fromthepreacherspc

SPIRITUAL PATRIOTS #8 **
ANALOGIES OF INIQUITY
Jude 12-13

INTRODUCTION
A. We having been discussing for a while the need for Spiritual
Patriots in the Lord’s church
1. Jude 3
2. History proves that God will judge the false teachers
3. False teachers defile themselves and defy authority
4. False teachers are similar to Cain, Balaam, Korah in the evils and destiny
B. The worst mistake a soldier can make is to underestimate his enemy
1. Jude was determined not to let this happen to his readers
2. Using all the imagination he could summon, he labored to describe the ruthlessness and
corruption of the false teachers who threatening the church
3. He searched land, sky and sea to find the most appropriate images for illustrating their wickedness.
4. In the end he settled upon six powerful analogies to make his
point…
5. Jude 12-13
DISCUSSION
A. SPOTS IN YOUR LOVE FEASTS
1. Jude begins by comparing these corrupt men to “hidden rocks” (ASV; or “hidden reefs” – ESV; NAS) or “spots” (KJV, NKJ)
2. As we look at this from these two translations we see the
following:
a. In the case of “spots” these false teachers were human blemishes on the love feasts of the congregation
1) James 1:27
2) Ephesians 5:27
3) People who have been added to the church have first been cleansed
a) Acts 22:16
b) Romans 6:3-4… those who do not walk in newness of life are a blemish upon the church’s reputation and fellowship
b. In the case of “hidden rocks” these false teachers, metaphorically, were men who by their conduct damage others morally
1) Like sunken reefs which could not be seen on the surface of the water, but which would inevitably wreck any ship which struck them, so these men gave no warning of the threat which they posed.
2) Sadly, false teachers do not appear as they really are until the damage is already done
a) Countless ships have been shipwrecked by hidden rocks
b) 1 Timothy 1:19-20
3. The “love feasts” Jude mentions probably refers to the friendliness that was evident among the saints as they enjoyed a common meal together
a. Early Christians derived pleasure from this kind of fellowship
b. Acts 2:46
4. Jude says that false teachers secretly bring in blemishes that do harm to Christian fellowship
B. SELF-SERVING SHEPHERDS
1. In the second analogy, Jude compared false teachers to self-centered shepherds who “without fear feed themselves”
a. They are consumed with satisfying their own egos and lusts while completely ignoring the spiritual needs of those entrusted to their care
b. “Without fear” suggests they were unconcerned about facing God in judgment to account for their misdeeds, but…
2 Corithians 5:10
2. Leaders are often called “shepherds” in Scripture
a. Ezekiel prophesied against the shepherds (leaders) of Israel who put their interest above the interest of the flock (Eze. 34)
b. Jesus is called the Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11), who laid down His life for the sheep
3. Due to their influence, leaders can expect a higher level of accountability on the Day of Judgment
a. James 3:1
b. He must be without reproach (2 Tim. 3:2)
c. When a person proclaims himself a spiritual leader but does not live up to that trust, he has committed a serious offense.
d. Whether the problem is apathy or opportunism, the outcome is the same
C. CLOUDS WITHOUT WATER
1. Next, Jude painted a verbal portrait of false teachers as waterless clouds
a. It is doubtful that he has white billowy clouds that lazily pass through the sky on a summer day
b. It is more likely that he imagined dark clouds, always threatening rain but never delivering the refreshment so desperately needed
2. Few things could be more disheartening in the dry arid regions of Judea than waterless clouds
a. Jude used this frustrating figure to portray the problem of spiritual drought
b. False teachers are like clouds that promise rain but never deliver
c. Proverbs 25:14… These men are all talk and no show
3. “Carried along by winds” may symbolize the spiritual instability of ungodly men
