1 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:08,520 This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Lewis 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,200 Harold, assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:16,520 County in Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Lewis as he 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,920 continues teaching through God's Word. 5 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:39,120 The world. That he gave his only begotten 6 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:39,960 Son. We're all. 7 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:44,840 Loved by God, God is love. So we are those. 8 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:46,560 In fact, that's why he calls us the children. 9 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:48,040 He says that we are His children. 10 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,720 What love is this that we would have of the Father, that he 11 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,840 would call us his children. I am your child. 12 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,200 Knowing everything you know about me, you call me your 13 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,200 child. That's the love of God. 14 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,560 We are beloved. It will not be loved because of 15 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,160 what we do, will not be loved because we've earned. 16 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,840 As a parent, you understand better than anyone how much your 17 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,320 child means to you. A parent's love is truly one of 18 00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:19,480 the strongest forms of love, and this is how God views you and 19 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,320 me. His love for you is so immense 20 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,840 that it can be hard to comprehend, which is part of 21 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:30,120 what makes it so remarkable. In today's message, Pastor Lewis 22 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:33,880 wants you to remember that no matter what your life has looked 23 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:37,040 like up until now, God still loves you. 24 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,520 If you feel distant from God, know that He is patiently 25 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,880 waiting for you to return to Him now. 26 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:46,960 Here's Pastor Lewis in the Book of Jude, chapter one with 27 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:50,000 today's edition of Living Waters of Grace. 28 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,400 One of the most significant things that we can talk about 29 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,200 with the book of Jude is the fact that the title of this 30 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,320 epistle bears the name of its author. 31 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:03,160 Jude and Hebrew name for Jude is Judah Judas. 32 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,560 The name would means actually praise or worship or 33 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,840 Thanksgiving is what the name would means in the Hebrew 34 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,600 language. The significant thing about it 35 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,960 though, another important thing about it is the fact that Jude 36 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,680 is the brother of James and the half brother of Jesus. 37 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:26,880 We know that in this epistle we find out that we know that Jude 38 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,920 has come to faith whereas before he did not. 39 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:33,280 None of his brothers actually believed until after the death 40 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,600 and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 41 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,440 So let's just start reading from verse one. 42 00:02:39,920 --> 00:02:44,520 It says Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and the brother of 43 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:50,480 James to those who are called sanctified by God the Father and 44 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:55,720 preserved in Jesus Christ. So what we find here is that 45 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,320 Jude, I think even the way he identified himself as very 46 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:04,680 interesting being again that he was not initially A believer. 47 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,560 If you would look in Matthew 13 and 55 that actually names the 48 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,200 names of the brothers were the half brothers of Jesus. 49 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,520 You know he had a brother, James who? 50 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,480 Also has a book. That he is the author of And 51 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,920 then there is Jose, there's Simon, and then there is Judas. 52 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:26,560 As we read through this, we find that he says himself as he 53 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,200 identifies, he doesn't come out and say that I'm the half 54 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,200 brother of Jesus. Now I think that many of us, if 55 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,520 we were to start an epistle. We probably would leave with 56 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,200 that, right? We wouldn't bury that lead. 57 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:39,920 We would start out right away with that. 58 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:40,800 Yeah, that. Jesus, my. 59 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,040 Brother. But Jude didn't start off that 60 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,080 way. He talks about the fact that he 61 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:52,160 is a bond servant of Jesus Christ, which is really amazing 62 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,120 because you know, at one time all of his brothers thought that 63 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:59,760 Jesus was mad, that he was crazy and that they needed to do 64 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:01,480 something to almost get rid of him. 65 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:07,720 But we see here that he has been humbled and in his humility he 66 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:12,320 calls himself a bond servant of Jesus Christ, which basically 67 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:16,000 means I am a slave to Jesus Christ. 68 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,240 I don't know if you guys remember before you got saved, 69 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,480 the last thing you wanted to do or be was a slave to Jesus 70 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,000 Christ. We were doing our own thing. 71 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,120 We were doing what made us happy. 72 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,880 But then once you get saved. And your heart humbles you. 73 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:39,640 Gladly submit yourself to the servanthood of Jesus Christ. 