Personal Love (Part B)

A for these in verse 19 leases. These are sensual words, sensual in the Greek translated elsewhere in most Bibles, natural. It's a carnal or when James Rice uses this wisdom is not sent from above what it is, sensual, demonic. That's work sensual that he uses their same ideas and natural feeling of means not spiritual, not born again is not touch from God or by God led again by emotions, not the spirit, and therefore divisive. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Gast Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Jude.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear you can get more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Rick with his continuing study called personal love in Jude chapter 1 James chapter 5 do not grumble against one another brother, lest you be condemned.

Then he says this, behold, and that whatever that word shows up.

It is dramatic music goes with it.

Behold, the judge is standing at the door. Christ is watching. That's what James is saying is hard not to grumble. We want to overrule what we don't like with our opinion takes the discipline to get it right now there is an exception when you're driving because it's impossible to do it.

You walk on water before you can drive without complaining. But anyway, these grumble words instead of going away. They stayed and they protect anyone they could others complainers. He says he is escalating his charge against them is a fault finders.

These are critics again. The social media world loaded with the grumble is in the complainers and this Greek word is interesting because it means you're not happy with your lot with your allotment. We've been talking about that since the days of Joshua. When the tribes were assigned their lot and they were to live with that. To conquer this territory will get it Wednesday because that type of bank could not drive out the enemy from their territory because they were holy. They were righteous, so they moved elsewhere. A portion of them. But anyway, that word means that you are expressing your discontentment and pointing blame. It also means that in the Greek civil one of what value is that to us. Well, when you come to church. We hear the word.

It is always this process of correction taking place. Philippians chapter 2 Paul writing his letter from jail to church at Philippi. It is one of the great letters of greatness, since it is this very little correction in the direct correction in the Philippian letter all the Bible is correct. When Jesus says love your neighbor is correct because it makes you somehow to hold onto a sweat home live with them, but it does when Paul says in Corinthians, but I'm going to get it back. They got the Bible right here that I may know him powers resurrection fellowship of his suffering, being conformed to his death. That's corrective because I listened as I want to be that I'm not but it's positive correction the Philippian letter excels there so anyway he says this sleaze ball. He says do all things without complaining and disputing, I don't believe in luck with good luck with that is not easy, that's my point is is that you may become blameless and harmless, does the opposite of what these complainers are doing blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

So much for Christian hermit philosophies you know let's just move to a Christian compound. Let's not be around those people. That's not what the Bible preaches the Bible says get out there going to all the world and preach the gospel shine as lights in the world and he says, holding fast the word of life that I may rejoice in their praise that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Paul says this does not make this for nothing lads this get in there and be good Christians were supposed to be without complaining and disputing, he says, walking according to their own lusts, while they are not subject to the spirit of God. That's why, why, when Paul writes to the Galatians uses this I say, walk in the spirit that you may not fulfill the lust of the flesh, and so where now he says they they walk according to their own luster, saying we do not want the Lord to lord over us.

He has no right to be our Lord. And then he says they mouth great swelling words, will the complaining grumble about what they don't like, but they also have these big fat mouths that refuse truth and come up with these long words that even they can't spell and they don't mind unleashing them on people to impress and to deceive so that they can take over they disagree with God is the problem right there. Fine. You want to use all big words and things like that you that's your prerogative, but agree with God. If you going to do that these did not exist flattering people to gain advantage manipulators and opportunist L are these will only give you a compliment when they want something second Samuel tells the story of Absalom who was that handsome son of David, that was really a creep and we pastors have a name for someone tries to sneak into a church and steal people to their Bible study or whatever they're doing. They called Absalom's at the gate because that's what Absalom did. Second Samuel chapter 15 verse 29 Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way of the gate and you intercept people that were coming into his father's court and he would say all too bad I'm not listening to your case. I would certainly do this for you and I and he was stealing the nation and the Bible says he stole the hearts of the people.

Absalom was a creep within his own kingdom against his own father in the story just got worse for him until finally he skewed by Joab the chainsaw and his left dangling by his long, luxurious hair between heaven and earth. The Bible said so that fallen nature that does so much damage if not addressed thereof. Those with this fallen nature in some they just love a lie. They love it and they'll follow a lie and they'll follow the person telling the lie no matter where it goes.

What is wrong is what Colts are are packed with these type of folk Peter addresses them in his second letter that you quote so often, he says, but there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. Then he says this and many will follow their destructive ways. How prophetic. Peter says that these guys going to come in the number because all this problem in the church the people supporting them and he says because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed and now you see the unit again. There are movements around that are just completely unscriptural. In Jesus name and world things. Look at that and they blasphemed Christ.

They think that this is you know the business. Christianity I want to parts of it was really not Christianity, but no one can point that out to them. It seems easily and so now we come to verse 17, where he makes this distinction is finished now talking about those who infiltrated the church any he's talking now to those who love the church, she says, but you, beloved to in this verse. It's it's two Greek words, we get to it in verse 21 I think is 21. It will be three Greek words in all pointed out, we get down further.

