1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,510 Eric Ennis: good morning. 2 00:00:00,510 --> 00:00:01,290 My name's Eric. 3 00:00:01,290 --> 00:00:02,490 This is my twin Justus. 4 00:00:02,670 --> 00:00:02,760 Yes. 5 00:00:03,270 --> 00:00:09,750 Um, but we're gonna be finishing up our, our Book of Jude, and I want 6 00:00:09,750 --> 00:00:11,070 to do something a little different. 7 00:00:11,399 --> 00:00:15,360 And that is this, uh, oftentimes when you read these letters, it's hard because, 8 00:00:15,390 --> 00:00:20,255 man, we want to go so deep into this, but we also wanna explore as well. 9 00:00:20,715 --> 00:00:24,210 But the problem is, the deeper you go, the harder it is to explore. 10 00:00:25,230 --> 00:00:28,740 And so realize that I'm just gonna be mostly exploring today. 11 00:00:29,310 --> 00:00:32,430 But I wanted to begin by having our brother, justice from the campus 12 00:00:32,430 --> 00:00:34,860 Ministry actually read you the letter. 13 00:00:35,070 --> 00:00:38,129 And the reason is, is because these letters would be circulated 14 00:00:38,129 --> 00:00:42,180 to the churches and they would be read to the churches. 15 00:00:42,450 --> 00:00:44,819 And so before we go into the letter, I want you to hear 16 00:00:44,819 --> 00:00:46,110 it read through its entirety. 17 00:00:46,620 --> 00:00:49,260 It's very dense, I guarantee that. 18 00:00:49,950 --> 00:00:52,739 Um, but I want you to kind of pick out some of the major themes and what's 19 00:00:52,739 --> 00:00:57,060 being talked about here and kind of put yourself into a first century mindset. 20 00:00:57,510 --> 00:01:01,830 Of what it was like for those Christians to hear this book. 21 00:01:02,220 --> 00:01:05,129 So our brother from Campus Justus, I'll have him read now. 22 00:01:09,890 --> 00:01:14,340 Justus: Jude chapter one, Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother 23 00:01:14,340 --> 00:01:18,990 of James to those who have been called, who are loved and God the father, 24 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:24,000 and kept for Jesus Christ mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. 25 00:01:24,750 --> 00:01:29,640 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we 26 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:35,190 share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once 27 00:01:35,190 --> 00:01:38,370 for all entrusted to god's Holy people. 28 00:01:38,610 --> 00:01:42,090 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about a 29 00:01:42,090 --> 00:01:44,789 long, long ago have secretly slipped. 30 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:50,340 And among you there are, they are ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God. 31 00:01:50,610 --> 00:01:55,800 And to a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only sovereign. 32 00:01:55,830 --> 00:02:00,840 And Lord, though you already know all this, I want to remind you that 33 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:06,000 the Lord at the one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later 34 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,400 destroyed those who did not believe. 35 00:02:08,699 --> 00:02:12,570 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but 36 00:02:12,570 --> 00:02:18,060 abandoned their proper dwelling, these has, he has kept in dark darkness. 37 00:02:18,555 --> 00:02:22,454 Bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great day. 38 00:02:22,755 --> 00:02:28,305 In a similar way, soda and Gamora and the surrounding towns gave themselves 39 00:02:28,305 --> 00:02:31,185 up to sexual immorality and perversion. 40 00:02:31,755 --> 00:02:34,995 They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment 41 00:02:35,024 --> 00:02:40,125 of eternal fire in the same way on the strength of their dreams. 42 00:02:40,155 --> 00:02:45,225 These ungodly people populate their own bodies, reject authority and 43 00:02:45,225 --> 00:02:47,144 heap abuse on celestial being. 44 00:02:47,894 --> 00:02:52,065 But even the Archangel Michael when he was disputing with the devil 45 00:02:52,274 --> 00:02:56,985 about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for the 46 00:02:56,985 --> 00:03:00,285 slander, but said the Lord rebuke you. 47 00:03:00,704 --> 00:03:05,235 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things 48 00:03:05,235 --> 00:03:10,575 they do understand by instinct as irrational animals do will destroy them. 49 00:03:10,935 --> 00:03:12,015 Woe to them. 50 00:03:12,285 --> 00:03:13,785 They have taken the way of can. 51 00:03:14,475 --> 00:03:17,925 They have rushed for profit and the baums error. 52 00:03:18,075 --> 00:03:20,594 They have been destroyed in Cora's Rebellion. 53 00:03:21,195 --> 00:03:25,545 These people are blemishes at your love feast, eating with you without 54 00:03:25,545 --> 00:03:30,615 the slightest Qualm Shepherds who feed only themselves, they are clouds 55 00:03:30,615 --> 00:03:33,404 without rain, blown along by the wind. 56 00:03:33,524 --> 00:03:37,665 Autumn, trees without fruit and uprooted twice dead. 57 00:03:37,995 --> 00:03:41,445 They are wild waves of the seed foaming up their shame. 58 00:03:41,865 --> 00:03:46,365 Wandering stars for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. 59 00:03:46,725 --> 00:03:50,595 Enoch the seven from Adam prophesied about them. 60 00:03:51,255 --> 00:03:55,995 See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge 61 00:03:55,995 --> 00:03:58,275 everyone and to convict all of 'em. 62 00:03:58,454 --> 00:04:02,865 Of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness and 63 00:04:02,865 --> 00:04:06,825 of all the defiant words and godly sinners have spoken against them. 64 00:04:07,695 --> 00:04:10,995 These people are grumbler and fault finders. 65 00:04:11,310 --> 00:04:13,590 They follow their own evil desires. 66 00:04:13,769 --> 00:04:18,120 They boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. 67 00:04:18,870 --> 00:04:21,810 But dear friends, remember what the apostles of the 68 00:04:21,810 --> 00:04:23,700 Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 69 00:04:23,910 --> 00:04:27,480 They said to you in the last times, there will be scoffers who will 70 00:04:27,540 --> 00:04:29,610 follow their own ungodly desires. 71 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:34,350 These are the people who divide you, who follow more natural in 72 00:04:34,409 --> 00:04:36,510 instincts and do not have the spirit. 73 00:04:37,034 --> 00:04:41,055 But you, my dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy 74 00:04:41,085 --> 00:04:46,275 faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God's love as you 75 00:04:46,275 --> 00:04:50,835 wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to bring you to eternal life. 76 00:04:51,165 --> 00:04:53,055 Be merciful to those who doubt. 77 00:04:53,445 --> 00:04:56,835 Save others by snatching them from the fire to others. 78 00:04:56,835 --> 00:05:00,735 Show mercy mixed with fear, hating even the clothing. 79 00:05:00,735 --> 00:05:02,295 Stand by corruptive flesh. 80 00:05:03,195 --> 00:05:06,974 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present 81 00:05:06,974 --> 00:05:11,205 you before his glorious presence, without fault, and with great joy. 82 00:05:11,445 --> 00:05:16,755 To the only God our savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority through 83 00:05:16,755 --> 00:05:21,405 Jesus Christ, our Lord, before all ages now and forever mourn. 84 00:05:21,405 --> 00:05:21,525 Amen. 85 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:22,690 Eric Ennis: Amen. 86 00:05:22,820 --> 00:05:23,650 Thank you, Justus. 87 00:05:24,659 --> 00:05:25,090 Thank you. 88 00:05:28,425 --> 00:05:31,695 I've always wanted to have a lesson where we just read the Bible and then go, amen. 89 00:05:31,724 --> 00:05:32,295 And just go home. 90 00:05:32,985 --> 00:05:37,844 Um, it's not gonna be today, but someday that may happen. 91 00:05:37,844 --> 00:05:40,155 So just know if I pull that off, it'll be amazing. 92 00:05:40,575 --> 00:05:43,905 Um, but we're gonna go through this book and, and you can hear, 93 00:05:43,965 --> 00:05:45,195 man, there's a lot being said here. 94 00:05:45,974 --> 00:05:47,325 Uh, it's intense. 95 00:05:48,555 --> 00:05:50,865 And so this is a study guide that I, I. 96 00:05:51,525 --> 00:05:52,935 I use and help create. 