Keeping On

We'll begin our worship by singing to God's praise.

We're going to sing in Psalm 20, in the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 20, we're singing verse 1 to verse 7, the tune is Kilmarnock.

Jehovah, hear thee in the day when trouble he does send,

and let the name of Jacob's God thee from all ill defend.

Psalm speaks about the help we get from the Lord,

and in verse 7 we're reminded of how some people put confidence in horses.

In chariots, some put confidence in some horses thrust upon.

That speaks of a time when people looked to the help of nations and armies around them,

that they would support them in their time of need.

But it says, but we remember, will the name of our Lord God alone.

We're reminded there to put our hope and our trust and confidence in God alone.

So let's sing verse 1 to verse 7 to God's praise.

Jehovah, hear thee in the day when trouble he does send,

And let the name of Jacob's God

The prophet will defend

O let him help send the mother

Out of his sanctuary

From Zion his own glory

Let him give strength to thee

Let him be ever all I give

I'll set thy sacrifice

Grant me thy heart's wish

And fulfill thy thoughts

And counsel wise

In thy salvation we will join

In our cross name we will

His play of others

And the Lord thy players all fulfill

Now know why God his kingdom say

He from his holy hand

Will hear him when the saving strength

By his own right hand

In the chariot some good confidence

Some horses trust upon

That we remember

Will the name

Of our Lord God alone

Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer

Let us pray

Lord our gracious God

We do thank you for your word

And for the great privilege it is

To be able to sing praise to you

That you are the one who we can come

And call upon at this time

And indeed any time

Be it day or night Lord

We thank you that you are the one

Who is able to hear us

When we cry in our trouble

And we thank you that it is under your name

That we are able to find refuge

That we are able to find protection

And we know Lord that we all need you

We are all a people who are

Perishing as your word says

We are all a people who have

Within us Lord that knowledge

That our time in this world

Is but passing by so quickly

You are reminded to us Lord

So often

When we hear of people passing

In young age

When we hear of so many things

That happen around us

In our own lives and experience

When we see what is taking place

Throughout the world

We are reminded of

A people perishing always

But we thank you that your word

Reminds us too

That there is life through you

That although our time in this world

May be short

That for each of us

There is a reminder of an eternity

Before us

An unending age

An experience for which

We all must prepare

For your word reminds us

To be ready

To be prepared for that day

A day when the Lord is coming

To judge a people

To judge all people

And we know that it is only

Through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

That we are ready for that day

And so we pray Lord

That you will help us

To find our refuge in you

To find in the Lord Jesus Christ

The one who is able

To take away our sin

The one who is able to cleanse us

The one who is able

To keep us from stumbling

And we pray Lord

That even this night

As we come together

As we think of ourselves

And as we think of all

That's going on around us

That you will help us

All to see Jesus

Help us all to know him

And through your word

And by your spirit

As we once again come and hear

Your word speaking to us

Help us that it will not

Pass over us

Or not just pass through us

But that it will take root

That it will take root

In our hearts

And that it will help us

To come

And know what it is

To be a people of faith

And to be built up

In the faith

And so may you be with us

In our time of worship

And be with all

Who gather as we do

To praise your name

And we do thank you

As always Lord

That from the rising of the sun

To its setting

That your name is praised

Throughout the world

We marvel at the situations

Where your name is praised

We thank you Lord

For so many nations

Of the world

So many people

So many tribes

And tongues

All connected by your name

The name that is above

Every name

We thank you for brothers

And sisters around the world

We thank you that we are one

In Christ Jesus

And we pray Lord

That you will help us

To be united

And bound together as one

That all our differences

All our different ways

Of looking at things

All the differences of opinion

That might exist

Even among your own people

That we will be all agreed

In one thing

That salvation belongs to God

And that salvation is found

In the Lord Jesus Christ

And so may your name

Be glorified far and wide

May you draw sinners to you

Even anew this day

May they be rejoicing in heaven

Over sinners being saved

We pray that even for ourselves here

Lord that the heavens

Would rejoice this night

As people's hearts would be opened

As they would receive by grace

The Lord Jesus Christ

As they would know him

As only he can be known

Through your word

And by your spirit

That we would come to know him

Even more personally

And even more intimately

That we would weep over our sins

That then we would rejoice