But, he says, but you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a glorious thing is, but you know what you got these the believers who was beloved by all they beloved by June, yes, but more so by God himself personally and that's how he means when you move the beloved of Christ, confident of Christ's love, John the apostle would refer to himself and his gospel is the disciple whom Jesus loved us so if this really is what Christ wont say he wants his people to say that God loves me. I am the disciple that Jesus loves John never said I am the only disciple that Jesus loves.

He said I just he loved me.

Elijah the prophet when he saw just how awful Jerusalem had become under Jezebel's influences. He said to God, on the only one. Everybody else's forsaken you this particular mentality. You know how I'm the only one wonderful thing about diggers is anyway and so this John, this is the Lord loves me. I am one of the beloved goes on here in verse 17 says remember the words nice talking about what we call Scripture, the Bible, New Testament and he says remember the words. We have a responsibility to remember Scripture. We have a responsibility to memorize Scripture back to Richard Malmgren who was persecuted for Christ tortured for Christ. He said in those prison cells he had nothing to read, so he had to draw from whatever verses he could memorize. He had memorized and he would repeat them and you know something interesting it. He didn't prison that I would never have thought of this native. He said he continued to write and preach sermons without a pen.

He continued to preach the word nobody was there. Some of the Angels were there Lord of the Lord was there. So when Jude says remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord which we now call not in an exhaustive sense because there words we don't have them printed. They preached and spoke.

We have a lot of their words that work the spirit felt we needed to have.

We have this responsibility to know and then to draw from and why know the Bible that you can't preach it to anyone. Why was the purpose if this thing if it goes no further than you so is Richard in prison and with no further than him for that. For that time. But God freed him from that jail and he did preach Jeremiah 616.

Earlier verse, thus, is Yahweh stand in the way and see and asked for the old paths, where is a good way and walk in it and you will find rest for your souls. He's talking about the Scripture telling to just stand in the Scripture because a portion of them said we will not but others did here in verse 17, Jude continues. He says which was spoken by the apostles of our Lord, implying that his audience heard the apostles or at the very least read what they had to say. And of course there was much Scripture is New Testament scripture in circulation.

By this time, whereas in the early stages of the church, the Old Testament was their only Bible and the New Testament was developed because the heresy started creeping in the wrong things about pricing so the apostles took the two pen and paper as we would say and begin to refute all of these tales that were surfacing about Christ and then of course the apostles needed to correct much of the church behavior through writing.

Luke's gospel he starts off this way. Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us so Luke goes back and he says those apostles, those who walk with Christ.

They've preach the word to us and as he's writing to Theophilus. Someone named Theophilus very likely he says to him, I'm giving you what is now our tradition from Christ to the apostles and the disciples for the New Testament for the writings we have the documents in the New Testament. The 27 articles that we have a books and letters that not all books in the not all letters Jude's writing is a letter is not a book and acts is a book and not a letter. Although it's addressed to Theophilus that one should pick that one question went with Mark's gospel layout for them to qualify the early church fathers required that the documents be written by apostles or someone closely associated with the apostles, and that is the case, Jude and James of course were not apostles of Jesus Christ but they were certainly sent. They were apostles in that sense and they walked with Christ and they were plugged in with Peter and the other 11 with Peter, Paul, of course, was handpicked by the Lord Mark's gospel. Mark was a disciple of both Paul and Peter in time with Barnabas and so there is a criteria of how we got our New Testament and what really makes the Christian the Christian is that the New Testament sets the pace, not the Old Testament but we don't go without the oldest there both 100% God's word what the New Testament is the one that teaches us how to receive the Old Testament otherwise would still be bringing sheep to some temple that we could build one. And that's not necessary anyway. Verse 18. Now were sitting how they told you that there would be markers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts and so he says well we have this on record. The apostles warned of this, the time is here summarizing for sure the teachings of Peter and some of Paul's second Peter three. Knowing first of scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lust.

The last days that both Peter and Jude refer to our bid began with the coming of Christ, and it will end with the second coming of Christ. In that sense we believe what I believe we are in the last of the last days. It's winding down too much evidence to fulfill Scripture and it appears to not be sustainable as a Tower of Babel has been rebuilt. Humanity is getting on the same page against God and I think we getting" of course way time works. You have to be getting closer all the time but what we may even see it happen in our day. Anyway, he says who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. Again, they don't want God to tell them how to live. That's why they walk according to their own way. You remember that foolish song I did it my way. It's a nice song may perhaps but it's wrong and I give it an F. You should to. That doesn't mean you can listen to what you say to yourself as you hear it's wrong. Verse 19. These essential persons because the visions not having the spirit is the ones that are, but they warned the apostles to listen these people that go naturally go according to that gut feeling their instinct. Whatever emotions they have. That's how those boys roll that's not us. Yes, we can use our emotions. We worship the Lord in adoration is a place where our emotions with the dictate policy for us there is the fifth of these in verse 19 leases. These are sensual that were sensual in the Greek is translated elsewhere in most Bibles, natural could say carnal or when James Rice he says this wisdom is not the sent from above, but it is sensual demonic.

