Christ- the one hated by the world

Introduction

As I was study for this weeks sermon I came across an article from OpenDoors ministry and I wanted to begin out time together today by reading it for you.

A woman in India watches as her sister is dragged off by Hindu nationalists. She doesn’t know if her sister will be alive or dead in the morning.

A man in a North Korean prison camp is shaken awake after being beaten unconscious only for the beatings to begin again.

A woman in Nigeria runs for her life. She has escaped from Boko Haram, who kidnapped her. She is pregnant, and when she returns home, her community will reject her and her baby.

On easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, A group of children are laughing and talking as they come down to their church’s sanctuary after eating together. Instantly, many of them are killed by a bomb blast.

These people don’t live in the same region, or even on the same continent. But they share an important characteristic: They are all Christians, and they have suffered because of their faith. +

From Sudan to Afghanistan, from Nigeria to North Korea, from Colombia to India, followers of Christianity are targeted for their faith. They are attacked; they are discriminated against at work and at school; they risk sexual violence, torture, arrest and much more.

In just the last year*, there have been

5,898 Christians were killed for their faith

over 5,000 churches and other Christian buildings were attacked

and 4,765 believers are known to have been detained without a trial, arrested, and imprisoned.

Why are Christians subject to such extreme persecution? Jesus answers this question for us in John 15,

For the past 3 weeks we have been looking at Jesus’s final discourse to his disciples.

For three years He’s been preparing these 11 men to follow him and live for him after he returns to heaven. He has equipped them to carry his message of hope to the world.

Up to this point,Jesus, in this final discourse of instruction, has focused on how they will become a new community called the church.

This new community, will be known by the deep love that they have for one another, and their commitment to following the teachings of jesus , and the deep joy that flows from their hearts.

Now Jesus turns his teaching from the church and begins to speak on how the World is going to view this new community of Christ followers.

Jesus’s tells his disciples its not going to be an easy road that they are called to walk down, you are going to face persecution and suffering. You are going to be hated and despised because of your commitment to Me.

The world will hate the church, and in their hatred they will lash out at those who fully commit to following Jesus.

In our text this morning in the 2nd half of John 15 Jesus uses the words hate and hatred eight times to emphasis the world’s rejection of him and His church.

And What Jesus does in this text is simply explain why the world will hate them and how they as his followers can be ready to face it head on.

Let’s begin in verse 18 and look at the reasons why the world hates the church.

1.Why Does The World Hate Christians?

because The World hates Jesus (18)

John 15:18 (ESV)

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

Jesus begins by saying, “If the world hates you”

When Jesus uses the word “if” he is not saying there may be a chance that down the road the world might at times hate you.

What Jesus is communicating here is not uncertainty but “ If you’re following Jesus, If you are part of this new community called the church, then the hatred from the world is a guarantee.

it’s going to happen in your life.

and Jesus tells them that the reason the world is going to hate them after he is gone is because they hated him while he was here.

The truth is this “If the world hated Jesus then they will hate his followers Too.

Up to this point the people have rejected jesus, they have falsly accused him and they have spread lies about him, But what Jesus knows is that ...

In the next twenty-four hours, he will be arrested, tried for crimes he didn’t commit, mocked, beaten, whipped to the point he will not be recognizable as a man, torched, caused to wear a crown of thorns that brutally pierced his brow, then ordered to carry his own cross through the streets of Jerusalem, and finally hung on that cross, where he was verbally assaulted and physically impaled by a spear, and ultimately died on that tree as an innocent man.

While Jesus was on that cross These men will be standing in the crowd and will witness the total hatred of the world towards Jesus.

And what Jesus is saying in this first point of our text today is that when I am gone, and times get tough, and they will, When the hatred of the word is upon you and the persecution of the world seems overwhelming remember The world hated me before they hated you.

The World Jesus is speaking of is not referring to the planet

He’s referring to all those who live in open rebellion to the Creator, which means all people. By virtue of our sin, all people have embraced this anti-God world system. Our sin has ushered us into this rebellious “world” in which we shake our fists at the heavens. Therefore, by definition, the world hates Jesus because it stands opposed to all that God is and is doing.

Trans: jesus moves on in verse 19 with the 2nd reason for the worlds hatred

The World Hates Christians because Jesus chose them out of the World (v 19)

John 15:19 ESV

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

When Jesus chose you to be his follower , He chose you from the world.

When Jesus called you to be his own, He called you out of the world.

Remember what Jesus just said in verse16 to these men

John 15:16 (ESV)

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide,

And this is a reason why the world hates followers of jesus- Because you no longer belong to them, you now belong to Christ.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

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.

Think about it this way:

How many of you like the Greenbay Packers? One of the greatest Green Bay players of all times was Brett Favre . And if you were a Packer You loved Brett Favre why because He had 161 wins as a Packer- thats 20 more wins than the next closest quarterback.

and then in 2009 Brett came back into Limbaugh field but this time He didn’t hear the cheers from the crowd but instead it was their boos, Why because he was no longer a Packer- their love for him was gone because he was now wearing a purple vikings Jersey . He was no longer on their team but he didn’t just go to another team HE went to their arch rivals- the team all true Packer Fans Hate,

When Christ chose you and mad you part of His team- You no longer are a part of the world, and in fact Jesus has called you to stand up against the world. and this is a reason why the world Hates followers of Jesus

Trans; Moving on in verse 20

The World Hates Christians because We serve the One hated by the world (v 20)

John 15:20 (ESV)

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. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

3rd reason for the world’s Hatred is because we serve the One the world Hates.

we are called not to a life of leisure and pleasure but we are called to follow Jesus.

and Jesus simple says to his followers “ if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you, “

When Jesus said in Matthew 16:24

Matthew 16:24 ESV

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

He was saying to follow a crucified Savior requires you to carry a cross.

