Hey, Jude (Bible Study Basics)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. How/What do You Pray?

Exactly four years ago we finished a study in the small book of Philemon, a study I called “Bible Study Basics”. You see, the aim or goal of that preaching series was not simply to study God's word together, but to focus as well on the how of studying God's word. Of course, my hope every Sunday morning is that my teaching, my preaching, would provide a good example of (in the words of 2 Timothy 2:15) how to “rightly handle” the Scriptures. But at times, I think it's really important to highlight and carefully consider those exemplary techniques, those solid principles for being a faithful interpreter of this sacred word. Because that isn't just my job. All of us are called to rightly handle God's word, wouldn't you agree? So why am I talking about a series from four years ago? Because we just looked together in Our Bible Reading Plan at another very short book, the book of Jude. That being the case, I thought it would be a great opportunity to do another 'Bible Study Basics'-style message. So look with me at the short letter we call “Jude”.

II. The Passage: “I Found It Necessary to Write” (1-25)

So as we attempt to tackle an entire book of the Bible this morning (albeit a short one), keep in mind that the study principles we'll be talking about are applicable to any book of the Bible. And of course, since we can only look at a few of these principles this morning, I'd encourage you to go back and look at that original “Bible Study Basics” series. It's available to read or watch or listen to on our website, and I believe it has a lot of helpful principles.

So let's jump right in by considering first this very straightforward study technique (are you ready for it): if you want to know the main point of a book, check first to see if the writer simply tells you. We could call this the purpose (or summary) statement technique. For example, look with me at the opening lines of this letter and let's see if the writer simply tells us we he's writing:

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: [2] May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. [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. [4] For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Did you hear a main point or a purpose statement there? Yes! The writer could not have been more clear. It's right there in verse 3: “...although I was eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith...”. This writer explicitly explains why he's writing to his readers: his letter is an appeal that they would “contend for the faith.”

Now, just to be clear, not every book of the Bible has an explicit purpose statement like this one. More often than not, if there isn't something explicit like Jude 3, you just have to do what you would normally do: study what the book says, consider what's emphasized, consider what's connected and how those ideas are developed. After doing that you can attempt to summarize the author's intention in writing that particular letter or history or psalm or prophecy or Gospel.

But many books in the Bible do have some kind of purpose (or summary) statement; a state-ment like the one we find here in Jude. Here are some examples:

...“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. [3] For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:2–3)

...but these [signs] are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)

...I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. (1 Peter 5:12)

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)

So with those first four verses of Jude in mind, let's consider a second principle or technique. When we study God's word, it's critical that we simply ask good questions about what we're reading and see how the text itself answers those questions. For example, we could ask, “Who wrote this book?” Well, verse 1 answers that right away. The writer identifies himself as “Jude”. We could also ask, “What do we know about Jude?” Well, in addition to what we might learn about him from the rest of the letter, the opening sentence tells us that he is a “servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James”. Since at this time there was only one man who could simply be referred to as “James”, it's very likely that, like tist James (who as a leader in the early church), this Jude is also one of the half-brothers of Jesus (the sons of Mary and Joseph). He is most likely the “Judas” who is listed as a brother of Jesus in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3.

Of course, we can and should keeping asking questions of this text. And when we consider both the first and second techniques together, we could ask questions like, “Why did Jude feel it was 'necessary' to appeal to his readers?” And, “What does it mean or look like to contend (or fight or struggle) for the faith?” Well, that first question about it being “necessary” for Jude to write seems partly answered in verse 4, where we learn that “certain people [had] crept [into their church] unnoticed”, people who “pervert the grace of our God”. Okay. When James said it was necessary to write to them about fighting for the truth, the picture is becoming clearer, isn't it? But here's one more question: “What does it mean that such people were (v. 4) 'long ago... designated for this condemnation?” I think that leads to another technique or principle.