74 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:41,320 And that's what this brother did. 75 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,120 Now you know what? Also, it's interesting that 76 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,520 there's really no, there was no nepotism with Jesus. 77 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,440 Now he had four brothers, but there was no nepotism with 78 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:50,360 Jesus. I mean, he didn't put them on no 79 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:52,280 pedestal. He didn't do anything different 80 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:54,520 for them than he did for anybody else. 81 00:04:54,920 --> 00:05:00,320 There's a record in the book of Matthew chapter 12 where Jesus 82 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,840 is in a house and he's. Teaching. 83 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,520 And while he's teaching his mother and his. 84 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,560 Four brothers. Come to the house and and Jesus 85 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:10,000 just keeps on teaching. You know, like they. 86 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:11,520 Never. Like they never showed. 87 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:13,120 Up, you know he. Just keeps on teaching. 88 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,880 Like no big deal. And then there was men in the 89 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,080 house who said Jesus. Your mother and your. 90 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,600 Brothers, they are outside. They they, they're bidding you, 91 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,240 they want. You and Jesus said. 92 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:29,200 Who is my mother and my brothers? 93 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:34,360 And he pointed to the people, the disciples that were there 94 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,880 learning his word. And he said, these are my this 95 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:42,600 is my mother and my brothers, those who do the will of my 96 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,200 father or my mother and my brothers. 97 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,560 There was no nepotism with Jesus. 98 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:50,360 And like you. Said his brothers. 99 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,640 Didn't even believe. And and what was interesting is 100 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:58,000 that even at the crucifixion, when Jesus was on the cross, he 101 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:02,280 didn't commit his mother. To any of his brothers. 102 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:08,040 He committed her to the Apostle John, Those who do the will of 103 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,400 my Father. Or my mother and my brothers. 104 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,800 So I just thought those are just very interesting facts. 105 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,320 But now Jews. Says I am a bond servant of 106 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:23,040 Jesus Christ and the brother of James. 107 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:27,760 And then he says to those who are called, sanctified by God 108 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:31,480 the Father, and preserved in Jesus. 109 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,600 Christ. So when we look at that, we see 110 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,520 the position of the church. Is what James is what Jude is 111 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:40,880 discussing here he's. Discussing the. 112 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:46,080 Position of the church. We are all called or chosen 113 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:51,680 according to the Word of God. We are, we're called, we're 114 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:56,600 given, we are called to the ministry or even call to 115 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,280 salvation. In 2nd Thessalonians 213 and 14, 116 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:04,760 it says that we are chosen for salvation and called by the 117 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,320 gospel. We are called, and Jesus himself 118 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,960 even says that no one comes to me except the Father draws them. 119 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:17,040 We're called to be, say we're called to salvation. 120 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,600 We are called to believe in Jesus Christ. 121 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,960 And I remember when I was being called. 122 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,800 I don't know if you guys remember during the time when in 123 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,640 your life when the Lord was beginning to tug on your hearts 124 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:35,080 and to draw you toward him, but I can remember when the Lord. 125 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,200 Was. Working on my heart. 126 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:42,000 I had a hard heart. I was in sin and was enjoying 127 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:43,960 it. I was doing whatever it was that 128 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:48,320 I wanted to do, but there came a time when I began to just feel 129 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,880 empty. It came a time when I didn't 130 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:52,480 even enjoy the. Sin the way. 131 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:56,480 That I used to anymore I just felt empty and just didn't want 132 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,520 to be by myself. Because if I did, then I'd have 133 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:04,520 to look at and think about who I was, what I do, and it. 134 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,040 Was just a heaviness. That was just all over me and, 135 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:11,680 and I just remember saying and, and and and the woman who was my 136 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:13,600 girlfriend at that time. Who was now my wife. 137 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,360 Thank you. Jesus, we both agreed. 138 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,920 That it was. Time to go to church. 139 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,960 We need to go to church. And it was during that time that 140 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,320 he was calling us and bringing us to himself. 141 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,920 I, I mean, I don't know if any of you remember those times when 142 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,480 you know, when, when life just seems to change and, and things 143 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,559 that we thought was important is no longer important. 144 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:39,919 I used to think that making. Money was really important. 145 00:08:40,039 --> 00:08:44,480 It became not as important in these fruitless and meaningless 146 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,640 relationships and, and, and wanting to have positions of, 147 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,080 of, of power and influence and all those things drive the 148 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,680 nicest. All these things was just so 149 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:57,920 important. And I remember when those things 150 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:00,040 did not become important anymore. 