When Jude wrote his letter, the early church was confused about biblical truth. Surely that’s a sentiment we can relate to today as well! So how do we find clarity? Hear the answer on Truth For Life as Alistair Begg examines the closing of Jude's letter.
From the Sermon
There Is No Other
Every day, as dawn approaches, swelling crowds make their way to the banks of the Ganges in India to worship the river and the rising sun. Many scatter the ashes of loved ones on the water in the hope of securing their eternal bliss. Representative of the millions of Hindus in India, these men and women believe that “god” is in everything.
While the sights and sounds of such worship may seem far removed from many of us, in another sense, we are much closer to this than we’re prepared to acknowledge.
Look around at our own culture and you’ll notice that idolatry and its subtleties are just as prevalent as ever. It is found in the notion that what you believe does not matter, since the great religions of the world “agree on the essentials.” Corrupted and diluted varieties of Christianity are abundant, for we are very good at worshiping a “God” we have made up, who just happens to fit with our desires and agree with our choices. And superficial forms of panentheism can be discovered in upscale spas and yoga classes, for we are likewise very good at treating ourselves and our bodies as gods.
In fact, we have hundreds of substitute gods—idols that promise us freedom but, in reality, demean and enslave. Worship sex and it will corrode your ability to love or be loved. Worship alcohol and it will ensnare you. Worship money and it will consume you. Worship your family and you (or they) will collapse under the burden of unfulfilled expectations. Worship any substitute god and you will find that it cannot satisfy.
If we become increasingly entangled with idols, it often accompanies a growing loss of confidence in the Bible as the unerring word of God. When this happens, there’s no longer any place for a straightforward declaration of the exclusive claims of Jesus of Nazareth as the second Person of the Trinity, Creator of the universe, resurrected Lord, ascended King, and—someday—returning Christ. So it is an act of grace—albeit an unsettling one—that in His word God says, I’m commanding you, all people everywhere, to repent, to turn from your little idols, and to worship Me, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Ruler, the Father, the Judge (see Acts 17:30).
What is the antidote to your heart’s continual desire to worship idols, which offend the Lord and cannot save? Simply this: “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Identify the idols you are prone to worship and set them alongside the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is God, and they are not. He can save, and they cannot. Turn once more from them, and to Him.
How is God calling me to think differently?
How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?
What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
18vFor thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
(he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it;
he wdid not create it empty,
xhe formed it to be inhabited!):
“I am the Lord, and there is no other.
19yI did not speak in secret,
in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
I the Lord speak athe truth;
I declare what is right.
20b“Assemble yourselves and come;
draw near together,
you survivors of the nations!
cThey have no knowledge
who dcarry about their wooden idols,
eand keep on praying to a god
that cannot save.
21fDeclare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!
Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no other god besides me,
a righteous God gand a Savior;
there is none besides me.
22“Turn to me and be saved,
hall the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
23iBy myself I have sworn;
from my mouth has gone out in jrighteousness
a word that shall not return:
k‘To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.’4
24l“Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and mstrength;
to him shall come and be ashamed
nall who were incensed against him.
25In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
shall be justified and shall glory.”
Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.
No Unnecessary Miracles
Encourage him.
God employs His people to encourage one another. He did not say to an angel, “Gabriel, My servant Joshua is about to lead My people into Canaan—go, encourage him.” God never performs unnecessary miracles. If His purposes can be accomplished by ordinary means, He will not use miraculous agencies. Gabriel would not have been half so well fitted for the work as Moses. A brother's sympathy is more precious than an angel's prestige. The swift-winged angel knew more about the Master's desires than he did about the people's needs. An angel had never experienced the difficult journey, nor faced the fiery serpents, nor had he led the stiff-necked multitude in the wilderness as Moses had done. We should be glad that God usually works for man by man. This forms a bond of brotherhood, and being mutually dependent on one another, we are united more completely into one family.
Brethren, take the text as God's message to you. Work at helping others, and especially strive to encourage them. Talk warmly to the young and anxious inquirer; lovingly try to remove stumbling blocks out of his way. When you find a spark of grace in the heart, kneel down and blow it into a flame. Leave the young believer to discover the roughness of the road by stages, but tell him of the strength that is found in God, of the certainty of the promise, and of the benefits of communion with Christ.
Aim to comfort the sorrowful and to encourage the despondent. Speak a fitting word to the weary, and lift the spirits of those who are fearful to go on their way with gladness. God encourages you by His promises; Christ encourages you as He points to the heaven He has won for you; and the Spirit encourages you as He works in you to will and to do of His own purpose and pleasure. Imitate divine wisdom, and encourage others according to the Word this evening.
Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.
Daily Bible Reading for September 17
Amnon and Tamar
1Now wAbsalom, David's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was xTamar. And after a time Amnon, David's son, loved her. 2And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of yShimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.” 5Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and zmake a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon's house and prepare food for him.” 8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. 9And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, a“Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate1 me, for bsuch a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this coutrageous thing. 13As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of dthe outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.
15Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!” 16But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.”2 But he would not listen to her. 17He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” 18Now she was wearing ea long robe with sleeves,3 for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. 19And Tamar fput ashes on her head and gtore the long robe that she wore. And hshe laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.
20And her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom's house. 21When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.4 22But Absalom spoke to Amnon ineither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.
Absalom Murders Amnon
23After two full years Absalom had jsheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons. 24And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. 28Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon's kheart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” 29So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.
30While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king's sons, and not one of them is left.” 31Then the king arose and ltore his garments and mlay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32But nJonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. 33Now therefore let not my lord the king so otake it to heart as to suppose that all the king's sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead.”
Absalom Flees to Geshur
34pBut Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him5 by the side of the mountain. 35And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king's sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king's sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.
