Join me once again this morning
in the book of Jude, where we have been for a few weeks, and
we'll continue, Lord willing, for a little longer. We're going
to look this morning primarily at Jude verses 12 and 13. And the title of this, or that
we're going to term this today, Clouds Without Water. Clouds
Without Water. Remember earlier in the book
of Jude, the book is written to God's people, to them that
are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ
and called. That's who the Scriptures speak
to. That's who God is speaking through
the Scriptures to. It's warning to all men, there's
warning to all men, the benefit and the eternal good is to God's
people and God's sheep in the scriptures as Jude directs this
to them. And we've seen that there were
certain men that crept in, it says, unawares that ordained of old to be there,
that turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, and denying
the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." And we saw that
these people, it says, were crept in unawares, and that's a curious
turn of phrase that the Lord used in that. There were those
in their midst that were part of them. They were, as then we've
likened that and compared that to the 12 apostles that the Lord
himself had, and one of them was obviously Judas, and he was
of the 12, and he heard a lot of the same things. And he was
sent out as they were together. And I don't think that whoever
he was sent out with thought that they drew the short straw
because the bad guy's with them. I think they looked at each other
all as they saw and thought that they were all of the same mind.
And yet he was there. And we know that it says that
the Lord himself says, haven't I chosen you 12? And one is the
devil. And that for purpose, we know that that was for purpose
and not for, it wasn't just the luck of the draw, but Judas indeed
had a place in a part that he was going to play in God's purpose
and did carry that out. but that he wasn't the one wearing
the black hat with a bunch of white hats. He wasn't the ring
strait sheep with all the white sheep and stuff. I don't think
it was that apparent to the outwardly, to men at that time. And that
same picture of these that are in unawares in the church that
appear the same in a lot of ways, and yet then it goes and talks
about those that have that are in that position that they have
denied the Lord God, it says, and turned the grace into things
that it is not, the grace of God. And this is something that
has come about over time, but is evident there, and it says,
causing dissent and sowing dissent and contention in the church. and at some length it deals with
these things and talks, compares them as we saw that compared them
to Cain and Balaam and to Korah, those things that came from people
that were in the group of each one of those at the time and
the things that they did that Cain that Cain was of his own
righteousness and killed his brother because of that and jealousy
because of that. And Balaam that for reward was
gonna take a reward to curse God's people. And as it turns
out that he could not do that, but God did not allow that. And
then in Korah, those that were jealous of the position that Moses and Aaron had and
said, We can do that. We know as much as you do. Why
do you take on all this? And we see that what they were
doing was they were shaking their fist in God's face, not in Moses
and Aaron. And Moses and Aaron, if you would
have asked them if they wanted to take on that place to start
with, they would have said, probably no. And Moses said, who am I? I can't. I can't fulfill this
job you're looking for me to do. Moses was not looking to
build his own reputation up or his position in things. God put him in a place that God
required him to be, and Aaron too. And they didn't put themselves
in that position, God did. And so the complaint was against
God. And Jude likens these ones that
he says are in the church to those They're about other business. They're not about the furtherance
of the gospel or to the honor of our Lord and Savior. And it says, deny that. And it goes on clear down through
verse 19 that we're going to not look at today. We're just
going to look at a couple of thoughts. But it says, woe unto them that have
done these things. In verse 12 and 13 in Jude, It
says, These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they
feast with you, feeding themselves without fear, clouds they are
without water, carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth
without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves
of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars to
whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. some descriptions
there that are pretty descriptive in what they say, and we're not
going to piece by piece go into all those, but I would like to
read several passages that speak to these things. And these are
None of these things that are good, and as I titled this, clouds
without water, and we know what clouds are expected of, and clouds
are seen as a good thing. that brought water by them to
start with, first time it ever rained, also got judgment by
those clouds and fountains. But clouds are thought to have
rain in a good way to feed the crops and those type of things.