In the goodness of God

And in the forgiveness of our sins

Through faith

And so Lord

May you bless us in our time

And hear our prayers

As we offer them up

Hear our prayers

For our people here

And belonging to us

We know Lord

That the troubles of this world

Are many

And how many need you

In different ways this night

How many need your help

In times of illness

How many people need you

In times of grief and sorrow

How many people who need you

In times of fear

And anxiety and worry

We know all around us

That the troubles of this world

Are many

But we thank you

For the great gift

And the power of prayer

And so may you surround our people

May you be with them

In all their different needs

Young, old, middle-aged alike

That all of our needs

Would be met by you

For you know them each one

You know every home

Where there are tears being wept

Even at this time

You know every home

Where there is sorrow and sadness

You know every home

Where there is longing

Longing to know you

Longing to be among your people

Longing for help and support

In so many different ways

And Lord, teach us and help us

To love one another

Teach us to get to know one another

To pray for one another as we should

To encourage one another

To help one another

Lord, we pray that you will surround us

And build us up together

As a people

For as your word says

We are one body

Of many parts

And when one part hurts

The rest of the body

Is affected as well

And so we pray, Lord

For all our pains

And all our sorrows

Oh Lord, that you will comfort and help

But we thank you too

That there is reason

For rejoicing in you

That you are the God

Who is at work

That you are the God

Who is building his church

That you are the God

Who will not be overcome

And so we rejoice, Lord

In your kingdom

A kingdom that is coming with power

And we thank you

That throughout the world

That you are bearing fruit

And we pray for our own nation

At this time

That in the troubles

That we see around us

You would turn us towards you

That our nation would again

Bear fruit for you

Bear fruit from the top

Top of our society

All the way down

From those who rule

And govern over us, Lord

To our councils

To our homes

And our families

All around us

To our workplaces

And throughout our communities

Far and wide

Oh Lord, that your spirit

Will be upon us

To bring a day of your power

Into our midst

So we pray, Lord

For leaders over us

And for potential leaders

Over us

And for all that goes on

In our land

We pray for your wisdom

And for your guidance

We pray for your peace

Throughout the world

Peace in the nations

Of conflict and troubles

That are many

Peace in the midst

Of terror and fear

And so many other things

We pray, Lord

For your healing hand

To be upon us

To bring conflicts

To an end

To turn war into peace

To bring a renewal

Into our lands, oh Lord

Where we see evil

That we would see good

Oh Lord, we ask these things

Acknowledging our own weakness

We can do nothing

Apart from you

And so we ask

Independence upon you

Asking, knowing

That you are Lord

And God of all

And so we pray, Lord

That you will help us

To have faith

And to pray with that faith

We thank you

For all our people here

And we pray

Your blessing

On all that's been done

This day

For our young people

In our services of worship

And in the fellowship

To come this evening as well

We pray, Lord

That your blessing

Will follow all things

We thank you

For the youth fellowship

To take place

And may it be blessed

To all who attend

We thank you

For Muriel, Lord

For the time

She has enjoyed

At home with us

And for her preparations

For going away, Lord

We pray for everything

That needs to be done

To enable her

To go back to Cambodia

And as she looks forward

To returning to that work

God willing

We pray

Your protection

And your blessing on her

And upon all

The work that she does

There with so many others

We pray, Lord

That your blessing

Will follow it

And for all your people

Who serve you

Near and far, Lord

We pray for strength

For encouragement

And for your help

In persevering

And keeping on

In all that we do

So bless us now

And go before us

Pardoning all our sin

As we ask it all

In Jesus' name

Amen

Well again, sing to God's praise

This time in Psalm 27

In the Sing Psalms version

Page 32 of the Psalm books

We're going to sing

From verse 9

To verse 14

The end of the Psalm

Psalm 27

At verse 9

Do not hide your face from me

And do not turn aside

Your servant in your righteous wrath

For you have been my guide

O God, my Saviour

Leave me not

Do not reject my plea

My parents may forsake me, Lord

But you will welcome me

We'll sing from verse 9

To the end of the Psalm

And the tune is Belmont

Oh, do not hide your face from me

And do not turn aside

Your servant in your righteous wrath

For you have been my guide

O God, my Saviour

Leave me not

Do not reject my plea

My valence may forsake me, Lord

But you will welcome me

Teach me, O Lord

How I should live

And lead me in your way

Make straight my path

In all time falls

Oppress me every day

Give me not over to the will

Of David Gentiles

For my heart

For my heart

To slander me

For my heart

To slander me

And greet the cruelty

Yet I am sure

Yet I am sure

