The Cost of Friendship w/ God - John 15:18-16:7

Intro/Welcome.

Advent

The Advent season is a four week period before Christmas that celebrates the anticipation and coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

The origin of "advent" is from the Latin word adventus which simply translates "coming" or "arrival".

Not only is the Christian meaning for preparation and celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, his birth at Christmas, but also to celebrate the new life when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, and lastly, the anticipation of Jesus returning again.

Week 2 of Advent

Hope/Promise Candle

Preparation/Waiting of Prophecy Candle

#1 The Hope Candle (also called The Promise Candle)

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. […] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

Alternate readings - Psalm 122; Isaiah 2:2-5; Romans 13:11-14

#2 The Preparation Candle (also called the Bethlehem Candle)

Isaiah 40:3-5:

“A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’”

Alternate readings: Psalm 72:18; Isaiah 11:1-10; Luke 1:26-38

Intro

We are continuing in our Friendship with God series today.

Where we are going verse by verse through Jesus last teaching to the disciples as recorded in John 13-17.

It’s been all pretty positive so far, but today it takes a turn.

Advent: Preparation

The Disciples

If the disciples knew everything it would cost them before saying yes to following Jesus, do you think they would have said yes still?

Not only are they about to lose their Leader and Lord

But they themselves would suffer loss in the coming years

Everyone would be martyred except for John.

Some were crucified

Some where stoned

Some were beaten with clubs

Some were run through with a spear

The Church

What about you? How would you answer this question?

I’m willing to venture a guess that since you started following Jesus things haven’t gone as you may have expected

I’m assuming it has cost you something.

You have lost someone or something.

Or maybe things have happened to you or someone you love that you didn’t think would happen to followers of Jesus.

My Journey

I can certainly say in my own life that had I known what the path would and what it might cost, i’m not sure I would have readily signed up.

What was Gained

Of course, as we will see,

It’s not what it will cost us that is most important when following Jesus, but rather what we will gain.

It cost many of the aposltes/disciples everything, but what did they gain?

Well where are they right now?

Sitting in the presence of the Lamb

Worshipping the Lord with eternal joy

More alive now than they ever have been.

They gained eternal life.

Today

Jesus essentially asks his disciples today:

Are you ready to be hated by the world?

And of course by extension, that question is for us:

Are you ready to be hated by the World?

Bible

We are going to be in John 15:18-16:7 today.

Go there in your Bible.

My name is Justin, if you don’t know me.

It’s good to be with you today.

Let me pray for our time.

Pray

Isaiah 61:1–3 (ESV)

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Context

Last week we looked at this Glorious truth of How much God loves us and what it means to be in friendship with God.

We’ve been looking at this marvelous truth that God is living inside of us.

That we have such a deep and intimate connection with the creator of the universe.

But Today, becuase Jesus loved his disciples, he told them the truth about the World.

Let’s pick it up in John 15:18.

Text

John 15:18-16:7.

I. The World’s Hatred

John 15:18 (ESV)

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

Wait…what?

We were just talking about freindship with God

And love, peace and joy

The GOOD LIFE of following Jesus

What do you mean if the world hates you?

What do you mean the world will hate us?

What do you mean by the World?

Why will the World hate us?

A. The World hates God

So the first and real reason that the world will hate Jesus’s followers is because the World hates Jesus, but the World hates Jesus because it hates God.

John 15:18 (ESV)

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

John 15:23–25 (ESV)

23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 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. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

Jesus cleary states this.

Jesus faced so much opposition from those who were supposed to recognize him — the religious leaders.

Those who knew the scriptures

That Hated Jesus so much that they would crucify Him.

John 12:19 (ESV)

19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

John 11:47–48 (ESV)

47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

John 12:43 (ESV)

43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

Mark 15:10 (ESV)

10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.

The Religious Leaders had given over to the ways of the world.

fueld by fear of loss of status, reputation, and influence

1 John 2:15–16 (ESV)

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.

1. Who is The World?

D.A. Carson: The world (kosmos; cf. notes on 1:9), as commonly in John, refers to the created moral order in active rebellion against God.

It is comprised of people and systems that are ungodly and even Anti-God

Why?

Because the world (these people) do not know God (John 15:21)

DA Carson: In fact, the ‘world’ in John’s usage comprises no believers at all.

Jesus is the supreme revelation of God to Man, as God in the Flesh

To not know Jesus is to not know God

To hate Jesus is to hate God

To love Jesus to love God and to be loved by him.

2. Does the World Hate Jesus?

We don’t like that word. Does the Bible really say hate?

yes — the greek word for hate here means “hate” - to detest, to disregard, to have a strong aversion to.

There is no softening here. It’s that strong of a word

Surely the World doesn’t hate Jesus?

They dont’ necessarily delcare openly “I hate God or Jesus”

But...

They do hate what God’s Word Teaches

They hate when they are told God has authority over their lives to tell them what is right and wrong.

They hate that God will hold all humankind accountable for the way the lived their lives

That a judgment is coming.

SAM STORMS:

They are infuriated that they are told this God has authority over their lives to tell them what is right and what is wrong.

They don’t want to be told that sex before and outside of marriage is sinful.

They don’t want to be told drunkenness is forbidden.

They don’t want to be told that they must have no other ‘gods’ before the God of the Bible.

They don’t want to be told that to honor or worship or to serve another ‘god’ is idolatry and is worthy of eternal death.

They don’t want to hear about hell.

They cringe at the suggestion that they are not the final authority as to what they can or can’t do.

They don’t want to be told they must repent.

They get angry when they are informed that there is only one way to be reconciled to God and forgiven of their sins, and that it is through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

On the outside, they don’t act like they hate God.

They may say nice things about him, such as: “Well, of course I believe in the existence of a Supreme Being.

But the Supreme Being that I believe exists would never consign anyone to hell.

The Supreme Being that I believe exists would never tell a person they can’t have sex with whomever they want.

that man he can’t marry and have sex with another man, or tell a woman that she can’t marry or have sex with another woman.

The Supreme Being that I believe exists will accept anyone so long as they are sincere in their beliefs.”

These people who “hate” God may live outwardly civil, law-abiding, even “religious” lives.

But inwardly, in the depths of their hearts, they want nothing to do with the God of the Bible and his Son Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

This may be some of us right now

it is the atmosphere of our culture

PERSONALLY,

It was the way I lived my life for many years

but that way of living only resulted in despair, anxiety, fear and loneliness

But then met Jesus and was made alive to the things of God

B. Why the World hates Jesus?

1. Jesus Exposes Evil

Because Jesus is the Truth

Jesus tells the Truth about People/The World and about God.

John 7:7 (ESV)

7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

Jesus Tells the Truth, but he also comes in Grace

Remember what he said to Nicodmeus:

Grace

John 3:16–21 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Truth

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

The World hates God/Jesus becuase Jesus reveals the truth about the World — that it’s works are evil, ungodly, anti-God.

2. Spiritual War

But it is bigger than that and a more fundamental

Amusing Ourselves to Death:

The blinders have been pulled over our eyes

Orwellian oppression — 1984 (1949)

Huxford’s a brave new world (1932)

Niel Postman - (1985)

We are in a battle of Two Kingdoms

Colossians 1:13–14 (ESV)

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1. The World / The Kingdom of Darkness — ruled by Satan

John 14:30 (ESV)

30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,

Ephesians 2:2–3 (ESV)

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

2. The Kingdom of Heaven — ruled by King Jesus.

John 18:36 (ESV)

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

Jesus came on a rescue mission to pluck those out of the hands of the enemy

he has come to plunder the strong mans house (Mark 3:27).

He has established the beach head and is now actively invading the world through his army the church.

And we know that the gates of hell will not prevail (Matt 16).

The World hates Jesus, because Jesus is God in the Flesh and the world is ruled by Satan the enemy of God.

And satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

This is why Jesus was killed — b/c the ruler of this world thought that he was defeating God.

II. The World hates followers of Jesus

Jesus’ answer as to why the World is going to hate you is because it hated me first.

