People of God, if you would turn with me to the book of Jude. You may find, as I do, that it's easiest to go to Revelation 1 and turn back, whether it be the smaller prophets at the end of the Old Testament, whether it be some of these smaller letters at the end of the New. I usually find working backwards to work best. We will, Lord willing, consider this tonight and next week and another week as well. For tonight we will simply read the first four verses of Jude. Let us hear the word of our God. Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ. Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. Dear friends, although I was eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ, our only Sovereign and Lord." Thus far the reading of the Word of our God. Dear congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, there are not too many formal letters in our day. A written letter, which we might still receive on occasion, is probably more formal than an email, which is probably more formal than a text message. And sometimes this lack of formality is totally understandable. After all, there wasn't caller ID in the day of Jude. But Jude does have words of formality to bring, but they are much more than mere formality as he gives an introduction of who he is himself in a simple identification. And then he gives words of greeting which are also themselves an identification because, as he will explain in his statement of purpose that we will also see tonight, there must be a sharp distinction made for this congregation. So let's begin this evening by by considering first that simple identification, the identification of Jude himself to the recipients and to us today. So what is in a name? What is in a name for Jude? is a very common name in this time of Christ, in this first century AD. And it's even, in the Greek, the same as the name for Judas Iscariot. Jude and Judas are the same name in that sense. And so the most infamous of five characters with his name in the New Testament would be Judas Iscariot, who even non-christians here would probably know about. The most unfamous would probably be Judas the Galilean who starts an uprising in Acts 5 and is not mentioned again. Now there is an observation to be made even here. For there are good Judases and there are bad Judases. This seems very obvious, does it not? That a name itself does not dictate who a person will become. But yet, I imagine there are not too many of us who know a person named Judas. Perhaps we do. Although you might know, as I do, a person named Jude. And in our world, as There are an increasing number of people who declare themselves nuns, non-religiously affiliated, shunning formal religion, yet there is still a great deal of emphasis upon fatalism, upon the spiritual. There are still many horoscopes read, even in our very nation. So a simple observation, but one which can be made nonetheless. That a person's name, the day a person is made, does not determine who a person is. And now in the simplicity of this introduction, a certain humility does come through. For there are two most likely possibilities for who this Jude is. It is either Judas the Apostle, sometimes called Thaddeus, at one point in the Gospel of John simply called Judas, not Iscariot. Or, as is more likely, it's Jude, the half-brother of Jesus. If you would turn with me back to Matthew, Back to Matthew, and if you do turn to Matthew, leave a finger in there. We will look at another passage from Matthew shortly. Matthew chapter 13, verse 55. For Jesus has gone back to his hometown, Nazareth, not the town of his birth, but the town of his upbringing. And in this town, he is teaching, and in 13, verse 55, that people say, isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary? And aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Now, whether this is Jude, the apostle, or Jude, the half-brother of James in the lineage of David, he does not find it necessary to give such information. Simply, he says, Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ. Now, when we speak of all people, All people who are created in the image of God, there is a sense in which we are all servants, whether we acknowledge it or not. And that is why I would like you to turn to Matthew again, if you would. Matthew, now chapter 25. Matthew 25, the parable of the talents, the parable of the servants. And we'll begin reading in verse 19, but the master has given three different servants different amounts of gold. And then beginning in verse 19 and reading to verse 30, we'll read the parable. After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The men who had received the five talents brought the other five. Master, he said, you have entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more. His master replied, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness. The man with the two talents also came. Master, he said, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more. His master replied, well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness. Then the man who had received the one talent came. Master, he said, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you. His master replied, you wicked, lazy servant. So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well, then you should have put my money on deposit with the banker so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he who will have an abundance. So we see, people of God, that as we long to hear the words good and faithful servant, we know that All people, all people made in the image of God, whether they acknowledge it or not, are servants. There is the difference between those who are faithful and those who are unfaithful. So that is the