That in this time

God's goodness

I will see

Wait for the Lord

Lord

He strong

He strong

Take heart

For him

Wake

Wait patiently

Wait patiently

Wait patiently

Wait for the Lord

I am sure

I am sure

I am sure

I am sure

I am sure

We are going to take

To the second

To the second

Book of the Bible

Before Revelation

The letter of Jude

Read the whole of this letter together

The letter of Jude

From the beginning

Jude

A servant of Jesus Christ

And brother of James

To those who are called beloved in God

The father and kept for Jesus Christ

May mercy

Peace

And love

Be multiplied to you

Beloved

Although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation

I found it necessary to write appealing to you

To contend

For the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints

For certain people have crept in unnoticed

Who long ago were designated for this condemnation

And godly people

Who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality

And deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ

Now I want to remind you

Although you once fully knew it

That Jesus who saved a people out of the land of Egypt

Afterwards destroyed those who did not believe

And the angels who did not stay within their own position

Of authority

But left their proper dwelling

He has kept in eternal chains

Under gloomy darkness

Until the judgment of the great day

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

Yet in like manner these people also

Relying on their dreams

Defile the flesh

Reject authority

And blaspheme the glorious ones

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

But these people blaspheme

All that they do not understand

And they are destroyed by all that they

Like unreasoning animals

Understand instinctively

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

These are blemishes on your love feasts

As they feast with you without fear

Looking after 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

It's also about these

That Enoch the seventh from Adam

Prophesied saying

Behold the Lord came with ten thousands

Of his holy ones

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

These are grumblers

Grumblers

Malcontents

Following their own sinful desires

They are loud mouth boasters

Showing favoritism to gain advantage

But you must remember beloved

The predictions of the apostles

Of our Lord Jesus Christ

They said to you

In the last time

There will be scoffers

Following their own ungodly passions

It is these who cause divisions

Worldly people

Devoid of the spirit

But you beloved

Build yourselves up

In your most holy faith

Pray in the Holy Spirit

Keep yourselves in the love of God

Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ

That leads to eternal life

And have mercy on those who doubt

Save others by snatching them out of the fire

To others show mercy

With fear hating even the garment

Stained by the flesh

Now to him who is able

To keep you from stumbling

And to present you blameless

Before the presence of his glory

With great joy

To the only God our Saviour

Through Jesus Christ our Lord

Be glory, majesty, dominion and authority

Before all time and now and forever

Amen

May God bless that reading from his word

Before we turn back to that passage

We'll again sing to God's praise in Psalm 62

Again we're in the sing psalms

On page 79

Psalm 62

On page 79

We're going to sing from verse 1

To verse 8

And the tune is Herringate

My soul finds rest in God alone

From him comes my salvation sure

My safety, fortress, sheltering rock

In him alone I am secure

We'll sing from verse 1

To verse 8

To God's praise

My soul finds rest in God alone

From him comes my salvation sure

My safety, fortress, sheltering rock

In him alone I am secure

How long will you assault a man?

Do you all seek to lay in love?

This meany wall, this taunting face

And bring our albis overgrown

They plough his whole promises

They take delight in spreading light

With force and ploughing, bounding legs

But in their hearts

Curse and despise

Find praise my soul

In God alone

In him my hope is ever sure

My safety, fortress, sheltering rock

In him alone I am secure

My honor and salvation praise

My honor and salvation praise

On God my hope

My honor and salvation praise

On God my hope

My honor and salvation praise

On God my hope

My honor and salvation praise

On God my hope

My honor and salvation praise

On God my hope

My honor and salvation praise

On God my hope

On God my hope

My glory

On God my hope

My honor and salvation praise

On God my glory

On God my glory

On God my glory

On God my glory

On God my glory

All God my glory

Christ in him always, to him alone for a pure heart.

Well, we can turn back together to our reading in the letter of Jude.

And we're going to look at the end of this letter, verse 17 onwards in particular.

And just to note three things in these verses that we're going to focus in on particularly.

Verse 17, verse 20, and verse 24.

And twice it says there in verse 17 and 20,

But you, but you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then at verse 20,

But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith.

And then in verse 24 it says,

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling.

And so on.

