Community Group Discussion Guide
Week of November 12-18, 2023
Steadfast In Faith
A Faith Worth Fighting For
Jude 1:1-13

ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Project Greatest Gift - Sign up in the foyer.
2. Women's Christmas Craft event - Tickets on sale now in the foyer.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU
What do you find to be the most important habit(s) or practice(s) to maintain your faith?

QUICK REVIEW
Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time, caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?

MAIN POINT
Steadfast faith in the true gospel leads to a fruitful life and eternal hope.

DIGGING DEEPER
Steadfast faith…
1) Read Jude 1:1-2. The writer of this letter begins, as was the practice of the day, by identifying who he was, who he is writing to and then greeting the recipients.
a) How does Jude identify himself? What does this say about the person and character of Jude? Read Matthew 13:55. How does this passage support Jude’s claim as to who he was?
b) To whom is Jude writing to? What does it mean to be “kept for Jesus Christ”?
c) In greeting the recipients of the letter, how does Jude encourage them? What would cause Jude to believe they would experience these gifts?
…in the true gospel…
2) Read Jude 1:3-4. Jude continues in these verses by giving his reasons for writing the letter.
a) It appears that Jude had intended to write a different letter but changed his mind. What does he say he is now writing about? Why do you believe he
found this to be necessary?
b) In verse 4 he describes “certain people” and their behavior. Read 2 Peter 2:1-3. Does it seem as if the two writers are speaking of the same situation? Why or why not?
c) Jude says that these “certain people have crept in”. What do you believe he means? Is it possible for people such as this to enter into the church today in the same way?
d) How do people “pervert the grace of our God into sensuality”? Have you ever experienced a person who attempts to do this? Explain. Read Romans 5:20-6:2. How does Paul address this situation in these verses?
e) When Jude urges the readers of the letter to “contend for the faith”, explain what he is calling them to do? In what ways do we also need to “contend for the faith”?
…leads to a fruitful life and eternal hope.
3) Read Jude 1:5-16. In verses 5-7, Jude reminds the readers of three instances where people disobeyed God, and how God judged them. Describe each one and the punishment they received.
a) In verses 8-11, Jude now compares the people he spoke of in verse 4 as being disobedient in the same way as those in verse 5-7. In verse 8 he speaks specifically of their sins. What are the three things he describes? Do we see examples of these things in the modern church? In what ways?
b) In verse 12-13, Jude uses very descriptive word pictures to describe how dangerous and useless their teaching and way of life is. Discuss the examples he gives and how they pertain to these people.
c) In verse 16, Jude summarizes the behavior of these people. What can we do to assure we do not become like the people Jude describes here?
d) We know that the behavior of the people Jude describes will lead to destruction. What compels us to behave differently? Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NKJV). If we believe this, how can it lead to a fruitful life and eternal hope? Application: As you read through Jude 1:1-16, determine if you have allowed any disobedience to God to creep into your life. Pray for God to help you identify and eliminate the things from your life that separate you from Him.

TAKING IT HOME
Looking back at this week’s study, what is important for you to remember and why?

PRAISE & PRAYER REQUESTS