Scripture:
Jude 24–25
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (NRSVUE)
Observation:
Jude’s benediction is a beautiful prayer for us today. We serve a Lord who is able to keep us from falling away spiritually. Not only can He keep us from falling, but He is able to make us pure, without blemish. God’s people can be holy people who are privileged to be welcomed into His presence.
We are welcomed into the presence of His glory. God’s glory is amazing and mighty, and yet this is the place where we can stand before Him with rejoicing. We rejoice in this God, our God, the One who is our Savior.
We give all praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, who is our Lord. This is the God who existed before time, is present with us now, and will reign forever. His glory stretches beyond all time, and we recognize that He is the One with all the “glory, majesty, power, and authority.” So be it, God!
Application:
The Old Testament reading for today took us up Mount Sinai, where Moses met with God. The glory of God was present, but the people were warned not to approach the mountain or they would die. Only those whom God invited could draw near. This New Testament benediction tells us an astonishingly different story.
That story begins with a loving God who has chosen to provide salvation for all of humankind. He sends His Son, Jesus, the Christ. Jesus is the Messiah, the promised One, and He comes to create a pathway for all of humanity to be made holy and able to stand in the presence of God’s glory. Think of this juxtaposition. At Sinai, the people were warned that if they even touched the mountain, they would die. Now, through Jesus Christ, God is making a way for us to stand in the presence of His glory—and this, not with fear, but with rejoicing.
Two things stand out clearly in this prayer. If the author is Jude, the brother of Jesus, he was very likely among those gathered when the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. Just a few verses earlier, he had admonished his readers: “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). He was encouraging them to pray in the Holy Spirit because he understood the transforming power of the Spirit in the lives of believers. And then he goes on: “Keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 21). Think about that! They are to pray in the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who makes it possible for God’s people to participate in the life of the Triune God. We are able to become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), and Jude tells us to keep ourselves in the love of God. God’s nature is holy love. Through the Holy Spirit, we become partakers of the divine nature, participating in God’s holy love.
What is laid out for us is an invitation into the holy life. For years, people have talked about what happens when someone is filled with the Holy Spirit. I think Jude is laying it out for us. We participate in the life of the Triune God, in His holy love, and are so filled with that love that we can be kept from falling. Some people don’t like that kind of language because, surely, we will keep on sinning! But that’s not what Jude is saying. He is not suggesting that we accomplish this on our own. Rather, we place our faith in God, who is able to keep us from falling. Then Jude goes on to say that we can stand without blemish. We can be made pure. God’s people, through the power of the Holy Spirit, can be made pure and enabled to stand. This is the hope we have through the gift of the Spirit.
Notice how Jude holds these things together. He tells us to keep ourselves in the love of God, and then praises the God who is able to keep us from falling. We are invited to participate, but it is God’s grace that makes our holy living possible.
Why would God provide all of this for us? Because He wants to welcome us into the presence of His glory. And I love the addition—with rejoicing! This life of holiness is one of great joy. Not like some of the old folks may have thought about holiness—that someone, somewhere, was having a good time, and that was a bad thing! No, God’s people, filled with holy love and invited into God’s glory, are rejoicing.
And all of this is possible because our God—He is Lord and Savior, filled with glory, majesty, power, and authority—was before all time, before Moses, before the disciples, before you and me, and will be forever and ever. This God invites us up the mountain to spend time with Him.
Let’s go into the presence of His glory with rejoicing!
Prayer:
Lord, what a hopeful expectation we find in this prayer. Please take this prayer, stamp it on my heart, and help me to stand. I want to know You more, today, tomorrow, and for all of eternity. Amen.
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