[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. This is the next message in our series on the book of John entitled, Jesus is God.
[0:15] Take your Bible if you wouldn't open it to John chapter 12. And if you have an ink pen, a piece of paper, I hope you'll take down some things. What a wonderful Savior. He does lead us. He does take care of us.
[0:26] He is concerned. He's in the middle of everything going on in our lives. And I don't want you to lose place and track of where you are tonight. We're going to look at this. Jesus is about to leave and he says, hey, get ready.
[0:40] It's going to get rough. Get ready. It's going to get rough. There's going to be some persecution. Things are going to really get bad for you guys. And he's warning them. But I want to kind of bring you up to date. If you start with me in John chapter 12 and verse 1.
[0:54] So you'll know where we are. Then Jesus, six days. Would you circle that? Six days before the Passover came to Bethany where Lazarus was. Six days before the Passover.
[1:06] Jump over to verse 23 if you would. Chapter 12, verse 23. Just put a little arrow there. Help you keep up with what's going on. In 12, 23 the Bible says, And Jesus answered them saying, the hours come the Son of Man should be glorified.
[1:21] The hours come that the Son of Man should be glorified. He is about to die on a cross. He's telling them. It's six days to the Passover. And he says, hey boys, the time has come.
[1:34] Look down if you would in verse 28. It's like he cries out, Father, please make this worthwhile. Father, glorify thy name. Then there came a voice from heaven saying, I have both glorified it and I will glorify it again.
[1:48] Look down if you would, verse 31. Chapter 12, verse 31. He said, all right, now's the time. The devil's going down. Now the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
[2:01] Fix it to show you the great power that he has. Go over to chapter 13 if you would, verse 5. Exciting and interesting. He's about to die. We're within six day time period.
[2:12] And he takes the time to wash the disciples' feet to teach them. Instead of thinking about himself. Instead of focusing on himself. He's about to die.
[2:22] Pay our sin debt. Be hung on a cross. Be mocked. Cruelly treated. And he takes time to pour water into a basin. And to begin to wash the disciples' feet. Go with me if you would to chapter 13 and verse 31.
[2:36] Now therefore when he was going out, Judas just left the room now. We're getting close. Judas just left the room. And he said, now is the Son of Man glorified. And God is glorified in him.
[2:47] I mean we are really close now. Chapter 14 and verse 1. He said, I'm leaving. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions.
[2:58] If it were not so, I would have told you I'd go to prepare a place for you. So he's getting ready to leave. He's encouraging them. He's challenging them. He's serving them. He's blessing them.
[3:09] He's working in their lives even though they're going. Even though he's leaving. He's just focused on being a blessing in their lives. Verse 12. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.
[3:22] And greater works than these shall he do. Because I go unto my Father. There he is. He says, hey guys, I'm leaving. But it's okay. And God's going to use you. And your lives are going to count.
[3:33] You're going to be used in a great way. Chapter 14 and verse 26. He said, I'm sending you a comforter. I'm sending somebody just like me who's going to live in you and work in you.
[3:43] In fact, before we get through the study, we're going to find that it's better to have the comforter here than it would be even to have Jesus. In verse 28, he said, I'm going to my Father. In verse 28, chapter 14 and verse 28.
[3:55] He said, I'm going to my Father. Chapter 15 and verse 16, we saw this morning. He said, hey guys, let me tell you, I'm setting you up for success. I chose you and I ordained you that you should go forth and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain.
[4:11] You don't have to worry about it. The Father's at work. Jesus is at work. I'm going to use your life. They ought to have left. Very excited and very encouraged. Now then, would you go down to verse 20 and I'll read in just a second.
[4:24] But in verse 20, he says, remember the word I said unto you, the servant's not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my sayings, they will keep yours also.
[4:36] I wish you'd keep up with this. He's leaving. He's dying. He's getting them ready. He's going to live again, obviously, but he's going to the cross. These are dark days for them.
[4:48] He's leaving. And he sits down and talks to them and he encourages them and he tells them how they're going to be used. But then he warns them. I'm going to die on a cross. I'm going to be dying.
[4:59] They're going to kill me. They're going to mock me. And you need to know something. If they do that to me, you might as well as expect it for you. If I go through this mess, you might as well as expect it for you.
[5:10] And so he warns them. Persecution is about to happen. You do know that we know what they don't know right here. Jesus knew it. God knew it. But they have no idea that it will be a very short time before James is killed.
[5:25] Fact is, it won't be long before all the apostles have in some way died. Whether or not John may have lived through it all or he may have been boiled in oil. We're not sure which one happens.
[5:36] But tons of Christians are going to die and he's warning them. You have a wonderful Savior. He knows exactly where you are. He knows exactly what you're going through. He knows exactly what your life is.
[5:47] And he's at work in your life. You ought to thank God for how good Jesus is. Can you say amen there? You ought to just thank God. Man, he's a good God. And he does a great work. Turn with me to John 15, 17.
[5:58] If you would and read this. You might mark down about verse 17. Expect persecution. Expect persecution. These things I command you that you love one another.
[6:09] If the world hates you, you know it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
[6:24] Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they've kept my sayings, they will keep yours also.
[6:35] But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin.
[6:46] But now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me, hateth my father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin.
[6:58] But now they have both seen and hated both me and my father. But this cometh to pass that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated their own book says they hated me without a cause.
[7:12] But when the comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the father, even the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the father, he shall testify of me. And you shall also bear witness, because you have spoken with, you have been with me from the beginning.
[7:26] These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues. Yep, the time's coming. When they kill you will think they're doing God a service.
[7:38] And these things will they do unto you because they know they have not known the father nor me. But these things have I told you that when the time shall come, you may remember I told you of them.
[7:50] And these things I said not unto you at the beginning because I was with you. Before I pray, I want you to notice this. He said, I'm telling y'all now that they're going to persecute you. And I didn't tell you that when I started out with you.
[8:02] And I didn't tell you wherever they was going with you because I was here with you. I'm leaving now. I want to go ahead and tell you. I won't be here. Things are going to get rough. But don't forget, you have a comforter.
[8:13] Don't forget the father. The father's taking care of the vineyard. Don't forget you're in Christ and Christ is in you. Hey, God is at work in your life. Let that happen.
[8:24] Father, I pray that you'd work tonight. I pray you'd magnify yourself through your word. I pray that our folks would see Jesus high and lifted up and magnified. I pray we'd go home tonight worshiping you and worshiping Jesus and thanking God for you and for all that you've done.
[8:39] I pray that your power would be real. And I pray, God, that you'd magnify yourself. And I pray your people would love you and lift their hearts and be excited for you and thank you and glorify you tonight.
[8:50] And I'll give you great praise for all that you do in Jesus' precious name. Amen. Go back with me to verse 17. First thing he tells them tonight. First thing he tells them in his passage is, boy, you guys better love each other.
[9:02] Write that down somewhere. You better love each other. There's a great need for Christian fellowship and love. Now, do you realize what's happening here? He knows he's leaving. He knows they're going to be alone.
[9:13] He knows he called them out of the world. He knows they don't have any friends out there in the world. He knows those that don't love God aren't going to like them. He knows persecution is coming their way. And he says this, these things I command you, verse 17, that you love one another.
[9:26] You know what he was saying, don't you? He was saying, hey, guys, it's about to get rough. You're going to have to expect persecution. Things are going to go wrong. So if there's one place, you ought to be a walk through a door.
[9:37] There's one place you ought to be able to get together. It ought to be with others like us that love Jesus. We ought to be able to come together and we ought to learn to love each other. Because outside of Jesus, there won't be a whole lot of love for us.
[9:49] Look, if you went in verse 19 and you'll see why. Those outside of Christ hate us. They hate us because we're not like them and we're not one of them. Verse 19, if you were of the world, the world would love his own.
[10:01] But because you're not of the world, I have chosen you out of the world. The world hates you. That's about as clear as you can get. It doesn't say they mildly dislike you.
[10:11] It doesn't say they may dislike you. It doesn't say they might end up hating you. He said, I'll just go ahead and tell you they hate you. You want to talk about separation? We don't have to worry about being the ones that are doing the separating.
[10:21] They automatically want to separate from us. They hate us. That's what he said. Being one of Jesus' disciples makes us hated. He chose us out of the world. He made us different from the world.
[10:33] We identify with Christ. We don't identify with them. We are hated by others. We definitely need each other. We're hated by others. We definitely need each other.
[10:43] We're not one of them. We are people without a country. We only have him and each other. Remember what he said in John 13, 34 through 35. That ought to be something special in a church. That ought to be something special among you.
[10:55] John 13, 34, 35. A new commandment I give unto you. That you love one another. As I have loved you. That you also love one another. By this shall all men know you're my disciples.
[11:06] You have love one for another. They ought to come in here. They ought to know. People ought to know. Boy, if you're a born again Christian. You have a family. We love each other. There's something special going on among God's people.
[11:18] 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 9. Just write it down and look it up later. But as touching brotherly love. You do not need that I write unto you. For you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
[11:31] God teaches you that we ought to love each other. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 22. Seeing you have purified your souls and obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love.
[11:42] Not faked. Genuine love of the brethren. See that you love each other earnestly. Fervently. From a real heart. You mean it. You love each other. Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves.
[11:54] For charity shall cover a multitude of sins. I just want you to get this. Jesus is leaving. He's talking to the 12. There could be some division. There has been division.
[12:05] You know they've had bickering go on between them before. There was a couple of them wanted to be in charge. Wanted to be one on the left hand. One on the right hand. They were so manly about it. They went and got their mama. And asked their mama to come talk to the preacher.
[12:17] And see if they couldn't get mama to get them a position. Because they had too cowardly to go ask for it I guess. And mama came and he said that's not mine to give. There's some little fussing and scuffling every now and then. It goes on between them.
[12:28] And here Jesus says. He's about ready to leave. And he says guys. Number one thing I want to tell you all night. You need to love each other. Y'all are really going to need each other. It was six days just a little while ago. You remember that.
[12:38] Back over in chapter 12. We're in chapter 15. Breaking into chapter 16. We're closing in. And he said y'all are going to need each other. Y'all are really going to need each other. By the way. If we lived in a country where there was persecution.
[12:49] Here's what's happened in our country. This is maybe why you don't even understand this point. Because you don't really get persecuted. You don't really get mocked. Because you've kind of dumbed down Christianity.
[13:01] And they've kind of Christianized up lost people. And maybe here we don't feel a lot of it. But can you imagine this in a place like China? Can you imagine this in a place like India? Can you imagine this in a place where in just a little while they will light the Appian Way?
[13:14] With crosses and people being burned on a cross to light the way. Or to light while Caesar enjoys a banquet.
[13:25] Can you imagine what's going on? He said y'all are going to need to love each other. Can I just stop and say to you, we need to love each other. As a church you need to learn to love each other. As a church you need to learn to forgive each other. Somebody hurt your feelings.
[13:36] Somebody said they shouldn't have said. You need to understand something. Out there they don't like us. If you really take a stand for Jesus. If you really do right. If you really honor your marriage. If you really do right with things.
[13:47] They're going to realize you're different. If you name the name of Jesus. You're going to need some friends. That ought to be at the church. The second thing he said. Look at verse 18. He said the world hates us. I don't know how to say it any blunder than that.
[13:59] That's what he said. The world hates us. I can hear you now thinking. No they don't. They don't really hate us. I'm just going to say what Jesus said. We're going to pretend he knows what he's talking about. How about an amen right there?
[14:10] I'm going to say what Jesus said. I'm going to pretend he knows what he's talking about. Verse 18. He said if the world hates you. You know it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world. The world would love its own. But because you're not of the world.
[14:22] If you're not a part of this God hating. People in the world. This God hating system. If you're not a part of that. Because I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hates you.
[14:34] Here's what he said. They hated me first. They hated me. By the way they hate us. They hate us because we're different. They hate us because we're born again. They love make fun of born again Christians.
[14:45] Don't they? They love. Television loves it. Comedy shows love it. Everybody loves it. We're born again Christians. We have different values. We have a different mentality. We're the chosen people. They say we're arrogant.
[14:55] They say we're proud. They say we're boastful. But the real reason is we want to live a holy life because we've been born again. We want to do what's right because we've been born again. Can you say amen right there? We want to live a different kind of life than everybody around us lives.
[15:08] Verse 22. Look at chapter 15 and verse 32. He said if I had not come and spoken to them. They had not had sin. But now they have no cloak for their sin. You see when Jesus came he showed the bright light of heaven showed on people and they saw themselves as sinners and it made them mad.
[15:25] They don't like Jesus because he showed them God. They don't like Jesus but he says he showed them they were sinners. And they don't like us because we're hooked up with him. Since we walk with him and we talk about him we bring him up and we want to bring him into the conversation.
[15:38] They don't enjoy that at all. They hate us because we believe in promote preach the one they hate. Look if you would in verse 23. They really hate God the Father. Look at verse 23.
[15:50] He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man could did they had not had sin. But now they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
[16:04] They hate us. They hate us. They hate us. We'll give you a couple of things I believe you ought to bear in mind here. First off we ought not act ugly or stir up their hatred.
[16:17] You ought not ever go around acting like a jerk because you're a Christian. You ought to be a Christian. You ought to act like one. Can you say amen right there? But you ought to realize that if you that they will never like you the church the Bible God or anything we stand for until they repent of their sin and they get saved.
[16:34] I mean when you're light in their darkness you're just not going to get along. And by the way if you say well I don't know I have no idea what you're talking about. The Bible said yea all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
[16:47] When you take a stand for God you're going to rub some feathers the wrong way. You're going to upset some people. Can I just say the other thing is so many of us want to make church where they can like it. That's probably the modern trend.
[16:59] Let's make church where lost people can like it. Well that's the opposite of what Jesus did. That is the opposite of what Jesus did. And that's the opposite of what he's saying here. Here's what he said here.
[17:10] He said y'all need to love each other because they don't like us. He said hey by the way they hate us. They don't dislike us. They hate us. They hate us. Let me tell you why they hate us. They hate us because I showed them their sin. They hate us because I showed them the father.
[17:22] They hate us. They hate us. You understand? They hate us. I don't know how you're going to turn the hate us into like us. Unless you turn the lights down real low and let the roaches come out. Unless you say hey we're not going to preach Jesus.
[17:35] We're not going to preach righteousness. We're not going to preach hell. We're not going to preach heaven. They're not going to like us. Number one we ought to love each other. Number two we ought to know they hate us. Number three they will persecute us.
[17:47] That's what he told them. Verse 20. Look at verse 20. He said they're going to persecute you. Remember the word that I said unto you? You remember when I told you guys the servant's not greater than his lord?
[17:58] If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you. Would you underline that in your Bible? They will persecute you. Now here's what he actually said. He said now guys if they happen to persecute me they're going to persecute you.
[18:11] Well right now you might be thinking I don't know if they're going to persecute him. But in just a few hours he's going to be nailed to a cross. After he's had his beard plucked. After he's had a crown of thorns placed on his head.
[18:22] And men pounding him on the head and driving the thorns into his head. After they beat him with a cat of nine tails. After they've nailed him on a cross. I've got a question for you. Did they persecute him? He said if they persecute me they'll persecute you.
[18:35] The book of John we've been coming all the way through it. Jesus has constantly been telling them what God says. He's constantly been telling them he's God in human flesh. He's constantly been telling them he's the Christ. He's constantly been lifting up the person of Jesus Christ.
[18:47] He said hey by the way if they don't like what I got to say. They ain't going to like what you got to say. Maybe I ought to read that to you. Because maybe you don't think it says that. Verse 20. Look at it. Verse 20. It said they will persecute you.
[18:58] If they have kept my saying they'll keep yours also. But all these things are they doing to you for my name's sake. Because they know not him that sent me. They killed our leader.
[19:09] We expect the same thing for ourselves. We're not greater than him. By the way when he called us to follow him. You know what he told us. You remember? Take up your cross. Die to yourself.
[19:22] And come follow me. They hate Jesus. They hate God. Because he has exposed their sin and rebellion. I'm going to stop here. And just going to say something just blunt honest with you.
[19:35] Have you ever noticed? You go to communist China. They'll let a Muslim have his religion. I've seen it. You go and they'll let anybody have. There's only one religion everybody hates.
[19:47] They're all in favor of the guy from Tibet. They're all in favor of some Buddhism. They're all in favor of everything. There's only one of them they don't like. But he came from the father. And he showed them their sin.
[19:58] And they don't like him anywhere. He is not well liked. But he is hated. You say that's not true. Jesus said he was. Jesus said he was.
[20:09] And by the way when you preach him. You'll soon find out that the lost people won't like him. The lost people won't like him. Look if you went in verse 22. He tells us why. If I had not come and spoken to them.
[20:21] They had not had sin. You know if I hadn't have come. They wouldn't even know they were sinners. But now they have no way to hide their sin. They have no cloak for their sin. He that hates me. He that hates me hates my father also.
[20:33] If I had not. If I had not done among them the works. Which none other man did. And they had not had sin. But now they have both seen. And hated. Both me and my father. They saw their sin.
[20:45] You see men don't mind running around with other men. If they think it's okay to sin. Men don't write. Selfish people can get along with selfish people. Thieves can get along with thieves. I mean we can.
[20:55] You know a wicked can get along. Pride can get along. Everything can get along. But you know what really makes us uncomfortable. When holiness shows up. And Jesus showed up. And they didn't like him. By the way the persecution is going to get very hard for them.
[21:09] He's warning them. He's warning them. These guys have lived their entire lives. Going to a synagogue. These guys have lived their entire lives in their community. These guys have lived.
[21:20] These guys have lived like a Jewish person. Look what he tells them in chapter 16. Verse 1. These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. They shall put you out.
[21:30] Would you underline that? Put you out of the synagogue. They're going to throw you out of the religious system you grew up in. Your daddy is going to help throw you out. Your mama is going to help throw you out.
[21:41] Your family is going to turn against you. He said that. He said I didn't come to bring peace. But a sword. They're going to put you out of the synagogue. Yea the time comes that whosoever kills you.
[21:51] When they kill you. When they kill you they'll say man I'm doing God a service. You remember the apostle Paul. When they called him Saul in the New Testament. And he went around getting Christians. And putting them in jail.
[22:02] When they killed Stephen. Not one person that day. When they stoned Stephen to death. Not one of them felt guilty about having sinned. They all went home feeling glory to God. We did one for the king. We did something for God today.
[22:13] We killed old Stephen. And old Stephen was a problem. Because he didn't like our religion. They thought they were doing God a service. He said verse 3. These things will they do unto you.
[22:24] Because they have never known the father. And they've never known me. But I'm telling you. I warn you now. Bad times are coming. Bad times are coming.
[22:35] I want you to go back up to verse 1 if you would. He said I don't want y'all to be offended. I don't want you to be shocked. I don't want you to think I blindfolded you. And led you into this. I heard a Russian.
[22:46] Or excuse me. A Chinese Christian say to me. Back in 1999. That one of the most deadly things in the world. Would be that if persecution stopped in China. I told him. I was sitting there in 1999.
[22:58] I was sitting in his home. And this guy spent like 20 years in prison. And he had suffered all kinds of things. I heard all of his testimony. And I said I pray God gives you guys peace. I pray God gives you freedom.
[23:08] And he said brother don't pray that we can't handle it. Y'all didn't handle it. The worst thing that can happen to us is. We get like the world.
[23:18] And the world gets like us. And he said no. We'd rather go to jail for it. And Jesus said I want y'all to know it's coming. I read where a Russian preacher said. One of the biggest weaknesses in the American church.
[23:30] Is they've never been told to be prepared. For persecution. The Bible teaches persecution. They ought to know persecution is coming. It ought to be taught to them.
[23:40] But it's not. He says I'll go ahead and tell you. Y'all say you don't get offended. By the way. Jesus dies on the cross. He's buried. He rises again. He lives 40 days. And proves he's alive. Ascends up into heaven. And then it all breaks loose.
[23:52] You know that. I mean. They're going to have the day of Pentecost. And things look like they're going real good. But it doesn't take very long. Before chapter 8 comes along. And the apostle Paul. Now not saved. Saul. Is persecuting them.
[24:03] It doesn't take very long. In chapter 7. When old Stephen dies. I mean rough stuff's going to happen. He says I want y'all to know up front. I'm not selling you a bill of goods. I'm not getting you in under false princesses.
[24:13] I told you when I saved you. I told you when I called you. Leave everything. Take up your cross. And come follow me. You should expect persecution. When our Christians step over as missionaries into a country where they could get me persecuted.
[24:25] We're all in shock. We're all in shock. We're like what? What? They shouldn't have to live where there's persecution. Here's what Jesus said. I know persecution's coming.
[24:36] And I'll go ahead and warn you so y'all won't get offended. It's coming boys. And it's going to be rough. They're going to kick you out of the synagogue. They're going to kill you. And praise God for it. He didn't want them surprised.
[24:47] He wanted them to be prepared for persecution. He wanted them to be prepared. They will try to kill you and be proud of it. They'll think they're doing something good. Jesus said I want you to know it's coming.
[24:59] If you're going to serve Jesus you must know that it will not be comfortable. People will not like it. They will not like the stand you take. By the way if you serve Jesus you'll lose friends. You'll not be accepted.
[25:10] They'll think ill of you for serving God. Going to church. Being a giver. Supporting world evangelism. Chapter 16 and verse 4 he said. These things have I told you that when the time shall come you may remember that I told you of them.
[25:22] And these things I said not unto you at the beginning because I was with you. He said I didn't tell you back then I was with you but now you're going to be alone. Now I want you to listen to this. Just a little illustration of what I'm telling you.
[25:33] See what we like to do is we like to figure out the best way to weasel out of anybody knowing we're really born again. We like to find the best way to hide our Christianity. We don't want it.
[25:44] That's why it's hard for us to give out one gospel track a day. I mean I've never come up against any. I've never come up against this kind of resistance. It's in 20 years in Peru where people have a real hard time just picking out one little track.
[25:55] Even if it means leaving the bathroom it's like I'm embarrassed about it. I mean if you're honest you if you're honest you're scared to give out a track. You say no brother that's not it. Well I mean come on let's be honest.
[26:06] Boy did I just went crazy didn't I? But it's the truth. You know here's what happened down in Peru. A guy a guy got saved. And when a guy would get saved they they would invite him to the parties. And Ronald's here to give testimony if this is true or not.
[26:17] They invited him to the parties. And the parties were for drinking, for smoking, for chewing coca leaves, and for having sex. That's what a party was for. And when a guy would go there sometimes a guy that was saved would go to the party.
[26:31] And then when he wouldn't want to participate they'd say you don't want anything to drink. And he would say no it harms my body. I'm feeling a little sick today. I've got some stomach ailments I'm not going to drink tonight. And everybody's like what's going on?
[26:43] But you let one of them go in there and when they say how about a drink? You say no I got born again. And I'm a new guy and I'm not going to drink anymore. You know that you lost all your invitations buddy. You just ended it like quick.
[26:55] Stand for Jesus. Mention him. I've told you the story the first night I was in college. I'd never been away from home except for visits. I've been to camp. I've been to other places.
[27:06] I'd never been away from home long. I'd moved out now. I'd moved to college. I was in Rome, Georgia. And on that first night of college when I got there I knew I wouldn't do wrong. I knew I'd please God. But I was so cowardly about everything about Jesus.
[27:19] I was so cowardly. And that night as we were all set I begged God to give me one good strong Christian friend. One Christian friend that would help me do right and live right and be good and serve God.
[27:30] And that day I met a friend of mine. His name was Steve. And another guy's name was Rick. And another guy's name was Tim. And I met these guys. There were about four or five of them. Mike Krasinski. I met several guys. We were all sitting there.
[27:40] And then one of the guys said, well why don't we go get a beer? And all I could think of was this. I ain't going to get a beer. I ain't going to go get a beer with them.
[27:51] I'm not going to do what the lost people do. I'm not going to do what the world does. I'm not doing that. I'm away from home. I'm going to honor Jesus. I'm not about to do that. And I was thinking to myself, I've got to unpack. What am I going to say?
[28:02] I've got to unpack. I'm tired. You can't tell anybody you're tired when you're 18. I think I was 17. You can't say you're tired. 17, you're not tired. Say amen. And so I said, I'm trying to figure out how I was going to get out of it.
[28:13] And my buddy Steve jumped up. And he did just like this. I promise you, just like the craziest, wildest man I've ever seen. He said, get a beer. We don't need a beer. What you need is Jesus. I've got some gospel tracts right here.
[28:24] Why don't y'all all take one and read one? And he said, the Bible teaches. And he started preaching. I was going, well they didn't go get a beer. If they did, we never knew about it. Even I thought he was crazy.
[28:35] I said, that's over the top. That's over the top. That's way too much. My way was, how did the roaches get out of this room? My way was, I got a stomach ache.
[28:47] I got a headache. As long as nobody knows I love Jesus. Let's not tell anybody about Jesus. And this is what he said. He said, they hate you. They hate you.
[29:00] They're going to persecute you. It's coming. Let me give you the next thing. Number four. You aren't the problem. You aren't the problem. Jesus is. You aren't the problem.
[29:12] Jesus is. You remember how he's in you and you're in him and you're abiding in him? Look at verse 18 if you would. John 15, 18. If the world hates you, you know it hated me before it hated you.
[29:24] So he said, now let me just go ahead and tell you. I know you guys don't want to hear this. You got to remember the rabbi walked down the street and everybody loved him. You got to remember, man. Like in Peru, they used to come up.
[29:35] When I first got to Peru, they would come up and kiss my hand and fall on their knees. Because I was the padrecito. I was the little father. I was the beloved father. And they would fall on their knees in front of me.
[29:47] And Peter and James and John and the boys, man. They've been following a great rabbi that raised people from the dead and was an unusual man. He said, I'm just going to go ahead and tell you all up front.
[29:58] Don't expect an easy ride. They don't like you. They're going to persecute you. They don't dislike you. They hate you. And they're going to persecute you. And then he said this. But not your fault. They don't like me.
[30:10] That's why they're going to persecute you. Look at verse 19 if you would. If you were of the world. If you were of the world, the world would love you because you'd be one of them. But because you're not of the world and I chose you out of the world, the world hates you.
[30:24] That verse 19 is a hard verse. He said, man, the world's not going to like you guys. You're not like them. Your money's not spent like their money spent. Your time's not spent like their time is spent. Your heart's not given like their heart's given.
[30:35] You love Jesus. You love God. Everything ugly they do against us will be because of his name. Verse 21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake.
[30:47] Because they know not him that sent me. They're going to do it because of my name. We should be careful we're not acting like self-righteous and better than others and critical and proud. We don't need to be rude because we love Jesus.
[30:59] But you need to know that if you live for Jesus and you preach Jesus, they will hate Jesus. They will hate the Father. And they will hate you. He should be the problem.
[31:11] He should be the problem. Because he's light and they're dark and we need to tell the truth. Number five.
[31:26] He said, I'll send you a comforter. I'll send you a comforter. Verse 26. And he will come from the Father. And he proceeds from the Father and he'll testify of me.
[31:37] I don't really have time to go into all this with you. So I'm going to leave that there and finish. But I'll just say this to you. He's sending the comforter. The comforter reminds us of Jesus.
[31:49] Talks about Jesus. Brags on Jesus. Makes us into who we ought to be. I already said enough stuff to aggravate you nuts.
[32:03] I guess I will say this one. What goes on about the Holy Spirit today is not very biblical. The Holy Spirit on TV is a joke and blasphemy.
[32:13] And a guy who would have the power to turn everybody into laughing hyenas. Laughing like demons were in them or whatever. Didn't come from the Father.
[32:25] And just let me say. Verse 26 if you'll underline. When the Holy Spirit comes. He talks about Jesus.
[32:37] He doesn't make big names out of men. He doesn't make big names out of men. And he doesn't make much of himself. He makes much of Jesus.
[32:52] The Holy Spirit has been used to build whole TV networks. The Holy Spirit has been used to build up men and make them famous. The Holy Spirit has been used. But it's not the Holy Spirit. It's an unholy spirit.
[33:04] When the Holy Spirit speaks. He testifies. He testifies. Of Jesus. I'll leave it there tonight.
[33:15] Can I just say this to you? I don't want you to go out. Man don't ever stir up stuff. Don't get in a fight. Don't be ugly. But man don't back down about loving Jesus. And when I say that.
[33:28] Don't defend Baptists. Most of the time you guys have any kind of problem with another person. It's another Christian. And you're fighting about Baptist or Methodist. But here's the truth.
[33:39] It's Jesus. And him crucified. It's that I'm a sinner. And I deserve to go to hell. And when people want to have a religious discussion with you. You ought to go right to the grain.
[33:49] You know what the grain is? The grain is that Jesus was God in human flesh. And that God in human flesh died on the cross. And that God in human flesh rose again from the dead.
[34:00] Three days after he died. And ascended into heaven. And he lives forever. He's making intercession for us. The whole crux of everything is not Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians.
[34:10] The problem is Jesus. Lift him high. Tell him about him. Brag about him. Don't brag about your morality. Brag about the gracious, wonderful power of God that changed our lives.
[34:23] Don't brag about how good a guy you are. How good a church you got. Brag about a wonderful Jesus you serve. Jesus ought to be on your heart. On your mind. Coming out of your mouth. It ought to be Jesus.
[34:34] Jesus. The Holy Spirit. God. God the Holy Spirit says. I got a message. Here it is. Jesus. Jesus. And if that's his message. It definitely ought to be our message.
[34:46] Father in heaven. I love you. Thank you for the chance to serve you. I thank you for these wonderful people. I pray God you'd help us to be ready for persecution. Ready for hard times. Ready for mistreatment. Because we love you.
[34:57] Ready because we'll honor you above anything else. Ready because we'll stand our ground and have our convictions of loving you. God I pray you'd show your power. I pray you'd come down and work in a great way.
[35:08] And I pray you'd help Christians to be ready. God help us to love each other. Hate the devil. Hate sin. And love the God of heaven. God build a church for your honor. You have been listening to Austin Gardner, pastor of Vision Baptist Church.
[35:25] For contact information, location, service times, or more audio and video recordings, log on to www.visionbaptist.com.