It’s interesting isn’t it that the obvious is the most important thing to hear, like thinking and doing are two very different things, or you don’t have to wait for an apology to forgive someone. So when it comes to being followers of Jesus, how obvious is the faith we have to others? Would your work colleagues be surprised to hear you’re a Christian? We now live in a time where to identify as being a Christian is being seen more and more sceptically about the things we care about. We live as followers of Christ in the office, or on the roads, or attending our children’s school functions. How are you going in following Jesus? That’s the question Jude asks us this morning. Are you encouraged or discouraged? Are you being nurtured or are running dry? Is faith alive and well or are you feeling empty? Are you encouraged or discouraged as you follow Jesus? In the market place of desires what are you finding is filling your min. One way to think about that is what is the last thing you think of as you drift off to sleep; or the first thing that comes to your mind when you wake up? As we read in Jude 17-19
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
From the start we are addressed as dear friends, as family, members of the body of Christ, being here this morning you’re one of us. Look! Jude says, remember what we already know about being followers of Jesus. We are called to remember the joy of the hope we have, of how God is in it for you and me to grow and bear fruit and make disciples and share a hope that sounds plain crazy to people who are perishing. Have you been seeing how Jude leads us to live with self-control? We are invited to be on board with what God says even if it doesn’t make sense to us and even if our passions want something else, or even if that hurts us or frustrates us. This is what I think Jesus tells us is the way we can be human and not animals, by coming at life God’s way. One of our troubles is we are surrounded by and bombarded with a society, that is all about doing whatever you want now, doesn’t matter what it is or who you hurt as long as you are being true to yourself that’s al that matters. Jude warns us personal holiness will stand us apart from our culture. It’s like Jude tells us that the thing we need is greater trust. That in our holiness not one of us has arrived, we are all on the journey. In our struggle with sin the flesh and the devil. A question to ponder is how is that subtle voice to just do what you want capturing your soul? I’m talking about the relationship killers, like is anger part of your story? Is one drink too many and 100 not enough? Is it a struggle with internet pornography? Have we been finding our minds filled with the next purchase in the hope that it will fill the void we are starting to feel like life should be better than this. If you find yourself here please seek out a dear brother or sister in Christ and share with them your struggle, as we’re reminded this morning we are in this together. So listen in some more with Jude verses 22-23
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
We ae told to show the same mercy to others you have richly seen God show you. To bring compassion for those who are struggling and falling and failing. So that at the very moment we might have thought Jude would be writing to hate or fear or even shun these people who had fallen into indulgence and sensuality, he says show mercy, act the same way you’ve seen Jesus forgive you. We are called to be like Jesus, in coming towards people, showing compassion. In view of our holiness we are all in the ditch together as sinners saved by grace which is where humility and hope come together. So here in verse 22-23 Jude gives us some approaches for those who struggle with obvious temptation and sin. As it is often reflected that too often as followers of Jesus we have been more known for our swiftness to judge, than for our mercy to forgive. It has been said that we too often shoot our wounded. So see Jude first approach in verse 23a snatch others from the fire and save them. We are implored to go towards the struggling person not away, so if you are seeing it, ring them up, have a coffee. This is part of what it means to be about snatching people as it were from the fire, while recognising the filthy clothes of sin in their lives. This almost an apocalyptic image, as the mental image I have of it is like there are the flames of judgment lapping around the feet of these people and then someone snatches them out before they are lost forever. We are to see that the focus is on restoration, that this is a rescue operation, a snatch and grab run, where repentance and faith is how restoration comes about.
The next approach we see in second verse 23
23b … to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
We are to show mercy as well as knowing your limitations, so watch out that as we deal with listening in to someone else’s temptations and failing, so know yourself. Don’t dismiss it out of hand that it can’t happen to you. In this letter of Jude he keeps on answering the question of what was going to strengthen these followers of Jesus was continuing the practices of: encouragement, prayer and vigilance. Jude 20-21
20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
PRAY & GAZE – every morning spend time gazing at the beauty of the Lord’s love for you - Build yourselves up. REMEMBER we are called to live by faith which is about life as God calls us to live it. Pray asking the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in faith. ACT as we move out in hope and courage. We are to keep remembering you are a child of God that Jesus didn’t just die for your past or your future, he also died for you’re here and no. As a child of God, we are to live with the reality of NOW of the gospel. We are to be a child of God, so that this is not a solo experience, we do together as we build one another up, keep watch, and pray for one another. We are to be open to seeing God lead us into prayer, as we seek God’s mind to direct our prayers by seeing need to pray and then act. We are encouraged to pray in the Spirit for one another, encourage one another, be an example for one another. So that Jesus would give us new insight, reminding us that as long as I live I know that there is sin inside of me that there will always be spiritual blindness inside of me I need to step towards the light of Christ. So when life doesn’t work according to your plan last week or yesterday, we are to look for the grace of Jesus. To be always reminded of God’s love for us, with one eye to what Jesus has done in our lives, and with the other looking forward waiting in expectation for his return. The end is in sight as Jesus is returning again soon (we don’t know the hour or the day) we’re told to live as if it might just be today. Because the rapture is a day all about Jesus, in all his power, all his majesty revealed and shown clearly as it is and not veiled as we sometimes think it to be. As Jude ends his letter so will I, with words that are very much about getting focused on the power of the living Jesus in our lives as he is the one who takes the credit in our lives for what only grace can provide.
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
David Hassan @ Tamworth Community Presbyterian Church 18/12/16