151 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,080 They were no longer important because it wasn't, it wasn't 152 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,080 fulfilling. It didn't fulfill me anymore. 153 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,960 And somebody preached the gospel and our lives never the same. 154 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:13,280 So we were called and then it says sanctified. 155 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,680 And that's sanctified here usually means set up, set apart 156 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,480 for his purpose. But here sanctify means we are 157 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,280 beloved. In fact, in some of your 158 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,480 versions in May, instead, instead of saying sanctified and 159 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:30,720 may say beloved, we are beloved. And what's amazing about the 160 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,800 fact that we're beloved, we are beloved with an everlasting 161 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,480 love. There's nothing that can 162 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,280 separate us from the love of God. 163 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,440 Nothing. You know, the love of God 164 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:47,560 actually goes out to everybody, for God so loved the world. 165 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:49,480 That he gave his only begotten Son. 166 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:54,120 We're all. Loved by God, God is love, so we 167 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:55,960 are those. In fact, that's why He calls us 168 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:57,440 the children. He says that we are His 169 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:01,680 children. What love is this that we would 170 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:04,640 have of the Father that he would call us His children. 171 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,440 I am your child. Knowing everything you know 172 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:10,760 about me, you call me your child. 173 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,480 That's the love of God. We are beloved, and we're not 174 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,760 beloved because of what we do. We're not beloved because we've 175 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:19,800 earned it. We're not beloved because we're 176 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:24,640 one of God's favorites. We are beloved because that's 177 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,920 who God is. We'll be loved. 178 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:33,920 And not only does he call us, not only does he love us and set 179 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:39,240 us apart, but we are also preserved in Jesus Christ by 180 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,840 him. In this faith we don't keep 181 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,600 ourselves, We can't keep ourselves. 182 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:51,720 In this preserve means kept or guarded, watched. 183 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,840 Carefully. By Jesus Christ. 184 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:57,440 If we want to. If we even tried to keep 185 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:01,200 ourselves in this, but we could not do it, we couldn't do it, 186 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,080 but we are kept by Jesus Christ. How wonderful was that? 187 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:14,520 He calls us, He sanctifies us, or He beloved us and He keeps 188 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,760 us. He does it all. 189 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:23,480 He does it all. I was just thinking about the 190 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:27,000 fact this walk that we have and it's it's almost like a picture. 191 00:11:27,680 --> 00:11:29,720 It's almost like a picture. You know, the Bible tells us 192 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:33,760 that we are kept by the power of God in first Peter and it tells 193 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,920 us in second Timothy 1 and where Paul himself says, look, I am 194 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:44,000 persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed 195 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,560 to him. And even in Jude verse 24 here 196 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:50,480 in the book of Jude, it says that, you know, he says unto him 197 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:54,760 who was able to keep me from stumbling. 198 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:57,800 And we'll dig into that a little bit more once we get over. 199 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,280 There, but I the one thing I do want to say about that. 200 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,600 Keeping us from stumbling. That kind of gives me a picture, 201 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:05,320 you know, we're just talking about the children. 202 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,680 Earlier. And do you remember when your? 203 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:09,960 Child is younger and those who still have young children you 204 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,760 probably know this can probably relate to this when you go into 205 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:15,880 a group or when you get. Around with your children. 206 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:17,000 And they're walking, and they finally. 207 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,000 Get to the point where they can start. 208 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,520 Walking on their own, and and and and now instead of holding 209 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,240 them, you're walking with them. OK. 210 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:25,720 And. And when you get around a group 211 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:27,480 of people, obviously because you want to be. 212 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:32,720 Protective of your child. You want them close to you, so 213 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,400 you grab their hand and initially they may hold on to 214 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:41,000 your hand, but eventually they'll start to pull away. 215 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,480 They'll want to leave your hand alone, right? 216 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,840 Like I can do this on my own. But wait a minute. 217 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:49,360 We're here with a bunch of people here. 218 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,560 There's there's we, we getting ready to go to the curb and 219 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:54,080 there's traffic here. I can do it myself. 220 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,360 And he's pulling your hand off. You remember those days. 221 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,200 He's pulling your hand off of you. 222 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:01,160 And that baby is not. Safe that. 223 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,640 Child is not safe because he's holding on to you. 224 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,480 He's safe because you're holding on to him. 225 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:09,800 You stop him. From running into traffic. 