Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday June 23RD 2024, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

This morning I awoke in Homestead Florida for the 2ND Sunday this month. I was previously here 3 Sundays ago. I return home to Sebring Florida right after church service and lunch today. Starting tomorrow night I’ll be involved in #VBS – Vacation Bible School – at my church. I’ll be in skits and other fun stuff for 5 nights. Our audience will be 4-to-11-year-olds. Our theme will be “Shipwrecked – Rescued By Jesus”. I’m looking forward to it. I’ve never been involved in VBS in my 17½ years as part of a church family.

Since the start of April and for the next couple of months – I’m presenting the full transcription of my recent Jude message series consisting of two sermons – “Jude & Judgment” (Verses 1-11), and “Jude & Jury” (Verses 12-25). I preached them to my Homestead Florida church family on November 26TH 2023 and December 03RD 2023 respectively. Links are provided for Parts 1 to 8 of “Jude & Judgment” over on my SERMONS page. (It’s Sermon 56.) Here’s Part 3 of “Jude & Jury”:

[CONTINUE SERMON]

2ND Corinthians (4:4):
Satan – who is the god of this world – has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ – who is the exact likeness of God.

Beware of false teachers all around you. Always check and confirm with God’s Word. If it doesn’t sound right to you – then it’s probably not right. That applies to the secular world around us. There are a lot of con artists out there that are waiting to scam you out of money and personal belongings and even your entire home. And YES – a lot of these con artists lurk online from foreign countries. But you know – we have homegrown con artists walking amongst us right here in Homestead and Miami-Dade County. Beware of them. They are up to no good.

And we have con artists who have – as Jude writes – wormed their way into your churches. Beware of them. They are up to no good. As I preached last week – the enemy – he even works on Sunday mornings. Sunday is the devil’s busiest day.

Jude writes about these false teachers. As I read this – close your eyes and picture the vivid imagery in your mind:

When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love – they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. They are like wild waves of the sea – churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars – doomed forever to blackest darkness. (Jude 12-13)

You know one of my favorite times of the week – aside from here in God’s house on Sunday mornings – is our fellowship meal after the service at one of our local restaurants. YES – the food is usually great. And I usually eat all of it. (No leftovers for me.) And the service from the wait staff is usually – good to OK. (Sometimes it can be better.) But it’s the fellowship that is most important to me. And we usually end up talking (for a few minutes anyway) about the sermon that was just preached to us. And we also pray. And talk. And laugh. That’s fellowship.

Jude writes about fellowship meals. Those early Christians of the late-First Century – they commemorated the Lord’s love by celebrating the Lord’s Supper – or Holy Communion – as we refer to it today. We will observe and celebrate Communion this morning to remind ourselves of how great our God is.

But Jude is warning his readers that false teachers are amongst us. Beware, and be aware. Don’t fall for them. They are useless. They are dangerous. They wander aimlessly. God condemns them. They are doomed forever.

[TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK]

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord, and get closer to Him with each new day.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.