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“Sign #3: God’s Love For Humanity Displayed” Luke 2:8-20

The Signs of Christmas

Sermon Series

“Sign #3: God’s Love For Humanity Displayed”

Luke 2:8-20

Introduction

In his 2014 Wall Street Journal bestseller, Talk Like Ted, Carmine Gallo discusses why Ted Talks are so popular, and why some in particular go viral and others do not. And if I were to give you the cliff notes version, it essentially says, when you present information to an audience tell stories, and how presenters should “master the art of storytelling.” Jesus was a master story teller, and he told stories often (the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, The Sower, etc.)

Today the Shepherds will tell us their story from Luke 2, and how God did something amazing in their presence, and used them for something wonderful. We are also going to discover, that like the shepherds and their story, God desires to show you something amazing today and use you and your story to change the world.

Prayer

God’s Favor Given to Shepherds (vv. 8-14)

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

The word “And” signifies for us that there was something that came before this passage. In the preceding verses we see that a census was issued by the Roman emperor, so Mary and Joseph have to travel to their ancestral home, Bethlehem. And upon arriving can find no place to stay except a barn, Jesus was born and laid in a manger.

While Christ’s birth is drawing to a close, angels are dispatched to tell a group of people about this very special child’s birth. This is the most important event that had ever or will ever take place on this planet. The very first people to hear of Christ’s birth were shepherds.

Shepherds did not live in luxurious homes, they did not carry many possessions, and as we find them here often have the few things they can carry and devote themselves to the care of their sheep. On this night, they are awake, and are living outside, and watching their sheep at night against predators, they were “keeping watch over their flock by night.”[1]

What was it about these shepherds that made them worthy of such honor? The answer is found in verse 14, there will be “peace among those with whom he is pleased” God did some awesome things that night just because he wanted to favor some shepherds who were sleeping in a field, watching their sheep. God had it in His heart to favor these men.

There is nothing that indicates they were super-shepherds, or that they had in any way earned or deserved this outpouring of God’s favor – but let’s look at how God favored them.

(Favor is shown by how) God Sends A Heavenly Messenger

First God sends them a heavenly messenger, and when they see this messenger Luke tells us that they were very afraid. It says an “an angel of the Lord appeared to them.” In just about every instance where an angel appears before a person, they are struck with fear.

(Favor is shown by how) God Gives A Heavenly Appearing

“and the glory of the Lord shone around them” We see the glory of the Lord in Exodus 16:7,10 where in a cloud the people could look upon His glory and God provided manna and quail for the Israelites to eat after they had complained.

In Exodus 24:17 God fills the top of Mt. Sinai with smoke and blasts of thunder. It appeared “as a devouring fire.” In Exodus 40:34 the Israelites had completed the Tabernacle and God’s presence entered it and appeared as a cloud, and as pillars of smoke and fire.

If you combine an angel and God’s glory shining around them, what you get is some very scared shepherds – why are they afraid? Because when sinful mankind comes into the presence of a holy God or even His messengers, our sinfulness stands in stark contrast to God’s holiness.

All of our misgivings, flaws, evil deeds – everything is exposed, all of who we truly are is seen by God’s eye, and man’s natural response is to try and hide as best they can, we fall to our face before a consuming fire and close our eyes to try and shut out God’s glory. But there is no place to go.

The shepherds are scared because they know that they are sinful the fear of a holy God causes them to shutter. At this moment, when they are scared to death, the messenger speaks.

(Favor is shown by how) God Gives A Heavenly Message (vv. 10b-12)

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

He begins by saying don’t be afraid – I bring you some good news. The good news of the gospel, a way is given to them for them to be forgiven of their sin and a way for them to be able to stand before God, not in fear, but in worship and love. The messenger was giving these shepherds the most important news that has ever been told. Not only was this good news for them, the good news is “for all the people.”

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior” – In the book of 2 Samuel when the prophet Samuel went to anoint a new king for his people God told him to go to Jesse’s house, and it was his youngest son David whose head would be anointed.

David had to be brought in from watching the sheep. Later when appealing to king Saul to allow him to fight Goliath, David gives examples where he had defended his sheep from bear and lion. Not only does Jesus being born in Bethlehem fulfill prophecy, but it also describes to his people what this Christ will be like. John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

The Savior would be just like them, except without sin. They were sleeping out in field, Jesus was lying in manger. They were shepherds of sheep, Jesus was the Good Shepherd. They had a humble lifestyle, Jesus emptied himself of glory and became a man, a suffering savior, and was described as having “no place to lay his head.”

Bethlehem was a tiny town, the Savior’s lineage would come through a little shepherd boy named David, and the eventual good news would be given first to a group of unknown shepherds. God delights in pouring His favor on the young, the little, the weak, and the unknown.

“a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” What is a Savior? What are they being saved from? Jesus who would grow in wisdom and stature, would teach as one who had authority, he would perform miracles to prove what He said was true. He would die on a Roman cross and He would rise again three days later – he did all these things as a Savior.

The law shows us that all of us have sinned and fall short of God’s requirement to go to heaven. We have all lied, stolen, dishonored our parents, thought lustful thoughts, been angry with someone – any one of these eternally separates us from God – He is holy and we are sinful. And we stand before God guilty of committing sin, and we have no way of getting rid of it.

Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Jesus by dying on the cross saved us by taking the punishment that we deserved.

God tells the shepherds in His grace and mercy how to find this child – who is the Savior of the world. “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” This same grace and mercy is held out to us as well, He tells us clearly that this good news is for us as well today – we, like the shepherds, are given clear instructions as to how we can be saved from our sins.

(Favor is shown by the appearing of) A Heavenly Host (vv. 13-14)

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

“In heaven God’s glory, on earth God’s peace.”[2] God favors these shepherds by sending a heavenly messenger, shining His glory upon them, giving them the most important message ever given, and then to top it off, a vast number of angels sing a praise and worship song and they have a worship service – right there in the pasture. Good news leads them to praise God.

Mary and Joseph had an angel appear to them on separate occasions, God spoke to Joseph in a dream. But for this unknown group of shepherds, God gives them favor, upon favor, upon favor, upon favor. Blessing, upon blessing. What do you do when God offers such grace, forgiveness, mercy and love?