97 00:05:52,995 --> 00:05:54,795 It's, you know, you start with a good translation. 98 00:05:54,795 --> 00:05:58,125 You take notice of the genre, you gotta kind of understand the context, 99 00:05:58,245 --> 00:06:02,505 discern the major themes, and most importantly, always, always yield 100 00:06:02,565 --> 00:06:04,845 to God and what God has to say. 101 00:06:05,295 --> 00:06:09,195 And so we're gonna kind of go through this book and kind of parse out what is 102 00:06:09,195 --> 00:06:14,715 Jew trying to tell us, and ultimately what does God want us to know now? 103 00:06:16,125 --> 00:06:17,865 The translation we're using is the NIV. 104 00:06:18,015 --> 00:06:21,345 Uh, it's kind of a good for overall comprehension, but I'm gonna parse 105 00:06:21,345 --> 00:06:24,795 in some of the NASB, which is more of a Greek to English translation 106 00:06:24,795 --> 00:06:27,285 Bible, because there's certain words there that I think are just very 107 00:06:27,285 --> 00:06:28,695 important that we're gonna pick up on. 108 00:06:29,475 --> 00:06:32,025 Also wanna remind you, this is a letter we don't know who is written to. 109 00:06:32,715 --> 00:06:37,545 We know whoever is written to, uh, there was an urgent need, but 110 00:06:37,545 --> 00:06:42,225 it was about the idea of warning them against these false teachers. 111 00:06:43,245 --> 00:06:46,665 Encouraging disciples to defend the faith. 112 00:06:47,745 --> 00:06:50,534 The context of this is a Jewish audience. 113 00:06:50,534 --> 00:06:51,375 And how do we know this? 114 00:06:51,375 --> 00:06:56,715 Because he reads in a lot of scripture, a lot of biblical references here. 115 00:06:57,195 --> 00:07:00,284 He just says like, I remind you, like you're just expected to know all this. 116 00:07:00,615 --> 00:07:05,745 And he also puts in several texts from Jewish tradition, uh, in here as well. 117 00:07:05,925 --> 00:07:09,075 Again, that would've been widely known amongst the Jewish population. 118 00:07:09,225 --> 00:07:11,235 And at this point, the church is meeting in homes. 119 00:07:12,270 --> 00:07:14,790 They've, they've left the synagogue and I wrote, left the synagogue. 120 00:07:14,790 --> 00:07:16,530 I probably should have wrote, kicked outta the synagogue. 121 00:07:16,650 --> 00:07:18,330 But they're no longer meeting in synagogues. 122 00:07:18,330 --> 00:07:21,930 They're meeting in homes and all they have with them are these letters and scrolls. 123 00:07:21,930 --> 00:07:24,030 There is no published bible for them. 124 00:07:24,330 --> 00:07:27,090 They have many of the Old Testament scrolls that they might have, have made 125 00:07:27,090 --> 00:07:30,630 copies of, or they, they've made copies of these letters, and this is why we 126 00:07:30,630 --> 00:07:36,180 have so many letters from the Bible in such abundance as far as testament, 127 00:07:36,180 --> 00:07:38,880 because they would get these letters and they would just copy them and 128 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:40,320 copy them and pass them and pass them. 129 00:07:41,445 --> 00:07:44,685 And they would commonly meet in what they known as agape feasts, these love feasts. 130 00:07:44,685 --> 00:07:46,545 And that's how they would gather together. 131 00:07:46,965 --> 00:07:50,685 And by this point, the church has spread all across the Roman Empire. 132 00:07:51,015 --> 00:07:54,465 It's estimated this book is written somewhere between 65 and 80 ad. 133 00:07:54,765 --> 00:07:57,705 Uh, we're not fully sure, but by this point the church has been 134 00:07:57,705 --> 00:07:59,295 scattered mainly through persecution. 135 00:08:00,550 --> 00:08:04,875 And, and again, because of this, there's been some needs. 136 00:08:06,090 --> 00:08:07,380 Now who wrote this? 137 00:08:07,590 --> 00:08:09,270 Uh, or the major theme, I should say? 138 00:08:09,510 --> 00:08:12,870 The major theme that he's talking about is this idea of contending for the faith. 139 00:08:12,870 --> 00:08:16,140 And I'm gonna go through this verse here in a moment, but the idea of contending 140 00:08:16,140 --> 00:08:17,640 for the face against false teachers. 141 00:08:18,630 --> 00:08:20,430 So let's get into Jude. 142 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,840 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. 143 00:08:24,870 --> 00:08:26,280 That's how he introduces himself. 144 00:08:27,690 --> 00:08:33,000 Now, this word servant is, is difficult because. 145 00:08:33,465 --> 00:08:37,605 This word servant means a lot of things and he starts off by saying, Jew. 146 00:08:37,635 --> 00:08:39,735 Now notice he didn't say his full name, Judas. 147 00:08:40,095 --> 00:08:40,875 And you go, wait a minute. 148 00:08:41,115 --> 00:08:42,433 I thought Judas is dead. 149 00:08:43,215 --> 00:08:48,045 No, this is a different Judas Jud is just a shortened name of Judas, 150 00:08:48,045 --> 00:08:52,064 kinda like Mike is to Michael, and Judas is the Greek name. 151 00:08:52,125 --> 00:08:53,415 Judah is the Hebrew name. 152 00:08:54,375 --> 00:08:57,705 Now he's going by Jude because he doesn't wanna be associated with the 153 00:08:57,705 --> 00:08:59,295 Judas that you probably are aware of. 154 00:09:00,390 --> 00:09:01,830 So he is going by the name of Jude. 155 00:09:01,860 --> 00:09:04,770 It's kind of like we don't walk around meeting Adolfs anymore. 156 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:05,280 You know? 157 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:06,420 When's the last time you met one? 158 00:09:06,690 --> 00:09:08,250 You know, you don't kind of go by that name anymore. 159 00:09:08,250 --> 00:09:09,900 It's kind of, certain names are dead now. 160 00:09:10,170 --> 00:09:14,190 My wife and I are in the process of trying to create names, uh, for our child. 161 00:09:14,460 --> 00:09:16,140 Uh, what name is it gonna be? 162 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,770 And, uh, I'm a teacher, so there's a ton of names I have to eliminate, 163 00:09:20,190 --> 00:09:22,650 uh, because all the years are just going, no, not that kid. 164 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:23,670 I remember that one. 165 00:09:23,670 --> 00:09:24,570 Nope, not that name. 166 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:25,470 Nope, not that name. 167 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:27,240 Um, ju names Matter. 168 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,100 So he is going by Judy's, a shortened version. 169 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,660 And he says, Jude Bond servant Doulas. 170 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:40,020 Better translation of that slave, A voluntary slave. 171 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,680 I'm a slave to Jesus Christ. 172 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:49,320 And brother of James, well, who's his brother of James. 173 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:51,720 Isn't this the carpenter? 174 00:09:51,750 --> 00:09:57,360 Isn't this Mary's son and brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. 175 00:09:59,295 --> 00:10:00,824 This is Jesus's half brother. 176 00:10:02,415 --> 00:10:07,760 Now, if I'm writing a letter and I'm Jesus's half brother, I lead with that. 177 00:10:07,949 --> 00:10:08,240 Yeah. 178 00:10:08,985 --> 00:10:10,515 That is my opening line. 179 00:10:10,814 --> 00:10:15,615 Half brother of Jesus, here I am, but he doesn't do this. 180 00:10:15,645 --> 00:10:17,084 He says, I'm the brother of James. 181 00:10:17,084 --> 00:10:19,305 You know the guy who's leading the church in, in Jerusalem at this 182 00:10:19,305 --> 00:10:22,064 point, but I'm a slave to Christ. 183 00:10:23,714 --> 00:10:23,834 Amen. 184 00:10:24,045 --> 00:10:24,855 Wow. 185 00:10:25,694 --> 00:10:26,115 Wow. 186 00:10:26,115 --> 00:10:26,895 What Humility. 187 00:10:27,105 --> 00:10:27,285 Speaker 3: Yep. 188 00:10:27,315 --> 00:10:27,375 Yeah. 189 00:10:28,575 --> 00:10:30,195 Eric Ennis: Now I wonder why. 190 00:10:30,255 --> 00:10:35,535 I think maybe it's because at the time he wasn't a believer during Jesus' ministry. 191 00:10:36,675 --> 00:10:38,625 This is for, even his own brothers did not believe in him. 192 00:10:39,255 --> 00:10:43,185 Jude wasn't a believer during Jesus' ministry. 