“Stumbling and
Standing” (Jude 20-25)
For some reason, I remember her
vividly...her emaciated body, her glazed eyes, her white cap absentmindedly
cocked on her head, her blue running shorts soiled with her own waste. The whole world watched her on television,
stumbling towards the end of the Olympic marathon. I don't remember what year it was. I don't remember what country she was
from. I don't remember her name. But I do remember what a pathetic sight she
was. She was out of it, that was for
sure...out of the race...out of her mind.
It was apparent, however, that somewhere deep inside of her, there was a
part of her that was determined... programmed... insistent... that she was
going to make it to the finish line.
Call it the athletic spirit. Call
it the competitive nature. In her case,
it looked life-threatening. Some folks
in the crowd helped her back to her feet when she fell to the ground. I remember thinking, “Somebody stop her. Just look at her. This is embarrassing, not to mention
dangerous. She could very well die if
she keeps going.”
In today's Epistle reading, St. Jude
warns us about the possibility of stumbling towards the end...not the end of a
foot race, but the end of all things, the end of this world, the Last Day, the
day when Christ returns. It is possible
to stumble and not make it to the finish-line of heaven. Jude warns us about that possibility and then
points us to the One who is able to keep us from stumbling.
There are people around us who may
cause us to stumble. There are people in
our world who may cause us to trip over certain obstacles to faith in the
Triune God. Jude mentions three types of
people in particular: those who doubt,
those on the brink of hell, and those who seem to be beyond help. He writes: And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them from
the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by
sinful flesh.
Have mercy on those who doubt and dispute
with you. Don't be harsh with them. Be gentle with them and encourage them with
God's gracious promises in His Word.
Turn with them to God's Word to convince them of “the truth as it is in
Jesus”[1]
without succumbing to the same doubts and disputes with which they confront
you.
Others are to be snatched from the
fire. These are those you know who have
clearly and publicly fallen to sin and temptation. If they continue in their lifestyle without
repenting of their sins and returning to Christ for forgiveness, then they are
certainly on the brink of hell. Like a
lifeguard who throws out a life preserver to a drowning person, throw out God's
saving Word to these people who are in danger of the fires of hell. Remind them to cling for dear life to the
promises of their Baptism, where God first rescued them from drowning in
sin. Save them by reminding them about
our “Divine Lifeguard” who saved us by dying for our sins and rising again on
the third day.
The third group are those individuals
who appear to be beyond hope...although we should really not view anyone as
being completely beyond hope. But these
are those whose lifestyle is so utterly wicked that all that is left to do is
to pray for them. Don't despise them, as
if you think you are better than they are.
Have mercy on them by leaving them to the mercy of God. Jude warns us to avoid them when he writes, hating even the garment stained by sinful
flesh. Jude may be referring here
to clothing worn by lepers or those with some other communicable disease. Even touching their clothing would cause the
disease to spread. So have mercy on
them, but with fear. Keep them at a safe distance. Be careful not to get so closely entangled in
their life and their issues so that you, too, are tempted to fall into the same
sinful traps as them.
Each of these three types of people
are “stumbling towards the end.” The
Last Day draws near as each second on the clock ticks, but so many people keep
on “stumbling” over sinful obstacles.
And you and I are no different. We
sometimes stumble over our own doubts.
We sometimes walk close to the fire when we fail to run from
temptation. We don't often act very
merciful towards others. Instead, when
we see someone caught in a sin, we think to ourselves, “I hope they get what
they deserve.” It's not only others who
have dirty garments. Our garments are
also stained by our own sinful flesh.
But here is one thing you should
already know and believe and rejoice in.
We've been singing about it in our Gradual for the last month. St. John saw the saints in heaven and the
angel with him said of them, “They
have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.” Now, in Christ you are already a saint. You are not in heaven yet. But what the angel said of those saints in
heaven is true for you and me, too. Our
garments have been washed in the blood of Christ. Therefore, although you and I may stumble
towards the end, our Lord Jesus will make us to stand in the end.
There is a picture of this in the
book of the prophet Zechariah. Chapter 3
has Zechariah's vision of the high priest by the name of the Joshua. Joshua the High Priest is standing before the
angel of the Lord. Satan is also there
accusing Joshua, probably pointing out all of his sins and shortcomings against
God's holy Law, pointing out his unworthiness to serve God in his temple. But the Lord rebukes Satan and says of
Joshua, “Is this not a brand plucked
from the fire?” Next, Zechariah
sees that Joshua is clothed with filthy garments. The angel of the Lord says to the angels
present there, “Remove the filthy
garments from him.” And then, the
significance of this is explained, as the Lord says to Joshua, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from
you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”
We don't need Satan to point out the
ways we have fallen short of keeping God's holy Law. We are all very aware of it ourselves,
although Satan will keep on accusing us, too.
We know our own unworthiness to stand and serve in God's holy
presence. But in the waters of Baptism,
you and I are “brands plucked from the
fire.” And the filthy garments of
our sin have been replaced with the bright white robes of the righteousness of
Christ.
Therefore, we will be able to stand
when he returns. Jude writes, “Now to him who is able to keep you from
stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with
great joy.” As the Holy Bride of
Christ, his Church will be presented in her spotless wedding dress to the
Bridegroom when he returns, ready for the marriage feast of eternity. Christ her husband has “sanctified her, having cleansed her by the
washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself
in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy
and without blemish” (Eph.
5:26-27).
Jesus has promised that he will
return one day as the judge of the whole world.
He will send the angels out and gather his chosen ones from one end of
the earth to the other. We don't know
when that day will be. Jesus simply
tells us Be on guard, keep awake. In other words, be watchful and ready
for your Lord's coming.
But here is something you can
know: you are one of his chosen ones
because you are connected to your Savior through Word and Sacrament. You are baptized in his Name. You listen to and trust his Word of
absolution. He gives you his body and
blood to eat and drink for the strengthening of your faith and the forgiveness
of sins. Because of what Jesus has done
for you at the cross of Calvary, you will be able to stand on that day. In the meantime, you can walk towards that
day...building yourselves up in your
most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping yourselves in the love of
God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
You know, in many ways, life is like
a marathon race. It sometimes seems like
a long way to the finish line. It's
tiring. It's grueling. There are obstacles in the road along the
way. And you can get pretty dirty along
the way.
St. Paul compared his life to a
race. Knowing his life was nearing an
end, he wrote this to Timothy: “I have finished the race, I have kept the
faith. Henceforth there is laid up for
me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award
to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his
appearing” (1 Tim. 4:7-8).
As we conclude another Church Year, stay
awake for Christ's return. Love his
appearing. Covered in the clean garments
of Christ's righteousness, you will also receive the winner's laurels as you
stand blameless before your God on the Last Day. To him be glory, majesty, dominion, and
authority, before all time and now and forever.
Amen.
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