Third, as you read, look for the discernible structure of a book (i.e., the parts of a book and how they fit together). Keep that idea of structure in mind as we continue reading in Jude:

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. [6] And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—[7] just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. [8] Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. [9] But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” [10] But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. [11] Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. [12] These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; [13] wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. [14] It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, [15] to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” [16] These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

Okay. Did you notice anything about the structure of those verses? The first thing I noticed is that the whole section is tied together by OT examples and relevant Jewish stories (kind of like we might use examples or illustrations from church history). Think about it: the exodus, the angels, Sodom & Gomorrah, Cain, Balaam, Korah's rebellion, along with relevant stories outside the Bible about Enoch, as well as Michael and the devil. But it's also important to note that in verse 8, there's a shift from OT people to present-day people. Jude writes, “Yet in like manner these people [the “certain people” of v. 4... these people] also...”. What does that tell us? It tells us that Jude wants to draw a connection concerning condemnation. Remember our question about verse 4? What does he mean when he says they were 'long ago... designated for this condemnation'? He's talking about the ancient testimony of Scripture. Why should these readers contend for the faith? Because God has always judged and condemned those who pervert his truth. Therefore, these believers need to recognize what's happening and resist such influences.

III. How to Contend

Of course, that's not where a discernible structure ends, is it? How do we know that? Because there are still nine verses left in this book! So as I continue reading, listen for a shift that helps us identify yet another piece of the structure of this letter. Verse 17...

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. [18] They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” [this seems to be a reference to the Apostle Peter in II Peter 3:3—from the similarities between the books, it appears Jude was using 2 Peter as a reference] [19] It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. [20] But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. [22] And have mercy on those who doubt; [23] save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

So Jude started the letter by explicitly addressing his readers, and now, after talking about these ancient perverters of grace and present-day perverters of grace, he comes back to directly addressing the brothers and sisters to whom he writes. Notice “But you...” in v. 17 and v. 20.

And I think it's these “but you”s that lead us to a fourth and final idea. Whenever you study God's word, never walk away until you've thought about the application points God has for you; for us. If we begin with good questions like, “What does it mean to contend for the faith?”, then we have to think about how our answer to that question should also instruct us today.

Can false teaching, can perversions or distortions of grace, creep unnoticed into this faith family, as they did with these ancient readers? Absolutely. Can such distortions creep unnoticed into our own hearts? Absolutely. Might we also be tempted to downplay or dismiss such distortions? Absolutely. Therefore, do we also need to contend for the faith in light of such threats? Absolutely.

So as we finish up this morning, let's take a moment and summarize what we learn in verses 17-23 about contending for the faith.

Verse 17: Contend by remembering the word of God, including the many warnings about the very real and present dangers out there and in here.

Verse 20: Contend by building yourself up in your faith. That actually points us back to verse 3, where the faith for which they should contend is describe as “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints”. We don't need to be searching for innovations in spirituality, do we? What we need most is a personal commitment to grow in the truth we've already received.

Verse 20: Contend by praying in the Spirit, that is, praying with a worshipful mindset that welcomes the Holy Spirit to to guide and convict and comfort you.

Verse 21: Contend by abiding in God's love. Never forget God's love for you as revealed in the gospel, and let that love inform your love for others, that it also might be gospel-centered.

Verse 21: Contend by waiting expectantly for Christ's return. The most discerning eyes we can have are eyes set on eternity and the age to come, not the present age.

Verse 22: Contend by helping those who doubt and pursuing those who stray. Though some may contend for the faith by confronting false teachers, in most cases, for most of us, we will contend best by loving those who are struggling with false teaching; by simply watching out for one another, and being present for another, and speaking the truth in love. Finally...

Verse 22: Contend by hating fleshly distortions. When we love God, we hate what God hates. When we truly love his truth and his design, we rightly hate distortions of that truth and distortions of that design. And when that's true, we become far less vulnerable to those ideas that offer us worldly, fleshly pleasures instead of the present and eternal reward of God himself.

So what have we seen this morning? Well, on one level, our focus considered several, basic Bible study techniques or principles that can help us better understand the books we find in sacred Scripture; techniques like identifying purpose statements, asking good questions, recognizing a book's discernible structure, and thinking carefully about a book's application points. But on another level, I hope we've also been hearing the voice of God, as he speaks to each of our hearts; as He ministers to us, and encourages us, and equips us.

But with gratitude this morning for His word, let's allow God to encourage us one more time. In light of those clear and present spiritual dangers, out there and in here, listen to the closing verses of Jude. I pray this blessing deeply encourages you in light of God's sovereign grace in salvation. Look with me at Jude 24 and 25...

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, [25] to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.