Called, Loved, Kept (Jude 1)

Jude is one of those books in the Bible that you have heard of but probably haven’t read much. It’s one of those short letters that doesn’t even have chapters, only verses. It is the second to last book in the Bible, right before Revelation.

Even when we do read a short book like Jude, or any New Testament letter for that matter, we usually skim right over the first few verses. After all, they’re just introductory, and they don’t contain anything useful or theological, right? Wrong. Let’s look at Jude 1…

Jude begins by giving his name. While we sign our letters at the end, the first century Greco-Roman style was to identify yourself at the start. He then gives two statements to clarify who he is: “a slave of Jesus Christ” and “a brother of James…”

1. “A slave of Jesus Christ”

This is a common identification that other New Testament authors such as Paul, James, and Peter use. We often assume it is a statement of humility, but in reality it is a statement of status, position, and authority. Slaves in first-century Rome were not free and were considered property, but this doesn't mean that they didn’t have any status or authority. The slaves of the emperors had tremendous authority and were well respected because they represented Caesar, and to disrespect Caesar’s property was to disrespect him. So in calling himself a slave of Christ Jesus, Jude points to the fact that his status and authority comes from none other than the resurrected Lord. Aristotle called a slave a “living tool,” and Jude viewed himself as such, working for his Master.

2. “A brother of James”

Without any doubt, this James can be identified as the leader of the Jerusalem church, the author of the New Testament letter, and the brother of Jesus (making Jude the brother of Jesus as well; cf. Matt. 13:55). It is clear that James was a man of authority, and in the first century authority could be transferred from one family member to another, giving the younger and lesser known brother Jude the status needed to have himself heard rather than ignored.

After identifying himself and declaring his authority to write such a letter, Jude goes on to tell who this letter is addressed to. Most New Testament letters are addressed to a certain person or church, but this one is different. Instead of giving names or geographical markers, Jude identifies his audience in three ways: Those who are “called,” “loved,” and “kept…”

1. “The called/invited”

In Jude’s time, formal banquets were a social norm, and a guest had to be invited before he/she could attend. All throughout Scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments, the kingdom of God is likened to one of these banquets. By addressing his readers as those “called” or “invited,” he assures them of their seat at this end of time kingdom banquet. They are caught up in the plan of God; they did not choose God but God chose them. In light of their situation and their struggle for the faith, this fact is comforting for both Jude and his readers.

2. “Loved by God the Father”

This is also a very comforting fact, and it only makes sense that God loves those whom He calls. God loves His children in the good times and in the bad. He loves them when they are faithful and not so faithful. His love is unconditional.

3. “Kept by/for Jesus Christ”

Of course only one translation should be taken, but both are feasible. Being kept or guarded “by” Jesus would mean He is the one who protects believers in their day to day lives. Being kept “for” Jesus would mean that believers are kept safe so that they will one day be united with Christ. While both statements are theologically sound, the context of the letter may suggest that the readers are being guarded by Jesus while in the presence of false teachers.

Wow! Do you see how much we miss when we skim over those introductory verses???

Quickly, in conclusion, what can we take from this?

First of all, we aren’t Jude, and we probably aren’t writing anyone a letter, but we can identify ourselves as slaves of Christ Jesus. And that is a position of humility, but it is also one of rank and responsibility. With Jesus as our master, we must follow His ways and not the ways of this world. We must obey God and not men. This also means that our status and standing in society does not stem from who we are or what we have done, but who He is and what He has done.

Secondly, like the recipients of this letter, those of us who are believers are also called by God. We have been invited and given a seat at the banquet in His kingdom. He loves us and we can be assured that Jesus Christ is guarding us and protecting us until the day we recline at that table with Him as our host. Situations will arise and our faith will be put to the test, but we must remain in God’s love and trust that Jesus will carry us through.

Before you move on to other things, take just a second to thank God for calling you, for loving you, and for keeping you.

Be Refreshed!

