12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you
without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along
by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 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.
THE STUDY:
Continuing on
breaking down verses 12-13, we read how Jude moves from example to application in
these two verses. Jude ascribes the same kind of wickedness and destruction to
the false teachers as was illustrated by his three infamous examples (Cain, Balaam, and Korah). Six vivid
portrayals of the false teachers are given. Yesterday we looked at how these
intruders were like hidden rocks in
the midst of God’s people.
Today, we are
going to look at the second one: They are shepherds
feeding themselves (heautous
poimainontes: shepherding themselves).
Shepherding in the NT usually alludes to pastoral leadership. Thus, Jude may
imply that the intruders claim to be leaders in the church, but instead of
tending the flock they only look after themselves. With only their own
interests in mind, the false teachers gather followers only to lead them
astray.[1]
WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY
WITH ….
- We walk away this morning with the understanding that church leaders with the wrong motives will not only cause themselves to stray from Christ and his teachings but their followers as well.
CONCLUSION:
We have seen many tragic examples
of religious leaders leading their followers astray over the last decade: Jim Jones,
David Koresh, Marshall Applewhite (Heaven’s Gate). In all of these cases, each
leader convinced their followers to meet their own needs, motives, and visions
while claiming this to be prophetic.
Many people have asked the question,
“How does someone let this happen to them?” I won’t attempt to answer this
question! I believe the more poignant question should be, “How can someone
recognize and shield themselves from these types of leaders?”
One of the things my wife and I teach
our children is this thing called, “RED FLAGS!” Red Flags are those that start
waving deep inside your soul that is warning you of something. Have you ever
had a moment where you walked into a room and something didn’t feel right in
your spirit or you came upon a person who made you feel uncomfortable? Those
are the “Red Flags” we are talking about.
How can someone recognize and shield
themselves from these types of leaders? By developing a “personal relationship”
with Christ! Being in a personal relationship with Christ means you are
spending time every day in his word. You are praying and meditating on a
regular basis, (ever second, minute, hour, and day). And everything you are
learning about Christ is confirmed by the Holy Spirit.
Let today be a day that you enhance
your ability to hear, feel and sense those “Red Flags!” Read about, pray to,
and meditate on Christ. Blessings
Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod
[1]
Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2
Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible
Commentary (281). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.
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