John 15:18-21

John 15:18-21

“If the world hates you, you all know that it has hated me before you all.  If you all are out of the world, the world was loving you as its own.  But because you all are not out of the world, but I chose you all out of the world, because of this the world hates you.  Remember the words that I said to you all.  A slave is not greater than his lord.  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you all.  If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  But they will do all of these things into you all because of my name, because they have not known the one who sent me.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Wow.  The Greek tense of the verb “hated” at the end of verse 18 is absolutely powerful.  Jesus says, “… the world has hated me …”  This is a perfect tense verb.  Jesus is saying that the world hated Him prior to Him saying this to the disciples and the effects of this hatred continue into the present and the future.  We who follow the example of Christ should expect to be hated by the world because it is the natural effect of the world hating Christ.  Jesus isn’t simply saying to the disciples that “I’ve been there and done that so I can empathize with you when the world hates you.”  Yes, He is saying that.  But it goes deeper than that.  Jesus is saying that “when the world hates those who follow me it is the natural effect of the world hating Him in the first place.”  It’s not that Jesus can only empathize but even more that Jesus knows His followers will taste the horrible fruit of the world’s hatred of Him.

What did the world’s hatred of Jesus look like?  What were the effects of that hatred?  Do you ever feel hated because of your attempts to imitate Jesus as Lord of your life?

Second Thought:

In order to drive home this point, Jesus continues His idea in verse 20.  Again, notice the tenses.  “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you all.”  Jesus’ persecution is past tense.  The disciples’ persecution is future tense.  The Jewish leaders already rejected Jesus.  When Jesus is physically gone from this world, the religious leaders will have no one at whom they can direct their anger.  So the wrath will come to Jesus’ disciples.  Again we see the cause and effect.  The disciples will get persecution because of Jesus, His teachings, and what He represents.

How does it make you feel to know that Jesus told His disciples that persecution was a certainty?  Does this draw you closer to Jesus or make you want to separate yourself from Him?

Third Thought:

At the end of this passage we hear a scathing critique of the world.  “They have not known the one who sent me.”  Hear what Jesus is saying.  Those who do not know God will bring persecution because of the name of Jesus.  Those who live in His name will bring persecution upon themselves.  Jesus’ point is simple.  The world hates what it does not know.  The world hates that which is different than itself.  Don’t believe me?  Go to any middle school or high school.  It is the people who are the most different who are also the most picked upon.  The same is true in our culture on a broad perspective.  Try holding an opinion different from that of the popular media and see how long it takes for people to think you strange, weird, or archaic.  Among the world, persecution can be counted on when you are different – especially when you are different in the name of Christ.

When have you been persecuted in your life because of your relationship with Christ?  What do you do in your life that separates you from the world?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 15:22-27