The Road of Rebellion [Scott Lehr]

·56 min·5 clips

Why did Diane Shuler drive 80 mph the wrong way for two miles, leading to a fatal crash that killed eight people?

This sermon by Pastor Scott Lehr of Southbridge Fellowship is the third installment in a series on the New Testament book of Jude, focusing on the theme of contending for the faith. Pastor Lehr uses the story of a 2009 wrong-way highway crash involving Diane Shuler to illustrate how people can end up on a dangerous path without realizing it. He connects this to Jude's warning about false teachers who have subtly infiltrated the church, perverting grace and denying Jesus through their lifestyles. The sermon examines Jude verses 11-13, which contain nine illustrations of rebellion, starting with three Old Testament figures: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. Lehr explains that Cain's "way" began with anger toward God over a rejected offering, Balaam's error was rooted in greed and manipulation, and Korah's rebellion was an assertion of autonomy against God-appointed leadership. The pastor references specific biblical passages, including Genesis 4, Numbers 16 and 22-25, and Revelation 2:14, to unpack these examples. He also cites 2 Timothy 3:1-5 to describe the character of people in the "last days," noting these traits seem contemporary. A key insight is that contending for the faith is not a battle against people but against spiritual deception, analogous to a firefighter battling a fire to rescue those inside. Lehr emphasizes that rebellion often starts with subtle drift, illustrated by a story of a staff member, Gary, who had a minor stroke that went unnoticed. The "woe" pronounced in Jude is framed not as a final curse but as a compassionate warning, like a doctor telling a patient their current path leads to death. The sermon argues that false teachers are often "over-churched and under-Jesused," knowing religious language but lacking true spiritual power. The tone is conversational, instructional, and heavily illustrative, blending personal anecdotes, current events, and detailed biblical exegesis. Pastor Lehr employs humor and direct audience engagement to make theological concepts accessible and relevant to everyday life. Listeners interested in a deep, verse-by-verse Bible study with practical application for spiritual vigilance would appreciate this episode. Those seeking a purely theological lecture or who are uncomfortable with evangelical Christian teachings might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

A plainspoken warning that treats a wrong turn as the start of rebellion.

Southbridge Fellowship keeps the focus on Jude and turns a wrong turn into a warning about rebellion. The sermon starts with ordinary GPS panic, then moves through Cain and anger before landing on Jude's woe language and the unsettling idea that judgment can already be closing…

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Why you'd press play

If you want a blunt map for how rebellion starts, this sermon walks the first mile.

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