But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. – Jude, verses 20-21
Nestled in the New Testament between the book of 3 John and Revelation is the one-chapter Epistle of Jude. With only 25 verses, it’s among the shortest books of the Bible. Widely believed to be a brother of Jesus, Jude didn’t believe his brother to be the Son of God until after his death and resurrection.
Jude’s words, like his epistle, are short and to the point: Build yourself up in the faith through prayer and stand up to the false teachers that oppose the teachings of Jesus. Be patient with those who have doubts and go after those who go on a wrong path.
In the middle of this epistle, Jude makes clear what a follower of Christ needs to do the work of being a disciple. If you’re gonna stand up to those who use Christianity as a weapon to exclude and harm, build yourself up with prayer and be at the center of God’s love.
When you need loving patience to be a positive presence to those around you, keep your own arms wide open for the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
As you work with someone who is taking a path of destruction in their own life, remember that you are on your own error-prone journey to life with Christ.
Build yourself up with prayer. Keep your own arms wide open to the mercy of Christ. Remember your own journey to life with Christ, in this life and the life to come.
Sometimes, the message needs to be short, sweet, pithy, and clear. So, take 10 minutes to read this letter of Jude. Of course, you may need 5 minutes to find it in your Bible.
Let us pray
From verses 24-25 of the Book of Jude: And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes.
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