So we see there there's two, but you.

And then at the end, now to him.

That's what we're going to be looking at in particular this evening, these verses.

I'm sure many of you from time to time you'll receive a brown envelope through the post.

And that envelope will be marked, well marked now, on his majesty's service.

In the past it used to be on her majesty's service.

There's an element of importance attached to this envelope.

And maybe for some people you see it arriving and it fills you maybe with a sense of dread.

What am I going to see when I open this envelope?

For other people there may be a sense of anticipation.

I wonder if there's anything good coming inside this envelope.

Sometimes it's good where you maybe get tax back or something like that.

You get a rebate.

Other times and maybe more often, it's asking you to make payment.

That you owe something.

But whatever comes in this envelope, whenever that envelope arrives on his majesty's service,

there's one thing that you mustn't do with it.

And that is to ignore it.

Just to put it away somewhere and forget all about and say,

I'll deal with that later.

I'm just not interested on what's inside it.

We cannot ignore these kinds of letters.

And so as we turn to this letter of Jude this evening,

you see the way Jude describes himself in the opening verse of this letter.

And there is a reminder to us of the importance of this letter.

Indeed, the importance of all of God's word.

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ.

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ.

So this letter, it comes with a stamp of authority.

This is an important letter.

This is truly on his majesty's service.

Our king is speaking to us through his word.

And above all, as with all scripture, this is something that we cannot ignore.

Maybe for some of us, we look forward to hearing what this letter,

what God's word has to say to us.

Maybe for others, we're a little fearful coming to God's word

and hearing what is going to be in God's word for us.

Because we're always challenged, we're always convicted by God's word.

But one thing none of us can do is just choose to ignore it

and choose to put it away and maybe deal with it another time.

Because every time we hear this word, the king is speaking to us.

And so we want to hear what God the Lord is saying to us together

this evening through his word here.

And this is a letter that is maybe difficult to just figure out

who it's being written to.

Some have speculated whether it's written to Gentiles.

Some have said it's written more towards the Jewish people,

the two main kinds of people in Jude's day.

But most have come down on the side that it's written to both.

It's written to Christians, both Jews and Gentiles,

who, as we see in this letter,

are having to contend with having to deal with

false teaching coming into their midst.

They're living very much in the midst of a pagan society.

Society that really wants little to do with God.

And similar to what we were hearing together this morning

of Daniel and his days in Babylon.

Days when people were trying to pull them away from God

and bring them into their own ways of thinking.

And that's exactly what's happening here in Jude's day as well.

And as you look at this letter, you see in the opening verses,

in verse 3 and 4, we are told this congregation of Christians

that Jude is writing to, he's writing to encourage them

to contend for the faith.

It says that in verse 3.

I found it necessary to write appealing to you

to contend for the faith

that was once for all delivered to the saints.

So there's this purpose in his writing to the Christians

to contend with the faith, to keep going in the faith,

to remain strong in the faith.

And then he tells the reason why he has to write,

for certain people have crept in unnoticed,

who long ago were designated for this condemnation.

ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God.

So they were perverting the truth.

They were giving them this false teaching.

And so Jude is writing to them to encourage them

to contend in the faith, to keep going in the faith.

And from verse 5 to verse 16,

he outlines a number of the problems that they are facing,

a number of the challenges that they are facing,

what they are to beware of,

of all of these false teachers who have come.

And again, just like this morning with Daniel,

and as we look around our world today,

we're surrounded by false teaching,

by teaching that in many ways is crazy in our eyes.

But yet we find that even in the midst of all of this,

the word of God is so timely to us.

For every situation, for every circumstance

that we find ourselves in,

there's nothing new under the sun.

That's what God's words reminds us

in the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament,

that there's nothing new under the sun.

And so as generations pass and as time goes on,

we find ourselves coming against the same issues

time and time again.

But then in verse 17 to verse 25,

Jude outlines the response that God's people are to have

in every generation, in every set of circumstances.

And that is to always look to God.

How to deal with these situations,

how to keep on,

it is always to look to God.

Because just as there's nothing new under the sun,

God is a constant in it all as well.

He is the one who has brought his people

through every occasion,

whether it's Daniel and his compatriots there in Babylon,

whether it's going back to the days of God's people in Egypt,

whether it's going into the New Testament

and the disciples going out with the Lord.

All of these things,

the constant is that God is faithful to his people.

