Jude 8-12 (NASB)

8 Yet in the same way these people also, dreaming, defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak abusively of angelic majesties. 9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him an abusive judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these people disparage all the things that they do not understand; and all the things that they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have given themselves up to the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are the ones who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, like shepherds caring only for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted.

Theme: Believers in the Church must be on the lookout for what false teachers do and what they are like.

1. They Scorn Supernatural Beings (v. 8d-10)
2. They’re Marked by Murder, Money, and Mutiny (v. 11)
3. They Deceive to Destroy (v. 12a)

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Jude 5-8 (NASB)

5 Now I want to remind you, though you know everything once and for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place, these He has kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in sexual perversion and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

8 Yet in the same way these people also, dreaming, defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak abusively of angelic majesties.

Theme: Deceptive, immoral false teachers are headed for God’s eternal judgment, and true believers in the Church must be alerted not to follow or fall for them.

Three examples of arrogance and immorality that bring God’s wrath and condemnation.

1. Unbelieving Israel (v. 5)
2. Arrogant Angels (v. 6)
3. Sordid Sodomites (v. 7)

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guest speaker: Cyril Florita

Colossians 3:16–17 (NASB)

16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Theme:
In light of the Christian’s identity as a new man in Christ, we must wear our new set of garments—which are woven through with the word of Christ and are labeled with His name—so that His word would dwell in us richly and His name would rest on everything that we do.

2 Qualities of the Garments of the New Man:

1) Woven Through with the Word of Christ

Wisely Teaching and Admonishing One Another

Singing with Gratitude to the Father

2) Labeled with the Name of Christ

Proclaiming Christ in Every Word and Deed

Glorifying the Father

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We must know and understand what God’s purpose is for our church, and together strive to excel in fulfilling that purpose for the glory of Christ.

The Fantastic 4-fold Purpose of the Local Church:

1) Be a Worshiping Body – Exalt the Lord

2) Be a Witnessing Body – Evangelize the Lost

3) Be a Walking Body – Edify the Saints

4) Be a Working Body – Equip the Saints

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James 5:10-11 (NASB)

10 As an example, brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

Theme: In times of suffering, look to the prophets and Job for spiritual encouragement.

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James 4:13-17 (NASB)

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.

Two big problems with making plans & decisions apart from seeking God’s will:

1) It is foolish to act like you are in control of the future (4:13-14)

2) It is arrogance and evil to neglect God’s will (4:16-17)

How to make plans & decisions in honor of Christ:

3) Seek the Lord’s will in everything you do (4:15)

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James 3:13-18 (NASB)

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

To foster harmonious relationships in life, put on true godly wisdom and put off false earthly wisdom.

1) You must behave with godly wisdom for peaceful relationships (3:13, 17)

2) If you act with worldly “wisdom”, conflict will be the result (3:14-16)

3) Peaceful relationships require hard/heart work (3:18)

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1 Timothy 1:18-20 (NASB)

18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, 19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. 20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

1) Fight the Good Fight (v. 18)
2) Keep the Faith (v. 19)
3) Correcting Error (v. 20)

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Psalm 23:6 (NASB)

6 Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

^{Happy Thanksgiving from Faith Bible Church!}

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James 1:9-11 (NASB)

9 Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 but the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.

Theme: Believers, whether rich or poor, should find their true satisfaction in Jesus Christ above all else.

1) The poor Christian’s boast (1:9)

2) The rich Christian’s boast (1:10-11)

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