226 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,080 Not because He makes the decision to not put his life in 227 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:14,520 danger. He's a child. 228 00:13:15,560 --> 00:13:19,400 He'll sometimes let you go, but you continue to hold on to Him 229 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:21,360 because you're a parent who loves your child. 230 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:24,120 That's exactly what God does for us. 231 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:29,200 He holds on to us even though sometimes we stop holding on to 232 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:31,480 Him. We're not kept because we 233 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:35,440 continue to hold on to Him. We're kept because He holds on 234 00:13:35,560 --> 00:13:38,400 to us. That's a blessing. 235 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:41,520 That's a blessing. And then verse. 236 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:47,600 Two, he he says mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you. 237 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,240 So because we are the church we're called, and because we're 238 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:52,800 sanctified, we've been loved by God. 239 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:58,480 Because we're kept by God, we have access to his mercy, his 240 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,680 peace, and his love. We have access to these things. 241 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:08,000 We have access to his mercy. In fact, if we do sin, when we 242 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:13,560 do pull away from him and we run into sin, we have mercy because 243 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:17,760 we know that we have did wrong. We have we have committed sins. 244 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:21,760 So we throw ourselves on the mercy seat of God and ask for 245 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:23,920 his forgiveness and he's granted. 246 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:29,120 It's just like if we're if. There was a time when I got 247 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:30,480 caught speeding. All right. 248 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,480 And I was coming up route. I remember exactly where I was 249 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:35,960 at the time. I was coming up Route 30 and I 250 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:38,040 was speeding and I didn't realize I was speeding. 251 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:40,440 It wasn't like I was doing it intentionally, but. 252 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,480 I did, but I. Was probably going too fast. 253 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:43,920 I just. Kind of took her word for it 254 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,480 because I didn't know. I had kind of zoned out. 255 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:50,960 I was, you know, driving a, a a company car and I just. 256 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,240 Turned the corner and I was going up Route 30 and I wasn't. 257 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,200 Paying attention to how fast I was going but. 258 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:57,080 If any of you. Live right there in that. 259 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:02,440 Bottom part of of a route. 30 towards North Huntington. 260 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,960 Police a little more, you know, they pay a little. 261 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:08,880 Bit more attention to you down that way. 262 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,120 So I didn't know how fast I was going, but anyway I got pulled 263 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:14,840 over and I got a ticket and she said, well, you can go and 264 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:18,520 contest it and, and, and, and I said, OK, I'll go and contest. 265 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:20,440 We set a court date and all those things and. 266 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:22,920 I got to the point where. When I got to the court. 267 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,200 You know the judge. Was asking her. 268 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:29,640 You know, what do you have? And she's laying out all these 269 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,400 things. She's laying out all these 270 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,080 camera angles and. All these different thing, I'm 271 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:38,840 sitting there to entertain like, wow, all that got captured and 272 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:42,360 that little 15 minute time period or 10 minute time period. 273 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:45,080 And so he comes to me. So OK, what's your defense? 274 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,360 So I don't have one. I certainly didn't come as 275 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:52,000 prepared as she did. I don't have a defense. 276 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:57,440 None of us have a defense for the sin that we commit against 277 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:00,080 God. None of us have a defense. 278 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,360 And just like I said to them, I said, look, I'm here throwing 279 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,800 myself on the mercy of the court because I can't defend this. 280 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,400 I can't say that I didn't speak because I don't even know. 281 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,920 I probably did. I have a heavy foot sometimes. 282 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,520 I'm throwing myself on the mercy of the court asking for your 283 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,680 leniency. I'm not defending anything that 284 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,200 she said. And that's exactly what we do 285 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,120 with God. We have the access. 286 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:28,280 The Bible says that we can come boldly before the throne of 287 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:33,240 grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time 288 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:36,560 of need. We know where we can go because 289 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,360 we are the church, because we are his children. 290 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,680 We have access to his mercy and his peace. 291 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,120 Clark and I was talking about, I was actually listening on the 292 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:49,040 way in and and he was talking about peace when he's talking 293 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:51,240 about peace and I was thinking about peace because I've been 294 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,400 studying that this peace that he's talking about, this peace 295 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,960 that passes that surpasses all understanding. 