Wow, it has been one hot Texas summer so far! We have had a decent amount of rain, but that doesn’t keep the heat away for long. Anyone who works outside knows that it doesn’t take much to become drenched in sweat.

Recently I was shoveling dirt into a wheel-barrow and hauling it to fill ruts in a field where a truck and trailer had gotten stuck. I could only work for thirty or forty-five minutes at a time before the heat got to me. But when I finally finished filling all the ruts, I went and jumped in a cool swimming pool.

How refreshing!

How relaxing!

But the summer heat isn’t the only thing that wears us out and beats us down. Sometimes life does that, regardless of the weather. Sometimes we are weary and worn after a long day. Sometimes we are weary and worn before the day even begins.

When this happens, we need to be refreshed. So how do we do that?

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He said come, but do we go? Do we go to the Lord in prayer? Do we go to the Bible full of His inspired words?

Speaking of Israel’s return from exile in Jeremiah 31:25, God said, “I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes” (NASB). The Hebrew word translated “refreshed” means that God fills and satisfies those who have been emptied and left longing.

Why would we not go to Him? How could we not go to Him?

If the summer heat is wearing you down, go jump in a pool and be refreshed!

If life is wearing you down, go to the Lord and to His Word!

Checkpoints

I never got into video or arcade games much as a child, but I had a lot of friends who did, so I would play them every once in a while. Certain games, such as automobile racing ones, had checkpoints. If you crashed or died after reaching that checkpoint, you didn't have to start all the way over, you just reset back to that last checkpoint. Often times that was a lifesaver!

I believe that as Christians, spouses, church members, employees, and just as citizens on this earth, we ought to have certain "checkpoints" in place. We need to hold ourselves accountable so that we don't look up and find ourselves back at square one (in our walks with Christ, in our marriages, etc.).

Today I want to give you six checkpoints to help you stay on track. So that you'll be able to remember them easily, they all start with a "W.”

1. Walk

In the New Testament, “walk” is often times synonymous for “live.” In Ephesians 2:10, Paul tells us that God prepared good works for us ahead of time “so that we should walk in them.” In Ephesians 5:2, we are commanded to “walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us.” In 5:8 we are commanded to “Walk as children of light.” In 5:15 we are reminded to “walk—not as unwise people but as wise.”

So how are you walking? How are you living? And how is your walk with Christ?

2. Wife (Spouse)

Sadly, marriages often take a back seat to work, success, hobbies, and even children. But notice where it falls on this list—your marriage is important.

How much time have you spent with your husband or wife this week? Husband, are you loving your wife sacrificially (Eph 5:25)? Wife, are you living in submission to your husband (Eph 5:24)? Married couple, does your marriage depict Christ and His church as it should?

3. Witness

Throughout His life and ministry, Jesus said a lot of things—a lot of very important things. Right now I want to direct you to some of His very last words here on earth:

Matthew 28:19, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

As Jesus was leaving this earth, He wanted to make sure that He wasn’t forgotten. He wanted His disciples to spread the word about Him. And He still wants us to spread the word about Him today. How has your witness been lately?

4. Word

Psalm 119 is all about the Lord’s commands, statutes, and instructions. It is all about His Word. In verse 105 the psalmist writes, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path,” suggesting that the Bible should be our guide for daily living. Every step we take should be determined by the principles set forth in God’s Word.

So in order to know that Word and live by that Word, we have to spend time reading and studying and even memorizing that Word. How much time have you been spending in the Word lately?

5. Work

We all work. If you are retired, you still do plenty of odds and ends, even if they aren’t for pay. In its original context, Colossians 3:22-25 is addressing slaves, but I believe it has application for employees and workers today. In 3:23-24 Paul commands, “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.”

Brothers and sisters, we can’t leave our Christianity behind when we go to work. I know you might not enjoy working under your boss, but remember this: before we serve our employers, we serve the Lord. We must do everything we do as if we are doing it for Him (because in all reality, we are).

And don’t forget about the promise in the verse above. Even if we aren’t rewarded here on earth, He will reward us later, in eternity.