question we must ask ourselves. That is the question we must ask others. But more specifically in Jude, when he says a servant of Jesus Christ, he's not only saying that he is a faithful servant, he's also going beyond that. And we can think of Philippians 1 verse 1, you don't have to turn there, but both the apostle Paul and the pastor Timothy are called servants of Jesus Christ. So this is also a title for those who lead, for those who have a position of authority. And whether Jude is the apostle or whether, again, as is more likely, he's that brother of Jesus, he's a leader in the church either way. And as a leader, he gives himself that humble title of servant. Leadership does not exempt oneself from service. What are the implications of such a title? How are churches, probably even in this area, established? More and more churches have, okay, maybe they'll call their lead pastor still a pastor, but they have a board who oversees. The business model begins to take over, the model of service is cast aside. The real title of this church is the House of God. That's why we can read the Psalms as we make a call to worship. This is his temple. Even the leaders, our servants. Of Jesus Christ. And when we remember. That this very church is not ours, it should change the way we look at the church, and hopefully it does for many of us. In other words, who are we as the people of God to dictate what the church is in any way against the Word of God? who are the leaders of any church to elevate themselves above the status of servant. And just to further illustrate this and how this impacts all of us and how we even live our lives seeking to be faithful servants, longing to hear those words, well done, good and faithful servant. What's the difference between breaking something that is not yours, breaking something which is your own? Boys and girls, are there any young boys and girls here who have broken someone else's window? Breaking your own window is not a good feeling either, but breaking someone else's window is even worse. Or maybe you're a little older, or even a little older than a little older, and you've dented someone else's car? It's a worse feeling than denting your own. You see, we, when it is not our own, we look at things differently. And so even the church, even our very lives, we are servants. Our life is for Christ. This church is God's house. And then from from the last statement, There in Jude verse one, he says. Servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James from from this simple identification, let us just observe that while Jude will go on, as we shall see, to make even sharp distinctions, he is fully willing to identify with those who embrace the truth, whether it is dear friends, as he will say in verse three, or whether it is James, most likely here the author of the book of James and most likely both his brother biologically and spiritually. For those who embrace the truth, Jude embraces them. It's only when God is denied that distinction is necessary. So now let us turn our attention to the greeting, which is a special identification because Jude is already making it clear that this letter is for the true believers. So this greeting is itself a special identification. And Jude will give this with a threefold ID, so to speak, of the people of God, and he will follow it with a threefold prayer. And the special aspect becomes clear immediately. Look, in the middle of verse 1, it becomes clear immediately with the phrase, to those who have been called. Called here being a word which is sometimes used in a way distinct from the word election. They are two different words, election and called, but they are very closely related to a single divine act of God. And sometimes we make a distinction as the people of God between the internal call, which is being referenced here, and the external call. For the external call goes to all without differentiation. To all who hear the call of the Word of the Lord. to all who hear the call to believe, to obey upon Jesus Christ. But here, as it is clear that this is a special identification for those who are loved, who are kept, it is that internal call which Jude is referring to, that call which cannot be resisted. And let us turn to Romans 8 to see Romans 8, if you would. verses twenty eight to thirty to see how intimately this called is related to God and his purposes, how it cannot be resisted. We speak of irresistible grace. We can also also speak of an irresistible internal call. Romans chapter eight. verses which may be familiar to many, 28 to 30. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him who have been called according to His purpose, For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called. Those He called, He also justified. Those He justified, He also glorified." So it is that we sometimes call this the effectual calling, simply meaning people of God, that this call will be will take its effect. It cannot be denied. It is indeed a special identification. And then, what does Jude also say? That this is for those who are loved by God, and that is intimately related to that calling. God's love and God's calling us are two things very closely related In first John three. Now, if you're if you're still in Jude, it's only a couple of pages away. And in first John three, verse one, how does he tie these things together? How great is the love the father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God? And that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Indeed, what love that is to call us, though we are sinners, to call is not only external, but here that internal of the heart working irresistible. And then what else does Jude say? What is the the third fold in