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The Fight for Faith

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The Fight for Faith The Fight For Faith Grasping the Gospel Through the Epistle of Jude 1 2 Jude introduces himself as the servant of Jesus Christ as brother of James. His letter is written to a church that seems to have been led astray by false teaching. Jude is urgent as he pleads with them to contend for the sacred faith that has been entrusted to all believers. His use of Old Testament and apocryphal writings to emphasize his call would resonate with Jewish Christians and has much to teach us today. Read Matthew 12:46-50, 13:55, Mark 6:3, John 7:1-10, Acts 15:13-21, 21:18, 1 Corinthians 9:5, & Galatians 1:19 What do these passages tell us about the author? What do you think would be significant events in his life? 3 Read the entire letter As you read through this letter, What themes do you notice? What do you think Jude is telling his readers? Are there verses that you were familiar with? Are there verses that you look forward to learning more about? Write them here. 4 Read the complete letter. Re-read Jude 1:1 Jude describes himself as a servant of Jesus Christ… Read Leviticus 25:55, 1 Samuel 3:8-10, Job 1:8, Psalm 34:22, Isaiah 41:8-10, 52:13-53:12, 65:8- 16, Malachi 1:6, Matthew 8:1-13, 20:20-28, 24:43-51, Luke 1:26-38, John 15:12-17, Romans 6:5-23, Revelation 7:2 - 3, 14:1 & 22:3-4 What does he mean? 5 Read Joshua 24:14-28, Psalm 19:7-14, 134:1-3, John 12:25-26, Philippians 2:1-10, Ephesians 6:5- 8 & Galatians 1:10 How are we to live as a servant of Christ? Where do you rejoice in serving Him? 6 Are there areas He may be calling you to serve Him in? How can you encourage another in their service? How many times does Jude refer to the reader as beloved in this letter? 7 Read Genesis 2 & 3, Exodus 34:1-10, Deuteronomy 7:6-9, Psalm 136, Isaiah 42:1, 43:4-13, Hosea 14:4, John 3:16-17, Romans 1:7, 5:6-8, 9:10-18, Ephesians 1:3-10, 2:1-9, 5:25-27, Galatians 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Titus 3:3-7, 1 John 3:1-3 & 4:7-19 & Revelation 1:4-6 What does it mean to be beloved by a holy God? 8 Read Leviticus 19:9-18,Deuteronomy 6:4-6, Matthew 5:43 - 48, Mark 12:29-34, John 13:34-35, John 17, Romans 5:1-5, Ephesians 5:1-2, Colossians 3:12-17, 1 John 2:4-17 & 4:19-21 How are we to live as beloved by a holy God? 9 Where have you experienced His love in your life? Are there people that He is calling you to lavish His love on? What are some ways you can do this? 10 Word to Know: Kept = to keep watch as a guard or warden How many times does Jude use the word “kept” in this letter? Who is kept? Read Numbers 6:23-27, Psalm 19:13-14, 141:3-4, Isaiah 26:1-4, John 6:37-40, 10:27-30, 17:10-26, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 & Revelation 3:10 What does it mean to be kept by Jesus Christ? 11 Read 1 Peter 1:3-9 & 1 John 5:18 How are we to live in light of this? Where does knowing that you are kept by Christ encourage you? Are there places that He calls you to trust Him? 12 Word to Know: Called = to invite or appoint. Originally it was used to designate those invited a banquet. Read Matthew 22:1-14 How does Jesus’ parable help us understand this word? Read Genesis 3:8-11, Isaiah 54:5-6, Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:15, Romans 8:28-30, 1 Corinthians 1:24-30 & Revelation 17:14 Who is called? 13 Read Isaiah 41:8-10 & 1 Corinthians 1:1-2 How is one called? Read Genesis 1:28-30, Isaiah 43:1, John 17, Romans 1:1-6, 9:22-25, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, 1 Peter 5:10 & 2 Peter 1:3-4 Why are we called? 14 Read 2 Chronicles 7:14-15, Ephesians 1:16-20, 4:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:20-31, 1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Peter 1:15, 2:9, 3:8-9, & 2 Peter 1:5-11 How shall we live in light of our calling? 15 What does His call on your life look like? Who can you encourage in their call today? 