6. Worship

You might be wondering why something as important as worship is at the bottom of the list. I saved this one for last because it is a culmination of all the above. Walking with God, loving our wives, being a witness, spending time in the Word, and working enthusiastically are all acts of worship that prove we love, respect, and adore our Savior. So everything we do should be an act of worship.

I guarantee you that if you run through these checkpoints often, you will be challenged. But as a result, you will be changed; you will be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

Steph Curry Did What???

After an uncharacteristic outburst of frustration, the unanimous 2016 NBA MVP had to watch the closing moments of the Finals game 6 from the locker room. In a quick series of events, Steph Curry received his sixth personal foul, a technical foul, and was subsequently ejected from the game for throwing his chewed up mouth piece into the stands. It was the first time all season he had fouled out of a game, and the first ejection of his entire career. The Warriors went on to lose the game, meaning there will be a winner-take-all game 7 on Sunday night in Oakland.

So what happened? What caused this fun loving fan favorite to lose his cool? While Curry isn't one to shove his faith in your face, you usually don't see him throwing things or directing four letter words at the officials, either.

What happened is simple: He got angry. He was angry at the ref for calling a foul. He was probably angry that his team was losing, and had been for the entire game, by as much as 24 at one point. If he knew about it, he might have been angry that his wife and other family members weren't let into the arena until less than 10 minutes prior to tip-off.

How am I, as a believer and a Steph Curry fan, supposed to digest the less than Christ-like actions he displayed on national television? I want to be frustrated with him. I want to write him off as another star athlete who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk. But I know that's not right, that's not the answer.

What I know is that he's a sinner, but so am I. I've been angry before. I've thrown things before. I've cussed before. I just didn't do it in front of a nationally televised audience during the NBA Finals.

But to God, the time and place doesn't matter. What he did and what I have done is exactly the same in His eyes. Yet because NBA superstars are constantly viewed under a microscope, I'm sure he will be scrutinized. I'm sure people will call him out and question his motives and wonder how a professing Christian could act in such a way. That's really unfortunate for Steph, because if some bench player no one knows about had done the same exact thing, or acted even worse, there probably wouldn't be that much conversation and I probably wouldn't be writing this.

We have to remember that, even though he often times looks like a machine on the basketball court, Stephen Curry is a human being. His flesh and Spirit do battle just as much as mine and yours. The only difference is that when my flesh wins out, only a handful of people know. But when Steph loses it for fifteen seconds at the end of a hard fought game, the whole world knows.

So instead of getting mad at him, I'll try to continue doing what I did in the commercial break just before his episode: pray for him. I didn't pray for him to make a shot or for his team to win the game. Knowing how I would want to act in his situation (he was frustrated after having a layup blocked by James, only to be stared down and mouthed at afterwards), I prayed that God would allow him to stay calm and exhibit Christ-like behavior for the rest of the game. While that didn't happen, I will continue to pray for him and trust that he will do better next time. I will not let this one incident define Steph in my mind. After all, how much trouble would I be in if God defined me by one outburst of anger?

The Five Love Languages

One of the classes I was required to take as part of my undergraduate studies at Criswell College was called "Marriage and Family Dynamics." Though it wasn't my favorite class by any means, the discussions were always interesting, especially due to the mix of people. Some were married, some were not. Some had children, some did not. Some came from large families, and some from smaller ones.

One of our assignments was to choose a book dealing with marriage and/or the family and write a review of it. Probably because it was considerably shorter than others, I chose Dr. Gary Chapman's bestseller The Five Love Languages.

In this book, he explains that we as human beings have a love language; we each have a way that we like to receive love. He believes that most of these ways fall under one of five categories:

1. Words of Affirmation

2. Acts of Service

3. Receiving Gifts

4. Quality Time

5. Physical Touch

If you take just a second, I'm sure you can identify what your love language(s) is/are.