a. Like clouds at the mercy of the wind currents, false teachers lack the integrity to withstand unbiblical doctrines
b. These false teachers are like clouds that create excitement as they come but leave disappointment as they go
D. TREES WITHOUT FRUIT
1. The fourth figure used of those undermining the faith was that of barren trees.
a. Jude envisions a person walking up to a fruit tree in late autumn expectantly looking forward to a ripe, juicy treat
b. Instead, the fruit was withered away, leaving the hungry individual disappointed
c. Such was the experience of those who sought spiritual food or blessing from these hypocrites
2. Teachers who drink deeply from God’s word produce good fruit
a. Psalm 1:3
b. Jesus cautioned to be careful and examine the fruit… Matthew 7:20
c. Isaiah 5:1-6
3. Jude uses the phrase, “twice dead” to depict the fruitless lives of the false teacher
a. A tree my get a reprieve the first year of not producing fruit, but if there is no fruit produced the second year it is uprooted
b. Matthew 3:8
4. The phrase “twice dead” might also indicate the tragedy of Christians who have gone back into the world
a. Hebrews 6:4-8
b. Nothing can be sadder than for a person who has been saved from his past sins only to be lost later through disobedience – the second death is awaiting the unfaithful
E. RAGING WAVES
1. Jude turned to the “wild waves of the sea” for his next image of iniquity
a. False teachers are wild and unstable like the tossing sea
b. Loud and boisterous and producing only foam
c. False teachers are loud and boastful, but for all their talk, they have little to show but the residue of their own shame
2. Isaiah 57:20
a. Instead of littering beaches, false teachers litter the minds and lives of those they influence
b. In some cases they are like giant waves that leave utter destruction in their path
F. WANDERING STARS
1. Jude’s final example of iniquity comes from the heavens
a. Religious leaders are like stars because they impart the light of knowledge, but Jude says these false teachers are not that way
b. “Wandering stars” seems to refer to meteorites that blaze impressively across the horizon
1) No one cannot steer by shooting stars… they blaze for a moment and are then go, and so it is with false teachers
2) Their light went out when they departed from God’s word
c. False teachers have wandered away from God’s word – their lives are spiritually off course
2. Those who are faithful to God’s word are like stars in the midst of a sinful world
a. Philippians 2:15
b. Those who are faithful to God’s word have an enormous influence in leading people in the right way – in startling contrast to the false teachers Jude is discussing who lead men into darkness
CONCLUSION
A. UNDERESTIMATING EVIL
1. It is a terrible blunder to underestimate one’s adversary in battle
a. This is why the New Testament has gone to great lengths to provide intelligence on the enemies of Christ
b. Ephesians 6:12
2. In writing his battle plan for Christian warfare, Jude painted a vivid picture of the awfulness of sin and those who promote it
a. False teachers are spiritually empty, fruitless, unstable, and self-centered men
b. Their wild actions defile, disappoint, pollute, shame, and destroy the souls of men
B. FRAMING FALSE TEACHERS
1. Overcoming evil requires facing the problem squarely
a. That is why it is a terrible mistake to downplay heresy
b. Although it is admirable to bear with the mistaken understanding of the weak, it is inexcusable to make light of the maneuverings of the willful
2. Like Jude, spiritual patriots must honestly assess, accurately describe and graphically portray the wickedness of false teachers
a. Complainer who find fault with everything are not to be admired, but spiritual patriots who alert the church to real doctrinal danger are heroes of the faith and should be thanked for their courage
b. We must not ignore the problem of false teaching – it will not go away
c. Tell it like it is so other can see it like it is. Jude did. Will we?