193 00:10:44,475 --> 00:10:50,655 So what changes, what goes from, this is my brother to, you know, he's 194 00:10:50,655 --> 00:10:54,705 kind of crazy, you know, a little out there to I'm a slave to that guy. 195 00:10:54,750 --> 00:10:54,810 Yeah. 196 00:10:56,130 --> 00:10:57,660 I don't know if you guys have siblings. 197 00:10:57,660 --> 00:10:59,910 I have an older brother and I was trying to think what would it take for 198 00:10:59,910 --> 00:11:02,550 me to believe my brother is a Messiah? 199 00:11:04,620 --> 00:11:05,280 A lot. 200 00:11:06,660 --> 00:11:07,140 A lot. 201 00:11:07,140 --> 00:11:07,800 I grew up with him. 202 00:11:07,860 --> 00:11:10,650 Now people always think Jesus must have been perfect and never got in trouble. 203 00:11:10,740 --> 00:11:12,540 I actually don't think he never got in trouble. 204 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,930 I think he got in trouble all the time because he still had imperfect parents. 205 00:11:17,220 --> 00:11:19,950 Just because the kid might have been perfect doesn't mean the parents were. 206 00:11:21,030 --> 00:11:22,500 That may hurt some of your feelings. 207 00:11:23,189 --> 00:11:24,240 But that's probably reality. 208 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:27,840 Remember, we see him go to the temple early on and his parents 209 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:28,890 were like, why were you here? 210 00:11:28,890 --> 00:11:31,380 They're all yelling at him and upset again. 211 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:36,600 Jude witnessed all of this, but all of a sudden he flipped a switch and 212 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,010 what flipped the switch for him? 213 00:11:39,569 --> 00:11:40,199 The resurrection. 214 00:11:42,630 --> 00:11:43,920 Jesus resurrected. 215 00:11:43,980 --> 00:11:45,360 We know he appeared to James. 216 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:50,280 He could have appeared to Jude if my brother died on a cross. 217 00:11:51,660 --> 00:11:54,210 Then several days later, he's walking around going, yeah, yeah, 218 00:11:54,210 --> 00:11:55,410 they killed me, but I'm back. 219 00:11:55,770 --> 00:11:56,520 I'd be like, I got you. 220 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:57,570 I wanna listen to this. 221 00:11:58,440 --> 00:11:59,490 You have something to say. 222 00:12:00,570 --> 00:12:06,060 From my mind, this is one of many proofs of the resurrection, is the fact that his 223 00:12:06,060 --> 00:12:08,940 own brother was like, yeah, he came back. 224 00:12:10,260 --> 00:12:10,985 It's hard to fool that. 225 00:12:14,955 --> 00:12:18,166 To those who have been called who are loved in God, the father of, of 226 00:12:18,585 --> 00:12:21,435 kept in Jesus Christ, he's basically writing a letter to us Christians. 227 00:12:21,825 --> 00:12:25,785 So for those of us here who are Christians, he's writing a letter to us. 228 00:12:26,655 --> 00:12:29,835 Mercy and peace be yours in abundance and, and in the Greek it actually 229 00:12:29,835 --> 00:12:31,515 means love be multiplied to you. 230 00:12:31,515 --> 00:12:36,345 And I love God's math to us because we are tit for tat society. 231 00:12:36,495 --> 00:12:38,145 You do nice, something nice for me. 232 00:12:38,535 --> 00:12:39,975 I'll do something nice for you. 233 00:12:40,290 --> 00:12:40,349 Yeah. 234 00:12:40,829 --> 00:12:41,670 That's how we function. 235 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,790 We addition, you add something to my life. 236 00:12:44,819 --> 00:12:45,930 I'll add something to your life. 237 00:12:45,930 --> 00:12:49,410 You subtract something from my life, I'm subtracting from you. 238 00:12:49,890 --> 00:12:50,790 God multiplies. 239 00:12:52,530 --> 00:12:54,180 God multiplies his abundance. 240 00:12:56,670 --> 00:12:57,480 Then we get into it. 241 00:12:58,589 --> 00:13:01,439 I'm eager to write about the salvation we share. 242 00:13:01,439 --> 00:13:04,650 He wanted to write this nice letter like let's talk about our salvation, 243 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:06,270 how amazing this is gonna be. 244 00:13:06,270 --> 00:13:07,380 Let's have a good time. 245 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:13,080 But instead he goes, I felt compelled to write and urge 246 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:14,370 you to contend for the faith. 247 00:13:15,870 --> 00:13:19,500 This word contend is where we get the word agonize from in 248 00:13:19,500 --> 00:13:22,740 English, agonize for the faith. 249 00:13:23,910 --> 00:13:25,320 You gotta give it your all. 250 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:26,760 You gotta fight for it. 251 00:13:28,350 --> 00:13:29,250 Why? 252 00:13:29,430 --> 00:13:34,500 Because certain individuals have secretly slept, uh, slipped in among you. 253 00:13:36,420 --> 00:13:41,610 And they're perverting the grace, creating a license for immorality 254 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:42,990 and denying Jesus Christ. 255 00:13:44,220 --> 00:13:46,260 This is very, very sobering. 256 00:13:47,460 --> 00:13:51,930 'cause what he's saying here is in these church meetings and homes, they were 257 00:13:51,930 --> 00:13:57,390 visiting teachers who were coming and they were teaching a gospel other than 258 00:13:57,390 --> 00:14:03,270 the one that Jesus wanted to talk, and it was corrupting their viewpoints. 259 00:14:04,575 --> 00:14:08,655 During this time, what was being taught was this idea of God's grace 260 00:14:08,715 --> 00:14:12,015 covers all, so who cares if we sin? 261 00:14:14,145 --> 00:14:18,495 If God loves me, I can't do anything wrong, and this is one of the 262 00:14:18,495 --> 00:14:22,995 challenges when we just preach God's love without preaching repentance too. 263 00:14:23,895 --> 00:14:25,665 Because why do I need to repent? 264 00:14:25,665 --> 00:14:27,465 If God loves me, why do I need to change? 265 00:14:27,465 --> 00:14:30,885 If God just loves me, there's nothing I can do wrong. 266 00:14:30,885 --> 00:14:31,785 God just loves me. 267 00:14:31,860 --> 00:14:36,030 Yeah, and this is what the other church was starting to deal with themselves. 268 00:14:37,170 --> 00:14:39,690 It's like, well, then I can sleep whoever I want with God loves me. 269 00:14:40,380 --> 00:14:41,520 I can do whatever I want. 270 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:42,360 God loves me. 271 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:46,020 They saw it as a license for morality. 272 00:14:46,290 --> 00:14:51,330 They're perverting the grace and therefore denying who Jesus Christ is. 273 00:14:51,330 --> 00:14:51,420 Yep. 274 00:14:55,590 --> 00:14:58,950 There's a couple definitions I want to give you just because I 275 00:14:58,950 --> 00:15:00,330 might mention these words later. 276 00:15:00,540 --> 00:15:02,640 And if you hear them, I want you to at least know the difference. 277 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:04,740 And that's heresy and apostasy. 278 00:15:04,740 --> 00:15:08,190 They're words that really only religious people use nowadays, although I 279 00:15:08,190 --> 00:15:09,420 think there's a band named Heretic. 280 00:15:09,690 --> 00:15:14,790 But heresy is when you kind of start contrary. 281 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,790 Contrary to the doctrine, I, I kind of put in three images there. 282 00:15:18,090 --> 00:15:20,190 The disciple is following Jesus. 283 00:15:20,340 --> 00:15:24,600 The heretic is just kind of turning to the side and just kind of walking a to stray. 284 00:15:25,079 --> 00:15:26,190 And the apostate. 285 00:15:26,250 --> 00:15:27,810 The apostasy is when you abandon the faith. 286 00:15:29,070 --> 00:15:31,590 Because of the heresy, these, these beliefs that were 287 00:15:31,590 --> 00:15:33,000 being taught in the church. 288 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:39,390 This time, people began to drift away from following Jesus, and over time they 289 00:15:39,390 --> 00:15:40,890 just abandoned the faith altogether. 290 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:47,370 And this is the warning that Jude is giving, how important it is 291 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:54,180 to follow Christ entirely, to not drift in even a little bit. 292 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,910 It's amazing how much, if I'm walking straight. 