Jude explains that although he intended to write about the common salvation shared among believers, he found it necessary to address something else. This shift establishes the foundation for the message and sets the tone for what follows.

Of course, we know that the Book of Jude is only one chapter. Jude, the writer, was one of the brothers of Jesus. He did not believe in Jesus per se until after the resurrection. So Jude was eager to write about the faith that they shared in Jesus Christ, but instead there came a meddling, a shifting. He said he found it necessary to write, appealing to those who had crept in, that were contentious, and he noted, “We need to contend for the faith.”

We need to battle. We need to war for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints. He said certain people had crept in unnoticed. You know, sometimes people can creep in and maybe their intentions are not so outstanding, so they have a different plan. They crept in. When somebody is creeping in, sometimes it’s unnoticed. But they were designated long ago for this condemnation. They are ungodly people who were coming into the church, and by their lifestyle, their bad theology, and their bad lives, they would have contaminated the saints of God with their lifestyle of sexuality and sensuality.

So he said the first thing we need to do is to prayerfully take whatever it is that the Lord is speaking to us, take it to the Lord in prayer, and set up a scale. Set up a scale—the first initiative—set up a scale.

Jude said he was eager to get this done, but he found it necessary to get something else done, right? He said, which one weighs more? In other words, we need to know what takes priority—priority in church, priority in our spiritual lives. Because, you know what? We walked out of church yesterday, but for the rest of this week, we have to deal with ourselves and we need to set up a scale.

What about Mary and Martha? Of course, we know that Martha was busy, busy, busy. A lot of us are busy, busy, busy. But we need to sit down sometimes. Sit down. In Luke 10:41–42, Martha anxiously addressed Jesus regarding Mary and her sitting at His feet while she was busy doing all the things that had been left undone.

Jesus answered, “Martha, Martha”—now mind you, He called her name twice. Maybe she was so busy He just needed to get her attention. “You are worried and bothered about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from her.”

She was sitting at Jesus’ feet. How about you? Many of us need to weigh the things that we’re sorting through in our lives. They may be good. They may be great. But is it necessary in this season, right now? Is what you’re doing necessary? Set up the scale and take time to your the actions.

So the second point is this: the shift comes at a cost—at a cost. Going down the road may mean that you need to leave some heavy things behind. In the early church, the believers were known as followers of the Way. Because what did Jesus say in John 14:6? “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.”

It is interesting that Jesus didn’t say it was a broad way. We know it’s a narrow way. It’s a narrow way. So you may have to leave some things behind. Some of you have had to send things back to the store because they couldn’t get in the door. Of course they tell you—check the measurements before you make the purchase, so that the refrigerator, that big, wide, beautiful refrigerator you want for your kitchen, doesn’t have to go back to Home Depot or wherever you purchased it.

What baggage are you trying to carry through the door? You’ve got to let it go. Let it go. It may mean leaving somebody behind—that body’s baggage is too much to carry. It’s too much.

Count the cost. In Amos chapter 3:3 it says, “Can two walk together unless they be agreed?” If you two are walking and you are not in agreement, that person’s baggage very soon—very quickly—will show up, and it will be too much for you to carry. Before you make that decision, count the cost. Can I do this? Is it worth me doing that relationship? Really—is it worth it? You see the signs. You see the signs. If you don’t let go, it’s going to be a mighty shift.

The rich young ruler—Jesus told him to count the cost. He told him, “Give all you have. Give what you have to the poor.” He counted the cost. And he was never heard of again, because he decided, “No, I cannot give up my riches.” Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18—these are all references to the rich ruler.

So look—count the cost. Count the cost. He thought he was ready, but when he added it all up, he said, “I can’t do it.” What about you and I? Come on—we’ve come this far. Whatever it is the Lord is asking us to give up, for some it will be the cost.

You know, in third-world countries, some people pay with their lives. They count the cost, but they pay with their lives. Are you willing to lay these things down? Are you willing to lay them down?

And the third thing is this: if we want to be prayerfully led into the shift, put obedience above your opinion. When it comes to Jesus, your opinion does not take precedence. First,set up the scale. Secondly, realize the shift comes at a cost. And thirdly, obedience over opinion—put it before opinion.

Many of us—we’ve made our own decisions, and we’re paying for it today, right? We wind up with regret. We have broken hearts. We’re wishing we had made better financial decisions. We wish we hadn’t put our trust in someone and they disappointed you or you shared something that was meant for just you and that person, only to hear it again?

Trust in God is always best.

Remember, God’s ways are not always our ways. His ways are past finding out. They’re so much higher—higher, higher—than our ways. His thoughts are so much different, so much higher. He’s going to tell you to do things differently. So we need to renew our minds. Renew our minds by the Word of God. Amen. Be transformed by the renewing of your minds.

So we must be willing to step out on faith and do things God’s way. It may call for us—we’re getting ready to enter into our time of fasting, a time of praying. Guess what? It’s meant for all of us, not just some. Look—read about King Saul in 1 Samuel chapter 15. God gave the King specific instructions, but did he obey? No. He shifted the blame to the people. He said, “I was afraid of the people.” Come on—forget about shifting the blame. You will bear your responsibility.

Saul had to bear his responsibility. His kingship was shifted to David—not right away—but Samuel told him, “The kingship is taken from you because of your disobedience.” Partial obedience is what? Disobedience. Partial obedience will not stand before God.

And then the fourth component was this: we need to trust the timing of God in the shift. We may be tempted to do things when we want to do them, but we have to wait on God and wait on God’s timing. We may be tempted to push something off, but Jude made it clear—this took precedence. He could have put it off, but it was important for him to address his brothers and sisters so that they would not be maligned, so that they would not be tempted to go in another direction.

So we need to wait on God’s timing. Wait on God’s timing. Jude said, “I found it necessary to write about this.” In other words, do the necessary things and trust God. Trust God. Trust in the timing of God. In Romans 5:6-11—Paul said that at the right time, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.

That’s Romans 5:8: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This is a short and powerful letter—this letter that Jude wrote. Jude had another game plan, but God came in and shifted it. He found it necessary to write and to contend for the faith. So what do we have in our lives that’s worth fighting for?

So I just want to encourage you to study the signs so that when they appear in your life—whether it’s Monday through Saturday—God usually gives a sign. And when we recognize the sign, we can make the necessary shift.