Bold Witnesses

Witnesses in a Hostile World

Bible Passage: Jn 15:18–27

Big Idea: Believers are called to be bold witnesses for Christ in a world that often opposes them, empowered by the Holy Spirit to testify to the truth of the gospel amid hostility.

Summary: In John 15:18–27, Jesus prepares His disciples for the reality that they will face hostility from the world because they belong to Him. He encourages them by reminding them of their status as His witnesses and the promise of the Holy Spirit who empowers them to testify about Him.

Jesus began this passage with the discourse of the Vine and the Branches with Him being the Vine and we His folllowers the branches which bear fruit.

How do we bear fruit?:

By relying and abiding in Him as the source for our strength and fruitfulness and to glorify His Father as we bear much fruit.

And He exhorted them and us to love Him deeply and to love each other.

Now he continues His teaching by turning the subject to HATE and the word occurs 8 times in 10 verses. It means to detest strongly {A hatred without reason; unjustifiable and malicious}

1. Prepare for Persecution

John 15:18–20 ““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 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. 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.”

Here Jesus is preparing His disciples for the hostility and rejection they would face. He clarified that this opposition results from their association with Him.

Why will and does (in our case) the world { spirit of the world’s system hates (detests) {A hatred without reason; unjustifiable and malicious} Christians?

1. The world [system and those who do not know Christ] does not know God so the church is depised by them

2. Christians are not of the world; the world loves its own; we put off what the world considers important:

[(flesh, eyes, pride of life) 1 John 2:16 “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.”]

3. The world is rebuked or reminded by the church and Christians that they are on the wrong course and in need of Salvation.

Consolation for us:

1. This hatred was first directed against Christ Himself

2. We, as His followers are expected to walk the same steps as He and if we are treated wrongfully it is considered a privilege

6506 We should all like life to be free from suffering, and our love to be free from pain. But there is no true love without suffering. So the highest love of all, the love of Christ for men, showed unforgettably how deeply he must suffer in order to bring men to himself.

J. B. Phillips

3. “For my Name’s sake” on account of my name: a motive for endurance and patience.

If we are consistent, resolute (steadfast and loyal) , energetic, filled with Zeal (Passion), uncompromising, bearing fruit, loving Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength then we will experience the disdain.

Jesus as the best that human that upon this earth was treated as the worst. And this example is true about the 12, Paul, etc. Light bearing work interfers with the interests of darkness.

To bear up under it:

1. Faith that God will meet our needs and provide for us in any situation

2. Courage

3. Meekness and Gentleness because this portrayal is completely the opposite. Love and unity among us are strengths. A test of our character and evidence of being like Jesus.

We hope and pray as we live our lives as salt and light and share with others that people would believe. But others may not. That just as Christ was rejected, so too you may face similar challenges, but your steadfastness serves as a testament to your commitment and devotion to Him.

In the New Testament, John the Baptist lived as a witness to Christ even before Jesus began His public ministry. He proclaimed repentance and baptized with water, pointing others to the One who would come after him. Like John, we are called to testify about Jesus in our daily lives, witnessing to His grace and truth in a world that often opposes it.

2. Proclaim the Truth

John 15:21–22 “But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 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.”

Imagine a father who carefully picks out a gift for his child, pouring time and love into choosing something special. On the day of the gift-giving, the child opens it and immediately frowns, declaring it not what they wanted. The father’s heart sinks, knowing he had meant for this gift to be a symbol of love and connection. In the same way, we often reject God’s gifts—His love, grace, and salvation—because they don’t align with our expectations, forgetting that they are meant for our ultimate good.

If anyone claims ignorance it is no longer an excuse once confronted with the gospel. As we are called to be bold witnesses, making the truth known, even when it's unpopular or unwelcome, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus.

“I Gave It All For Thee.” Hymn.

Says:” I gave My life for thee

My precious blood I shed, That thou might’st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead;

I gave, I gave My Life for Thee—What hast thou given for Me?”

“I left…I Bore…I brought...”

Matthew 28:19–20 “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

ABC’s of Salvation

Admit a sinner: Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Believe in Christ: Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Confess: Romans 10:9–10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Witness: to testify; to bear testimony to thing seen, heard, and experienced

We are firmly convinced by faith and would willingly die for and we proclaim the gospel that has transformed us.