293 00:15:57,555 --> 00:16:01,425 And I just turn a little bit how different of a place I'll be. 294 00:16:02,145 --> 00:16:02,235 Mm-hmm. 295 00:16:02,475 --> 00:16:03,435 Versus where I was going. 296 00:16:03,585 --> 00:16:03,735 Yep. 297 00:16:04,365 --> 00:16:06,495 And this is what was happening in the church 298 00:16:08,865 --> 00:16:13,755 and what's alarming is we have to take this also. 299 00:16:14,025 --> 00:16:14,295 Speaker 3: Yep. 300 00:16:14,820 --> 00:16:15,040 If 301 00:16:16,515 --> 00:16:19,125 Eric Ennis: the reason what's included in the Bible is because 302 00:16:19,125 --> 00:16:20,235 this warning goes to us too. 303 00:16:20,235 --> 00:16:20,355 Amen. 304 00:16:23,415 --> 00:16:25,635 I thought of some false teachings of our church. 305 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:27,360 In our historical past, 306 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,740 and for us, this was probably our biggest. 307 00:16:32,190 --> 00:16:32,610 Come on, Eric. 308 00:16:33,030 --> 00:16:33,210 Come on. 309 00:16:33,780 --> 00:16:37,530 You know, I've been a disciple 30 years, 60% of my life. 310 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:39,690 It's easy to do the math, 311 00:16:41,850 --> 00:16:46,500 but this idea that God accepts me based upon how well I perform, this was us. 312 00:16:49,410 --> 00:16:51,900 This idea of be fruitful at all costs. 313 00:16:53,340 --> 00:16:55,500 We had some false teachings in the past. 314 00:16:57,930 --> 00:17:00,240 I'm grateful that we're working on some of those. 315 00:17:00,540 --> 00:17:05,430 I don't feel like we're legalistic like we used to be, but I was also trying 316 00:17:05,430 --> 00:17:07,230 to think what do we struggle with now? 317 00:17:07,619 --> 00:17:10,349 Because I think it's easy to point at other churches and go, well, look at them. 318 00:17:10,349 --> 00:17:12,119 They teach this over there, look at them. 319 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:16,349 They teach that over there, but Jews not writing, talking about 320 00:17:16,349 --> 00:17:18,839 other groups, he's talking about us. 321 00:17:20,099 --> 00:17:21,750 What are we dealing with now? 322 00:17:24,060 --> 00:17:25,319 And the few I thought of. 323 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:31,110 First one, this has a nice, big religious naves, moralistic, therapeutic deism. 324 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:31,230 Okay. 325 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,010 Another way of saying this is main character syndrome. 326 00:17:36,390 --> 00:17:40,500 It's when you read the Bible as if you are the main character, when the 327 00:17:40,500 --> 00:17:44,490 Bible revolves around you, when the Bible becomes your self-help book. 328 00:17:46,830 --> 00:17:49,410 When the Bible's about how do I make myself happy? 329 00:17:51,510 --> 00:17:53,130 Rather than, how do I serve God? 330 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:56,670 Jude's opening line, I'm a slave to Christ, not, Hey, 331 00:17:57,150 --> 00:17:58,350 Jesus is gonna make me happy. 332 00:18:00,210 --> 00:18:03,870 And we start to get a narcissistic faith because now we read the 333 00:18:03,870 --> 00:18:07,650 Bible with our lens going, God, how are you gonna help me? 334 00:18:08,700 --> 00:18:09,030 Speaker 3: Yep. 335 00:18:09,420 --> 00:18:10,740 Eric Ennis: I've given some counter scriptures in there. 336 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,440 I told you, I'm just exploring, I can't go into any depth on this, 337 00:18:14,700 --> 00:18:18,000 but if this is something that you're like, man, I I, I see this for myself. 338 00:18:20,010 --> 00:18:21,060 Please study this out. 339 00:18:23,820 --> 00:18:27,120 Another one I thought of that we have to be careful of is emotionalism. 340 00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:29,730 And this has, i, I made up this name, I don't know if it has a name. 341 00:18:30,990 --> 00:18:34,380 I should have made up some fantastic name, but I've called it Emotionalism is when 342 00:18:34,380 --> 00:18:39,030 we elevate our personal feelings above scripture, elevate our personal experience 343 00:18:39,030 --> 00:18:40,770 above Christian, uh, above scripture. 344 00:18:41,550 --> 00:18:44,310 Another way of saying it is similar is existential subjectivism. 345 00:18:45,150 --> 00:18:45,840 I feel it. 346 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:46,530 It must be truth. 347 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:47,430 You know my truth. 348 00:18:47,430 --> 00:18:48,150 Your truth, 349 00:18:50,310 --> 00:18:50,700 man. 350 00:18:50,700 --> 00:18:51,240 That's scary. 351 00:18:51,780 --> 00:18:51,870 Yep. 352 00:18:53,070 --> 00:18:56,010 And I think something as an older Christian that we have to be aware 353 00:18:56,010 --> 00:19:00,330 of is sometimes our experiences are guiding us more than scripture. 354 00:19:00,330 --> 00:19:02,490 Now, come on, it's a temptation. 355 00:19:02,550 --> 00:19:02,610 Yeah. 356 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:04,710 I've seen the church. 357 00:19:04,710 --> 00:19:05,880 I know what's right. 358 00:19:06,810 --> 00:19:07,740 Well, what does scripture say? 359 00:19:09,150 --> 00:19:13,290 Do I continue to go back that I feel this so deeply? 360 00:19:14,625 --> 00:19:15,285 You are right. 361 00:19:15,285 --> 00:19:15,735 You do. 362 00:19:16,125 --> 00:19:17,055 What does scripture say? 363 00:19:17,265 --> 00:19:17,505 Speaker 3: Yep. 364 00:19:17,505 --> 00:19:17,625 Amen. 365 00:19:18,405 --> 00:19:20,655 Eric Ennis: Do we start with scripture and end with our emotions, or do we 366 00:19:20,655 --> 00:19:21,735 start with our emotions and go, no, no. 367 00:19:21,735 --> 00:19:22,575 What does scripture say? 368 00:19:23,085 --> 00:19:23,265 Speaker 3: Come on 369 00:19:23,955 --> 00:19:26,595 Eric Ennis: and use scripture to override our emotions. 370 00:19:29,325 --> 00:19:32,925 Last one I thought of is this one progressive Christianity. 371 00:19:33,255 --> 00:19:34,875 I'm not trying to make a political stand here. 372 00:19:34,875 --> 00:19:36,555 I'm not saying conservative Christianity is good. 373 00:19:36,555 --> 00:19:37,590 Progressive Christianity is bad. 374 00:19:37,700 --> 00:19:40,245 This is not political, but it's progressive. 375 00:19:40,245 --> 00:19:42,045 Christianity is when you try to match. 376 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:47,190 Scripture to culture where you try to blend into the culture. 377 00:19:49,380 --> 00:19:50,130 That's scary. 378 00:19:51,060 --> 00:19:54,540 And man, it's hard helping out with the campus man. 379 00:19:54,540 --> 00:19:56,760 They are dealing with this on the front lines. 380 00:19:57,420 --> 00:19:59,790 The teens are dealing with this on the front lines. 381 00:20:02,130 --> 00:20:06,330 It's so easy to go, ah, I don't like this verse. 382 00:20:06,540 --> 00:20:06,630 Mm-hmm. 383 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:08,760 I wish it wasn't there. 384 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,930 I wish instead I can just make a quick change to it to 385 00:20:12,930 --> 00:20:14,670 blend in with everyone else. 386 00:20:14,700 --> 00:20:14,790 Yep. 387 00:20:17,220 --> 00:20:19,890 But scripture should be changing culture. 388 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,730 Culture should not be informing us of how to see scripture. 389 00:20:25,265 --> 00:20:25,385 I 390 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,860 share this because I worry about me 391 00:20:34,050 --> 00:20:34,470 right now. 392 00:20:34,470 --> 00:20:36,390 My wife and I are what's call a nesting face. 393 00:20:37,170 --> 00:20:41,010 We're a few weeks from our, our, hopefully our birth soon it's coming up. 394 00:20:41,070 --> 00:20:44,010 And right now we're just building stuff in the house. 395 00:20:44,010 --> 00:20:45,750 If you came over, this is what we're doing. 396 00:20:46,110 --> 00:20:48,330 I'm building and I put this wardrobe closet up here. 397 00:20:48,360 --> 00:20:49,440 'cause that's, I just assembled it. 398 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:50,970 I was gonna say build it, but I, like, I didn't build it. 399 00:20:50,970 --> 00:20:53,460 I assembled it, but I just assembled this thing. 