Deacon Tim Mortag teaches about the Book of Jude "Contending Earnestly for the Faith Against Apostasy" on 5/8/2019 for our Sunday service.
Deacon Tim Mortag's sermon on the Book of Jude presented it as an often-overlooked but vital urgent call for believers to contend earnestly for the faith against apostasy that had swiftly infiltrated the early church and remains a danger today. Jude, identifying as a humble "bondservant of Jesus Christ" rather than his half-brother, was directed by the Holy Spirit to pivot from writing about common salvation to warning against "ungodly men". These apostates, he explained, turned God's grace into "licentiousness" (a license to sin for personal gratification) and denied the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Mortag illustrated the peril of apostasy with historical judgments: the disbelieving Israelites saved from Egypt, rebellious angels who left their proper domain, and the sexually immoral cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He connected these to contemporary "dreamers" who "defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries". He further detailed the practices of apostates through the "woes" of Cain (rejecting God's desired sacrifice), Balaam (greedily leading others astray for profit), and Korah (rebelling against God-given authority). Mortag likened these apostates to unproductive "clouds without water," "late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead," "raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame," and "wandering stars" destined for "blackness of darkness forever". He addressed the "controversial" use of extra-biblical texts, such as the Assumption of Moses (Michael contending with Satan over Moses' body) and the Book of Enoch (prophecy of judgment), clarifying that Jude's inclusion indicated a divinely guided "remnant of truth".
The sermon concluded by outlining how believers can gain power against apostasy: by remembering the words of the apostles, building themselves up on their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping themselves in the love of God, and looking for the mercy of Jesus Christ unto eternal life. He also emphasized compassionate discernment: having compassion on doubters and gently drawing them back to truth, while others might need to be "saved with fear, pulling them out of the fire," reminding listeners that "with God all things are possible," even for apostates if they repent. The message ended with a doxology, glorifying God's ability to keep believers from stumbling and present them faultless with exceeding joy.
