Let It Rain! (Jude 12-13 Part 3)

12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.      

THE STUDY:

          Continuing the breakdown of verses 12-13, yesterday we looked at how these intruders were only looking out for themselves. Today, we are going to look at the third one: waterless clouds, swept along by winds. The NIV states it as they are like clouds without rain. They are also unstable (swept along by the wind). One commentary states it like this: Like clouds that produce no rain and serve only to block the sun, the intruders … are good for nothing.”^[1]

          The Word of God is sometimes compared to the rain and the dew. “May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb.” (Deut. 32:2). Isaiah 55:10 compares God’s Word to the rain and snow from heaven that brings fruit on the earth. Like the clouds in the sky, the intruders may be prominent and even attractive; but if they cannot bring rain, they are useless.^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that we (believers) all are ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We have been commanded by God to “GO” and share this good news. If we do this for the glory of God we will produce fruit. But if it is for any other reason we are like waterless clouds.

CONCLUSION:

I had a pastor friend pose a question to me as we were talking about our ministries, “What if ministers worked on commission only?” I was not very keen on this idea but I understood his point. Sometimes ministers may forget what their calling is all about: Spreading the Gospel of Jesus. We do this through preaching, teaching, equipping, and much more. This calling doesn’t just rest on the minister but the people of God as well. If we are not leading people to the Cross but instead directing all the attention to us we are like waterless clouds; “useless!”

Micheal W Smith sings a song called, “Let it Rain!” http://youtu.be/0eOWf8vfZJY  I encourage you to listen to it as a time of meditation with the Lord this morning. Remember, we have a purpose and a message. Our purpose is to be the clouds and our message is to let it rain the good news of Jesus Christ. Today, be looking for the opportunity to let it rain.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (281). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Jud 12). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.