The Voice! (Jude 11 – Part 4)

Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

               

THE STUDY:

          This morning we want to look at Korah. This is the last of Jude’s three OT examples of individuals who disobeyed God and were severely punished. Korah is known for leading 250 prominent Israelites to rebel against the leadership of Moses and Aaron (Num 16:1–35). In response, God caused the earth to open up and swallow Korah and his followers, their families, and all their possessions.

The image of Korah’s destruction would have been vivid for Jude’s readers. Korah led others into rebellion and destruction. Jude may also imply that the intruders are rejecting legitimate authority within the church. Both elements—leading others into destruction and rebellion against legitimate authority within the church—are instrumental to Jude’s denunciation of the false teachers.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with the understanding that there is an importance to the idea of accountability and submission to authority. Just as we are to be subject to the law of the land and the policeman who enforce it, so are we to the commandments of God and the spiritual leaders who are teaching and preaching God’s word!

CONCLUSION:

When my son Logan was little, all I had to do was speak in, a firm voice, and he would listen to me. If he was running toward the road all I had to do was say, “Stop” and he would listen. The whole reasoning and/or purpose for us as parents is to raise our children with the morals and character that we have and instill in them the knowledge that will help them be successful in life! The other reasoning is to help our children listen to God! If our children will listen to their earthly father (One they can see) there is a great chance they will listen to their heavenly Father (One they cannot see)as well!

The example of both “fathers” is an example of love and care for their children. They are not going to lead their children astray. This only comes about when we trust and know the Fathers voice! By knowing His voice helps to know the deceivers voice as well. The Fathers voice is revealed to us in a couple of ways: through his word, through prayer, or through that still internal voice that speaks to the heart.

Today, if you know the voice of the Father, keep listening to Him. If you struggle with knowing that voice, keep pursuing. If you have never heard that voice, stop and listen right now! He has wanted to talk to you for a long time.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (280). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

Love of Money! (Jude 11 – Part 3)

Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

               

THE STUDY:

          This morning we want to look at Jude’s three OT examples of individuals who disobeyed God and were severely punished: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. Today we will look at Balaam. The immoral infiltrators abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error (see 2 Pet 2:15–16). The greed of Balaam is firmly established in Num 22–24. Balaam was hired by Israel’s enemy, King Balak of Moab, to curse Israel. Although he was ultimately unable to curse Israel, he became infamous for his willingness to try to do so for profit. Balaam was also blamed for leading the people of Israel into immorality and idolatry at Baal-peor (Num 31:16). By this analogy, Jude accused his opponents of rushing for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error by deceiving their fellow Christians. The word gain implies that they were reaping financial benefits from their victims.^[1]    

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that Balaam is a great example of the scriptural warning found in I Timothy 6:10, For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

CONCLUSION:

I Timothy 6:10 is one of the most mis-quoted passages of scripture in the bible. Money is not evil, it is the “LOVE OF MONEY” that is the root of all kinds of evil.

I have a good friend who lives in Richmond Virginia who shared with me his attitude toward money. He said, “Money is a tool that is used to help me to further God’s purpose.” I love this way of looking at it. Money doesn’t make the world go around but it can cause God’s purpose to go around the world.

Some may say, “people who say that about money are people who have money.” Let us remember that God will take care of all our needs. That includes money! When I start to feel the pressures of the world (Bills are due, can I stretch our paycheck to the end of the week) I am reminded of this passage of scripture (Matt. 6:26) Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

You are valuable to God! Today, let God show you just how valuable you are to Him. Trust and Obey, for there is no other way. Amen? Amen!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (280). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

The “Cain” in Your Life! (Jude 11 – Part 2)

Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

               

THE STUDY:

          This morning we want to look at Jude’s three OT examples of individuals who disobeyed God and were severely punished: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. We will start by looking at Cain. The immoral intruders walked in the way of Cain. Cain is well-known as the first murderer, who killed his brother Abel out of envy (Gen 4:1–16). In Jewish tradition, Cain served as the classic example of an ungodly skeptic. Jewish rabbis taught that Cain corrupted humanity and became a great leader of men into wicked ways. By accusing the intruders of following the way of Cain, Jude insinuates that they led other people into sinful immorality.^[1]       

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that human nature has this bent toward sin and those who are not true believers of Christ can, and will, lead believers away from Christ. Just as Satan was putting doubt into the minds of Adam and Eve, we face the same adversary who will try to cause doubt in the minds of believers today.

