Jude wrote a little letter to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. (v. 1)

That would include you and me.

Jude had intended to write a joyous letter about salvation, but a more pressing issue came to the forefront–there were those in the church who had twisted the Gospel to suit their own immoral purposes–and so he dives right into the subject of false teachers and false doctrines. He urges those who have been called, to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

I had intended to read his entire letter about standing firm in the faith, but I was stopped by that one word in verse 3: entrusted.

God entrusted us with this Gospel. Wow. It’s really quite staggering that God has chosen us—entrusted us—with the mission of spreading His good news.

Hello? Does He not know how far I am from being a perfect candidate for this job? Didn’t He see how unprepared I was to handle such responsibility? Has He not seen how I’ve screwed up? To borrow a line from one of my favorite movies: “What was God thinking?”

That’s my first reaction to this verse that tells me I’ve been entrusted with this defending of the faith. ME? I want to protest. Surely there are those far better equipped, more mature, more qualified, more—yes—Christ-like  ….

Yet Scriptures tell us this is now our mission, it’s what we’ve been called to do—to show others the goodness of God, for he called [us] out of the darkness into his wonderful light. That passage in 1 Peter 2 likens us to royal priests, a holy nation chosen by God and charged with ushering others into the presence of God!

“You will be my witnesses,” Christ said. I carry His name. My words and actions today will testify to something. What testimony will my life present?

We are not perfect … not now. But we are being changed every day to become that masterpiece God has in mind. We live by His mercy and grace and His Spirit; our lives are changed because we know Him. We are letters from Christ; He wrote that letter on our hearts and now sends it out to a world that does not know or acknowledge Him (2 Cor. 3:3).

Who better to recommend a surgeon than a patient who’s experienced his healing skills? Who better to recommend the power of the Healer than those who have been healed?

Who better to attest to forgiveness that blots out stains than those who need forgiveness and mercy?  

Who better to represent the transforming power at work in this world than those who are being transformed, day by day, becoming more like the One they follow as Lord?

A royal priesthood, a holy nation, Christ’s witnesses, God’s masterpiece, a letter from Christ to the world—we’ve been entrusted with the Gospel, the good news that Christ makes a difference in our lives.

May we live lives worthy of that message today.

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