that that special identification and kept the end of verse one and kept by Jesus Christ? What absolutely comforting words. Let the wonder of such a phrase not be lost to us. Kept by Jesus Christ. Christ who keeps us in at least a few different ways. First, he keeps us now physically. Stories so familiar. Daniel being preserved in the lion's den. on a larger scale of the deliverance of the people from Egypt, so often mentioned throughout scripture, mentioned again in Jude, as Lord willing, we'll look at next week in verse five, kept, even from physical harm. But when we think of that kind of keeping, there are times, from our point of view, when such keeping is not obvious. when we are in prison, as Joseph was, when there is much pain. But there is a second way Christ keeps us, and that may be more obvious in that even if we're in great pain, there may be times when Christ is lifting us up spiritually, so that we know that on this earth, He keeps us. Our faith can be strong. But then again, even faith itself can have mountains and valleys, can it not? Even as physical pain can come and go, so our faith can have mountains and valleys as well. But while we're pilgrims here, Our citizenship is in heaven. So if you would turn to John, or if you want to listen, John chapter 10, because Christ, he keeps us physically, he keeps us spiritually, but he keeps us eternally. John chapter 10, verses 27 and 28. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life. And they shall never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand. So Christ keeps us in his hand. And this threefold identification in Jude, also has a prayer, a prayer of verse two. Look at Jude verse two, mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. And the context of having just spoken of who the people of God are, special being called, loved by God, kept by Jesus Christ. So the prayer here, even though we can talk about and even pray for such thing as peace from man to man, we can pray that wars would cease. Here, Jude is more specifically thinking about peace between man and God, about mercy between man and God, about love between man and God. And what does it mean beginning with mercy, how can we speak of abundant, or as some translations say, multiplied mercy? Well, there are places, especially in the Old Testament, where the word for mercy can be found in the plural. And so we might think of Nehemiah 9, verse 31, you don't need to turn there, but the people are reflecting on God's hand to bring the nation of Israel back into the land. And they say, reflecting on God's hand in the past, but in your great mercy, or in your mercies, it's in the plural, you did not put an end to them or abandon them, them being the people of Israel, for you are a gracious and merciful God. So the great mercy, is mercies to the point of being abundant, multiplied mercy. This is the prayer. And now, again, it's important that there's a special identification because when Jude prays for peace, notice there will be two groups in this letter. We'll see that in our next point clearly. But when he's praying for peace, he's not saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace. It's still tied to verse one. He's praying for peace for those who are called. Because it is very sobering to note people of God that in the New Testament. There is never a prayer. That God would give peace to those who are in rebellion against him. There's prayer that there would be repentance. There's prayer that God would work in that sense, but there is not a prayer for peace for those who are in active rebellion against God. So Jude is praying for peace for those who have that special identity in Christ, who are kept by Christ, loved and called by God. and that even this peace would be multiplied. And then also love, that love would come in abundance. When we read from 1 John just a moment ago, the language there is that God would lavish his love upon us. In Romans 5, verse 5, another metaphor is used that God would pour out, that God's love would be poured out into our hearts. This is what it means to have multiplied love, to have love in abundance that God pours it out upon his people. And this is the prayer of Jude. But now Jude, after his formalities, after the distinctions, He after the identifications, he turns to make a sharp distinction in verses three and four are the purpose statement, so to speak, of this little letter. Now note, let's reread verse three. Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. This is not what Jude originally wanted to talk about. Jude can't wait to talk about salvation. And what a beautiful thing that is. What a thing it is that we should never tire of talking about, but an emergency has come up. It's no longer possible, at least in a short letter. And remember, this is, again, no email, no caller ID. So when there's an emergency, you might write a very short letter. We think of 2 John, it is the same way. It has kind of an emergency, it's very short. It could be easily transported perhaps, quickly transported by a single runner. Such a letter has to be physically carried. An emergency has come up. And Jude can no longer focus on shared salvation. Instead, he must make a distinction between true believers and hypocrites. Even this attitude has something to teach us. To be eager to speak about the beauty of salvation But when an emergency arises, to stop in our tracks to address the issue, even as this is, in Jude, an extreme example. Our first impulse should not be a combative one. William Jenkin, I found out this morning that it's the day to quote English pastors. So William Jenkin was a 17th century English pastor, and he said it this way, the will of a saint is for peace, but