This is a part of a sermon series on the book of Jude. You can watch more here.
Sermon Manuscript
This morning we are continuing in our series in Jude. Jude is in the New Testament. Jude is only one chapter, so might be hard to find, but Jude is right before Revelation toward the end of the New Testament. Or you can turn to page 179 in our devotional.
We have been studying through Jude verses 1-11 to see “creepers are creeping into the church to create confusion.” This is the primary focus of Jude and still something we need to be on guard against in our day as well.
I know this might be a lot to start off with but following the Enlightenment in the 1850’s we saw German Universities thrive in the philosophy of Rationalism.
Rationalism is view that if humanity can’t explain it rationally then it doesn’t matter. This is Rene Descartes, “I think therefore I am.”
This is why we say things like, “That doesn’t make sense to me.” This isn’t common with all people throughout all of humanity. This is only in the last 200 years that humanity would presume to put themselves as the final arbiter in all matters. Does that make sense?
Historically we started to see German philosophy filter into the local church, so that you started to see branches of the church remove anything miraculous from the Scriptures because the miraculous didn’t make sense.
Jesus’ miracles are just exaggerated. Jesus’ death was just an example, Jesus’ resurrection was just a myth, so that today we can have politicians who say, “I go to church, I follow Jesus” but they’re not talking about the same church or the same Jesus that spoke creation into existence in Genesis 1. Does that make sense?
So that God’s Word for some is a man-made document to consider, but God’s Word never describes itself as a man-made document. You can think that if you want you just need to know you are creating something entirely different than what is being described in God’s Word.
In the same way, we need to know ideas from Rationalism, Empiricism, Existentialism are influencing the world we live, eat and breathe, so that sometimes those ideas are going to filter into the local church which is why Jude is writing to remind us that “creepers creep.” Let’s look at verse 12:
Jude 1:12, “These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted.”
When you see the phrase “these are the men” Jude is talking about those creepers. Remember back in verse 4 Jude wrote, “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed.”
These were ungodly men and women who had given themselves over to sexual immorality and arrogance and pride, so that they have crept into the local church and not only leading themselves astray but also convincing others to do the same.
It’s why back in verses 5-11 Jude reminds us that we don’t need to be afraid of these creepers, because these creepers have been around since Genesis 3 when the original creeper crept in on Adam and Eve and started whispering lies about the character of God.
In verses 12-13 Jude gives us 5 characteristics of these creepers, so we know what to look for practically. The first one is that these creepers are “hidden reefs in your love feasts.” Do you see that in verse 12? These “love feasts” were like “church pot lucks” where people would bring meals to share with one another in the body of Christ.
In verse 12 Jude describes them as “hidden reefs.” I am not a captain of a ship but I am guessing “reefs” can do a lot of damage because the captain of the ship can’t see the “reefs.” Right?
The “reefs” are hidden. The “reefs” sneak up on you. The “reefs” can shipwreck the boat, so that Jude writes, “You’ve let these creepers into the most intimate parts of the local church and you don’t even see it.” You with me?
Just a couple of weeks ago I was at the church and a young man walked in asking if he could speak with a pastor. This isn’t uncommon, so I was happy to sit down with him. He was probably in his late 20’s, early 30’s. He was well dressed but you could tell he was a little nervous as he said, “I am about to tell you something you have never heard before.”
Now truth be told, I hear that phrase a lot. People often feel like they are the only ones wrestling with different areas of life, but this day was definitely a first time because he said, “You know when they asked Moses who sent you and Moses said, “I Am the I Am has sent me?” I said, “Yeah I am a familiar.”
This young man said, “Moses was talking about me.” I said, “You know when Moses is making that statement Moses is talking about God?” And he said, “I told you I am about to tell you something you’ve never heard.”
I said, “Are you open to exploring how you might not be coming to these conclusions accurately? He said, “No, I am God.” Then, I said, “Well, let me pray for you because it’s time to go.”
Listen to me, we are a loving church. Our doors are open wide to all people to explore the glory of God, the claims of Christ, the beauty of His Word but if you’re not here to explore, then you got go. If you’re here to push your agendas or ideas, then you got to go.
The next characteristic is that these creepers are like “clouds without water.” Ugh! Clouds without water are the worst! All day long they are giving the appearance of rain, all day they are floating through the sky making these promises of this and that but it never happens.
So, it is with creepers. False teachers over promise and under deliver. False teachers are marked by short-cuts. If you just say this prayer, God will bless you. If you just give this money, God will bless you. If you just embrace the love of the world, people will come to church and love God are all examples of “clouds without water.”
