Newport Presbyterian Church: Recent Episodes
andrew underwood
The Pittwater Presbyterian Church is at Newport Beach, NSW, Australia The ministry coordinator is Rob Lamont. Rob comes with a wealth of ministry experience including being the NSW Coordinator of Youth And Children Work for Bible Society and the Schools Coordinator for Scripture Union. Rob has been in ministry for over 40 years and has preached in over 600 different Churches across Australia. Rob has also taught at a dozen Bible or Theological colleges. He has written 23 books mainly aimed at being resources for Youth Ministry. Rob is Reformed Evangelical with a passion for Bible Teaching. The
Tears often are expressed at the times of our deepest emotions. After Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that he was the Messiah, he went silently to a high point that overlooked Jerusalem. It bought him to tears as he prayed. What impact did this have on him?
Palm Sunday had Jesus fulfilling prophecy from Zechariah before the crowds eyes. Walking on the Mount of olives was the centre of the prediction.
This is Jesus showing that he was the Messiah.
The Old Testament had 613 laws, that the Pharisees were obsessed with. To obey many rules would need a person to be wealthy. The Pharisees tried to invent rules that opened the door to everyone.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ILHzpdDEMLI&feature=youtu.be
In the parable of the good Samaritan the priest and Levite had very good reasons to not touch the injured man. Do you know why?
If you want to be happy learn to be thankful.
However, we need to be thankful in all situations but that does not mean thankful for all situations.
“It all starts with our heart” God examines are heart and our response Lk 6:43-49
If you stood back and truly examined being a Christian it is about being forgiven when we don’t deserve it and at the centre of our being we desire to serve God with our whole heart.
If Jesus was sinless, then why did He get baptised? Why was sprinkling used so much as an image of baptism? Who were sprinkled or baptised in the Old Testament?
Songs of praise are rare in the New Testament, but Luke 1 records one by Mary.
It starts with personal praise by Mary and finishes with global and timeless praise for Jesus.
Christmas reminds us that God is in control of our salvation. Prophecies about Jesus start in Genesis. Predictions include being born of a virgin, being born in Bethlehem. God uses an unknown young girl, in a backwater village to bring his Son into the world
If our greatest need was economic, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need was entertainment, God would have sent us a comedian If our greatest need was political stability, God would have sent us a politician. If our greatest need was health, God would have sent us a doctor. If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death; and he sent us a Saviour.”
Messianic psalms are quoted in eleven New Testament books, and predictions about Jesus are found in 26 Psalms. He is called King of the Jews, son of God, He calls God Father, the only begotten son, Messiah Eternal, creator of all things Lord and King and Creator. Many people would like to leave Jesus as a teacher or moral crusader but the Bible is clear He is the Son of God.
What should biblical worship look like? Westminster confession of Faith article 21 worship
Because the government changes a law does that change morality?
Can Christians go against government policy?
. The Anglican Church may split over gay blessings. Is this the core value for splitting a denomination? Where does conscience fit in controversy?
https://youtu.be/Tgi6SVxCwQw
Two crucial issues facing today’s church is those who no longer believe God’s standards as expressed in the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus.
On the other hand are those who don’t think grace is enough to save you.
True believers need to hold God’s law and grace despite the possible tension. You cannot ditch one for the other.
https://youtu.be/dzjgwdzCTs0
The biggest question church going high school students would ask was ‘Am I a real Christian, will I get saved? Will I go to Heaven?
Do you have assurance of your salvation?
Our good works are in response not the cause of Salvation. We need to be careful that we present good works as grace driven and are not works based.
Our holiness is not self-achieved but a response to the love of God.
Rob is away this week so we are playing one of his old talks. 6 wrong ways we can twist the Bible - 1 Thessalonians 2
Vision of the New Temple 40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me to the city.[a] 2 In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. 3 When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. 4 And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” The East Gate to the Outer Court 5 And behold, there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area, and the length of the measuring reed in the man's hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth[b] in length. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed. 6 Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.[c] 7 And the side rooms, one reed long and one reed broad; and the space between the side rooms, five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end, one reed. 8 Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, on the inside, one reed. 9 Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and its jambs, two cubits; and the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end. 10 And there were three side rooms on either side of the east gate. The three were of the same size, and the jambs on either side were of the same size. 11 Then he measured the width of the opening of the gateway, ten cubits; and the length of the gateway, thirteen cubits. 12 There was a barrier before the side rooms, one cubit on either side. And the side rooms were six cubits on either side. 13 Then he measured the gate from the ceiling of the one side room to the ceiling of the other, a breadth of twenty-five cubits; the openings faced each other. 14 He measured also the vestibule, sixty cubits. And around the vestibule of the gateway was the court.[d] 15 From the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits. 16 And the gateway had windows all around, narrowing inwards toward the side rooms and toward their jambs, and likewise the vestibule had windows all around inside, and on the jambs were palm trees.
