The Ultimate Transporter

“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” (v24).

In the action flick franchise “The Transporter,” Jason Statham’s character always delivers. He will transport anything, anywhere—for the right price. He’s the best in the business. But Jude would beg to differ. Not so fast, my friend. His big Brother makes Statham look like a lazy slacker. Jesus has the power and skills to keep you from falling flat on your face. He will always get you from where you are into the presence of God without one smudge. Jesus is the ultimate Transporter.

We desperately need our divine action Hero because of the bad guys who stand between us and our destination. Jude tells us that a crew of false teachers are infiltrating local congregations looking to blow them up with their perverted message (Jude 4, 10-13). This is no chick flick. This story is loaded with sex (Jude 4, 7-8), prison (Jude 6, 15), wild animals (Jude 10), corruption (Jude 10), rebellion (Jude 10), meteors (13), slander (Jude 8), trash talk (Jude 16), citywide infernos (Jude 7, 23), and amazing rescues (Jude 14-15, 23). But this isn’t some formula film manufactured in the mind of some hack screenwriter. This is a TRUE story! And it stars the greatest action Hero of all time. Jesus is the ultimate Transporter.

Jude wraps up his little letter by reassure us that our Hero can and will come to our rescue. Just about every Bible translator tells us that God is the One “who is able” to make this happen. Can I be honest with you for just a second? That phrase just doesn’t deliver the goods, in my humble opinion. In the original Greek, Jude uses the verb dunamai. This is the same word where we get our words dynamo and dynamite. We’re talking incredibly power here. It means to have the power by virtue of one’s own ability and resources. It describes someone or something to be capable, strong, and powerful. Is God able? You betcha. But that makes it sound like He just barely has the strength to inch the ball over the goal line. No, our Lord lowers His shoulder and throws off defenders like they’re rag dolls. 

God is not barely able to get the job done. He’s not just hoping that all the breaks fall His way so that maybe and just maybe, possibly, hopefully accomplish His mission. Nope. That’s not what Jude means at all. He wants to know without a doubt that God easily has the power in Himself to make it happen. He ripples with strength. He drips with raw energy. As impossible as it would be for me to do this, this is a walk in the park for God Almighty.

God fills His Word from cover to cover with promises of His limitless ability. Think of them as scriptural power gauges. When Abraham doubted Yahweh’s ability to give his family a child, God asked him, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen 18:15). David’s buddy Jonathan knew “nothing can hinder the LORD” (1Sam 14:6). Once God saw Job through his horrible storm, he made it clear, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). As the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem, Jeremiah declared, “Nothing is too hard for You” (Jer 32:17). Gabriel the angel assured a pregnant teenager named Mary, “Nothing is impossible with God” (Lk 1:37). And Jesus let His team know, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26). Without God, there’s no way. When He gets involved, Mission Possible.

Now that we know that God is more than powerful enough to accomplish His mission, Jude tells us that a big part of that work is “to keep us from stumbling” (v24). A closer look at the original language lets us in on the fact that Jesus is closely guarding and protecting you and me. He’s our Bodyguard. He’s right there with us every step of the way to make sure we don’t trip and fall. Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t stub my toe every so often. As King David’s lyrics say, “Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his right hand” (Ps 37:24). I may trip and fall but He will make perfectly sure that any fall is not spiritually fatal. Our divine Bodyguard is always on the job, 24/7/365. He never sleeps. He never slumbers (Ps 121:4). That’s because Jesus is the ultimate Transporter. 

So where is He taking us? Who’s on the receiving end of His delivery? You’ll be interested to know that Jesus is making the delivery to Himself. Christ transports us “to present us blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy” (v24). We’re headed to His presence. Back in verse one, Jude gets the ball rolling by telling his readers that they are “called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1). The Apostle Paul confirms the delivery when he writes to the Ephesians does all of this “so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor” (Eph 5:27).

Not only can I can count on God who has the power to keep me from stumbling and eventually present me blameless before God, He makes sure I have joy all along the way. This is just the opposite of what Isaiah experienced on His stunning visit God’s throne room (Is 6:1-7). The holy-holy-holiness of Jesus so exposed his own sin that the prophet was a totally broken man. For Ike, there was awe and worship. For you and me, there will also be joy unthinkable when we arrive. We have absolutely nothing to fear. Nothing to worry about. There’s unspeakable joy once He delivers us into His glorious and holy presence. 

Statham’s character is pretty good. But there’s absolutely nobody better at delivering believers from wherever they are into the presence of God than our Savior. That’s because Jesus is the ulti

A Powerful Prayer for Power

From whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being (Eph 3:16).

There are powerful prayers all throughout the Bible.  And there are prayers for power.  Here the Apostle Paul gives us both.  A powerful prayer for power.

From a dark dungeon in Rome, he writes to his friends back in Ephesus.  He knows them well.  He spent three years telling everyone who would listen about Jesus (Acts 19).  The Gospel turned the big port city upside down.  Things got especially crazy when non-Jews heard that Messiah Jesus had died for them too.  That stirred up unbelieving Jews in a big way, resulting in a citywide riot.  

