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What’s Up Peter, Yo James, & Hey Jude (Finishing Well advice from a friend of Jesus & 2 of His half bros) Couldn’t resist the title. If you know me, you understand why. This week we look devotionally towards the end of the New Testament to 3 writers of Scripture, the apostle Peter, the half-brother of Jesus named James and another half-brother of Jesus named Jude. Each have some great instruction and inspiration for us as we navigate this season of our lives in the Kingdom of God while surviving in the “culture of Babylon” if you will. But before we dive in let me encourage you to get tickets for our next event if you haven’t yet. It’s a night to be “GRATEFUL, HOPEFUL & PRAYERFUL” with Neal Windham on November 18th at the MEMPHIS Christian Church and I’m sure looking forward to seeing you all!
(LINK FOR TIX) And also, here is one of the new songs we’ll be singing at our next event. It’s a powerful one. Listen to it a few times before then and we all might just sound like aa choir before the night’s over!
(I KNOW A NAME) In my life I have needed all the “spiritual coaching” I could get. Most of us do & at every stage of life. Whether it was my family growing up, or my basketball coach at the Christian College I attended, or key people all throughout my life and ministry, I’ve needed their example, input and wisdom. And if we could briefly look at 3 “coaches”, I’d like to condense some of their spiritual advice to us. Now it’s always hard to “make profound things simple”. That’s what communicators try to do. Educators on the other hand attempt to “make simple things profound”. That wouldn’t be me. I’ve got to try to boil things down so I can remember at least half of it! So here is my gallant effort to simplify as best I can. PETER says …. it’s about our IDENTITY in Christ. JAMES says… it’s about our APPLICATION of spiritual wisdom. JUDE says… we need to CONTEND for the faith once delivered. Now that is oversimplification to say the least, but if we take that basic premise and theme of each writer, I believe we can recall what the essential message of their coaching is all about. Here are some powerful words & images by chapter that Peter gives us in our efforts to follow the Lord… 1. We are to embrace His HOLINESS. Peter reminds us from the Old Testament to “be holy as He is holy”. He mentions a priceless inheritance that accompanies our salvation, which was something the prophets wanted to know more about and even the angels are watching to see God’s next move! So because this is such a huge heavenly thing, we are to not take it lightly, but be “temporary residents” who live holy & appreciate the “precious blood of Christ” that purchased our salvation. 2. We are to PURGE & PURSUE. Purge the evil behavior like deceit & hypocrisy & LONG FOR the milk of the Word of God which will bring spiritual nourishment. As we do, we become “living stones” built upon one another to become a spiritual temple. Now, the next passage in chapter 2 is one of my favorites. We’re told to IDENTIFY as a chosen people, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. We’re also to live such good lives among unbelievers that people can see a difference in us! 3. We are to LET GOD SAVE OUR MARRIAGE by our believing example. The encouragement for godly wives who are married to unbelieving husbands is to simply let God use your quiet example to soften the heart of their spouse who might be far away from God. Again, the Bible is telling us to identify with God more than our cultural distortion of relationships and identities. And husbands are directed to be “understanding” with their wives realizing she is an equal partner. Peter knew the balancing of marriage and ministry as being one of the few disciples Jesus called who was married at that time. 4. We are to IDENTIFY with the SUFFERINGS of JESUS. Peter says we shouldn’t be surprised by the fiery trials we go through. It’s those moments that we “make us partners” with Christ, which makes our joy with Him all the more anticipated! 5. We are to KNOW & RESPECT OUR LEADERS AND OUR “FLOCK”. I love how Peter “identifies” as a fellow elder/shepherd and encourages their spiritual leaders to care and neither “lord their authority” over the people, nor take this responsibility “begrudgingly”. On to 2 Peter… 1. He now says to KNOW HOW WE GOT THE BIBLE. Many in our culture feel the Bible is just a reflection of other previous religions and they seem to have done their homework on it, hoping to explain away the uniqueness of God’s Word. Peter says, make no mistake, these are not clever stories we’ve made up. We are “eyewitnesses” and all Scripture came through the Holy Spirit moving the prophets and it was certainly not from their own initiative. 2. We are to STRENGTHEN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH SO WE CAN IDENTIFY FALSE TEACHING. Heresy was on the loose as it is even now. Peter reminds us that if God didn’t spare the angels who defected and followed the devil, neither will He “excuse” the lustful & greedy who reject living the holy life God calls us all to live. 3. And he winds down by calling us to IDENTIFY WITH THE COMING DAY OF THE LORD. I love the way Peter ends strongly reminding us God isn’t slow in His promise, but is patient “not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance”. The elements of the earth will “melt with fervent heat”, Peter says, so in light of that we are to “make every effort to be peaceful, pure and blameless. And on to “YO, JAMES…..” 