Providence

The book of Jude, often neglected when it comes to New Testament reading, is brief and severe. Jude is justly impassioned; he is not writing to a group of non-believers whose moral compass is askew, but rather pointing to the people in the church who have abandoned, or never even clung to, the faith. Jude is charging followers of Christ to contend for the faith, the historical body of Christian truths.

But, we have to ask the questions, what would Jude tell the church today, in this culture, with its unsympathetic attitude towards these truths? How do the people of God respond to this in love?

We know the faith has been delivered to us, just as sure as God delivered his Son for us. It was delivered once, for all, in its completed form. Jude, while encouraging our resolution in the faith, warns against false teachers that will attempt to sway our resolve.

Our calling as the Church of God is to defend the faith. Just as we resolutely believe in the validity and deliverance of the faith from God, we are to believe that there are false teachers around us always, period. With our lives, with the time given to us on earth, with help from the Holy Spirit, we are to contend for the faith. Not with contention, but with love and gentleness. This is a worthy cause because it is the cause of Christ.

Our calling as the Church of God is to defend the faith. Just as we firmly believe in the validity and deliverance of the faith from God, we are to believe that there are false teachers around us always, period. With our lives, with the time given to us on earth, with help from the Holy Spirit, we are to contend for the faith. Not with contention, but with love and gentleness. This is a worthy cause because it is the cause of Christ.

“We can imagine dying for people because we can see them. We can imagine dying for a cause because it seems real. But dying for a truth, that is difficult. Jude went to the grave for Jesus because Jesus went to the grave for him.” – Brian Frost

This faith that we are contending for is our delight as believers. Not only is it an essential precedent for obedience to Christ, but it ultimately brings joy and peace to our hearts.

“We can’t look within for this love, and we can’t look to others. We look to Calvary.” – Brian Frost

The gospel ought to be the thing we wish we could talk about, write about, teach about when we have to talk, write, and teach about other things. Our life-long efforts in contending for the faith ought to be fueled by the thrill, joy, and hope found in the truths of the gospel.

 

SERMON NOTES

  1. The faith has been delivered to the church. (Jude 1:3) 

    • Hebrews 1:1-2;  Ephesians 2:19-20 — The faith was delivered by God. God delivered the law. God delivered the prophets. God delivered His Son. The faith was delivered once for all. It is there in the completed form. 

  2. The faith is to be defended by the church. (Jude 1:3-4) 

    • 1 Peter 3:15 — Jude is not pointing to the lost world, he is pointing to the people in the church who have abandoned, or never clung to, the faith. 

    • 2 Peter 2:1 — We are supposed to expect false teachers, here. There will be false teachers among us, period. 

    • Acts 18:26 — We are called to ask questions and hold accountable our teachers, but with gentleness and love. Priscilla and Aquilla didn’t scream out that Apollos was a heretic, but pulled him aside, in love, and steered him in the right direction. 

    • Titus 1:11 — Grow courageous. We ask people questions. We hold people accountable. And we urge false teachers to repent. 

  3. The faith is to be a delight to the church. (Jude 1:1-3) 

    • Ephesians 2:4-5 — We were dead spiritually, and yet, God called our name. He is not minimizing faith, but rather what precedes faith and obedience in the believer.

    • John 7:5 — Jude is the brother of the Son of God, and he didn’t refer to it. He grew up not believing in it. At one point, he was ashamed of it. But when Jesus died and rose again, Jude became a follower of Jesus Christ.

 

INTROSPECTIVE QUESTIONS

  1. The world in which we live grows more and more increasingly unsympathetic to the faith. How do we, the people of God, respond to this in love? How can you respond to this in love this week? 

  2. How are you holding fast to the faith this week? 

  3. How can we contend for the faith we believe in without being contentious? 

  4. Are you trusting Christ and giving the gospel your attention?

 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

We see in Matthew that Jude was the brother of the Son of God, yet Jude doesn’t refer to it. He grew up not believing in it; he and his other brothers tried to reason with Jesus concerning His ministry. At one point, Jude was ashamed of it. But, when Jesus died and rose again, Jude became a follower of Jesus Christ. Eventually, Jude would give his life for the cause of Christ, his own brother. He realized the worthiness of Christ weighed heavier than the worthiness of his own life. Do we think like this?

Would we give our lives up for Christ call?

Would we risk the priorities of this world in order to contend for the faith that has been delivered to us through the Son of God?

Are we looking to Calvary as a reminder and recharge of the joy and thrill found in the gospel?

 

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