296 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:00,680 We have this peace. We have it now. 297 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:03,640 We didn't always have peace with God. 298 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,520 There was a time when we were a hostile against God. 299 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,119 We were carnal minds and the Bible says that the carnal mind 300 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,440 is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of 301 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,599 God. Neither indeed can be. 302 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,040 It can, cannot be subject to God. 303 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,800 There was a time when we were not at peace with God and 304 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:25,280 couldn't be because of our lifestyle, because of our sin. 305 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,840 The Bible says that your sin have separated you from your 306 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,880 God. And we were, we didn't have 307 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:36,440 peace with him, but it wasn't until we received the salvation 308 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,680 of the Lord. It wasn't until we received and 309 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,600 we believed on what Jesus Christ did on that cross for us that we 310 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:49,160 have peace with God. Romans 5 and one said now being 311 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,880 now, now, you know, being justified by faith, we have 312 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:57,920 peace with God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 313 00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:01,120 Philippians four and seven says that the peace of God surpasses 314 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:05,960 all understanding and it will guard our hearts and our minds 315 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:11,160 by, through and in Jesus Christ because of our salvation in 316 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:14,600 Christ and our relationship our. Position in the church. 317 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:16,880 Because of that, that we are the Church. 318 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:22,120 Because of that, we have both the God of peace and we have the 319 00:18:22,120 --> 00:18:26,840 peace of God. But we can't have the peace of 320 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:30,320 God until we have the God of peace. 321 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:34,960 But sometimes we don't feel that we have mercy with God. 322 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,760 We feel condemned. The enemy is very good at that 323 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:41,960 and making us feel condemned. Sometimes we don't feel like we 324 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:46,360 have peace with God. It also says here and we are 325 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:48,840 loved and let that love be multiplied to you. 326 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,480 Sometimes we don't might not feel loved. 327 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,120 You know, sometimes as a kid, a kid may say, I just don't feel 328 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:57,440 loved sometimes. And sometimes we might not feel 329 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,320 loved because we're basing these all these things on our 330 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,840 feelings. We're based in all these things 331 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:05,480 that come to us. And it can be our anxieties that 332 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:10,160 are ruling up in us that cause us not to experience his mercy 333 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:13,520 or not to experience his peace or experience his love. 334 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,840 It's feelings. But our salvation is not based 335 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:18,520 on feelings, brothers and sisters. 336 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,560 It's not based on that. Our our salvation is based on 337 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,360 our faith. It's based on our faith is what 338 00:19:24,360 --> 00:19:27,600 we believe and who we believe. Who are we going to believe? 339 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,880 But we don't always feel that way within ourselves. 340 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:32,640 And I don't always feel at peace. 341 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,600 Sometimes I feel anxious, I feel confused, I feel a mess. 342 00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:41,160 Don't always. Feel like I'm experiencing God's 343 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:43,400 mercy sometimes. I know the enemy can make me 344 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:44,800 feel like I'm a little condemned. 345 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,280 But we have His mercy and we have His peace. 346 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:53,560 It's there for us, always there for us, and it's love. 347 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:57,080 Verse 3. Says we love it. 348 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,240 While I was very diligent to write to you concerning our 349 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,080 common salvation, I found it necessary. 350 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,240 To write to you. Exhorting you to contend 351 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:14,520 earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to 352 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,360 the Saints. You know when Jew first started 353 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:24,080 writing this letter? His initial purpose was to talk 354 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:26,880 about this common. Salvation that he had. 355 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:29,760 With everybody, I'm sure Jew was probably just very. 356 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:33,800 Happy to be saved and. He'd gone so many years where he 357 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,000 was. You know, living. 358 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,520 Contrary to the gospel, because he didn't believe, so he 359 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:40,680 believes. And he writes. 360 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:44,320 This letter he's moved to write. This letter to the believers. 361 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,520 To all believers. Was written to us. 362 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,760 Because we are to the. Call to sanctified and preserved 363 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,520 in Christ Jesus, but something. Happened while he was about to 364 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:55,080 write this letter, something happened the. 365 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,360 Holy Spirit. Says I don't want you to write 366 00:20:57,360 --> 00:21:00,840 about that, I want you to write about this. 367 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,920 Anybody know anything about experience in your plans, what 368 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,320 you want and then God having his way? 369 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:11,240 And he has his plans. Anybody know anything about 370 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:13,760 that? I mean, you know, we can have 371 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:15,200 our plans. I mean, his plan was, look, I'm 372 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,120 going to write about the common salvation and we're going to 373 00:21:17,120 --> 00:21:18,600 rejoice and have fellowship in that. 374 00:21:19,120 --> 00:21:21,920 But God said no. Holy Spirit said no, I want you. 375 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,400 To write about this. I want you to encourage them and 376 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,840 exhort them to contend. For the. 377 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,560 Faith. And listen, he did not say, 378 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:37,360 contend for the faith which was delivered for all the. 379 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:39,120 Saints or was delivered to the Saints. 