One of the hardest things for a person to do is to take responsibility for their own sins and behaviour.
Repentance is becoming a rare concept even among Christians. Is it time for us to rediscover this key Bible teaching.
Why have so many misunderstood faith? - Westminster Confession of Faith article 15 - Hebrews 11
Sadly, some churches become obsessed by holiness which is secretly a back door to salvation by works.
It is easy to turn our holiness into a good work.
However, the bible teaches that our salvation and our holiness are all about grace - a God given gift.
Some of us have great families, others have families that are a mess. However, the family is the basic unit of relationship that each of us have been part of. God sees the intimacy of family as a pointer to his relationship with us. We are adopted into his family
The key difference between classic Protestants and Roman Catholics is how we are saved. Justification is the central Doctrine. Just as if we had never sinned.
If people are converted by the gift of public speaking then it would be eloquence not conviction that brings salvation.
If people are converted by the brilliance of our arguments then it would be intellect not the Holy Spirit.
It is not how good you speak or what you know but a work of God from beginning to end that truly transforms people to Christ.
Some Christians struggle in churches where the pastor thinks the Trinity is Father, Son and Holy Bible. Others know that the Holy Spirit is the ‘elephant in the room’ of their church.
What are ten great promises the Bible reveals about the Holy Spirit?
For most people their most intimate relationship is with their marriage partner.
This is the result of a wedding and starting with a covenant marriage.
God used Covenant to defined his relationship with us.
Dating is nothing like a marriage. Deep speaks to deep. Time creates meaningfulness.
So why did God use covenants to define our relationship with him?
As people attack key Christian beliefs many are not aware how much they have been watered down. Some see sin as a poor self esteem, being a little sick or just misguided.
The Bible says we are DEAD in our sin.
Is it time for you to understand sin fully ?
The desire of many to replace doctrine with dialogue has more to do with people wanting to give their opinion than to hunger to discover God's will.
https://www.facebook.com/Ministryblue
The basis of argument between evolution and creation is not science but philosophy. Is our universe by chance or order, Purpose or chaos.
If chance then nothing is absolute Nothing is by nature right
We are left with one question unanswered
‘What is right?’
https://www.facebook.com/Ministryblue
Is God in control? Does God know the future? Does God know our thoughts? Does God know what we will d in our life? Sovereignty of God quotes Prayer assumes the sovereignty of God. If God is not sovereign, we have no assurance that He is able to answer our prayers. Our prayers would become nothing more than wishes. But while God's sovereignty, along with his wisdom and love, is the foundation of our trust in Him, prayer is the expression of that trust. Jerry Bridges Although the sovereignty of God is universal and absolute, it is not the sovereignty of blind power. It is coupled with infinite wisdom, holiness and love. And this doctrine, when properly understood, is a most comforting and reassuring one. Who would not prefer to have his affairs in the hands of a God of infinite power, wisdom, holiness and love, rather than to have them left to fate, or chance, or irrevocable natural law, or to short-sighted and perverted self? Those who reject God's sovereignty should consider what alternatives they have left. Loraine Boettner I think to trust in the sovereignty of God does not excuse my personal responsibility. Just the opposite – it equips me to be personally responsible. Max Lucado It is amazing how many revivals and how meant evangelism courses have been linked to those who hold the sovereignty of God as a key doctrine Westminster Confession article 3 Sovereignty of God The Creed teaches that God, from all eternity ordained everything that ever happen predestined is used 5 times in the NT. 1. WE ARE CHOSEN BY GOD Ephesians 1:5 Ephesians 1:11 Romans 8:29-30 2. GOD SET PEOPLE APART FOR HIS OWN PURPOSE Jeremiah 1:5 3. THE COURSE OF NATIONS IS CHOSEN BY GOD Acts 17:26. 4. WE CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND HIS PURPOSE Romans 11:33 The OT saw that God was fully in control Isaiah 14:24 Isaiah 14:27 Isaiah 46:9, II. What is does the Bible teach 1. We are not robots? Although God is in control he has not made us robots 2 Corinthians 5:10 James 4:17 Galatians 6:7-8 2. God is not the author of sin James 1:13. 1 John 1:5 3. God is aware of sin but not the cause of sin Acts 2:23 Acts 4:27-28 John 19:11 God planned for Jesus to die but his killers are also responsible and chose their actions. 4. We still have choice James 1:13-16 Deuteronomy 30:19 5. GOD CHOOSES BY GOD NOT OUR MERIT Deuteronomy 7:6 2 Timothy 1:9 Ephesians 1:11 6. (7) We are saved by his free grace and love, without any foreseeing of their faith, or their good works, 1 Timothy 1:9 7. As God has appointed those whom he chose to glory and foreordained all the means of bring it about. Thus those who are chosen, • are redeemed by Christ, Colossians 1:14 • are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power, through faith, to salvation. Ephesians 1:4 justified Romans 5:1. justified Titus 3:7 adopted Colossians 1:12-13, sanctified: 1 Thessalonians 4:3: sanctified: Romans 12:1. 8. predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, so that people, giving attention to the will of God revealed in his Word and yielding their obedience to it. Proverbs 16:33 III. What has God set you apart for? We can be confident that God will never let us go
One of the key doctrines denied by cults is Jesus is God, the Son. The Trinity was denied often in the 3-4th Century and then again in the 18-21C.