We need to share with everyone grateful and thankful that we have been delivered from darkness into light. Just as He has chosen you to salvation He has also chosen proclaiming, sharing the Gosepl, and testifying of what He has done in the work of saving mankind but personally in you to Awaken the faith of others. Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

3. Prophecies and Persecution

John 15:23–25 “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.’”

Teaching: The sermon teaches that as followers of Christ, we should expect opposition from the world, but we must also embrace our role as witnesses to His truth and grace, strengthened by the Holy Spirit to endure and witness faithfully in challenging contexts.

The even though Jesus had done among them miracles and works which should have caused them to believe they still rejected Him and His message.

Consider the most spectacular of all his miracles when he restored Lazarus of Bethany to life four days after death.

Some did believe in Him after this but some did not; it is astounding that there were those who witnessed this obvious miracle this power of life and death that only God could perform and yet still rejected and chose not to believe.

Jesus is explaning here that the hatred directed towards Him and His followers fulfills the prophetic Scriptures.

Psalm 69 “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.”

11 of the Disciples faced a martyr’s death only John did not however he was exiled to the ailse of Patmos to die there. That is where Jesus gave to him the words of Revelation.

This reminds us that the experiences of hostility of the disciples are part of a larger, divine narrative. Through understanding this, we can find encouragement knowing they’re aligned with God's ultimate plan in His Word.

Consider Martin Luther, who faced rejection from the church for his beliefs. Yet, his commitment to the truth led to the Reformation, transforming the landscape of Christianity. When we reject the gifts of clarity and purpose provided by God, we may also find ourselves in moments of misunderstanding or struggle. Luther’s story reminds us that holding onto truth—even when faced with rejection—can lead to profound change and renewal.

4. Power through the Spirit

John 15:26–27 ““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.”

Jesus encourages them by reminding them that they will not be alone and promises that He will send the Spirit of Truth to abide in them and that He will Empower in their witness for Him and to be able to accomplish their mission to make disciples.

Advocate: intercedes on behalf of another; A court room scene in which one is called in to assist or speak for another.

Comforter: one called alongside; Jesus told them that it was to their advantage that He was going away because the Spirit would be sent who would never be taken away from them;

Intercessor: works to sustain us and carry burdens and to carry our prayers to God even the ones that we find to difficult to express

Helper: the abiding presence of Jesus among and in us; everything said of the Helper is said about Jesus; sent by the Father to teach and to bring to remembrance all that Jesus said to them; to bear witness to the truth; relation to the world- revealing what sin is what righteousness is , and what judgement is; guide them into all the truth; showing what is to come; glorify Jesus

Acts 1:4–8 “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Through the Spirit, believers find strength and courage to testify about Jesus despite worldly challenges. As we rely on Jesus to bear fruit we rely on the Spirit, because he equips us to shine His light in darkness. Providing insight at the right moment; a verse brought to mind that would encourage or assist someone in their need, the courage to do it.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus commanded His disciples to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. This great commission is not just for them but for all believers. It defines our mission as Christians to share the Gospel in our communities and beyond. Consider the ways we can live as His witnesses today, reflecting Christ's love in our words and actions.

So how did the disciples respond after recieving the Spirit?

They were all in!

Revelation 2:8–10 ““And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Application: This passage helps Christians understand that facing rejection and hostility is part of following Christ, encouraging them to remain steadfast in their faith. It empowers believers to boldly share the gospel even in adverse conditions, knowing that they are not alone.

Who can you mentor and coach towards following Jesus?

What is God calling you to do? Have been given a gift to use to bear fruit? He wants you to use it.

How can you bear up under opposition?

Are you experincing opposition or have ever?

How can reflecting on the early church's response to persecution inform the way you approach challenges in your faith today?

When faced with hostility in public settings—like protests or town halls—practice the principle of being a peacemaker. Steer conversations back to respect and understanding by acknowledging the frustrations that often lie behind people's public aggression. If someone lashes out at your beliefs, calmly express your desire to have a constructive dialogue instead of a contentious debate. Carry a small card or note in your pocket that has a biblical affirmation about love, mercy, or peace, and use it as a reminder of how God calls you to respond.