Eyes to See The Shore

INTRODUCTION

It was Independence Day (July 4th) 1952.

Florence Chadwick, a world-class swimmer, set out to swim the 26-mile stretch from Catalina Island to the California coast.

This wasn’t a stunt. She had already conquered the English Channel both ways. She knew what it meant to endure.

But that morning the Pacific turned cruel. The water was ice-cold, and a heavy fog wrapped itself around her like a shroud.

For fifteen hours she pressed forward, her body shivering, muscles burning, lungs straining. Boats flanked her with men holding rifles in case of sharks. Supporters shouted encouragement. But the fog never lifted.

At last, overwhelmed by fatigue and blinded by mist, she called out to be pulled from the water. They hauled her into the boat and wrapped her in blankets.

Only after she got out of the water did they realize she was less than one mile from shore.

Later, when reporters pressed her, she said: “I think if I could’ve seen the seashore, I would’ve kept going.”

The story of Florence Chadwick is a metaphor of the Christian life.

We swim in cold waters. We face opposition. We push forward into fog that hides the finish line. Many grow weary.

Some begin to wonder, “Do I have what it takes?” Others are tempted to give up all together even though they’re just shy of the shoreline.

Vision to Finish

What we need in those moments is not stronger muscles—it’s clearer vision.

The good fight of faith requires vision to finish.

A sight of the shore. A picture of what will be so we can persevere through what is.

Two months later, Florence Chadwick attempted the swim again. The fog returned. The water was just as cold. But this time she finished all 26 miles.

Why? Because she fixed in her mind the vision of the shoreline. The difference wasn’t in her body. It was in her vision.

That’s the message of Jude in our passage today.

Not only does he give us a picture of the seashore, he leverages a tool that helps us see through the fog today.

Set the Table

After warnings, after exhortations, he closes with a song of worship. Not as an afterthought, but a wellspring for perseverance.

These final two verses are often labeled a doxology. 

The word comes from two Greek words: doxa (glory) and logos (word). A doxology is a word of glory—a word of praise, a song that exalts God.

Jude’s readers needed that song. They were surrounded by infiltrators who looked like Christians but denied Christ in word and deed.

Jude called them to contend for the faith (vv. 17–23):

Remember the apostles’ teaching.

Remain in the love of God—building, praying, waiting.

Reflect God’s mercy to others.

After offering these strong warnings and challenges to contend, he closes his letter by fixing their eyes on God.

Jude pivots from what believers must do to what God himself will do.

He does so with a song of praise. A song of worship.

Why? Because worship is uniquely powerful to open the eyes of our heart.

Worship removes the fog from our eyes. It gives us spiritual eyes to see.

In holding on to God, God is holding on to us.

Let’s read our text.

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

WHY WE WORSHIP

If you’ve been with us through the book of Jude you’ve probably picked up on his writing style.

He like to repeat certain words over and over to frame up his writing.

One of those words get’s translated “those people/these people.” (Jude 4, 8, 12, 14, 16, 19) It was used to describe the theological threat they were facing and the people who were pushing it.

In contrast to “those people” is the phrase “but you beloved.” (Jude 3, 17, 20) This designation was applied to true believers, the called, those loved by God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. (Jude 1)

But Jude ends his letter with a different emphasis. The focus isn’t on “those people” and it isn’t even on those “loved by God.”

The final emphasis is GOD himself because the glory of God is what matters most.

That’s what worship does. Worship reveals what matters most.

The doxology at the end of Jude isn’t unique in the New Testament.

Several biblical authors deploy this kind of language.

David gives a doxology after dedicating the temple. (1 Chron 29:10-13)

The book of Psalms is filled with doxologies.

After establishing certain truths about God, they bless the Lord and affirm that truth with an “amen!” (Psalm 41:13; 72:19; 89:52; 106:48)

The authors of the New Testament follow the same pattern. (Rom 11:33-36; Gal 1:5; Eph 3:20-21; 1 Tim 1:17)

Worship That Reveals

What I find most interesting is WHEN the doxologies show up in Scripture. Their placement is instructive.

Doxologies often come after something profound, heavy or hard to swallow: divine mysteries, paradoxes, warnings, suffering or lament.

You see this with the Apostle Paul in Romans 11:33-36 or Ephesians 3:20-21.

