Welcome to Weekday Word with Pastor Eric

Scripture “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” — Ephesians 4:15 Reflection Jude tells believers to “contend for the faith.” Christians have sometimes heard those words as permission to become combative. We may imagine that faithfulness means…

Scripture “They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality.” — Jude 4 Reflection The people Jude warns about were not simply rejecting Christianity. Their distortion was more subtle. They were using Christian language—especially the language of grace—to justify lives that no longer reflected the character of Christ.…

Scripture “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 3:11 Reflection Churches are full of things that matter deeply to people—sanctuaries, hymns, worship styles, traditions, programs, furniture, schedules, and customs. These things often carry memories of meaningful encounters with God, so it is…

Scripture “I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” — Jude 3 Reflection Jude describes the Christian faith as something that has been entrusted to us. That is an important word. An entrusted gift is not something we created, and…

Scripture “To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.” — Jude 1 Reflection We often speak about the importance of keeping the faith. We encourage one another to remain committed, continue praying, and hold tightly to what we believe. Those are important practices, especially during…

Scripture “To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father…” — Jude 1 Reflection Many of us have learned to connect love with achievement. We receive praise when we succeed, approval when we behave, and recognition when we meet expectations. Without realizing it, we may begin to imagine that God’s love…

“To those who have been called…” — Jude 1 Reflection The Christian life begins with a call. Long before we understood everything about God, God was already reaching toward us. Before we knew the right words to pray, grace was already at work. Before we could explain what we believed, God was inviting us into…

Scripture “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.” — Jude 1 Reflection Jude could have introduced himself in a much more impressive way. He was almost certainly one of the brothers of Jesus. He could have opened his letter by reminding everyone that he had grown up in the same home…