Enter your e-mail address below to get Musing Upchurch sent directly to your in-box!

Past Ponderings

Saturday, July 18, 2015

PONDERING... Hated By The World (John 15:18-16:4a)


Hated By The World

GIST: The world hates God.

SCRIPTURE: John 15:18-16:4a

Notice, first, the contrast between love (John 15:12-17) and hate (John 15:18-16:4a). God loves. The world hates. We are to live like God

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
- Ok, so we're going to need to start by establishing who "the world" is. This is not referring to the actual planet, but rather to all those who do not believe in Jesus. Thus, this opening statement establishes Jesus' point very clearly. The world hates Jesus. Not as a teacher or moral leader, but as God. If we're hated because of Him, we need to remember that they first hated Him (as did all of we apart from grace).

-Side Note: I know there are people who will bristle at the thought of nonbelievers hating God. I have been told as much...that unbelief is not as strong as hatred. The Bible clearly tells us that not to love God is to hate Him (James 4:4, Matthew 6:24...etc). If you throw out Scripture's authority on this, which I don't recommend, look at what defines the word hate. It is a strong dislike for and aversion to. How does the idea of God and the Bible make you feel? What do you think about His standards, His law? Do you strongly dislike them? Detest even? Do you avoid conversations about Him, or frequently try and debunk, disprove, or discredit Him and His followers? I am not saying that Christians are better in this. We are all haters of God (Romans 1:28-31). The difference is Grace.

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.
-We have been chosen out of the world. This is not our home. This is not our way. We should not live like the world lives, but like Christ. Yet, if we live like Christ, the world will hate us. This is a warning. Jesus is not promising a peachy life. Any evangelism that does fails to remain true to His words.

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.
-He is not going back on His previous claim that those who follow Him are not called servants, but friends. We are His friends, yet He is our Master. If they hate Him, they will hate those who imitate Him. For example, and in a lesser degree, if you can't stand me, you probably won't like my kids. Not only will they remind you of me because you know they are my children, but I have influenced them and impacted their behavior. They might do things that aren't like me--that you won't mind--but the things that are like me (my obnoxious humor and energy) will overshadow those. The same is true, on a far greater scale, of Christ and His Church.

21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
-Now we get to the nuts and bolts. Why do they hate Him? Because they do not know the Father. They are lost in sin. We love our sins by nature. That is why salvation is so painful and transformational because it reshapes our core. We don't want that, so we hate Him.

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.
- On the surface, this is a confusing verse. It seems to say that had Jesus not spoken to these people they would not have sinned...period. However, we know that this would not have been the case. They were not without sin before Jesus came. Likewise, though they did not fully understand its implications (often), they did have the Old Testament law that reveals sin. So, this has to mean something else because we know Jesus isn't lying. Looking in the context, it becomes clear (which is why it is so dangerous to just grab-and-go with passages of Scripture). The sin they would be guiltless of directly correlates with what He means by 'what He spoke to them'. Look back at verse 21. He just said they do these things: "on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me."  They do not know the Father, BUT they know that He has told them He is from the Father. They wouldn't be guilty of not believing in Jesus (though they would still be guilty and Hell-deserving for other sin) had He not spoken to them. NOW, however, they are without excuse. The same applies to us today.

23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also.
-Again, Jesus equates Himself with God. To hate Jesus is to hate God. Furthermore, this emphasizes the previous circumstance. To hate Jesus is to sin. They would have already readily identified that hating God is sinful. Here Jesus clearly equates the two.

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
-Repetition for emphasis--not only had He spoken words to them, but He further proved His divinity in His actions. So they hate what they've heard, and they hate what they've seen...and what they have heard and seen is God.

25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.
- Here is quoting the Psalms, specifically Ps. 35:1969:4 (the entire Old Testament was often referred to as the Law). This is a fulfillment of scripture that the Messiah, the son of David, was hated without cause. Though there is a reason we hate Him--sin--it is not a just or even rational one. He is worthy of our love and devotion, not our hate.

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.
-There is hope! Though the world (us included) is predisposed to hate God, and, thus, destined for Hell, the Holy Spirit (God) comes bearing witness and convicting of sin! (John 16: 8 "And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:")

27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning
-This ministry was unique to the apostles. They were given the task of bearing this eyewitness to the world. We cannot do the same. HOWEVER, we are likewise to bear witness based upon their inspired witness (the Bible) to the world! Our witness is not for our own benefit, but to Glorify God and call those in darkness into light.

16:1  “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
- This verses summarizes His conclusion on the matter. He warns us to keep us. If you go into a situation expecting it to be all bunnies and kittens, but it's not, you're disappointed. If you expect something to be easy, but it's hard (very hard), you're tempted to give up. If you believe you are serving the king who will establish his reign on earth, but you're life is constantly in danger instead, you're allegiance might falter. Jesus didn't want the disciples, or us, to miss what this life is about, or what it will be like. He is the King, but His kingdom is not of this world. Therefore, the world will not want to acknowledge His control. If you go into a situation expecting to toil, but knowing that you struggle for the one who is worthy, and, in fact, HE is working in and through you, then you are encouraged to persevere because you have begun the race knowing why and where to you are running.

They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
- Further warning. It will be such. They will think they are doing good when they kill you. I cannot help but think of Islamic terrorism when I read this.

And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
Don't forget. This is because of sin. I have often seen Christians rage against non-believers for having ungodly attitudes or promoting immorality. These things are not right, but should not surprise us. We should not expect non-Christians to act like Christians should. I say should because it is against the nature of every man (believers and nonbelievers alike) to live like Jesus. That is why we must be given a new heart. It is also why we must take up our cross daily.

4a But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
- Again, this reminder is for our encouragement and preparation. Nothing surprises God.

Concluding thought:.
This is not saying that we must now pick fights to ensure that the world hates us. Rather, we are to live boldly for Christ while interacting with the world in gentleness and respect. There is a boldness that is unlike the brashness of the world--one that heaps burning coals without arrogance or bitterness. Like this we are to live. Like this, is Jesus.

No comments:

Post a Comment