And he said, they are clouds without water. There's no benefit
to them. They're a vapor, a mist in that
way, or just a And Brother Hawker says they're clouds that come
up quickly as you see in summertime, you see clouds come up, but oftentimes
there's nothing to them. They're just big billy clouds
and they're empty. There are no promise of water
in them, but that's a picture that they have. And we've seen
that speaking about the trees, especially a fruit. The
Lord Himself speaks several places about trees, about vines and
branches of those things, and if they're not fruitful, the
end of those. And here these people are likened
to them. And He starts out in verse 12
about that there are spots in your feast of charity when they
feast with you, feeding themselves without fear. And it's a picture
of, and there's some commentaries that read more into it than I
can read into it or by depth of study or whatever, but it
likens them to a love feast when God's people meet together in
fellowship. And that can be around the gospel
itself, the word or the Lord, but they feed themselves only
looking to to promote themselves only looking for their own, likened
to a shepherd that feeds himself and not the sheep. And these
are not good descriptions that he has of these people that Jude
has in this spot here. But I'd like to look at a couple
of places. In 2 Peter 2, 2 Peter chapter 2. Let me get there.
And starting with starting with verse 9 of chapter
2 of 2 Peter. It said, The Lord knoweth how
to deliver the godly out of temptations, and how to reserve the unjust
unto the day of judgment to be punished. But chiefly them that
walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government,
presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak
evil of dignities, Whereas angels, which are greater in power and
might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
But these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed,
speak evil of the things that they understand not. and shall
utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward
of unrighteousness as they that count it pleasure to riot in
the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes,
sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast
with you." Similar, talking about the same ones, the false prophets
and the false teachers, but Second, and Peter here speaking along
the same lines of Jude, and speaking about those that are unprofitable
and what the end is of them. And down here in the end of this,
it says, verse 13, it says, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness
as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots
are they and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings
while they feast with you. and the picture of them being
in the midst and taking part of things with the body, but
not for the benefit of the body, but only for their own self and
to their own condemnation that they do these things. Turn to Isaiah chapter 57. Isaiah chapter 57, and I'm realizing
more and more as I go through the book of Jude here that it's
a good thing sometimes to go verse by verse or thereabouts because you can pick up and stop
from day to day. There's a lot of a lot of times that we run out
of time for the sake of time. Chapter 57 of Isaiah, and starting
with verse 19, reading the last little bit here, it says, I create
the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace to him that is far
off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord, and I will heal
him. But the wicked are like the troubled
sea when it cannot rest. whose waters cast up mire and
dirt. There is no peace, saith my God,
to the wicked." And on the converse that the only peace that God's
people have are in him and because of him. But here the same picture
of those that are causing descent in the midst
and stuff, and that it says in verse 19, I create the fruit
of the lips, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is
near, saith the Lord, and I will heal him. And that's the only
source of that, of true peace and a spiritual healing is only
in him. then where it says, the wicked
are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters
cast up mire and dirt. And Jude likened them to the
raging sea, those that were in the midst of them that were causing
descent and not for the good of the church or for themselves
even, that there's no rest. There's no rest and only that
rest that God alone can give. And there in Hebrews where it
speaks about Joshua, and it says Jesus, but where it says, and
Joshua couldn't give him that rest. But the Lord could give
him that rest and did give him that rest. And that is the only
answer to clouds without water or trees without fruit or raging
sea waves that are not at rest. And that's what those pictures
refer to. And then in 2 Corinthians, Turn
with me to the book of 2 Corinthians, if you will, please, for just
a little bit of a reading here. 2 Corinthians 10. He's paused here. he defends his position in his
ministry and his preaching of the gospel that he has been about. And starting with the first verse
and reading down a ways, It says, Now I, Paul, myself,
beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in
presence am base among you, being absent and bold toward you. But
I beseech you that I may not be bold while I am present with
that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some which
think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk
in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of
our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling
down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high
thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God. and bringeth
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, and
having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience
is fulfilled. Do ye look on things after the
outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that
he is Christ, let him let him of himself think this again,
that as he is Christ, even so are we Christ. For though I should
boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us
for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not
be ashamed, that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by
letters. For his letters say they are
weighty and powerful, but his body presence is weak. but is
speech contemptible. Let such one think this, that
such as we are in the word by letters when we are absent, such
we will be also indeed when we are in presence." And stop for
a second there. He's speaking that boldness to
speak and that which God has given them by letter and stuff.
