John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
2 Corinthians 13:11
[ Final Greetings ] Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
1 Peter 1:22
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
Just a few points about this week’s lesson. Jude is warning his followers in the strongest terms about false believers from within the Church and scoffers outside of Her. He reminds them of the teaching of the Apostles. In doing so, he exemplifies the kind of leader that Paul has encouraged Timothy towards in the lessons of previous weeks. You see, Jude, as the (half) brother of the Lord Jesus, could have claimed some lofty position of leadership and prestige in the fledgling Church, but he defers to the Apostles of the Lord, those men chosen by the Lord personally to lead his Church after His Ascension. Good leadership recognizes and honors authority. Jude’s followers could easily distinguish the false teachers and preachers in the church by looking at the model he was exemplifying.
I’m reminded of how (so I’ve heard) people who handle money are taught to recognize counterfeit bills. The main emphasis in these classes is to teach the students how to recognize the genuine article. When they completely understand how to recognize and identify real currency, they won’t be fooled by the counterfeit. The same is true for the believer: focus on the authentic in Christ and counterfeits will be easy to recognize.
Jude says ‘Remember the warnings of the Apostles’. Read the word. Remember Jesus. Remember what the Bible teaches. Next he tells them to build themselves up by praying in the Spirit. Draw closer to Jesus. Never bad advice. Dwell in the secret place in Christ. Abide, Live, Thrive in the shelter and shadow of His mighty wings. Abide is in Him, He cannot lose you out of His grasp. Abide in His love. Finally, Jude tells his followers to show mercy. In all things show mercy and compassion. Flee from sin, but not necessarily from the sinner. Encourage one another, strengthen the weak, and ‘love’ the devil off of those who are held captive by sin, who have fallen away from the body of believers.
Jude ends his letter with a doxology that I’ve heard dozens, if not hundreds of times: ‘Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.’ (and Amen! It’s OK to shout right here, I always do :)) Be blessed. Enjoy the lesson.
wb
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