They knew that they were a sinful bunch, but they had received the good news of God. This morning you too can meet the Savior of the world, he no longer can be found in a manger, because having defeated death, hell, and the Enemy – he sits at the right hand of the Father and is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

How Should Someone Respond to God’s Favor? (vv. 15-20)

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

(We Respond to God’s favor by) Going and Seeing (v. 15b-16)

Many times we try to define faith and we make too complicated. Faith is simply taking God at His Word. The shepherds had just been given a message – There is a Savior, you can meet Him, Here’s how you will recognize Him. The step of faith for the shepherds was to go to Bethlehem. “And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.”

The step of faith that God requires us to take is not to run to a nearby barn, but Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” God offers us forgiveness and salvation as a gift – the step we take is to receive or reject this good news as a gift. (Christmas gift around the tree)

(We Respond to God’s favor by) Going and Telling (v. 17-18)

There was something within this group of shepherds that told them that they simply could not go back to the pasture to watch the sheep. They knew they had to tell others the good news – they had a story to tell. The town was amazed – but what the Bible doesn’t say is how the town responded. Did they go and see the Christ child? Did anyone who went offer them a place to stay?

(We Respond to God’s favor by) Treasuring and Pondering (v. 19)

Mary had just given birth in a very difficult place to deliver a child. A barn is filthy. Was there clean water? Did they have blankets? Mary would have been exhausted from labor, pushing and the pain of delivery. She would have looked a mess.

Sometimes God takes us through things were all we can is just sit there and take it all in. She had just delivered the Savior of the world. He was healthy and there weren’t any complications. Animals were nearby, shepherds were arriving, soon townspeople would be getting there. Later magi from the east would be arriving.

But you know what? People weren’t coming to see her or Joseph – they were coming to see Jesus. You cannot dress up the gospel – it is what it is. Life is messy, the way God dealt with our sin was messy, ministry often times is messy, life many times is messy. But if we point people to Christ – it really doesn’t matter what we look like.

What if Mary had turned people away – “no you can’t come in right now, Mary is resting.” “no one come into the barn right now, Mary is putting on her makeup.” When people came to the door she only had to point to the manger. Jesus was the main attraction.

Many times we as Christians think it’s all about us, and how we look to the world – as though we must be perfect and put together before the lost, and lonely, and seeking can come in – all we have to do is point to Christ.

Conclusion

It’s been about ten years since Talk Like Ted was published, and “TED, which launched in 2006, is still alive, with 27 million subscribers on its YouTube page. But somewhere along the line, it lost what made it special.[3] Now, it’s a chore to find the mind-altering presentation among the 4,700 videos. With all the regional offshoots with TEDx, topics and speakers seem ordinary, sometimes even tedious.

And curious people have new options. Podcasts, offer sharper points through intense conversation. You can tell these people care about what they’re doing. They go deep on compelling topics.

But the problem is more fundamental: The TED formula got flat and predictable. As obscure speakers marched to the big red dot, armed with their tales of exploration and challenge, they seemed to follow a script rather than sharing their passions

TED succeeded, at first, because its presentations with carefully curated, with strict time limits, an understanding of narrative, an effective interplay of words and images. Plus, presenters practiced their talks endlessly. When they got on stage, they were ready to rock. More important, the speakers had a passion and an urgency.”[4]

This morning I want to invite you to think about your story – he invites all people to enter into a relationship with him. The Bible says that “He wants none to perish.” If you would like to meet the Savior of the world, today, you can say a prayer and invite Him into your life – you can say something like this,

“Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins, I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior.” In Jesus’ Name.

___________________

[1] Protecting them from the lion and the bear, 1 Samuel 17:34-35.

[2] Herschel Hobbs, An Exposition of The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Books, 1972) 53.

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

[4] https://theelementsofwriting.com/ted/

“Sign #2: The Virgin Birth” Matthew 1:18-25

The Signs of Christmas

Sermon Series

Sign #2: The Virgin Birth

Matthew 1:18-25

Introduction

The Gospel of Matthew says that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin when she gave birth to the Son of God. The world laughs at this idea and mocks it as if it were a myth. Even worse, some proclaiming Christians doubt the Virgin Birth; some don’t believe it at all.

But the truth is, there is no hope of salvation apart from the Virgin Birth. If the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ did not happen, the foundation of Christianity collapses. The Virgin Birth is not incidental: it is fundamental to our faith. This morning we will look at why the virgin birth is a sign that points the world to the Savior.

Prayer

The Virgin Birth Points to Jesus as the Messiah

“18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Engagement (betrothed) in ancient Judaism was legally binding and required divorce if it were to be broken, but sexual relations and living together under one roof were not permitted until after the marriage ceremony.[1] But now Joseph discovers that she is pregnant (and he knows that it wasn’t him.)

19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph could therefore be spoken of already as Mary’s husband, but Matthew emphasizes this was “before they came together.” Joseph assumes that she has been unfaithful to him. When Joseph is referred to as “a just or righteous man” it does not mean that he perfect, only that he was law-abiding, and upright in character. Because of the character of Joseph, he wants to spare her any public disgrace or even death (Duet. 22:23-24). Jewish law required a man to divorce (or that she be stoned) an adulterous wife. She would have been marked for life as unfaithful, and an adulterous.

The angel explains in a dream that Mary has not been unfaithful and that her child has been supernaturally conceived. As he calls him “son of David” the angel is reminding him of messianic lineage. It is as if the angel is saying, “remember, there is a messiah coming through your lineage.” He commands him to go ahead and marry her thereby legally making the Christ child a son of David.

In this angelic dream there are no images of delivering the Israelites from the Roman oppression instead the angel emphasizes salvation from their sins. He is to be named Jesus which means Yahweh is salvation or “the Lord saves.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us) (Isaiah 7:14). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”

Historically, the virgin birth was an essential Christian doctrine. The amended version of the Nicene Creed in 381 says, “For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”

The Apostle’s Creed says, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary…”’

This morning I want to answer the question of, “Why is it so important that Jesus had to be born by a virgin birth?” One answer would be because God prophesied that He would be (Isa. 7:14), but God could have chosen any event or miracle to be fulfilled to show Jesus to be the Messiah – why a virgin birth?

Original Sin

Our answer begins at the beginning of time with the Doctrine of Original Sin. Original Sin is the biblical teaching that sin is not just an act but also a condition that has been handed down from Adam to all mankind. When Adam sinned in the Garden, his physical and spiritual nature was corrupted—his body was no longer eternal but would eventually die, and his soul was no longer spiritually alive but separated from God.

