Abide: Jesus and the world

Tonight we are wrapping up what has been, for me a really sweet couple weeks in John 15.

2 weeks ago we learned that disciples of Jesus are empowered by the spirit to live faithfully and bear fruit that abides in Christ.

Last week we looked at the love of Jesus on us, and how from that love there is a command to love others.

Tonight we will focus on the reality that the world hates Jesus.

Students, let me just encourage you to continue to press into bringing your bibles and journals. Im thankful for you guys who have accepted this challenge and would just extend that to each and every one of you guys.

We will be in John 15:18 this evening, turn there with me.

Main point: Jesus understood the hatred of the world, so he prepared his followers accordingly.

Going into difficult situations, it is good for us to know what we are facing. Sometimes we do not get the opportunity to know what we are facing, but other times we do. Jesus uses this passage as preparation for what his disciples, and in turn, us, as followers of Christ would face. Jesus knew that the world was full of hate, he was hated, so before his death he would prepare his people intentionally.

Let’s read, starting in verse 18.

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.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.

We have spent most of the last couple weeks talking about the love of Jesus on his people. This passage, which focuses mainly on the hatred of Jesus, carries some of the same importance. If Jesus educated his dicsiples on this, then we can assume it is something that is beneficial for us today, as disciples of Christ.

Let’s look at 3 things right off the bat that we can notice about the hate of the world.

The world hated Jesus before they hated the disciples.

Those that have been set apart from world will be hated.

If we are not hated by the world, then maybe we are not living as though we have been saved.

The world hated Jesus before they hated the disciples.

Jesus wants his disciples to remember that when they are hated, he was hated first.

Jesus was hated because he challenged religious authroity.

He was hated because he was perfect. He was hated because he sent to be the savior of the world.

For those that did not believe they needed saving, they hated him.

Who knows what a martyr is?

a person who is killed or made to suffer because of their religious or other beliefs.

Research estimates that 9k Christians are killed every year.

340 million face high levels of persecution

Students, we live in a country where we can go to church and not be hated.

We live in a city where if you do not like the way I sound, the way Jason preaches you can get in your car and drive approx. 3 minutes and be at another church. And if you do not like their preaching, you can do it all over again.

Yet there are people dying for the gospel.

Students, we must reach a point where in our schools in our friend groups, we are okay with looking different and being disliked.

We are not threatened with death, there are missionaries and followers of Christ who are.

Jesus was hated and endured the hate, and would die on the cross at the hands of hateful people.

Secondly, Those that have been set apart from the world will be hated.

Verse 19, the last part of it > “but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you”

The world hates those who are followers of Christ because they do not know him.

Because if they did truly know him, they would not hate him- because he is full of love and grace

Matthew Henry says, “We do not rightly know God if we do not know him in Christ.

The third thing we see about the hatred of the world is that If we are not hated by the world, then maybe we are not living as though we have been saved.

Jesus knew that he would be hated, he knew that his teachings would upset people - he knew that he was sent to be a savior, but all the world saw him as was a criminal.

And Jesus was okay with this, for he knew and had confidence in his God.

We will be tolerated by the world until we call them out on their sin.

The world does not hate church, the world does not hate the idea of Jesus.

Frankly, the world loves it. That is why we see “churches” proclaiming heresey week after week.

because the idea of god and church is not hated.

But, as true disciples of Christ we will only be tolerated for so long

Jesus and his death on the cross is the only way to God.

By proclaiming this truth, disciples of Christ will be hated.

The world will tolerate your Christianity until refuse to stand for the molding of the gospel around the world.

If we refuse to call people out on their misaligned gospel, laugh at their dirty jokes, participate in their sin, and simply enjoy the “christian life” without the faith behind it, we are just as bad as the world. We are called out of the world, not to remain of the world, but to be set apart from the world.

Jesus was okay with being hated, because he understood the world and the evil that was present.

Jesus was hated, yet his foundation is love.

Let me remind you of John 15:12 ““This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Students, Jesus at his very core is love.

If we could use one word to describe Jesus, who he is and what he has done - that word would be love.

Let us not grow used to this word- may it be the restorative nature to us, each morning when we wake up that Jesus is love and has shown that love upon us.

They key here is that Jesus was not always treated this way

While we sit back and say, “this person is hard to love because of the way they act…”

We choose not to love because they way people look

We choose not to love because the clothes people wear.

We choose not to love because what people say, and do, and believe

Jesus says, I know all of these things about you and yet I choose to love you.

Jesus was not only disagreed with…. he was hated…. yet who he was, love.

Jesus is love in the face of hatred.

The key to this passage, the message that Jesus is giving to his disciples, preparing them for the hatred of the world, sits in the middle of verse 19.

If you are a note taker this is something good to write down.

Jesus tells his disciples that that they will be hated, because they are not of the world.

Followers of Christ are called out from the world to live differently than the world.

That is not my words, but the word of God, for let us read verse 19.

John 15:19 “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.”

If we act as though we are of the world, we can expect to be loved and welcome and expected by… get this… the world.

But, if we act as what we have been, that is saved, followers of Christ, we will be hated, but welcomed and filled with the joys of Christ for he is greater than the world.

