A message for Akron Alliance Fellowship Church, Sunday, July 16, 2023.
For the “Live in Church” audio of this message, click here.
Jude, the author of the biblical letter of the same name and our subject for today’s message, woke up one day deciding that he would write a brief letter to his friends about the subject of salvation. It was all about encouraging them during what arguably was a very difficult time for them and for others in the faith. At this time, Jude, who was also known in his family by the name of Judas1, was about 61 years old. The Christian church that we know of today was only around for about 30 years since the time of Pentecost, and it was struggling mightily as heresies and persecution of its members was common. Jude, who was a believer, knew all about Jesus and all that he had accomplished. He was raised in the same family as Jesus along with his brother, James—they were both half-brothers of Jesus. It had been about thirty-three years since Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection, but it was only four years prior that James was stoned to death. Even with his experience of loss, he was convinced, with everything going on at that time, to write a letter and share his thoughts as a fellow servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:1-2 NLT
1 This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.
I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.
2 May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.
Notice something very important here within Jude’s greeting. He refers to himself as a slave (or servant as seen in the King James Version) even though Jesus is his half-brother. Earlier in his life, he treated Jesus like he was a lesser half-brother, for sure, and perhaps with some animosity. Even James, who would later be the renowned leader of the Jerusalem church (Galatians 1:19; 2:9) did not originally believe in Jesus.2
Mark 3:20-21 ESV
20 Then he (Jesus) went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 and when his family heard it, they went outside to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
John 7:2-5 ESV
2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers (and sisters) said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him.
So, there was a rocky past between Jesus and his brothers and sisters, but we can conclude that both James and Jude were prepared to carry on the ministry of the gospel just as Jesus had commissioned his disciples to do. It is very likely that both brothers heard His message at the last day of the feast in Jerusalem before Jesus was crucified:
John 7:37-38 NLT
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”
This is where I want to point out the importance of every disciple of Jesus to follow His command and proclaim the good news of salvation and to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The gospel must be preached and carried forth to the ends of the earth.
Matthew 28:18-20 NLT
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
James and Jude heard the words from Jesus, and both realized who Jesus truly was because the Spirit revealed it to them. They were obedient to the Father and carried forward the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But now the tone of Jude’s message would change. The Holy Spirit moved him to write down an even more important warning to his readers about the false teachers that were integrating within the church. He had received word from the brethren, and perhaps even those from James’s church, of the rampant nature of false teaching and how it was deceiving many. Jude told his friends that it was time to get more and more involved in defending their faith and standing up to the false teachers who slid into their church congregations preaching that living in the world, in whatever manner that you desired, was perfectly fine and permissible!
Jude 1:3-4 NLT
3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude’s words get right to the point, and he reminds his friends of the consequences waiting for those who choose to deny Jesus with a brief history.
Jude 1:5-7 NLT
5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. 6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. 7 And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.
Why did Jude feel the need to remind his friends about something that they ALREADY KNEW about God’s judgment? He was prompted by the Spirit, who deals completely in truth, to speak to any friends who were wavering in their faith, or were flat out involved in sin to know what a dangerous situation that was to be in. Jude was speaking God’s truth and that those who needed to hear it were aware that they knew what could happen to them if they did not repent and turn from their sin. Mankind, on its own accord, needs constant reminders not only of the good things that come from God, but also the dire consequences of living repeatedly in sin AND rejecting Jesus.
Romans 6:20-23 ESV
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jude then continues by revealing an interesting point that is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture, but rest assured that those who oppose God and challenge his authority will go the way of Cain and the others referenced in this passage to their destruction.
Jude 1:8-11 NLT
8 In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. 9 But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) 10 But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 11 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.
Jude is reminding everyone that God’s judgment will come one day for each of us. It is all-encompassing and will escape no one. It came for Balaam and for Korah because they rejected God.
Jude’s message is for those who, unless they make the decision to acknowledge Jesus as Lord, are destined to experience total separation from God. He is giving this generation the very same message.
Romans 10:21 ESV
But of Israel he (Isaiah) says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” See Isaiah 65:2.
Now, Jude is going to vividly provide word-pictures to add to a very definitive statement to stay away from evil people. It isn’t complimentary…that’s for sure.
Jude 1:12-13 NLT
12 When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. 13 They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.
Jude is making it clear that there are people that we may associate with who are living a lie and ready to disrupt your walk with Jesus. They work for the one who readily makes accusations and slanders those who follow Jesus.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NIV
13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Then Jude shares another point, as that of Michael’s confrontation with Satan over Moses’s body, that is also never mentioned anywhere else in Scripture, and it is about Enoch. In Genesis, Chapter 5, Enoch, who is Adam’s great-great-great-great grandson and the father of the longest living man of all time, Methuselah (Genesis 5:22-24), walked such a faithful life that he did not experience death.3 Jude shared the words of prophecy from Enoch that those who oppose God will face judgment and live in torment…the destination for those who live in ungodliness.
Jude 1:14-19 NLT
14 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holyy
ones 15 to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
16 These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.
17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.
Do you think Enoch’s words matter today? Do you believe the words of the apostles of Christ? Do you think that Jude’s message is on point in this day and time? Jude wanted to share about salvation, but the Spirit directed Jude to drive home the point that people who purposely live outside of the will of God will experience eternal separation from Him. He says it in a number of different ways here, and it seems that he is speaking to friends that already know better. Remember that those with hardened hearts don’t really care about God’s loving gift of eternal life. They care more about prideful living and regularly satisfying their own desires.
So now that Jude has made his points, it’s time for a message of building up. The friends are to build one another up and stay true to God and His Word.
Jude 1:20-23 NLT
20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.
Building each other up in faith begins with one person. It starts with you. When you’re waiting for someone else to pump you up and make you feel better, consider that the Lord Jesus Christ may be waiting for you to take the initiative! The other believers need to hear words of encouragement coming from you! Please remember that God’s judgment is closer and closer every day. While a person needs to trust in Jesus, do everything you can to convey God’s love for each and every person you know. (Not everyone you know has a relationship with Jesus.)
Look at what else is necessary in the building up process: Prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our first moments of our relationship with Jesus began with prayer. It must continue in consistent prayer for life. Jude is making no assumptions as to who has a relationship with Jesus (and nor should we). Eternal life with Jesus is what’s at stake. He loved us before we knew what love was. Salvation from the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the prize for every believer.
Building up also includes keeping those who you know in prayer to keep them from stumbling. You can’t be responsible for what someone else does, but that doesn’t eliminate your responsibility to pray. More and more believers have to live a life that hates sinfulness and promotes godliness as an active member within the body of Christ.
Jude concludes with a final prayer that praises God the Father and glorifies his half-brother, Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Jude 1:24-25 NLT
24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
Jude knows his position as a messenger of Jesus. He responded to the words of the Spirit and shared an eternal message of God’s truth to a corrupt world that will one day be made incorruptible by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has full authority over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18).
Judgment is near for those who don’t believe in Jesus as Lord.
Let Jude’s words sink in.
Copyright © 2023 Melvin Gaines
1 Holman Bible Publishers. (2015). Jude – Introduction. In HCSB Study Bible: Holman Christian standard bible (p. 2189). essay.
2 Long, P. J. (2022, November 23). Why did Jesus’s brothers and sisters reject him? – Matthew 13:53-56. Reading Acts. https://readingacts.com/2021/06/21/why-did-jesuss-brothers-and-sisters-reject-him-matthew-1353-56/
3 S. Houdmann (2014, September 25). Who Was Enoch in the Bible?. GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/Enoch-in-the-Bible.html
Melvin Gaines 