Separation is an essential theological theme in Scripture. In the Bible, separation is how death happens. Ecclesiastes 12:7, in speaking to physical death, Solomon writes, “and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

Death is the separation of the body from the soul. When the soul leaves, the body dies. On the other hand, spiritual death is defined as the separation of the soul from God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God.”

Original Sin Results in Death

The Bible defines death as a separation:

separation of the soul from the body (physical death) and separation of soul from God (eternal death).

Because God is spirit, holy, and without sin, the soul of a sinner cannot be in His presence. Therefore, sin acts as the means to detach (or separate) us from God.

Because Adam sinned and was separated from God, all who are born of Adam are also born separated from God. Consequently, when the soul is separated from God (Who is the source of spiritual life), the soul is dead.

This is why Ephesians 2:1-3 describes the spiritual state of a person before Christ by saying, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

For this reason, Jesus claims we must be spiritually resurrected (or born again) to enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-5). As we know, spiritual life (the reuniting of the soul with God) is only found in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. However, the Bible teaches that if a person remains spiritually dead by their unwillingness to repent and trust in Christ, they will experience what is called the second death. This is the eternalseparation of your soul from God (a.k.a. hell).

Revelation 21:8 says, “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Ultimately, we learn two important truths in this doctrine of Original Sin. First, Adam’s sin was the reason Adam died (physically and spiritually). It’s also the reason why all of humanity is born spiritually dead (needing to be born again) and will experience physical death.

Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”

Original Sin and Federal Headship

The second lesson we learn in the Doctrine of Original Sin is the concept of “federal headship” or “covenant representation.”

When Paul says, “so death spread to all men because all sinned.” He’s teaching that when Adam sinned, we all sinned with him or in him. Adam was the human race’s covenant representative before God in the covenant of works that was established in the Garden of Eden. That is, God established a law for man to follow (to not eat of the forbidden tree), and Adam failed to keep his portion of the covenant.

Now, because all humanity was, in a real sense, genetically inAdam, when Adam sinned and broke that covenant, we all sinned with him or in him. Therefore, when Adam was genetically corrupted, we were genetically corrupted. When Adam died spiritually, we died spiritually. When Adam was cursed, we were cursed. Ultimately, when Adam fell, all of humanity fell with him.

This is why Scripture teaches for a person to be saved, they must go from being in Adamto being in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22). We need to switch from Adam (who failed to keep the law) to Christ (who kept the law, perfectly). We need to go from the man who is not righteous to the only Man who is righteous—Jesus Christ.

So, because of Adam I have inherited a sin nature, you may say, “that’s not fair. I am being judged because of something Adam did?” But have you sinned? Yes, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” But if you think it is unfair to be linked with Adam “then we should also think that it is unfair for us to be represented by Christ and to have his righteousness imputed to us by God.”[2] One man brought sin into the world and one man defeated it for the world.”

Romans 5:17-19 says, “For if, because of one man’s trespass (Adam), death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass (though Adam) led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness (through Christ) leads to justification and life for all men.For as by the one man’s disobedience (Adam) the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience (Christ) the many will be made righteous.”

Jesus, the Second Adam

As you can see, Jesus is a second and better Adam. In fact, God prepared His people for and pointed them to this need for a second Adam. For example, in the Old Testament, God’s covenantal mark of circumcision, while symbolic for several reasons, aims to demonstrate man’s sinfulness by marking the male’s reproductive organ.

It was a physical reminder to God’s people that sin is passed down from generation to generation. Namely, that sinful man can only reproduce sinful men. But more than that, it would remind God’s people that salvation would not be from men but by from God. Somehow God would have to break this chain of sin being passed from generation to generation.

Even in Isaiah 7:14, we see the prophet foretelling God will step in when he wrote, “Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”

God’s people knew to expect a Messiah that would come through a supernatural birth

—a pregnancy and birth that included a virgin woman.

This Messiah would be fully human and fully God. He would have His humanity from His mother and His divinity from God the Father. But most of all, He would not inherit the corruption, curse, or covenant representation of Adam.

He would be conceived by the Holy Spirit, free of sin, legally adopted by an earthly father of the tribe of Judah, born of the line of David, and would stand before the world as a new Adam. Namely, He would keep the Law with perfection, to give His life as a ransom for many, and to spiritually reproduce others who were not like the first Adam but like Him.

So how does this all come together? Why is the virgin birth of Jesus absolutely necessary? Because if Jesus were born of Joseph, He would have had original sin—He would have been born physically corrupted, spiritually dead, sinful, and cursed. If that were the case, Jesus could not pay for the sins of others because He would have to pay for His own sin with His own life.

Therefore, the cross would not be a moment of redemption but simply the passing away of another sinner. As a result, no justification could be given by faith. No redemption could be bought by His blood. No wrath could be satisfied by His death. And no resurrection could occur to validate His righteousness.

Without the virgin birth, all of Christianity falls apart.

Therefore, during this Christmas season, we don’t simply celebrate thatChrist was born, but we also celebrate how Christ was born. He’s the first fruits of the harvest to come, the firstborn from the dead, and for those who trust in Him, the One who reconciles them to God for eternity.

Conclusion

“Radio commentator Paul Harvey tells of a man who did not believe that God had taken human flesh in the person of Jesus. He was a kind, decent family man, but he was skeptical about the message of Christmas and couldn’t pretend otherwise. So on Christmas eve, he told his wife that he was not going to church with her and the children, because he just couldn’t believe. So they went without him.

Shortly after the family left, snow began to fall. As he sat in his fireside chair reading the paper, he was startled by a thudding sound against the house, then another, then another. At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against the living room window. But when he went to investigate, he found a flock of birds, huddled miserably in the snow. They had been caught in the storm, and in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his window.

He didn’t want to leave the poor creatures there to freeze. He thought of the barn where his children stabled their pony. He put on his coat and boots and tromped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the door wide and turned on the light. But the birds didn’t come in. He went back to the house and got some bread crumbs and sprinkled a path to the barn, but the cold creatures ignored the food and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow.

He tried catching them and shooing them into the barn, but they scattered in every direction, frightened by his well-meaning actions. As he puzzled over how he could help save these frightened creatures from sure death, the thought struck him, “If only I could become a bird and speak their language, then I could show them the way to safety in the warm barn.” At that moment, bells from the church rang out through the silent, falling snow, heralding the birth of the Savior. The message of Christmas suddenly made sense, and he dropped to his knees in the snow.

It is possible to believe in the virgin birth and incarnation of the Savior and yet not be saved. Salvation does not depend upon affirming the creeds. “The demons also believe” (James 2:19). Salvation depends upon personally receiving the free gift of eternal life which God offers to you through His eternal Son who took on human flesh through the virgin Mary on that first Christmas, who offered Himself as the substitute for sinners on the cross. If God is truly with us in Christ, then we must come to God only through Christ.”[3]

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[1] Craig Blomberg. The New American Commentary, Vol. 22. Matthew (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman), 59.

[2] Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1994) 495.

[3] https://bible.org/seriespage/christmas-1996-virgin-birth-why-believe-it-matthew-118-25-luke-126-38

“Sign #1: The Star of Bethlehem” Matthew 2:1-12

The Signs of Christmas

Sermon Series

Sign #1: The Star of Bethlehem

Matthew 2:1-12

Introduction

The guiding light of the star was a point of reference for the searching Magi. It pointed the way and helped them to navigate to the destination of their journey. In our contemporary society, what will be our spiritual point of reference? Which star will those who continue to search follow?

This morning we are going to see that those who seek God will find Him, He will make a way for them to come to know Him. This morning we answer the question, “How Do We Find God?” Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.”

Prayer –

Look For God While He Can Be Found (vv. 1-2)

Now after Jesus was born[1] in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king[2], behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

“The main purpose is to show the reception given by the world to the new-born Messianic-King. Homage from afar, hostility at home; foreshadowing the fortunes of the new faith; reception by the Gentiles, rejection by the Jews.”[3]

God, in His mercy, wanted the world to know Jesus and He wanted the world to know how to find him. Today we see that there were men (Magi) who were seeking God, they looked for truth beyond the clouds and observed the stars, and the stars pointed the way to “king of the Jews.”

It is not explained to us, but this group of “wise men from the east,” were watching the skies for a sign, they knew that a God king had been born, and they were desiring to worship Him. But, When we look at the OT and see where God’s people were carried off into captivity (Assyria, Babylon, Persia, etc.) because of their sin, we think to ourselves, what a waste. But God’s people would have taken their copies of Scripture with them – forced missionaries are still missionaries.

Romans 1 also tells us that mankind can easily become so focused on the creation and not think that it points to creator Himself. He knew that the world was consumed with the worship of the stars, and looking to them for guidance. So as the creator of the stars, He moved them to get mankind’s attention.

Today we would call this a miracle, where the normal way the universe works, is superseded by the all-powerful hand of God. He guided a star that men were looking to, and moved the star over to the one who would give them what they truly were looking for.

Moses when he was in the desert, was keeping his sheep and as he was going along a path he saw a strange sight. It was a bush that was on fire, yet feeling the heat and seeing the light – the leaves did not burn, it was not damaged in any way. So Moses was intrigued and went to take a look – and there on that spot God spoke to Him. Moses’ life changed forever that day.

It makes sense that a king would be found in a palace. But we are going to see that this king Messiah, Savior, is different than anyone had expected. He will constantly turn everything upside down. Also, there is a false king, sitting on the throne, where the true king should be sitting – but that will be made right.

Not much is known about the Magi other than they were a group of men who were seeking truth, knowledge, and God. They had a belief system that mingled astrology with astronomy; religion with science. Myth with Mystery. They had heard of stories of a special king who would come.

These men were not followers of Christ, but they were seeking something. They were looking for something to fill the vacuum in their lives that science, myth, religion, and riches could not.

This morning if you are here searching for truth, and wanting more than you have ever experienced to fill the void in your soul let me point you to the light that God sent to the world – His name is Jesus, and God moved heaven and earth so that you could meet Him.

Look For Him No Matter Where it Leads (vv. 3-8)

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

The priests and teachers give a paraphrase of an Old Testament reference (Micah 5:2) for where the Messiah, the promised king, the Savior would come from. This prophecy gives the town of Bethlehem, but there is something special about Bethlehem. It was despised and thought very lowly of.

But the priests and teachers of the law add “And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; What was once thought lowly of, now is a city of honor and love. The Savior of mankind was born in Bethlehem.

I don’t know what people think about you, I don’t know what your reputation is, I don’t know what you even think about yourself. But when Jesus comes into your life – all that changes. You are by no means least among people. You become a child of the king, you become forgiven of sin, you get to start over.

Now the priests and teachers could have stopped at (v. 6) “. . . rulers of Judah,” but they went on to say, (v. 6) “for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.” Herod was not a shepherd. A good shepherd guided the sheep with gentleness and love. A Shepherd was willing to sacrifice his own life for the sheep. A shepherd fought off wild animals that would divide and hurt the flock. This genuine king of the Jews would rule, as a king should – as a shepherd.

Herod taxed and worked the people heavily. When the people discovered that the Magi were seeking the true king of the Jews, it says, “[Herod] was troubled (disturbed), and all Jerusalem with him.” The people were terrified of Herod. There is only one way to make sure that no one challenges Herod’s rule – kill all of them.

This is why Herod asks the Magi secretly when did they see the star. If they saw it two years ago – then kill every male child two and under. It was done secretly so that none would escape.

The star is moving all throughout the story. It moved or shown to get the Magi’s attention. It moved from the palace to the house where Jesus was – but why did God direct the star to stop at Herod’s palace? Why not just direct them straight to the house?

Herod has to come into the story. Herod is an evil king. He killed wives, children, advisors – anyone, at any time that he viewed as being competition – he killed. The Ceasar Augustus gave a famous line that he would rather be Herod’s pig than Herod’s son – he would live longer. The birth of Jesus exposed Herod as a counterfeit king of God’s people.

There are two people who are being called “King of the Jews,” one was placed over the government by man (Rome), and the other was placed on earth as king by God.

God has to show that His son Jesus is the true, “King of the Jews.” What we see with the birth of Jesus is a radical change from how things were done. God stops the star over the Jerusalem palace and the house with Jesus because you have to choose one or the other.

Jesus’ birth sparked a time of turning the world on it’s head – which king should we follow? Which god/God should we bow down to? Jesus’ life directly challenges the powers of this world. Jesus’ birth forces the world to make a choice. You either have passionate love Him or have passionate disdain for Him. If you are somewhere in the middle, then you don’t understand what the gospels are saying.

