Daily Meditations on the Bible
…they follow their own evil desires…
Jude is almost done with his description of those who pollute and dilute the Body of Christ. It is as if Jude is looking into the face of Jesus himself, and in that face he sees the purity that Jesus wants for his church.
Let’s join Jude and imagine what the Body of Christ could be like.
Continue reading “Jude 1: 16b — The Face of Jesus”
These people are grumblers and faultfinders…
With deft strokes, Jude is painting a picture of what the ungodly look like. I find it interesting that he does not call out specific people he might be thinking of. Yet, I can also see a reason for this. From God’s perspective, Jude is not being asked to write to a specific church or even a specific age of the church. Instead, the Holy Spirit has commissioned him to write a description for all time.
Jude’s letter is a fitting penultimate chapter for God’s love letter to his people. From beginning to end, the entire Bible is about two things; Jesus Christ and the difference between what is godly and what is ungodly. Jude’s letter paints a picture of what to look for.
Continue reading “Jude 1: 16a — On Guard”
…shepherds who feed only themselves.
Many years ago a young man from a small town went to study at the university. Unsure of what to do with his life, he studied a wide variety of topics. In his sophomore year, a campus ministry group that focused on college-age men discovered him. This group took him under their wing and counted him as one of their own until one day when they found out he was interested in religion.
It shouldn’t have been a surprise to them. He had all the signs; a passion for God’s Word, a love of Truth, and a hunger to know more. Thinking of the university as a place to learn he had taken a world religion class and found it very interesting.
Continue reading “Jude 1: 12b — Tossed Sheep”
These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—
What is a “love feast?” Who eats there? Why should anyone have qualms about it?
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11, is a great resource on this question. He describes in detail what the love feast is, who and how to eat it, and why it should be taken very seriously.
What is it?
Continue reading “Jude 1: 12A — Food”
Woe to them! …they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
In this unique passage, Jude does two things at once. He tells us one more thing about the ungodly people who pervert the grace of God. Then, in the same stroke of the pen, he tells us about their fate.
To put this story into context we need to look at a bit of Israel’s history.
Continue reading “Jude 1: 11c — Toast”
But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
There is a danger here.
Jude is teaching us how to identify those who are walking in darkness. What he is NOT telling us to do is pass judgment on their souls. He tells us what God has in store for such people, but nowhere does it say we are to be the ones who condemn them. To illustrate this point, Jude reminds us of the archangel, Michael.
The archangel is understood to be over all the other angels. This angel is unique in relation to God and other angels. The text refers to another angel called “the devil.” This angel would have been known as Lucifer, or Satan. Satan’s power and influence were rivaled only by God in the heavens.
Continue reading “Jude 1: 9 — Discerning Darkness”
…who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
As we begin our study of Jude’s letter, he tells us who he is and who he is writing to. The people he writes to “have been called” by God to walk in light and mercy. Today he adds that they are “loved in God the Father.” (NIV)
The Greek in this instance is either difficult to translate or it reflects an idiom that was common in Jude’s day but is not common now. The English Standard Version (ESV) translates the Greek this way: “…beloved in God the Father….” This formulation makes more sense to me than the NIV in this case.
Unless a person knows Greek, it is a good idea to explore different translations when a passage is difficult for you. This Bible website allows you to see all the available English translations at once.
Continue reading “Jude 1:1c — A Hard Thing”
My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
How do you tell if someone has wandered from the truth?
What truth are we talking about?
What does it mean to bring them back? Back to what? Where?
I have to admit that being able to turn a sinner from the error of their way sounds like a wonderful thing . Can you imagine the rush that comes from knowing you have saved someone from death? And how easy! Simply turn them from the error of their way!
But what does that mean?
Continue reading “James 5: 19-20 — The Right Way”
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Yes, Elijah was a human being. There is no indication in scripture that Elijah was anything more than a man. And yet he was called to be a prophet of God. He listened to God’s words and did what God wanted him to do.
Perhaps more important than whether he was human or not, was his righteousness. He obeyed God even at the risk of his own life.
The interesting thing I see about Elijah is that there is no difference between what Elijah wanted and what God wanted. Elijah prayed in harmony with God’s will. It is as if they were singing a duet together in close harmony. Elijah’s prayer was God’s will.
Continue reading “James 5: 17-18 — Harmony”
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
We are almost at the end of James’ letter to the “twelve tribes.” Throughout his letter, James talks about what it means to be a righteous person.
A righteous person considers trials to be a joy. He knows that testing leads to perseverance, and perseverance leads to maturity. A righteous person is mature in faith. They are complete.
A righteous person has the wisdom the comes from God because they have asked and not doubted. They are of a single mind, one that is devoted to the Lord.
Continue reading “James 5: 16b — Righteousness”