And in this letter,

Jude gives us encouragement,

how to keep on.

The encouragement that people needed then

and that maybe we need today as well.

To keep going and to keep looking and trusting in God,

no matter what is going on around us.

And you see it in three parts,

as I was saying there in this letter to Jude.

Under these beginnings where he says,

but you, but you,

and now to him who is able.

And we're going to break it down into these three sections.

In verse 17 to 19,

he gives us a call to remembrance.

In verse 20 and 23,

he gives us an exhortation to grow,

to build ourselves up in the faith.

And then at the end of the letter,

verse 24 to 25,

we see we are to remember that God is the one

who is able to keep us.

That is what we have to do on the one hand,

and that what God is doing for his people

on the other hand,

and both go together.

And so in the midst of the variety of false teaching

that Jude is writing about in these opening verses,

he comes back to conclude the letter in a positive way,

giving instructions so we not only

see the challenges around us,

and the reality of God is over them,

but we also see that God is the one

who is able to bring us through them,

and that we can grow in our knowledge

of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So there's these two sides

to this Christian perseverance.

Our part to keep on,

and God's part in his keeping of us.

So the first thing we want to see

is the remembering side of things.

But just before we come to that,

I want us to think of these words

that it begins with in verse 17.

But you.

There's a change in the letter here with Jude.

After going through all that is wrong

in the false teaching that has come into their midst,

now he begins a new section in verse 17

saying, but you.

There's an indication here

that there are people who are to be different.

As we were hearing the children's address this morning,

it's this free from.

We are to be different as God's people.

And that's what these words mean at the start,

but you.

There's a challenge to God's people.

And that asks the question immediately of us,

what side are we on?

There's a contrast in the opening verses

of all that is wrong with the world of Jude's day,

where people are being pulled into this way of thinking,

this way of living.

You can read through it again

when you go home this evening.

But you see the manner of these people,

as he says in verse 8.

The manner of these people relying on their dreams,

defile the flesh,

reject authority,

blaspheme the glorious one.

All that is wrong with the people

is outlined almost in these words.

They put away authority,

they blaspheme the glorious one.

There is you who is on that side.

But as Jude goes on there in verse 17,

he says,

but you are different.

And so the question as we start is,

is that the side that you are on?

Are you on the side that is blaspheming the glorious one?

Going along with the pull of this world

and the way of this world

that's going further and further away from God?

Or are you like Daniel,

standing on the other side?

Standing for the Lord.

And maybe it's a question,

you're afraid to be asked.

It's a question you maybe want to avoid

at certain times.

Maybe it's a question you maybe dread a minister

coming to ask you.

But what about you?

But it's an unavoidable question.

And it's a question I put to you all tonight.

But you, this evening,

what side are you on?

Are we on the side that blasphemes?

Or are we on the side that is going on

in the strength of the Lord?

And as we move on,

we're going to see that the you that he is talking to here

is the side we must be on.

The side of faith.

The side of trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ

and growing in our knowledge of him.

But that question remains,

but you, what side are you on?

So then we go on to see what he's saying to these people.

And he says, first of all,

but you must remember, beloved,

the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He has warned that false teachers have come in.

But now he's saying to them,

there is this challenge.

But you, are you going to be different?

Are you going to remember the word of God?

Are you going to remember the predictions

of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ?

They said to you,

in the last time there will be scoffers

following their own ungodly passions.

So here he's challenging the people in us,

he's challenging ourselves

to remember these things,

to remember these warnings

that are come into our midst.

People speak about the last days

and if we're in the last days,

well here it's made clear for us

that even in Jude's day,

this was the last days.

Because scoffers had come into their midst.

And so in these days that we are living in today,

we are still seeing the same thing.

Scoffers following their own ungodly passions.

And how do we keep going in the midst of this?

How do we keep on?

How do we remain faithful?

We remember the predictions of the apostles

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So as we see so much around us

that doesn't make sense,

as we see so much that is a going away from God,

how do we respond?

Well there's certain kinds of reactions

that we could have.

Certain reactions that God's people in Jude's day,

in the day of our Lord Jesus,

in the days of the Old Testament,

that they would have had.

Reactions such as discouragement.

It can be so discouraging

when we see all of these things.

Worry can come in.

Where is our world going?

What direction are we going in?

And it's natural for us to feel these things.

Anger is a reaction we could have as well.

