Jude

[0:00] on my mind is in the general epistle of Jude, and I will venture to direct your attention to the twenty-fourth and fifth verses, the last two verses in the general epistle of Jude.

[0:20] Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, that the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.

[0:47] Amen. The twenty-fourth and fifth verses in the general epistle of Jude. The Lord Jesus Christ exhorted us to search the scriptures, and one will appreciate that the use of things produces an understanding of them which is denied a casual person.

[1:30] If we seldom use a thing, we have difficulty in remembering the way it functions and the suitability of the instrument to various ends.

[1:52] And my friends, those that treat the scripture in comparative indifference, they lose much by that attitude over and against those who are familiar with the word of God.

[2:16] Now, by that I do not want to infer in any way to you the impression that by a natural reading of the scripture, the benefit of the scriptures as given by God can be gained.

[2:38] The benefit of the scripture is under the blessing of the Holy Spirit, as everything of a spiritual nature needs such blessing.

[2:58] One of the hymn writers, writing of the scripture, exhorts us to use prayer with each inspection. And my friends, it's most profitable as we take up the scripture to pray that the Lord will bless us in the reading of it.

[3:23] But I do feel that a familiarity with the word is of great benefit. Because the Holy Spirit can bring to our remembrance things in other places in the word of God that prove constructive in our meditation, that have an enlarging effect in our knowledge and understanding of the word of God.

[3:55] Now, any that are familiar with the spirit and use of scripture will appreciate in Jude's epistle two things scripturally unfolding.

[4:12] My friends, Jude's epistle is essentially the savour of death unto death to those that perish.

[4:26] But it is also the savour of life unto life to those that are saved. And as we read Jude's epistle, we have a most solemn and sacred line drawn for us.

[4:44] And it's a wonderful thing to feel at the end of the epistle, as we have prayerfully considered its content, that by God's grace we stand on the right side of the line.

[4:59] But though we may have the assurance within us of standing on the right side of the line in regard to saving interest according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit through his servant Jude, yet, my friends, Jude solemnly warns us that we're not out of danger.

[5:29] While we're in this world. And that we mustn't, shall I say, rest on the fact that God in his grace has touched our hearts, lest we become guilty of that solemn condemnation that the Apostle Paul wrote of.

[5:57] Let us sin that grace may abound. Well now, Jude's epistle is full of warning.

[6:09] Reminds me of a stretch of coast with many shelves and rocks, and possessed of many lighthouses that warn navigating souls of the dangers that accompany them in their passage along life's way.

[6:33] I will not spend time in going into these in detail, because it would take up the time.

[6:43] But I just want to bear reference to Jude's drawing of our attention to this in verse 5.

[6:58] I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed now.

[7:13] Now to me, that's a very searching scripture. That there was a multitude of the children of Israel who came out of Egypt, and they partook of the benefits of the wilderness, the manna, the water out of the rock, and so forth, and they journeyed right across the Sinai Desert.

[7:42] They trembled at the foot of the mount when the Lord gave the law to Moses. And all the experiences, in general terms, associating with the passage from Egypt to the very border of the promised land, these people were the subjects of.

[8:04] When they got to the border of the promised land, according to the direction of God and Moses, twelve representatives were sent into the land of promise.

[8:19] To view the land and to bring back their report. Ten brought back an evil report. Two, Joshua and Caleb, they brought back a good report.

[8:32] But my friends, the generation that had come all the way through, they believed the majority report. They listened to the ten, and they became full of fear, full of evil foreboding through unbelief.

[8:56] They lost sight of God, as they considered the high-walled cities and the great giants that were in possession of the promised land. And oh, they began to wish that they'd never left Egypt.

[9:10] They began to regret the whole pattern of experience through which they had come. And God pronounced sentence upon them that that unworthy generation who fell a prey to unbelief should not enter in.

[9:31] And Paul takes up the doctrine, solemn and searching as it is, they entered not in because of their unbelief.