** Thoughts for this sermon came from Aubrey Johnson’s book “Spiritual Patriots”

Tom Moore
P. O. Box 107
Hamilton, Texas 76531
http://www.harrisandmoore.org
http://www.fromthepreacherspc.org
http://preachersfiles.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/list/preacherspc/
http://www.parkheightscoc.com

SPIRITUAL PATRIOTS #7
A SEASON OF DISCONTENT **

INTRODUCTION
A. Many are eager to volunteer for battle, but few are prepared to endure military life without complaint
1. They enlist in a heat of passion, and sometime later reality begins to set in.
2. When hardship become a way of life, it is easy to become discouraged.
3. Those in positions of authority may be viewed as the enemy, instead of the original foe
B. The winter spent in Valley Forge caused many soldiers to question the Leadership of General George Washington.
1. Dissatisfaction was rampant among Sam Houston’s men as they continually retreated from the Mexican army led by Santa Anna.
2. In the end, patience was vindicated as Americans and Texans won their freedom
3. Victory over sin equally depends on steady submission to divinely appointed authority
C. The devil is delighted when discouraged Christians engage in acts of spiritual insubordination.
1. God’s patriots must refuse to cast their lot with insurgents who try to divide the people of God
2. A time comes when conscientious Christians must go their separate ways, but parting should be tearful, not prideful
3. An unchristlike spirit is nearly always at the heart of church splits
D. Jude 5-11
DISCUSSION
A. CONFRONTING SPIRITUAL INSURGENCY
1. Jude’s readers were deeply disturbed by an insurrection occurring in their home congregation
a. False teachers were leading a revolt against godly leaders in the church
b. To aid his friends in their hour of crisis, Jude pointed them to the example of Moses who successfully withstood a group of rebels attempting to divide and conquer the nation of Israel.
2. During the 40 years of wilderness wandering, many events distressed Moses
a. Aaron and Miriam tried to seize control…
b. At Marah the people complained for lack of water
c. At Kadesh-barnea the people refused to take the Promise Land
3. The rebellion of Korah had to stand at the top of the list of Moses’ painful moments
a. The revolt came from a discouraged few
b. Korah organized a conspiracy against God chosen leader
4. Something about the false teachers mentioned in this epistle reminded Jude of the rebellion of Korah
a. Jude says. “Woe unto them…” (v. 11)
b. Two things occurs with this statement:
1) Jude rebukes these false teachers, and
2) Applauds the example of Moses and how he dealt with this divisive crowd
B. OPPORTUNISTS AND INSURRECTION
1. Numbers 16:1-3
2. Korah was consumed with envy because he did not have the authority he desired
3. 250 others – chief men of the congregation – were involved in the rebellion
a. The time was right for a rebellion
b. Moses had just announced that they would spend the next 40 years wandering in the wilderness
c. The news must have sounded like a death sentence – for many would not enjoy the blessings of the Promise Land
4. Rather than accepting personal responsibility for their predicament, they laid the blame at the feet of Moses and Aaron
a. They charged Moses with “going too far” with his authority – “Taking too much upon you”
b. In their minds he was nothing more than a self-appointed dictator
5. The rebels had twisted God’s word to defend their insurgency
a. They were saying that all of God’s people were holy (Ex. 19:6)
b. The statement was true, but the inference they drew from it was not
c. It was true that all God’s people were special, but it was wrong to conclude that God had no special roles for certain individuals
C. HANDLING PERSONAL ATTACKS
1. Numbers 16:4-7
2. Moses never shone more brightly than on this occasion
a. His handling of the crisis serves as a model for those who find themselves misunderstood and maligned by others.
b. The first thing he did was carry his burden to God in prayer
1) He must have been heartbroken by the seething accusations directed against him
2) At this point, it would have been easy to give up in disgust or strike back in anger, but Moses laid his trouble and temper at the feet of God
3. To his critics, Moses proposed a test.
a. Offering incense was one of the highest duties of priests.
b. If these rebels wanted the priesthood so bad, then let them come before the tabernacle of the Lord with censers in hand, and let God choose between them and the sons of Aaron
4. The test was particularly sobering in light of what had happened in Leviticus 10:1-3…
5. Moses casts the accusation back at them, “You take too much upon yourself…”
a. In standing against Moses, Korah and company was actually standing against God
b. What Korah really wanted was absolute freedom to do as he pleased – NOT true piety
6. Instead of spending all his energy defending himself, Moses decided to leave the matter with God
