By Donna Reimer
Today we will be looking at two promises from our Lord…the promise of persecution in John 15:18-25 and the promise of the Holy Spirit in John 15:26-27.
Remember the disciples and Jesus are in the upper room. He Is telling His closest followers, the disciples, many things before He is to be crucified.
First, let’s look at Jesus’ promise of persecution of believers.
When you hear the word ‘persecution’ what's the first word that comes to mind?
The definition of persecution, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is: Hostility and ill-treatment especially on the basis of ethnicity, religion or political beliefs.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, persecution is defined as: Punishment or harassment usually of a severe nature on the basis of race, religion, or political opinion in one’s country of origin.
Now, let’s look at the Biblical definition of the word, persecution.
In Hebrew and Greek the definitions are the same.
1. Hebrew - radaph (raw-daf) meaning to run after, to pursue (usually with hostile intent), chase, put to flight, follow after, hunt, pursue
2. Greek - Dioko (dee-o-ko) meaning to pursue, ensue, follow after, given to, press forward
Jesus said in Matthew 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 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.”
Judy ended her teaching with John 15:17 where Jesus said, “These things I command you, that you love one another.”
1. Christians are to be known by their love for each other. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
2. In contrast, this passage we will be looking at shows us that the world is known for its hatred for God and Christians.
Let’s look at the First Promise.
The Promise of Persecution is found in John 15:18-25
I divided this passage into two sections. Let us read the first section in verses 18-20.
18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 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.
This section of scripture showed the disciples that they might be rejected because of who they are.
Verse 18a…If the world hates you
David Guzik writes, ‘Jesus told the disciples that the world (the unbelievers) would often hate them. As wonderful as Jesus was and His message was, they should expect to be rejected when Jesus departed, just as much as they were often opposed while Jesus was with them.’
Jesus used the word ‘hate.’ This word is a small word with a strong meaning.
Here are several other words or phrases for the word 'hate’.
Shudder at
Recoil from
Be repelled by
Feel aversion toward
Feel revulsion toward
Feel hostile toward
Loathe
Detest
Abhor
Despise
Abominate
Not be able to bear or stand
Find intolerable
These words show intense emotion!
These followers of Jesus would know what that word, hate, meant through their own experiences. All were persecuted and died as martyrs except John who they could not seem to destroy. He died of natural causes in old age.
Hebrews 11:35b-38 says, ‘Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trials of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts, and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.”
Tacitus, a Roman historian and politician, wrote of the Christians as people who were ‘hated for their crimes, whom the mob call Christians’. He said they were hated because of their ‘hatred of the human race.’ But history shows us that this was not true. In Roman times unwanted babies were left outside to die. Many Christians of that day would rescue these babies and raise them as their own.
It is interesting to note that with today’s legalization of abortion, the Christians who are trying to save unborn lives are called ‘haters’ while the world kills babies by the millions: Over 60 million babies have been aborted since 1973 in just our country alone.
Suetonius, another Roman historian, spoke of Christians as a ‘class of men given to a new and mischievous religious belief.’
Throughout the centuries millions have died for their faith in Jesus Christ. We see modern day persecution throughout the world all the time. Even though we have not seen persecution to that extent here, I believe that as the days become more evil we will see persecution here like never before.
Verse 18b…You know that it hated Me before it hated you.
Even though Jesus attracted attention and devotion wherever He went, overall the world hated and rejected Him. He was preparing the disciples for the opposition He knew they would face after His departure.
Isaiah 53:3foretold of the persecution of the coming Messiah, “He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.”
The Christians then and now draw hatred from the world because of our association with Christ, His teachings and our mission to spread the Good News to all. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 Jesus said plainly that He is the ONLY way, the ONLY truth and the ONLY life! The world especially hates the exclusiveness of
Christianity.
This hatred of God has been around since Satan rebelled against God. But someday soon Satan and his demons will be destroyed. We can rejoice in the knowledge that this hatred and persecution is only temporary!
In Acts we know the account of Saul’s (Paul) terrible persecution of the Christians. In Acts 9:1 it says Saul was “still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord”.
Then we read of his wonderful encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. What did the Lord say to Paul in Acts 9:4? “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me?” Paul was actually persecuting Jesus.
If you are a friend of Jesus, as He said in John 15:14-15, you will be persecuted and hated by the world because we do whatever He has commanded us.
James 4:4 says, ‘Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.’
Trench’s commentary says, Jesus “and the world are antagonistic. The world is glad to forget God: He came to bring men back to God.”
Verse 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.
Verse 19b…because you are not of the world
This was a fact because the disciples belonged to Jesus. They were different from the world because they did not belong to the world.
Verse 19b…but I chose you out of the world
We have been chosenby Christ out of this world’s systems and beliefs and desires. Praise God that we are no longer in step with this world and its bondage.
Verse 19c…therefore the world hates you
‘The hatred of the world, instead of being depressing, should be exhilarating, as being an evidence and guarantee that they have been chosen by Christ.’ (Quoting Dods)
When I was 16 the Lord found me and saved me. I was invited to a Christian group of friends who ate lunch together at my high school. As we all were leaving the room afterwards one day I noticed two boys looking at us. One of them asked the other boy who we were. He answered, “Oh, they're Jesus Freaks!” I felt so proud to be called that and to be identified with Christ!