[9:43] Now, what a terrible thing is lingering unbelief, isn't it? Terrible thing. Lingering unbelief. My friends, how terrible is lingering unbelief as we consider it at the very border of the promised land.

[10:03] And the influence of that unbelief occasioned the falling of the carcasses of the multitude in the wilderness so that they never inherited the promise for the which they initially left Egypt and launched forth through the wilderness anticipating promised land.

[10:33] My friends, can I exaggerate? The terrible nature of unbelief. Soul-destroying unbelief.

[10:47] Is it your enemy? Are you a knife to it? Is the fearful nature of it a constant occasion for prayer and supplication to be delivered from its influence?

[11:04] Oh, the history of those whose carcasses fell in the wilderness. When we think of all the mercy and favour of God toward them that had gone before, we see what a terrible thing it is to be the subject of conquering unbelief.

[11:31] Well, may God set our hearts upon faith that overcoming grace by the which alone the power of unbelief is overcome in believing souls.

[11:59] Jude says, I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this. You once knew it, but I'm going to tell you again.

[12:10] I'm going to tell you again. But my friends, these enemies need identifying. They need bringing forth, lest we should become easy, lethargic, in regard to them and the effect of them as we are warned against them in the patient and recurring testimony of the scriptures of truth.

[12:45] Well, there are others. There is Sodom and Gomorrah and other familiar sections of the word of God.

[12:56] There is the experience of Cain who slew his brother. The experience of Balaam who wanted the things of this world, whatever the consequence and cost to others.

[13:18] We have the insurrection of Kor and those that rose up against Moses and Aaron. in defiance of their authority.

[13:31] And so we have these lighthouses or beacons that the scriptures provide and Jude uses to map out the way, to warn of the dangers that associate with the passage of those that are passing from the position and state of unregeneracy to the very threshold of the kingdom of God and of Jesus Christ.

[14:11] evils don't die.

[14:23] And then, evils don't die. This is something that we need to consider in regard to the warnings of the truth of God that old evils come up again and again and again.

[14:43] they may come up in a different form or with a different guise. But basically, they're the same old evil that seeks to undermine the faith of God's people.

[15:04] And if it were possible, to frustrate souls in the obtaining of eternal life.

[15:17] And while the Lord is the keeper of his people, it is right for his people to be continually conscious that as they pass through the wilderness, they're passing through a dangerous way full of varying enemies and evils that there's only one place of safety.

[15:49] There's only one way whereby we can remain secure. The Lord in his sovereign goodness has not only identified the falling into evil as consistent with ungodly persons.

[16:18] But he has given to us clear illustration that the most godly can fall. My friends, self-security is a most dangerous situation.

[16:40] To think that we are immune from any evil ourselves is a terrible pitfall. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

[16:58] we're never more exposed to danger than when we're putting our trust in anything short of Jesus Christ.

[17:13] Some of us remember clearly the opening days of the last war. war. I remember seeing periodicals, war magazines and so forth that touched the imagination of teenage boys as I was a teenage boy in those days.

[17:37] And we made study of the defences of France in regard to the threatenings of the old enemy of France and of England Germany.

[17:56] And I remember looking at the great concrete defences of the Maginot line and the great guns that were implanted within those concrete bastions.

[18:15] My, they breathed of security to those whose trust was in an arm of flesh. How could the Germans hope to overrun and override defences which had been so meticulously thought out and established?

[18:38] that the Lord showed us within a very short period of time the vanity of human defences.

[18:58] The Germans came round through the low countries of Holland and Belgium and they turned what we call the flank of the Maginot line and the French troops had to come out of it like rat otherwise they would have been absolutely caught in the defences which were appointed to resist the oncoming German hordes.

[19:26] The Germans came down the back of the defences and it wasn't long before they took Paris the capital of France. And the whole Maginot line stood there as a useless concrete testimony of the insufficiency of man to defend himself though he may use all the endeavours of modern facilities to provide a national defence as the French considered their state to be in 1939 and 1940.