400 00:20:53,970 --> 00:20:58,470 You know, it comes with instructions and while I was assembling it, you know, 401 00:20:58,470 --> 00:21:01,920 you, you kind of, you get a feel for what you're supposed to do after a while. 402 00:21:02,850 --> 00:21:05,520 And the directions just kind of become secondary. 403 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:05,610 Yep. 404 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:08,400 You know, you're kinda like, I, I know where this is supposed to go. 405 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,880 I know what this is and I'm putting it together and, and I, I get most of 406 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:16,680 it done and I, I lift it up and it was quite heavy and I was so proud of myself. 407 00:21:16,740 --> 00:21:19,050 I wanted to make sure that by the time my wife got home, she 408 00:21:19,050 --> 00:21:20,490 would see, look how great this is. 409 00:21:20,610 --> 00:21:22,980 And I realized I put in one of the walls backwards. 410 00:21:24,450 --> 00:21:24,870 Yep. 411 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:26,475 And I'm like, dang it. 412 00:21:27,780 --> 00:21:30,750 And you're in that place of like, okay, if I could just unscrew this 413 00:21:30,750 --> 00:21:34,590 one and unscrew this one, could I just take out this one little wall and 414 00:21:34,590 --> 00:21:36,120 flip it around before she gets home? 415 00:21:38,850 --> 00:21:40,050 Had to take the whole thing apart, 416 00:21:42,060 --> 00:21:42,960 start over. 417 00:21:43,500 --> 00:21:45,510 And it was right before we're going to a party. 418 00:21:45,660 --> 00:21:48,390 And I was like, you know, now, now, now my wife's having to pray 419 00:21:48,390 --> 00:21:49,440 with me on the way to the party. 420 00:21:49,470 --> 00:21:50,550 'cause I don't even wanna leave this wardrobe. 421 00:21:50,550 --> 00:21:51,600 I wanna build this thing. 422 00:21:51,990 --> 00:21:53,250 It's not gonna defeat me. 423 00:21:56,025 --> 00:21:57,345 The same is true with our faith. 424 00:21:57,705 --> 00:21:58,035 Come on. 425 00:21:58,065 --> 00:22:00,945 If we start corrupting just even one wall of it, right? 426 00:22:01,755 --> 00:22:04,875 One wall, the whole thing doesn't work. 427 00:22:06,825 --> 00:22:08,145 How important it is. 428 00:22:08,655 --> 00:22:11,445 And, and, and before you start going, yeah, you know, I need, I need to 429 00:22:11,445 --> 00:22:15,345 worry about those false teachers, Eric especially, uh, Marcel worried about him. 430 00:22:16,020 --> 00:22:16,310 Yeah. 431 00:22:16,315 --> 00:22:16,515 Yeah. 432 00:22:16,515 --> 00:22:21,735 I believe me, I'm too, um, the false teacher I'm most worried about is myself. 433 00:22:21,750 --> 00:22:21,810 Yeah. 434 00:22:24,210 --> 00:22:27,780 When I read scripture, do I truly understand what God wants me to know? 435 00:22:29,130 --> 00:22:29,910 Am I confident? 436 00:22:30,060 --> 00:22:31,320 Do I contend for the faith? 437 00:22:34,230 --> 00:22:34,920 Let's keep reading 438 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:37,170 though. 439 00:22:37,170 --> 00:22:38,040 You already know this. 440 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:42,060 I wanna remind you, I, I like this, especially to us, all the Christians. 441 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:44,760 He goes like, I, you already know this. 442 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:44,850 Yep. 443 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:46,320 But you need to be reminded. 444 00:22:47,085 --> 00:22:48,585 And he shares out three stories. 445 00:22:48,585 --> 00:22:52,395 Now, he gives a bunch of old Ference, old Testament references, and again, I 446 00:22:52,395 --> 00:22:56,505 encourage you to go back and read through these, but he starts out with the story 447 00:22:56,505 --> 00:23:00,165 of Egypt, who delivered his people out of Egypt, but he had to destroy those 448 00:23:00,165 --> 00:23:03,645 who didn't believe because they get out of Egypt, they get to the promised land, 449 00:23:03,705 --> 00:23:07,425 they send in 12 spies, and only two came back with like, yeah, we can do it. 450 00:23:07,425 --> 00:23:09,555 The other 10 were like, no, we're done. 451 00:23:11,715 --> 00:23:14,595 And God allowed them to die in that desert, that generation. 452 00:23:15,795 --> 00:23:18,675 Before he let him in 'cause they didn't have the faith. 453 00:23:20,115 --> 00:23:23,955 The only two that got in was Caleb and Joshua 'cause they had the faith to go. 454 00:23:25,785 --> 00:23:28,575 Then he talks about these angels who had positions of authority and 455 00:23:28,575 --> 00:23:30,135 abandoned their proper dwelling. 456 00:23:30,285 --> 00:23:32,445 Probably a reference to Genesis six. 457 00:23:34,095 --> 00:23:40,905 Even celestial beings need to be obedient to God because when they 458 00:23:40,905 --> 00:23:43,905 weren't, they were bound with everlasting chains for judgment. 459 00:23:44,850 --> 00:23:49,320 This could be a reference to even what, uh, the biblical passage 460 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,080 when Jesus was talking to a demon possessed man named Legion. 461 00:23:52,290 --> 00:23:54,630 And Legion goes, please don't send me to the abyss. 462 00:23:55,530 --> 00:23:57,900 That could be a reference to this, to these angels who 463 00:23:57,900 --> 00:23:59,070 abandoned their proper dwelling. 464 00:24:00,870 --> 00:24:04,230 And then he talks about another city or two, Sodom and Gomorrah, 465 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:07,740 who with their sexual moral and perversion, God destroyed them. 466 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:09,660 God destroyed that city. 467 00:24:10,890 --> 00:24:13,500 What's interesting is, is historical points. 468 00:24:14,250 --> 00:24:16,140 From even Jesus' time. 469 00:24:16,260 --> 00:24:20,340 So there were his Jewish historians from Jesus' time that would talk about that, 470 00:24:20,340 --> 00:24:24,000 those cities, 'cause they knew where those cities were, that they were still 471 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,460 smoldering thousands of years later, 472 00:24:28,710 --> 00:24:31,080 that somehow that was still happening. 473 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,190 God takes this very seriously. 474 00:24:36,180 --> 00:24:39,030 Do not corrupt my word. 475 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:46,680 And the very same way on the strength of their dreams. 476 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:51,210 These dreamers, these, these false teachers, these ungodly people, pollute 477 00:24:51,210 --> 00:24:57,360 their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 478 00:24:59,010 --> 00:25:02,580 You start to see the impact that these teachings are having. 479 00:25:03,510 --> 00:25:04,680 People are polluting their own bodies. 480 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,800 They're, they're not taking care of themselves spiritually. 481 00:25:08,700 --> 00:25:13,680 They're rejecting authority and they're even heaping abuse on celestial bodies. 482 00:25:14,730 --> 00:25:17,430 And then he goes into the story that's nowhere in the Bible. 483 00:25:17,430 --> 00:25:21,390 It's from a, um, a Jewish tradition about the Archangel Michael 484 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,350 having this conversation with the devil about j uh, Moses' body. 485 00:25:26,250 --> 00:25:29,820 And Michael doesn't even go, ah, Satan heck with you. 486 00:25:30,090 --> 00:25:31,320 He goes, the Lord rebuke you 487 00:25:33,750 --> 00:25:34,650 and my youth. 488 00:25:35,820 --> 00:25:40,950 Which is another translation of in my stupidity, um, I remember times like, 489 00:25:40,950 --> 00:25:42,480 ah, Satan, you got nothing on me. 490 00:25:43,710 --> 00:25:44,940 I got this. 491 00:25:46,710 --> 00:25:48,660 Even Michael wouldn't do that. 492 00:25:51,330 --> 00:25:58,650 But the recognition that we slander what we don't understand, we act by instinct. 493 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,160 We act by irrationality. 