John 15:18-27
October Memory Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NIV)
John 15:18-27
I HATE YOU.
These are 3 of the strongest words in the English language when they are meant. Most of us were taught by our parents to not say these words. For some of us, these are the words that have caused the most hurt in our lives.
Yet, this is how Jesus describes how the world reacts and responds to us as followers of Christ. The world hates the truth of God and all who stand for it. We see this all over. We feel this. And in these few verses Jesus reminds us and teaches us a few things about our relationship with the world as Christians…
1) WE ARE LONGER PART OF THE WORLD (v.18-19)
As followers of Jesus we have been redeemed. We have been bought back. Jesus has given us a new identity… a new purpose… a new mission. We are no longer part of the world.
“17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
“9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” - 1 Peter 2:9-10
Jesus chose us. He brought us out. We now have a different home.
2) EXPECT PERSECUTION (v.20-25)
We should expect persecution from the world. We should expect to be misunderstood. We should expect to be outcasted. The truth of Jesus… The truth of the gospel is offensive. It shows sin. It shows our insufficiency.
Persecution is rising in America, we need to be ready. Let us not be caught off guard. It is an honor and a privilege to be persecuted for the name and truth of Jesus.
“10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matthew 5:10-12
3) THE WORLD IS NOT YOUR FRIEND… THE WORLD IS YOUR MISSION (v.25-27)
Jesus is clearly telling them… “The world is not your friend…” He was instructing them to not be buddy buddy with the world, living with one foot on each side of the fence as we often do but ABIDE in Him... to be intimately connected to Him.
Then He encourages them with the news of the Holy Spirit’s coming. He lives in us. He empowers us. He witnesses to our spirit about God Himself while empowering us to be witnesses to others. Look at the end of verse 27… Jesus was telling the disciples that the world was there MISSION!
I am glad they took that seriously… aren’t you? They took holiness seriously. They took the mission seriously… and we sit here as a result.
The end of this passage reminded me of a few verses…
“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” - James 4:4
“15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” - 1 John 2:15-17
How can you live on mission today? How can you love Jesus and love others? How can you be a witness? What is God asking you to do today?
By: Nick Parsons
John 15:18-27
I HATE YOU.
These are 3 of the strongest words in the English language when they are meant. Most of us were taught by our parents to not say these words. For some of us, these are the words that have caused the most hurt in our lives.
Yet, this is how Jesus describes how the world reacts and responds to us as followers of Christ. The world hates the truth of God and all who stand for it. We see this all over. We feel this. And in these few verses Jesus reminds us and teaches us a few things about our relationship with the world as Christians…
1) WE ARE LONGER PART OF THE WORLD (v.18-19)
As followers of Jesus we have been redeemed. We have been bought back. Jesus has given us a new identity… a new purpose… a new mission. We are no longer part of the world.
“17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
“9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” - 1 Peter 2:9-10
Jesus chose us. He brought us out. We now have a different home.
2) EXPECT PERSECUTION (v.20-25)
We should expect persecution from the world. We should expect to be misunderstood. We should expect to be outcasted. The truth of Jesus… The truth of the gospel is offensive. It shows sin. It shows our insufficiency.
Persecution is rising in America, we need to be ready. Let us not be caught off guard. It is an honor and a privilege to be persecuted for the name and truth of Jesus.
“10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matthew 5:10-12
3) THE WORLD IS NOT YOUR FRIEND… THE WORLD IS YOUR MISSION (v.25-27)
Jesus is clearly telling them… “The world is not your friend…” He was instructing them to not be buddy buddy with the world, living with one foot on each side of the fence as we often do but ABIDE in Him... to be intimately connected to Him.
Then He encourages them with the news of the Holy Spirit’s coming. He lives in us. He empowers us. He witnesses to our spirit about God Himself while empowering us to be witnesses to others. Look at the end of verse 27… Jesus was telling the disciples that the world was there MISSION!
I am glad they took that seriously… aren’t you? They took holiness seriously. They took the mission seriously… and we sit here as a result.
The end of this passage reminded me of a few verses…
“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” - James 4:4
“15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” - 1 John 2:15-17
How can you live on mission today? How can you love Jesus and love others? How can you be a witness? What is God asking you to do today?
By: Nick Parsons
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