You think measuring up to your siblings was difficult, imagine being Jesus’ younger sibling! All three of my brothers are very gifted. I joke with my older brothers that they went through the gene pool like Velcro, taking all the good things. Then by the time my younger brother was born, nearly nine years after me, the pool was apparently fully replenished. God has been good to my brothers, and I am glad to be in their company. Now imagine Jesus’ brothers James and Jude. They apparently did not always believe in their brother. But after the resurrection, they became spiritual leaders.
Jude wrote in a time of spiritual darkness. The congregations reflected the faulty leadership of their shepherds who were in it for themselves. Like ministers, like people, the sins of the leadership manifested in the people themselves. Ungodly people perverted the grace of God into a license for immorality, thereby denying the Lordship of Jesus Christ. To be clear, no spiritual leaders are free to discard the clear teachings of scripture to catch up with the times in which they live. It was a dark and desperate time, but Jude did not give up hope. He knew his older Brother Jesus well.
See the confident conviction in his benediction? Listen to his blessing again and insert your name: “To him who is able to keep _______________ from stumbling and to present _______________ before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord before all ages, now and forevermore!” Good news: not only is God able, but he is willing to keep you and present you faultless with great joy. God will be glorified in your life. We will stand before God not in our righteousness but in the perfect righteousness of God’s perfect Son.
