Dr. Dan Reed was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1951. He was saved at the Woodland Avenue Baptist Church in 1973 while studying engineering at Auburn University. Sensing the call to preach in 1973 he enrolled at Tennessee Temple College under the ministry of Dr. Lee Roberson. Finishing his B.A. in December of 1975 he was called to Emden, Missouri , a town of 61, to pastor the Community Baptist Church. Pastor Reed has started two churches and two Christian schools during his 33-year ministry. He is currently the pastor of Harvest Baptist Church of Acworth, Georgia. (Learn more about Dr. Reed HERE)
Scripture Reading: Jude
Text: (Jude 1:22-23) “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (KJV)
Being “discerning” means we must take the time to listen to people to discern their needs and how we should deal with them. I do not mean now that the gospel ever changes, but the way we approach people, according to Scripture, is according to their own needs and background. Proverbs 18:13 “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it; it is folly and shame to him.” Proverbs 15:28 “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer…”
(2) Be pitiful -
Jude said, “Of some having compassion.” The word literally means “pity”. Some people just need some compassion. Psalm 26:5,6 “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth…” Do you see the emphasis on compassion in those verses? So what type of people need compassion?
(A) The ignorant need compassion for Hebrews 5:2 says, “Who can have compassion on the ignorant?” Some people have been duped, their minds are confused because the god of this world hath blinded their minds! You don’t jump on people who are ignorant! If a person knows the gospel and deliberately rejects it, he needs solemn rebuke; but not those who are ignorant of the truth!
(B) The fainthearted need compassion. In Matthew 9:37 “Jesus was moved with compassion on them because they were faint” which speaks of their faintheartedness. This speaks of people easily discouraged. Perhaps they have wanted to be saved but never fully understood and embraced Christ and are discouraged. We should be very tender and compassionate with these people.
(C) People who are bound by their sins like the Gadarene demoniac. Jesus told him to go home and tell his friends what the Lord had done for him and how he had compassion on him. Some people really do desire to be saved from their sins, they simply need someone to care long enough to help them come to the Savior!
(D) The bereaved need compassion. When the Lord came across the bier of the widow of Nain’s son, the Bible says, “He had compassion on her and said unto her…” I have led many people to Christ after a funeral. The person I bury may be lost, but if I have compassion on the family, I can likely win some! It is compassion that causes the soulwinner to stop and help someone in need, to go the extra mile, to keep going back. There is a man in our church who was led to Christ by a bus captain that kept going back and back, every Saturday. That is the compassion that makes the difference!
(3) Be pungent -
“others save with fear pulling them out of the fire” – “Others” means here is another case. These kind are to be saved with fear, they do not need compassion, they need to have the fear of God placed in them. The term “pulling them out of the fire” probably refers to the story of Lot and how the angels had to lay hold on them and literally pull them out of Sodom! Some people live so close to hell that it takes severe warnings and rebukes to touch them at all. Old Oliver Greene used to pray, “Lord, save that one nearest hell.” Who is this crowd?
(A) The religious self righteous crowd- Jesus had compassion on the multitudes and the publicans and sinners, but He had nothing but rebukes and fiery indignation to the Pharisees and scribes!
(B) Those caught up in cults and false doctrine who have turned from the way of truth but have not gone so far as to be given up. A stiff warning may help someone like that.
Look For Part 3…
Would You Consider Purchasing…
 |
Teach Me to Pray
By Andrew Murray / Bethany House Contemporary Christians know that God answers prayer and that praying is important, but most also wish their prayer life could be more effective. Murray instructs readers from Scripture and the life of Jesus that prayer is the root and strength of all work for God, that God intends to answer every prayer, and that prayer is meant to be a way of life. These thirty-one classic meditations, written in 1885, have been edited and clarified for new readers. 240 pages, softcover from Bethany. |