16 Read the complete letter. Re-read Jude 1:2 How does Jude refer to his readers? Why do you think this is? Where do you see the word, “mercy” again? How many times does Jude use the word, “love”? 17 Word to Know: Mercy = compassion, here it implies salvation from sin and misery, this word often stands for “chesed”; His covenant love for His people. God’s goodness towards a people who are in misery and distress. Read Genesis 3, Exodus 33:17-23, 34:1-10, Psalm 25, Psalm 28:6-9, Psalm 77, Psalm 103, Isaiah 63:7-9, Matthew 9:27-29, Romans 9:14-24, 11:25-36, Titus 3:3-7, & Hebrews 4:14-16 What does it mean to experience God’s mercy? 18 Read Psalm 57, Psalm 123, Proverbs 28:13-14, Daniel 9:16-19 & 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 How shall we live in light of His mercy? What does this look like for you this week? 19 Why do you think Jude prays for mercy, peace, and love for his audience? Word to Know: Peace = the present possession of a believer; not just the absence of conflict but embracing God’s gift. The state of a person who rests in God for salvation and protection. Read Numbers 6:22-26, Psalm 29:11, 85:8, 119:165, Isaiah 9:6-7, 26:2-3, 55:12, 57:18-19, John 14, 16:33, Luke 2:8-14, 19:38, Romans 5:1-2, 11:25-36, 16:20, Ephesians 2:13-22, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, Titus 3:3-7, & Hebrews 13:20-21 What does it mean to experience the peace of God? 20 Read Psalm 37:37, Proverbs 3:1-2, Acts 9:31,Romans 8:1-6, 1 Corinthians 14:1-33, Colossians 3:12-17, Philippians 4:4-9 & Galatians 5:16-25 How shall we live in light of His peace? 21 Read the complete letter. Re-read Jude 1:3 What did Jude intend to write about? Word to Know: Salvation = safety, deliverance, preservation from danger, to deliver from sin and spiritual consequences, admission into eternal life in the New Kingdom in the blessedness of eternal life of Christ. Read Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-24, Psalm 29:1, 51:1-14, 53:6, 79:8-9, 86:2, Psalm 109, Psalm 130, Luke 1:67-80, 2:8-14, 19:7-10, John 4:23, 6:22-69, 15:16, Romans 1:16-17, 10:1-20, Ephesians 1:3-14, Hebrews 1:13-2:18, 4:14-16, 5:8-10, 9:1-10:23, 1 Peter 1:3-12, 1 John 4:7-5:5 & Revelation 12:10-12 How would you explain gospel of salvation? 22 What does Jude write about instead? Read Genesis 12:1-4, 7, 17:17-21, 22:1-14, 2 Chronicles 2:20-21, Psalm 85, Isaiah 7:9, 55:6-7,Matthew 17:14-21, 24:9-14, Mark 11:22-25, Luke 17:5-6, John 1:12, 3:1-21, Acts 3:12-26, 26:1-30, Romans 3:28, 4:1-22, Galatians 3:2-4:7, Ephesians 4:1-7, Hebrews 6:1-20, 11:1-12:2, James 2:14-26, 2 Peter 1:1, 1 John 3:1, 5:13, Revelation 2:9-11, 13, 13:9-10, & 17:14 How would you describe faith? 23 Word to Know: To-Contend-For-Victory = the word is “agonizomai” from which we get our word, “agony”. It means contend for victory in public games, the fight of faith using every nerve to achieve the utmost goal. Read Luke 13:22-30, John 18:36, Romans 10:17, Colossians 1:24-29, 4:12, Ephesians 6:10-20, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Philippians 1:1-30, 1 Timothy 6:11-12, 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Hebrews 12:1-17 & Revelation 14:12 Why do you think faith is so important to fight for? How do you contend for your faith? 24 Read the complete letter. What descriptions does Jude use to describe the people he is concerned about? Re-read Jude 1:4 What are the four charges in this verse? 25 Read Genesis 3:1-6, Exodus 23:1-3, Deuteronomy 16:19-20, Proverbs 17:23, Micah 3:11, Matthew 7:15, 23:13-36, Mark 12:38-40, Luke 11:52, 20:45-47, John 9:39-41, Acts 11:23-26, Romans 1:18-19, 2:12-24, Galatians 1:6-9, 2:4-6, Titus 1:16, 1 Peter 2:7-8, 2 Peter 2:1-3, Revelation & 2:14, 20-24 What does Jude mean when he says that they “pervert” God’s grace? 26 Word to Know: Designated = literally “upon-written” it means to post up a public notice, writing as a case to be heard before judgment, written before hand and appointed in a public place.
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