Small Group 6/18/20

Hatred of the world.

We talk a lot about hate in the world today.

Do you think the conversation in the media today is about love?

What’s the opposite of hate?

Why is it hard to love in the world 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.

Why does Peter use such a strong word here?

Why does the world hate Christians?

How do you feel naturally about people who are very different from you?

How do you feel about the call of God on your life? God has called you!

Holman New Testament Commentary: John C. Chosen (15:19)

Detzler identifies four truths which “need to be seen, if one is to understand election: God is eternally just; a man is responsible to obey God’s call; evangelism is essential to Christian living; faith supersedes logic” (Detzler, p. 71).

John 15:20–21 ESV

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.

When John wrote this, Roman persecution had already began of Christians.

How does verse 21 give home to believers?

John 15:22–23 ESV

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.

Holman New Testament Commentary: John C. Antagonism in the World (15:18–27)

When people are brought face to face with the gospel message and refuse it to continue in their sin, they bring upon themselves the guilt and consequences of their sin. This is strong language, especially in view of the brief statement of verse 23. The phrase be guilty of sin “implies that the sin in question remains like a personal possession with the person who commits it. It is not something that can be over and done with” (Morris, p. 681).

Holman New Testament Commentary: John C. Antagonism in the World (15:18–27)

When people are brought face to face with the ugliness of sin in their lives, they tend to fall back on the solution of killing the messenger.

How often do we try to find someone else to blame for our behavior and our situation?

How does it change things when we take ownership of our responsibility?

John 15:24–25 ESV

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.’

People reject Jesus both out of conviction and true to prophecy

Psalm 35:19 ESV

19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.

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?

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.

We need to remember that witnessing and helping our friends and family is not just a matter of the work of the Holy Spirit but it’s something we also do.

Application

Don’t be surprised by antagonism of the world.

We are called to share with others about Jesus.