In meditating on the wisdom and sovereignty of God in salvation he bursts out in singing a song of grateful praise.

Theological truth does not just teach and inform the mind. Doctrine is meant to humble us and fill our hearts with awe.

It’s points our attention to where all truth, goodness and beauty terminate. It’s not in ourselves, its not in our world, it’s not even in other people.

The glory of God is the ultimate point.

That’s why doxologies are often expressed in song. Music is the language of the soul.

Our response to truths about God cannot terminate in the mind.

They must capture our heart and flow through our mouths with songs of grateful praise.

Jude is showing us where to fix our vision so that, when the waters are cold and the fog is thick, we’ll keep swimming.

Jude is reminding us when your tempted to become fixed on your problems or personal weakness, lift up your head and look to the Lord.

He is able. He is good. He is present. He is faithful. TO HIM be glory, honor, power and praise.

Worship That Reminds

But worship doesn’t just reveal what matters most. Worship does something else.

Worship reminds us of what we forget.

The word “remind” feels weak. It’s more than refreshing our memory.

Worship will reestablish God’s glory in your heart.

When we sing songs of praise it’s not that they’re telling us anything new. It’s that the words remind us of what’s true so that it reignites a fire in our heart.

A good doxology is phrased in such a way that glorious truths are paired together and break through the walls of apathy and indifference.

Jude’s doxology is no different. His song of praise reminds us of several important truths about God.

We don’t have time to work through every truth but we will focus on verse 24.

Jude 24 “Now to him who is able…” The Greek word is where we get our English word for “dynamite.” It conveys the idea of power and/or ability.

God is all-powerful. There is nothing he CAN’T do. What God WILL do extends beyond what we could ask or think.

Paul says something similar in Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think…”

Worship reminds us of God’s power.

God’s Power

This is an important reminder given what Jude just said.

This reminder of God’s ability comes on the heels of their responsibility.

They were responsible to

remember what the apostles had preached,

to remain in the love of God,

to build themselves up in the faith,

to pray in the Holy Spirit,

to wait on the mercy of Jesus and

to reflect mercy in their dealings with people.

It’d be tempting to hear all that and think, “I’m neither qualified nor equipped to do this kind of work.”

So Jude follows this list of imperatives with a reminder of God’s ability.

Jude is saying “Put your hope in God alone. It’s not about your hand gripping his. It’s about his hand gripping yours.” Where are you putting your faith?

When a child is walking across the street with his dad his confidence isn’t in his hand but the hand of his earthly father. So it is with us and our heavenly Father.

To Protect Us

But it’s not just about God’s power and omnipotence. Jude narrows the application.

There’s a specific thing that God will do even when we can’t.

Jude 24 “[God is…] able to protect you from stumbling…”

There are two important words here, the word “protect” and the word “stumbling.”

First, God is able to protect us.

The word translated “protect” isn’t used anywhere else in Jude. It’s the idea of protective custody.

Think “witness protection program.” You’re under lock and key in a positive sense. People are watching and committed to your safety.

(Shepherds keeping watch over their flock. Luke 2:8; Prison guard protecting prisoners Acts 12:6; God’s guarding of believers. 2 Thess 3:3)

Historically Jude used a different word to convey this same idea. (Jude 1, 6, 13, 21)

Here he uses a stronger word to communicate a difference.

It’s the difference between a museum keeper and an armed soldier.

One is ensuring things are neat and orderly. The other is waging war against enemy threats and harm.

That’s how we should think about our God. He’s not up in heaven detached and disinterested from what’s going on in our life. He’s actively on guard.

So often it’s not a matter of God being indifferent to our suffering as much as it’s us being indifferent to his presence. He desires to protect you! Let him!

To Preserve Us

What harm is God protecting us from?

“God is able to protect us from stumbling…”

This particular word isn’t used anywhere else in the NT.

The closest parallel is James 3:2 or 2 Peter 1:10. Sometimes it describes “falling into sin.” In other contexts, it implies apostasy or “falling from grace.”

The question is how does JUDE mean this word?

You could certainly argue that the context is dealing with apostasy. There were a group of people who professed to be believers but were not.

But Jude also just challenged true believers to show mercy to other believers who were struggling in their faith. Perhaps this protection is targeted towards them.

It’s hard to say either way. Some believe that the people described in verses 22-23 aren’t all believers but include unbelievers.