So what is Paul's purpose for this powerful prayer for power?  He's trying to prepare the Ephesian church for a heresy that's headed their way.  False teachers have duped folks down the road in Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea into believing a counterfeit gospel.  These spiritual snake oil salesmen have conned Jesus' followers into thinking He's good but not God.  Through scriptural slight of hand, they've said that He can't save us completely.  The only way we can REALLY be sure we're saved is to finish the job.  How do we do that?  Well, these hucksters are more than happy to tell you they have the answers.  Follow a complicated list of religious rules, holidays and dietary requirements.  Paul fired off a letter of correction to handle this.  We call it Colossians.  At the same time, he dipped his pen back in the ink and wrote another letter to the Ephesians.  The apostle knows the importance of understanding who Jesus is and who we are in Him.  We need to know that we don't save ourselves.  "It is FINISHED!!!" (Jn 19:30).  Once we know that, we won't fall for impostor faith.

Paul begins his prayer by talking about our heavenly Father, "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named" (v15).  He's not describing that God has brought everyone into His family.  Salvation is NOT universal.  It's only THROUGH Jesus.  He is "THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life" (Jn 14:6).  It might not be universal but it is universally offered.  The apostle's point here is that Jesus is saving folks from every ethnic group on the planet.  And some have already joined Him in eternity "in heaven."

Paul continues his powerful prayer of power with the phrase "according to the riches in of His glory" (v16).  Here's the deal.  Our heavenly Dad is loaded.  Forget Bill Gates.  Sorry Donald Trump.  Warren Buffett?  Nope.  You can take any list Forbes cooks up of the riches people on the planet, combine all that money and it still isn't a thimbleful compared to the combined divine portfolio of our Father in heaven.  For instance, He owns livestock "on a thousand hills" (Ps 51:10).  His wealth is limitless.

And our heavenly Dad continually shares His fortune with His kids.  That's one of the big themes in this letter.  He's overwhelmed us with "the riches of His grace" (Eph 1:7).  He's giving us "the riches of His glorious inheritance" (Eph 1:18).  He's not only saved us but there's even more to come in the future, "the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:7).  And Jesus has invited non-Jews to God's party to end all parties where they can experience "the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph 3:8).

The apostle tells us once again how God "may grant you" (v16) access to His limitless resources.  God is a Giver.  He gives.  And He gives.  And He gives.  And He gives.  As we said before, Paul loads this letter with reminders of God's many gifts and blessings to His kids.  Let that Tsunami of Blessings sweep you away (Eph 1:3-14).  Every good thing in our lives has God's fingerprints (James 1:17).

Paul's powerful prayer for power asks that we would be "strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being" (v16).  The original language here just bulges with muscle.  Think of the skin tight shirt on a body builder's chest.  The apostle uses the verb "strengthened."  This is the Greek krataio'o, which means to become powerful and grow in strength.  With what does God make us powerful?  Now we see the term dunamis.  This is where we get our English word dynamo.  This is strength, might or force.  Sorry Obi-Wan, we're not talking about some impersonal power like "the Force."  This is the VERY personal and powerful Holy Spirit.  The Third Person of the Godhead.

Paul prays that his Ephesian friends will realize the unlimited scope of God's power through the indwelling Holy Spirit.  He's asking the Lord to let His strength flow freely to these believers.  This isn't an external strength.  He's not talking about being ripped and pumped up for Jesus.  This is strength "in your inner being" (v16).  God gives us the strength and power to follow Jesus.  Without Him living in us, we don't stand a chance.  But with the Third Member of the Trinity setting up shop in each of us, we have the resources available to be obedient all that God's called us to do and be.  Will I fall short?  Will I trip and fall?  Will I sin?  You betcha.  Even the great Paul was bummed about how sin was still part of his life after Jesus saved him (Rom 7:15-20).  

While Jesus has returned home to take a seat next His Dad, He's given us His Spirit to fill us, empower us and guide us.  Tony Stark's arc reactor ain't got nothing on God's Spirit.  Christ told His boys that His Spirit would show up to help them and guide them in a way that He couldn't while He was with them (Jn 14:15-16, 26; 15:7, 13).  His Spirit gives us the supernatural strength to tell others about Jesus (Acts 1:8).  And we need to remember that staying plugged into the power that Jesus provides is just like the grapes receive nourishment from the vine (Jn 15:1-5).  Let's do what we can to stay plugged in to the Spirit's power source.

Do you realize that folks are praying for you?  Praying for your spiritual growth.  Praying that God would unleash His unlimited power through the Holy Spirit in your life.  Praying that you'll understand the strength to follow Jesus is available to you right here, right now.  Praying powerful prayers for power for you.

Are you praying similar prayers for others?  Praying for their spiritual growth.  Praying that God would unleash His unlimited power through the Holy Spirit in their lives.  Praying that they'll understand the strength to follow Jesus is available to them right here, right now.  Let us pray powerful prayers for power for others.