Please turn in your Bibles this morning to the epistle or letter of Jude.  This morning we are going to finish up a study we began last week called, What Should We Do? You see, Jude is writing to Christians and is exhorting them to earnestly contend for the faith that has been entrusted to them.

            The reason this was such an important topic was because of the apostates that were in the church. They looked like Christians but they weren’t and thus, the deception by these pretenders.  Thus, the faith that has been delivered to us, the unchanging truths of God, we need to contend for.  Now, we have studied these apostates or false teachers of our day over the last several weeks or so and that really is not our focus this morning.  The focus is upon our lives and how we are to live in the midst of this apostasy.  The focus is on where we are to walk, what we are to do.  The focus is to stay in the place that God desires us to be.

            In these verses we will be looking at this morning here in Jude, we will see that he gives to us four ways or makes four points on how we are to live in these last days.  These four ways are as follows:

1.  BUILDING YOURSELF UP IN THE FAITH – JUDE 20

2.  PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT – JUDE 20

3.  KEEPING YOURSELF IN THE LOVE OF GOD – JUDE 21

4.  LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF GOD – HIS RETURN – JUDE 21

            Now we covered Jude’s first point last week, BUILDING YOURSELF UP IN THE FAITH or growing in the faith, maturing in the faith.  You see, if you know the truths of God found in the Word of God then you won’t fall prey to these pretenders!  And it is not only knowing these things, but it is also applying them to your life!

            This morning we will look at the last three points, PRAYING, KEEPING, and LOOKING, but before we do, before we read these verses here in Jude this morning, let me share with you this true story from the Associated Press. They write:

            A woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen, shaking frantically with what looked like a wire running from his waist toward the electric kettle.  Intending to jolt him away from the deadly current, she whacked him with a hand plank of wood, breaking his arm in two places.  Until that moment, he had been happily listening to his walkman.

- Associated Press

            I would think the man is still in therapy, every time he hears music he hits the deck!  Now I don’t think you can blame her totally, it would seem that he could use some dancing lessons if he looked like he was being electrocuted by his gyrations!  Now, as funny as that is, I hope you see how important it is to know the whole truth before you jump into something because as sure as you think you may be, you can be wrong like this woman!  As good as something may sound, it still may be wrong.  With that said, let’s begin reading in Jude, starting in verse 20 and see what the Lord has for us this morning as we look at, What Should We Do?

            As Christians, to survive in these last days, to survive in these difficult times, we must remain in the place where God tells us it is safe, the place He wants us to be.  Thus, God has warned us over and over again of this coming apostasy, which I believe has begun, and we must guard ourselves against this tsunami or tidal wave of false doctrine that is crashing into the church.  As I have said, we covered the first point that Jude made last week regarding what we are to do in these days, BUILDING OURSELVES UP IN THE FAITH.  And what an important point that is.  Now, with the remainder of our time this morning, as we finish up this study, we will be looking at those last 3 points that Jude has made and see what we can glean from them so we can stand strong against those apostates, those pretenders!

2.  PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT – JUDE 20

            How in the world does praying in the Spirit protect me, protect you from the apostasy and the apostates that are out there?  Folks, we must be careful here and not allow ourselves to think we are so spiritually strong that we don’t have to depend on God, we don’t have to seek His wisdom.

            But what is this praying in the Spirit all about? I think Paul gives us some insight to this in Romans 8:26-27 as he tells us, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”  It truly is praying in the will of God and there are times we just don’t know what to pray for and God will show us, He will guide us.

            Paul, in Ephesians chapter 6, speaks of the spiritual warfare we are in and the armor we are to wear in this battle. It is not if we are in this battle, but since we are in this battle we need to be prepared.  Paul puts it this way in Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

            From there he lists the armor that we are to put on, that we are to keep on, that we are to have ready for use at any time. He speaks of: The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation. Those are all defensive weapons there to protect us, then Paul lists two of our offensive weapons that we are to use in this battle. They are: The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and prayer, which is our heavy artillery you might say.

            Thus, the point that Jude is making here is that the battle against wrong living and wrong teaching is a spiritual one and it requires us to be praying in the Spirit to seek God’s will and God’s direction in these matters, not our own!

            In regards to the aim of prayer, just to put things in the proper perspective, James Packer tells us:

            The aim of prayer is not to force God’s hand or make him do our will against his own, but to deepen our knowledge of him and our fellowship with him through contemplating his glory, confessing our dependence and need, and consciously embracing his goals. Our asking therefore must be according to God’s will and in Jesus’ name.