380 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:43,840 He didn't say that, He said contend for the faith, which was 381 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:49,040 once for all, once for all. Delivered to the Saints. 382 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,600 That's really important because now he's making a distinction 383 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:59,240 between this faith that was given from the apostles to the 384 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:03,400 church. That faith, that body of 385 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:09,920 doctrine, that body of truth, that faith, it was once for all. 386 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:14,200 It's not going to be changed. Jesus gave it to the 12 apostles 387 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,160 that he that he chose. He gave it to them, directly to 388 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,000 them and they are giving it to you. 389 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,280 And that's the faith that you're contending for. 390 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,400 You're not contending for some some faith that's adding this 391 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:29,080 and adding that or subtracting this and subtracting that that 392 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,600 feels this way about Jesus or feeling that way about Jesus. 393 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:34,040 That's not the faith that you're contending for. 394 00:22:34,120 --> 00:22:38,760 You are contending for the gospel of Jesus Christ, the very 395 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,520 gospel that Paul says I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ 396 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,760 because it is the power of God until salvation. 397 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:52,360 That gospel, that faith is the power of God until salvation to 398 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:56,400 everyone who believes, to the Jew 1st and also to the Greek, 399 00:22:56,560 --> 00:23:00,160 and it is the righteousness of God, that gospel. 400 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,160 So that's why he said we're going to write about this 401 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,440 instead, because this is what's important. 402 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:08,720 And today? In our church, we need to 403 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:10,360 realize. Something there is a. 404 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:13,680 Battle. Against truth there is a famine. 405 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:19,720 For the word of God, a famine. It's a battle against the true 406 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,720 fundamental doctrines of Christianity. 407 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:26,960 My brother sent me something recently this week and it said 408 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:34,040 that only 24% of theologically identified Christians actually 409 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:38,120 believe in the Trinity, 24%. And those who are just 410 00:23:38,120 --> 00:23:42,720 self-proclaimed Christians, only 16% believe in the Trinity. 411 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:47,000 That is fundamental gospel. The Father, God the Father, God 412 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,720 the Son, God the Holy Spirit. That's fundamental gospel. 413 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,560 Somebody's teaching, it's not real and people are. 414 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:59,960 Believing it, this has been Living Waters of Grace, a 415 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:04,240 ministry of Calvary Chapel Westmoreland in Greensburg, PA 416 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,840 Master Lewis Harrell has been teaching through the book of 417 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,760 Jude. This is a book of warning as the 418 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:14,840 audience that Jude was writing to was coming under attack from 419 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,480 false teachers. Even in the early days of the 420 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,320 church, there were teachers who claimed to have a unique 421 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,760 revelation from God that superseded Scripture. 422 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:28,880 Pastor Lewis wants you to be sure to be on your guard against 423 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:32,960 those teachers today, as they will try to distract you from 424 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,800 following the way of Jesus. By focusing on what God's Word 425 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:41,360 says, you can call out false teachers for what they are and 426 00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:44,360 stay on the good path. Do you want to hear more 427 00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:46,360 teaching from Living Waters of Grace? 428 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,840 You can do so by visiting our website at 429 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:54,680 calvarychapelonline.com. There you will find an archive 430 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:59,320 of past teachings from Pastor Lewis and Pastor Clark, find a 431 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:03,520 link to our mobile app, or even give to support the ministry of 432 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,960 Living Waters of Grace. Your gifts can help support the 433 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:11,040 work of Grace FM, spreading the gospel to people in our 434 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:15,000 community who are in need of the presence of God in their lives. 435 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,880 If you're in Westmoreland County, we'd love to invite you 436 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:24,160 to one of our Sunday services. We meet at 10:30 AM at 207 437 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:28,280 Hudson St. in Greensburg. It'd be a privilege to get to 438 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:32,560 meet you in person and learn how we can be praying for you and 439 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,360 helping you grow in your walk with Jesus. 440 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,400 And if you're in Greensburg, be sure to listen to us on the news 441 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:45,200 station for Grace FM at 91.7. Spread the word to others so 442 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:48,760 they can benefit from these solid Bible teachings as well. 443 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:52,400 You've been listening to Living Waters of Grace.