Now to him who is able
to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of
his glory with great joy, 25 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.
THE STUDY:
Jude
clarifies who is able to keep believers secure and to whom glory should be
given: It is to the only God, our Savior.
The KJV uses the reading “to the only
wise God.” But the word “wise” is found only in a few later, less reliable
manuscripts. “Wise” was probably assimilated into these manuscripts under the
influence of the doxology of Romans, which gives glory “to the only wise God” (Rom 16:27).
The description of God as Savior (sōtēr) is rare in the NT. It is found only eight times including
this verse. Typically, the title Savior
is reserved for Jesus Christ (fifteen times). But God is consistently
identified in the NT as the initiator of the process of salvation made possible
through Jesus Christ (e.g., Rom 5:8). Thus, it is not surprising God may also
be identified as Savior.[1]
WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY
WITH ….
- We walk away this morning with the understanding that Jude’s God is the same God you and I know today, Yahweh! He is the one who started the process of our salvation by sending His son Jesus to redeem us.
APPLICATION:
For man, it is hard to comprehend the aspect
of being redeemed. I believe the reason it is difficult is because we are man
and not God. Years ago I had a boss in the secular world that was as evil as
evil can get. I was tried and tempted by this man just because he knew I was a
Christian. I remember looking at him one day and asking him this simple
question, “Do you know what the difference between you and God is?” He looked
kind of dumbfounded when he responded, “No! What is the difference?” I said, “God
doesn’t think He’s you!”
This might
not have been the best way of handling the situation but the point is, this
person is in each and every one of our lives today. They are those individuals
who believe they are god or they can do a better job than our God is doing.
I am reminded
of a song that is out on Christian radio today. The song is by the group Big
Daddy Weave called “Redeemed!” (click on this link to watch the video) One of
the verses in the song reads:
Seems like all I can see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me “son
stop fighting a fight that’s already been won”
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me “son
stop fighting a fight that’s already been won”
Today, let us
not forget the God we serve! He is the one who is able, who is willing, and who
is the only one who can redeem! Satan wants us to believe what the song says,
All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
God wants us to believe and have faith in Him. The song
continues on to say,
But when I hear You whisper, “Child lift up your head”
I remember oh God, You’re not done with me yet
You and I are redeemed by the one true God! Now let’s start living
like!
Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod
[1]
Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2
Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible
Commentary (300–301). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.
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