Jesus is Preparing his disciples

But why will the world hate the followers of Jesus?

John 15:19–21 (ESV)

19 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.

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. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me

1. Not Of the World

And Jesus has came and taken what belonged to the World and made us His own —

because of this the World hates us,

b/c we are no longer of the world,

in agreement with the world,

participating in the things of this world.

A. Chosen by God

Jesus says we have been chosen out of the world (they the disciples) but also by exention us.

Let’s not pass over this b/c this is the centerpiece of the gospel.

How did Christ choose you and make you his own?

By his own sovereign choice

There was nothing that we did to earn God’s Love or salvation.

He choose us before the foundation of the World

To make us alive in Christ

and therefore dead to the World.

B. Gospel

John 3:16–17 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

By going to the cross to die for those who were apart of this world

to die for sin for all who would believe

to rise to give new life — a life that is In Christ

A life that is now — in the World (in Christ) but not of the World.

We have been fundamentally changed at the very core level.

C. United to Christ

There is an ubreakable connection between us and Jesus if we have believed.

A servant is not greater than it’s master

Two principles: (one negative and one positive)

If they persecuted me — the WILL persecute you.

If they kept my Word — the WILL also keep yours

There is no middle ground here.

You are either of the World or you are of God

What is the key indicator?

Love for God — by keeping his word.

We get all the benefits of being ‘in the name of Jesus’ and also the cost — persecution.

Summary:

The World Hates Jesus b/c it hates God

We have been Chosen out of the World to belong to Christ

We are not in the World but not Of the World

III. The Cost of Friendship

But what will that look like?

To follow Jesus means to follow:

God’s Word, God’s Will and God’s Ways.

You cannot love Jesus and not move towards doing what he says.

Living according to His Word — “You are my freinds if you do what I say”

Living according to His Ways — becoming more like Him

Living according to His Will — doing what he tells us to do in our lives.

What will it cost you to follow Jesus?

All the Disciples faced persecution and death.

In many parts of the World, particularly in Communist or Islamic countries there is widespread persecution of the Church

B/C of what the Church represents:

Freedom and dignity, value and worth to every human being.

All are loved by God.

Persecuted Christians are some of the most obedient and joyful followers of Jesus

Voice of the Martyrs if you want to read about these realities.

But what about here in the U.S.?

A. The Gathering Storm

There is a gathering storm and we are seeing more and more of it’s clashes of lightning and thunder

Our culture has been sliding further and further away from the Values and Princples in God’s Word

Sexual Revolution

Beginning with the Kinsey Report and the birth of the Sexual Revolution

there has been an increasing and growing disdain, dare I say ‘hate’ for what the Bible Teaches.

Respect for Marriage Act

Last week the so called “Respect for Marriage Act” was passed opening the door for Christian colleges, organizations and perhaps one day churches to be forced to accept an unbiblical view of marriage or face penalties and persecution.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about then we need to begin to open our eyes.

I’d recommend Al Mohler’s “The Briefing” which he releases 5 days a week looking at News from a Christian Worldview.

I’m not saying I agree with everything he says, but it does give me eyes to see what is going on behind the scenes of my every day life.

What this looks like:

SAM STORMS

Our power for living and choosing and loving is not the “spirit” of American society but the Spirit of God.

Our value system is not dependent on Congress or the Supreme Court but on the revealed, moral will of God in Scripture.

Our aim is not the fulfillment of the so-called “American dream” but the coming of God’s kingdom here on earth and the doing of his will even as it is done in heaven

B. Without God

When a culture moves away from God and His Word, Will and Ways — suffering, oppression, tragedy will follow.

Look at Communism and Radical Isamic Nations — are people free? Are people flourishing?

The freedoms we enjoy were build on biblical values and principles.

I’m not saying we were a Christian Nation — but at least the principles of our very Constitution were set up on biblical foundations.

I’m not saying we are not without our own shortcomings.

But the problem is always sin — and sin lives inside the hearts of every man, women and child.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Only Solution.

So much of what is happening is becuase people are not finding their IDENTITY in Christ

but in something else.

Sexual expression

subjective feelings about a sense of self

a longing to be made whole, alive and fulfilled.

C. Grace and Truth

We need the TRUTH

Jesus is the TRUTH, the way and the Life.

True Live, salvation, eternal life is only found in Him

This is the message that the WORLD needs to hear.

Grace and Truth

D. Persecution

All that to say,

Greater and greater pressure is coming to bend and break Biblical Values

The same values the Jesus perfectly lived and taught.

So how can we do this?

II. I will help you

John 15:26–16:7 (ESV)

26 “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.

27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.

2 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. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.

4 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.

5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Jesus is PREPARING his disciples for what is to come

1. That you not Stumble

I’ve told you all this so that you will not stumble

so that you will not fall away

so that you will not give up and lose heart

but that you will remember that this is what I said would happen:

I’m telling you now so that when it comes to pass you will remember

But this was part of God’s Soveriegn Plan

John 15:25 ESV

25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

He quotes Psa 69:4 here and applies to himself.

Psalm 69:4 (ESV)

4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?

Or Peter says it this way in Acts

Acts 2:23 (ESV)

23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

In other words, these things will come to pass, but they are under the sovereign of God and will be used as a testimony.

2. I didn’t tell you in the beginning, because I was with you.

But now I am going.

And everything I have said has grieved your heart.

You say “yea”, that sounds really hard.

I don’t want to be hated

I don’t want to be persecuted

I don’t want to be killed.

3. I am sending Help

The Holy Spirit — The Spirit of Truth, The Comforter, The Advocate, The Helper

He is going to come — My Father and I will send Him

He will be God the Spirit

And her’s what he’s going to do:

Testify about me

John 15:26–27 (ESV)

26 “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.

27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

Notice this is all in the context of persecution, of being hated.

In that context — the Holy Spirit will have a testimony

They will have a Spirit-empowered testimony concerning Jesus.

IV. Testimony

The word for testimony in greek is martyr

It came to be known as someone who dies for their faith in Jesus.

but the word just means to testify to who he is.

So think about this:

What is the most powerful testimony to the goodness and power of God?

Is it signs and wonders?

I mean those are pretty cool

I hope to see some of those

No, its much more common than that.

It is how we suffer.

It is how we hold to the testimony of who Jesus is and what he has done — the very gospel message it self — in the midst of fierce oppostion.

It is how we hold to the testimony that God is good even when we suffer loss

it’s that we might rejoice in our suffering for the sake of Christ.

Jesus himself said Matt 5:10-12

Matthew 5:10–12 (ESV)

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.

1. The reward

Great is their reward in heaven.

YOu see it’s not just about what it cost us to follow Jesus — in the end it is about what we will Gain

And in the end for everyone it will be about eternal cost or eternal gain.

Our testimony about the Gospel and the goodness of God in the midst of persecution, in the midst of suffering and in the midst of being hated by the world

is one of the most powerful witnesses to the reality of God and the truth of the gospel.

Closing

The World is going to Hate follwers of Jesus — sooner or later — b/c the World hates Jesus.

It is our testimony in the midst of suffering and persecution that will speak loudest — be the most powerful witness to the gospel.

Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit for this purpose — to Testify to God’s goodnes, presence and power in our lives.

Application

So, are you ready to be hated by the world?

Are you ready to follow Jesus at all cost?

Are you willing to fix your eyes not on the things of this world, but of the age to come?

Are you willing to testify to the goodness of God in broken, fallen and even hostile world?

This is the calling of the Church.

This is our calling.

Story

I want to close today by sharing testimony.

I’m going to ask my friend Deirdre to come up here and share with the church.

We were just talking early this week and I marvled at her testimony of what God’s goodness in the midst of hardship.

I thought to myself, we need to hear this.

You see our story — testimony is not just for us

it is for us,

but it is to testify concerning Jesus

It is to testify to the world about the Truth

and it is to encourage our hearts as a church.

So Deirdre?

Deirdra Share

Thank you Diedre for sharing.

Let me close us in prayer.

Closing Prayer