Slides: Keep Being Kept (Jude)

Jude

• Fight for the Faith
• Fear Eternal Fire
• Keep Being Kept

Keep being kept

• Called, loved, kept
• Build, pray, keep
• Rescue, show mercy
• God keeps you

Called, loved, kept

¹ Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:
² Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

Build, pray, keep

²⁰ But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray 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.

Build yourselves up

Encourage one another and build each other up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. (Nehemiah 4:17-18)

Pray in the Holy Spirit

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Ephesians 6:18)

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express… the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. (Romans 8:26-27)

Keep yourselves in God’s love

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. (John 15:9-10)

Kept, keep yourselves

God appoints the way as well as the end result. Eternal life is in Christ.

• God told Paul that all in the ship would survive. (Acts 27:24)
• Later Paul said, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 27:31)

Keep being kept

• Called, loved, kept
• Build, pray, keep
• Rescue, show mercy
• God keeps you

Show mercy, rescue

²² Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³ snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Snatched from fire?

“I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the LORD. Therefore… prepare to meet your God. (Amos 4:11-12)

Snatched from fire

The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! … Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” … The angel said…, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” (Zech 3:2-4)

Show mercy, rescue

You ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. (2 Cor 2:7)

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

Keep being kept

• Called, loved, kept
• Build, pray, keep
• Rescue, show mercy
• God keeps you

God keeps you

²⁴ To him who is able to keep you from falling 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.

Knowing God

• Jesus: Christ, Sovereign, Lord
• Trinity: Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit
• Qualities: mercy, peace, love, grace, glory, majesty, power, authority, eternal (before ages, now, forever)
• Roles: Master, Keeper, Judge, Savior

Jude

• Fight for the Faith
• Fear Eternal Fire
• Keep Being Kept