HYPOCRITES IN THE CHURCH (JUDE 12-13)

1) “I quit attending services because of all the hypocrites

2) Those people talk about living one kind of life but they live another.”

3) IF WE ARE A CHRISTIAN WE HAVE SURELY HEARD SOMEONE SAY THAT THEY DO NOT ATTEND WORSHIP BECAUSE THEY KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS GUILTY OF HYPOCRISY. PERHAPS WE HAVE EVEN HEARD A NON-CHRISTIAN SAY THAT THEY HAVE LITTLE INTEREST IN SPIRITUAL THINGS BECAUSE OF HYPOCRITES IN THE CHURCH.

A) In the book of Jude we read about hypocrites.

B) These hypocrites could have qualified for an award. They were skilled at pretending.

C) From verses 12-13 several facts are revealed about these people:

a) These hypocrites attended services. They pretended to be part of the group.

b) Not only did these people attend services, they attended the love feasts.

c) We do not know much about first century love feasts.

d) It appears that after the Lord’s Supper Christians often ate together.

e) Sharing a common meal is sometimes found in the book of Acts (chapters 2, 20)

f) From what I can tell our potlucks are somewhat similar to the ancient love feasts

g) When Christians had these feasts, the hypocrites described by Jude came.

h) When the hypocrites assembled with Christians, they put on a good show.

i) Notice the word shepherd from verse 12.

j) The hypocrites pretended to care for the souls of others.

k) They gave the impression that they were spiritual leaders who wanted to help others

l) Jude says that these people only wanted to help themselves.

m) They wanted to be elders because they were selfish.

n) Being a shepherd (elder) was a way to get something.

o) These hypocrites were so bad they were like clouds without water, 12B.

p) Clouds are supposed to have water (moisture) in them.

q) Shepherds are supposed to water their flocks.

r) These hypocrites didn’t have any water to give; they were takers & not givers.

s) They were so bad Jude said that were like a twice dead tree12C

(1) How can a tree be dead twice?

(2) If a tree does not bear at the proper time (autumn) it’s dead. It’s gone.

(3) If this useless tree is taken out of the ground, it’s worthlessness is especially evident.

(4) Have we ever hammered a nail into a piece of wood?

(5) Though the nail may be flush with the wood we may give it a second whack.

(6) Why? Some say, “For good measure.” Or, “Now it won’t go anywhere.”

(7) The same idea is true concerning the twice dead tree.

(8) It was dead before, but pulling it out of the ground is irrefutable proof that it is dead

(9) These hypocrites were as useless as a twice dead tree.

D) Verse 13 continues to describe how hypocritical these people were.

E) The sea can rage back and forth. Yet, w/hits the beech is usually little more than foam.

F) This was like the life of the hypocrites.

a) They must have looked good and sounded good.

b) Everyone must have known who they were.

c) Members of the comm.. must have known that these H attended the Church of Christ

d) Maybe these were the ones that invited others to services.

e) Perhaps the coordinated the love feasts.

f) Whatever these people did they created the impression that they were wonderful.

g) Jude said that their claims and their lives were as good as a bunch of foam.

h) What these people produced was shameful, verse 13.

i) The final illustration of hypocrisy is also found in verse 13.

j) These hypocrites were like wandering (shooting) stars.

k) Like a star moving across the galaxy, and shining brightly for a short time,

l) So the false teachers looked good for a while.

m) However, As a shooting star cannot be depended upon by navigators,

n) So these people could not be depended upon by the church.

o) If their lives were truly examined, it would be determined that they produced bad fruit

p) These hypocrites could fool some but they could not fool God.

q) The imposers, Jude said, would be swallowed up in blackness.

r) Eternal punishment would come to these hypocrites.

4) WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HYPOCRITES DESCRIBED IN JUDE’S SMALL EPISTLE SEVERAL POINTS COME TO MIND.

A) One of the first things to mention is a distinction.

B) There is a difference between sheep and pigs.

C) Sheep may fall into a pit of muck but they are willing leave that pit.

D) On the other hand pigs like the mud and muck.

E) If pigs fall into a pit and they are removed, they are inclined to return to the filth.

F) Sometimes Christians are wrongly charged with hypocrisy.

a) A person who is a Christian may be trying to live as a Christian.

b) In trying to obey God this person slips; he sins and falls short.

c) . The Bible teaches that all Christians slip and sin.

d) Rom. 3:23 says, all have sinned (past tense) and fall short (present tense) of God’s g

e) No Christian is perfect. That includes me, you, and every other saved person in the

f) Some see a Christian fall short and shout hypocrite! This charge is inaccurate.

g) When a Christian sins the charge (the wrong) is sin and not hypocrisy.

h) No Christian (Rom. 3:23) lives a perfect life.

i) Several years ago I was in a Bible study with a member of the church.

j) This man is about as fine a person as I have ever known.

k) While in this study this brother said, “Just the other day I lost my temper and cursed.”

l) That statement stunned me. That was hard to believe. Surely this man would never

m) Rom. 3:23 says that all sin and that includes every single person who is account

n) Thus, it is not right to say that when someone sins they are a hypocrite.

o) A hypocrite is someone who is like a pig.

p) A hypocrite likes sin; such a person enjoys the ways of the world.

q) Those who are hypocrites pursue wrongdoing and transgressions.

r) Those who are like sheep will fall into a pit from time to time.

s) However, when these times come there is a desire to get out of the pit.

t) There is a longing to get back on the right road.

u) Far too many times the word hypocrite is inappropriately used.

v) Quite often the word hypocrite is applied to a faithful Christian.

w) Have we not heard someone say,

x) “That Christian wasn’t perfect; he/she did something wrong; they are a hypocrite.”

y) If this word is used it needs to be used properly.