494 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:05,970 And that will destroy us. 495 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:15,870 Jude 11 wo to them, they have taken the way of Cain. 496 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,410 They have rushed for prophet into bain's error, and they 497 00:26:19,410 --> 00:26:20,910 destroyed and core his rebellion. 498 00:26:21,330 --> 00:26:24,690 Think about all the references Jesus has just put in there from the or. 499 00:26:24,690 --> 00:26:26,280 Jude has just put in there from the Old Testament 500 00:26:28,290 --> 00:26:31,320 how well this group knew their Bible. 501 00:26:32,265 --> 00:26:32,475 Speaker 3: Yep. 502 00:26:34,065 --> 00:26:38,895 Eric Ennis: A bunch of references and he just suspected you should know your Bible. 503 00:26:39,110 --> 00:26:39,530 Mm-hmm. 504 00:26:40,140 --> 00:26:49,425 There was a time when churches, not us, we got this one, but there was a time where, 505 00:26:49,425 --> 00:26:53,445 where it was common in church culture to only have priests read the Bible. 506 00:26:54,615 --> 00:26:57,585 That was a common thing back in the Middle Ages. 507 00:26:58,005 --> 00:27:00,105 It would be taught in Latin and the people didn't even speak Latin. 508 00:27:02,610 --> 00:27:06,420 And people hungered so much to have the Bible written in their own language 509 00:27:06,510 --> 00:27:11,040 that many people died for that just so they could read the Bible themselves. 510 00:27:13,890 --> 00:27:16,620 And what's sad today is how many of us have Bibles in our 511 00:27:16,620 --> 00:27:17,760 house that we don't even read? 512 00:27:18,270 --> 00:27:18,570 Yep. 513 00:27:20,670 --> 00:27:23,310 People lived and died for that freedom. 514 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,180 And Satan doesn't even have to prevent us from doing it. 515 00:27:27,180 --> 00:27:28,080 We do it ourselves. 516 00:27:28,110 --> 00:27:28,170 Yeah. 517 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,910 And, and, and the expectation that Jude had for these followers 518 00:27:33,090 --> 00:27:35,430 to know the scriptures, and they didn't even have a full Bible. 519 00:27:35,430 --> 00:27:37,020 They just had some scrolls and some letters. 520 00:27:37,500 --> 00:27:42,180 It's like, yeah, but you know this how important it's for us to be in God's word. 521 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:43,800 Preach. 522 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:45,660 You woe to them. 523 00:27:46,230 --> 00:27:47,670 So what is the way of Cain? 524 00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:49,680 It's the way of empty religion. 525 00:27:50,730 --> 00:27:55,110 Cain offered a sacrifice, but it wasn't his first fruits. 526 00:27:55,260 --> 00:27:56,250 It wasn't his best. 527 00:27:56,250 --> 00:27:56,340 Yep. 528 00:27:59,505 --> 00:28:04,785 And again, we're here and I'm grateful we're here and for the people online, 529 00:28:06,795 --> 00:28:07,875 but are we fully here? 530 00:28:07,875 --> 00:28:07,965 Yeah. 531 00:28:12,315 --> 00:28:13,845 Kane gave the sacrifice, 532 00:28:16,065 --> 00:28:17,865 but it wasn't really much of a sacrifice. 533 00:28:19,005 --> 00:28:21,705 It wasn't his best, it was his leftovers. 534 00:28:24,375 --> 00:28:25,095 And again. 535 00:28:25,455 --> 00:28:27,225 I'm staring at you, but I'm thinking of me. 536 00:28:28,485 --> 00:28:30,810 Am I giving my best, right? 537 00:28:31,995 --> 00:28:35,985 Or am I going the way of King Rush for prophet into balaam's error? 538 00:28:36,975 --> 00:28:41,655 Balaam was a prophet of God who was being seduced by a king to speak ill 539 00:28:41,655 --> 00:28:43,395 of Israel to prophesy against them. 540 00:28:45,525 --> 00:28:48,105 And every time he would try, God only allowed him to bless Israel. 541 00:28:48,105 --> 00:28:48,765 He couldn't even curse him. 542 00:28:50,265 --> 00:28:53,385 And this is the famous story of Blum's Donkey, where a donkey 543 00:28:53,385 --> 00:28:54,735 thought that actually spoke to Blum. 544 00:28:56,505 --> 00:28:58,635 God used an ass to speak to somebody. 545 00:29:02,925 --> 00:29:04,905 Are we listening to what God has to say 546 00:29:07,785 --> 00:29:10,635 or we rushing in for greed and materialism? 547 00:29:13,035 --> 00:29:14,505 Is this what we're sacrificing for now? 548 00:29:15,405 --> 00:29:16,485 Or Cora's Rebellion? 549 00:29:17,895 --> 00:29:22,005 Moses was leading the people of Egypt and Cora thought, you know what? 550 00:29:23,250 --> 00:29:23,820 I got this. 551 00:29:23,820 --> 00:29:24,420 I could lead this. 552 00:29:24,420 --> 00:29:25,410 He was a Levite. 553 00:29:27,210 --> 00:29:29,220 It's like, you don't have this position Moses. 554 00:29:29,910 --> 00:29:32,070 And Moses being humble, goes, let's take it to God. 555 00:29:33,390 --> 00:29:34,650 God, who do you want leading? 556 00:29:35,490 --> 00:29:38,400 And God goes, Moses, step over here for a moment. 557 00:29:39,180 --> 00:29:41,040 Leave core right there. 558 00:29:41,670 --> 00:29:43,260 And the ground swallowed him up. 559 00:29:45,930 --> 00:29:49,950 Do we respect God's authority and those appointed for authority? 560 00:29:54,510 --> 00:29:56,340 What does he have to say about these people? 561 00:29:57,180 --> 00:29:59,310 They are shepherds who feed only themselves. 562 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:07,440 They are clouds without rain, autumn trees that are just dead 563 00:30:10,285 --> 00:30:14,340 wild waves foaming up the sea and wandering stars. 564 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:16,470 Jude gets poetic here. 565 00:30:17,715 --> 00:30:20,505 But this idea of these love feasts, these agape feasts, these people are 566 00:30:20,505 --> 00:30:22,515 going and just eating it for themselves. 567 00:30:23,385 --> 00:30:25,395 It's the idea of you're going to church, but it's only for you. 568 00:30:25,815 --> 00:30:25,905 Mm-hmm. 569 00:30:28,995 --> 00:30:30,465 I go to serve myself. 570 00:30:30,735 --> 00:30:30,915 Speaker 3: Yep. 571 00:30:31,965 --> 00:30:33,675 Eric Ennis: No, that's not why I'm here. 572 00:30:36,045 --> 00:30:37,245 There are clouds without rain. 573 00:30:37,815 --> 00:30:42,315 For farmers, that's the worst thing because the expectation of, oh, rain's 574 00:30:42,315 --> 00:30:44,715 coming, but there's nothing there. 575 00:30:45,405 --> 00:30:46,065 It's shallow. 576 00:30:46,065 --> 00:30:46,545 It's empty. 577 00:30:47,265 --> 00:30:51,555 Autumn trees are supposed to be giving fruit by now, but they have nothing. 578 00:30:52,455 --> 00:30:53,175 Nothing to offer. 579 00:30:54,855 --> 00:30:56,445 The wild ways is foaming at the sea. 580 00:30:56,445 --> 00:30:58,380 I had to look this one up because I was like that. 581 00:30:58,635 --> 00:30:59,625 That sounded nice actually. 582 00:31:00,825 --> 00:31:04,935 But there's a reference in Ezekiel talking about foaming up, you know, dirty foam, 583 00:31:04,935 --> 00:31:09,795 like foaming up, you know, the dirt and grime, and then wandering stars. 584 00:31:09,795 --> 00:31:12,045 You know, you have comets that just die out. 585 00:31:14,010 --> 00:31:14,760 Sobering. 586 00:31:16,110 --> 00:31:18,960 If you came here today and go, man, I can't wait for an encouraging lesson 587 00:31:19,230 --> 00:31:21,570 where I wanna be built up, and like, man, I'm gonna walk in there going, 588 00:31:22,110 --> 00:31:23,640 man, I, I read through the book of Juah. 589 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:26,730 I'm like, man, God, this is sobering. 590 00:31:28,110 --> 00:31:28,920 Sobering. 591 00:31:34,110 --> 00:31:39,570 Then he references Enoch, a man who was taken from God, and again, 592 00:31:39,570 --> 00:31:40,950 a story from Jewish tradition. 593 00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:45,360 But he says, see, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of 594 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:50,070 his holy ones to judge everyone and convict them of their ungodly acts. 595 00:31:51,450 --> 00:31:53,670 And what are some things that you're gonna see with these people? 596 00:31:54,780 --> 00:31:56,610 All their defiant words. 597 00:31:57,450 --> 00:32:01,020 They are grumbler, they're fault finders. 598 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:03,990 They pursue after their own evil desires. 