Let‘s get real / Week 1

Introduction to Truth Series

Jude September 19, 2021

Introduction:

A. Turn in your Bibles to Jude 3

1. The easiest way to find the book of Jude is that it is the next to last book in

the Bible just before the book of Revelation. Since it is only one chapter

long, Jude 3 means it is the third verse in the very first and only chapter

2. Read

B. Quick overview of the book

1. In v3 he planned to write to these Christians regarding their salvation that

they shared together

a) But instead of doing that, he put that aside because he felt the necessity

to write instead to encourage them to contend, which means to struggle

intensely.

b) This intense struggle was over the Bible, the truth given to them in the

Scriptures, which is called here “the faith” here, which was handed down

to the believers from God one time, never to be repeated again!

(1) Side note – he is not encouraging the pastor or the elders of that

church to fight for the truth but rather it is something he is

encouraging that every one of the believers join in on!

2. Why did he change his plans – v 4 tells us “for”

a) Read

b) Basically there were people who slipped into their church unnoticed and

these people were characterized by two things

(1) They turned God’s grace into a license to do whatever they wanted

to do

(2) They reject the authority of the lord Jesus Christ over them

(3) Then he spends all the way to verse 16 reminding them of the

judgment that will come the way of these false teachers and more

of what they are like.

3. Then he gives them a reminder in v17.

a) Read v17-19

b) Basically the apostles warned us that in the last time that it would be like

this

4. Then in verses 20-23, he tells them what they should do about this.

a) As I read it watch for this:– the command here is to keep yourself in the

love of God by doing three things: praying by means of the Holy Spirit,

keep your hearts eyes locked on the return of Jesus and finally impacting

some others along the way.

b) Read v20-23

5. Finally he closes this chapter with a great benediction of hope

a) Read v24-25

b) Basically Jesus is the one who is able to make us stand, keep us from

stumbling during these difficult days and to be blameless and full of joy

when we stand before the greatness of God’s glory

c) I love this because he is simply saying that as we walk within all these

spiritual land mines both in the church and in the world, in the last days,

that Jesus is able to guide us and keep us until we stand before Jesus!

d) That points us to where my hope and trust needs to be in these chaotic

days

C. This chapter is important because it explains exactly why we are doing this series

and gives us some guidance with this series on truth called – “let’s get real!”

• Let’s start with …

II. Why we are doing this series

A. Reread Jude 3

B. Let me take you back a few months ago to a board meeting we had.

1. Men of Issachar 1 Chronicles 12:32 – we wanted to make sure we not only

knew what the Bible tells us we should do but also the culture and times we

are living in so we can lead and teach more wisely!

2. Mike Locke shared at the board meeting much of what our young people face

in the culture today and it was an eye opener for most of us on the board

3. As he was sharing my heart was stirred and I went home thinking about it.

When I woke up the next morning, I just knew I needed to make my next

series a series on truth.

C. In addition, the battle for truth is a frontal attack on the very character and glory

of God! It began in Genesis 3 in the garden when Satan attacked what God said

(God’s word)

1. The battle for truth is moving towards a time when the little horn, the

antichrist, will fling truth to the ground Daniel 8:12.

a) I think we are seeing the world prepared for this right now.

2. Also, there are direct warnings about false teachers in 22 of 27 books of the

New Testament!

D. We must remember that false teaching is not just bad teaching or wrong teaching

but rather it is teaching that is demonically powerful to keep lost people locked

into their lost state and cause believers to be entrapped by sin and lies!

• Now from two others parts in Jude we get

III. Guidance for the series

A. First, v4 re-read – there was false teachers creeping into the church

1. Today the thinking of the world is squeezing Christians into it mold!

a) Modernism elevated human reasoning and science above faith as the

means to discover truth and with these truth discoveries, they promised a

better world.

b) Now today the postmodern world began as a response to the modern’s

failure to provide the better world it promised.

(1) They question the existence of truth, especially objective and

absolute truth (something outside of ourselves that is true for all

people in all places at all times) to something subjective and

relative (something inside of the person depending upon the

individuals conditions and personal perceptions)

2. Liberalism has crept in the church at large over the last 50 years. Thus,

many theologians were squeezed into the world’s way of thinking about God

and Scripture and in turn, they have impacted the church!

a) As a result they have been deconstructing long held beliefs about God

and His Word and are coming up with new ways of thinking about God

and the Bible that are:

(1) More consistent with a humanistic way of thinking that limits all of

life to the material world and removes any place for miracles

(2) A theology that is much more acceptable and cultural friendly to

these times because some key biblical doctrines can be seem as

unloving, exclusive and offensive to a postmodern way of

thinking.

b) Some of the key doctrines that are being attacked are:

(1) The claims of the Bible to be objective and absolutely true that is

binding on everyone and that other religious and moral claims are

false

(2) A more sexually friendly ethic that includes others who do not

practice the heterosexual marital sex taught by the Bible

(3) The cross of Jesus is seen as cosmic child abuse and offensive to

think of a God who would sacrifice his own son

(4) The wrath of God is seen as offensive and unloving so teachings

about God’s wrath are redefined.

(5) Miracles are impossible because they cannot be measured by

science or fit into man’s rationalistic and humanistic way of

thinking

(6) The teaching about the roles of women in the church and marriage

are out of date and we have progressed beyond those times so they

need to be updated.

B. The goal of this series is not to change the way that the world thinks, that is not

going to happen as we move towards a time under the antichrist when truth will

be flung to the ground. But rather how we as Christians can navigate, stay afloat

and respond in these times as well as how we can impact others for the glory of

God.

1. That is the heart of our mission at MVC - following Jesus and impacting

others

2. Regarding impacting others read v 22-23

a) V 22 - there are some who are doubting because of the impact these false

teachings have had on them. Our role is not to condemn and threaten

them with God’s spanking but rather to show them mercy and help them

out

b) V 23a -others are lost because of the influence of the way this culture

thinks and false teachings about the gospel of Jesus Christ - by God’s

grace He will use us to lead some to Jesus and snatch some of those out

of the fire of hell.

c) V24b - still others I believe have been so contaminated by false teaching

and the sin that comes with it that you are to show them mercy with fear.

In other words, minister to them very carefully with great respect of the

power of the spiritual deception of Satan lest you yourself be deceived

and fall away!

IV.Where we are going in this series

A. We are going to start next week by defining truth. Since it is a series on truth we

should understand what truth is or maybe more accurately said, who truth is

B. Then we will try to understand the way the world is thinking today and how it got

there and its implications for us in contending for the truth in our own lives, our

church and the world

C. Since the Bible is the place where God reveals His truth, we will learn what the

Bible says about itself regarding truth. Since this book is what we are building

our lives off of, we will see if there is any intellectual credence for believing it as

truth or are we just believing it because we were told we are supposed to

D. Then we will close by seeing that God has committed to the church the task of

being the pillar and support of the truth!

• With all the waves of false thinking that is coming our way

V. How do we stand strong?

A. This we also see in Jude! Remember v 3 contend for the faith – remember it was

when David stayed home at the time when kings go out for battle that he fell with

Bathsheba.

1. The safest place in the world is being in the middle of God’s will, in this

respect it is contending for the faith rather than sitting on the sidelines

thinking the battle is too much for you.

B. Keep yourself within the love of God

1. We learn from John that means to obey God and His Word! John 15:10

2. Pray under the leading and influence of the Holy Spirit

3. Lock your heart on what is coming when Jesus returns

C. Trust Jesus to not only keep you from falling during this time but to give you the

strength to not only stand but to join in the battle for truth so you can have an

impact on others!

1. Jude 24-25