Wear Eye Protection While Looking Into The Sky

Last week I started my sermon talking about the only thing that’s guaranteed—our Victory in Heaven.  But, I have to recall that statement.  Today we hear about something else that is guaranteed.  No, I’m not talking about taxes or death.  While these are things we can count on, like the troubles and difficulties of this life, we also want to do our best to protect ourselves from life’s troubles.  Jesus said,

“I have told you these things, so that you may have peace in me. In this world you are going to have trouble. But be courageous! I have overcome the world”

John 16:33

We have a security system here at church with cameras in the Sunday School rooms and around our building to protect us.  You go to the doctor to protect your body from sickness and disease.  We recently were approved for State Farm insurance for our church to protect us from loss due to fire.  Protecting your life is important.  Today, we are talking about Christ the King who will return again.  But, there is one uncertainty about his return—when will it be?  So, we are waiting.  The problem is that we are waiting in a world that is filled with temptations, trials and uncertainties.  That means we need some protection while we’re living here waiting for Christ’s return.  Today we turn to the Book of Jude who gives us some very practical advice while we wait for Jesus to return.  The Holy Spirit wants us to

Wear Eye Protection While Looking Into The Sky

To Keep Yourself In God’s Love

If someone told you to memorize a book of the Bible, I would go with Jude.  It has only 1 chapter with only 25 verses.   This letter was written by Jude, who according to biblical evidence, appears to have been a half-brother of Jesus.  Jude makes clear the purpose of his letter:

“³ Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you concerning the salvation we share, I felt it was necessary for me to write, to urge you to continue to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once and for all. ⁴ For certain individuals slipped in secretly, about whom it was written some time ago that they are condemned. They are ungodly people who turn the grace of our God into a license for sin and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”

Jude

This was a warning to the early believers that false teachers were going to show up, and that there were already people living among them that had perverted the gospel.  They were using the Eye Protection of the good news that Jesus forgives all sin to deliberately continue in their sin.  A person doesn’t wear safety glasses so that they can light a fuse to a stick of dynamite!  You see, their deliberate abuse of the gospel wasn’t showing love for the Lord, but mocking the Lord.

Here’s the warning that stands true today.  There are too many Christian churches (I use that name loosely) that are using the Bible like safety glasses but are not faithful to the Word.  They twist the truth, loosen their morals, ignore God’s commands and come up with all sorts of excuses to deliberately sin.  Calling God a forgiving God of love doesn’t give one the permission to call him a God of sinful permission!  They are in desperate need of God’s Eye Protectionbefore Christ returns in all his glory.

We also want to heed this warning, “continue to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once and for all.”  Yes, while the Word of God does not need any defending in and of itself, we are called to be faithful to the Word of God as we “contend for the faith.”  Just as we want to protect our lives from all angles, Jude does that same.  He looks inward, outward and upward.

Inward – Let’s think about who we are and our relationship to God.  Jude tells us to protect ourselves inwardly:

“²¹ Keep yourselves in God’s love.”

We know what God’s love is.   It is sending Jesus to die for us, and rise from the dead to prove his work conquered death and opened the gate of heaven.  This is God’s love.  So, how do we “Keep yourselves in God’s love”?  Well, if you’ve had a falling out with someone, how do you get back into their good graces?  You would probably prioritize time with them, change your ways to show you appreciate them, maybe even a gift or two.  How do you think this looks in your relationship with God?  I hope your ears are burning a little bit right now because you might be hearing me say, “There is something I can do to keep myself in God’s love.  I thought I couldn’t do anything to earn God’s love.”  Well, you’re right.  We can’t earn God’s grace, love or forgiveness because it is by grace (undeserved love).  But, that’s not what Jude is talking about here.  He is not saying, “Make yourself lovable to God.”  No, he is talking to believers and encouraging them to keep themselves in harmony with God’s ever-present love.  Here is the important truth to remember: Your Spirit Will-power, once dead in sin, Is Reborn and Made Alive With Christ so that You Desire To Do God’s Will and Stay In His Love.  Jesus is  your spiritual Eye Protection so wear him as you Look To The Sky awaiting his return in all his glory.  You are alive in Christ.  You are God’s own dear child.

With Polished God-glasses

Protect against false teachings, deceiving self-talk and blinding temptations doesn’t take place by putting on sun-glasses.  Rather, this happened in your heart and mind as we wear our God-glasses. In what shape are you spiritual glasses?  Listen to Jude:

“²⁰ But you, dear friends, continue to build yourselves up in your most holy faith as you keep praying in the Holy Spirit.”  

Our “God-glasses” are polished and ready to wear when we hear the Word, remember our baptism, and enjoy having our faith strengthened in the Lord’s Supper.  Satan’s lies and the world’s attacks cannot stand when your faith protected with the polished God-glasses of Christ by the Holy Spirit.  As with any relationship whether in marriage, with friends, co-workers or even between two campuses of a multi-site congregation, communication is the key.  The same is true to have our spiritual relationship with God protected.  It’s like wearing clean, polished glasses!  After you hear the Word, then put on your God-glasses with his clean promises and pray to him.  Share your struggles, challenges, fear and anxieties.  The Lord will listen to every one and answer them with your best interests in mind.

And now we are ready to hear Jude’s encouragement to us on Christ the King Sunday as we look to the sky “as you continue to wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, which results in eternal life.” The same Jesus who came to live and die for us to pay the penalty of all our sins is coming again in glory to bring us into eternal life in heaven.   Yes, we are ready Wearing Our Spiritual Eye Protection as we Look Into The Sky with our Polished God-glasses in Christ.

Remember I said the Jude looks inward, outward and upward. Listen to his encouragement for protection Outwardly.  Think of this like a soldier who doesn’t just defend himself, but also those around him.  So, while we are waiting for Christ the King, God wants us to be on his spiritual rescue team looking OUTWARD for others.

“²² Show mercy to those who are wavering. ²³ Save others by snatching them out of the fire. Show mercy to still others with fear, hating even the clothing that is stained by the flesh.”   

Look around you.  There you may see people who have Faith, but not much faith.  We talked about his at our Bible on Tap last Thursday.  We see people who have Faith in Jesus as their Savior, but their faith in God’s promises is wavering.  We are on the outward look for others who may know Jesus but who are clouded by the sins in their life and are in danger of falling away from God and into the flames of hell for unbelief.  With love and patience we look for brothers and sisters who are struggling and need to have their spiritual Glasses polished in order to have a clearer perception of our love for them, and more importantly, Jesus’ love for them.

Finally, Jude turns our eyes UPWARD.  That takes us back to the beginning.  When is Jesus coming back?  Well, we know waiting is never easy.  It’s even more difficult when the waiting involves temptations, pain or suffering.  Jude reminds us that we are guarded by looking upward. Who do you see but Jesus who is there to guard and protect you and your faith.  Just like getting someone qualified to repair your electric issues at your house instead of just watching a YouTube video and fixing it, so we want someone skilled and qualified to guard us. 

“²⁴ Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless in the presence of his glory with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time, now, and to all eternity.”  

Look through your Polished God-glasses and see Christ the King who loves you, protects you, and will take you to heaven.

While we are not able to answer the question, “when” will Jesus return, we can answer the question of, “Where is he now?”  Our Lord is in heaven controlling all things for your good.  Jesus is with you.  Remain in God’s Love.  Keep your God-glasses polished through faithful use of Word and Sacrament.  And Keep Yourself in God’s Love by aligning yourself to God’s holy will.  Then you have Great Protection As You Look Into The Sky Waiting for Christ the King.  Amen.