If we choose to continue to entertain our selves with things of the world, we are choosing to engage in a lifestyle that Christ died for.

The reason that the world hates followers of Christ is because Christ death has saved us from that.

We can not accept Christ Jesus as Lord of our life and continue to willingly step into unconffessed unrepented sin. If we do this, then I would encourage you to take a look at Christ and remember that he has choosen you, and called you out of sin, repent and confess and choose to walk in faithfulness unto him.

Jesus was hated, though his foundation of love.

We need not entertain ourselve with the very things Jesus died for.

Because Jesus died, Jesus was sent to do the one thing that people could not

That is, save theirselves.

Jesus did what the world could not, and yet they still hated him.

Jesus was sent to do what the people could not, yet they still hated him.

Let’s look at verse 21 together now.

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.”

The law was left for the people of this world to follow.

The law very clear stated in Romans 2:12 “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.”

The law of God, let the world know that they would be judged for their sins and their trespasses.

The world did not like this, they believed Jesus was a liar, a cheater, a blasphemer (someone who speaks falsely).

Jesus was hated for many many reasons, but what set the Jewish leaders off was when he declared his diety to them saying,

Mark 14:62 “And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.””

The Jews hated Jesus because he called them out of their sin, out of their law that was dishonoring to God.

They thought he was lesser for eating with sinners and tax-collecters.

All of these things drove them to kill Jesus.

Okay that makes sense, I understand why they hated Jesus then, but why does the world, so clearly still hate what is true about Jesus.

Matthew Henry says that, it is the worlds ignorance that is the true cause of it’s enmity [hate] to the disciples of Christ”

“It is the worlds ignorance that is the true cause of it’s enmity [hate] to the disciples of Christ” - Matthew Henry

This is a very difficult part of this passage and message. Look at verse 24. John 15:24 “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.”

Jesus is essentially saying, yes, If sinned had never entered the world, and I had not come to ablosh sin, then they would not be guilty.

Think about a patient who has been feeling sick for a long time. They go to the doctor and he finally gives a diagnosis: cancer.

Instead of accepting the truth and beginning treatment, the patient chooses to reject the diagnosis, insisting they aren't sick.

This refusal only prolongs their suffering. Just like this patient, many reject the truth of sin and the need for a Savior.

But, lets take it one step furhter- instead of listening to the doctor the patient begins to hate the doctor.

He says, “how dare you say I have cancer!”

This is the hatred of the world.

Jesus closes verse 25 by saying, John 15:25 ‘They hated me without a cause.’”

Students, the world was ignoprant. The world is ignorant and hates the world because they do not know Christ.

For we have come to know Christ and have been filled with his joy, for we should have empathy on the world.

When we see his law being misspokem, misunderstood, confused, this should lead us to empathy on the world, for is they truly knew Jesus- they would know him as savior and God.

The world does not love Jesus, because they do not know Jesus.

But, for in the hate of the world that we will face, Jesus has left us with his Helper.

Jesus has sent us a helper to face the opposition of the world.

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 was the first to understand the hatred of the world, and knew that in the hatred of the world, his followers would need help.

Jesus felt the hatred of the world, and in his grace gave us one who guides and comfport us.

The Holy Spirit was sent to live with those who are faithful followers of Christ.

The spirit who bears truth about Jesus helps us to bear witness to the word of God.

One example we see of the Holy Spirit at work in his disciples is this:

Before the spirit was poured out upon his disciples they fled upon his trial. Peter denied Jesus.

Though after his death, and the spirit being poured out upon them, they become messengers of Christ and appeared, “courages [for the gospel] as matthew henry says.

Students, Christ has made us ministers of his word, and knowing we would face the hatred of this world, left us with a helper, a spirit.

But, how do we do this- how do we faithfully share this message? How do we become followers of Christ who prioritize his word.

Well, Im glad you asked.

We are going to spend the next two Wednesday nights learning these things.

Next week we are going to focus on How do we share our story? What story do we have to share?

You may be thinking, what do you mean my story.

I do not really have a story.

You may be thinking of the word testimony.

Whatever you are thinking, I encourage you to come ready next week to do some reflection on your life, what the Lord has done, how he has saved you.

Then the following week, March 18th no youth, we are going to have a guest speaker come in and talk about living a life on mission here, and across the world.

Students, let us spend the next moments as the band comes up and I pray reflecting on the life we live.

Where are you living for Christ?

Where are you living as a disciple of Christ?

Are you living enslaved to sin that Christ has already saved you from?

I will pray, and the band will begin playting, but I encouirager you to remain seated and pray to yourself.

Pray that the spirit would strengethen your heart to be a faithful disciple of his word.

Pray for the friend you have that may not know Christ.

Pray for strngeth to confess and walk freely away from sin.

Myself and other leaders will be in the back if you would like us to pray over you, for in prayer the Spriit intercedes fr us.

Whatever it may be, let us pray, and then respond in worship and song.

What is the main point the sermon focuses on regarding Jesus and his followers?

How can understanding Jesus’ example of love and hatred influence the way you treat others?

What role does the Holy Spirit play in the life of a believer?

In what areas of your life do you feel challenged to live differently as a disciple of Christ?