The star did not stop half way between the palace and the house, it did not say to the Magi – “this is the stop for you guys who want to hang out between the false king, and the real king – this is a safe spot in case you are wrong.” You can live a life that is pleasing to the world and to God – you don’t have to choose – just stay in the middle.

Two kingdoms war against each other on earth. One is led by Herods and Caesars; the other by Jesus Christ. One is built on war, oppression, power, self-interest, and control; the other on love, faith, hope, freedom, grace, compassion, and truth. One demanded sacrifice; the other offered it in our place.

Jesus’ birth demands that we make a choice between the two kingdoms. Christmas is more than buying and getting stuff. It’s more than catching up with family, or sitting next to a warm fire, or decorating your home. Christmas is a celebration of the fact that we get to choose a new king. There is another option to oppression, fear, guilt, and dread. We can choose a king who gives us freedom, love, and forgiveness.

Also notice in (v. 6) “for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people” – “In Hebrews 13:20 Jesus is called “the great shepherd of the sheep.” Jesus calls himself “the good shepherd” (John 10:11). Peter call Christ “the chief shepherd” (1 Peter 2:25). “The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd” (Rev. 7:17). Jesus told Peter to “shepherd” the lambs (John 21:16). Our word pastor means shepherd.”[4] Which king will you choose?

Do More Than Just Look (vv. 9-12)

After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures[5], they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned win a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

When the Magi found what they had been looking for after all this time, there was joy in their heart. There was success in their searching! The Magi at last find the true king, they have two responses. They bowed down before Jesus and worshipped him and they presented him with gifts out of their treasures.

Worship

To worship is to “give worth” to something or someone. When a person bows down, they are attributing honor and respect to the person they are bowing before. It shows an attitude of reverence, respect, and humility.

Gifts From the Treasury

A treasury is a place for the storing and keeping of precious and valuable items. Notice it says, “Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” They seemed to have lots of things they treasured, even enough to keep in treasure boxes, and upon seeing Jesus they dig through the treasures and present three specific gifts.

If you were to rummage through your treasure box, what would you give to Jesus as a gift? The Magi recognized who Jesus was, with their gifts. Gold for royalty, a priest with incense, and myrrh was an embalming perfume – he would die for the sins of the world. The only thing Jesus truly finds of value is your heart and a recognition of who He is – Our Savior.

These men seem to know and understand who Jesus was – why did they go home? They were warned in a dream of Herod’s wrath – they had to leave. Moses could not stay at the burning bush, Daniel’s three friends couldn’t stay in the fiery furnace, and the Magi could not stay at Jesus’ feet – there always comes a time when we are drawn to Christ, we meet him, and then we are sent off.

Conclusion

In order for the Magi to see the star they have to be looking. In order to see where the star leads they had to follow it – they couldn’t stay in the east and at the same time find the Savior. In order to worship the Savior, they have to bow before Him. In order to determine what to give the true king, they had to know the king.

This morning God has shown you a great light, Jesus, are you interested in following Him. It requires that you bow your heart before Him. Another way to think of this is to realize that you are a sinner “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 Also, Recognize that you are separated from God by your sin. “. . . the soul that sinneth, it shall surely die.” Ezekiel 18:4

Realize that the reason Jesus was born on Christmas was to come and die as a sacrifice for our sins. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity (sin) of us all.” Isa. 53:6

If you are interested in receiving this free gift, you can pray this prayer with me: “Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose again from the grave to purchase a place in heaven for me. Lord Jesus, come into my life; take control of my life; forgive my sins and save me. I repent of my sins and now place my trust in You for my salvation. I accept the free gift of eternal life.”

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[1] Josephus shows that Herod died in BC 4. He was first Governor of Galilee, but had been king of Judea since BC 40 (by Antony and Octavius).

[2] Herod “discouraged Messianic hopes, and, now that they have revived in spite of him, he must deal with them, and his first step is to consult the experts in as quiet a way as possible, to ascertain the whereabouts of the new-born child; it is not a historical question he submits to the experts as to where the Christ has been born, or shall be, but a theological one: where, according to the accepted tradition, is His birthplace? Hence present tense.” W. Robertson Nicoll, Editor, The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Grand Rapids Book Manufacturing, 1967) 71.

[3] (quoting Bruce) Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930) 14.

[4] Robertson, 18.

[5] Another translation could be “caskets.”

“The Peace of the Church Must be Guarded” Jude vv. 12-16

“Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”

A Sermon Series in Jude

“The Peace of the Church Must be Guarded”

Jude vv. 12-16

Introduction

An urban “Legend has it that in the 1700s Nags Head, North Carolina was home to a group of ruthless land pirates known as “wreckers” (sometimes also called “bankers” or “mooncussers”[1]). These men would hang lanterns around the necks of “nags” (horses or mules) and slowly walk the animals up and down the beach at night. Out in the darkness of the Atlantic Ocean, a ship would mistake the bobbing light for the light of another ship. Figuring the other ship had found safe passage around the dangerous shoals just off the island, the ship in the darkness would turn inland and run aground on Diamond Shoals.

In the mornings, the “wreckers” would walk along the shoreline to gather up whatever timber or other goods the tide had brought in from the wrecked ships. The found loot was then sold for profit. Even now visitors to Nags Head are shown old houses that were supposedly built and furnished with material taken from these shipwrecks, and the assumption is that Nags Head got its name from the practice of the land pirates hanging the lanterns around the necks of the nags. Estimates say that over 2,000 ships perished off this coast during that time period, with many of the shipwrecks being ships that were fooled by the “wreckers.”[2]

This group of pirates encouraged ships to run aground so they could plunder them – Jude is going to warn us today of dangerous people who seek to get into churches to run them into rocks and splinter them all to pieces.

Prayer

Identifying Dangerous People (vv. 12-13)

These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

(v. 12)“These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear,” – This is the picture of rocks just below the water’s surface. You can’t see them until it’s too late and your ship has hit them. “These people” that have snuck into the church unnoticed are unseen dangers.

Jude mentions “love feasts” – these are meals typically celebrated around the Lord’s Supper. “Believers would gather to worship, hear the teaching of Scripture, celebrate Communion, and then share their common love in a meal (Acts 2:42).”[3] 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 Paul is talking about how the church in Corinth was celebrating the Lord’s Supper – which typically had a dinner, a love feast, that the church participated in together, but “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?”