1. It’s been said that James is the “Proverbs of the New Testament”. I remember doing a series on the book years ago called, “There’s an App for That”. He begins by calling us to APPLY God’s wisdom after we ask for it and make sure we begin that process by FACING TRIALS AS JOYFUL OPPORTUNITIES. He goes on to tell us to “be quick to listen, slow to speak & slow to get angry”. Great PRACTICAL advice in every verse of this book! 2. APPLY your humility by SHOWING YOUR FAITH BY OUR ACTIONS. Because as James so well puts, “faith without works is dead.” He gives us a great insight in that “even the demons believe and tremble”, so don’t be proud of your shallow and limited belief. I’ve heard it said that we either have a DYNAMIC Belief or a DEMONIC Belief. James doesn’t pull any punches…we are to “grow up and show up” in our faith! 3. James now says, “Don’t Let your Mouth Go South”. You’re asking for a lot there, big guy! The application here is to control what you say. He says our words are like a tiny spark that set a forest on fire! Almost every animal is “tamable / domesticable” or whatever word describes that process best. But the tongue? Not gonna happen without God’s help. So ask for help! And discern between GODLY WISDOM and WORLDLY WISDOM. If you’ve living honorably & understanding God’s ways, with mercy & good deeds, you’re on the right track. But if you’ve got a boatload of bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, and living like a self-centered “narcissist” (all the cool people like to use that word these days), then you and your disorderly life are WAY OFF TRACK! We all need help to get back on from time to time….so let’s help each other (and even each other’s families) realign to the ways of the Lord. 4. A HUMBLE HEART is always the START. James reminds us that our application of always coming close to God in humility is where we need to be. We are to allow for tears and sorrow, he says, but don’t be prideful in the presence of God, don’t speak evil of others criticizing and judging them, and don’t be OVERCONFIDENT IN YOURSELF by claiming you have “succeeded in this” and “accomplished that”. And yes, this is where the “Lord, willing and the creek don’t rise” saying comes from. We are to honestly acknowledge that if God allows it, we might receive or achieve it. It’s up to Him, not us. 5. And James takes the final chapter of “application” home with a warning to the rich, and encouragement to not grumble, and finally, a POWERFUL PROMOTION OF PRAISE & PRAYER. The suffering should simply pray. The happy should sing. And the sick should call their shepherds in verse14. Now this type of prayer for the sick has a specific procedure, it seems. There is the “implication” of repentance as well as the “application” of oil (representing the Holy Spirit, most folks believe). And James begins the descent of this final chapter by encouraging MUTUAL CONFESSION. Not just to a shepherd / elder / pastor, but to EACH OTHER. It’s followed by prayer, which is followed by healing. It doesn’t mean to everyone on FaceBook, but it does imply to a CLOSE & TRUSTED FRIEND. And his final encouragement? Bring the sinners back to Me! And if we do, we’re contributing to the process of the forgiveness of MANY sins! And when that happens….at least in my book….it’s been a good day! And finally…..HEY JUDE…. There’s only one chapter! This isn’t a letter, it’s a postcard! Anybody remember those things? But Jude, like his whole brother James who is also a half-brother to Jesus (same Mama, different Daddy), knew what it was like to grow up with Jesus in the same household and still not fully understand who He really was until He rose from the dead! That’ll change your perspective! So they both knew Jesus really well and were now ready to “die on the hill” for His cause! The phrase that sticks out most for me is when he says in verse 3, that we are to CONTEND FOR THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED. Contend means to passionately defend & even fight for. Do you believe our FAITH in Christ is worth fighting for? Worth dying for? He literally says that people have “wormed their way into the church” distorting God’s amazing grace and twisting purity into immorality. Jude also reminds us that the angels were not spared. His warning is to watch for those with an “aversion to authority”, which seems to be prevalent these days as well. And I love Jude’s account of the conversation between Michael the Archangel and Satan as they argued over the body of Moses. Michael simply cuts the devil off saying, “May the Lord rebuke you”, which seems to indicate he’s had that same talk long enough! There’s more warning concerning the “shepherds” in the early church who were among them manipulating things for their wrong desires. He didn’t have anything good at all to say about them or about those who were “divisive” in the Body of Christ. So Jude reminds them to rise above all that and live faithful lives glorifying God and even going after folks on a RESCUE MISSION, “snatching them from the fires of judgment”! Now that’s a picture! He encourages them to be MERCIFUL to those who doubt. They were in good company because even John the Baptist had a doubtful moment. And finally, he ends with a beautiful benediction of praise…. “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you 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! Amen.” Way to finish strong, Jude! And as we end our devotional time today, would you mind to simply say that final passage as your prayer? May our lives bring glory to the One WHO IS able to keep us from falling! May we be faithful as we IDENTIFY with Jesus as Peter exhorted us to… May we be diligent as we APPLY God’s Word as James encouraged us to… And may we be willing to CONTEND for the faith once delivered as Jude urges us to…. Love you guys….and praying for God to move our hearts on the 18th ! george
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