Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones.

Nice morning out there so far. It’s another beautiful day for work. I’m looking at plenty of it. Yesterday, I already had a big list when a friend called to ask my assistance in trimming some big branches from some big cedar trees over his deck and house. Being the nice spontaneous guy I am, I promptly did the job yesterday afternoon using the boom truck—leaving my big existing pile of work to grow bigger. Who knows what this day will yield?

When I had Becki read the original essay below, I asked, “Is this too ‘platitude-ish’ or ‘Sunday School-ish’? Without hesitation, she expressed that it was a good reminder of concepts often allowed to get a little blurry. So there you have it—straight from the editor’s judgment.

Blessings on your day’s adventure.

Love, Dad/Ray.

“OK, Hondo—let’s get on with it.”

Jude demonstrates that he has come a long way in his own faith walk. Thankfully, he came to embrace a personal HEART AFTER GOD. It’s amazing to see how that personal orientation of choice can have such an impact on one’s life course and Holy Spirit-inspired enlightenment. The historical evidence is that Jude was actually the half-brother of Jesus. And, that being the case, he didn’t always hold to such a view of Jesus (John 7:5). He could have touted that special relationship as a claim to notoriety. Instead he presents himself simply as “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother to James” (v. 1). Wow! I’m inclined to regard that as an expression of inspired humility.

Jude is now so filled with the benefits of knowledge that can only come by personal revelation that he wants everyone to know and experience the same. That has to be the motivation driving that greeting—“Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.”

MERCY. Only those who see through the enlightened lens of a HEART AFTER GOD recognize that all they are and have are gifts of God’s love and grace, not achievements of their own making—wages they deserve. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1).

PEACE. Is there any commodity on this earth more desirable, or in shorter supply than peace? I have totally given up on man’s ability to achieve it collectively—by legislation, by establishing perfect government, or even by developing a perfect set of doctrines flowing from a perfect theology. God has made people to be too individual to allow that. Peace can only happen personally and individually. And that ideal can only happen in personal relationship with the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Therefore, we can accurately say, PEACE IS A PERSON. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

LOVE. Similar to peace, love cannot be legislated. But it’s still largely a choice—and it’s still largely a PERSON. After all, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). The quality of love required to make relationships work right calls for this special enlightenment and empowerment that only a Spirit-inspired personal relationship with the Father through the Son can afford. Jesus gave this standard the function of a sign post that declares Christian authenticity. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

Jude understands that these qualities are not adequate in small amounts or on a part time basis. He desires that they be “yours in abundance.”