Verse 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.
Verse 20b…If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
We have to be aware of how Jesus was treated and not be surprised when we are treated the same way. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we have identified ourselves with Him as His followers.
In John 16:33 He promised, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Praise God, Jesus has overcome the world! He finished it on the cross!
David Guzik writes, ‘Jesus was mostly persecuted by the religious establishment, which mainly reflected the values and goals of the world in opposition to God. One may be religious and very much part of the world.’
Guzik is referring to the Jewish leaders of that day: the Scribes and Pharisees.
Some religions of our day look at Jesus as a possible way to God and many religions believe Jesus was a good teacher, prophet or man but notthat He isGod.
Verse 20c…If they kept My word, they will keep yours also
Some did not want to listen to Jesus and His Words, so we can expect they will not want to listen to His Word that we tell to others.
The second section of the Promise of Persecution is found in John 15:21-25.
“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.’”
This section of scripture showed the disciples that persecution might come to them because of who Jesus is.
Verse 21…But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
Verse 21b…Because they do not know Him who sent Me.
The unbelievers did not know God and this is why they persecuted the Christians. This is the same in our times. People do not really know God so they judge and attack those who do.
Trench writes, ‘Men may prefer to evolve an idea of their universal Father, but that idea of theirs will take their own colour (or characteristics) and the colour (or characteristics) of their Age. The only true idea of Him is to be got (or obtained) from The Son.’
Today, when people create a religion with a god in their own image we call it a designer religion which is really a false religion.
Many churches of our day make little or no mention of God or the Son sent from the Father. There are many churches who choose to “tickle the ears” of their congregations with their own imaginations because they “cannot endure sound doctrine”. II Timothy 4:3
Verse 22…If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
Verse 22a…spoken to them
Tenney writes, ‘By both His life and His words He rebukes human sin and condemns it. He uncovers the inner corruption and hypocrisy of men, and they react violently to the disclosure.’
In Hebrews 4:12, it says the WORD “is living and active.” It is ALIVE!
Verse 22b…Now they have no excuse for their sin.
David Guzik writes, ‘Jesus didcome to the world and spoke to the world the truth. Now they knew something of God they did not know before. Now they were accountable for the knowledge they had and had no excuse for their hatred and rejection of Jesus and His Father in heaven.’
According to scripture even people who have never heard of Christ will have no excuse when they appear before God to be judged.
Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”
Those who have never heard the name of Jesus or the gospel will also be held responsible before God because God has always revealed Himself in creation.
Verse 23…He who hates me hates My Father also.
In John 10:30 Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.”
In John 17:11b Jesus says, “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.”
The reason the people rejected Jesus was because they did not know God who had sent Him.
Hating and rejecting Jesus is the same thing as hating and rejecting God. By coming into the world and preaching the truth, which is the gospel, and working miracles Jesus had confronted people with their rebellion against God.
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.
Jesus’ works and His words merited the world’s love but was met with hatred. Everything He did was out of pure love and in His perfect justice. Once the unbelievers saw and heard, they had no excuse to not believe. But “their minds were blinded by the god of this age”, as it is written in II Corinthians
4:4.
25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
The world’s hatred was part of what God predicted would accompany the Messiah's mission.
Even the Jews own scriptures foretold of Jesus Christ and condemned their unbelief.
David says in Psalm 109:3-5, “They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. In return for my love they are my accusers. But I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.”
Now we come to the Second Promise in our passage. The Promise of the Holy Spirit
Let us read John 15:26-27
“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.”
David Guzik writes, ‘Jesus knew His followers would need the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to face the opposition the world would bring.’
Here is the hope and the supernatural help we need to be Jesus’ disciples especially in times of persecution.
“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.”
Verse 26a…when the Helper comes
In John 14:26 Jesus says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
This name, the Helper, in the Greek is ‘Parakletos’
Para-”from close-beside”
Kaleo-to ”make a call” which means, a legal advocate who makes the right judgment-call because he is close enough to the situation.
On Bible Study Tools website there are three definitions of the Parakletos:
1. One who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for the defense, legal assistant, an advocate
2. One who pleads another’s cause with one, an intercessor - Which is Christ in His exaltation at God’s right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins.
3. In the widest sense, a helper, succorer, aider, assistant
-Which is the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after the ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom.
The Holy Spirit is our helper from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth, our teacher and our memory retriever!
Verse 27a…And you will also bear witness…
The Holy Spirit is the one who tells us and shows us who Jesus is. He is the witness and revealer of Jesus Christ!
We, as believers, will ALSO be witnesses of who Jesus is to this lost world. Our experience of Jesus Christ in our lives is our witness of Him to others.
We do not need to be afraid of any persecution we might face whether great or small because the Holy Spirit dwells within us.
Luke 12:11-12 says, “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Praise God that even when we face persecution the Holy Spirit is right by our side. He is comforting us, teaching us, reminding us, leading us and giving us the words to say and the direction to take.
We do not have to fear the future because, I John 4:4 assures us that, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Let’s close with Isaiah 43:1-3 (speaking to the Israelites)
“...Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you, For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;...”