a. When unfairly attacked, sometimes the best thing a person can do is follow Moses’ example and let God take care of it
b. The Day of Judgment will be the ultimate day of vindication for those who have lived faithfully
D. THE PROBLEM OF UNGRATEFULNESS
1. Numbers 16:8-11
2. Moses rebuked Korah for his ingratitude.
a. Rather than appreciating the privilege of being a Levite, he grew increasingly jealous of those who served as priest
b. Discontent robbed Korah of the joy and satisfaction he should have experienced in his serve to the Lord
c. He viewed his role as insignificant when it was actually an exalted opportunity
3. The problem of envy continues to cause unrest among the people of God today
a. But notice 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
b. Everyone in the Lord’s body is important
c. There are different roles men, women, elders, etc…
d. To be jealous of one another is as senseless as an ear becoming upset because they are not an eye – both are unique and indispensable
E. A PUBLIC RELATIONS PLOY
1. Numbers 16:12-15
2. Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram to meet with his personally, but they refused to appear…making the excuse Moses just planned to gouge out their eyes (Num. 16:14)
a. Although they refused to talk with Moses, they continued to talk about him
b. They accused him of bringing them out of a land flowing with milk and honey instead of leading them to one
2. At this point, the meekest man in the world became upset
a. The job of national leader had been thrust upon him – he did not seek it, nor did he eagerly accept it
b. He had not robbed the people or wronged them in anyway – rather he made many sacrifices for them
c. Yet, he was accused of taking personal advantages of his position and ruling in tyranny
d. Moses reminds Korah and his followers to prepare their censers and appear before the Lord the next day to settle this matter once and for all
F. CENSER SHOWDOWN
1. Numbers 16:16-27
2. God told Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the multitude because he was about to destroy them.
a. Despite all that he had suffered, Moses still loved the people of Israel and interceded on their behalf – his heart was fill with compassion, especially for those who had been misled by these cunning men.
b. Moses warned everyone to move away from the rebels who stood defiantly at the entrance of their tents.
c. Their smugness reminded Jude of the superior, self-righteous attitude that he often saw in false teachers
2. As the showdown began, Moses announced the criteria by which the people could know if he was sent by God to be their leader… Numbers 16:28-30
3. Notice God’s response… Numbers 16:31-35
G. A MESSAGE TO REBELS
1. Numbers 16:36-40
2. The altar has long been gone, but the account of Korah will not be forgotten, thanks to the pen of Jude: “Woe to them!” who “perished in the gainsaying [or, rebellion] of Korah”
3. Those who respect God should value leaders placed in positions of authority by Him.
a. Children should honor and obey loving parents
b. Wives should submit to the headship of their husbands
c. Christians should submit to the authority of the elders
4. Where these principles are followed, peace and harmony abound – if they are ignored homes are broken and church are divided
H. A MODEL OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
1. The techniques modeled by Moses for coping with unjustified criticism can be successfully employed by Christians today.
a. When the people of God find themselves under attack, they should pray to God for help in dealing with their enemies and their emotions
b. They should trust in God to distinguish between the just and the unjust and to vindicate the righteous
c. And we should separate ourselves from spiritual insurrectionists to avoid being swallowed up in their sins
2. Korah, like Cain and Balaam, was a highly religious man, yet he was far from righteous.
a. What about you? Have you surrendered to God or are you living in rebellion
b. Are you discontent or disagreeable?
CONCLUSION
A. God’s patriots are people who are content to honor the Lord by doing their best in the role He has given them at the moment
1. They will cooperate and support their leaders
2. They will be energetic workers rather than envious whiners
B. But, those who serve must be careful not to confuse contentment with complacency
1. We should be constantly learning and growing in order to prepare for greater service
2. The key is to set one’s highest goals on God and not be self-serving
3. Do your best and God will take care of the rest

** Ideas for this sermon come from Aubrey Johnson’s book “Spiritual Patriots”

Tom Moore
P. O. Box 107
Hamilton, Texas 76531
http://www.harrisandmoore.org
http://www.fromthepreacherspc.org
http://preachersfiles.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/list/preacherspc/
http://www.parkheightscoc.com