Paul’s warning is that they had lost the meaning of why they were assembling together. Similar to this, Jude’s warning is that while they are sitting there sharing a meal and celebrating what Christ had done (the Lord’s Supper) there hidden amongst the crowd are dangerous people – like rocks right below the water. The danger is that the fellowship (that you would normally gain at the Lord’s Supper) would be destroyed.

The Church Must Guard its Fellowship – Be a Peacemaker.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Watch out for peace-breakers for they shall be called apostates. Jesus’ blessing is on those who fight for peace, and they are called sons of God because they are recognized as having fought for peace. It’s not just that they like peace, but that they actively go after and fight for peace – they make

Satan knows that if he can get the church involved in a conflict and get people to start taking sides, and start fighting, gossiping and slandering each other – no one will be saved as long as the church is fighting. Love, peace, and fellowship is the harvest field for salvations.

So how do we spot the rocks just below the surface that seek to destroy our fellowship? Jude gives several metaphors to help the church identify them (or these):

Providing For Themselves

1) shepherds feeding themselves; God gave us the gift of church fellowship, the celebration of Communion unites the church together – however the apostate “wolf in sheep’s clothing” is no concerned with how their actions and behaviors cause terrible damage to the church. They only care about themselves. These false teachers and shepherds only shepherd themselves at the expense of everyone else.

Ezekiel 34:2-4 “Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.”

Promising but Not Producing

2) waterless clouds, swept along by winds; Like clouds without rain, they are filled with empty promises. In an agricultural culture, farmers depend upon the rain to water their crops. If it doesn’t rain, the crops will dry up and die. So, the farmer looks up in a drought and sees the promise of rain in the clouds, but it never rains. You see it coming, and it is blown along – never giving any rain.

They look like church people, they act like church people, they talk like church people, but they do not contribute to the mission of the church. Solomon said it like this, Proverbs 25:14 “Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.” At the end of the day they just don’t do anything, there is no spiritual fruit. “These false teachers lack the life-giving sustenance of the living water of the gospel, and thus they are blown aimlessly by the winds of personal whims and doctrinal confusion.”[4]

Powerless and Spiritually Dead

3) fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; “In the Middle East, the harvest falls well before late autumn, the season when trees shed their leaves. Late autumn is not a season when fruit would be expected.”[5] So the picture we are to see is of trees leafless and bare, with winter approaching. They have no fruit and there is no way there is fruit coming any time soon. Jude 19 says that these apostates are “devoid of the Spirit.” Fruit will never be present because they do not have the Holy Spirit within them. They have no power in and of themselves.

All fruit trees appear dead in the winter, but in the Spring life returns (once dead), but for the apostate they appear spiritually dead and they never produce spiritual fruit ever (twice dead). So what do you do with a fruitless twice dead tree? You could prune it, but there is no life in the tree so that’s a waste of time. You could transplant it, or graft it to another tree but it is still dead – so that doesn’t work either. You uproot it.

John the Baptist put it like this, Matthew 3:10 “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Jesus put it like this in John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” The branch withers because there is no life in it, it is dead.

How do we recognize these rocks below the surface that seeks to destroy the fellowship of the church? Jesus put it like this, “You will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16). The apostate is fruitless.

Trash Overflowing from the Heart

(v. 13) 4) wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; This is reference to a person’s heart being spilled out for others to see. When the storms on the ocean grow, it churns what is underneath. Raging waves brings things to the surface. Isaiah 57:20 says it like this, “But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.”

One year our family went on vacation at Mexico beach Florida and a storm appeared out on the ocean. The next day after raining and storming all night seaweed began to wash up on the shore, and it kept coming for days. Until it was several feet high and began to stink. The city decided to dig a trench with large equipment and then bury the seaweed.

When the apostate is bumped trash will spill out of their heart, and their lives are like a storm on the ocean always in chaos and conflict upon chaos – there is no peace in their hearts.

Purposeless

5) wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. – The purpose of a star is give off light, and when we look up we see the stars fixed, constant, in the night’s sky, and so we are able to navigate by them. The shooting star, however, is not fixed, nor constant, and it comes and goes. So this metaphor deals with purpose. The star is to guide, to remain constant – but the wandering sky moves, is unpredictable, and is of no use to the navigator. Kids say, “wow” as they see a shooting star, but it doesn’t help navigate.

The punishment for this wandering, purposeless star is eternal utter darkness. The star that chooses not to shine, is stuck in that state forever. We were designed to have a relationship with God and serve Him and worship as our Creator. God allows us the freedom to choose to have a relationship or not – but there will come a day when we will be stuck in that decision forever (forgiven and saved or unforgiven and lost). Wandering stars never fulfill their God given purpose.

In Christ a person is 1) filled with the Holy Spirit and they grow in being selfless and serve others, 2) they use their God-given gifts for the Lord, 3) there is spiritual fruit in their lives, 4) when they are bumped by life – Jesus spills out, and 5) they have purpose that they fulfill.

The Consequences Has Always Been the Same (vv. 14-15)

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

We first meet Enoch in Genesis 5:24 “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” So he was a man who was faithful to the Lord, “he walked with God.” He never died, “for God took him.” Jude tells us that even before the flood, during the days of Noah prophets were warning against apostates. This is the first prophecy given in the Bible and it deals with the punishment of sin. The consequence of “these people” has always been the same – judgement for the ungodly.

Enoch’s prophecy specifically speaks of “the Lord coming,” and with him will be “ten thousands of his holy ones,” We now know this is referencing Jesus’ return. When Jesus arrived the first time, it was a suffering savior, when He returns the second time, it will be in judgement of the world, “to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds.”

Jesus told this parable regarding judgement, Luke 12:47-48 “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” The apostate knows the will of God, but never believes in faith, nor submits to the will of God – so while they know the truth they do not trust in the truth. This judgement coming from God, predicted by Enoch, will be severe because they knew better, but chose to be ungodly.

