International Sunday School Lesson March 3, 2024 Spring Quarter #1
Background
- Matthew 13:55 ESV Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
- Many agree that both writers of Jude and James where half-brothers to the Lord Jesus.
Scoffers
Jude 1:17-19 ESV But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. (18) They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” (19) It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
- Notice that Jude makes a distinction between himself and the apostles.
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. (2) For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (3) heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, (4) treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, (5) having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
- 2 Peter 2:1-3 ESV But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2) And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. (3) And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Praying in the Spirit
Jude 1:20-21 ESV But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, (21) keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
- There are times that we do not know what to pray for and we need to let God direct our prayers.
- I believe that praying in tongues is the highest level of praying in the Holy Spirit. However, it is not the only way of praying in the Spirit — 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 ESV For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. (15) What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
- Romans 8:26-27 ESV Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (27) And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
- Ephesians 6:18 ESV praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Snatching Out of the Fire
Jude 1:22-23 ESV And have mercy on those who doubt; (23) save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
- 1 Timothy 4:16 ESV Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Doxology
Jude 1:24-25 ESV Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, (25) to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
- John 10:29 ESV My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
- Romans 8:31 ESV What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Concluding Thoughts
- Beware of false teachers.
- Pray and believe God.
Leave a Reply