[20:08] Well I use that to illustrate a point and my friends when we think of man spiritually oh the insufficiency of every human agency to preserve us from evil Peter fell David fell Noah fell the apostle Paul the great man that he was the wonderful grasp of truth in the reiteration of his epistles was not impeccable in his recorded character and so my friends we have reason to take notice of these things and to beware lest we become confident apart from

[21:21] Jesus Christ but the apostle the servant of Jesus Christ Jude he gives us all instruction in regard to our situation exhorting us to be constant in the faith but ye beloved building up yourselves on your most holy faith praying in the holy ghost keep yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal love keep yourselves in the love of God you say well now here is the suggestion of self sufficiency when Jude says keep yourselves in the love of

[22:21] God how easy to lose a benefit by not appreciating and valuing it as we should in the revelation the Lord doesn't say your first love has left you he says you have left your first love love the Lord never wanders from his people his people wander from him keep yourselves in the love of God and my friends if we have tasted of the love of

[23:24] God surely there's no position that is so desirable as the enjoyment of the love of God the love of friends and dear ones is greatly valuable isn't it it carries with it certain promises associated with time but how much more beneficial is the love of God when it secures us for eternity keep yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our

[24:24] Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life and if some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh now here Jude suggests two ways of dealing with people that have left the love of God or lost the experience and benefit and influence of the love of God it's not keep yourself it's keep yourselves in the love of God it's in the plural sense and a church enjoying the love of God and walking in the influence and spirit of that love is a fruitful church to the glory of

[25:27] God but my friends when the influence of that love is forfeited then the church is exposed to great danger from the enemy of the peace and prosperity of the Lord's cause and interest and Jude here suggests two ways of dealing with those that may have erred and may have strayed of some have compassion some need compassion they unwittingly have wandered they've been caught in a snare that shall I say was of such a nature and such an influence upon them that they scarcely know the reason why they are where they are now they need much compassion and those that are young in the way are more in need of that approach because of their obvious ignorance or lack of experience in spiritual things and then he says and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh now others need different dealing with don't they different attention they need solemn pointed direct warning and we need to consider the approach the method adopted in dealing with different cases and here

[27:27] Jude gives us under the Holy Spirit direction in our approach to these things but all to keep ourselves in the love of God that's the answer that's the answer a church keeping itself in the love of God I was going to say doesn't provide foot room for the cloven foot of the enemy of Christ my friends if only the church can be jealous to preserve the influence of the love of God that is the influence of the gospel because the gospel is the very expression of the love of God in the world if the spirit of the gospel is ours then what can the devil do with us well keep yourselves in the love of

[28:35] God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life life now I must come to the text Jude having exercised warnings and exercised exhortations for the prosperity of the fellowship he comes to this now unto him that is able to keep you from falling it seems as though he concentrates his attention particularly upon the immediate and future need of those to whom he addresses his epistle now now unto him that is able to keep you from falling the keeping power of the

[29:57] Lord is the only preservative that secures the church of Christ forever if we appreciate the church we shall not appreciate a self sufficient body we shall appreciate a body absolutely weak helpless in itself you know the church on earth in certain respects resembles the helpless infant that would perish but for parental care and such is the corruption of the world the activity of the power of darkness the enemy of the cause of

[31:36] Jesus Christ that the church in no generation would survive but for the exercise of God in his all mightiness toward him and the testimony of the redeemed in glory will be that God not only has called them but God has preserved them and there are some wonderful scriptures that deal with this preservation he keepeth the feet of his saints he that keepeth

[32:40] Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Peter after his terrible fall appreciates where the strength and protection and security of the church really lies he says who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time now unto him that is able to keep you from falling the ability of God to secure his church from all her enemies within and without self security is a false premise a security bestowed by

[33:47] God is a security indeed now unto him that is able to keep you from falling in dealing with the sufficiency of divine ability to preserve the church under all circumstances in all situations whatsoever I would raise this warning immediately don't presume upon the goodness of God because to tempt God is wrong it's evil to go into an evil situation expecting to receive the preserving care of

