Sunday, November 11, 2018

The Book of Jude – Part 2: Sin in the Church - HOFC


The Book of Jude – Part 2:
Sin in the Church - HOFC
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

This Document is a Sermon Outline, you may hear the full audio of the actual sermon by following the link Online Audio Files located above for this, and other Full Sermon Audios.  For a complete list of Sermon Outlines, visit TruthDigest.org, or Truth Digest on facebook; for our Official Church website, visit PS127.org, or find us on facebook at House of Faith Church

SERMON INTRODUCTION
Today we will look at what Jude says about the purpose of his General Epistle, and how his intentions were changed by God’s Spirit to address the problem of Sin in the Church.

This message is appropriate for any generation, because those who take advantage will always try to be among us, as wolves in sheep’s clothing.

They hide in plain sight, thinking they are unseen in their sin, protected by the flock, hidden among the sheep, with license to do their evil works while all the while lying to others, and themselves.

Today’s sermon will probably upset some, as sermons on judging those inside the church, disciplining those who sin, breaking fellowship with habitual sinners, etc often do.

I have been accused of many things over the years, the reality is, the accusers are often ignorant of the Word of God and fail to realize that my actions, the things they are offended by, are in truth obedience to God’s Holy Word, and I have many times offered extensive scriptural proof to those who confront me, which usually fall on deaf ears.

Hosea 4:6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me...”


LAST WEEK’S SERMON
Part 1 - Introduction


TODAY’S SERMON
Part 2 - Sin in the Church


SCRIPTURE READING
Jude 1:3-4
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”


       I.            THE LETTERS INTENDED PURPOSE
a.      Jude was eager to write about the salvation we all share
                                                             i.      Jude was excited to write an epistle, probably similar to Romans

                                                          ii.      However, as we are reminded in the Word, if we are listening to the Spirit of God, our plans are not always God’s plans.

1.      Proverbs 19:21Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand.”

2.      Proverbs 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”

                                                       iii.      If we listen, we can hear the direction of the Spirit of God, and we can chose to be obedient and follow!


b.     He was led however to write about sin in the church
                                                             i.      A compulsion generated by God’s Holy Spirit
                                                          ii.      A leading we can all experience
                                                       iii.      “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25)


c.      So he wrote a warning with encouragement to the saints
                                                             i.      I felt compelled to write and urge (advise) you to contend (fight for) for the faith that was entrusted to God’s holy people.”

1.      Advising that we fight for the faith in the church

2.      Because? The faith has been entrusted to God’s Holy People!

                                                          ii.      Why was Jude compelled to write to the saints about fighting for the faith inside the church?
1.      Because the Spirit of God knew, there were tares among the wheat, wolves among the sheep, liars amongst the bearers of truth

2.      The Saints must defend the Doctrines of Christianity with intense effort within the Body of Christ!


   II.            THE WARNING OF THE UNGODLY AMONG THE SAINTS
a.      There are certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago
                                                             i.      False teachers / those who profess false doctrines, FAKE followers of Christ

                                                          ii.      They come into the flock by stealth

                                                       iii.      dishonesty

                                                         iv.      They assume an outward expression of light, sound familiar?
1.      2 Corinthians 11:12-14I (Apostle Paul) will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”


b.     They have secretly slipped in among you
                                                             i.      They use lies, dishonesty, falsehoods, pretending to believe and be things they are not as to infiltrate the congregation.

                                                          ii.      Tares among the wheat, wolves among the sheep


c.      They are ungodly
                                                             i.      Claiming to live by the Spirit, but truthfully following the desires of their flesh as their true God

                                                          ii.      Galatians 5:19-21The acts of the flesh are obvious:
1.      sexual immorality - Adultery, fornication, etc
2.      impurity
3.      debauchery - dishonesty (liar, deceitful)
4.       idolatry - loving anything greater than God
5.      witchcraft - manipulating others to do your will
6.      hatred
7.      conflict - in the congregation
8.       jealousy - in the congregation
9.      fits of rage - loss of self-control
10. selfish ambition - hurting others to get what you want
11. rebellion - against the church and doctrines of Christ
12. factions - clicks, selecting some, denying others
13. envy - for what others have, covetousness
14. drunkenness - either alcohol, or other drugs, getting “high”
15.  orgies
16. and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

                                                       iii.      Those who hide in plain sight, pretending to be a follower of the Spirit of God, yet live by the flesh, they are the ungodly Jude is warning the church about.


d.     They are ungodly people who secretly sneak into your midst
                                                             i.      They pervert the grace of God

1.      pervert means to alter (something) from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.

                                                          ii.      They pervert God’s grace
1.      Romans 1:5Through him (Jesus) we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.”

2.      God’s grace is received through Jesus Christ by faith, giving us the ability to be obedient for His name’s sake!

3.      Ephesians 2:8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith”


                                                       iii.      The ungodly pervert God’s Grace
1.      Verse 4They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality...”

2.      and in doing so, deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord


III.            SCRIPTURE TELLS OF THESE AND WHAT THE REMEDY IS
a.      We are warned throughout scripture of these types of people
                                                             i.      Mark 4:16-17 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.”

                                                          ii.      1 John 2:18-19 “Little children, it is the last hour. Just as you heard that an antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. They left us, but they were not part of us, for if they had been part of us, they would have stayed with us. Their leaving made it clear that none of them was really part of us.”

                                                       iii.      James 4:4  You unfaithful people! Don’t you know that love for this [evil] world is hatred toward God? Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.

                                                         iv.      Matthew 15:8 This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

                                                            v.      2 Timothy 4:3-4 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

                                                         vi.      Psalm 119:104 Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.

                                                      vii.      AND many, many, many more!!!


b.     They claim to be followers of the Spirit, but follow their flesh
                                                             i.      And eventually, their lies are revealed by the light
                                                          ii.      They cannot hide forever
                                                       iii.      And when they reveal themselves, they MUST be dealt with!

c.      The scripture also tells us what we are to do about these types of people
                                                             i.      The book of Matthew tells us what to do with those in the church who are sinning.

1.      Matthew 18:15-17  “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

                                                          ii.      If one is sinning, and refuses to stop, and wants to live in his sin, we are to remove them from the congregation!

                                                       iii.      again; I Corinthians 5:12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

1.      We ARE TO REMOVE the sexually immoral from the congregation!


CONCLUSION
When confronted with false converts, or those who chose to live by their flesh within the congregation, Jude tells us through the leading of the Holy Spirit we are to confront them, and remove them from the congregation.

It is true God forgives sin, however without confession, there can be no repentance, without repentance there can be no forgiveness, without forgiveness one lives in his sin and must be removed from among the believers.

As Matthew 18:17 states, “if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

And I Corinthians 5:12Expel the wicked person from among you.”

I have been falsely accused of many things over the years, however, if the accusers would read the scriptures, and listen to the Spirit instead of their own flesh’s desires, they too would see my actions are obedience to scripture rather than pleasing to the flesh.



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