I think Jude is intentionally ambiguous. God prevents our fall from grace by protecting us from unbelief. By keeping us from sin.

This doesn’t imply some kind of sinless perfection. But God does provide grace for progressive sanctification.

God has power to protect us and power to preserve us.

There are a whole host of reasons for why people stumble and fall.

Physical hardship/suffering.

Financial poverty/hunger.

Physical addition/mental health problems.

Hypocrisy of other Christians.

But there is no cause of stumbling that steals us from God’s hand. While temptation might remain, the Spirit gives us power!

In that way God’s grace enables life long perseverance. You don’t have to live in sin!

Not only does God have the power to pull you out. He has the power to protect you so it won’t destroy your faith.

God’s grace is a guard and/or a shield for the saints.

He will protect us in and through every single trial.

I can personally testify to this kind of grace in my own life. I’m so thankful that the Lord doesn’t give up when we stumble.

Like the story of the prodigal son, the Father comes out, he looks and he runs to the son. The shepherd leaves the 99 and comes after the lost sheep. The lady searches EVERYWHERE for her lost coin until she finds it. That’s the grace of God is protecting us from stumbling.

Purpose To Present

But that’s not the only thing we tend to forget. Worship also reminds us of something else.

Jude 24 “Now to him who [will] make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy…”

Worship helps to remind us of God’s purpose for us.

The word translated “make you stand” has a legal/courtroom connotation.

You could liken it to “taking the stand” in a courtroom setting or “standing” before your spouse as you make your vows on your wedding day.

Something similar is in view here but the context isn’t earthly. When we are made to stand on “that day” we do so before God himself in a heavenly court.

God keeps us from stumbling in the here and now.

But God also helps us to stand in his presence in heaven.

Whether Jude is talking about the Day of Judgment or some other eschatological setting I’m not sure.

Whatever the occasion, God’s people are standing

in the presence of his glory,

without blemish and

with hearts of great joy.

Let’s take these phrases one by one. When and in what way will believers stand in the presence of God’s glory?

Prepared for Glory

The phrase, “in the presence of his glory” is less about where/when and more about what/whom.

We are standing before the glory of the LORD. You could literally translate it “stand face to face with his glory.”

If you remember back in the Old Testament when Moses asked to see the glory of the Lord he was only allowed a tiny glimpse of the hem of his garment and still it almost killed him.

“no one can see my glory and live…. the glory of the Lord is a consuming fire…” (Ex 24:16-17)

Whey Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord fill the temple he was undone. (Isaiah 6:1-5) The same is true of Ezekiel. (Ezek 1:28)

When Jesus was glorified on the Mount of Transfiguration “the disciples became afraid.” (Luke 9:34)

We have a hunger for God’s glory but because of sin we cannot stand it. But on that day, we’ll see the fullness of God’s glory and see Jesus face to face.

God’s purpose is to prepare us for his glory.

Everything that happens to us here and now is preparing us for a glory that we cannot imagine.

There are SO MANY passages that point to this. It’s the hope of every Christian.

It was what enabled Paul to push through his trials and tribulation. (Rom 5:2; 8:18; 2 Cor 4:17)

What God begins here and now through our union with Christ he will complete one day when we get to heaven. (Col 1:27; 3:4; 1 John 3:2)

The return of Christ is wrapped up with a vision of his glory. (Titus 2:13; Col 3:4)

Revelation 21:23 describes that new heavenly city as one that doesn’t need sun or moon “because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.”

And it’s not just that we see the glory of God. Seeing his glory will glorify us and our glorification more greatly glorifies him! (2 Thess 1:10; 1 Peter 1:7-8; 5:4; 10)

Presented Without Blemish

The reason why we’ll share in the glory of our Lord is because of God’s second purpose in giving us salvation.

We will stand in the presence of his glory “without blemish.”

Not only are we being prepared for glory.

God will also present us in splendor.

Without blemish doesn’t mean a face without pimples. (although that might be nice too) Rather, it’s a life without sin.

The language comes right out of Old Testament sacrificial laws. (Lev 1:3; 22:18-20)

Whether a guilt offering or something else, the priest HAD to offer an animal without blemish. Anything less was not acceptable to the Lord.

God was trying to drill into their minds a theological truth. It’s not just that the wages of sin is death. It’s that the substitute for sin must be blameless and without fault.

