Here is what I preached this morning, 28th October, SS Simon and Jude's Day.
28 Oct SS Simon and Jude, Apostles, Martyrs
Although very little is known of Simon and Jude and what is written is
confused, they are generally considered to be brothers. According to some
accounts they were kinsmen of Our Lord (Mark 6:3), and others say that they
were among the shepherds to whom the angels appeared to declare the birth of
Christ (trad.). Are they perhaps "Simon the Canaanite" and "Lebbaeus
Thaddaeus" (Matthew 10:3-4)? They are thought to have preached together in
Syria and Mesopotamia travelling as far as Persia, where they were arrested
and slain, St Simon by being sawn asunder and St Jude killed with a halberd
(Saints and their Symbols, pp 171f).
There are four Judases "not Iscariot" (John 14:22) in the NT. Jude the brother
of our Lord and of James (Mark 6:3); Judas of Galilee (Acts 5:37); Judas of
Damascus (Acts 9:11); and Jude the servant of Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1). Ruling
out Judas of Galilee and Judas of Damascus, that leaves Jude the brother of
our Lord, the brother of James, the servant of Jesus Christ, the author of the
Epistle. That's our Jude: not "Jude the Obscure" at all!
O.T. : Isaiah 28:9-16
1. THE PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION 9-13
There are three principles of Education.
(1) repetition;
(2) repetition; and
(3) repetition.
a. Whom do we think we are teaching?
Isaiah was sent to teach those who should themselves have been teachers:
"Lord, here am I: send me" (6:8). They had become drunken with false doctrine
and philosophy and speculation (28:7-8); with spiritism and occultism (8:19).
b. What do we think we are teaching?
Isaiah was sent to teach them their ABC and their Tables all over again (10,
13). Repeat after me, children:
Qaw wa_qaw, qaw wa_qaw: Line by line: line by line
Tsaw wa_tsaw, tsaw wa_tsaw: Precept by precept: precept by precept
We'er sham, we'er sham: And here a little: and here a little
We'er sham, we'er sham: And here a little: and here a little.
They must return to the Law and Prophets, and relearn the simple Gospel of
grace. "If they speak not according to this law, it is because there is no
light in them" (8.20). If the light that is in them be darkness, "how great is
that darkness" (Matthew 6:23). Isaiah's prophecy of the Suffering Servant was
the clearest and simplest of all the Messianic prophecies; that was precisely
why they rejected it (53:1).
2. THE PURPOSES OF RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION 14-16
a. To Denounce the Refuge of Lies.
The New Age of Aquarius and its occult involvement seems to offer a more
attractive alternative to Christianity. Diana and Gaia instead of God the
Father and God the Son; lying spirits instead of God the Holy Spirit;
reincarnation instead of resurrection; pantheism instead of monotheism. They
depend on lies and deceit for their salvation.
b. To Announce the Refuge of Life.
Their stumbling-stone and rock of offence is in fact the one Foundation and
Cornerstone of true scriptural doctrine. Christ died for our sins, and rose
again for our justification. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great
salvation" (Hebrews 2:3).
Simon and Jude taught this "ABC" faithfully - and paid with their lives.
What will we do?
____________________________________________________________________________
In Christ,
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
