good. Shepherd. Does. These. People. Are. Greedy. And. Selfish.

[31:58] Seeking. Only. To. Build. Their. Own. Ego. Up. Through. Their. Influence. In. The. Church. And. It. Does. Not. Result. In. The. Growth. And. Nourishment. Of. God's. People. Instead.

[32:08] The. Flock. Are. Left. Feeling. Hungry. They. Are. Shepherds. Feeding. Themselves. Another. Word. Picture. That.

[32:18] Jude. Paints. Is. They. Are. Waterless. Clouds. They. Are. Waterless. Clouds. Now. Jude. Was. Writing. Probably. To. Churches. In. Palestine. Which. As. We. Know. Is. A. Hot.

[32:29] And. Dry. Place. So. Any. Sign. Of. A. Cloud. Was. A. Sign. That. Water. Was. On. The. Way. And. The. Local. Farmers. Would. Be. Very. Grateful. For. That.

[32:41] But. A. Waterless. Cloud. Blown. Along. By. The. Wind. Is. Utterly. Utterly. Useless. To. The. Farmer. Utterly. Useless. And.

[32:52] In. The. Same. Way. These. False. Teachers. In. The. Church. Promised. So. Much. Like. A. Waterless. Cloud. They. Seem. To. Promise. To. Teach.

[33:02] The. True. And. Biblical. Gospel. But. The. Reality. Is. They. Don't. Preach. Any. Gospel. At. All. They. Are. Like. Waterless. Clouds. They. Are. Useless. Last.

[33:16] Night. As. A. Good. Modern. Man. I. Was. Doing. The. Grocery. Shopping. And. I. Were. Driving. Into. Morrison's. And. Morrison's. Had. This. New. Poster.

[33:26] Up. And. It. Said. This. Our. Mission. Is. To. Save. You. Every. Penny. We. Can. Now. There's. A. Waterless. Cloud. If. Ever. I. Saw. One.

[33:38] Their. Mission. Is. To. Make. As. Much. Money. From. You. As. Possible. And. That. Reminded. Me. Of. These. People. They. Promise. The. Opposite. Of.

[33:48] What. They. Deliver. They. Are. Waterless. Clouds. Autumn. Trees. Without. Fruit. Is. Another. Picture. He. Gives. Us. Now.

[33:58] A. Tree's. Health. Can. Be. Judged. By. Its. Ability. To. Produce. Fruit. Can't. It. And. You. Would. Expect. To. See. Fruit. On. A. Tree. In. Autumn. Harvest. Time. But. To. Find. An. Tree.

[34:08] Without. Fruit. Would. Indicate. That. There's. Something. Very. Wrong. With. The. Tree. And. So. It. Is. With. These. False. Teachers. They. Will. Not. Produce. Fruit. They.

[34:20] Fail. To. Produce. What. They. Promise. And. As. A. Consequence. They. Are. Uprooted. Which. I. Think. Is. Another. Reference. To. The. Fact. That. They. Are. Certainly. Going. To. Be. Judged. Just.

[34:33] Take. One. More. These. Word. Pictures. They. Are. Wandering. Stars. Wandering. Stars. Now. Until. The. Advent. Of. Sophisticated. Navigation.

[34:43] Systems. And. Our. Sat. Navs. Stars. Were. Used. For. Navigating. They. Were. Used. As. A. Fixed. Points. Which. Helped. Travellers. Head. In. The. Right. Direction. But.

[34:54] A. Wandering. Star. Would. Be. Absolutely. Useless. For. Navigation. You. Would. Be. Running. Around. In. Circles. Going. To. The. Wrong. Direction. And. In. The. Same. Way. These. People.

[35:05] Promise. Security. And. A. Safe. Road. Home. But. Actually. They. Deliver. Uncertainty. And. Danger. These. People.

[35:16] Have. A. Different. Fruit. And. Lastly. The. Last. Section. Of. Our. Gallery. A. Different. End. These.

[35:28] False. Teachers. Have. A. Different. End. Just. Look. How. Jude. Concludes. His. Series. Of. Illustrations. There. In. Verse. Thirteen. He.

[35:39] Says. The. Wandering. Stars. For. Whom. The. Gloom. Of. Utter. Darkness. Has. Been. Reserved. Forever. That. Is. Where. They're.

[35:49] Headed. And. It. Links. Back. To. Our. First. Point. This. Evening. That. Jesus. Is. Judge. And. The. Destination. For. Such. People. Is. Condemnation. And.

[36:01] That's. In. Stark. Contrast. To. The. Eternal. Life. That. Awaits. The. Christian. Which. We. See. There. In. Verse. 21. Those. Who. Wait. For. The. Mercy. Of. The. Lord.

[36:11] Jesus. Christ. That. Leads. To. Eternal. Life. To. Completely. The. Opposite. Destinations. These. People. In. The. Church. These. Dangerous. Gospel. Underminers.

[36:21] They're. Headed. For. Destruction. But. The. Christian. Is. Headed. To. Eternal. Life. They've. Got. A. Different. End. So. There. Is.

