Sometimes, we think being disciples should lead to a nice smooth life. This daily devotional looks at how Jesus told His disciples to expect persecution because of their association with Him.
Nuggets
- Being God’s chosen people puts us in opposition to the world.
- Since Jesus was persecuted, we should also expect to be persecuted.
Devotions in the Living Life Connected to Christ series
We know that Jesus was hated so much that the Pharisees accomplished the act of having Him killed. Jesus warned the apostles that this fate also awaited them.
Let’s see what Jesus said.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of nuggets for the series.
Being Hated by the World
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 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” (Jn. 15: 18-19 ESV)
Being God’s chosen people puts us in opposition to the world.
There is a lot of the word world in verses 18 and 19. Six times Jesus talks about the world — and it is always in a negative connotation.
- If the world hates you
- Being of the world
- World love you
- You aren’t of the world.
- I choose you out the world.
- The world will hate you.
Yes, it is a bad thing to be of the world. The world is used to identify any who has not been regenerated — in other words, has not ABCDed.
- Regeneration is being changed from spiritually dead to spiritually alive and the internal new birth and requickening that God brings about through the work of the Holy Spirit.
- Spiritual death is the separation from God that occurred as a consequence of Adam and Eve’s original sin.
- The spiritually alive are those who have ABCDed, so they are no longer separated from God.
- Spiritual death is the separation from God that occurred as a consequence of Adam and Eve’s original sin.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Glossary
The issue is that there is warfare between good and evil in the world.
Good, in the biblical sense, is the workings of God within His people through His holy, pure, and righteous behavior.
- Holy means to be set apart — because of our devotion to God — to become perfect, and morally pure while possessing all virtues.
- Perfection means we reach a state of maturity because the combination of the spiritual graces form, when all are present, spiritual wholeness or completeness — holy, sanctified, and righteous.
- Spiritual graces are worldly morals that have been submitted to God to further His kingdom instead of enhancing this world.
- Sanctified means to be set free from sin.
- Righteous means we are free from sin because we are following God’s moral laws.
- Pure means not being sinful or having the stain of sin.
- Virtues are standards of moral excellence.
- Perfection means we reach a state of maturity because the combination of the spiritual graces form, when all are present, spiritual wholeness or completeness — holy, sanctified, and righteous.
Evil is equated with sin because it is that which goes against God and His purposes.
Glossary
What Jesus was saying here was the world didn’t just hate the bad behavior. They hated Him personally.
Doesn’t that sound a little squirrelly? Why would they hate the One Who never acted out in bad behavior?
Well, but isn’t that logical? Good and evil are at the opposite end of the continuum. Evil is the exact opposite of what God calls us to do and be.
Jesus is hated because He pointed out what sin is. He didn’t give them — and us — a pass because [fill in the blank]?
The only way we are redeemed from our sins is through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Verse 19 can be a little confusing. How can we be not of the world since we are so obviously living in it?
Manning explained that the church is God’s visible kingdom in the world. He noted that “We are not called to separate ourselves from any outward system, but to be inwardly as estranged from the evil that cleaves to the system around us, as if we were not of it.”
Resource
Being Treated as Jesus Was
“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. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me” (Jn. 15: 20-21 ESV)
Since Jesus was persecuted, we should also expect to be persecuted.
Jesus warned the apostles that the world would hate them because of Him. That hatred would turn into persecution.
This persecution would start because, bottom line, the world does not know God. They will persecute anyone who speaks in the name that they do not know.
No, we may not go through everything the exact way that Jesus or one of the apostle s did. But the reason or intent we go through it is the same.
Thomas said that Jesus was hated because of His
- Purity
- Benevolence
- Humility
- Truth
- Spirituality.
Resource
We are called to reject their sinful ways. Instead of building up or pride, we are to resist their selfishness and prejudice. Bottom line is we ae to pattern ourselves after Jesus.
Making the Connections
Thomas described the characteristics of sinful men. He said the characteristics of the world are
- Practical athiesm.
- Imperial materialism.
- Dominant selfishness.
Resource
How Do We Apply This?
- Persecution should be seen as God testing us.
- Ensure that it is our imitation of Jesus that they hate.
- Hold fast to God’s standards.
- Respond in a Christ-like manner.
Resource
As we walk with God and imitate Jesus, that will draw persecution from worldview people. We need to stay strong in God’s love.
Father God. We want to walk with You each step of the way while we are here on earth. We want to be doing Your Will. Sustain us as we navigate the Sanctification Road. Love us through it all. Amen.
What do you think?
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