The next characteristics is that these creepers are like “autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted.” Do you see that in verse 12? These creepers don’t yield any fruit. Their teachings don’t last. Their influence is like a flash in the pan. They create all this fuss, they make all these promises, and nothing.
So that every time we pick up a book, listen to a podcast, latch on to some person or idea we have to look at the fruit. Does that make sense?
Does their teaching point us to the glory of God or the glory of man? Does their teaching point us to God’s Word to their wise words?
Does their teaching stir up peace, love and mercy as we trust in the Lord or does it stir up anxiety and fear if we miss out on what they have to offer? Jesus tells us we will know them by their fruit, so look at the fruit of their teaching. Look at verse 13:
Jude 1:13, “wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.”
In verse 13 we see the fourth characteristic of these creepers; they are like “wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam.” Haven’t you had those moments at the beach when the waves are crashing into the shore?
One time we were at the beach and it was one of the days where these waves were huge and I thought, “That looks fun!” It wasn’t! The first wave slammed me into the beach and the second wave just at the right moment as I open my mouth to catch my breath and then slam me in the face.
The third wave knocked me down again. I couldn’t get up. Other people had to come up me get to my feet and I thought, “This is going to be fun!” So, it is with false teachers turning our soul over and over in the waves.
The fifth characteristic of these creepers; they are like “wandering stars.” Do you see that in verse 13? Again, the stars were supposed to be navigational for the captain of the ship.
The stars were meant to be a guide to the captain under the cover of darkness but in verse 13 we see these stars are “wandering.” That isn’t helpful! It’s disorienting, so that the ship goes in circles and never makes it to their destination.
Haven’t you felt like that in life sometimes? Haven’t you felt like, “I have seen these same events that keep popping up in my life over and over” so that we must ask ourselves, “How are the creepers of this world creeping into my soul?”
Listen to me, I say this in the most loving way, there are times I have seen more passion in our church family around the pandemic, for or against, then I have seen for the glory of God.
I have seen more zeal for politics, recycling, and President Trump, for or against, than I have seen for the joy of His Word. I don’t say that to bring shame but to expose the creepers of this world are creeping into our soul and sometimes we don’t even know it. Let’s look at verses 14-15:
Jude 1:14,-15, “14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
Again, Jude uses the phrase “these men” to keep our focus on the characteristics of these false teachers as he transitions to an Old Testament reference in the life of Enoch. This is the seventh time Jude has gone back to the Old Testament in this very short letter.
Do you remember the references to Israel in verse 5? The reference to angels in verse 6? The reference to Sodom and Gomorrah in verse 7? The reference to Cain, Balaam and Korah in verse 11?
Jude is referencing the Old Testament as a reminder that creepers have been around. We don’t need to be afraid of these false teachers, because in each of these examples Jude is making it clear that these false teachers are going to be held accountable. Do you see that in verses 14-15?
In verse 15 we see judgment is coming upon “all the ungodly with all their ungodly deeds and all their ungodly ways and all their ungodly words”, so that Jude is making it clear, “Yes there are false teachers out there, those false teachings have been around for a long time but one day there will be judgment.”
I know our culture today doesn’t like the idea of talking about God’s judgment. We just spent some time on this subject in Joshua 6 but you need to remember that deep down every person loves the idea of judgment. You can put all the signs and bumper stickers on love but deep down every person longs for judgment.
Its why people march with signs that say, “No justice, no peace” because there is something deeply imbedded in our soul that knows injustice is wrong. Right? It bothers us when the little person is trampled upon. It bothers us if we think someone cheated the system.
It’s why we can’t hit someone’s car and then just say, “Love is love” and walk away. That’s called a hit and run. We want insurance. We want accountability. We want someone to remove the dent from our car and make things right. Why? It’s because we want judgment!
Listen, if we want judgment at the micro level, then why would we not want judgment at the macro level? Why would we be bothered by offense and injustice at the human level but not offense and injustice at the humanity level?
God’s Word teaches us that all of humanity has offended the righteousness of God; Romans 3, Ephesians 2. All of humanity was created to be with God for eternity and we slam the door in His face; Genesis 3.
We do what is right in our own eyes, so that we don’t want to worship God but we want to be God; Romans 1. That’s injustice! That’s offensive to God. When the creation exchanges the truth of God for a lie it is offensive to God, so that we are worthy of His judgment. That’s the bad news!
The good news is that God takes on flesh to walks among us; John 1. The good news is that the God of creation draws near to His creation; John 11. His name is Jesus.