599 00:32:03,990 --> 00:32:06,090 The n his peace says, follow after their own lust. 600 00:32:06,210 --> 00:32:10,860 They boast about themselves and flatter others just for for their own gain. 601 00:32:15,210 --> 00:32:19,770 And again, I had to look at how much am I in this? 602 00:32:19,770 --> 00:32:19,800 Okay. 603 00:32:20,580 --> 00:32:23,790 Am I seeking solutions or am I finding problems? 604 00:32:25,050 --> 00:32:30,330 You know, one of the things as a teacher, uh, we talk about in our class is just you 605 00:32:30,330 --> 00:32:35,610 can find problems and a intelligent, or you can find solutions and be intelligent. 606 00:32:38,700 --> 00:32:40,740 Do we just find problems? 607 00:32:40,770 --> 00:32:40,860 There 608 00:32:41,010 --> 00:32:41,310 Speaker 3: we go. 609 00:32:42,090 --> 00:32:44,250 Eric Ennis: Do we just grumble behind the scenes? 610 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:44,370 Yep. 611 00:32:45,510 --> 00:32:52,050 And boast about how great we were in my day, man, when I walked on water, 612 00:32:53,610 --> 00:32:55,560 when I raised people from the dead. 613 00:32:55,860 --> 00:32:56,430 Woo. 614 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:58,380 The ministry was amazing. 615 00:33:00,685 --> 00:33:05,430 Or do we have the humility to go, okay, God, help us and 616 00:33:05,430 --> 00:33:07,560 help me find how to help us. 617 00:33:12,195 --> 00:33:14,355 But dear friends, remember what the apostles of our 618 00:33:14,355 --> 00:33:15,885 Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 619 00:33:16,215 --> 00:33:18,615 They said to you in the last times, there'll be scoffers. 620 00:33:18,915 --> 00:33:20,205 Another word for that is mocks. 621 00:33:20,205 --> 00:33:21,975 Another reference to that is false teachers. 622 00:33:22,935 --> 00:33:23,625 What are they gonna do? 623 00:33:23,625 --> 00:33:25,455 Follow their own ungodly desires. 624 00:33:26,475 --> 00:33:31,485 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural 625 00:33:31,485 --> 00:33:32,955 instincts and do not have the spirit. 626 00:33:34,890 --> 00:33:35,880 They divide us. 627 00:33:36,930 --> 00:33:39,330 They have slipped in and they divide us. 628 00:33:39,420 --> 00:33:41,100 They follow their own natural instincts. 629 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:45,900 This sounds right, this feels right, but they're not living by the spirit. 630 00:33:52,140 --> 00:33:54,600 And so what do we see in this corruption of false teachers? 631 00:33:56,250 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 3: Come on, 632 00:33:57,660 --> 00:33:58,920 Eric Ennis: their belief gets corrupted, 633 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:02,130 starts with their belief. 634 00:34:02,580 --> 00:34:05,970 You start perverting your belief, you start changing just a few things 635 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:12,719 and all of a sudden you start denying Christ and who Christ really is. 636 00:34:14,250 --> 00:34:15,480 Then it affects your conduct. 637 00:34:17,100 --> 00:34:21,090 You start living out differently than what you would have had you 638 00:34:21,090 --> 00:34:22,260 really been following Christ. 639 00:34:22,949 --> 00:34:24,690 I can give into this sin a little bit. 640 00:34:24,780 --> 00:34:26,489 This sins not that bad. 641 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:29,400 I mean, do I really have to follow that one? 642 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:29,969 I don't know. 643 00:34:31,034 --> 00:34:34,665 And then it starts to change our way of thinking and how we even see reality. 644 00:34:35,295 --> 00:34:38,355 We reject authority and even look at the spiritual reality differently. 645 00:34:40,755 --> 00:34:45,614 It affects our character, greedy, violent, rebellious. 646 00:34:47,264 --> 00:34:49,574 It affects our speech and how we speak to one another. 647 00:34:50,355 --> 00:34:55,635 Whether we grumble or boast or flatter, and ult ultimately affects our motivation. 648 00:34:56,955 --> 00:35:00,525 We come here self-serving, what is this church gonna give me? 649 00:35:00,945 --> 00:35:01,154 Speaker 3: Okay. 650 00:35:03,045 --> 00:35:05,145 Eric Ennis: What is this relationship gonna give me? 651 00:35:06,675 --> 00:35:07,665 And it's flat on spiritual. 652 00:35:08,654 --> 00:35:08,745 Mm-hmm. 653 00:35:09,884 --> 00:35:15,945 This is the warning against false teachers and false teaching and God's scripture. 654 00:35:16,725 --> 00:35:19,455 We have to contend for the faith. 655 00:35:19,515 --> 00:35:19,605 Yep. 656 00:35:20,055 --> 00:35:23,595 Fight for it, agonize for it, because we do not want this corruption 657 00:35:23,745 --> 00:35:26,205 in our church and we certainly don't want it in our own hearts. 658 00:35:26,415 --> 00:35:26,535 Speaker 3: Yep. 659 00:35:30,615 --> 00:35:32,145 Eric Ennis: A house divided cannot stand. 660 00:35:32,175 --> 00:35:32,805 Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 661 00:35:36,435 --> 00:35:39,675 Eric Ennis: A house divided cannot stand. 662 00:35:43,665 --> 00:35:45,105 You know, when you look at churches. 663 00:35:45,945 --> 00:35:47,985 That are, that are growing. 664 00:35:48,285 --> 00:35:52,065 They're typically in places of high persecution and typically 665 00:35:52,065 --> 00:35:53,655 places where it's very challenging. 666 00:35:54,675 --> 00:35:58,935 The churches that are shrinking are typically places where life is 667 00:35:58,935 --> 00:36:02,715 in abundance and things are easy. 668 00:36:04,605 --> 00:36:07,215 Our church used to be a fast growing church, but it was also 669 00:36:07,215 --> 00:36:08,475 a time of great persecution. 670 00:36:08,550 --> 00:36:08,970 Mm-hmm. 671 00:36:11,535 --> 00:36:13,155 'cause we had to contend for the faith. 672 00:36:14,850 --> 00:36:19,290 Now it's hard pressed to find out if we're different than 673 00:36:19,290 --> 00:36:20,280 the church across the street. 674 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:27,870 Are we blending in so much because we wanna be so accepted that 675 00:36:27,870 --> 00:36:29,190 we're compromising our faith? 676 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:35,190 And if so, then we won't last. 677 00:36:35,430 --> 00:36:39,000 Yeah, we have to take a stand. 678 00:36:39,570 --> 00:36:42,660 And that stand is God's word, period. 679 00:36:45,330 --> 00:36:47,370 Otherwise we'll be a house divided. 680 00:36:51,450 --> 00:36:52,890 So how do we protect ourselves? 681 00:36:53,910 --> 00:36:56,010 Now that I've just said, man, this is tough. 682 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:57,060 This doesn't sound good. 683 00:36:58,170 --> 00:36:59,340 How do we protect ourselves? 684 00:36:59,370 --> 00:37:05,520 But you dear friends, by building yourself up in your most holy faith 685 00:37:05,820 --> 00:37:10,650 and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourself in God's love. 686 00:37:11,175 --> 00:37:14,655 As you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 687 00:37:15,105 --> 00:37:18,285 So how do we protect ourselves during this challenging time? 688 00:37:19,725 --> 00:37:21,015 We build ourselves up in the faith. 689 00:37:22,005 --> 00:37:25,695 We go after God's word, and we pray in the spirit. 690 00:37:27,765 --> 00:37:30,795 This idea of God's spirit will pray for us even when we don't know what 691 00:37:30,795 --> 00:37:34,215 to say, but we trust in God's word. 692 00:37:34,215 --> 00:37:35,445 We trust in God's spirit. 693 00:37:36,225 --> 00:37:37,365 We don't trust in ourselves. 694 00:37:37,635 --> 00:37:37,725 Yep. 695 00:37:39,405 --> 00:37:40,815 That's how we protect ourselves. 696 00:37:42,795 --> 00:37:45,165 But I just said that our church isn't about us. 697 00:37:45,585 --> 00:37:46,695 It's not just about me. 698 00:37:47,595 --> 00:37:48,825 How do we protect others? 699 00:37:50,265 --> 00:37:52,545 Be merciful to those who doubt. 700 00:37:52,845 --> 00:37:53,025 Speaker 3: Yep. 701 00:37:53,805 --> 00:37:58,005 Eric Ennis: Save others by snatching them from the fire and to show mercy 702 00:37:58,005 --> 00:38:01,605 mixed with fear, hating even the clothing stain by corrupted flesh. 703 00:38:01,995 --> 00:38:04,125 He kind of mentions three different groups of people here. 704 00:38:05,445 --> 00:38:07,550 One mercy to people who are doubting. 