[35:02] God while you're there is to tempt God my friend if God leaves you you'll fall you'll be overcome of your evil environment and the consequences are only known to God and his mercy and care over you eventually exercise oh I can do this I can go here I can meddle with this I can enjoy this because I believe the Lord has a favour toward me is a suggestion from beneath it's not an influence from above and it's fraught with danger but having raised that warning

[36:12] I want to insist upon this according to the word of God through Jude the ability of God to keep his people under all circumstances and in all places whatsoever now unto him that is able to keep you from falling if the Lord casts our lot in any situation there is an ability with God to preserve us and as he communicates of his grace and power there's more power in us through him to resist the temptation than there is in any temptation to overcome us my friends victory is on our side remember that but victory is only on our side as we completely unreservedly rest trust and trust and trust in him but

[37:43] I can't think of the situation now I'm going to use three illustrations first I want you to consider Noah and I think there's much in Noah's day that corresponds to our day the situation was ripening for destruction wasn't it the people generally speaking were under the curse of God and God was about to drown justly for their iniquity and Noah was building an ark to the saving of his house and he went on and he went on he was a preacher of righteousness and no doubt he was ridiculed no doubt the question was raised again and again and again look at that strange man there whatever do you think he's doing look he's putting his all into it he's really laboring and he's so careful and he's so particular about the detail of what he's doing he won't there's nothing ship shod about his application to his commitment he's so committed that he's he leaves nothing undone my friends there under the influence of heaven he went on and he went on until that art was completed didn't he and the judgment of

[39:30] God stayed until the thing was ready and Noah and his family and all the beasts four footed things the creeping things the fowls of the heaven they all went in two by two and seven by seven according to the decree of God and Noah and his family and the door was shut the door was shut but my friends who taught Noah who directed Noah under whose influence was Noah now unto him that is able to keep you from falling he was preserved upheld maintained in an evil environment to attend to the will of

[40:43] God and attending to it as he did in that meticulous application of faith eventually proved God's way with him was to his salvation and the salvation of his house the same God lives today my friends the same God Noah's God is our God may God give us Noah's faith to build our house to build as it were the according to the will of God in the detail of divine dictate as we receive the counsel from heaven as to the life and way of faith the second is Joseph in

[41:43] Egypt now consider the life of Joseph and consider the temptation that that lad was under in adversity and in prosperity taken from home and loved ones an individual Christian man in an absolutely alien environment never perhaps expecting to see a Christian again in the unfolding of his life except as when faith was active upon the dream that God had given him and how with a mind like ours and a reasoning intellect like ours don't you think sometimes he came to the question that you and I have come to

[42:47] I wonder if we ever shall see the promise of God in the dream fulfilled and he waited and he waited and he waited and providence moved on and he went down but he didn't stay down the child of God never does the child of God never stays down the Lord brings love but he lifts up he wounds and his hands make whole you see Joseph had to prove these things in experience as some of us have had to prove and my friends but oh how God preserved him didn't he how he kept him how he maintained his faith and how eventually he brought everything to pass in a wonderful detail that

[43:55] Joseph could look out for the situation and he could say it was not you that sent me hither but God or finally over dial in the house of Ahab and Jezebel that man that hid the prophets fifty in a cave when my friends the whole environment of the evil kingdom and house of Ahab and Jezebel was antichrist to the letter and we see that man of God don't we God took Elijah out of the kingdom but he leaves Obadiah in the house of the king to show us what preserving grace can do now unto him that is able to keep you from falling don't fear the situation fear

[45:04] God fear God put your trust under the shadow of his wings God is able whatever the situation and environment Amen in 421 in 421 to

[46:09] God the only wise our savior and our king that all the saints below the skies their humble praises bring to God the holy Christ our savior and our king let all the saints belowdoo christian die sea shes angels han besl Drly aç vold . . .

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[49:25] ako . . .

[49:37] . . . . Lord Jesus, thy love, O God the Father, and the sweet and abiding influence of the ever-blessed Spirit be with us all.

[49:52] Amen. Amen.