The World's Hatred for Disciples
Notes
Transcript
The World in Which We Live
The World in Which We Live
This world we live in can be tough.
We pronounce we are Christian, and seek to walk in the way of the Lord
Most of us know the Truth, it lives inside of us
Jesus has give the illustration of the VINE and Branches
and He simplified it.
You either bear fruit
or You don’t
bearing is the only way to live our life
Jesus is calling His Disciples --- and that my friends is US
we must live a different life and the world will not love us for it
We must chose to LIVE A DIFFERENT WAY
Let me clarify this morning --- as we are talking about THE WORLD
we are talking about Satan’s Realm — Evil Desires - Human Ways and not Jesus’s way
Lets Dig IN
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the Earliest followers for Jesus were referred to as Followers of the Way.
If you knew that already, then i challenge you to think deeper on that statement
If it is new to you, then let me expand on it a little this morning.
I kept thinking this week
I often say or think things like “i am not sure the way to go with.....”
and my answers must come
from THE WAY OF JESUS
no matter the consequences
The simplest explanation i can offer is based on what we have been teaching here in John
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life
I have been trying to have you reflect on that weekly, and hopefully daily
Are you following the WAY?
--- for Jesus is the Way
Earlier Followers were identified as following the Way
and they were hated by the World because of
NOT simply their BELIEFS
BUT their change in lifestyle
They started doing things that they should do,
and stopped doing things that they shouldn’t do
This was not met with acceptance from the community or the world.
Give your self a moment to pause and Praise right now
Has following Jesus changed the WAY you live your Life
Are you will to stand in the gap when you are positive of the Christian Way
Have you stopped things in your life and started good things that Glorify God?
Take a moment......
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Now let me ask you a few questions.
Are these changes all due to the Holy Spirit that Lives in you?
Do those around you SEE a change in you that would identify you as a CHRIST FOLLOWER?
Where is your CORE Identity?
Your Master Status
Years ago, I sat with a man who was an attorney
I made the comment that he was unlike any attorney that i ever met
He didn’t do or say things like other attorneys.
I realized that certain professions have a tendency to change a person’s attitude
We certainly can all recall an attorney joke or two
and i will refrain from sharing any with you, as that is not my point
Many attorneys have a lifestyle that sets them apart
BUT this friend of mine was not like any of that and it intrigued me
he told me that most attorneys live in a world where being an attorney is
their Master Status --- it is how they identify in life
and he didn’t live that way
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I have a friend who did ministry work in the Middle East
he tells of men coming to Christ from their Muslim faith
entering a building in the rear entrance
accepting Christ
being baptized
and knowing that talking about it would get them persecuted by the community
So they wouldn’t talk about it
but as they became Followers their attitude changed
and they would be singled out because of others
noticing that they treated their wives with kindness, gentleness, patience
They were hated for not following their known world
and started to follow the Way.
Do people see your change?
Are you living boldly as a FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
Living the Conflict
Living the Conflict
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.
Do you FEAR the world more than GOD?
I can give you a simple truth that i fully believe we should all follow....
Would you be able to STAND in FRONT of the THRONE of Christ doing the thing you
are doing and KNOW that you GLORIFIED GOD in it?
If you are in High School or College Do you say no to sex and partying
Would you say NO to cheating on a tough test
If you are working --- do you say NO to working on Sunday or prioritize a church family function
Will you change jobs if they force you to do something against the will of God
Parents --- Will you speak HIS TRUTH to your kids whether your child will like you or not?
Are you willing to lose a worldly “friend” if they are encouraging you in the Wrong Direction
Jesus told us that it will be tough
the challenge is real.
When He told us ---
That we should take heart, for HE has overcome the World
We serve the WINNER
and we know the TRUTH
We know JESUS and JESUS KNOWS US
Here the Words of God from Peter
1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.
3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
Hatred in the World
Hatred in the World
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.
22 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.
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.’
The World will never love you for BUCKING its desires
Jesus says if you LOVE ME ---- that is an IF we should all address
IF you love me, you will obey me
and obeying is obeying
and loving is witnessing Him to others
to bring Glorify to GOD THE FATHER< SON < AND HOLY SPIRIT
We receive the witness of Jesus from the Spirit
and give it to others
Being a Witness
Being a Witness
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.
Our live must be a living example of the Ways of Jesus.
Many times in life ---
I have ask what is the RIGHT WAY to do something?
and i will offer this simple set of verses
Mark this and use it when you are confused on the WAY to do something or make a life decision.
Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
these are the right things
There is so much to learn about the WAY to live as a Christian.
Being part of a church that teaches this is a great start.
BUT don’t get overwhelmed
--- Trust the still voice inside you
Surround yourself with OTHERS of the WAY
and Live for Jesus.
Jesus supplies The WAY and the GUIDE
Jesus doesn’t ever leave you alone
and that is what this final verse today is telling us
that Helper is the Holy Spirit INSIDE YOU
The Holy Spirit is your GUIDE
to bear witness
and bearing WITNESS is
our changed life
we will start to Look like Jesus in our ACTIONS and the WAY we live our LIFE
we bear witness through our visible living of life to the world
and the WORLD will it doesn’t like it
But take HEART our JESUS
Well HE has overcome the WORLD
and the WORLD is a sore loser
Christian HEAR ME TODAY
John 15:18–19 (ESV)
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
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.
I am NOT of this WORLD
so we chose to live like Children of God
and our IDENTITY is in HIM alone
Write these verses in your notes for your PONDERING THIS WEEK
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Lets Pray