The Call to Discernment
November 26, 2023
Jude 1:16-19
16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
Read Jude 1:16
1. It is clear that Jude is not fond of these false teachers! It’s easy to read this and simply condemn them. It’s more difficult to look inward and ask what God might be identifying in us. When you grumble, what do you tend to grumble about? How does grumbling affect you? How does it affect those around you? From a biblical standpoint, what is the antidote to grumbling?
2. Which comes more naturally to you: finding fault in others or finding fault in yourself? Give some examples. Either way, what do you think is problematic about a mindset that needs to assign blame and find fault? From a biblical standpoint, what is the antidote to this mindset?
3. Which of your own evil desires are you most prone to follow? Be honest and risk some vulnerability here. What are some ways you are able to reject and turn away from your evil desires?
4. From a biblical perspective, what is the antidote to selfish boasting? See if you can find some Bible passages about this antidote to share with your group.
Read Jude 1:17-19
5. Try to figure out which of the apostles Jude is quoting. Find the passage you think he is quoting and discuss that passage as a group.
6. What are three ways Jude describes and characterizes these false teachers in verse 19?
7. How would you paraphrase ‘who follow mere natural instincts’ in today’s language. From a Christian perspective, what is problematic about following mere natural instincts?