How to Stand in the Last Days

Sermon delivered on January 29th, 2017
Morning Service

By: Pastor Greg Hocson

Scripture Text: Jude 17-25

 

Introduction

 

In the previous verses Jude gives a very terrible description of what will happen in the last days. There will be apostates, mockers, divisive individuals and sensualists, all of whom will attack the church of the living God.

 

Jude 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

 

Who cause divisions: "The word, found only once in the Bible, denotes those superior people who keep themselves to themselves - Christian Pharisees

 

Sensual in this context has nothing to do with sexual attractiveness. It describes the person who lives only by and for what they can get through their physical senses, and they live this way selfishly. Their motto is, "If it feels good, do it" or, "how can it be wrong if it feels so right?"

 

We live in a perilous time.

 

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2: For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3: Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4: Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6: For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7: Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

 

2 Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4: And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

 

Now how do you stand and not fall and how to stand faultless before the presence of God's glory with exceeding joy? Paul gives us at least five defenses for us to be able to stand in the last times. How do you keep yourselves from error and from sin? How do you protect yourselves from the attack of the apostates, mockers, divisive individuals and sensualists?

 

1. Build Your Faith

 

Jude 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

 

This is not optional. If we are to stand we must build our most holy faith. Build up, strengthen, fortify your faith, how? Word of God, Truth and Doctrine. You must know what you believe and why you believe. Don't be like the lady who was asked, What do you believe? I believe what my church believes. What does your church believe? The church believes what I believe.

 

Romans 10:13 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

Guard yourself with truth. Guard yourselves from error, relativism, pluralism and political correctness.

 

Edification is a best and strong defense against the assaults of apostates, mockers, divisive individuals and sensualists. These prey on the weak, but fail to overthrow those who are rooted and grounded in the truth.

 

We need to be continually built up: learning more, loving more, and living more the grand truths of the Gospel.

 

We must labor to know the truth ourselves, and must endeavor to instruct our brethren therein. Personal and mutual edification in the church should be zealously maintained as one of the most valuable defenses against the invasion of error.

 

2. Pray in the Holy Ghost

 

Jude 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

 

Strong faith leads to prayer. A man strong in faith will abound in prayer. No faith, no prayer. Much faith, much prayer. Lack of prayer is a sign of lack of faith.

 

Take note that it is not simply praying, not just saying a prayer but praying in the Holy Ghost.

 

That means prayers must be deeply spiritual. It must be led and energized by the Holy Ghost. That is why Paul started with building your most holy faith through the word of God. The Holy Spirit will not work without His Word.

 

Do not neglect private and public prayers. Be faithful in corporate prayer meetings and maintain private prayer with earnestness.

 

3. Keep Yourself in the Love of God

 

Jude 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

 

This doesn't mean that we can be separated from the love of God for who shall separate us from the love of God? What it means is to keep the love of God before you. Grow in your understanding of what it means to be loved by God. Constantly meditate on His love.

 

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18: May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19: And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21: Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

 

Lest I forget Thy love for me,

Lest I forget Thine agony,

Lead me to Calvary.

 

Endeavour, then, always to love God, and to love him more and more. Feed the sacred flame of divine affection till it become an all-consuming fire.

 

A Christians who has a strong love for God are not likely to be overcome by mockers and sensualists. Love to God will be as a wall of fire round about them. Love God, and you will not love false doctrine and will not love sin and darkness.

 

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us ...

 

4. Look Forward to Christ's Coming

 

Jude 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

 

Expect that Christ will come. Look forward to the sure coming of Christ. So when mockers say, "Where is the promise of his coming?" Say ...

 

Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

 

As we keep the blessed hope of Jesus' soon return alive in our hearts, this effectively keeps us in the love of God, and helps us to not give away our faith.

 

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3: And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

 

5. Win Souls for Christ

 

Jude 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

 

Actively participating in evangelism will keep you from error and sin. Churches die because they failed in this area. "If you don't evangelize you will fossilize."

 

Closing exhortation

 

Brethren, if the darkest times should come, if these five points are diligently maintained, we shall be perfectly safe against the cunning assaults of the arch enemy.

 

As you do these things you can confidently say with Jude: Having done all these things you must remember it is God who is able to keep you from falling

 

Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25: To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

 

AMEN!