Scripture Reading: Jude 20-25

Giving Up Everything for Nothing

Intro.

1. Why does a person “give up everything” to live a sinful, morally bankrupt life? What drives a person to do so?

2. The reasons are common to us all, and play over and over countless times a day. Perhaps it is the degree to which some go (abandoning everything for what amounts to nothing in return) that stuns us.

3. This should not perplex us. This is the nature of sin and its temptations:

a. Jas. 1:14-15: Each person is drawn away by own desires, enticed to fulfill them unlawfully, and acts on the enticement to fulfill desire.

b. 1 Jno. 2:15-17: Common vehicles of temptation: Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.

c. Rom. 1:24-32: Progressive degradation of sin.

4. We must grasp what is happening that leads people to spiritual and eternal ruin, try to save them, and protect ourselves, Jude 20-23.

I. THE TEMPTATION TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF NOTHING IS COMMON TO US ALL, 1 Cor. 10:13 (Rom. 3:23).

A. Therefore, Learn from the Examples of Others, 1 Cor. 10:1-3, 4-11.

B. Take Heed and Avoid Over-Confidence, 1 Cor. 10:12. (pride)

C. Pray the Lord’s Protection, Matt. 6:13; 26:41.

D. Make Godly Choices, Starting with the Heart (Col. 3:1-17).

II. ADAM AND EVE GAVE UP EDEN FOR A LIE, Gen. 3:1-7.

A. Tempted to Believe They Were Missing Out on Everything Life Has to Offer.

1. Eve by the serpent, and Adam by his wife.

2. Eve saw…took…ate…gave…he ate. Sin shares itself with others!

B. People Give Up Present Blessings to be Deceived by Sin’s Allure, 2 Pet. 2:18-19.

1. Give up homes, families, reputation for crime (theft, extortion, freeloading, etc.).

2. Give up their health for drugs, sex, etc.

III. ESAU GAVE UP HIS BIRTHRIGHT FOR MOMENTARY PHYSICAL SATISFACTION, Gen. 25:29-34; Heb. 12:14-17.

A. Pornography, Matt. 5:28 (Prov. 6:25).

B. Fornication, Heb. 13:4.

C. Gambling, Acts 20:33-35.

IV. THE PRODIGAL SON GAVE UP HIS DIGNITY FOR SELF-INDULGENCE, Luke 15:11-17.

A. Gave Up Safe, Secure and Sustainable Blessings of Home for Immediate Gratification.

1. Wasteful (riotous) conduct, Eph. 5:18 (revelry, Rom. 13:13).

2. Lack of moral restraint, 1 Pet. 4:3.

3. Language of world (unrestrained), Matt. 12:33-37; Jas. 3:8-10.

V. JUDAS GAVE UP HIS FAITH AND HIS APOSTLESHIP (SOUL) FOR MONEY, Matt. 26:14-16 (Zech. 11:12-13; The price of a gored slave, Exo. 21:32).

A. He Let the Devil into His Heart, Jno. 13:2, 21-27.

-Covetousness (love of money), Jno. 12:4-6; 1 Tim. 6:6-10

VI. COMMON THREAD IN SIN: FAILURE TO USE SELF-CONTROL.

-(Must deny ourselves the unlawful fulfillment of our desires)

A. Self-Control is Fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5:23; 2 Pet. 1:5-6.

1. Required to endure temptation, Jas. 1:12.

2. Required to stay faithful to the goal, 1 Cor. 9:25.

3. Required to value Christ and devalue self, Lk. 9:23.

4. Required to lay up treasure in heaven, Matt. 6:19-21.

5. Required to refuse enticements of flesh, eye, and pride, Job 31:1.

B. Imagine if They had Used Self-Control when Tempted:

1. Eve and Adam could remain in Eden with pure hearts and lives.

2. Esau would have inherited the blessing and the promise.

3. Prodigal would have avoided pain, loss, loneliness, and despair.

4. Judas would have been servant of Christ instead of the devil, etc.

5. Ourselves. What would our life look like? (Be careful! Lk. 18:9-14) What our life looks like and what it can look like, 1 Tim. 1:12-16; Phil. 3:12-14.

Conclusion

1. Sin is the embodiment of selfish lack of restraint (moral and doctrinal). It is lawless, unrighteous and neglectful, 1 Jno. 3:4; 5:17; Jas. 4:17.

2. The devil entices us to give up everything – for nothing at all!

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: October 17, 2018