Relationships, Part 3: The Truth I’d Rather Forget

This morning, I invite you to take your Bibles and turn to John 15:18.  We are going to finish John 15 in our verse by verse and chapter by chapter study of John’s gospel.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “The Truth We Would Like to Forget.”

 

Today’s message is not going to be popular.  It is not going to be one that gets the most likes on YouTube.  It is not going to be one that results in many sermon CD’s requested.  It is not going to be one that you say at lunch, “You should have heard my pastor this morning.”  It is not going to be one that leaves you feeling like you can conquer the world.  Instead, it will be one that we wish we could forget. 

 

To be completely honest, I have bad news.  Follow along as I read John 15:18-27 and see if you can figure out what this bad news is.

 

Here it is.  If you are a follower of Christ, the world is going to hate you.  That’s it. 

 

In John 15, Jesus has been giving us instructions about relationships.  Two weeks ago, we saw how believers are to relate to Christ.  They should abide in Him. 

 

Last week, we saw how believers are to relate to one another.  We should love one another. 

 

Today, this text is about how believers relate to the world.  In short, the world will hate us.  That is what this text is about. 

 

In John 15:18-27, the word world (kosmos) is used some 6 times.  The word hate is used 8 times.  The word you is used 12 times.  The world is going to hate you.

 

Look at verse 18.  Jesus said that if (assumed to be true) the world hates you, it hated Me before it hated you. 

 

The one command in this text is to remember fond in verse 20.  Now, let’s look at the text and remember 3 reasons why the world will hate us.

 

 

1. If you are believer, remember that the world will hate us because we are identified with Christ, John 15:19-20.

19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 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 keep yours also.

 

Again, the world that Jesus is speaking of is the lost world or unbelieving world.  If we were like them, they would like us because birds of a feather flock together. 

 

However, we are not like them, but Jesus has chosen us out of the world.  Consequently, we are now identified with Him. 

 

The title of “Christian” means little Christ.  That is who we are supposed to be…little Christs. 

 

We identify with Christ by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, by being baptized as a believer, by taking the Lord’s Supper, and by living a life with Him in control.  Have you identified with Him?

 

In verse 20, Jesus reminded us that we, as slaves to Christ, are not greater than our master.  Therefore, we will be hated because we as believers are identified with Christ.

 

 

2. If you are a believer, remember that the world will hate us because they are ignorant of God, John 15:21.

21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

 

In verse 21, Jesus said that all of the hateful things done to believers because of Jesus’ name will be done out of ignorance about the Father.  An unbelieving or lost world does not know God because they don’t accept His Son. 

 

If they really and truly knew God, they would understand that Jesus is God’s only begotten Son and would receive Him as such.  The world hates believers because they are ignorant of God.

 

 

3. If you are a believer, remember that the world will hate us because Jesus was impeccable on earth, John 15:22-25.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

 

There is a third reason why the world will hate us.  It is because of who Jesus was on earth.  He was impeccable or perfect or sinless. 

 

Because Jesus lived a sinless life, everyone who fails to do so is now living in their sin and responsible for their sin.  In other words, Jesus exposed sin as falling short of the glory of God. 

 

If He had never come, the world could not have been guilty of rejecting Him.  However, He did come and proved Himself as God’s Son with His miracles and signs and wonders. 

 

We have seen that again and again in John’s gospel alone with His 7 miracles signs.  Do you remember them?  He turned water to wine, healed the nobleman’s son, healed the paralytic, fed the multitudes, walked on water and calmed the storm, healed the man born blind, and raised Lazarus from the dead.

 

Jesus should have been welcomed and worshipped.  However, instead, the world hated Him for no reason and fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 69:4 that is mentioned in verse 25.

 

 

Illustration

Brothers and sisters, this is bad news.  The world is going to hate you.  Jesus said it, and even Paul knew it.  See 2 Timothy 3:12.

 

12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

 

So let me give you some examples of what to believe to ensure the world will hate you.

 

1. The Bible is the authoritative word of God.
2. God was the Creator, and Darwinian evolution is a myth.

• Jesus is the only way to heaven.

1. People who reject Jesus go to hell.
2. Marriage was designed for a lifetime.
3. Marriage is between a man and a woman.

• The husband should be the leader of the home.
• Any sex outside of marriage, hetero or homo, is immoral.

1. God only assigned two genders.
2. Life begins at conception.

 

If you believe these historic and fundamental Christian truths, the world will hate you.

 

We have seen this with football coaches that simply pray on the field after a game by themselves.  We have seen this photographers and bakers and florists who won’t use their talents and gifts to compromise their convictions.  We have seen this with professional athletes who choose not to wear certain uniform or participate in public campaigns.

 

Application and Conclusion

So what should we do?  Should we just go underground?  Should we just shut up?  Should we just retire? 

 

No, find encouragement in today’s text knowing that the Holy Spirit was sent for the very purpose of witnessing about Jesus through us. 

 

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

 

CS Lewis, “As Christians, we are tempted to make the unnecessary concessions to those outside the Faith.  We give in too much.  Now, I don’t mean that we should run the risk of making a nuisance of ourselves by witnessing at improper times, but there comes a time when we must show that we disagree.  We must show our Christian colours, if we are to be true to Jesus Christ.  We cannot remain silent or we’ll concede everything away.”