All of these things are reactions

that we could go through.

But Jude directs us here

in what our reaction should be.

to remember the predictions

of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Because that reminds us

that nothing should take us by surprise.

Nothing happens unknown to God.

All you have to do is look back

to the teaching of the Lord Jesus himself.

How he predicted these days himself.

In Matthew chapter 24,

Matthew 24 · chapter mention

Jesus gave these kinds of warnings

to his disciples

before his death and resurrection

and his ascension.

What did he say to them?

Matthew 24 verse 11,

Matthew 24:11

Jesus tells his disciples,

and many false prophets

will arise and lead many astray.

This is what's going to happen.

This is the predictions

of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the prediction

of the apostles.

Paul in the book of Acts chapter 20,

Acts 20:29

verse 29, he says,

I know that after my departure,

fierce wolves will come in among you,

not sparing the flock.

And he warns them

that even from among your own selves

will arise men speaking twisted things

to draw away the disciples after them.

So what's he saying here?

He's saying,

remember the predictions

of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They have told us

that these things will happen.

And so as we hear that they will happen,

we are to be on our guard.

To be on our guard,

ready against them.

Jude is telling us

not to be discouraged,

not to be dismayed at all of this.

This is part of the outworking

of the last days.

We may expect things to go

from strength to strength

for the cause of God.

We may expect blessing after blessing.

We pray for it.

But it's not always the case.

There are challenges.

There are persecutions.

There are trials of all different kinds.

Even when we have faith.

It's a bit like getting a medicine.

Taking a tablet.

And on the tablet,

it will tell you

what you're to take this tablet for.

It's going to help you

with a certain kind of illness

that you have.

But if you don't read the tablet,

if you don't read the instructions,

you might start to feel

even more unwell for a time.

You might start to feel unwell

in a different way

for a time.

And you're thinking,

this isn't right.

This shouldn't be.

This tablet is meant to help me.

But with so much medication,

it tells you

that there are side effects.

And if you don't read them,

you don't know

that they're going to come.

And it can catch you off guard.

But if you've read them,

you'll know that they'll come

at some point.

And it won't catch you off guard.

And so,

Jude is saying here,

just like that,

although you have blessings

in Christ Jesus,

remember that there are those

who will come,

scoffers following their own

ungodly passions.

There are those who will seek

to lead people astray.

And as you remember these things,

then you are prepared for them.

Paul's charge to Timothy,

to his young friend Timothy,

was to remain faithful

to the Word of God.

Because he warned them,

holding faith and a good conscience.

Because by rejecting this,

some have made a shipwreck

of their faith.

Some who have forgotten

the predictions of the apostles.

Some who have forgotten

what God's Word says.

Some who have not been prepared

for the attacks

that have come their way.

They've made a shipwreck

of their faith.

And how easy it is for us

to lose heart,

not remembering

what the Word of God says.

And in that,

we can end up

in a shipwreck

or a car crash

of our own faith too.

In the early 90s,

going back about 30 years now,

there was a commercial,

an advert on the telly

for two different kinds of cars.

And the advert began

with a car heading

towards this wall.

And the brakes being applied,

but the car crashes

into the wall

and it's a wreck.

But yet,

because of the way

the car has been designed,

the people inside

are kept safe

by airbags

and the strength

of the structure

around them.

I think that's

quite impressive.

But then,

there was another car

showing

in the same kind of situation,

heading for the wall.

But when the person

applies the brakes,

the brakes are so good

that before the car crashes,

it comes to a stop.

And at this point,

the man speaking

in the advert cuts in

and he says,

cuts in to ask,

would you prefer

to live through wrecks

or not get in wrecks

in the first place?

And that's what God's Word

is so often doing for us.

It's helping us

that we don't end up

in this shipwreck,

in this car crash

of our faith

because we're forgetting

the things

that God has told us.

And so,

we are told here,

but you

must remember,

beloved,

the predictions

of the apostles

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

that these scoffers,

these people

who will seek

to lead us astray,

they will come in.

But he's saying,

you keep on.

Keep on

by remembering

the Word of God.

And then he goes on

secondly to say

to them here,

but you, beloved,

so there's more

to come here as well.

It's not just

remembering

and holding on to that,

but now he's saying,

beloved,

build yourselves up

in your most

holy faith.

Pray

in the Holy Spirit.

