Parting Words-Part 7- The Promise of Persecution

Introduction-John 15:18-16:3

Last week we considered the command which Jesus gave to His disciples to love one another and to obey His commandments.

We learned that it is obedience which demonstrates our love for the Lord and deepens our relationship with Him.

Today we will see Jesus begin to prepare His disciples for the opposition that they would eventually face from the world.

The world throughout this passage is a reference to lost humanity. The emphasis Jesus placed upon their love for one another is now given some additional context as they would need one another in the days ahead.

The World’s Reception (Ch. 15:18 & 20/Ch. 16:1-2)

Jesus speaks to His disciples regarding what they can expect from the world as they continue to carry on the mission that He has given them.

Just as the world hated Jesus so also would they hate His disciples.

Thus far Jesus and His disciples had experienced a somewhat mixed response as they proclaimed the Word of God.

Yet more and more the response especially among the leaders and those with significant influence was one of hostility and vehement opposition, especially among the religious leaders.

Jesus was greeted with hatred and hostility among the vast majority while a much smaller minority received His Word and obeyed.

His disciples are to expect a similar response as they carry on the work that the savior has called them to do.

Jesus’s desire is to temper the disciples expectations as He entrusts the continuance of the work to them.

They may have expected that their message and their stand for truth would be welcomed or that they would be warmly received as followers of the Messiah and yet this was not going to be the case.

The time would come when the disciples would be outcasts and those who were responsible for their persecution would literally believe that they were serving God as they carried out their terrible deeds (Saul the Persecutor).

We must recognize that if we are following Christ and carrying out the work that He has called us to do, we will not be popular and we should not expect to be warmly received by the world.

The mark of the true disciple of Christ is that he is hated by the world and is the target of persecution and opposition.

The Reason (Vs. 19 & 21-25)

Jesus also takes the time to explain to His disciples the reason that they will face hatred and persecution.

The first reason given is that they were not of the world, simply meaning there was a clear distinction between the followers of Christ and the people of the world.

This distinction was recognizable and made the disciples the target of hatred and persecution.

The more detailed explanation is given beginning in verse 21. The persecution that they would face was due to the fact that they were identified with Jesus name.

Those who do not know God naturally harbor a hatred for those who claim to speak in His name.

We should not expect those who do not know God to welcome the truth of His Word or those who boldly proclaim it.

This is because the truth of the Word of God serves as a light shining in the darkness revealing to a lost world their true condition.

So long as they are not confronted with the truth the lost can comfortably remain in their sin but when the Word of God is proclaimed it removes the cloke from their sin.

The works of Jesus served to validate His message leaving the lost world without an excuse for not believing in Him.

The Disciples’ Response (Vs. 26-27)

How were the disciples supposed to respond to the coming hostility and persecution? They were to continue to witness of Jesus!

This they would not be able to do in their own power but through the power of the Spirit of God they were to boldly continue to preach Jesus in the face of opposition.

The Spirit of God would come to testify of Jesus and this would be carried out through the witness of the disciples as they went forth as witnesses.

Jesus tells them of what is to come in order that they will not be offended (that they would not stumble or falter in following Jesus).

We know according to the record of scripture that Jesus was absolutely right for the disciples would face significant persecution as they lived for Jesus among those who rejected Him and His Words and ways.

They would be repeatedly subjected to violent opposition and serious efforts to cause them to cease from speaking in His name and yet they continued.

Acts 4:29 KJV 1900

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

The disciples were not looking for an end to their suffering and persecution but instead they prayed that God would strengthen them and give them boldness in the face of their enemies.

Conclusion

Today I want to close by making what I believe is a very appropriate application of this passage of scripture to us today.

Most of us read a passage such as this and we are not at all able to identify with these disciples for we have faced little or no opposition, the majority of modern day “Christians” have never endured threatenings much less actual persecution.

Today I want us to consider why this is the case. It is obvious that the distinction that was once so clear is not quite so clear today.

Is it because the world has become more “Christian” in their thoughts and actions?

…Or could it be that the vast majority of Christians have become more worldly?

Illustration- Military conflict-Civil War- Union troops wore uniforms characterized by blue coloring/Confederate troops word uniforms that were mainly grey in color. If a soldier were to approach a union encampment in a grey uniform they would naturally face hostility and possible even death. If however this same soldier were to disguise himself maybe by simply removing his uniform or even going to the extreme of wearing the uniform of the enemy he could expect a much more favorable reception.

Could it be that we are not the target of persecution or opposition because we have disguised ourselves among the world rather than going forth and boldly identifying ourselves with Christ?