It is Jesus who humbles Himself. It is Jesus who lives a perfect life. It is Jesus who takes the judgment we deserve at the cross; Romans 6. That’s the good news!
Humanity doesn’t go on with endless events of injustice. The God of Scripture isn’t indifferent to our offenses. He doesn’t just say, “You’re forgiven.”
No, there is offenses, there are consequences and then He takes the consequences that we deserve at the cross and He conquers those consequences through the resurrection, so that whoever calls on His name will be saved! That’s the gospel! That’s the good news!
In verses 14-15 Jude is making it clear when men and women ignore the cross and / or teach anything contrary to the cross they can either turn to Jesus for His forgiveness. That’s the invitation of God’s Word this morning!
Yes, it’s possible that creepers have crept into our thinking. Yes, it’s likely that we have uttered ideas to others that of this world, therefore, turn to Jesus, receive His forgiveness or, like the flood of Enoch’s day, judgment will come.
We want God’s judgment to come. We want to hide in the covering of the cross, like the angel of death passing over every house that was covered by the blood of the lamb in the Passover, so we too, want to hide in the covering of the cross because judgment will come and we can either trust in the covering of the cross or we will take on the totality of that judgment ourselves. Look at verse 16:
Jude 1:16, “These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.”
Again, Jude is speaking of “these men.” These creepers grumbling and complaining. Jesus has come to call us to life and goodness in His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven and there are always going to be people who are going to whisper into our ears, “Wouldn’t you rather have more fun? Wouldn’t you rather be more comfortable? Wouldn’t you rather do what you want to do when you want to do it?”
This is what makes us susceptible to false teaching, because deep down there is still a layer in our soul that wants to hear about these false teachers have to offer.
Jesus has rescued our souls from the depths of darkness but deep down there is still a layer or layers that want to take that short-cut and do what we want to do.
Deep down there is still this desire, it’s what God’s Word describes as the flesh, to follow those “wandering stars” of our day.
Deep down there is a lie in our culture today that is deeply imbedded into our soul that goes something like, “You deserve to get what you want.” It is a lie to assume our desires are most trustworthy. It’s in our songs, our movies, and our thinking, “If I love someone, if I want something, if I feel something” then I should chase after those desires.”
It’s eating what we want to eat. It’s drinking what we want to drink. It’s having sex with who we want to have sex. It’s saying what I want to say. I just got to get this off my chest. I have to speak my peace. I have to give my 2 cents. I am just saying!
Listen to me, I am not saying it isn’t fun to satisfy those desires. It’s a lot of fun eating a half-gallon of Cookies and Cream Blue Bell Ice Cream. I’ve done it! It’s the best but have you noticed the satisfaction never lasts.
There’s never been a point where I have said to myself, “That ice cream was so good. I don’t ever have to do that again.” It’s literally the next day that I think to myself, “Should I get another half-gallon of ice cream?”
And that doesn’t even take into account how horrible it makes me feel physically, how much shame I feel emotionally, all the paranoia and fear of having to hide a half-gallon of ice cream missing from the freezer.
And I am not picking on ice cream, because we all know that applies to every desire, yet the culture of our day says, “If you feel it, it must be true.”
It’s a lie! It’s a hidden reef that will shipwreck your life! It’s an empty cloud that never satisfies. It’s autumn trees without fruit that leave you empty every time. It’s why Jude transitions to verses 17-18:
Jude 1:17-18, “17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”
Back in verse 5 Jude writes, “Now I desire to remind you.” And again, in verse 17, “Beloved, you ought to remember.” It isn’t an academic letter. It is relational. It is one follower of Jesus encouraging other followers of Jesus to, “Remember!”
Remember the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Remember the gospel, which was handed down to the saints. Remember the sweetness of God’s Word. Remember there will always be false teachers. And remember these false teachers will be held accountable in His judgment.
I wish I could just tell you that you just needed to listen to this sermon and everything will be fine! I wish I could tell you to go on listening to those podcasts, watching those movies, following those ideas and just attend a worship service every once in a while. That’s not what God’s Word teaches us. God’s Word makes it clear that we are in a fight. Jude calls us to contend for the faith, because there are too many creepers creep’n.
Practically that means we are going to have to read. I know we don’t like to read but we’re going to have to read. We are going to have to commit to the body of Christ. We can’t just bounce in every once in a while. We are going to have to bend our schedule. We are going to have to give up sleep, comfort, pleasure and leisure, so that we might stand firm in the faith! That’s the invitation of God’s Word!
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