37qBut Absalom fled and went to rTalmai the son of Ammihud, king of sGeshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38qSo Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39And the spirit of the king6 longed to go out7 to Absalom, because the was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.
1tWorking together with him, then, uwe appeal to you vnot to receive the grace of God in vain. 2For he says,
w“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, xnow is the yfavorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3We zput no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but aas servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: bby great endurance, cin afflictions, dhardships, calamities, 5ebeatings, imprisonments, friots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6gby purity, hknowledge, patience, kindness, ithe Holy Spirit, jgenuine love; 7by ktruthful speech, and lthe power of God; with mthe weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8through honor and dishonor, nthrough slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9as unknown, and oyet well known; pas dying, and behold, we live; qas punished, and yet not killed; 10ras sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; sas poor, yet making many rich; tas having nothing, uyet possessing everything.
11We have spoken freely to you,1 Corinthians; vour heart is wide open. 12You are not restricted by us, but wyou are restricted in your own affections. 13xIn return (I speak yas to children) widen your hearts also.
The Temple of the Living God
14zDo not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For awhat partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or bwhat fellowship has light with darkness? 15cWhat accord has Christ with Belial?2 Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For dwe are the temple of the living God; as God said,
e“I will make my dwelling among them and fwalk among them,
and gI will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17Therefore hgo out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18iand I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
Israel's Continuing Rebellion
1qIn the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of rthe elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, sand sat before me. 2And the word of the Lord came to me: 3t“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Is it to inquire of me that you come? uAs I live, declares the Lord God, vI will not be inquired of by you. 4wWill you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? xLet them know the abominations of their fathers, 5and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: yOn the day when I chose Israel, zI swore1 to the offspring of the house of Jacob, amaking myself known to them in the land of Egypt; zI swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God. 6On that day I swore to them that bI would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land bflowing with milk and honey, cthe most glorious of all lands. 7And I said to them, d‘Cast away the detestable things eyour eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with fthe idols of Egypt; gI am the Lord your God.’ 8hBut they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. iNone of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.
“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them jand spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9kBut I acted lfor the sake of my name, mthat it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, nin whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10oSo I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11pI gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, qby which, if a person does them, he shall live. 12Moreover, I gave them rmy Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, sthat they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13tBut the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. uThey did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; vand my Sabbaths they greatly profaned.
t“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. 14But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, win whose sight I had brought them out. 15Moreover, xI swore to them in the wilderness ythat I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land zflowing with milk and honey, zthe most glorious of all lands, 16because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; afor their heart went after their idols. 17Nevertheless, bmy eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or cmake a full end of them in the wilderness.
18“And I said to dtheir children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk ein the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, fnor defile yourselves with their idols. 19gI am the Lord your God; hwalk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, 20and ikeep my Sabbaths holy that jthey may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’ 21kBut the children lrebelled against me. mThey did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths.
n“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. 22oBut I withheld my hand pand acted for the sake of my name, qthat it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23rMoreover, sI swore to them in the wilderness tthat I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries, 24because they had not obeyed my rules, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, uand their eyes were set on their fathers' idols. 25vMoreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, 26and I defiled them through wtheir very gifts win their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it xthat they might know that I am the Lord.
27“Therefore, yson of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by zdealing treacherously with me. 28For when I had brought them into the land that aI swore to give them, then wherever they saw bany high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented cthe provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings. 29(I said to them, d‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah2 to this day.)
30“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: eWill you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go fwhoring after their detestable things? 31When you present your gifts and goffer up your children in fire,3 you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And hshall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? iAs I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.
32j“What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, k‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, land worship wood and stone.’
The Lord Will Restore Israel
33i“As I live, declares the Lord God, msurely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and nwith wrath poured out I will be king over you. 34oI will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. 35pAnd I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, qand there I will enter into judgment with you rface to face. 36sAs I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God. 37I will make you tpass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38uI will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. vI will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, wbut they shall not enter the land of Israel. xThen you will know that I am the Lord.
39“As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: yGo serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; zbut my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.
40a“For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there ball the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. cThere I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. 41As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when dI bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And eI will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 42fAnd you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that gI swore to give to your fathers. 43hAnd there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, hand you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. 44And you shall know that I am the Lord, iwhen I deal with you for my name's sake, jnot according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”
454 And the word of the Lord came to me: 46k“Son of man, lset your face toward the southland;5 mpreach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. 47Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, nI will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every ogreen tree in you and every odry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and pall faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. 48qAll flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” 49Then I said, r“Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, s‘Is he not a maker of parables?’”
Psalm 66
How Awesome Are Your Deeds
To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.
1bShout for joy to God, all the earth;
2sing the glory of his name;
cgive to him glorious praise!
3Say to God, d“How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies ecome cringing to you.
4fAll the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.” Selah
5gCome and see what God has done:
dhe is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6He hturned the sea into dry land;
they ipassed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
7who rules by his might forever,
whose jeyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
8Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard,
9who has kept our soul among the living
and khas not let our feet slip.
10For you, O God, have ltested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
11You brought us into mthe net;
you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
12you let men nride over our heads;
we went through fire and through owater;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
13I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will pperform my vows to you,
14that which my lips uttered
and my mouth promised qwhen I was in trouble.
15I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah
16rCome and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on1 my tongue.2
18If I had scherished iniquity in my heart,
tthe Lord would not have listened.
19But truly uGod has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Psalm 67
Make Your Face Shine upon Us
To the choirmaster: with vstringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
1May God wbe gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to xshine upon us, Selah
2that yyour way may be known on earth,
your zsaving power among all nations.
3aLet the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you bjudge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5aLet the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
6The earth has cyielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
7God shall bless us;
let dall the ends of the earth fear him!
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