And he says, when we're present with you, this isn't just a a
letter to write, this is where we stand and what we are by nature
and by what God has done for us. Verse 12, it says, For we
dare not make of ourselves the number, or compare ourselves
with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves
by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves,
are not wise. And that's what those that are
in the, that Jude is speaking about, they're measuring themselves
by themselves. They're not measuring themselves
by what the gospel says or what our Lord says or what God says
about who we are by nature and what we are by God's power and
doing by the Spirit. But it says they're not wise. And that's a pretty mild statement,
I think. And by nature, that's all that
those and we can do by nature is measure ourselves by ourselves
or by others. We can't measure ourself according
to what God says, unless the Spirit reveals that to us. And
it says there in that passage in Ezekiel, it says that, I'll
put a new heart in you and put life in you, then you'll realize
you'll loathe what you are by nature. Before that, you're not
thinking you're too bad. Those fellows that, the ones
that Jude's talking about, they thought they were really something.
But there in Ezekiel where it says,
then your eyes will be open to what you are by nature and what
I am only when I reveal that to you. And then you'll loathe
that nature that the nature of Adam, that's the only time you
can be in that spot. And then just a couple more verses,
it says, But we will not boast of things without our measure,
but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed
to us, a measure to reach even to you. For we stretch not ourselves
beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you, for
we are come as far as to you. also in preaching the gospel
of Christ, not boasting of things without our measure, that is,
of other men's labors, but having hope, when your faith is increased,
that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast
in another man's line of things made ready to our hand, but he
that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. for not he that
commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commended."
And that's speaking about those that
commend themselves, but it's speaking to us, to who God, or
to who Jude is writing the book to. Those that are set aside by God, that are kept
in the Lord and called by the Spirit, that these be not in
us, and that we are not commending ourselves. That'd be one of these
verses that a person could put up on the wall somewhere. Not
he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
And we know of one whom the Lord has commended. And that is our
Lord and Savior himself is the only one that's been commended
of God and has a standing. And the way that we can have
a standing is because of that. And he is the one, he's the one
that is the days man. He's the only one that could
do the job for God's people. and he is the one that the Lord
commendeth in us in him. In Ezekiel chapter 34, Ezekiel chapter 34. And Ezekiel
is, there's so much of the gospel in Ezekiel. And as we've seen
all of scripture, even those books that we thought were maybe
dry ground that we've seen so much in. But Ezekiel chapter 34, and I'd like to start
reading with verse 11 and down a bit. It said, For thus saith
the Lord God, Behold I, even I will both search my sheep and
seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his
flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered,
so will I seek out my sheep and will deliver them out of all
places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. and
I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from
the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed
them upon the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the
inhabitant places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture,
and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be. There
shall they lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture, shall they
feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will
cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God." And here, Salvation
is of our as of our Lord as as we know that and and that he
constantly needs to show us that and to put that in us that salvation
is of the Lord and that He's the one that brings them
out. This passage has been abused and misused over the years for
national purposes for some, into the land and those things, and
missed the weight in the true matter of that. The Lord is Himself,
puts His people in that good pasture. See Psalm 23, that the
Lord is the one that brings us out, that protects us and puts
us in that good pasture. It's not of ourselves. And this,
I believe in Jude here, isn't to just show those that are bad
in the group or maybe amongst us, wherever that is, but that
we're not looking to point and put ourselves as Paul says, we're
not gonna put ourselves above measure of what we are, above
our stature and our measure and where God has placed us and how
he has placed us. But it's a warning to God's people
that we are kept in the Lord Jesus Christ, but as it says,
that grace is not turned into a license to not be in God's
grace, or to think otherwise of it, or think more highly of
