It’s a Battleground! (Jude 3)

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.         .

               

THE STUDY:

          Jude calls his readers beloved (agapētoi: loved ones, beloved). Jude uses a derivative of agapē (love) in each of the first three verses of this letter. He does not merely talk about love; he displays it, both in the repeated affectionate address of “beloved” and also in the serious warning and stern rebuke he administers throughout the Epistle.”^[1]

The name Jude (Judah) means “praise,” and he was anxious to praise God and rejoice in the salvation God gives in Jesus Christ. But the Spirit of God changed his mind and led Jude to write about the battle against the forces of evil in the world. Why? Because it was “needful” for the church.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with the understanding that as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ we will rejoice in the fact of those who are of the same faith. Just as we will be disappointed with those who will abandon this same faith to which they once claimed.

CONCLUSION:

          I must confess that I sympathize with Jude. In my own ministry, I would much rather encourage the saints than declare war on the defectors. But when the enemy is in the field, the watchmen dare not go to sleep. The Christian life is a battleground, not a playground. ^[2]

          I could recite many passages of scripture that would give us encouragement to the fact that, just like Jude, we will face difficulties. Matt. 5:9-12 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

          My encouragement for us this morning would be this: Let us not follow the path that many have gone which leads away from Christ. Let us be the one found faithful to the Lord: in our walk and our talk. No matter what the cost!

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 (266). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Jud 3). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

Walk this Way! (2 John 4)

I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

THE STUDY:

          If we understand that John is writing to a (the) church then “your children” is referring to the congregation of that church. But, if we look at this literally, then John is referring to the children of “the lady.”

          That some were living in obedience to the truth may indicate that not all were. The phrase at least indicates that some were wavering. The community’s situation made it invalid to claim that “all your children” were “walking in truth.” Some scholars, however, contend that the phrase refers only to those whom the elder had met. It implies nothing about the obedience or lack thereof of others. But the elder’s wording seems to express a pastoral concern that some may shy away from the truth.

Their walking (in the present tense) depicts an ongoing and relational experience of truth. To walk in truth or “in the light” (1 John 1:7) is to walk in the character of God. Most often it symbolizes spiritual faithfulness (John 8:12; 12:35; 1 John 1:7; 2:6).^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We can walk away this morning with the understanding that it is not only a blessing to the individual who walks in the truth but also a blessing to those they come in contact with.

CONCLUSION:

          We will come in contact with people, throughout our lives, that brings us joy when we are around them. We wake up on certain days anticipating spending time with them. When we talk about them to others we cannot help but to have a smile on our face. The reason for this joy is based on something we have in common with them. Most of the time that commonality is Christ. John had a commonality with the reader, THE TRUTH! He liked being around them. You and I have a commonality with other believers today.

          The old adage “Birds of a feather flock together” was thought of as I studied this verse. Today, my encouragement is for us to make sure we are walking in the truth. Those who are also walking in the truth will be drawn toward us as we are drawn to them. In this time, we will receive strength and encouragement and they will obtain the same from us.  Remember, this walk with Jesus not only affects you but those around you as well.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (188). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 2:5-6 (Part 3)

View Video Blog by clicking Link: I John 2:5-6 (Part 3)

but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

THE STUDY:

          Today’s devotional is filled with some good stuff. But isn’t all of God’s word GOOD STUFF? As we look at verse 6 today we will find something interesting. The first part of the verse reads, whoever says he abides in him ought to walk! I want to key in on the word “ought!” The Greek word used in this passage is opheilei, which means TO OWE. As you can see, it gives this passage a deeper feel for what John is saying. It is not just a suggestion to walk as Jesus walked but a sense of payment. Now we know that our salvation is not something we receive by works (paying it off) but by faith.

          An example of this, in our day and time, would be someone doing you a huge favor, such as coming over and helping you fix your car when it broke down, without accepting payment of any kind. Being an honorable person you would have a sense of some type of reimbursement. John is implying that if we say we are going to remain in (abide) Jesus the lease we can do is walk the way He walked.

          The last word that stands out in this verse is “walk.” The same Greek word is used in both instances, “peripateō” which means: a way a person conducts oneself. John is saying that we owe it to Jesus, for the sacrifice on the cross, to conduct ourselves as he conducted himself while on this earth. This is not out of some type of payment for His sacrifice on the cross but out of love for His sacrifice on the cross. Jesus walked in the light and John believes we should to do the same. Our actions should be that of Jesus, nothing more but definitely, nothing less.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

•          This morning let us remember the sacrifice Christ made on the cross for you and I.

•          Let us also remember as Christ walked in the light we need to as well.

•          Finally, let our conduct match that which of Jesus. Nothing more, and definitely, nothing less!

CONCLUSION:

          I was filling in one Sunday for the teacher of our young boys’ class. I asked them a simple question, “What do you think Jesus was like?” I was expecting an answer like: He was a good man; He was a poet; He was a carpenter; He was like God. To my surprise one little fellow raised his hand and replied, “I think Jesus was like my Sunday School teacher.”

Has anyone ever compared your demeanor and deeds to those of Jesus?

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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