            The context of such asking is assured faith.  In that day when Jesus teaches them, by the Spirit, plainly of the father, there will be no such question of enlisting Jesus’ support in prayer, as if he were more merciful than the Father or could influence him in a way that they could not; in that day they will know inwardly that as believers they are the Father’s beloved.

            To ask in Jesus’ name is not to use a verbal spell but to base our asking on Christ’s saving relationship to us through the cross; this will involve making petitions which Christ can endorse and put his name to. When God answers in Jesus’ name, he gives through Jesus as our mediator and to Jesus as the one who will be glorified through what is given.

- James Packer, Your Father Loves You, page for July 18

            And so, if we want to be able to stand against the attacks of these apostates, be men and women of prayer, praying in the will of God, and He will guide you in where you are to walk and what you are to do!

3.  KEEPING YOURSELF IN THE LOVE OF GOD – JUDE 21

            Now, when Jude says that we are to keep ourselves in the love of God does that mean we can be in a place where God doesn’t love us anymore?  Not at all, and the reason is simple. God can’t love you anymore than He already does nor can He love you any less. In fact, when you and I were still sinners God still loved us, not as His children, but His love was so great that He paid in full the penalty for our sin so that we can be adopted into the family of God.  Paul, in Romans 5:6-11 put it like this, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”  I think that is very clear, God loves us unconditionally!

            If you are still having doubts about God’s love for you then listen to what Paul said in Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Once again I think that is very clear, nothing can separate us from the love of God!  Thus, Jude is not speaking of living in such a way to make us more lovable to God because He already loves us!

            Then what is Jude speaking of here when he says that we are to keep ourselves in the love of God?  I believe Jude is speaking of being in that place where we can receive His blessings or to remain under the spout where the blessings come out!  You see, God’s blessings are always flowing.  The idea is, are we in that place to receive them!

            Let me give you an example of what I mean.  In Luke chapter 15 is the story of The Prodigal Son. You know the story, a young man requests his inheritance from his father, while his father is still alive and he gives it to him. This young man leaves home and goes out and lives what we might call the high life; wine, women and song in a sense. And he was having the time of his life until the money ran out and he had nothing to live by. All those who were his friends, those he spent his money on, now that he had no money they all left him.

            Not only that, but there was a famine in the land so he did whatever he could do to survive. He got a job feeding the swine or pigs, which was not kosher for this Jewish boy to do of course!  But he did have to survive and after a time of eating pig slop, he came to his senses and repented of his sin and was going to return home to his father, even willing to be a servant there!

            Let’s pick up the story in Luke chapter 15, starting in verse 20 and see what happened.  We are told, “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’  But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”  Luke 15:20-24.

            Now, did this father stop loving his son when he left?  Let’s face it, he did not leave on good terms. In fact, he took what was his fathers, it really wasn’t his yet, and left to spend it on worthless things.  No, his father never stopped loving him, in fact as you read the story it would seem that his love never changed for his son, he still loved him unconditionally!  You see, as you read the story it seems to indicate that the father was watching and waiting every day for his son to return because he still loved him.  His love for his son did not diminish because of his actions.  The same is true of our heavenly Father, He loves us no matter what, His love for us is unconditional, His love never stops nor does it diminish towards us even if we are not walking properly.

            Now, did the blessings of the father stop flowing when his son was away?  No, not at all!  The blessings were still there it was just that the son was not. The son did not revive those blessings because he was not where he should be or needed to be to receive them.  Thus, as soon as he came home, what happened?  He was in the place where he could receive the father’s blessings and he did!  The blessings of our heavenly Father never stop flowing but at times we remove ourselves from the place of His blessings and we miss out.  It is not that the blessings stopped but we are not in the place to receive them!

            It is as Jesus tells us in John 15:9-11, “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”  Thus, as we are living in these difficult times, it is easy to be deceived by these apostates, these pretenders and move away from the place where God can bless us.  And that means folks, it is especially important in these last days, in these days we are living in that we remain in the place where God can bless us! It is as Jude 21 tells us, and this is from The Living Bible, “Stay always within the boundaries where God's love can reach and bless you. . . .”  May we do that!