That's work sensual that he uses their same ideas and natural feeling of means not spiritual and are born again is not touch from God or by God led again by emotions, not the spirit, and therefore divisive.

When Paul says the carnal mind of the natural man cannot receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. That's the same same word, and so did Judy sing these unnatural people. They're not born again. And because their natural date and not led by the Holy Spirit. They go their instincts to go there.

Feelings they go with what they see. There they have a lower faculty when it comes to going through life.

We are supposed to have a higher one. It is spiritual man.

He says these cause divisions not having the spirit which is a natural outcome of remaining natural after hearing spiritual truth is sin. If you hear the gospel and you reject it you you you you eventually turned over to your own lust that powerful first chapter of the Roman letter where it reads as though Paul is looking out his window at Corinth and he's telling the Romans. This is what I see about natural people about people who don't have the spirit.

Paul then goes on later and says, as a matter fact I was so natural.

I was out trying to persecute Christians and the spiritual man of course comes out of that these troublemakers because they do they feel like. Again, Absalom was one of those people in verse 20 says there's a second but you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. I wonder is I'm as I'm talking about this love of Christ is a congregation more interested in a pastor attacking the wrongs as we been doing through Jude or are is a congregation just as interested in being reminded of the great love of Christ. In spite of your unworthiness, your sin, your failures, your shortcomings, your blunders, the love of God's speech that stuff right away the judgment that would come upon you is not going to come upon you, because the blood of Christ is washed away sin is big news is that you know that the newspapers don't report all the airplane landed safely. Why not, why not give us more positive statistics because it's better to vent to. Anyway, not going to go there not so this but you, beloved singles me out. He is talking to me and it is more emphatic here because in verse 17, two Greek words, but, but, beloved is how it would read hearing it is that the pronoun but you, beloved it. Both are accurately translated because did the tensing context of the first one is directed to you, beloved, but here it is written in print by Jude and it is that emphasis that interests me is personal.

Do you see it. That's what is see that it's saying to me, God's great love never fails is not supposed to fail in us. First Corinthians 13. Eight love never fails.

If it fails in a love the something else is liking of butter gets mold limiting butter. It's margarine get a leak in the ship or radiator, plug it with margarine and stuff is anyway maybe I'm sorry because you know their food fighters and in churches, and if you don't like their food they can get nasty so I better go on building yourselves up.

We have a major role in developing us Christians is not all Christ working on Christ doing all the dying I do all of the rejoicing that that's not right, nor is the building part.

We have to be involved in construction involves many materials and people and plans and hard work in danger want to build something you want to construct something.

Those are ingredients we are responsible to keeping the altar lit largely, it is our responsibility. The Lord ignites our hearts we have work to do to keep the fire burning sometimes you don't feel like doing it, but we must Leviticus 6 verse 12 and the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not be put out in the preshow burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offerings in order on it. Moses lays out this requirement of the priest. The role of the priest and keeping the altar alters fires going later on in chapter 9. He then says that it tells us that the altar was first kindled by God he ignited the altar, but he already gave instructions after that alters lit you have to keep going and gobble work with us.

Of course, on that he will provide the resources, both internally and externally, and I think that once we accept that if you walk if you're Christian perspective is to do anything but just be saved, you and I can it be if you not going to develop as a Christian and if you understand that I have my responsibilities to know the Scripture to understand God's love for me to stand up against those who trying to corrupt the things of Christ and also I have a role in my own personal construction. Then we get to work.

We get busy, but if we stand there waiting for something that's not going to, doesn't happen.

He says on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit praying with in the Holy Spirit as opposed to praying without him. A lot of people think it's it's fine to dramatize their prayers. They are a nuisance. Stop doing that why you talking that way. God does not need us to soup up our prayers. He just needs us to pray in the spirit and to know how to do that you have to have familiarity with his word. Ephesians 6.

Verse 18, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, because the alternative is you praying your own strength to pray according to your own understanding your own instincts.

Your natural and your prayer I when I pray, if I'm in a group, especially in I feel that okay these are now my words. I just abruptly stopped praying, but I sense the Lord is giving me something to pray. I pray and I remember being at a funeral rule. What a place to be dramatic right and the person wanted to read this 23rd Psalm and what they must've thought it was playing the at all the voices trembling when I would be a good time. I have yet to find a disrespectful.

Just teaching people that God's word has to be dramatize those prayers and we don't pray to impress people.

Thanks for listening to cross reference radio today cross reference is the teaching ministry of pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville, Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, you can visit our website cross reference radio.com. You'll find more of pastor Rick's teachings available. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you become aware of each new edition of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. You can also follow the links across reference radio.com were glad we were able to spend time with you today to do next time to continue learning more this year's truth love test here on cross reference radio