The Salvation We Share Jude 1:3-4

Adapted from a sermon by

Steve Shepherdhttp://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-salvation-we-

share-steve-shepherd-sermon-on-salvation-126418.asp

Jude 1:3 NET Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you about

our common salvation, I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage

you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the

saints.

4 For certain men have secretly slipped in among you — men who long ago were

marked out for the condemnation I am about to describe — ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only

Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Florida Woman to Get Brain Surgery Thanks to ’FOX and Friends’. Friday ,

July 18, 2008

Insurance provider Aetna will cover a Florida woman’s brain surgery after the

intervention of a "FOX & Friends" contributor.

Caitlin White, 19, of Bartow, Fl, suffers from a debilitating brain disorder that could kill her. She was scheduled for surgery when her insurance carrier,

Aetna, canceled the family’s coverage just minutes before she was scheduled

to go under the knife.

But after hearing her story, FOX News legal analyst Peter Johnson Jr.

contacted Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s office, which was able in turn to reach

Aetna through the state’s Office of Citizen’s Services.

Crist’s staff convinced the carrier to cover the surgery and give White 90 days of hospital service thereafter.

"We didn’t know what to do," her mother, Sheila Jackson, told "FOX & Friends" on Friday. "Our hands were

tied."

White suffers from Chiari malformation, a brain condition that causes

excruciating headaches and fainting spells and can, without treatment,

eventually lead to the destruction of motor skills and memory.

White will now have the $113,000 surgery scheduled for July 21, 2008.

"Oh, it’s wonderful," White told FOX. Her mother was also elated. "It’s incredible,"

Jackson said. "We’ve been on such a rollercoaster and to get such incredible, wonderful news and then to find out how

it came about, it’s just better."

Sometimes people have to fight for what is right, good and holy. That Fox news

analyst did the right thing, as did Florida’s Gov. Charlie Crist.

Thank God! Praise God!

There is a time when people have to stand up and be counted for what is

right! WHEN?

An example is when children need to be protected, a stand must be taken.

She’s 3 feet tall, loves her teddy bear and hosts tea parties with her stuffed pig and Elmo doll at a toddler’s picnic table.

The last time her grandma and grandpa saw her, she was moving out of their Lee

Vista-area home with her mom. The question was where is Caylee Marie

Anthony?

The 2-year-old girl hasn’t been seen in more than a month, and her

grandparents are worried. So are Orange County investigators. SOMEONE

SHOULD BE WORRIED AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL IN THE

FIRST PLACE! December 11, 2008 the remains of Caylee Anthony were found. Casey

Anthony has been charged with the first degree murder of her daughter and is currently awaiting her expected 2011

trial date.

There are some things worth fighting for: children, God, Christ, the church,

the faith.

Because we have such a great salvation we have some responsibilities in life.

1- We Contend for the Faith2- We are to be Discerning

WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

Jude 1:3 NET Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you about

our common salvation, I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage

you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the

saints.

“contend earnestly”G1864 παγωνιζομαι epagonizomai ε

ep-ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee From G1909 and G75; to struggle for: -

earnestly contend for. (Strongs)

the verb παγωνιζομαιε (epagonizomai) is an intensive form of γωνιζομαιἀ

(agonizomai). As such, the notion of struggling, fighting, contending, etc. is

heightened. (NETnotes)

The term “contend earnestly” is a compound verb from where we get the

term “agonize”. It is in the present infinitive form, which means that the struggle will be continuous. Jude is

telling us that there will be a continuous fight against false teaching and that

Christians should take it so seriously that we should “agonize” over the fight

with which we are engaged.

The Church should expend every effort to resist apostasy and heresy in the

body and, moreover, every Christian is called to this fight, not just the local

body’s leaders (Jude’s letter is addressed to all believers).

http://www.confidentchristians.org/resources_jude.html

2 Timothy 4:7 NET I have competed well;

I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!

Have you been contending for the faith? Do you have any ’fight’ left in you?

Rocky Marciano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969), was the heavyweight

champion of the world from 1952 to 1956. Marciano, with forty-three

knockouts to his credit (87.8% knockout rate), remains the only heavyweight champion in boxing history to retire

having won every fight in his professional career. 49 fights, 49 wins

with 43 knockouts.

WHAT A RECORD!

How’s your record against evil and the evil one? Have you lost any fights to him

lately? Have you won any fights?

