Well, I have the privilege this morning of preaching, and as you all know, I like to move around a little bit, so I end up standing here in front.
We will continue this morning in the book of John.
The last time that Jonathan preached on the book of John, it was in John 15, the first part of John 15.
And this morning we will pick up mid-wage in verse 17 in John chapter 15.
And in honor of God's Word, I would ask if you would, if you're able, if you would please stand as we read His Word this morning.
I'll read, if you would, if you have your Scriptures in hand, if you would follow along as I read for us this morning.
Starting in verse 17, chapter 15.
These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
If the world hates you, know that it 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.
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.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin.
But now they have no excuse for their sin.
Whoever hates me hates my Father also.
If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin.
But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
But the word that is written in their law must be fulfilled.
They hated me without a cause.
But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will bear witness about me.
And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.
They will put you out of the synagogues.
Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think that he is offering service to God.
And they will do these things because they have not known the Father nor me.
But I have said these things to you that when their hour comes,
you may remember that I told them to you.
Let's pray.
Father, open our mind that we might understand your word this morning.
Open our ears that we might hear it and move our hearts to desire you.
Fill us with a desire to honor and serve you.
I pray in Christ's name.
Amen.
And you have a seat.
In the 1930s, in the country of Russia,
the Bolsheviks came to power in 1917 and following.
And the Bolsheviks persecuted Christians, even killing them.
There was a man, a particular man, that in his village, his brother had been killed by the Bolsheviks.
And he, out of fear of being killed himself as a Russian Orthodox,
he fled into the Siberian wilderness with his family, his wife and his two children.
And they went deep, deep into the Siberian wilderness and lived there for the next 42 years,
not coming back to where the place where they had left.
They were themselves, their family were in the wilderness for this incredible time frame.
On the edge of starvation continually.
Very, very difficult for them to exist in this place way out in the wilderness.
They had taken a couple of kettles to cook with.
They had taken a cup full of seeds to be able to plant with.
And they had taken the shoes on their feet and they had fled.
And the world would not even have known they had gone there.
With the exception of this is that because of the exploration of iron ore,
the Russian government had sent geologists into this Siberian wilderness
to explore to see what natural resources were there.
Prior to the exploration of a helicopter had flown over,
and this is in the 1970s, had flown over this area in Siberia
and spotted this area that couldn't be explained.
It was an area where the trees had been leveled.
It was an area where they saw rows that appeared to be crops or plants
that had been planted.
In this place, it was 150 miles from nowhere, from any civilization.
And so they had told the geologist about this spot,
and the geologist had come up and they began to place gifts in the clearing
in this area where a cabin was visible and they had cleared
and they had planted crops.
They placed gifts as a way to let them know that they were there.
They didn't want to scare them off.
They wanted to somehow engage this family that they had not met,
did not know were there, did not know where they were from.
Finally, the family chose one of the gifts.
It was salt.
You can imagine in that setting to have salt would be a blessing and a gift.
And gradually, they began to engage with this family that was there.
And finally, they met the father of this family who, by that time, was in his 70s.
And when they got there, the father invited them into this very rustic,
dirt floor cabin that had been built by this family that had stood for 40-plus years.
They walk in and two daughters that were there when they saw these geologists,
they ran and hid.
Now, these two daughters had never seen the world that their father and mother came from.
They were born in the wilderness.
And all they had ever known was one family
and the difficulty of trying to survive in the Siberian wilderness.
When these people came in, they were in great fear.
They did not even know another world existed.
They had never seen it.
To them, it was a story that they heard, but they didn't really know existed.
It was a world they had no idea there was such a thing as cars
and planes and roads and light and grocery stores and gas stations.
They never knew it even existed.
This morning, as we look at our text,
we're going to see that there's two worlds spoken of in this text.
If we look with me at verse 19, I want to show you
what John is trying to reveal here.
Christ speaks and he says,
if the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you.
He's referring to this world,
and you see the divide between these two worlds.
This world that Christ has come into,
this world that hates Christ.
Notice what he says.
If you were of this world,
the world would love you as its own.
But because you are not of this world,
but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.
Do you see the two worlds?
It's this world that all of us are born into.
Now this is something that we've read much about,
we've heard preached on often,
but I want to remind us what that world is,
this world that we've been born into.
You know, all of us were born into sin, right?
We're born in Adam,
is a phrase we've heard often,
into this kingdom of darkness.
Physically speaking,
all of us are born in sin.
Spiritually speaking,
we're born separated from God, right?
We're born as enemies to God
because we're born in sin.
Look with me,
or don't turn there,
I'll just read a couple of verses here
that talk about this dark world,
this dark kingdom,
this world that Christ is referring to
that hates him
and hates believers.
In 1 John,
it talks about it this way,
do not love the world,
this is John,
the same author speaking,
do not love the world
or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.
You see the vast divide here?
For those who love this world,
by definition,
don't love the Father
because there's such a divide
between the two.
The values of this world
and the values of the Father
are infinitely far apart.
I continue here.
If anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
the desires of the flesh
and the desires of the eyes
and the pride of life
is not from the Father,
but is of the world.
You hear what he says?
The lust of the eyes,
the lust of the flesh
and the boastful pride of life.
It's a focus on self.
It's a fleshly living.
You know, that's the way
that we were born.
We were born self-focused.
We were born as those
who live for self.
That's what's declared in the Word.
Remember in Romans 3.23,
all have sinned and do what?
We all fall short
of the glory of God.
Hear what James says
in his general epistle.
Here's how he says it.
He says,
Friendship with the world,
and I'll start at the sentence.
Do you not know
that friendship with the world
is enmity with God?
Therefore,
whoever wishes to be
a friend of the world
makes himself the enemy of God.
You hear it?
If we're part of this world
and the system of this world,
by definition,
we're enemies to God.
Those who long
to be a part of this world,
who long to walk
by the course of this world,
we're enemies to God.
In 2 Corinthians,
we get a picture.
Paul is talking
to the Corinthian church
and he's talking
about this same concept,
this worldly system.
You know, when I say world,
I'm not talking about the planet.
I'm not talking about
parts or other countries,
parts of the world.
We're talking about a system.
We're talking about
a way of thinking.
A way of living.
This living
in this dark kingdom.
This separation from God.
Listen to what Paul says
to the Corinthians.
He says,
in their case,
that is the case of those
who are not in the kingdom,
the case of those
who are not Christians
whose life hadn't been changed
by the touch of God.
Here's what he said.
In their case,
the God of this world
has blinded the minds
of the unbelievers
to keep them from seeing
the light of the gospel
of the glory of Christ.
Think about it.
There is a God of this world.
Who is he?
Satan.
Do you know that
when we were born
into this world,
that we were subject
to the God of this world,
we were subject to Satan?
Do you know that
the way we lived
honored Satan
and dishonored God?
That the way we live,
the desires of our flesh,
dishonored God
and we all walked in it.
That's the way we used to live
before we came into the kingdom,
before we were born again,
before we became Christians
by the work of God.
Notice what it says.
The God of this world
has done what?
He has blinded the mind
of unbelievers.
Why?
To keep them from seeing
the light of the gospel
of the glory of Christ
who is the image of God.
The enemy hates everything
to do with the kingdom of God.
Satan hates everything
to do with God
and anything that honors God.
Paul talked to the Christians
in Ephesus
and he shared with them
about who they used to be.
And you know this is true
for all of us.
We all used to be like this.
What Paul says to the Christians
in Ephesus.
He says this,
past tense.
And if we,
for those of us here
that have been born again,
this is true for us
in a past tense way.
That we used to also live like this.
Listen.
It says,
but you were dead
in the trespasses and sins
in which you once walked.
Following the course of this world.
Let me stop there for a second.
Do you know that we used to
follow the course of this world?
We used to live in a way
that the world lives
in a system
that the enemy controls?
Do y'all believe that?
Do y'all recognize
the depravity
that we walked in
the way we used to live?
You once walked
following the course
of this world,
following the prince
of the power of air,
the spirit that is now at work
in the sons of disobedience.
Listen.
We once walked
in the course of this world.
We once followed
the prince of the power
of the air.
Who is that?
It's the God of this world.
It's Satan.
Do you realize that
even though we didn't
cognitively know it,
we were walking
in the ways of Satan?
We were walking
in the ways of this world.
We were walking
in darkness.
Back to John 15.
I want us to see
that God has done something.
Christ has done something.
Sorry.
Christ has done something
amazing here.
And in verse 19,
he declares it.
He's speaking to his disciples
and he says this to them.
He says,
if you were of this world,
the world would love you.
But you're no longer
of this world.
Something had happened
in their life.
And what was it?
We see it in verse 19.
He says,
I chose you out of the world.
God chose him out of the world.
Brothers and sisters,
you realize that
for those of us
who have been born again,
we've been delivered
from this world.
This world,
you know,
when we were first born,
we didn't know
that there was another world.
We didn't understand
that there was a spiritual world.
We didn't even understand,
at least for me,
and I think you would probably
say the same,
is we didn't realize
that the way we were living
was in absolute opposition to God.
It's as if we didn't even know
that world existed
until God opened our eyes, right?
It says,
the God of this world
had blinded the mind
of unbelievers.
We did not even realize
we were enemies of God
until God showed us our sin.
The beauty of what he did
is spoken of by Paul
in Colossians chapter 1.
And it says this.
It says,
He has delivered us
from the dominion of darkness
and has transferred us
into the kingdom
of his dear son.
These two worlds
that are far apart,
this world of darkness
and this world of light,
this world of Satan
and his rule
and this world of Christ
and his rule
is so drastically different.
And what God has done
for these 12
and what he's done
for you and me
is he's called us
out of this world of darkness
and he's translated us
into the kingdom
of his dear son,
the kingdom of light.
He's taken our heart of stone
and he's given us
a new heart,
a desire to live for him.
Ephesians also
talks about this too.
It says this.
For at one time
you were darkness,
but now
you are light
in the Lord.
At one time
you were darkness,
you were living in darkness,
serving the enemy,
but now
you are children of light
and he calls for us
to walk
in this way,
this walk
as children of light
to change the way
we live.
It's interesting here
where we are
in the last week
of the life of Christ.
As Christ is heading
toward the cross
and very soon
in the text
he will be arrested
and he will be taken
to the cross
and he will die
as a criminal
hung on a cross.
But notice what he does
for the sake
of the apostles.
He is mentioned
to them prior
back in chapter 13
he says,
a new commandment
I give you
and that commandment
is to love
one another.
You know what
Peter says
in this encounter
in chapter 13?
He says,
I'm willing to die
for you.
I love you.
I'm even willing
to die
on behalf
of the kingdom.
And you know what
Christ says to him?
He says,
Peter,
even this very night
the cock will not crow
three times before you
I mean twice
before you have denied me
three times.
Left to ourselves
in our own ability
notice what tends to happen
is that we fall away.
We're not able
to love him
in the way
that he's calling us
to love him.
Love one another
with this new power
that is the power
of the Holy Spirit.
Notice what he said
to Peter.
Peter,
even this night
though you desire
to love me
you're not able
in and of yourself.
That's why I'm sending
a helper
the Holy Spirit.
And we see
he says
the helper
the Holy Spirit
whom the Father
will send in my name
he will teach you
of all these things.
Teach you
what it's like
to live.
He will empower you
to be faithful
as witnesses.
So as we
as we come
to chapter 15
what Jonathan
preached about
two weeks ago
here's what Christ
says to them
he says to
abide in me.
Abide in me.
Why?
In order that
you might produce fruit.
You know
the call of God
for you and I
is to
abide in him
is to live for him
is not to
be drawn back
into the kingdom
of this world
to live for that kingdom
but to live for him
to honor him
and to abide in him.
So looking at
verse 17
I want us to see
the relationship
between abiding
and love.
So the call is
in verse 17
is this
these things I command you
so that you will love
one another.
What things?
What things are you commanding?
He's saying
abide in me.
Abide in me
and live this life
of abiding
in order that
fruit might be produced
through your life
because there's
coming a time
he would say
there's coming a time
when the world
is going to hate you
just like it hated me.
He's telling them
before it happens
he says listen
if the world hated me
the world's going to hate you
because you're no longer
you're no longer
of the world
you're no longer
part of their system
you've been changed
fundamentally
you're a different person now
because I've chosen you
out of the world
and I've chosen you
out of the world
and I've also given you
a helper
that is the Holy Spirit
who will be in you
he will live
in you
he says
but let
I want you to know
that this is coming
that the world
is going to hate you
when you begin
to live for me
and serve me
the world is going to hate you
not only is it going to hate you
it's going to persecute you
Christ says in
verse 20
if they persecuted me
they will also persecute you
be aware
disciples
be aware
apostles
that
suffering
is coming
here's what I want to share
with you and I
do you think
this would be true
for you and I as well
so church
we used to live
in this world
that was ruled
by Satan
and by the grace
of God
he's delivered us
out of that world
he's translated
into his kingdom
he's changed us
from the inside out
he's given us
a new heart
and he's given us
this call
to live for him
this call
to abide
in him
in order
that love
might spill
out of us
did you catch that
these things
I command you
what do you command us
Christ
command you
to abide
and to produce fruit
fruit is the result
of abiding
why
so that you will
love one another
the call of God
in your my life
is to love one another
in our own strength
we're not able
but because we've been
transformed
and the Holy Spirit
has been given to us
church
now we're able
to live this life
of abiding
and the love of God
would spill out of us
to touch the world
here's the expectation
for you and I
certainly was the expectation
for the apostles
in that day
that they would be hated
that they would be persecuted
and in chapter 16
they would be rejected
and they would be killed
verse 16
verse
chapter 16
verse 2
they will put you
out of the synagogue
indeed the hour is coming
when they will kill you
excuse me
whoever kills you
will think that he is
offering service to God
what Christ I believe
is sharing with the apostles
is this
is there's coming a day
now that you are
no longer a part
of the world system
now that you have been
transformed by my work
in your life
that the world is going
to hate you
and be against you
you can expect
to be persecuted
you can expect
to suffer
you can expect
that they're going
to reject you
even perhaps
they're going to kill you
and we know
for the apostles
that 11 out of the 12
were martyr
for the faith
now here's the question
for us
do we think
that that's the same
for us
do we think
that we're going
to suffer
because we're Christians
that we're going
to be persecuted
in some way
you know
in certain parts
of the world
that persecution
might be
that we would
have to die
that we would
be put to death
certainly in Somalia
and Pakistan
and other countries
that is still true today
in China
for those who live
they have to be
a part of the church
underground
for fear that
they'll be arrested
and jailed
for us
is it true
that if we really
genuinely stand
for Christ
we really seek him
and we stand
for what's true
might we also
be persecuted
probably not
put to death
but certainly
ostracized
certainly laughed at
certainly not
a part of
what the world
is doing
whatever form
that suffering
might take
are we willing
to walk that road
are we willing
to be faithful
to him
in the midst
of the persecution
notice in 16
1 it says this
I have said
these things
to you
to keep you
from falling away
what was the result
what happened
to the apostles
after Christ
was arrested
do y'all remember
what the scripture
says
they scattered
didn't they
you know
what he said
to them
is he said
I want you
to go
he came back
and he showed
himself again
for 40 days
after he ascended
I'm excuse me
after he resurrected
and he said
I want you
to go to Jerusalem
and I want you
to wait
wait for what
wait for the power
of the Holy Spirit
you know
when Pentecost
happened
and the power
of God
the power
of the Holy Spirit
came and
rested on them
and ultimately
in the new covenant
dwelt within them
they were different
men right
these same men
that fled
when Christ
was arrested
these same men
began to stand
and proclaim
the gospel
with power
in the face
of those
that is the
Jewish nation
the Jewish leaders
who had already
threatened them
that they were
going to lock
them up
or even
kill them
if they didn't
quit preaching
this message
of the gospel
that same message
these same people
after the power
of the Holy Spirit
had come upon them
began to be bold
and began to be
a witness for Christ
Acts 1.8
says this
it says
he tells them
to go to Jerusalem
and he said
that there's coming
a time
when the power
of the Holy Spirit
will come upon you
and you will be
my witnesses
in Jerusalem
Judea
Samaria
and to the
uttermost parts
of the world
brothers and sisters
you know that
that same thing
is true for us
that the Holy Spirit
has come
and he has called
us to be witnesses
he's called us
to live
differently
to love
and to
be bold
in speaking
the truth
of the gospel
are we willing
to do it
do you still
do you feel
like that
that
that there's
a difference
between us
that is the church
and the
the way that
the world operates
do you see
the divide
do you feel
that it's increasing
in the U.S.
even now
there seems
to be a separation
is it
difficult
to be faithful
to Christ
in our walk
I think more so
now
than ever before
I think about
kids in high school
and how much
more difficult
it is
to stand
for Christ
nowadays
to be faithful
in the way
we live
it's more difficult
now than it has
been
in the U.S.
and the call
for each of us
is to faithfully
live for him
even though
we might be
in some way
persecuted
pray with me
Father
I pray that you
would give us
courage
to be faithful
in our walk
I pray that you
would help us
to be bold
to speak the truth
to be witnesses
for you
in the midst
of a world
that's
in opposition
to you
those who are
not Christians
those who don't
know you
and the
need they have
for the truth
of your word
God give us
boldness
to share
your word
with all
that we come
in contact with
Father
give us doors
of opportunity
I pray that you
would strengthen us
and encourage us
in Christ's name
Amen