Hey, Jude
Stop for a moment and brainstorm words which might describe our culture these days.
Now, do the same for the state of the church in our times.
If you are like me, most of these two lists lean toward the negative. It seems logical to assume that these problems are worse now than ever before, and that the challenges we face loom larger than in past times. But just a cursory reading of scripture and understanding of history belies that idea. Take the tiny book of Jude, for example. Tucked just north of Revelation, Jude hides well and is rarely read.
When I think of Jude, I get a picture of Danny and Marlo Thomas raising money for the St. Jude Children's Hospital, or a Beatles song. Most scholars believe Jude was one of several half-siblings of Jesus, known to millions as the Patron Saint of Lost Causes and Last Chances. It looks like he came to faith after the resurrection of Jesus, like his siblings, and lived a life of faith, dying, as tradition holds, somewhere in Armenia after bringing the gospel of Jesus there.
The book of Jude is a clarion call to recognize and move away from people who would do real harm to the church and individuals. Descriptions of these folks go like this:
v.4 they creep into church with an ungodly agenda
v.8 with fantasies of their own importance, they see themselves above any authority
v.10 using mocking words they put down what they don't understand and pump up themselves
v.12,13 they are all talk and no action, and at the same time pose real danger to unity in the congregation
v.16 while cursing their fate they continually try to manipulate people and God to get their own way
Plenty of strong words of warning, and sounds like some people I have come across. I have to think that Jude had specific folks in mind when writing this little letter, but without a specific audience mentioned, most feel this was meant to be an encyclical letter for a broad audience facing similar threats. Much of the short message is given to warning, but Jude finishes strong with reminders of how to stay the course in difficult times, which is perfect for us today. Listen to how he ends the letter.
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corruption.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of his glory blameless and with great joy - to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, now and forevermore! Amen.
Here live three admonitions for any group of believers and are to be applied both individually and as a group.
First, set your eyes upward.
This talks of process and progress while not yet here arriving. To continually "build up" and "keep" and "wait" paint a picture of a congregation and individuals who don't coast as though the race is won. We are to press on and continue to learn and grow in our personal and corporate knowing of God. Those who assume all is fine since they are in the faith and nothing bad can happen, set themselves up as prey for deceivers like he describes. The more we lean into our faith, the better off we will be.
What's it look like to “build ourselves up in our most holy faith”? Part of the answer lies in the verse: We are to be people who “pray with the Holy Spirit” as guide (which keeps us on track with God). A life of prayer in the Spirit looks less like something super-spiritual and more like living with God in all we do. Life becomes a prayer and prayer involves all of our life. Then he says to "keep yourself in God's love." There are times when I invite God out of the room so I can carry on with my plans, my desires. This challenge is to stop doing that, rather, inviting him into every part of my daily life as I wait for the mercy of Jesus to bring it all to a conclusion.
Then, extend your arms outward.
I love this verse for its honesty. No stained-glass Christianity here, as any of us can struggle, and in time we all will. Jude reminds us that we are in a team game, played individually. Instead of clucking our tongues when another falters, he calls us to "Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them."
Mercy is reaching out with careful care when faith wavers, sometimes with no answers at all but with presence that won't go away. However, when someone is rushing headlong toward ruin, the community must run in and snatch and save, knowing there will always be a cost. When he says, "to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corruption", the idea is that we must tread carefully since we are just as vulnerable as any other. We are to see the danger of the trap our friend is in and not to even toy with it. Sin wounds and kills, so we must never treat lightly what God says is out of bounds.
The powerful backdrop of this verse paints a scene where a community of Jesus followers keep track of one another, show kindness to each one, mercy when punishment might otherwise come, and courage to rescue the one who has flat failed. That's church done right. This is a congregation who does more than show up on Sunday mornings. It is more and more a group that looks and acts like Jesus.
Finally, settle your heart inwardly.
Jude ends his letter with a doxology, a hymn of praise.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of his glory blameless and with great joy - to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, now and forevermore! Amen.
These phrases wrap around true hearts that trust in the triune God: A good good Father, a Son who laid down his life for his people (all people!), and a Spirit who indwells and counsels and nudges believers forward. Think, again, of the two great truths this hymn declares: God is able to keep you from stumbling, and when you do he has again and again made you worthy, because of Jesus' righteousness, to stand before him as though you did no wrong, ever. That breeds true joy and a desire to move closer to him and his ways.
So, the last line rings true. For all he has done for you and me and for all of creation...to him be GLORY and MAJESTY and AUTHORITY today and for all the todays to come, forever. The Amen at the end stands as the call for common agreement. All God's people say, "I agree!"
This Advent, let's raise voices in praise for God's greatest gift, commit ourselves to set our eyes on Jesus, and find ways to be a gift to others all around us in need of just what we have to offer. Let's go!
Music for the week:
and a couple of lame jokes...
Two beefy men came to my house to install some new floor covering in the kitchen. Once they had moved the stove and refrigerator out of the way, it was not long before the job was done.
As they were getting ready to leave, I asked them to put the heavy appliances back in place.
The two men demanded $45 for this service, stating it was not in their contract.
I really had no choice but to pay them.
As soon as they left, however, the doorbell rang. It was the two men. They asked me to move my car, which was blocking their van.
I told them my fee was $45.
__________
Hospital regulations require a wheelchair for patients being discharged.
A student nurse found one elderly gentleman--already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet--who insisted he didn't need any help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let the nurse wheel him to the elevator.
On the way down she asked him if his wife was meeting him.
"I don't know," he said. "She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown."