John 15:18-27 The World’s Hatred
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 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. 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. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. 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. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
“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. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”
Jesus is working against the clock as he strides across the Kidron Valley toward the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples. Somewhere in Jerusalem, Judas Iscariot is meeting with religious leaders who will order for soldiers to seize Jesus for interrogation. Somewhere in Jerusalem, those religious leaders are already spewing out lies to the Romans about how dangerous Jesus is and how he poses a threat to the Roman Empire. While the Romans tolerate a number of weird religions throughout their vast Empire, they are ruthless when it comes to eliminating anybody who appears to be a threat to political stability. Indulge in strange rituals at midnight on your own, and the Romans don’t care. But portray yourself as the Son of God while Roman emperors are styling themselves as gods to be worshiped and the Romans become intensely interested in a very bad way.
The disciples might merely think that they are headed to the garden to sleep under the olive trees while Jesus prays a little. No biggie, Jesus has done this many times before. But Jesus knows he MUST deliver his final messages to his disciples and the time is getting short.
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 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.” OUCH! The disciples really don’t want to hear this! Basking in the glow of the public adulation Jesus has received earlier in the week, the disciples simply can’t believe that Jesus is about to die. Surely God the Father won’t allow such a horrible thing to happen. But Jesus knows that crowds are easily manipulated and the same people who cried “Hosanna to the Son of David!” earlier in the week will soon be screaming, “Crucify him!”
Why does the world hate Jesus? Satan is the prince of this world and Satan hates Jesus completely, for only Satan really knows what Jesus is about to do. Satan has hated Jesus from the beginning, for when Jesus was still with his Heavenly Father, he saw Satan being cast our of heaven and fall like lightning from heaven to earth. Satan rebels against everything of God and inspires people to do the same thing.
“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. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.” Once more, Jesus is employing the idea of servants and masters. In Jesus’ day, if a master commits a crime, a servant might also be held guilty with the idea that the servant has complied in that crime. The disciples need to be aware that they have also become targets of Satan’s wrath.
“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. 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. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’”
Jesus has long been aware of the prophecies concerning his coming, his ministry, and even his death. Through Jesus and his disciples, the news of the Kingdom of God has been preached, and although many people have responded, there are those who have refused to listen or understand and who only can hate.
One of the toughest parts of being a Christian is refusing to take vengeance on those who hate us or who wrong us. In Matthew 5:11-12 Jesus warns his disciples, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Later in that same teaching, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Carrying out these commands seems nearly impossible, but Jesus promises that we will have strong help. “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. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” When we are following Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us and helps us to do what we should do, as long as we are willing to obey the Holy Spirit.
A famous Jewish philosopher is quoted as having said, “Tell the truth and see the world!” While that statement might sound strange, many times, we may find ourselves being persecuted for taking a stand for righteousness. Nobody wants to suffer, but we must choose to follow Jesus, and as Jesus advised the disciples, servants are not greater than their masters. The same people who behave viciously to us would also behave viciously to Jesus.
Davy Crockett was a popular figure in American history in the 1820’s and 1830’s. Eventually Crockett died in the Battle of the Alamo at San Antonio, Texas. One of Crockett’s favorite sayings was, “Be sure you’re right and then go ahead.” When it comes to following Jesus, that’s good advice. Be sure you are in the Heavenly Father’s will and then go ahead, realizing that you might face strong opposition, persecution or even death. But the alternative is not to be considered.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives and to be willing to suffer for righteousness if necessary. Help us to listen to the Holy Spirit and obey His Voice. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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