ourselves. And I think it can be, and it
has, you know, we do that by nature. We can look at those
that we think are maybe not quite up to standard in and judge those things and not
ourselves. And Jude is speaking of those as 2 Peter and as Isaiah
and as all of God's prophets spoken, there are sheep and there
are goats and there are mixed crowd, and we can't tell them. Sometimes they become more apparent,
as as Jude is talking about, they become apparent, but we
need to not, as Paul says, to not think more highly of ourselves
than we ought to think, and remember by God's grace we are where we
are, and we are who we are, and not otherwise, and to He's about His business, and
He alone can take care of His sheep. And as that, either in
Ezekiel or in Psalm 23, He feeds them and causes them to rest
in Him. And we have to keep that in mind. We have to be reminded
of that. We hear in these verses, but
the whole passage, the book of Jude, he describes further, he
describes those who are among them causing discord and not
in support of the church, but in their own boasting. And that
I think is a sign that we need to not only see in somebody else
if there's a shortcoming that way, but ourselves, that we should
be actively about supporting of the church in any
of the preaching of the gospel, the edification of the brethren
and however that comes about. We should be about those things
and not just and not just being, but actively that God, we pray
that God actively causes us to be edifying to the body. And I think that's, those are
heart check things that only the scripture and the spirit
and between us and, And the Lord that makes us aware of those
things that we need to do. In Colossians, turn to the book
of Colossians, if you would, for just a little bit here, actually
for quite a little bit, but in Colossians, the first chapter,
and I think these address the same things as Jude, but more
address them to God's people and not as a contrast of you're
the good and here's the bad, but here's what, the good should
be like, what the good is, what God does in His people and God
must do in His people. And starting with the first verse
of Colossians chapter 1, it says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ
by the will of God and Timotheus, our brother, to the saints and
faithful brethren in Christ, which are at Colossae, grace
be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. We give thanks to God and the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since
we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which he
hath to all the saints. For the hope which is laid up
for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the
truth of the gospel, which is come unto you as it is unto all
the world, and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you,
since the day ye heard of it and knew the grace of God in
truth. And up here where it talks about praying always for you, since
we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you
have to all the saints. And I think that's gonna be,
that's a requirement that God places in his people to have
a love for the saints, to be, to be one. You're joined as one
in the Lord, and that's the common element, is that the Lord has
put life in His people. And then I would like to look
at, starting at verse 9, it says, for this cause we also, since
the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire
that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in
all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that ye might that ye might walk worthy of
the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthened with all might
according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering
with joyfulness. Giving thanks unto the Father
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son. in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness
of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of every creature. For by Him were all things created
that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before
all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of
the body, the church. who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence."
And stopping for a second there, but speaking to and recalling
that He is the one that has delivered us from the power of darkness,
by His power and by His might, and into the kingdom of His Son."
And this is-Colossians is speaking to the believers as Jude is.
It's not speaking to those that are the unbelievers in trying to
convince him into something. This is speaking to God's people
that this is what we pray that God does and sees in us, and
that it becomes part and parcel of who we are. In verse 19, it
says, For it pleased the Father that
in him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through
the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
himself. By him I say, whether they be
things in earth or in heaven, and you that were sometime alienated,
and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. in the body of his flesh through
death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable
in his sight. If you continue in the faith
grounded and settled and not be moved away from the hope of
the gospel, which ye have heard and which was preached to every
creature which is under heaven, I, Paul, am made a minister."
