Out of This World

Have you ever made a statement similar to, “Stop the world, I want to get off?” It’s not difficult to look around and think “I wish it were different.” Yet here we are.

The question for the Church, and ultimately for each one of us is, “Are we different than the world?” A few decades ago a question asked by many Christian leaders was, “If Christianity were illegal would there be enough evidence to prove you guilty?”

Our passage is still a part of the conversation that we saw begin in Chapter 13 of John’s Gospel, and it stands in harsh contrast to the sweet sentiments that we’ve been reading to “Love one another.” Now our passage speaks a lot about hate, and being hated, and in some ways it may feel out of place.

The culture into which John is speaking is a world very different than ours. At the time of John’s writing the Church was under the constant threat of persecution.

All that had to happen was a Christian affirm their faith to a government authority and no matter what the person had done the punishment was likely to be death. Think about that.

“Are you a Christian?” “Do you go to church?” “Do you follow Jesus?”

No evidence needed other than your simple answer to a question. Back to our question, “If Christianity were illegal would there be enough evidence to prove you guilty?”

The question reveals a hard truth.

“Christians are supposed to be different from the world.”

Jesus Himself said so - but …

are we different?

If so, how?

Are we confident in our difference?

Why? (Your answer to that will make all the difference.)

John begins recording several “IF” statements for his disciples:

If - the world hates you…v. 18

If - you were of the world…v.19

If - they persecuted me…v.20

If - they (the world) kept my word…v. 20

If - I had not spoken to them…v. 22

If - I had not done the works no one else did…v.24

And where there are “If” statements there are often “then” statements.

then - know it hated Jesus first…

then - they will also persecute you…

then - they would not be guilty of their sin…

Sometimes it feels like that is where the church gets it wrong. In our effort to be loving to those around us rather than remain separate, different, and “not of this world.” Jesus himself said of His disciples:

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.

The world sees the lack of support, agreement, and even affirmation of their actions as unloving and are quick to throw back the idea that Christians are supposed to “love”.

Which raises the question, What exactly is love?

I think of the love a loving parent may have for a child. That parent does not give the child whatever they might want, they do not agree with everything that child may believe.

Yet the world sees this as judgmental, even hateful, and so what is their reaction? They pass judgement upon anyone who might disapprove of their ways. And ultimately they fulfill Jesus words and hate anyone who might hold to Jesus’ teaching.

The world recognizes Jesus love, His compassion for the lost, His breaking down barriers of race, and gender, His upsetting the religious leaders of the day. What the world misses in Jesus’ teaching is that Jesus said that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Earlier in John we read, John 8:31-32

John 8:31–32 ESV

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Which means, what?

Jesus is the Truth!

Jesus commands are the Truth.

Matthew recorded in the Sermon on the Mount, Mt 5:17

Matthew 5:17 ESV

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

and continues - Mt 5:18

Matthew 5:18 ESV

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

These words were readily available to the readers of John.

So what was it like in the time of John. The area was under rule of the Romans, and we often think of the people as not liking that.

The people were actually profoundly grateful for the Roman government for the most part. Rome brought justice, and freed them from capricious kings. Rome brought peace and prosperity to the region. The land was cleared of brigands and the sea pirates. Roman peace stretched all over the world. The emperor became the embodiment of the Spirit of Rome, and so Caesar worship became the norm.

At first emperors discouraged this worship, but then they saw they could use it. Eventually there came a day when once a year every inhabitant of the empire had to burn his pinch of incense to the godhead of Caesar. By so doing, he showed that he was a loyal citizen of Rome. When he had done this, he received a certificate to say that he had done it.

The citizen was then free to worship whatever god he wished, so long as the worship didn’t impact public decency or public order.

Christians of the time however refused to offer incense, and thus were persecuted and put to death.

It wasn’t just the government that persecuted Christians; the masses hated them. Why?

People believed slanderous things about the Christians. There is no doubt that the Jews were at least to some extent responsible for the slanders. There were four slanderous reports spread about the Christians.

1. They were revolutionaries

It was futile to point out that they were the best citizens in the country. The fact remained they would not burn their pinch of incense and say ‘Caesar is Lord,’ so they were branded as dangerous and disloyal.

2. They were cannibals

This charge came from the words of the sacrament: ‘This is my body which is broken for you.’ and ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood.’ On the basis of these words it was not difficult to get people to believe the worst.

3. They practiced flagrant immorality

The weekly meal the Christians practiced was called the Agape, the Love feast. When Christians met, for the meal, they greeted one another with the kiss of peace. It was not difficult to spread abroad that the love feast was an orgy of sexual indulgence and the kiss of peace was the symbol and the sign.

4. They were fire-raisers

They looked to the second coming of the Christ. To it they attached all the OT pictures of the Day of the Lord, which foretold of the flaming disintegration and destruction of the world.

During the reign of Nero came the disasterous fire which devestated Rome, it was easy to connect it with the people who preached of a consuming fire which would destroy the world.

There was one more - they were charged with tampering with fmaily relationships, dividing families, splitting up homes and breaking up marriages. In a way it was true. Often one spouse would become a Christian and the other did not, or children would become Christians but their parents did not.

These were the causes of hatred in those days. What about ours today?

One has only to look around and there are plenty of issues one could point at:

War, peace, gender identity, abortion, economy, marriage, ethics, …

I’m not going to go into any of these today. That may disappoint some or perhaps all of you.

Here are three takeaways:

1. Chosen in Christ

We are chosen in Christ, and that should mean something.

John 15:18–19 ESV

“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.

We should not and cannot be afraid of the world. Think of how Jesus was to be persecuted and ultimately executed. Think of how true this became for most of the disciples who followed Him. John is not just foreshadowing what would happen to Jesus and ultimately the disciples, he’s reflecting upon what he has seen happen in the years since Jesus death and resurrection.

It is a warning to us as well.

2. Treated Like the Master

As they treated Jesus, so they will treat His disciples:

John 15:20–21 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. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

It is our very connection grants strength and purpose. Being treated like the Master underscores the divine approval in their stance, encouraging perseverance.

3. Empowered by the Spirit

In all of it, we remember the Holy Spirit gives us strength.

John 15:22 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.

The world, in my view, is not dumb. They are aware of their sin, if they know anything of Jesus. However, if they can prove Jesus teaching was different from what we read in the entirety of the Bible then they can justify their actions.

I recognize that is a harsh statement. I recognize that there are many who might disagree with me and I’m fine with that if indeed they can show their position matches the Scriptures Jesus came to obey and to fulfill.

Today, the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand strong and realize that the Holy Spirit advocates for us,a nd guides us. We are never alone.

John 15:26 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 because of the Holy Spirit we can stand strong against the World.

“If Christianity were illegal would there be enough evidence to prove you guilty?”

I have another question.

Jesus opens this passage with the statement, John 15:18–19 ““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.”

So my question is, “Does the world hate you?” If not, does what might that say about your faith?