In that way, the Old Testament was preparing God’s people for the coming of the ultimate substitute. The lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.

The reason there’s an emphasis on the sinless life of Jesus is because the OT required a sin sacrifice without blemish. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

And because Jesus was an offering without blemish before the Lord, our union with Jesus prepares us for the same.

The idea Paul uses in the book of Ephesians is that of a pure bride on the day of her wedding. She’s presented in radiant beauty by her father to the groom without blemish. (Eph 5:27)

The model of a husbands love for his wife is likened to the love of Christ for his church and how we’ll be presented on that heavenly wedding day.

Ephesians 5:25–27 CSB

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.

This is purpose of God for those of us in Christ. It’s the marriage of the Lamb. (Rev 19:7-8) He has reconciled us to present us holy and without blemish. (Eph 1:4; Col 1:22)

With Great Joy

Which is why Jude attaches a final descriptive clause. God’s purpose is to prepare us for glory and present us to Jesus.

But the Lord also reminds us of another purpose in worship.

God’s purpose in salvation is to pour out his JOY.

Jude 24 “Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy…”

One of the things we remember when we exalt the Lord God in worship is that promise that heaven will be a VERY HAPPY PLACE.

God did not save us so we could be judgmental and mean. He saved us so we might be happy and joyful!

Unsurprisingly, the Scriptures also link joy to their description of that last day. Worship helps to fix our eyes and give us a foretaste of that joy.

What did Jesus say in John 15 after calling them to abide and rest in his love?

John 15:11 “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”

A little later he warned them about the suffering they would experience. It would be like the pain of childbirth before the baby came.

But they should take heart! Why? Because just like a newborn swallows up the pain of labor, the joy of Christ’s coming will swallow up our suffering.

John 16:22 “So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.”

The amazing thing about heaven isn’t just our joy. It’s also the joy of God in seeing our joy in him.

As John Piper likes to say, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”

This is the point of Jesus’ parables in Luke 15. There is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who need no repentance. (Luke 15:7)

Our Lord is like that…

good shepherd who says, “Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!” (Luke 15:6)

one lady who says, “rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!” (Luke 15:9-10)

and the Father who says, “Let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” (Luke 15:23-24)

Zephaniah 3:17 “17 The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love. He will delight in you with singing.””

CONCLUSION

Ultimately, worship is just a foretaste of heaven.

It removes the fog of hardship to help our eyes to see.

It reveals the one thing that matters above all.

It reminds of us the truth so often forget.

But there’s a final reason that Jude gives us this doxology.

The reason Jude points our attention to our heavenly presentation is because that day of glory is a day of praise and worship.

Our earthly worship is an echo of the worship that will be in heaven .

Worship is rehearsal for the world to come.

When the fog finally lifts, Scripture says we will stand “before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev 7:9-10).

The Bible describes God’s throne room like a sea like glass, flashes of lightning, peals of thunder, the throne encircled by rainbow and elders, the living creatures crying day and night, “Holy, holy, holy” (Rev 4:2–11; 5:8–14).

On that day of worship we’ll see people from every tribe and language gathered around the throne singing “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (Rev 5:9–12).

There will be a wedding feast. “Blessed are those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:6–9).

“A feast of rich food… of well-aged wine,” where God “swallows up death forever” and “wipes away tears from all faces” (Isa 25:6–8).

That city needs no sun, “for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev 21:23). “Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads” (Isa 35:10).

God himself will sing over his people with delight (Zeph 3:17). A mutual delight: the Bridegroom rejoicing over his bride (Isa 62:5), the bride rejoicing at last in the beauty of her King (Ps 45; 1 Pet 1:8).

That is what our worship is preparing us for. Every call to worship is a boarding pass to Zion the heavenly Jerusalem.

Every “amen” trains our tongues for the roar that will shake the new creation.

Every hymn is choir practice for that day when “the kingdoms of this world” become “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ”(Rev 11:15).

Every Lord’s Table is a foretaste of that final wedding banquet.

Every doxology gives us eyes to see the shore: the glory of our God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Application

Would you characterize your life as a life of worship? Does your thinking about God drive you to grateful praise?

It’s the secret weapon for Christian perseverance. It’s points our eyes the right direction and heals us from our wounds.

If not, let today be the day it begins.