And speaking of those, recalling again those things that we have,
the things that we that we possess in Christ, and that we have that
peace we spoke about, that it says here, made peace with the
blood of His cross. That's the only peace that we
can know and can have, and that He has reconciled all things
to Himself. And those things are He's the church. They've been
reconciled. We've been reconciled to God,
and only by Him can that be done. And those that Jude is speaking
about, they have not been reconciled to God, or that the outcome would
be different, that the Spirit would be different. As Joshua
and Caleb, when they land, they came back and they said, God
has given us this land. We're ready to go." And the others
said that all they saw was the terrible things that they saw
from this. And it says that he had another spirit with him,
and that was God's spirit, the faith that he had given to him,
that God says, we have it, we have it. And the others did not
possess that. They did not they were not shown
that. They were not given that same
faith that what God says God is able to do. And Joshua and
Caleb had that, and they didn't. In Colossians chapter 2, they appear to be different different
passages or different... speaking about different things, but they
bear upon what Jude has to say and what Jude is saying to us.
In chapter 2 starting at verse 8, and this is a... This is another one of those
cornerstone places that we hang on to. It says, Beware lest any
man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition
of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you
are complete in him which is the head, of all principality
and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision
made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead. And you
being dead in your sins and uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of
them openly, triumphing over them. And here, again, the position
we have, Him that has put us in Christ, the fullness of the
God had dwelt in Him bodily, and that's something that is
just mind-boggling. We can't We can't understand
how that, it didn't just mean that he was God and he was among
us, people will say that, but it said the fullness of God dwelt
in him bodily, and that would be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
in him, and that is hard to comprehend, but that's the one that we stand
in, and blotting out, it says, those ordinances that stood against
us. and nailing them to His cross. And then in 2 Peter, the first
chapter. Let's go to 2 Peter. Let's see. Speaking about, well, let's start
up here in first verse. It says, Simon Peter,
first verse, chapter one of second Peter, a servant and apostle
of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith
with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied
unto you through the knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus
Christ. According as his divine power
hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to his glory
and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust, and beside this giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue, to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance,
and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to
godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity.
For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that
you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things
is blind, he cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that
he was purged from his old sins. Whereby the rather, brethren,
verse 10, give diligence to make your calling and election sure,
for if these ye do these things, ye shall never fail. For so an
entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Wherefore,
I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of
these things, though ye know them, and be established in the
present truth." And here again, as Jude in the beginning reminds
them how they stand before God, and that their whole dealing
and redemption is of him from start beginning, from before
the beginning to the end, that it's all of God. And here, Peter's
saying the same thing of these things. And he said, let me remind
you of these things. You know these things, but keep
these in mind that this is where you come from. And then in John
15, in John chapter 15. as we kind of wrap up some thoughts
for just for today, but John chapter 15, the Lord himself
speaking to us about these things and addressing these things.
It says, I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away, and
every branch that beareth fruit, he purchased it, that it may
bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the
word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you, as
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in
the vine. No more can ye, except ye abide
in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I
in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye
can do nothing. And it says, if a man abide not
in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered. and men gather
them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. But here
particularly, I abide in me, and I in you, as the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine. No more
can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I
in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me you
can do nothing." And I think this bears directly on what he's
saying there, and it bears directly if these others that Jude is
speaking about that crept in under wares that are changing
the grace of God into not that and denying the Lord, Here, God's
people, this is where we stand in. We stand in Him, and that
He is the vine, we are the branches, and we look to Him, and only
Him can do this, and that He is the one that causes us to
abide in Him, and keep that in mind. And then, as we have been
doing, turn to the book of Jude one last time. In light of this, verses 24 and
25 in Jude. Now to him that's able to keep
you from falling and present you faultless before the presence
of his glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God, our Savior,
be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. And to him that is able to keep
you from calling and present you faultless. And that's Where
we stand, that's where we look. And thank God for his grace and
mercy to us. We're going to close for now.
Thank you for your attention. And we will pick this up at a
later date.