John 16:1-4

John 16:1-4

I have said these things to you all in order that you all should not be scandalized.  They will make you all expelled from the synagogue.  But an hour comes in order that all the ones who killed you all should think it is done to bring religious worship to God.  And they will do these things because they knew neither the Father nor me.  But I have said these things to you all in order that when their hour comes you all should remember that I said these same things to you all.  And I did not say these things to you all out of the beginning because I was with you all.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Many times in the stories of Jesus were hear Him telling His disciples about the difficult life of a true follower.  He often says things like “take up your cross” and “he who loses his life for my sake.”  Here Jesus tells his disciples that they will be put out of the synagogue.  He tells them that they will not be accepted in Jewish communities.  Essentially, Jesus is telling His disciples that they would be ostracized and would not be able to find religious fellowship outside of themselves and whatever community they happen to make on their own through the Holy Spirit.

How has your true belief in God caused you to be ostracized?  In what way has your community changed because of your beliefs?

Second Thought:

Jesus also tells His disciples that they will be killed for their faith.  Church tradition tells us that this is true.  Every disciple of Jesus’ dies from unnatural causes except John, who was sentenced to isolation upon the isle of Patmos.  But it is worse than that.  Jesus tells us that other people will be doing this persecution to them under the belief that it is bringing them closer to God!  As proof of this, we know that James is killed by Herod in order to please the Jews – see Acts 12:1-3.  But this very fact points them to one thing: the persecutor does not know the Father.  They think they do, but they do not.  It is scary what people will do in the name of God.

Is this true of you?  Do you fear being killed for your faith?  Have you ever experienced religious persecution where the people persecuting you thought it was bringing them closer to God?

Third Thought:

Jesus is preparing His disciples, clearly.  He didn’t tell them these things from the very beginning because Jesus knew that He was going to be there in the beginning to shelter them from reality.  But as the disciples grow, they will be exposed to more and more truth.  As Jesus prepares to leave this earth, He won’t be there to protect His disciples as much.  Such is the life of the disciple.  As the disciple grows, he becomes more aware of the true world around himself and therefore must prepare for that reality because the disciple-maker should not always protect them from where God is leading.

Where has your spiritual mentor sheltered you in the past?  How have you grown out from under the protection of the mentor?  What truth has this revealed to you about the reality of the world around you?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 16:5-11