Jude 12-13
Introduction:
In these two verses, Jude gives us 5 descriptive illustrations of how these false teachers really are.
I. The Feast
A. They are spots upon the love feasts. Imagine an invitation to a fine dinner feast. The red carpet has been rolled out, and the fine china put in place. The waiters are nicely dressed as the violin music begins to play. As you sit in your seat, you begin to notice the glass in front of you – spots. Spots on the plates, on the silverware. All is filth! Obviously, someone had forgotten to do the dishes! How embarrassing for your host! Or perhaps you’ve had the sad experience of bringing a guest or having a guest that has overstayed their welcome. You leave, knowing you’d never been invited again, completely embarrassed. This is how these false teachers ought to be in our minds. They are filthy embarrassments to the Body of Christ! They ought to be treated as such. Not minimized or appeased, as would have us do. I know he’s a big problem, so we’ll just give him a smaller Sunday School class. Or perhaps we’ll think something along the lines of, I’ll have a discerning spirit and just listen to the good parts… The Body of Christ has no place for these people. We ought to be utterly ashamed of them.
B. But this word spots has another idea to it. It has the word picture of jagged rocks just beneath the surface. To a ship coming in, they are deceiving and dangerous. Without knowledge of their presence, the situation is deadly. That is exactly how Jude wants us to view these false teachers – deceptive and deadly.
II. The Fruit
A. We have two illustrations here. I put them together here because I think they are very similar, and I couldn’t think of an alliterated point for clouds. The main theme here is disappointment.
B. The first illustration here is clouds containing no water. The picture we are to see is of a desolate land. A land dying of decay, drought and dehydration. They wonder what will become of them. At this moment we see in the sky a beautiful, large cloud. Them perhaps a few more come in. Soon we see a sky filled with them. The people run from their houses, dying with anticipation to see that first drop of precious rain squeeze itself out. Hours pass, and nothing happens. More hours pass. What little hope existed dies now. A greater disappointment now descends upon the people. These false teachers bring with them false hope.
1. I can imagine the poor widow sending in her last few dollars as seed money to the televangelist, with the false hope her troubles will soon be over.
2. I can imagine the heart-broken parents bringing their ill child into a faith healer, only to be rejected and sent back to their seats.
3. I can imagine the truly sincere Christian, desiring more from God’s Word, sitting service after service in frustration as hear hears moral platitudes and self-esteem messages.
C. The Second Illustration Jude uses is that of a tree with withering fruit. We see hear what looks like good fruit growing. We are told in the gospels that by their fruits ye shall know them. We see what appears to be fruit, but it begins to wither. Upon closer examination, we discover it was really no fruit at all. Again, the disappointment settles in among the people. I wonder how many have been sickened by eating this poison? Perhaps Psalm 1 would give us a better health and wealth gospel.
III. The Foam
A. Continuing on in this parade of illustrations, Jude takes us to the high seas. There we see the raging waters of heresy. Notice first they are raging – angry. I get tired of people who go to no lengths to promote tolerance, and then get overly upset at preachers who faithfully preach the Word of God. You mention standards of separation, and their fists are up in the air. Just this week a big debate was canceled in Lynchburg, VA. The debate was to cover the topic of Calvinism, but soon the bigger debate became about the debate. Both sides got ugly, unpleasant and could not agree on anything. Ps 119:165 – Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. I get upset at our crowd as well. I’ve actually seen preachers “warm up” during the song service by shadow boxing. They’re getting mad at the devil, or so they say. They are just angry people looking for any avenue available to vent.
B. Then we see they are foaming out their own shame. How sad this is. Eventually, at some point, sin must come to the surface. How many seemingly good preachers have seen good wrong. How many people followed Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart only to see their true colors? I can remember growing up, loving to hear one local pastor – and I then remember hearing the news of how he divorced his wife and ran off with the church secretary. And stories could go on and on and on…
IV. The Firmament
A. Here we see wondering stars floating aimlessly across the heavens. Never to stay in one particular orbit, they wonder around. Of course, we know at some point they will crash into something eventually.
B. Don’t we have a lot of those in our churches today? The hop from church to church, never quite happy with what they see. But whatever criteria they themselves have conjured up, never quite matches what they are looking for. They have no church authority to be held accountable, and perhaps they have grown to enjoy that. However, the crash will come. Faithlessness always shows itself eventually.
V. The Final Straw
A. What will be the final outcome of these false teachers? They are reserved for the blackness of darkness forever.
B. Notice the contrast made several times in the Bible about light and darkness.
1. Ps 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
2. Ec 2:13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
3. Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
4. Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
5. Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
6. 2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
7. Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
8. I John 1:6-7 – If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
9. Revelation 22:5 – And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
C. We see the clear distinction between light and dark. These men have walked in the dark all their lives, and now they will spend eternity in the blackness of that darkness forever.
D. Notice that the punishment here is forever. This not mere annihilation. I think Jude wants to belabor that fact. Jude describes everlasting chains and the vengeance of eternal fire. There is no escaping this judgment. Again, this is how serious God treats this matter of doctrine and purity.
Posted by Kevin Thompson 