705 00:38:08,010 --> 00:38:08,340 Speaker 3: Yep. 706 00:38:08,430 --> 00:38:10,020 Eric Ennis: If you have people in the fellowship, they're just kind 707 00:38:10,020 --> 00:38:11,700 of in that place of slight doubt. 708 00:38:11,700 --> 00:38:14,940 Like, do I really need to, you know, I don't know. 709 00:38:15,630 --> 00:38:16,440 Share my faith. 710 00:38:17,370 --> 00:38:18,960 Do I really need to read the Bible? 711 00:38:19,230 --> 00:38:20,100 Am I starting to doubt? 712 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:21,990 Be merciful to them? 713 00:38:24,540 --> 00:38:28,955 If people have gone further down and starting to fall, save 'em. 714 00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:34,260 If you're snatch 'em from fire, think firemen, save them. 715 00:38:37,260 --> 00:38:41,550 And if people have left his response, have mercy on them. 716 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:47,010 But mix it with fear that you don't fall through the same temptation. 717 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:54,810 The idea of man, as people struggle around us, do we demonstrate this mercy 718 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:57,780 to one another and help one another? 719 00:38:59,130 --> 00:39:02,160 This church isn't about me, it's about God. 720 00:39:02,444 --> 00:39:02,685 Speaker 3: Yep. 721 00:39:03,345 --> 00:39:04,575 Eric Ennis: What does God want for me? 722 00:39:04,605 --> 00:39:05,654 And what does God want for you? 723 00:39:05,654 --> 00:39:07,065 What does God want for us? 724 00:39:07,725 --> 00:39:10,005 And are we living this out every day? 725 00:39:14,565 --> 00:39:15,944 So what are our action steps this week? 726 00:39:15,944 --> 00:39:16,095 Come on. 727 00:39:18,645 --> 00:39:19,575 Content for the faith. 728 00:39:19,605 --> 00:39:20,505 Agonize. 729 00:39:20,505 --> 00:39:21,075 For the faith. 730 00:39:21,465 --> 00:39:23,115 I thought something might be cool to do. 731 00:39:24,690 --> 00:39:26,520 Take a key doctrine of Christian faith. 732 00:39:26,700 --> 00:39:31,859 It could be baptism, it could be evangelism, it could be sanctification. 733 00:39:31,859 --> 00:39:32,249 Anything. 734 00:39:34,499 --> 00:39:38,309 Write it down and why it matters. 735 00:39:39,329 --> 00:39:41,039 Write it in a way that you could explain to others. 736 00:39:41,699 --> 00:39:42,689 Back it up with scripture. 737 00:39:43,889 --> 00:39:45,059 Get into your Bibles. 738 00:39:45,599 --> 00:39:51,779 Can I fully explain why giving to the poor is so important biblically? 739 00:39:54,059 --> 00:39:54,779 Write it down. 740 00:39:55,019 --> 00:39:56,099 Write why it matters. 741 00:39:58,229 --> 00:39:59,939 Don't just go by your experience. 742 00:40:00,389 --> 00:40:02,099 Your instincts go by God's word. 743 00:40:04,109 --> 00:40:09,569 Secondly, guard against false teaching, and that is me here. 744 00:40:10,109 --> 00:40:10,889 And you there 745 00:40:13,079 --> 00:40:15,119 evaluate the content that you consume. 746 00:40:15,689 --> 00:40:17,039 What podcast do you listen to? 747 00:40:17,039 --> 00:40:19,619 What c what commentaries do you read? 748 00:40:20,894 --> 00:40:22,184 What music do you listen to? 749 00:40:22,214 --> 00:40:23,384 Heck, there's some Christian songs. 750 00:40:23,384 --> 00:40:24,374 I'm like, ah, that's wrong. 751 00:40:28,274 --> 00:40:28,964 Evaluate. 752 00:40:30,524 --> 00:40:31,304 Be a Berean. 753 00:40:31,694 --> 00:40:32,714 Evaluate this lesson. 754 00:40:32,834 --> 00:40:33,944 Go back, read Jude. 755 00:40:34,004 --> 00:40:35,234 There's a bunch of stuff. 756 00:40:36,224 --> 00:40:38,384 Go back and read all the Old Testament references. 757 00:40:39,584 --> 00:40:42,734 Read through the book of Enoch and the Testament of Moses, which was two 758 00:40:42,734 --> 00:40:43,964 of the things I quoted here today. 759 00:40:47,624 --> 00:40:49,364 No God's word for you. 760 00:40:50,685 --> 00:40:51,975 And finally show mercy. 761 00:40:53,595 --> 00:40:55,484 Reach out to someone who you know has been struggling. 762 00:40:55,814 --> 00:40:56,055 Speaker 3: Yep. 763 00:40:56,865 --> 00:40:57,225 Eric Ennis: Reach out. 764 00:40:57,524 --> 00:40:58,334 Give 'em a phone call. 765 00:40:58,484 --> 00:41:01,995 Say, Hey man, I wanna spend time demonstrate mercy, 766 00:41:03,495 --> 00:41:04,544 leading them back to God. 767 00:41:05,115 --> 00:41:08,414 I'm grateful for the people who have have had mercy on me over the years. 768 00:41:09,825 --> 00:41:14,205 My times of doubt, and my times of failure, and my times of hurt who've 769 00:41:14,205 --> 00:41:18,749 demonstrated that I don't want us to be a place we just consume. 770 00:41:20,444 --> 00:41:21,524 I wanna be a place that we give 771 00:41:25,184 --> 00:41:25,784 as I end. 772 00:41:25,784 --> 00:41:31,634 I'll end with this To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present 773 00:41:31,634 --> 00:41:35,804 you before his glorious presence, without fault, and with great joy. 774 00:41:36,554 --> 00:41:40,364 To the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority 775 00:41:40,724 --> 00:41:43,604 through Jesus Christ, our Lord, before all ages now and forevermore. 776 00:41:43,604 --> 00:41:43,934 Amen. 777 00:41:45,794 --> 00:41:49,814 As we close up this, this chapter of, of Lost, or I should say 778 00:41:49,814 --> 00:41:51,914 forgotten books, they're not lost. 779 00:41:52,514 --> 00:41:54,434 We can find them, but they're forgotten. 780 00:41:55,814 --> 00:41:59,714 But as we close out this, just the reference of of going back to following 781 00:41:59,714 --> 00:42:04,124 scripture and how important each one of those was calling us back to. 782 00:42:06,254 --> 00:42:12,434 And as we think through communion, it says we get to present ourselves 783 00:42:12,464 --> 00:42:13,964 before his glorious presence. 784 00:42:14,595 --> 00:42:19,365 Without fault and with great joy, not because of how good 785 00:42:19,365 --> 00:42:22,785 we are, because who Jesus was. 786 00:42:22,785 --> 00:42:22,875 Mm-hmm. 787 00:42:24,225 --> 00:42:26,085 And why could Jude write this? 788 00:42:26,089 --> 00:42:29,055 Because he saw Jesus. 789 00:42:30,585 --> 00:42:33,045 He knew who Jesus really was. 790 00:42:33,585 --> 00:42:35,505 He had changed his mindset. 791 00:42:36,225 --> 00:42:39,315 He was no longer a brother who no longer believed he was a brother who 792 00:42:39,315 --> 00:42:41,174 was willing to be a slave to Christ. 793 00:42:43,365 --> 00:42:49,064 And as we come before him, now in our communion, we get 794 00:42:49,064 --> 00:42:50,325 to come to him without fault. 795 00:42:51,075 --> 00:42:58,634 Not because we are sinless, because Jesus was, he was the perfect sacrifice 'cause 796 00:42:58,634 --> 00:43:00,075 it was through Jesus Christ our Lord. 797 00:43:01,185 --> 00:43:02,265 Let's pray for communion now. 798 00:43:05,835 --> 00:43:10,125 Father, as we come before you, um, father, I am humbled. 799 00:43:10,709 --> 00:43:15,779 As someone who's standing up here talking now, as someone who wants 800 00:43:15,779 --> 00:43:17,699 to fight and contend for the faith, 801 00:43:20,759 --> 00:43:25,949 God, I pray that we have the humility to look at the teachings that are going 802 00:43:25,949 --> 00:43:28,589 on both externally, but also internally, 803 00:43:30,839 --> 00:43:35,699 that we root out false teaching in our own hearts, but also in our fellowship 804 00:43:36,809 --> 00:43:38,639 that we have mercy on one another. 805 00:43:40,799 --> 00:43:46,200 But God that we fight for our faith because God, you agonized 806 00:43:46,230 --> 00:43:49,410 for the faith as well when you were in the Garden of Gethsemane. 807 00:43:50,640 --> 00:43:52,410 Not my will, but your will be done. 808 00:43:54,810 --> 00:43:56,670 You have paved a way for us. 809 00:43:57,210 --> 00:44:02,670 Father, I pray we follow it completely, not half-heartedly, but wholeheartedly, 810 00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:06,210 because God, it's only you that can save. 811 00:44:07,290 --> 00:44:08,220 Father, we love you. 812 00:44:09,464 --> 00:44:13,604 But more importantly, we know that you love us and we are grateful to be in 813 00:44:13,604 --> 00:44:20,924 your glorious presence without fault and with great joy because we know that 814 00:44:21,434 --> 00:44:26,504 your son died, but also resurrected, and we pray this in your son's name, 815 00:44:27,074 --> 00:44:27,404 Speaker 3: amen.