Felicitations to you on this Monday morning, brother! I pray that you had a wonderful and safe holiday weekend.
Read John 15:18 – 25.
Continuing on in our readings from His farewell discourse, we come to these difficult statements in which Jesus tells us that we, as believers, will actually be hated by the world. Certainly, these statements from Jesus are not any of those that that you or I will find included in our Christian “promise books” or “encouragement calendars”!
But here it is – Jesus, telling His followers (that is, you and me) to expect the world’s hatred and persecution. So what are we to do with these promises?
Sometimes, it is helpful to look at difficult passages on more of a macro level, in a broader context. Therefore, let us consider what Jesus has already told us in this same discourse:
John 14:1 “”Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
14:16 – 17 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
15:17 “These things I command you, that you love one another.”
So, Jesus prepares us all to receive this tough word of being hated by the world because of His name by first reminding us that His Spirit dwells within us; and assuring us that we are vessels of His everlasting peace, joy, and love.
Finally, consider today’s reading in the context of these verses from Peter’s first epistle (1 Pet 4:12 – 16);
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”
Amazing!
Therefore, because these things have already been revealed to us by Our Lord Jesus and by His very word, we are always encouraged.
My brother, always remember that when you are hated by the world because of the name of Jesus, and when you partake of Christ’s sufferings, you are blessed and He is glorified. And let us never be ashamed, but let us praise and raise the name of Jesus in every circumstance. Amen!