Want to hear what proof we have for the Trinity and how to answer 4 main objections.
Many want an answer to ‘why does God allow suffering?’
For Christians a deeper question is how am I to respond when I face suffering and the apostle Peter deals with this in his first letter.
After Nero burnt down 70% of the buildings in Rome and left half the people homeless, he blamed the Christians.
What would you have told the Christians, many now homeless to support them
Hear what Peter wrote And be encouraged
“Jesus descended into Hell’
Hell has different meanings in the Bible which has led to some weird understanding of its meaning.
So what did Jesus do between Good Friday and Easter Sunday?
The apostle Peter towards the end of his life wanted to encourage believers who were being persecuted, he saw the core to be ‘love your neighbour’
The centre of our being is love, care, compassion and humility. Peter’s desire was not to win an augment but to win a soul.
When the Protestant movement left the Roman Catholic Church a key doctrine was called ‘irresistible grace’ - the firm belief that God calls us, the Holy Spirit convicts us and we are saved by Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Enjoy!
Sadly, many people feel that they know more than God and the Bible. They invent their own God and are happy to cut and paste the Bible And created their own God.
What are six ways we can twist the Bible?
One of Rob talks from last year. A clear biblical guide to Prophecy and Tongues - 1 Corinthians 14
One of Rob talks from last year. What is more important than sex 1 Corinthians 7. https://www.facebook.com/Ministryblue
The first from our new series on 1 Peter is now available at
https://youtu.be/WpaR70whS6o
Enjoy!
If you were Jewish, you may consider Moses as the most significant person in the Old Testament, the writer of Hebrews goes to right effort to show how much more important is Jesus.
Mark’s in his gospel focussed on two key issues, in Mark 1-8 that Jesus was the chosen Messiah and Son of God, then in Mark 8-16 that the Son of God must die for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus dying and resurrection was achieved by God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. May this Resurrection Sunday remind you That he gives you us new life now, and we will be given eternal life in the future. Have a great day
DID JESUS KNOW HE WAS GOING TO DIE? Mark 15:33-47 1. ABRAHAM Genesis 12:1-3 2. MOSES Exodus 6:6, 12:31 and 16:3 Isaiah 41:10 3. PROMISES Psalm 46:1, Psalm 94:19, Psalm 27:1 How are we as Believers to face uncertain and hard times Luke 12:22-26 Philippians 4:6-7 4. JESUS LOOKS TO HIS DEATH Luke 9:51 5. OLD TESTAMENT PREDICTIONS 1. Bible Prophecy: Isaiah 53:3 Fulfilment: John 1:10-11 2. Bible Prophecy: Psalm 41:9 Fulfilment: Mark 14:10 3. Bible Prophecy: Zechariah 11:12 Fulfilment: Matthew 26:14-16 4. Bible Prophecy: Isaiah 53:7 Fulfilment: Mark 15:5 5. Bible Prophecy: Psalm 22:1-2 Fulfilment: Mark 15:34 6. Bible Prophecy: Psalm 22:7-8 Fulfilment: Mark 15:20, 15:31 7. Bible Prophecy: Psalm 22:15 Fulfilment: Matthew 27:48 8. Bible Prophecy: Psalm 22:17-18Fulfilment: John 19:23 says, B. MARK 15 In the Court Room Mark 15:3 Barabbas or Jesus? Mark 15:11,13,15 The Guards Mark 15:17-20 On The cross Mark 15:29-31 1. PREDICTED Mark 8:31 and 9:31 2. GOD IS IN CONTROL Romans 8:28 Proverbs 19:21 Ephesians 1:11 Psalm 115:3 Isaiah 14:24 Isaiah 55:8
a. Birth of John the Baptist Foretold Luke 1:5-6, 8, 14-16 B. The Birth of John the Baptist Luke 1:59, 64 Genesis 17. Luke 1:80 c. CALL Mark 1:1-4 Luke 3:9, 7 d. Like Elijah Luke 1:17 John 1:21 Why Elijah? Malachi 4:5 Matthew 17:11-13 e. The Baptism of Jesus Matthew 3:13-17 f. John Testifies About Jesus John 1:29-34 Matthew 11:11 So who was John? John 1:23 John 1:7-8 Mark 1:7-8 John supported his followers choosing to follow Jesus John 1:35-37 John knew that Jesus was the Christ but at the same time struggled to understand Jesus’ ways Luke 11:2-6 Luke 7:33-34 g. How John died? Mark 6:18-28 h. How is John and Jesus different? John 5:33-36 Mark 1:14-15