[36:31] Our. Vivid. Portrait. Gallery. Of. These. People. We're. To. Recognize. The. Danger. Signs. When. We. See. Them. These. People. Have. A. Different. Authority. They. Produce.

[36:41] A. Different. Kind. Of. Fruit. And. They. Are. Destined. For. A. Different. End. Can. We. See. The. Fundamental. Danger. Post. By. Such. People. Who. Go. Unnoticed. In. The. Church. Today. Be.

[36:53] Alert. To. Such. People. Because. On. The. Surface. They. Are. Lovely. And. Nice. They. Don't. Look. Any. And.

[37:10] Recognize. And. Remember. That. Jesus. Is. Judge. What. Are. We. To. Make. Of. All. This. It's.

[37:22] Quite. A. Heart. Hitting. Passage. There's. A. Lot. In. There. What. Are. We. To. Do. With. Jude's. Unmasking. Of. This. Condemned. Threat. Perhaps.

[37:32] This. Is. Your. Very. First. Time. In. Church. No. Doubt. You're. Wondering. What. On. Earth. Am I. To. Do. With. Jude's. Message. To. Us. Today. Well. I.

[37:43] Hope. That. You. Can. See. That. In. Christianity. The. Truth. Really. Does. Matter. The. Truth. Really. Matters. Jude's. Whole. Reason. For. Writing. Is.

[37:53] That. The. One. True. Faith. Is. Being. Threatened. And. It's. A. Faith. That. Is. Objective. They.

[38:08] Are. Relying. On. Their. Own. Dreams. They. Are. Their. Own. Authorities. But. Jude's. Authority. Is. God's. Revelation. Of. Himself. Christianity.

[38:19] Is. Based. On. Facts. And. Truth. And. Jude. Is. Urging. The. Church. To. Contend. For. That. So. If. You. Perhaps. Here.

[38:30] For. The. Very. First. Time. I. Would. Urge. You. To. Look. Into. The. The. The. Faith. The. Truth. That. Jesus. Is. A. Savior. Yes. Absolutely.

[38:40] But. Also. Jesus. Is. A. Judge. Maybe. You're. Sat. There. Listening. To. This. And. As. You've. Done. So.

[38:50] You've. Become. Just. A. Little. Bit. Uncomfortable. Jude. Is. A. Little. Bit. Close. To. The. Bone. Here. And. You're. Worried. Am. I. One. Of. These. People. That. He's. Warning. About. Is. That. Me. Well.

[39:02] Friends. Can. I. Assure. You. That. If. You. Are. Worried. That. Is. A. Good. Sign. The. People. That. Jude. Is. Writing. About. The. People. That. He's. Warning. About.

[39:14] They. Would. Not. Have. Responded. To. This. Message. By. Repenting. These. People. Disbelieve. They. Rely. On. Their. Dreams. They. Blaspheme.

[39:24] All. They. Don't. Understand. They. Are. Wildly. They. Are. Devoid. Of. The. Spirit. They. Wouldn't. Have. Been. Worried. By. Jude. Message. But.

[39:34] If. You. Think. That. Any. Of. What. Jude. Says. About. These. People. Applies. To. You. Then. We. Can. Repent. We. Turn. Confess. And. Know. That. God. Forgives. Us.

[39:45] But. These. People. Would. Not. Have. Been. Worried. By. This. Message. They. Got. Different. Authority. And. Lastly. What. Does. Jude.

[39:55] Have. To. Say. To. The. Christian. In. The. Local. Church. That's. Most. Of. Us. Here. This. Evening. Remember. That. Jude. Is. Addressing. All. Who. Are. Called. Beloved. And. Kept.

[40:06] That's. Who. He's. Addressing. And. That's. True. Of. You. If. You. Call. On. The. Lord. As. Your. Savior. What. Are. We. To. Do. With. Jude's. Message. Well.

[40:17] We're. To. Remember. That. Jesus. Is. Judge. Don't. Follow. These. People. That. Jude. Warns. About. Don't. Follow. Them. No. Matter. How. Attractive. Ultimate.

[40:34] Destination. Lift. Your. Horizons. To. The. Ultimate. Eternal. Horizons. And. Also. We need. To. Learn. To. Recognize. The. Danger. Signs. We're.

[40:46] Not. To. Sit. Back. And. Hope. That. Everything. Will. Be. Okay. And. Pan. Out. In. The. End. We're. To. To. To. Be. Discerning. We. Are. To. Strive. And. Contend. For.

[40:57] The. Faith. That. Is. Why. Jude. Is. Writing. It's. A. Sobering. Message. But. Jude.

[41:08] Spends. Time. On. It. Doesn't. He. Most. Of. His. Letter. Is. Taken. Up. With. These. Two. Things. Remember. Jesus. Judge. And. Recognize. The. Danger. Sites. How.

[41:20]  We. Will. Contend. For. The. Faith. We'll. Think. About. Next. Week.