 Defending the Faith  Jude 1:3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.  Defending the Faith  Jude 1:3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

●Ungodly people have wormed their way into the church – teaching falsehoods ●People scoffing at supernatural things and things they don’t understand ●They are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you ●Living only to satisfy their desires – grumblers and complainers, flatter for what they want ●Ungodly people have wormed their way into the church – teaching falsehoods ●People scoffing at supernatural things and things they don’t understand ●They are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you ●Living only to satisfy their desires – grumblers and complainers, flatter for what they want

●Apostles of Jesus said there would be scoffers whose purpose was to satisfy ungodly desires ●Creating division ●Following natural instinct because they do not have God’s spirit in them ●Build each other up – pray in the power of the Holy Spirit – await the mercy of Jesus – keep yourselves safe in God’s love ●Apostles of Jesus said there would be scoffers whose purpose was to satisfy ungodly desires ●Creating division ●Following natural instinct because they do not have God’s spirit in them ●Build each other up – pray in the power of the Holy Spirit – await the mercy of Jesus – keep yourselves safe in God’s love

 Jude 1:24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.  Defending the Faith ●The Fall ●The Resurrection ●The Nature of God  Jude 1:24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.  Defending the Faith ●The Fall ●The Resurrection ●The Nature of God

I Believe in Jesus Defending the Faith

I. Supreme Jesus  Colossians 1:15-20 ●Visible image of invisible God ●Supreme over all creation ●Supreme over all who rise from the dead ●Head of the church ●Fullness of God living in him ●Reconciled everything by means of his blood on the cross  Colossians 1:15-20 ●Visible image of invisible God ●Supreme over all creation ●Supreme over all who rise from the dead ●Head of the church ●Fullness of God living in him ●Reconciled everything by means of his blood on the cross

 God incarnate – in the flesh

 Hijacked Jesus – ●A less offensive faith ●Omitting unpopular parts, portraying an image of Jesus as open-minded, big-hearted, never- offending-anyone moral teacher ●Softening or reshaping the gospel  Hijacked Jesus – ●A less offensive faith ●Omitting unpopular parts, portraying an image of Jesus as open-minded, big-hearted, never- offending-anyone moral teacher ●Softening or reshaping the gospel

II. Who/What is Jesus  Son of God ●Proven through his miracles ▪Acts 2:22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. ▪John 14:11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.  Son of God ●Proven through his miracles ▪Acts 2:22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. ▪John 14:11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

●Raised from the dead ▪Acts 17:31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead. ●No one comes to God except through Jesus ▪John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ●Raised from the dead ▪Acts 17:31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead. ●No one comes to God except through Jesus ▪John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

 Sinless ●Hebrews 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ●2 Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.  Sinless ●Hebrews 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ●2 Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

 Savior of Man from sin and death ●Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. ●Romans 8:2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.  Savior of Man from sin and death ●Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. ●Romans 8:2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

 Modernist revision is to see Christ simply as the ideal man ●For if Christ is God, he can transform your life right now ●Supreme - he has a right to our entire lives  Modernist revision is to see Christ simply as the ideal man ●For if Christ is God, he can transform your life right now ●Supreme - he has a right to our entire lives

III. The Obstacles for Acceptance  Why, then, are many not compelled to accept and follow Jesus? ●Christians  Why, then, are many not compelled to accept and follow Jesus? ●Christians

●Christian Apologist of the early 20 th century, G. K. Chesterton said, “the only good argument against Christianity is Christians.”

●Fear of the church and its teachings ▪Challenging the intellect to believe, the will to practice, and the spirit with the presence of God ●The reluctance is usually moral ●Afraid of the supernatural because it is mysterious and uncontrollable. ●Simple pride, refusal to loose control of the reins of our lives. ●Exclusive ●Fear of the church and its teachings ▪Challenging the intellect to believe, the will to practice, and the spirit with the presence of God ●The reluctance is usually moral ●Afraid of the supernatural because it is mysterious and uncontrollable. ●Simple pride, refusal to loose control of the reins of our lives. ●Exclusive

Interactive Time  G. K. Chesterton said, “the only good argument against Christianity is Christians.” How are Christians a stumbling block to Christianity? What has been your experience with this?  How should Christians deal with being labeled as intolerant stating that Jesus alone is God’s son and that salvation is only in him?  G. K. Chesterton said, “the only good argument against Christianity is Christians.” How are Christians a stumbling block to Christianity? What has been your experience with this?  How should Christians deal with being labeled as intolerant stating that Jesus alone is God’s son and that salvation is only in him?

 Of the listed obstacles for acceptance which, if any, have you dealt with personally and how did you come to make a choice for faith in Jesus?  Jesus being Supreme means he has a right to our entire lives, including our inner life and our thoughts. If Christ is divine, our absolute obligation is to believe everything he says and obey everything he commands. How can we do this and express this to others without making Christianity a set of rules and obligations?  Of the listed obstacles for acceptance which, if any, have you dealt with personally and how did you come to make a choice for faith in Jesus?  Jesus being Supreme means he has a right to our entire lives, including our inner life and our thoughts. If Christ is divine, our absolute obligation is to believe everything he says and obey everything he commands. How can we do this and express this to others without making Christianity a set of rules and obligations?