Hey, Jude
Have you read the little letter from Jude lately?
Jude is one of those often overlooked books in the Book, slid in between John’s three letters and Revelation. Hidden in the back, almost as an afterthought, Jude can be easily skipped, but is a letter that holds good stuff for any believer today.
Jude identifies himself as the brother of James, who was the half brother of Jesus. That logically makes Jude Jesus’ brother as well, but there are plenty of folks who kick authorship around the theological yard. I don’t care much, but the simplest explanation lies in the family connection.
The letter was written as an encyclical note to be passed around to established churches and probably dates to somewhere between 70 and 80CE. The feeling is fast-paced and strong in its appeal to contend for the faith against all kinds of false teachers. The letter reads as though believers were fending off many unscrupulous and self-serving preacher/leaders.
It’s worth your attention since we, like they, have so many voices that sound good but are, as Jude describes, “shameless shepherds who care only for themselves”, “clouds without rain”, and “hidden reefs in your fellowship meals that can shipwreck you”, also “autumn trees without fruit”. All hat, no cattle.
Today, hardly a week goes by without another preacher scandal of some sort. Jude’s calling out bad actors of his time resonates in ours, as well.
After Jude’s strong condemnation and even stronger challenge to true faith, he turns gentle and pastoral toward the end.
But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.
Let’s see how Jude bridges over to us. You and I have chosen to follow Jesus. Our commitment is at the heart level. We want to live a life of faith in the freedom Christ gives, and do that in community. But what does that look like? Jude pulls back the curtain a bit on a faith-life lived together. He calls on all of us to build up each other in your most holy faith, and then goes on laying out three examples of how that looks.
First is a recognition that any faith-life is hard and can cause the best among us to waver. When prayers seem to bounce off a tin ceiling, or as circumstances never seem to fall in one’s favor, and as prospects continue to evaporate, wavering in faith is normal not sinful. Often the Jesus crowd will pile on with pious accusations and plenty of religious platitudes but do little to lift up the waverer. The old line that the church masters in shooting their wounded applies here.
However, Jude says to show mercy. That calls for listening to understand, standing with and walking alongside while resisting the temptation to lecture. When I waver, I need a friend, sometimes with a reminder, often just to be with. All this without a timeline to demand un-wavering living right now…or even very soon. Mercy holds back words of judgment and makes room for questions. It gives space to breathe and resists feeling anxious with slow progress, because at its heart, mercy is kind.
Second, Jude enlists us all to be first responders to believers who have drifted into dangerous territory, whether in behavior or ideas. The text can’t be misunderstood. If someone finds themselves in the flames, we are called to action, not to committee.
Snatching creates a picture of a bystander/rescuer entering the burning building, wading into the swollen river, running to the overturned car. The danger is real. The stakes are high. And you are the rescuer when God places in your path a friend who has wandered off the way they really want to go. Rescue translates “sozo” which usually means “to save.” Interesting word choice, but it captures the urgency of the moment.
First, show mercy. Second, when a hero is needed, step up, knowing it will get messy.
And third, found in the last line of the passage, hold to the truth that will truly rescue the wavering. Love will propel the merciful rescuer, but that which caused the wavering, if it is sinful, must be called out and resisted. The cancer eating at the vitality of the friend must be cut out, and you are just as vulnerable as they. So, a life that is lovingly different calls the wavering friend home, while watching yourself so as not to tumble in the same direction since none of us are immune to stumbling.
The little letter from Jude delivers. He challenges us to contend for true faith, to resist being swayed by preachers who sound good but have no Jesus-deeds to back up claims, and then to go after and uplift the wavering. Life can be hard and discerning the right path is sometimes confusing, but Jude calls believers in any generation to walk together in the Jesus way and truth so we can enjoy the Jesus life.
Trust me, you want this to become the norm in your church, because someday it might be you looking for mercy, desperately needing rescue and having our dirt washed off and down the drain. We are in this together…let’s act like it.
The recent newsletter from the Family Kitchen included a quote from Leo Buscaglia that lines up with some of Jude’s thoughts.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
The brief letter from Jude ends with a doxology that reaches to heaven. Read it, then read it out loud. Do it once more and let the words lift your heart.
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, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
God is for you. He understands when you waver, and Jesus does not condemn, but invites you to stand in his presence, blameless and welcomed, now and forever.
Thanks, Jude, for a great reminder that resonates today as much as then.
Music? Sure
Funnies? Sure, you betcha
The new pastor at a country church had some exciting ideas for the future. At the elders meeting he presented his vision with great energy and passion.
The senior elder then called for a vote. All 12 elders voted "NAY"; only the pastor voted "AYE."
The pastor was crestfallen, but just at that moment the clouds darkened, thunder rolled, and a streak of lightning burst through the window and struck the table at which they were sitting, throwing the pastor and all the elders to the ground.
As they all got up and dusted themselves off the senior elder said, "Well, that's twelve votes to two then."
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A young family moved into a house next door to a vacant lot. One day a construction crew turned up to start building a house on the empty lot. The young family's 4-year-old daughter naturally took an interest in all the activity going on next door and started talking with the workers.
She hung around and eventually the construction crew more or less adopted her as a kind of project mascot. They chatted with her, let her sit with them while they had coffee and lunch breaks, and gave her little jobs to do here and there to make her feel important.
At the end of the first week they even presented her with a pay envelope with a twenty dollar bill in it. The little girl took this home to her mother, who said all the appropriate words of admiration and suggested that they take her first pay to the bank and open an account with it.
When they got to the bank the teller was equally impressed with the story and asked the little girl how she had come by her very own pay check at such a young age. The little girl proudly replied, "I've been working with a crew building a house all week."
"My goodness gracious," said the teller, "and will you be working on the house again next week too?"
"I will if those useless idiots at the lumber yard ever bring us the @#&% wood," replied the little girl.