22nd January 2026

22nd January 2026


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Jude 1v5-7) 


Message (Scott Woodburn) 


As Jude contended for the faith against the false teachers who were always seeking “new” things, he took us on a journey through the Old Testament showing us that even in the thirty-nine books of the Old, Christ was active against all kinds of wickedness. Perhaps you find that statement jarring...Christ active against wickedness in the Old Testament? Really? Well, yes, really.


This wasn't new to Jude's hearers. Christ's little brother made it clear that his fellow Christians had already heard this teaching. “I want to remind you” said Jude (v5a). Whatever it was that Jude was about to say, had already been said and now a gentle reminder was necessary.


Isn’t this still a sobering reality for each church? Truth is preached and studied and proclaimed and yet for a multitude of reasons it doesn’t seem to stick. The average new minister will sometimes be told "thank you for your teaching...we have never heard this before!" Now, it is true that some churches have not had truth preached in their fellowship in generations. Even so, other places have had long term faithful ministries and yet for some reason, the truth taught over twenty or thirty years doesn't seem to have stuck.


I don't blame ministers for this nor do I blame congregations. The problem is our own human frailty. We are limited creatures who lack the capacity to retain everything we are taught. Consider your time at school - back in those days you may have had a good grasp of algebra, your understanding of photosynthesis was excellent and you were close to the top of your class when it came to french vocabulary. Now? You haven't used algebra since school, you haven't thought about photosynthesis in years and when you camped in France back in 2006 all you managed to say was George Griffiths' favourite word "bonjour."


The human mind is like a leaky bucket which can be filled to the brim but inevitably begins to spill water everywhere. If this is true and I think it is, then we must be prepared to work hard at retaining precious truth. Brothers and sisters, sitting in church isn't the same as going to the cinema. In one you sit to switch off and be entertained, the other is the body of Christ. Prepare yourself before coming to church, pray that the Lord would help you to listen well and come with expectation that you will hear from the Lord. If something is said which encourages you then write it down. If a verse makes your heart sing then try to memorise it. If you don't understand what was said then speak to your pastor.


Truth can sometimes disappear like snow off a ditch. Knowing this, do all you can to immerse yourself in the Word of God. The truth of the Gospel is always worth remembering.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment? The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor’s good name.