10 Records of People Raised From the Dead OLD TESTAMENT (ELISHA - 2) 1. Widow of Zarephath's Son 1 King 17:17-24 2. Shunammite Woman's Son Elisha Heals Shunammite Woman's Son 2 Kings 4:18-37 3. Israelite Man Valley of Dry Bones Bury Elisha and a man’s body was thrown in and came to life 2 Kings 13:20–21 JESUS (3) 4. Widow of Nain's Son Luke 7:11–17 5. Jairus' Daughter Luke 8:49–56 6. Lazarus John 11:1-44 7. Jesus Christ Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-49; John 20:1-21:25 POST JESUS 8. Saints in Jerusalem Matthew 27:50-54 9. Tabitha or Dorcas Acts 9:36-42 10.Eutychus Acts 20:7–12 Mark 5:21-42 II. JESUS CONQUERORS DEATH A. DEFEATS DEATH 2 Timothy 1:10 , Revelation 1:18 and Isaiah 25:8 B. REMOVES THE PAIN OF DEATH H osea 13:14 C. JESUS RULES ETERNITY 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 D. JESUS’ DEATH OPENS THE DOOR FOR OUR ETERNAL LIFE Hebrews 2:14 E. ON THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT DEATH ENDS Revelation 20:14, Revelation 21:4 and 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 F. RESURRECTED BODIES 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, Colossians 3:1 and Ephesians 2:6 G. WHEN JESUS RETURNS WE EITHER GET ETERNAL DEATH OR ETERNAL LIFE John 5:28-29 2 Corinthians 3:18 John 4:14 Acts 3:19 2 Corinthians 5:17
Background Storm calmed Get to the other side PASSAGE Mark 5:5 Gerasenes 5: 2 Six signs of being possessed Mark 5:3 Mark 5:3 Mark 5: 4 Mark 5:4 Mark 5:5 Mark 5:5 Jesus meets the man v. 6-8 NAME v. 9-10 Legion PIGS v. 11-13 Leviticus 11:7 HERDSMAN FLEE v14 THE CROWD ARRIVES v14-17 WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MAN v18-20 II. HOW ARE WE TO APPROACH SATAN? • the evil spirits obey Him, for He has authority over them (Mark 1:27, 6:7, Luke 9: 1, 10: 19) • the prince of this world will be driven out: he stands condemned (John 12:31. 16: 11) • the strong man is tied up (Matthew 12:29. Mark 3:27). • "the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet" (Romans 16:20) • "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness" (Colossians 1: 13) • "having disarmed the powers and authorities. he made a public spectacle of them. triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2: 15) • "so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is. the devil" (Hebrews 2: 14) • "the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work (1 John 3:8). • Every Bible reader Is well aware of the subtle attacks by Satan on Christ at the very beginning of • his ministry (Matthew 4. Luke 4). • Satan entering Judas (Luke 22:3). • ruling the heart of Ananias (Acts 5:3). • tempting Peter (Matthew 16:23). • even now Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) • that the whole world is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5: 19); • that the devil has taken people captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26): • that the enemy the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8) • and that Satan leads the whole world astray (Revelation 12:9). III. SATAN’S POWER Satan has limited power Jude 6 Colossians 2:15 l John 5: 18) The prince of darkness has no authority over Christ (John 14:30); Satan can tempt us but not control us. Can a person today be possessed by Satan or a lesser demon? illnesses which may have been caused by disease or injury (Luke 4:40,41: 6:17-19: 9:1,2: Matthew 4:24: 10:1: Mark 1:32). Symptoms of madness and illness due to demon possession include convulsions (Mark 9: 18.20.26); self-injury (Luke 4:35, Mark 9: 18.22): bizarre behaviour. Isolation and withdrawal (Luke 8:27); deafness and dumbness (Mark 9: 17-27). Satan showed that he had incredible powers during the time of Jesus Revelation 20 2 Thessalonians Ephesians 6: 11 if. What are Christians to do when Satan attacks them? Lord's Prayer" ... deliver us from evil (from the evil one)'. 2 Corinthians 2: 11 How can they take their stand against the devil's schemes? Ephesians 6: 10-20) "The evil one cannot harm anyone born of God" (1 John 5:18). "Resist him(the devil). standing firm in the faith ... " (1 Peter 5:9) "Resist the devil. and he will flee from you" (James 4: 7) "You are from God and have overcome them (those inspired by the spirit of the Antichrist). because the one who is in you is greater than the one who Is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
