๐๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ. ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ: ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฑ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ.
Welcome back to "Little Book. Big Message." After our journey through Philemon, we now turn to another small but mighty book—Jude. This book, like Philemon, has just one chapter, consisting of 25 powerful verses. Before we dive into the study, I encourage you to take a few moments to read through the entire book of Jude. It’s a quick read but one packed with profound lessons that are crucial for us today.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ช๐ฒ'๐น๐น ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด
• ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ:๐ฏ: The call to contend for the faith.
• ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ:๐ฐ: Warning against ungodly people who distort the truth.
• ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ:๐ญ๐ณ-๐ฎ๐ญ: Instructions for staying strong in the faith.
• ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ:๐ฎ๐ฐ-๐ฎ๐ฑ: A beautiful doxology praising God’s power to keep us from falling.
๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ
๐๐๐ค ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฉ?
Jude, also known as Judas (not Judas Iscariot, the one that's known for betraying Jesus. So hint why he shortened his name to Jude, to not be confused or connected to the crucifixion of Christ), was the brother of James and, likely, the half-brother of Jesus. Despite his close relationship with Jesus, Jude introduces himself simply as a “servant of Jesus Christ,” showing his humility. (Let's be honest, if Jesus was your half brother, you'd probably start with, "Hi I'm Jesus's half sibling." So this shows his humility in a big way.)
๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ?
Jude originally intended to write about the shared salvation of believers, but he found it necessary to address the serious issue of false teachers infiltrating the church. His letter is a passionate plea for Christians to defend their faith and live godly lives.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ด ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ
๐ญ. ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ต (๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ:๐ฏ)
• ๐ผ ๐พ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ผ๐ง๐ข๐จ: Jude urges believers to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” This means standing up for the truth of the Gospel and resisting false teachings.
• ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐จ: In a world where truth is often distorted, it’s vital to hold fast to the teachings of Christ and not be swayed by every new doctrine.
๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Be vigilant in your faith. Know what you believe and why you believe it. Don’t be afraid to stand up for the truth, even when it’s unpopular.
๐ฎ. ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ (๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ:๐ฐ)
• ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ช๐๐ฃ๐๐๐จ: Jude warns that certain individuals have crept into the church, twisting the grace of God into a license for immorality and denying Jesus Christ.
• ๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง: These false teachers are dangerous because they blend in with the community, making it harder to recognize their harmful influence.
๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Stay alert and discerning. Measure all teachings against the truth of Scripture. Don’t just accept something because it sounds good; ensure it aligns with God’s Word.
๐ฏ. ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ต (๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ:๐ญ๐ณ-๐ฎ๐ญ)
• ๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ: Jude reminds believers to recall the warnings of the apostles about scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.
• ๐ฝ๐ช๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐จ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ: Jude encourages believers to build themselves up in their most holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, and keep themselves in God’s love.
๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Strengthen your faith through prayer, studying Scripture, and staying connected to God’s love. This will help you remain firm and unshaken in a world full of challenges.
๐ฐ. ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐ป๐ฒ ๐ช๐ต๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐จ๐ (๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ:๐ฎ๐ฐ-๐ฎ๐ฑ)
• ๐๐ค๐’๐จ ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ง: Jude ends his letter with a powerful doxology, praising God for His ability to keep us from stumbling and present us blameless before His glorious presence.
• ๐ผ ๐๐ก๐ค๐ง๐๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐: This doxology reminds us that it’s God’s power that sustains us, giving us hope and confidence in our journey of faith.
๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Trust in God’s ability to sustain you. No matter how tough things get, remember that God is faithful to keep you standing firm until the end.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ
๐ฝ๐ข๐๐ 1:24-25 – “๐๐๐ค ๐ก๐ โ๐๐ ๐คโ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฆ, ๐ก๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐บ๐๐, ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐, ๐กโ๐๐๐ข๐โ ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ถโ๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐กโ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐. ๐ด๐๐๐.”
๐ช๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ ๐จ๐ฝ
Jude may be a short book, but its message is as relevant today as it was when it was written. It’s a bold reminder to defend the truth, stay strong in our faith, and trust in God’s sustaining power. As we reflect on Jude’s words, let’s commit to living out these truths in our daily lives.