it is necessity that makes him contend. I'll say that again, the will of a saint is for peace, but it is necessity that makes him contend. And even that language in our text is sometimes translated, I found it necessary to write to you. And then that comes through in this translation with the words, I felt I had to write to you. But then there's another word in the Greek, it is a separate word, and urge. It's as if the language has already made it clear that it's necessary, but he has to double emphasize it. I found it necessary and I had to urge you double emphasis this, this total, this total switch of purpose. The emergency has come. Jude has no choice but to contend. The So with these words of circumstance, since it must be addressed, Jude gives the charge to his readers. In many ways, this being the very nutshell of what Jude is about, I felt the middle of verse 3, I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith. to contend for the faith. A couple more modern translations have used the word defend here, to defend the faith. But really, contend is a better word, because it implies not only defense, but even offense. And that is what Jude is going to do, is it not? The word in the Greek is a big word. I'm not going to pronounce it. is simply defined as to exert intense effort on behalf of something. More than defense, an offensive word. And if we think back to Ephesians 6, we can read Ephesians 6 as review later this week if you want to. If we think back, there are many things in Ephesians 6 in the full armor of God which are defensive. The breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith. But there's also the sword of the Spirit, which Hebrews tells us is sharper than any two-edged And so Jude here is calling for contention, for intense effort, for offense so to speak. And what are they contending for? He gives one detail there at the end of verse three. What are they contending for? For the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. And it's like Jude liked big words in this verse. The word there for entrusted is the same as in the Greek as a word that could be speaking of an heirloom being passed down. So it's no surprise that it's in the passive tense. It's not something we do ourselves. It's something which has been given, has been passed down, has been entrusted to us. This is what we contend for. And it was delivered once for all. once for all. And that's not saying that all of God's word was given in a single moment. We think of Hebrews 1, God at various times and in various ways. But it does mean that the truth of God does not change. In a sense, we can put it this way, there's only one Jude. Jude is not gonna be taken out and rewritten for the 21st century. The truth of God does not change. It was delivered once for all. It was delivered to, we don't know exactly the first audience, probably a congregation in the area of Jerusalem. It's delivered to us this very day as well. once for all, a faith that does not change, a truth that does not change. But having given this charge, when we turn to verse four, it becomes apparent that the church Jude is writing to, or perhaps a larger group, likely in the area of Jerusalem, it becomes apparent this church has not been contending well for the faith because they have allowed certain men First for certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago. Have secretly slipped in. Among you. Is that not the device of Satan? Slyly, secretly slipping in. These hypocrites have come in. And if they had been contending, even the back door wouldn't have been open. And why do I say hypocrites? I say hypocrisy because their error is not so much one of words as it is one of actions. What does Jude say? Jude does not say that the grace of God is denied. Jude says that the grace of God is changed, or as some translations say, perverted. They're still flying the flag of God's grace. But instead of following that once for all truth, they have perverted it, they have changed it, they have twisted it. Again, the devices of Satan. And flying the flag of grace. They. Operate without moral compass. I said Jude likes big words that this is another word not commonly used in the New Testament, and it implies that especially sexual promiscuity, but it's. It's operating without morals. perverting the grace of God. But people of God, there's one more thing, one more thing I'd like us to notice from the text before we conclude. Because. These certain men. Beginning of verse four, whose condemnation was written about long ago. Sadly, it should not shock us when there is perversion of grace, even in the church. When there is hypocrisy here or there. But it doesn't surprise God either. He knows the devil is there. He knows it's an enemy in this world. It was written about long ago. that they would come, that they would be condemned. How does Christ say it to his disciples concerning the foundation of the New Testament church? The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So remember, we are kept by Jesus Christ. We are loved by God, even as we live And in anything goes, society, are we willing to stop what we are doing, to push the emergency button, to be not only servants, submitting ourselves to the will and word of God, and also soldiers wielding the sword of the Spirit, sharper than any two-edged sword. There is nothing else worth fighting for. There is no one else worth serving. Amen. Let us pray. Lord, you are our only Lord. You do keep us. You do love us. Even died for us. So make us to be your servants, make us to be your soldiers. Loving to speak about salvation, but willing. To fight. For truth, which does not ever change. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.