Final characteristics of Dangerous People (v. 16)

16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

(v. 16) These are grumblers, – Like the Israelites in the wilderness murmurings and grumbling against God (Ex. 16:7-9; Numbers 14:27, 29), they grumbled against God’s holy law.

malcontents, the root meaning of this word is to find fault, or to blame and is a description of a person who is perpetually discontent and dissatisfied. The irony is that they are not content with the state of their life, and complain – but it is their own fault that their life is the way that it is.

following their own sinful desires; These false teachers fight against God because at the end of the day, they want to be able to follow their own sinful desires of their hearts.

they are loud-mouthed boasters, – “great swelling words.” “They pompously puffed themselves up with an elaborate, sophisticated religious vocabulary that had an external spiritual tone and attractiveness but was void of divine truth and substance.”[6] They boast to make themselves look good, or more spiritual than they actually are. The language also seems to indicate that these boasters are looking for ways to make themselves look good to people they depend upon for their living.

showing favoritism to gain advantage – The apostates are good at telling people what they wanted to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” Apostate teachers tell the people what they want to hear, so they can keep a crowd – to gain an advantage. A teacher who truly loves you and wants what’s best for you will teach the full council of God’s Word, not just what you like, agree with, or makes you feel good.

If you ever go to New York, Without a doubt, the most popular gift item (other than a I love NY t-shirt of sticker) is the ten-dollar Rolex watch. They look real, so long as you don’t look too closely. But you couldn’t rely on one to keep accurate time. Not even close. As far as watches go, they weren’t worth the ten dollars.

These fake Rolexes (Fauxlexes) are big sellers for one reason: somewhere, other than in China Town, there are real Rolexes. If there weren’t real ones somewhere, there wouldn’t be a market for the fake ones. These knockoffs owed their very existence to the public’s desire for the original.

Jesus warned His followers that there would be no shortage of false prophets in the world. So, we shouldn’t be surprised that there are wolves in sheep’s clothing in the Church, and we certainly shouldn’t allow them to cause us to question the truth of the Gospel. Charlatans exist because the real thing exists. They are not the truth, but they are proof of the truth. Jude gives us a description of what these false teachers and apostates will be like – we must be on the lookout because of the danger they present.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

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[1] https://www.piratesahoy.net/threads/wreckers-mooncussers-and-lifeguards.18922/

[2] https://russellmckinney.com/2024/02/03/temptations-wreckers-2/ *There is no historical evidence that this actually happened.

[3] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude (Chicago Illinois; Moody Publishers, 2005) 180.

[4] Matthew S. Harmon, ESV Expository Commentary, Volume XII, Hebrews-Revelation (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2018) 515.

[5] O. S. Osborne, In Sheep’s Clothing, Jude’s Urgent Warning about Apostasy in the Church (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Publishing, 1994) 78.

[6] MacArthur, 190.

“The Apostate’s Corroding Effect Upon the Church’s Witness and Worship” Jude vv. 8-11

“Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”

A Sermon Series in Jude

“The Apostate’s Corroding Effect Upon the Church’s Witness and Worship”

Jude vv. 8-11

Introduction

The book of Jude is a warning to every church, and he is warning them of dangerous people who come into the church disguised as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:14) or wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15) – apostates are difficult to identify. So, Jude encourages the church to “contend for the faith,” because these hidden false teachers will constantly work to corrode the foundation of the church (like termites) until it collapses. So they have to be recognized and exposed.

“Jude prophesied that during the last days apostates will do two things. First, they will pollute the witness of the church through immorality, insubordination, and irreverence. Second, he wrote that they will pervert the worship of Christ in mode, motive, and manner. Apostates pollute the witness of the church and pervert the worship of Christ.”[1]

Apostates pollute the witness of the church (vv. 8-10)

(v. 8) Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

(v. 8) “Yet in like manner,” – this is a reference to what had just come before referring to Sodom and Gomorrah in verse 7, “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” These cities were consumed with lust and pursued an immorality they should not have, here they, “relying on their dreams, defile (their own) the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” Remember, apostates are those who have “secretly crept in” and turned the “grace of God into a license to sin. (v. 4)”

“relying on their dreams,” – these are phony visionaries. The word Jude uses for dreams is also used in Acts 2. “In that passage, Peter (preaching on the day of Pentecost) declared, 2:16-17 “But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;”

There will come a time in the last days when these revelatory prophecies, visions, and dreams will return. So false teachers claim dreams to be a source of “new truths” and they act as a substitute for the authoritative Word of God. The OT often uses the word “dreamer” as a substitute for false prophet.[2]

They “defile their flesh” (similar to Sodom and Gomorrah) in that they are given over to it. The word used for flesh (sarx) refers to the physical body. And defile is from a word meaning to dye or stain something, such as clothing or glass. When they are put together it is a moral corruption of the body – to defile. The apostate is morally corrupt, and does not seek to control their impulses.

But this does not mean that everyone who has a sexual sin is an apostate. John 8:7 is the story of the woman caught in adultery, “And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus stands ready to forgive our sin, he says to the woman, “go and sin no more.” Apostates do not seek forgiveness. They justify their behavior by using the grace of God as a license for their immorality. How many people doing that in the church does it take for the witness of the church to be tarnished?

The apostate “reject authority,” they like to be in places of authority, but they don’t like someone having authority over them. They want to rule their own lives and want to be free from the lordship of Jesus Christ, (v. 4 “. . . and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.)

Ultimately, all authority comes from God. Authority in the home, in the church, in government, all come from God. The apostate rejects every authority that God has established. The ultimate rejection of authority is God’s Word itself. The Word of God is our sole source of authority for faith and life.

“Apostates are ignorant people who do not know what they are speaking. They live in a dream world, having accepted the lie of Satan has used since the garden of Eden when he said to the woman, “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).”[3]

“blaspheme the glorious ones,” – The glorious ones is a reference to the created order, even going to the angelic host (glorious because of their appearance), who carry out the will of God in their duties. But it is also a reference to those who God places in positions of leadership and authority. So how does the apostate, the false teacher, blaspheme these glorious ones? By speaking evil of, undermining, and resisting what god has established.

Apostates undermine the established authority in the Church.

9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

This passage is a little difficult to work through because there is no other reference to this event. Jewish tradition claims that since Moses was a murderer that Satan is saying that the body belonged to him.[4] We do know what Deuteronomy 34:5-6 tells us, God showed Moses the land that his ancestors would inherit and then, “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, 6 and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day.” So at Moses’ death the devil and the archangel Michael dispute over Moses’ body.

In Zechariah 3:2 he has a vision of Joshua the high priest (who led the first group of Jews back from Babylonia captivity), was standing in heaven before the Angel of the Lord. The devil was at the right hand of Joshua accusing Joshua and the nation of Israel, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan!