5) SOMEONE MAY SAY, “ALL RIGHT I NOW KNOW WHAT A HYPOCRITE IS. MAYBE I HAVE MISAPPLIED THIS WORD TO CHRISTIANS AT TIMES IN THE PAST. EVEN IF I HAVE MISAPPLIED THIS WORD TO SOME CHRISTIANS WHO WERE MORE LIKE SHEEP THAN PIGS, THERE ARE SOME RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WHO SAY ONE THING BUT DO ANOTHER ON A REGULAR BASIS. THEY LIKE SIN AND THE WAYS OF THE WORLD. WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THIS?

A) I can say that Jude agrees. There are hypocrites in and out of the church.

B) I can also say that hypocrites come in two forms.

C) There are successful hypocrites and unsuccessful hypocrites.

D) An unsuccessful hypocrite is the person who claims to be a Christian…

E) But everyone knows that the claim is a lie.

F) An unsuccessful hypocrite is the one who fails to hide his sin.

G) This person may be out carousing on Saturday night and attend services on Sunday

H) Everyone knows that this person’s religion is a sham.

I) The successful hypocrite is illustrated in Jude. Successful H. are those who are good at

J) Successful hypocrites are the ones who actually fool others.

K) Bear in mind that when I speak of successful hypocrites I am not saying God is fooled

L) Neither am I saying that being a successful hypocrite is good or right.

a) The expression successful hypocrites simply describes those who deceive others.

b) They want to create a certain impression and they are successful in doing so.

c) No matter which type of hypocrite someone is, the end is the same.

d) Jude refers to the blackness of darkness that has been reserved forever.

e) The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament ) (Vol 2, p. 104) says that…

f) The word blackness means, “the darkest hell”.

g) Even if we cannot fathom the full meaning of what Jude meant, this much = clear

h) Being a hypocrite is the wrong choice.

i) If someone wants to wallow in the pools of sin and live an unrighteous life,

j) It is better to do that openly than to live as a hypocrite.

k) Living as a hypocrite will not help anyone when they stand before God.

M) In Mt. 13 Jesus gave a parable that relates to the end of time.

N) Jesus pictured the a field of wheat. A man sowed good seed in his field.

O) While the farmer slept an enemy slipped in and sowed some tares.

P) Some time passed before the tares appeared and it was impossible to remove them.

a) Removing the tears would have also removed the crop. The farmer let both grow till

Q) This puzzled the disciples so they asked a question. They wanted an explanation.

R) Jesus provided the key to this parable in vss 38-42.

a) The Lord hates hypocrisy.

S) Both successful and unsuccessful hypocrites will be condemned and punished.

T) Even though this is what the Bible says, many still choose to be a hypocrite.

a) This choice can be described as leading a double life.

b) The hypocrite pretends to be someone that he is not.

c) This choice is so bad that it makes the hypocrite equal to an unbeliever.

d) Think for a moment about a man who says, “There is no God.

e) “The Bible is nothing but a hoax; there is no afterlife; man is the supreme being in the

f) Such a person is in serious trouble.

g) The hypocrite is in exactly the same position when he stands before God.

h) We know this because of a parable.

i) In Lk. 12 Jesus described a servant who was watching over a household.

j) The owner of this household delayed his coming.

k) This delay caused the servant to make a bad choice.

l) He started to beat the other servants. He began to abuse people.

m) He began to drink and even became intoxicated.

n) When the master returned what happened? Verse 46 of Lk. 12 – READ.

o) This servant was put on the same level as an unbeliever.

p) In Mt. 24 this same parable is repeated, though the setting is different.

q) Jesus sometimes used a story (sermon) more than once.

r) When Jesus taught this story at the time recorded by Matthew here’s the ending –

s) Mt. 24:51 – READ.

t) If we join together Mt. 24 and Lk. 12 we may conclude that…

u) Unbelievers and hypocrites are basically equal in the eyes of God.

v) This is a strong condemnation of hypocrisy, but is what God says.

w) This is His view of the matter.

6) CONCLUSION:

7) Living in sin but pretending to be religious is worthless & it results in God’s wrath.

8) Masking deliberate & willful sin puts a person on the same level as an unbeliever

9) I hope that no one in this room is guilty of hypocrisy.

10) If anyone here is, whether you are successful at the act or not, God knows.

11) The Bible promises punishment for this way of life.

12) If as a Christian you are currently guilty of hypocrisy, right your relationship w/God.

13) If you are not a Christian and you want to right your relationship with God,

14) That is also possible. You may…