Mark 4:21-34 Sharing your faith Not motivated by Laws but love John 15:10 He reinterpreted how you approached the Old Testament, Matthew 5:17 & 23:23 Not self righteousness but grace 1 Timothy 1:15-16, Matthew 9:12-13, Mark 2:17 Not outward signs Jesus looks to our hearts Hosea 6:6 Not based on our intellect but the work of the Holy Spirit John 14:26 & Romans 8:9 I. A LAMP UNDER A BASKET 4:21-23 a. If You Hide it, You Misuse It Psalm 35:27, Psalm 66:1-2 & Acts 1:8 Why should we share our faith? Phil 2:10-11 b. If you Hide it, You Will Lose It! 4:24-25 Mark 16:15-16, Philemon 1:6, 1 Corinthians 9:16 II. THE PARABLE OF THE SEED GROWING 26-28 Acts 4:12, 2 Timothy 1:9& Romans 5:7-8 III. THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED 30-33 God is not a miser God doesn’t just pardon, Is. 55:7 God doesn’t just give mercy, Micah 7:18 You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. God doesn’t just save, He saves “to the uttermost”, Heb. 7:25 God doesn’t just save the sinner and forgive his sins; He adopts him into His family. He gives him peace, joy, hope and blessing. He provides absolute assurance and eternal security. Who is growing our Church God! We are called to minister Ephesians 4:11-12, Acts 2:42 & Hebrews 10:25 But the Church is built on Jesus 1 Corinthians 3:11 God Does the Choosing John 15:16 & John 6:44
What is the only commandment not given to NT Christians?
Why did the early Church so suddenly swap Sabbath for Sunday worship?
When did people think Christians should go back to the Sabbath?
Why did God change our rest from a day to being in Christ?
Joel 1 New International Version (NIV)
1 The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel.
An Invasion of Locusts
2 Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors? 3 Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. 4 What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts[a] have eaten.
5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. 6 A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. 7 It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white.
8 Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth grieving for the betrothed of her youth. 9 Grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the house of the Lord. The priests are in mourning, those who minister before the Lord. 10 The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the olive oil fails.
11 Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is destroyed. 12 The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple[b] tree— all the trees of the field—are dried up. Surely the people’s joy is withered away.
A Call to Lamentation
13 Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. 14 Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.
15 Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty.[c]
16 Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes— joy and gladness from the house of our God? 17 The seeds are shriveled beneath the clods.[d] The storehouses are in ruins, the granaries have been broken down, for the grain has dried up. 18 How the cattle moan! The herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
19 To you, Lord, I call, for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness and flames have burned up all the trees of the field. 20 Even the wild animals pant for you; the streams of water have dried up and fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness.
Jude New International Version (NIV)
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for[a] Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People
3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. 5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord[c] at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. 8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”[d] 10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them. 11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. 14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”[e] 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
A Call to Persevere
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.[f]
Doxology
24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Footnotes:
Jude 1:1 Or by; or in
Jude 1:4 Or individuals who were marked out for condemnation
Jude 1:5 Some early manuscripts Jesus
Jude 1:9 Jude is alluding to the Jewish Testament of Moses (approximately the first century a.d.)