CONTEND (1) – DRIFTERS & CONTENDERS

CONTEND (1) – DRIFTERS & CONTENDERS

Pastor Blake Hanson 03.01.2026 

If you’re not for your faith, you’re from your faith. 

Jude 3–4 (NIV)

3Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 

4For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

: exert effort in defense of something, to fight for something valuable, to struggle intensely for something. 

DRIFTERS… 

1.  TAKE GOD’S FOR GRANTED

Jude 5 (NLT)

5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful.

2.  REJECT GOD’S  

Jude 6 (NLT)

6And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.

2 Peter 2:10 (NIV)

10This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;

3. FOLLOW  

Jude 7 (NLT)

7And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.

James 1:14–15 (NIV)

14but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 

15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

CONTENDERS… 

1. GIVE TO GOD 

Jude 8–9 (NLT)

8 In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. 

9But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.)

2 Timothy 2:14 (NIV)

14Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

2.  THINK BEYOND

Jude 10–11 (NLT)

10But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 

11What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

Three Examples of Instincts to Think Beyond: 

1.   – comparison (Gen 4)

2. – personal gain (Num 22-24)

3.   – order  (Num 16) 

3.  GUARD WHO SITS AT THEIR

Jude 12–16 (NLT)

12When 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. 

13They 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. 

14Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones 

15to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 

16These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.

NOTES

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