Jude
Lord, as we look to your word for guidance for our faith, open our hearts and minds to your Spirit that we may hear you speak.
The Letter by Jude (only 25 verses!) click here for the text
It's not certain exactly who Jude was writing to but he certainly wants to warn them strongly about false teachings in the Churches. Particulary he's worried about a teaching that suggests Christians have a licence to sin as no sin will be held against them come Judgement Day. (v3-5) I reckon there are still people in the world and in our Churches that would love to believe this. They think that being a Christian is a one off saying sorry not a lifelong committment that seems to get more testing the better you know yourself and Jesus. Often the passion for the faith seeps away after the initial excitement but a real life of discipleship and service to God doesn't follow. I don't think the Church encourages us in our discipline enough.
(v12) Jude is worried that their are people within the churches tainting the truths of the faith either with false teachings or watered down versions.
(v19)The Methodist Church emcompasses such a wide range of truths on many issues I wonder how easily we allow others to change our minds about the faith we hold. Discussion of our beliefs is great but do we just accept what others tell us without testing what they say? What tests can we use to stop us losing the truth? Are we afraid to question others truth? Do we challenge preachers and teachers in our churches when we don't agree with them? As Jude questions, do we follow 'mere natural instinct' or seek guidnace from the Spirit?
I'm afraid that these days we don't sit and think about what we actually believe on some issues. There seems to be no place in Church to do that in a safe place. I don't claim to always be right and know that my Biblical knowledge leaves a lot to be desired but where do I go to expand my knowledge?
(v20) Jude, along with others letter writers, urges the people to build each other up 'in your most holy faith'. This I believe is guidance that we all need to hear as a Christian community. We often focus our efforts on Mission and Evangelism, social action and service, but what about our own and each others faith and discipleship? I guess this has been a pet annoyance of mine for awhile and I feel blessed at being called to be a Deacon coz at least I have a group of people to whom I am now accountable for my discipline. We live by a Rule of Life that encourages us to keep tabs of on our progress as Christians and commit to pray for each other daily. I believe a lot of other Christians could do with a similar support themselves.
(v24 & 25) Jude finishes by offering praises to God and giving him the glory.
Lord, bless these words and thoughts, challenge and stir us by the power of your Holy Spirit that our faith my grow and bring glory to you. Amen.
By Ellie, at 9:59 PM
The Letter by Jude (only 25 verses!) click here for the text
It's not certain exactly who Jude was writing to but he certainly wants to warn them strongly about false teachings in the Churches. Particulary he's worried about a teaching that suggests Christians have a licence to sin as no sin will be held against them come Judgement Day. (v3-5) I reckon there are still people in the world and in our Churches that would love to believe this. They think that being a Christian is a one off saying sorry not a lifelong committment that seems to get more testing the better you know yourself and Jesus. Often the passion for the faith seeps away after the initial excitement but a real life of discipleship and service to God doesn't follow. I don't think the Church encourages us in our discipline enough.
(v12) Jude is worried that their are people within the churches tainting the truths of the faith either with false teachings or watered down versions.
(v19)The Methodist Church emcompasses such a wide range of truths on many issues I wonder how easily we allow others to change our minds about the faith we hold. Discussion of our beliefs is great but do we just accept what others tell us without testing what they say? What tests can we use to stop us losing the truth? Are we afraid to question others truth? Do we challenge preachers and teachers in our churches when we don't agree with them? As Jude questions, do we follow 'mere natural instinct' or seek guidnace from the Spirit?
I'm afraid that these days we don't sit and think about what we actually believe on some issues. There seems to be no place in Church to do that in a safe place. I don't claim to always be right and know that my Biblical knowledge leaves a lot to be desired but where do I go to expand my knowledge?
(v20) Jude, along with others letter writers, urges the people to build each other up 'in your most holy faith'. This I believe is guidance that we all need to hear as a Christian community. We often focus our efforts on Mission and Evangelism, social action and service, but what about our own and each others faith and discipleship? I guess this has been a pet annoyance of mine for awhile and I feel blessed at being called to be a Deacon coz at least I have a group of people to whom I am now accountable for my discipline. We live by a Rule of Life that encourages us to keep tabs of on our progress as Christians and commit to pray for each other daily. I believe a lot of other Christians could do with a similar support themselves.
(v24 & 25) Jude finishes by offering praises to God and giving him the glory.
Lord, bless these words and thoughts, challenge and stir us by the power of your Holy Spirit that our faith my grow and bring glory to you. Amen.
By Ellie, at 9:59 PM
posted by moog at
8:41 am
2 Comments:
Discussion of our beliefs is great but do we just accept what others tell us without testing what they say?
I hope that I don't, in fact in the past I've often been more challenged by things I've heard with which I don't agree. Searching to discover why someone may come to a conclusion that at first appears contrary to my understanding has often revealed more of God to me. Sometimes it changes my held beliefs, other times it affirms them, and still others helps me to appreciate how someones experience can lead them to a different conclusion.
What tests can we use to stop us losing the truth?
This is a difficult one, I don't suppose we go around leaving sheeps fleece outside overnight to see if it gets wet.
It is also a point that I find quite difficult, how do we test the 'truth', there are many diverse ideas and understandings of many texts, how do we discern those that are not of God? Is this something you learn as you God reveals his nature to us through his word, christ and the spirit?
I just don't know, but I guess if God gave us a definitive testing yardstick it would make things all to easy. We could just sit back and not bother about searching and growing in our faith and understanding of God. This reiterates ellie's point about discipleship, and its importance.
Are we afraid to question others truth? Do we challenge preachers and teachers in our churches when we don't agree with them? As Jude questions, do we follow 'mere natural instinct' or seek guidnace from the Spirit?
I think that we are perhaps afraid of being confrontational by challenging the truth held by others. We need to create an environment where questioning can be encouraged in a loving way. A place where we can acknowledge that those differences may still be present at the end, but from hearing both points of view we can better understand why such a 'truth' is held. Though this doesn't answer how to deal with heretical ideas....
By
moog, at 12:42 pm
Time to talk of god is a great document, I've blogged about it a few times, which you can read by clicking on these links:
here
and here.
We've used the document in our sunday services and also in a bible study.
If you have any quetions about genetics, fire away cos i'm a geneticist/cell biologist/biochemist by training.
By
moog, at 3:34 pm
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