Keep yourselves

in the love of God,

waiting

for the mercy

of our Lord Jesus Christ

that leads

to eternal

life.

So,

here we are again,

but you.

And we ask ourselves

again,

is this what you

are like?

Is this the side

that you come down on?

You have heard

the phrase,

the best form

of defense

is attack.

And so,

Jude is here

saying,

not just to defend

ourselves

by remembering

the predictions,

but to go

on the offensive

here as well,

to build yourselves

up in your

most holy faith,

to do this

as we all must,

to build ourselves

up in the holy faith,

praying in the Holy Spirit,

keeping yourself

in the love of God.

And so,

it goes on.

So,

Jude is giving

this direction

to us

for growth,

building ourselves

up in the faith,

the building blocks

of our faith,

the things

that we are

to put

into practice.

And it boils down

to these four things,

four basics

of the Christian faith,

but you

must do this.

Build yourselves

up

in your most

holy faith.

faith.

Be devoted

to the Word

of God.

Believe

the Word

of God.

Hold fast

the Word

of God.

Just like he was saying

to remember

the predictions

of the apostles

that scoffers

would come,

we add to this

everything else

that the Word

of God

sees.

Everything else

that the Word

of God

teaches us,

that we are

sinners,

that we have

fallen short

of the glory

of God,

but that Jesus

came to save

us from

our sin.

And that through

faith and repentance

we have this

hope of

eternal life.

Be devoted

to the Word

of God

to make it

your daily

portion

day by day,

not to neglect

what this

Word of God

is saying,

not to see it

as a letter

that can just

be put away

and forgotten

about and

ignored,

but that this

is God

himself,

our Lord

and King

speaking to

us.

And he's

saying,

build yourselves

up in your

most holy

faith.

And then he

says as well,

pray in the

Holy Spirit.

Again,

it's a part

of our lives

that we must

never neglect,

reminding ourselves

how dependent

we are on

God as we

seek to

persevere.

We are

dependent on

him to

persevere,

to keep

going.

Pray in

the Holy

Spirit.

Pray in

the one who

is called

alongside us,

the one who

Jesus promised

would come

and be our

comforter.

Be the one

called alongside

us to help

us and to

remind us that

he is with

us.

And so we

pray in

his name.

And then he

speaks about

our experience.

Keep

yourselves in

the love

of God.

It's not

just about

reminding

ourselves that

we love

God and

leaving it

at that,

but it's

living in

the knowledge

of God's

love for

us and

how that

affects all

that we

do.

Because to

feel unloved

by God

paralyzes us.

To feel a

failure before

God as we

so often

do, it

paralyzes us

and our

service is

hindered.

But here

he says,

keep

yourselves

in the

love of

God.

And

especially as

we think of

everything else

that seeks to

pull us back

into the

world.

If we

think,

there's no

way God

can love

me.

And the

things of

this world

we think,

well, we

might as

well just

go back.

But he's

saying here,

keep yourselves

in the

love of

God.

Remind

yourself,

what does

any false

teacher have

to offer

me that

compares to

the love

of God?

There is

nothing that

this world

can give

me that

will improve

my life

compared to

knowing the

love of

God.

The love

of God

that gave

his own

son for

our sins.

The love

of God

that is

able to

preserve us

and to

keep us

on in

this world.

A love

of God

that's not

dependent on

our perfectly

loving him

because we

so often

don't.

But remembering

the steadfast

love of

God that

never changes.

His love

love towards

us.

That we

have been

made a

son and

daughter of

the Most

High.

That we

have been

brought into

his family.

That we

are precious

to him

keeping

ourselves

in the

love of

God.

And then he

says too,

waiting for

the mercy

of our

Lord Jesus

Christ that

leads to

eternal life.

Again, that

ties into

how Jude is

speaking about

in these

last times.

When everything

seems to be

descending into

chaos, when

everything seems

to be going

away from

the glory of

God, we

remind ourselves

of this.

We are

waiting for

the mercy

of our

Lord Jesus

Christ.

That he

is coming.

And that he

will restore

all things

for his

people.

a people

who are

led to

eternal

life through

faith in

him.

And as we

hold on to

these things,

build ourselves

up in

these things,

it reminds

us to

have mercy,

as he

says, on

those who

doubt.

To save

others by

snatching

them out

of the

fire.

To others

show mercy

with fear,

hating even

the garments

stained by

the flesh.

