Find Some Conviction! (Jude 12-13 Part 6)

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 the breakdown of verses 12-13, yesterday we looked at how these intruders were like wild waves of the seas leaving behind filth and debris. Today, we are going to look at the final example that Jude uses to describe these false teachers: They are like wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

          Wandering stars probably refers to the planets, whose irregular movements were not understood by the people of that day. In Jewish tradition planets and falling stars were thought to be controlled by disobedient angels (1 En. 18:13–16; 21:3–6). Since Jude quotes from 1 Enoch in the following verse, he probably has disobedient angels in mind when he compares the false teachers to wandering stars. Because of their ever-changing movement within their orbits, planets cannot be used by travelers for navigation. Likewise, the false teachers were unstable and unsafe for spiritual navigation.

Each subdivision of this section (vv 5–19) ends with a note of judgment and punishment (vs 7, 10, 11). The theme of punishment and judgment appears again at the end of v 13. The false teachers’ fate is utter darkness.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that a leader (inside or outside the church) should be a person who is found stable and trustworthy. This is especially true when it comes to leading a church spiritually. If you do not lead by a conviction in your heart for the teachings and guidance of the Holy Spirit you will appear as a wondering star.

CONCLUSION:

          I watched a movie a few months ago called “7 Days in Utopia.” I would say it has become one of my top ten favorite movies of all time. The main character is a golfer who, after listening to his father (coach) all his life, approached the 18^th hole of a major tournament with the lead. He felt he needed to play it safe but his father advised him to be aggressive and go for the green. The movie portrayed the father as someone who, with all good intentions, did not have his son’s best interest at heart. The father was off course in his life and was teaching his son to follow the same path.

          The golfer finds himself in a little town called Utopia were his mistakes are revealed and a mentor emerges who decides to take the next 7 days to help him find what he had lost. My favorite line in this movie is where the mentor tells the golfer, “The first step is to find some conviction.” http://youtu.be/L0Bw6og8EWo

          If we don’t live by a conviction of the heart we will find ourselves following false teachers, misguided coaches, etc. We might even be found guilty of leading others astray as well! Today, let people see our “conviction” so they will either allow us to lead them to Christ or be encouraged to find some conviction themselves.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

---

^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (282–283). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

Filth and Debris! (Jude 12-13 Part 5)

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 the breakdown of verses 12-13, last week we looked at how these intruders were like fruitless trees: they make empty promises. Today, we are going to look at the fifth one: They were like wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame. This portrayal is probably derived from Isaiah 57:20: “But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.” Like restless waves of the sea, the false teachers leave filthy scum and debris in their wake. Shame is actually plural, shames. Jude may be thinking of the shameful sins of the intruders.

This metaphor makes a different point than the previous images. Whereas the clouds and trees produced nothing, the wild waves actually produce something, but something awful. Instead of edifying other Christians, [the intruder] soils them like the dirt thrown up by a stormy sea.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that non-believers (false teachers) do two things; they produce nothing fruitful to the glory of God and they leave behind guilt and shame for others to deal with.

CONCLUSION:

We have read the headlines and have even watched the documentaries of those false teachers of our day who have left behind a shoreline of filthy scum and debris after their wake. Our hearts have gone out to those who were mis-led and we may have even questioned “How could someone fall prey to this?”

As many of you know, I was not raised in the church. It was not until my mid 20’s did I come to know Jesus Christ as my personal savior. In those years leading up to my salvation experience I had done some things that were not appropriate when it came to girls. Without going into detail, I had basically done what these spiritual leaders had done: mislead for my own pleasure and left a wake of filth and debris for these women to deal with. I have asked God to forgive me for these sins and have asked those (as the opportunity has arose) who I have hurt to forgive me as well.

There is a possibility we have all been in this situation before, where we were either the “false teacher” or “the victim!” Today we may realize we are the ones who are out for personal gain. Better yet, we may realize we are being led astray to be left behind to deal with the guilt and shame. Let today be the day we either receive forgiveness or extend forgiveness to those who may have left us to deal with the filth and debris. God’s blessings and goodness are just on the other side of forgiveness.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

---

^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (282). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.