Jude: A Call to Defend
Secured for Battle
Jude 1-2
Passage
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Introduction
The key verse to Jude is verse 3
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
Throughout most of the New Testament there were warnings against false teachers. Churches were to be on the lookout for them and defend the church against their attacks and teachings.
Here in Jude, they have come. It has come as apostasy.
Jude is calling the church to defend the truth of scripture, defend the way of salvation.
Jude’s call is a call to battle. The battle is not physical, but spiritual.
When you go to battle spiritually, there is gear for the battle as Paul mentions in Ephesians 5.
When going to battle, it is important for the warrior to know that they are fighting for something that is right, noble, and eternal even if their life is sacrificed on the battle field.
I believe Jude is reminding the believers that they are secured for battle in verse 1-2.
There are 4 key words I want us to explore in these two verses that help us understand that we are secured for battle against the false teachings that come into our family of faith.
1. Called.
Greek word kletos. Literally means to be invited, or appointed.
It means those who have heard the invitation of the Gospel and have responded in obedient faith to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Understand that the invitation of the Gospel is more than a call to Salvation. It is a call to purpose. It is a call to being a bond-servant of Jesus Christ.
Who is your master? If you have responded in faith to the Gospel, you master must be Jesus Christ and Him alone.
Ephesians 4:1
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
2 Timothy 1:9
9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
Have you responded the call of Gospel?
Are you fulfilling the call of the Gospel in your life?
2. Beloved.
Literally means within the circle of God’s love.
Some of your translations have “sanctified”.
Sanctification literally means to be made holy; to be made like Jesus.
Everyone is loved by God, but only those who are called are within the scope, the fence of His sanctified love.
Because God loves us, it is fair to say He wants what is best for us.
The position we have of being in God, being in His family, and having His love poured out on us as He makes us Holy, more like Jesus, what an amazing love that is.
The question is, “Are we allowing ourselves to experience that love of God fully?”
Are we allowing Him to love us in such a way, that we allow Him to make us more like His Son?
Philippians 2:13, NLT
13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.
Understand, that when you are called, or invited, into God’s salvation, you are accepting an invitation to be sanctified by His love as well, to become more like Jesus!
Galatians 2:20, ESV
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Don’t miss the blessing of being sanctified! The blessing of being involved in the work of God the Father.
Listen to Jesus in John 4
34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
As we are sanctified by God, as we experience more and more of His love for us, we find that our greatest energy comes from doing His will here on earth.
3. Kept
Literally means to guard by keeping an eye on.
God, keeps an eye on us, He preserves us for who? For Jesus.
Folks we are Jesus’ prize!
Everything that Jesus endured on our behalf, when we accept His call of Salvation, when are sanctified by God’s love, to be more like Him, we are His forever!
John 10:27-29, ESV
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
Do you remember the times when you kids wanted to be like you? Do you remember the pride that welled up inside of you?
Or better yet when you kids had that prized possession and there was a death grip on it? You couldn’t pry it from their hands?
What do you think Jesus feels when He sees us becoming like Him and ministering like Him?
Folks we are His prized possession. He will not let go of us
Oh No You Never Let Go by Matt Redman
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know you are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
(Chorus:)
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
Christian lyrics - YOU NEVER LET GO LYRICS - MATT REDMAN
4. Blessed
We are blessed.
We are blessed by his mercy, peace, and love that is multiplied to us.
As a believer, as one being called into salvation, sanctified by His love to become more like Jesus, kept for Jesus as a prized possession, we have God’s blessings multiplied to us day in and day out.
We are truly blessed when we are His.
Conclusion
Are you secured for the battle?
Have you been called unto salvation?
Are you beloved and being sanctified by God the Father?
Are you being kept for Jesus?
Are you blessed in multiples?
Folks, there is a spiritual war around us. There is a battle before us. A battle we are called to be actively involved in. Will you stand up and join the march?