If our Master (who never sinned) was hung on a cross because of the world’s hatred, logic alone tells us we should expect the same type of hatred towards us as his followers. , especially since we have sinned.

If you want to see this kind of hatred illustrated in the world just look at our own divide country over politics.

It doesn’t take long for social media to blow up when someone backs a politician

If someone endorsed Donald trump in the last election - the hate speech from Biden supporters rained down on them Because they couldn’t understand why anyone would ever want to align themselves with this man

and the same is also true for someone who said they were supporting Biden- The hate speech rained down on them to the point of people saying you cant even be a christian if you support this candidate.

Friends who may have so much in common become instant enemies because of their hatred towards a candidate.

This is what Jesus is saying- The world will hate you because you are endorsing me and are proclaiming my righteousness that goes against the worlds sinfulness- and the world desperately hates me.

Jesus moves on in verse 21 and gives us the 4th reason for the worlds hatred

The World does not know God (v21)

John 15:21 (ESV)

But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

The world is going to hate the followers of Jesus because they do not know God.

I have said this often- The church cannot be surprised by the action of the world because the world is acting Just like the world is suppose to Act.

We get upset when the world doesn’t act like Christians, but Jesus is reminding us in this verse that the world doesn’t know God and therefore does not do the things of God, and in reality their hatred is in response to their lack of knowledge of God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NET)

The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, Meaning for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Simply put The sacrificial love of the church that humbly serves one another and builds other up no matter the cost, seems foolish to a world that lives for selfish gain and selfish pleasure.

and because the church doesn’t make human sense it results in their hatred towards Believers.

Finally Jesus gives one more reason for the Worlds Hatred. listen to verses 22-25

John 15:22–25 ESV

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

The world hates Christians because

The World’s guilt is exposed by Jesus (v 22-25)

Life was good until Jesus told mankind that they were dead in their sins.

Jesus came to this world and performed many wonderful works, and yet he was hated by the world.

He wasn’t hated because of what He did, he was hated because he told mankind they were not good enough to make it to heaven on their own.

He exposed the ugliness of their hearts of sin, and he no longer let people think that they were good enough as long as they looked better than other people around.

He set a standard of Perfection that no one could ever keep. and this exposed even the most religions person as guilty in full. and they hated Jesus for it.

Jesus is telling his followers that the hatred the world has is not personal, Although it may be directed at those of us who follow Jesus, We are not the ultimate target. Jesus is (v. 20).

The world strikes out in hatred for christians because we remind them that the righteous God has condemned them to an eternity in hell because of the sin that they are slaves of Sin in their life.

Transition: Jesus goes on to give his followers two responses they must have towards the worlds hatred of them.

2. The Redeemed’s Response towards the World

Never stop Bearing witness of Jesus in the World (15:26-27)

John 15:26–27 (ESV)

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

The first response believers must have is to never stop proclaiming the saving name of Jesus in this world.

But amazing thing about this task is that jesus doesn't leave us on our own to stand up against the hatred of the world, He gives us the Helper- the Holy Spirit- God himself to indwell us and give us the strength and power we need to proclaim Jesus and stand firming on his righteousness.

We See Jesus give the discipels this charge of again right before he ascends into Heaven

Matthew 28:18–19 (ESV)

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Jesus commissioned his followers to go into all the world, and proclaim his saving grace to the lost.

The greatest response to the hatred of the world is to introduce them to the Jesus who changed your life and who willingly went to that cross in their place to free them from the bondage of sin that has blinded their eyes to the truth.

Trans; the 2nd way Jesus tells Believers to respond to the hatred of the word is in vs 1-4 of chapter 16

Don’t Fall Away From Jesus- No matter how tough it may get (16:1-4)

John 16:1–4 (ESV)

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

Jesus did not want His discipels to become disillusioned.

Jesus in love tells these men these things because the road they are about to embark as the ambassadors of Christ is going to be tough, and for most of them it will end in their cruel death as they refuse to deny Jesus as Their Savior.

Jesus simply says “ don’t loose heart, stand firm in your faith, no matter how tough it gets, Don’t let the hatred of the world cause you to fall away from your faith.’

Church family There is a price for following Jesus, and Christians throughout history have been willing to pay the price. Why? The prize is worth the price.

Knowing Jesus is worth it. Proclaiming His saving grace to the world is worth it.

We are not immune to the persecution of the world today/ Satan more than ever wants you to fail, He wants you to give up He wants you to say its not worth it,,

But church We know the whole story- We know that sin is defeated, We know that Satan has lost the battle, and that Jesus is victorious in the end,

Bring It Home

When living for Jesus and speaking about Jesus brings persecution in your life , we must remember that the hatred of the world is not against us but against the savior who Redeemed Us.

Instead of expressing anger back at the world We need to follow the example of our Savior when the world hated him at their most.

As Jesus hung on that cross and the world’s hatred for Him was at it’s climax ,

He looked up into heaven and Cried out

“Father Forgive them because they don’t understand what they are doing”

Instead of anger our response to the world should be great compassion because their eyes are blinded to the things of God. and they don’t understand what they are doing.

and this compassion we have from being in Jesus, should cause us to respond with boldness as we bear witness of Christ - Because our witness is what will introduce the world to jesus, so that their eyes may see Jesus for who he truly is.

and when times get tough and they will -when the hatred of the world tries to make you deny the truths of scripture -and it will - We must hold on tightly onto Jesus. Because he endured the hatred of the world for us, H and the persecution will endure will build our faith and proclaim his name to the world.