In John 15 we learn about ABIDING in Jesus.
– The ABIDING believer in Jesus is fruitful. John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.
– The ABIDING believer in Jesus is joyful. John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
– The ABIDING believer in Jesus is loving. John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
– The ABIDING believer in Jesus is a friend of Jesus. John 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Wouldn’t you think the WORLD we live in would love a fruitful, joyful, loving, friend of Jesus?
John 15:18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
Twelve times in John’s gospel Jesus tells us that the world we live in is going to HATE us!
John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Q. Who owns YOU? The world or Jesus? (Selah)
If the world owns you the world is going to love you!
If Jesus truly owns you and He has chosen you out of this world – Jesus teaches us here the world is going to hate you!
The world we live in is basically a good place. Right?
1 John 5:19 We know that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
People are basically good. Right?
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good, and does not sin.
The world we live in doesn’t have the answers for the atrocities we are facing.
Why is there so much EVIL and HATRED in the world?
– Homicides
– Genocides (race ethnicity, religion)
– Suicides
– Suicide bombings
– Rape, Sex trafficking, Incest,
The Bible gives us the ANSWERS!
John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
John 15:21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
When Jesus was nailed to the cross he cried “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”
John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
Jesus words make us aware of our sin. The Sermon on Mount.
Murder, Adultery, Divorce
John 7:7 The world – hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.
John 15:23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.
John 15:24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
Again Jesus repeated to hate Me amounts to hating My Father.
This is another strong CLAIM of Jesus’ deity
John 15:25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ (Psalm 69)
John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
Q. Are you a servant of Jesus? (In a hostile world
Q. Is Jesus truly your Master (Lord)?
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.
Matthew 10:19-22 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
Movie Trailer: Sheep Among Wolves Pt.2
Matthew 24:8-9 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
Escalation! Greater frequency! Greater intensity!
Revelation 12:9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Revelation 12:12 Woe to the inhabitants of the earth – for the Devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that his time short.
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged and made war – with those who obey the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
“More Christians died for the faith in the twentieth century than in the previous nineteen centuries of Christian history combined.”
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by (1) the blood of the Lamb and by the (2) word of their testimony, and they (3) did not love their lives to the death.
Voice of the Martyrs: Pastor Han & Sang Chul