Jude
Vs. 1 Jude was the brother of James an the brother of Jesus. Jude did not believe Jesus was the Christ and the Son of God until after Jesus rose from the dead.
None of the countless miracles Jesus did in his life was enough to convince Jude to believe in Jesus. It wasn't until after he had seen the suffering Jesus went through, the pain his mother (Mary) had endured, and then the resurrection of Jesus from the dead that he truly believe.
Christ power is in His resurrection! My power comes from Jesus death and resurrection.
If Jesus had not died I would not be saved.
I would not be able to conquer my sinful nature.
There would be no forgiveness.
Like Jude I was not convinced by all the blessings God had given me or the miracles he had done in my life. It took the power of the cross to break my heart and to really see who I was before God and how much I really need Him.
Vs. 1 Jude is speaking specificity to Christians. Fellow believers in Christ. Brothers.
Like Jude, I have been called to know Christ.
It is sobering to think about this. Out of all the people in the world, many of which do not know God, God chose me and called me to follow him!
What a privilege it is to be pursued by God and chosen by Him!
Jude reminds us that as brothers in the faith, we are loved by God and kept in a relationship with him by or through Jesus.
How often have I taken this simple fact for granted.
Without Jesus I would not be able to have a relationship with God.
Vs. 2 Jude offers a blessing of mercy, peace, and love to his readers.
We all want the same things. To have mercy, live in peace, and to be loved.
Only through Jesus and our relationship with God can we truly have mercy, peace, and love.
Nothing the world has to offer me will ever compare with the abundance of these three things I have in Christ!
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