But the book is more than informational, it is also instructional. The purpose of the book is to encourage married couples to understand their spouse's love language and to begin loving them in that specific way.

Well as an unwed college student, the concept didn't make much sense to me. I thought, "Hey, I will express love to my wife the way I want to." In fact, here is an actual quote from my paper, written over five years ago: “Though a man should want his wife to love him the way he desires to be loved, he should also desire to be shown love the way his wife knows how to express it. Instead of adapting the way you show love, why not adapt the way you receive it?”

Even though I still understand the point I was making, I have no problem in saying, “Boy was I wrong!” I have now been married for just over three years, and I can tell you what a difference it makes when I express love according to my wife's love language and receive it according to mine. I feel so strongly about this that I include it in the pre-marital counseling I do with engaged couples.

So whether you've been married for 5 years or 50 years, or even if you are newly wed, I encourage you to discover your spouse's love language. I truly believe it can save a failing marriage, and it can take a great marriage and make it even better.

In the Hands of God

A few weeks ago I was trimming an overgrown vine on a trellis and found quite a surprise. When I had cut off a considerable amount of the vine, I uncovered a nest and saw a baby bird staring at me. I later discovered that there were two baby birds in the nest.

When I went around to trim the opposite side of the trellis, I was very careful to avoid the area where the nest was situated. Yet still, I'm not sure why, but one of the baby birds fell out of the nest, through a hole in the trellis, and to the ground.

So I did what I believe most people would do: I picked the bird up, cradled it in my hands, and placed it back in its nest as gently as possible.

I have to imagine that is a pretty good picture of what it looks like when our Heavenly Father picks us up. Like the tiny bird in my hands, we are so small compared to God. And just like I cradled that fallen bird, so God loves rescue us and comfort us in the midst of our trials and afflictions; He loves to pick us up out of the muck and set our feet on dry ground.

Consider what David wrote in Psalm 40:1-2

I waited patiently for the Lord,

and He turned to me and heard my cry for help.

He brought me up from a desolate pit,

out of the muddy clay,

and set my feet on a rock,

making my steps secure.

We can't be sure of what was going on in David's life when he wrote this, but considering he was the king of a great nation, it could have been any number of things, internal or external.

Whatever challenge(s) you may be facing this week, whatever it may be that causes you to feel like you have lost your footing or fallen from the comfort of your nest, allow the Lord to pick you up and hold you. Take a second to rest in His presence today. If you are His child, John 10:28-29 promises that no one will ever be able to snatch you out of His hand.

Waiting for Justice (Psalm 37)

In Psalm 37, King David contrasts the righteous and the wicked—those who are faithful to God and those who are not. He sets the tone with this command in verse 1: “Do not be agitated by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong.”

Now I know what you may be thinking…Why would anyone in their right mind be agitated or even envious of a wicked, evil, unfaithful human being? Well, the answer in short: because they are prosperous.

Think about it for a second. Do you know someone a little less than righteous who has been very successful in life, financially and/or otherwise? Probably so. And does it ever frustrate you that they seem to be much more successful than you, even though your faithfulness to God outweighs theirs? Probably so.

Why does this phenomenon happen? Why does it seem that the wicked are blessed while the righteous suffer? Better than asking why, let’s ask what—what do we do about it?

David answers that for us in verses 3-7 with phrases such as, “Trust in the Lord and do what is good…Take delight in the Lord…Commit your way to the Lord…Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him…”

As believers, we must remain faithful to our God. We must trust Him. We must delight in Him and in Him alone. And maybe most importantly, we must wait with great expectations.

What are we waiting for? We are waiting for justice. We are waiting for the day when God fully and finally straightens things out. The wicked will get their due. David says that God looks at the wicked person and “laughs” because “He sees that his day is coming” (verse 13).

So justice will be served, and not only for the wicked, but also for the righteous. Verse 28 promises us that “the Lord loves justice and will not abandon His faithful ones.” Our faithfulness will be rewarded. So don’t give up and don’t give in. Instead, “Wait for the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land” (verse 34).