CONCLUSION:

As a youth pastor, I would tell the parents of our teen group, “You need to embrace the idea that your teen may not talk to you about certain things. Don’t get upset with this fact! Pray and allow God to guide your kids to someone who they will talk too who is a true believer.” Parents, you want that person to be an individual such as a youth pastor or a godly leader of the church.

The reason I tell parents this is because their teens, just like adults, are being preyed upon. Satan is out to lead God’s people astray. How does he lead them astray? By the oldest trick in the book, LIES! We are all being lied to by Satan. Most teens won’t ask their parents if it’s a lie or not. If they are not careful, after a while, they start to believe those lies.

There is always someone whispering in our ear. The important thing for us to do is recognize who is whispering and act accordingly. If it is Satan, “Rebuke him, in the name of Jesus!” If it is God, “Embrace Him! For what he is saying is good!”

You will come across someone today that will want to lead you away from the truth. They will present to you questions that may cause you to start questioning what you have been taught concerning Christ. Recognize this “Cain” in your life and act accordingly: Rebuke Satan or trust in the Lord! Have that faith that will move you to action!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (279). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

Pitch Fork Syndrome! (Jude 11)

Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

               

THE STUDY:

          This verse has so much packed into it, we will need to break it down and look at it over a few days. This morning we want to look at the beginning sentence, “Woe to them!” In the Synoptic Gospels Jesus’ frequent cries of Woe (e.g., Matt 11:21; 18:7; 23:13; Mark 14:21; Luke 6:24–26; 11:42) announce the coming doom of certain people. As in Isa 3:11, Woe was used especially by the prophets in the OT to announce the pain and distress people would experience as a result of God’s judgment on them. Similarly, Jude pronounces Woe upon the intruders, anticipating the divine destruction awaiting them.

          In quick succession, Jude recalls three OT examples of individuals who disobeyed God and were severely punished: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. Jewish tradition attributes more sins to Cain, Balaam, and Korah than does the OT. In Jewish tradition, all three men became representative leaders in wickedness with followers in their degenerate ways.^[1] We will start to look at these three examples individually.

          Jude pronounces woes upon his godless contemporaries and tells them that they are heading for destruction. At the same time his words are a warning to his readers not to permit these godless men to lead them astray.^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that a warning can have an effect on three groups: the person/people it is warning, the person/people who is doing the warning, and the person/people who heard or seen the warning given.

CONCLUSION:

I have preached many times on sin and the warnings God has given to us through His word. I have watched the Holy Spirit come upon people and change their lives for the better through those warnings. As a minister, there is no greater joy than to be a part of this. But I have to admit, too many times, people don’t heed to the warnings from God! They have the “Pitch Fork” Syndrome!

What is the “Pitch Fork” Syndrome? This is a condition that is found mainly in believers who, while sitting in a church service, will take the warning and/or message of God that is meant for them and pitch it over to someone else in the congregation. They will say things like, “Mrs. Jones needed to hear that” or “That was for my Sunday school teacher who is living in sin.” (What they believe is to be sin!)

Church, let His word reveal what needs to be done in your heart first before you go and cast “Woes” on others. Jesus addressed this very thing, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matt. 7:3-5)

Let us remember, the bible is to be used as a mirror, not a weapon.  

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (279). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 16: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude. New Testament Commentary (389). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.