4.  LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF GOD – HIS RETURN – JUDE 21

            Now in reading that you may wonder why I feel this is speaking about the Lord’s return, and that is a good question.  The answer is simple, it is because that compound word,  “looking for” or “waiting anxiously” is the same word that is used in Titus 2:13 where we are told, “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”  Also, The Amplified Bible puts Jude 21 like this, “ . . . expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) — [which will bring you] unto life eternal.”

            Thus, we are to live with eternity in view, we should be looking for the Lord’s return with great anticipation and expectation.  It is in that day we will experience Christ’s final mercy and enjoy the FULLNESS of eternal life as we receive our new bodies.  Paul, in Romans 8:18-23 tells us of this time, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.  Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”

            Let’s look at a few things that are found in us or should be found in us as we look with great hope for the coming of our Lord.

            A.  WE ARE ENCOURAGED – In John 14:3 Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”  Jesus spoke of His departure, that He was going to leave them, He was going away, which would not have been too encouraging to them, not at all!  Thus, to these discouraged disciples He encouraged them by telling them He is going to return.  That is what we also read in Acts 1:9-11 as Jesus ascends to the Father after His resurrection, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’”  Thus, knowing the Lord is coming back is an encouragement to us!

            B.  WE ARE COMFORTED – Paul, in I Thessalonians 4:13-18 tells us, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.   For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

            Thus, knowing that the Lord is coming back, knowing we will be united with Him is a comfort to us.  We are not going to go through the Tribulation Period, we are not going to face the judgment of God, but, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’  ‘O Death, where is your sting?  O Hades, where is your victory?’  The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  I Corinthians 15:51-58.  What a comfort it is to know He is coming back and we have not missed anything, it is our hope in His glorious appearing!

            C.  WE ARE PURIFIED – Also, in knowing that the Lord can come back at any moment it helps us to live lives that are pleasing to Him.  You see, we don’t want to be involved in something that would displease the Lord when He returns, but we want to be serving Him, walking as He would want us to walk.  It is as John said in I John 3:2-3, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  The Amplified Bible puts these verses like this, “Beloved, we are [even here and] now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God's children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. And everyone who has this hope [resting] on Him cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure (chaste, undefiled, guiltless).”  Thus, in knowing the Lord can come back at any moment it helps us to walk according to the high calling by which we have been called!

            Thus, in the midst of the apostasy, in the midst of apostates, when things are looking very dark, very black, like this is no hope, we have hope in the coming of the Lord for us. It is a hope that is based in the truths of God found in the Word of God. That means we can have complete confidence that what God has promised He is more than able to bring to pass!

            It is as John Bartlett tells us:

            March 11, 1942, on Corregidor, a sixty-two-year-old Army officer, with his family, secretly slipped away from the Philippines and in a minor miracle made their way down to Australia. Before General MacArthur left the islands, he said, “I will return.” Two-and-a-half years later, October 20, 1944, he stood again on the soil of the Philippines and said, “This is the voice of freedom. People of the Philippines, I have returned.”

            Now if you think a man can have that kind of credibility, and if you can appreciate that quality in a man, I’ll tell you that Jesus Christ, the God-Man, has made the same promise far more credible than any human being will ever be. If you wrestle with the truth of Jesus’ return, wrestle no longer. If you accept the historic fact of His ascension, then you have no room to doubt His historic, yet future, return. It will occur.

- John Bartlett, Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations

            Folks, don’t let anyone rob you of that joy, that hope because He is coming back and knowing that, knowing that these apostates will not get away with anything should bring us great comfort, great encouragement, it should help us to live holy lives!

            And so, as we have seen over the past two weeks, to survive in these last days, to survive during this time of apostasy with these false teachers, the pretenders, we need to be continually BUILDING OURSELVES UP IN THE FAITH, we need to study the Scriptures.  We need to continually be PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT, we need the guidance of God in what to do, where to go and what to believe.  We need to be continually KEEPING OURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD or to be walking in His will.  And we need to be continually LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF GOD, His soon return!

            Yes, the pretenders will come and they are here now I believe, but we can stand strong in the faith in these last days and as Jude exhorts us, we need to be earnestly contending for the faith that is entrusted to us by, BUILDING, PRAYING, KEEPING and LOOKING!  It is as Jude said in these verses, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Or as The Amplified Bible puts it, “But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit; Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) — [which will bring you] unto life eternal.” May we do it, BUILDING, PRAYING, KEEPING and LOOKING!