Satan was arguing that based on Israel’s breaking the covenant promises they should be condemned. Joshua is wearing filthy clothes symbolizing the nation’s sin. In response, the Angel of the Lord (preincarnate Christ) defended Israel by deferring to God the Father and asking Him to rebuke Satan (1 John 2:1). The Father honored the Son – and God reaffirmed His commitment to Israel’s future justification, promising to forgive Israel’s sin and clothe her with garments of righteousness (Zech. 3:3-5). Jesus as the Son of God could have pronounced judgement, but instead deferred to God the Father.

When Michael contended for the body of Moses, he did just what the Angel of the Lord did. The Son submitted to the authority of the Father. Jude wants us to recognize that the archangel Michael submitted to the order of creation – Michael did not see it as his place to pronounce judgement (that was God’s job.) Even though he was a high-ranking angel, he still did not outrank God’s created order and plan for the universe. So, if (Jesus as the Son of God didn’t and) an angel didn’t (who is much higher on the food chain than us) didn’t do it, we surely should not do it.

Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Jude says, “But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand,” – apostates speak evil of their leaders, God’s plan in the church, because they don’t know and they do not understand the things of God.

God buried Moses (through Michael), and no one knows where he was buried. Jude is about to transition into how apostates affect worship, but the devil has always fought to be worshipped, and when that doesn’t work, he tries to corrupt worship within the church. He constantly offers a counterfeit. If people knew where Moses was buried, they would gather at the site, and it would be worshipped as a relic.

Apostates don’t understand the things of God,

yet they fight against what is good in the church.

10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

Here Jude contrasts the archangel Michael with the apostates in the church in two ways. First, they “blaspheme all that they do not understand,” this refers at least to angelic beings, but probably extends to other spiritual matters. They don’t understand spiritual things, the things of God – so they revile them and slander them. They do not understand “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Secondly, the false teachers are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals do – by going against God’s Word and His church there are consequences of their own destruction which they can’t see as being their fault. They are governed by their own natural fallen instincts, and that immorality leads to their destruction.

Apostates pervert the worship of Christ (vv. 11)

11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Jude pronounces three cases of woe, and all three relate to worship. Let’s first go back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They both ate of the forbidden fruit and sin entered into the world. They tried to cover their sin by the work of their own hands which God rejected. God killed an animal (shed its’ blood) and used the hides to cover their nakedness. This was the God given way of dealing with sin, blood had to be shed. Hebrews 9:22 “. . . without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

The Way of Cain

(v. 11) “For they walked in the way of Cain is a reference to Genesis 4:3-7, the first recorded worship service in history, “In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

First off Cain was religious (he went to church), but he wanted religion on his terms. Cain offers a sacrifice based on the work of his hands. He worked hard, went out into the field, planted the seeds, harvested the crop, brought a portion of his hard work as a sin offering – and God does not accept our works as a means to cover our sin.

Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.” Abel’s act of worship was by faith in the shedding of blood to cover his sins. Apostates corrupt the worship of God by taking it away from faith and moving it toward works. Cain rejected the way of substitutionary atonement.

Those that follow the way of Cain say, “Joe is hard-working, he is nice to other people, see how he provided for his family. God should accept him into heaven, he’s a good guy.” No. “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – all need the shed blood of Jesus.” Salvation is by God’s grace, through faith, in Jesus’ bloody sacrifice upon the cross.

Balaam’s Error

“abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error” – His story is found in Numbers 22-24. A Moabite king named Balak wanted to hire a prophet of the Lord, named Balaam to curse the Israelite army.

Balaam originally sent them away, but the more he thought about it the greedier his heart became. Balaam then returned to the king and said something like, “I can’t curse them (God had told him not to do it), but I have a plan which will cause God to curse them for you (for a fee of course). So, Balaam arranges for women to invite Israelite men to a big sensual feast. Fornification took over and the curse of God came upon His people, resulting in 24,000 Israelites being judged and killed.[5] Balaam used his spiritual insight to obtain material gain. He was involved in religion for what he could gain from it.

2 Peter 2:15-16 says, “They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.” Balaam’s error was that he used his position as a prophet “for the sake of gain” so it leads us to ask the question, “What is our motive for worshipping? Is our motive to obtain or to see what we can get out of it? Or do we gather to give God glory?

Korah’s Rebellion

“perished in Korah’s rebellion,” – We find the story of Korah (a cousin of Moses) in Numbers 16, who was a Levite, but he was not chosen to serve as a priest. He was angry because he was not chosen and lured by pride formed a conspiracy with three other men and led two hundred of Israel’s elders in a rebellion against Moses (God’s prophet) and Aaron (God’s priest). God had appointed Moses and Aaron, and Korah was too blind to see that it was God who had appointed them, so when he opposed them, he was opposing God. Korah didn’t like Moses and did not want to submit to his leadership – so he formed a rebellion.

Korah did not like having Moses being over them as a leader, Numbers 16:3 “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” We have just as much right to lead, as you do, “we are all holy.”

Numbers 16:32-35 “And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” 35 And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.”

This form of apostacy is the person or group who is divisive and brings dissension into the church. But look at Moses’ reaction to this rebellion, Numbers 16:4 “When Moses heard it, he fell on his face,” because he understood something the rebellious group led by Korah did not – Moses did not take their attack personal. The rebellious group were going against what God had established – God was with Moses and not with them, and they didn’t even know it. He left the issue in God’s hands.

“The experience of Korah is recorded for all posterity as an example of a man who, in his own quest for power and recognition, defied God’s legitimate authority over the people of God.”[6]

“Cain ignored the word of God, Balaam opposed the Word of God, and Korah rebelled against the word of God. This is the progression of the apostate. He begins simply ignoring what the Bible says then progresses into opposing the Bible by trying to say that it is not the Word of God but simply contains the Word of God. Once they are at this point, it will not be long before they openly rebel against God and His holy Word.”[7]

Apostates undermine and corrupt genuine worship. How?

They want the church to be focused on a false gospel (Cain), personal gain (Balaam), and a rejection of authority (Korah).

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[1] O.S. Hawkins, In Sheep’s Clothing, Jude’s Urgent Warning about Apostacy in the Church (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Publishing, 1994) 52-53.

[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude (Chicago, Illinois; Moddy Publishing, 2005) 172.

[3] Hawkins, 53.

[4] Matthew S. Harmen, Expository Commentary, Volume XII, Hebrews-Revelation (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2018) 513.

[5] Numbers 25:1-9, 31:15-16.

[6] O.S. Osborne, 70.

[7] O.S. Osborne, 68.

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