The more

we see

the love

of God,

the more

we see

the fact

that he

is coming

and that

there is

eternal

life for

those who

believe,

we also

see that

there are

people who

are perishing.

Perishing in

their ignorance

as he speaks

and describes

them off in

the earlier

verses.

So much of

what they

are doing

is out of

ignorance.

And so

he reminds

us here

that we

are a

people who,

as we know

the love

of God,

are to

share

that love

of God

as well.

Build

yourselves

up,

he says.

When you

see young

children,

whether it's

your own

children or

maybe helping

in creche and

tweenies and

these things,

whenever you

see children,

they're so

often attracted

to building

blocks,

whether it's

Lego or

blocks,

they just

love to

build things.

And only

often is to

build as

high as

they can.

And well,

as children

of God,

we too are

deciding,

or should

decide,

to build

ourselves

to,

to build

ourselves

in our

most holy

faith,

putting all

these building

blocks together

to make

sure that

we are

doing our

part,

that our

love for

our Lord

is showing

itself in

all of

these ways.

A love

for the

word,

a love

for prayer,

keeping

yourselves

in the

love of

God,

reminding

ourselves

of that,

waiting

for the

mercy of

our Lord

Jesus

Christ,

and having

mercy on

those who

we see

around us

as lost.

Build

yourselves

up in

the most

holy

faith.

faith.

Then we

move from

this.

You think

it's all

about us

and what

we do,

and we

know it's

not,

and that's

how Jude

closes his

letter.

We are

reminded of

the things

that we

are to

do.

You,

but you

must remember

the predictions,

but you

build yourselves

up in the

faith,

but then we

are reminded

finally that

it is the

Lord who

keeps us.

Now to

him who

is able

to keep

you from

stumbling

and to

present you

blameless

before the

presence of

his glory

with great

joy.

So it

is him

who is

able to

keep us.

And we

are reminded

of that,

and there's

great comfort

to us

here.

How are

we going

to keep

on?

Well,

if it's

all about

ourselves,

we'll fall

short.

But you

remember the

teachings of

the apostles,

we'll forget

certain things.

We'll worry

about certain

things.

But you,

beloved,

build yourselves

up.

So often

we'll fail

in that area

too.

But God

knows.

And that's

why it is

him who

is able

to keep

you from

stumbling

and to

present you

blameless.

it's not

ourselves

coming and

saying,

here is

what I've

done.

But we

can say,

Lord,

in my

imperfect

love for

you,

in all

my

failings

before you,

I come

not through

myself,

but presented

blameless

through you.

For you

have promised

to keep

me,

that you

will keep

all who

put their

trust in

you.

And there's

much power

and there's

much comfort

in these

words.

It's a

benediction.

It's a

blessing on

God's

people.

And that's

the way

Jude concludes

this letter,

with these

powerful

words.

It's a

letter of

urgent

warnings

about our

own

responsibilities,

but it's a

letter too

reminding us

that it is

him who

keeps us.

And when

you think

of these

words,

now to

him who

is able

to keep

you from

stumbling.

Stumbling,

again,

we come

back to

thinking about

a child.

And so

often when I

think of

these words,

it reminds

me of a

child learning

to ride

their bike.

How little

by little

they learn

to ride,

first maybe

with both

stabilizers

on,

a little

bit wobbly.

then one

stabilizer

is taken

off and

they'll be

stumbling

then.

And then

the time

will come

when both

stabilizers

come off

and the

child is

wobbling

from side

to side.

But as a

parent,

as a

father or

a mother,

you take

hold of

the seat

or you

go alongside

them,

you keep

them from

stumbling.

It's almost

like that is

the image

that we have

here.

Him who

is able

to keep

you from

stumbling.

Him who

is with

you always.

The one

who is able

to keep

you.

The one

who we

see described

as having

his everlasting

arms underneath.

The one

who keeps

his people.

And so

we are to

follow the

example of

Jude himself

here.

The one

who persevered

in the

faith and

the hard

work of

the Christian

life.

But the

one who

is able

to praise

God in

the midst

of it

all.

So how

do we

persevere?

How then

do we

keep on?

We

remember,

beloved,

the predictions.

We remember,

beloved,

that we are

to build

ourselves up

in the

most holy

faith.

But above

all,

we remember

him,

who is

able to

keep you

from