You may be like the guy that decided it was time to shed some excess pounds.

He took his new diet seriously, even changing his driving route to avoid his favorite bakery. One morning, however, he arrived at work carrying a gigantic

coffee cake.

Everyone scolded him, but he just smiled. "This is a very special coffee cake," he explained. "I accidentally

drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window were a host of

goodies. I felt this was no accident, so I prayed, ’Lord, if you want me to have

one of those delicious coffee cakes, let me have a parking place directly in front

of the bakery.’

And sure enough," he continued, "the eighth time around the block, there it

was!“Have you lost any fights when it comes to any temptation in life? I’m sure you

have. We all do. But we can’t give up the fight. We must continue fighting against temptation to sin, and also contending

for the faith of Christ.

We are living in a hostile and anti-Christ world! Most people don’t want to hear

about God, Jesus and Christianity,

BUT WE MUST CONTINUE CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH OF

CHRIST.

We have heard about Tom Cruise and his belief in Scientology. I think it’s crazy but he believes in it! Consequently, he’s not

afraid to talk about it.

WHAT ABOUT US?

He believes a lie and talks about it. We believe in the truth and don’t say

anything about it!

When was the last time that you stood up for the Bible and faith in Christ and

the Christian life?

This lesson’s author, Steve Shepherd, remembers many years ago when he was in his 20’s and was preaching a

nursing home service. Several times in his preaching he said, "The Bible

says..." After only a short time some old man said out loud, "The Bible doesn’t

say anything. It’s just a book..."

Steve just tried to ignore him but the second time he said those words he

went over to him, looked him in the eye and punched him in the nose.

NO, OF COURSE NOT, HE DIDN’T DO THAT.

But his argumentative spirit was something new to him.

He’d never had anybody question his preaching. What did he do? He stopped in the middle of his preaching and tried

to explain to him that he believed the Bible is the Word of God and that He

spoke to us from His Word.

HE DIDN’T BUY IT.

The people at the nursing home were embarrassed by his outburst so they

finally took him out of the room.

Christian, have you ever had anybody question your faith,

Christianity or the Bible?

What did you do? What did you say? Did you try to defend the faith? Did you speak up for Christ and the Bible?

1 Peter 3:15 NET But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks

about the hope you possess.

discern: To see or understand the difference; to make distinction; as, to

discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood. (Websters)

WE ARE TO BE DICERNING

4 For certain men have secretly slipped in among you — men who long ago were

marked out for the condemnation I am about to describe — ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only

Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Every New Testament book except Philemon contains warnings about false teaching –26 out of 27 books. What does

that say about the importance God places on right doctrine and teaching?

http://www.confidentchristians.org/resources_jude.html

WARNINGS OF FALSE TEACHING

96%

NO WARNINGS 4%

4a For certain men have secretly slipped in among you

“secretly slipped in” Thayer Definition: 1) to enter secretly,

slip in stealthily 2) to steal in

This word is only found once in the New Testament –in the book of Jude. Jude

presents the term in the indicative mood indicating the invasion is real and not

just a future possibility.

In extrabiblical Greek the term describes the cunning craftiness of a lawyer who,

through clever argumentation, infiltrated the minds of courtroom officials and

corrupted their thinking. The key thing needed to detect such infiltration is the

one thing many conservative theologians say the Church lacks most:

discernment.http://www.confidentchristians.org/resources_jude.html

Matthew 13:24 NET He presented them with another parable: "The kingdom of

heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone

was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 When the plants sprouted and

bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.

27 So the slaves of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good

seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?' 28a He said, 'An

enemy has done this.‘2 Corinthians 11:13 NET For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of

Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

4b men who long ago were marked out for the condemnation I am about to

describe

Compare what Peter said in his 2nd letter.

2 Peter 2:2 NET And many will follow their debauched lifestyles. Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be

slandered.

3 And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their

condemnation pronounced long ago is not sitting idly by; their destruction is

not asleep.

God knew long ago these “false teachers” would come so he prepared their condemnation to be executed at

His planned time.

GORHAM, Maine - Mara Ranger will be a little paranoid doing laundry now. When

she was removing clothes from the washing machine at her Maine

farmhouse Wednesday, the clothes moved. She told WMTW-TV, "I jumped

back" and saw a snake. She quickly shut the lid and called for help.

Maine Animal Damage Control operator Richard Burton reached into the

machine and pulled and pulled — all 8 feet of a python.

Burton guesses the snake got into Ranger’s washing machine through

water pipes. The snake’s future home will be York Animal Kingdom in York.

(Personally I don’t know how an 8 foot python could of gotten into or out of the

pipes.)

Ranger is going to start looking into every corner of her washing machine.

She says, "I’m going to be looking in the tub first — before and after, maybe even

during, the rinse cycle."

Christians, there’s a big snake loose in the house. And his name is Satan! And

he’s just waiting to devour any unsuspecting person who comes into

his territory.

Genesis 3:1 NET Now the serpent was more shrewd than any of the wild

animals that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from

any tree of the orchard’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the

fruit from the trees of the orchard;

3 but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, 'You must not eat from it, and you must

not touch it, or else you will die.’ “ 4 The serpent said to the woman,

“Surely you will not die,

The devil is a lying serpent. He may appear pleasing to the eye but he’s

nothing but a big liar, a deceiver and a cheater.

1 Peter 5:8 NET Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on

the prowl looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your

brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of

suffering.

Ephesians 6:10 NET Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the

strength of his power. 11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so

that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our

struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the

powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of

evil in the heavens.

Be Discerning. Some day God in His infinite wisdom and power will condemn Satan to hell. And along the way we need

to do something to the devil’s associates!

No More Mr. Nice Guy, As They Say.

Thu Jul 17, 2008DEAR MARGO: I’m a 20-something

female. At my gym I made the mistake of politely saying hello to a stranger, a 50-

ish male, because he said hi to me.

In so doing, I unwittingly opened the floodgates to this man’s personal history

(sexual exploits included), medical problems, unsolicited health advice, all

of which he broadcasts in a detailed (and gross) monologue while I huff away on the bike, then the treadmill. My part in

the conversation includes head nods and "uh-huhs." I try to lose him by

moving on to weights ... to no avail.

"This began a year ago, and every time I see him he tries to engage me in these one-sided conversations about some woman he dated and her hot legs, or

other equally uncomfortable tidbits. I’ve tried reading books while I do cardio, but

then he comes up and suggests self-help books I should read to help my

relationships or spiritual life.

"When I am listening to my Walkman, he talks over it. If I weigh myself, he’s there making sarcastic comments about my

weight (I’m thin and petite). I’ve tried walking away after a polite head nod, even going at different times. Yet he’s

always there, trapping not only me, but other people as well.

He doesn’t seem to work out except for his mouth. This guy must be thicker than

a neutron cloud in a sauna because he just doesn’t get it. How do I get him to

leave me alone without being rude?DEAR AB: What’s wrong with rude? He

sounds like such a clod that I’m not sure telling him to shut up would even

register.

Here’s a guy with no judgment and a big mouth who’s made you a captive

audience and ruins your time at the gym. I hope you tell this jerk, next time he

begins a monologue, "Would you please leave me alone? I have no interest in listening to you. I come here to work

out." You might also inform the manager.

Tell the jerk to "hit the road."

This is what we must do to that jerk called Satan and to his henchmen.

Sometimes people will tempt you to join them in their revelry or their rebellion

against God and we must say, "No way! Hit the road Jack and don’t come back

no more!"

When I was barely a teenager my buddy & me were camping by a pond we’d been

fishing at. My buddy easily talked me into breaking into a store across the

highway & stealing some chips & candy instead of cooking the food we had

brought with us. I wasn’t smart enough or strong enough to say "no" to that

temptation.

We must discern, be wiser than others and say, "no" to some people and some

activities that lead us away from the Lord. We need to say,

“Get thee hence, Satan!” “The Lord will deal with you.”

Titus 2:11 NET For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all

people. 12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live

self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of

our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

My mama loved me. When mama died she left me her little house in Kansas.

She loved me indeed.

But I have a Father who loves me more. My Heavenly Father has a mansion

waiting for me. It’s eternal. It’s forever.

And there I’ll live in a state of blessedness and peace!

We have a wonderful salvation and it’s all because of the Lord.

Because of what is waiting for us in heaven, we need to fight the good fight

of the faith and at the same time, oppose evil and the evil one of this world.

Are you fighting the good fight? Contending for the faith?

Are you, with God’s help, resisting temptation sending Satan running

away?