Bring it on? No, No, No! (Jude 8 – Part 3)

Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

               

THE STUDY:

           Over the last couple of days we have looked at the word “dreams” and how it relates to the action of the three following phrase: defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. Yesterday we talked about rejecting authority! Today we are going to look at how these people, through their so called dreams, would blaspheme the glorious ones.

          Just like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who, in some scholar’s opinions, lusted after the heavenly messengers, the false teachers blaspheme the glorious ones. The glorious ones refer to angels (see 2 Pet 2:10).

          This passage is admittedly unclear, but the slander of glorious ones probably means that the false teachers were belittling the angelic powers of evil. Not even the archangel Michael was so arrogantly disrespectful (v 9).

The intruders in the church of Jude’s dear friends perpetrated the same kinds of sins as the rebellious Israelites, the fallen angels, and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Disregarding God’s punishment of wickedness, these dreamers exhibit the same sinfulness God has consistently punished in the past.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that even though we have the power of the Holy Spirit living through us as believers, does not mean we should disregard or even entice an encounter with the evil one. Christ never demonstrated this nor should we.

CONCLUSION:

           Back in my home town in West Virginia I was filling in for my pastor one Sunday night. I preached a sermon were I got a little excited and said something I wish I could have taken back. I enticed Satan, or better yet, I challenged him by saiying, “Bring it on!” After stepping down from the platform I had one of our dear friends inform me, in a loving way, that you should NEVER, NEVER, NEVER challenge Satan. I wish I could tell you my friend was wrong but they were right! The next couple of days were challenging to say the least.

          Let us remember that it is through Christ that we are able to overcome the evil one. If you are like me, in my younger days, you thrive on challenges. There will be challenges today! Let Christ and his power, love, and strength be your resource to which the battle is fought. Through Christ you will have VICTORY!

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 (277). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 2:24-25 (Part 1)

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²⁴Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.

²⁵And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

THE STUDY:

          This morning we read this passage and we should be reminded of verses 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard” and 2:7 “Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.” With the rebuking of this Gnostic teaching, again, John is referring back to the beginning what you heard from the beginning.

          We, as parents, have disciplined our children. In doing this we have said things like, “you know better than that!” What are we really saying? We have taught them from the beginning how to behave and every once in while they slip up and we have to remind them by leading them back to the very beginning of what we taught them. John is doing the same thing by referring his flock back to what they were taught from the very beginning.

          Not only does John take them back to the beginning but he reminds them to what he is referring too: abide in you. This is the very thing they have heard, been taught, and have believed in from childhood: about the Son and the Father. John is reminding them to remain in the Son and in the Father.  

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with this morning understanding that in or times of valleys or troubles we need to go back to the beginning: What we have been taught and what we understand as the truth. There are going to be days, when our faith is challenged, when the lies from Satan get us to question and doubt, or when we our physically weak! When those days come let us “abide” (remain) in the truth of Jesus Christ and of the Father.

CONCLUSION:

           I was talking with the dean of an American college some years ago. She shared a story about a woman who for the last four years had taken the same course in algebra even though she had passed it the first time.

          The dean inquired of her for an explanation. The woman said she was so tired of arguing with her neighbors about everything in the world that she wanted to study something she couldn’t argue about.

          Mathematical calculations certainly do not change. Two times two will eternally be four. And that truth is authoritative as well as eternal.

          The same is true with the Word of God. It is authoritative and eternal. When in doubt during your life, go back to the truth! It will never changed nor will it ever left you.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod