Good morning, everybody. Good to see you all. Could you please turn your Bibles to John chapter 15.
! John chapter 15, that's page 1083. John chapter 15, we're going to start at verse 18.
Just a little bit of context before Socrates comes to read it. Jesus is speaking these words on the night before he goes to die for us.
And he speaks these words to his original apostles. Judas has left the room at this point. He's gone out to betray Jesus into the hands of the rulers, the chief priests.
Matthias would later replace him some weeks later. Paul, we know, was later added to the number of the apostles after being called by Jesus in person on the Damascus Road.
Now, these apostles, they had a very special, they had a unique role in the early church because they were the eyewitnesses of Jesus' life and his teaching.
And he gave them a very special authority to speak his message to the world.
And it was an authority that was to be obeyed. It laid the foundation for the church.
And it was just for those few apostles.
Their accounts were written down as authoritative scripture.
And that's what we're reading today.
That's the New Testament that we have. It was written by them or by people who walked with them and recorded what they said.
So, we've got to know that because as we read these words today, Jesus is speaking these words directly to his apostles.
So there's some things that may not directly apply to us.
But there is so much here that still does apply to all disciples of Christ in every age and us here today.
So what Jesus is doing, he's giving us a prior warning about something that's going to happen in the future.
And it's something hard, which will happen in all of our lives as his disciples.
Now, we all appreciate weather warnings, right?
If a storm is coming, we'd much rather know about it than be caught in a flash flood on the Belay Road on the way home from work.
Okay? Thank you, Matt Aaron, for weather warnings.
A red weather warning may not be good news, but we need to hear it.
Well, Jesus is forewarning his disciples today about difficulty that is coming.
So that when it happens, we'll understand why it's happening.
And we won't fall away or give in.
So, listen for that warning.
What is he going to warn us about?
Listen up for that as Socrates comes and reads.
Thanks, Socrates.
John chapter 15, verse 18.
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own.
As it is, you do not belong to the world.
But I have chosen you out of the world.
That is why the world hates you.
Remember what I told you.
A servant is not greater than his master.
If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.
If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
They will treat you this way because of my name.
For they do not know the one who sent me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin.
But now they have no excuse for their sin.
Whoever hates me hates my father as well.
If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin.
As it is, they have seen.
And yet, they have hated both me and my father.
But this is to fulfill what is written in their law.
They hated me without reason.
When the advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the father,
the spirit of truth, who goes out from the father,
he will testify about me.
And you also must testify.
For you have been with me from the beginning.
All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.
They will put you out of the synagogue.
In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.
They will do such things because they have not known the father or me.
I have told you this so that when their time comes,
you will remember that I warned you about them.
Well, as people, we all long to be accepted.
We long to fit in.
Just to belong.
Whether it's our families,
friendship groups,
the workplace.
We're always searching for our people.
The ones who will welcome us,
understand us,
accept us just for who we are.
And that's not a wrong desire to have.
But what Jesus says today is sobering.
The world will hate you for bearing my name.
Now, the world here refers to people who are outside of God's rule and his reign.
And Jesus says,
the world is going to undermine you,
overlook you,
exclude you because of me.
You're going to be misunderstood by family members
just because you've chosen to give your life to Jesus.
You're going to be excluded in different ways by classmates
because you're choosing a life of obedience to him.
And you're going to be criticized in the workplace
for living a life of integrity
rather than selfish gain.
Now, you may be painfully aware
of how it feels
to be rejected by people in the world.
I'm sure we could go around the room
and ask for stories.
We have hundreds of stories.
And in those moments,
it just feels easier, doesn't it,
to stay quiet
about Jesus.
Or just compromise a little.
Or even just to give in
to whatever is happening around us.
Two summers ago,
I went to Poland
visiting friends.
At their church,
I got talking to a woman from Belarus.
And she began to tell me her story.
She had fled her country
with her three-year-old daughter
just earlier that year.
Her husband
had stood up for justice
and for truth
in the face of a corrupt government there.
And he'd been imprisoned.
And he knew
they'd come for her next.
So he said,
you have to leave.
She fled across the border.
Her little daughter was there,
was playing around her feet.
And your heart would go out for her.
You know,
you think about the great cost
to that woman's life.
Just being married to this man.
She'd been forced to leave her home,
her family,
everything she knew.
And all because she bears his name.
Would she resent him?
Or somewhere deep inside,
just wondering,
what if I'd married someone else?
No.
She was resolute.
She could cope
with the hatred
of her government
and people
for the sake
of her husband.
In fact,
despite the great costs,
she counted it
an even greater privilege
to be married
to that man.
A man who would stand up
against evil
and oppression.
You see,
there were two things
side by side.
There was a great cost
and there was
great privilege.
And I think
that's just a little glimpse
of what Jesus
is telling us about here.
About our lives
as his disciples.
You see,
Jesus says
we are his bride.
And he is
our bridegroom.
We are united to him
in his life,
death,
resurrection.
Everything he has,
he shares with us.
And yet,
Jesus is up front
about the cost,
the great cost
of bearing his name.
The world
will hate you.
they will persecute
you because of me.
Yet also,
what a great privilege
alongside the cost.
Because,
you will testify
about me,
Jesus says.
And many will believe.
Being rescued out of this world
just as you were,
there is great cost.
there is great privilege.
This word is to comfort
those of us
who felt the pain
of the world's rejection.
It's also to challenge
those of us
who haven't.
And I've been afraid
to stand up for Jesus
and count that cost.
Would you pray with me
that we would listen
and hear
what Jesus has to say?
Let's pray.
Lord Jesus,
we belong to you.
We bear
your name.
And you are up front
today with the cost
of that.
Comfort us
and strengthen us
as we stand
for you.
And encourage us
with the privilege
that it is
to be known
as yours.
Holy Spirit,
speak now
into the deepest places
of our hearts.
Would you convict us
where we need
to be convicted
of sin?
And comfort us
where we need comfort.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
So first,
the great cost.
You will be hated
by the world.
Jesus gives us
three reasons
why we're hated
by the world
so that we can understand
what is happening
to us
when it happens.
And the first reason
why we're hated
by the world
is that the world
rejects those
who are not part of it.
Have a look in verse 19.
Chapter 15,
verse 19.
Jesus says,
If you belong
to the world,
it would love you
as its own.
As it is,
you do not belong
to the world.
But I have chosen you
out of the world.
That is why
the world hates you.
Now,
we know it's easy
to earn
the world's love
and acceptance.
Just agree
with what everyone
else believes.
Just do what
everyone else does.
So if a friend
is sharing
some juicy gossip,
just get stuck in.
If your colleagues
are affirming
a sexual ethic
you know is wrong,
just nod along
with everyone else
and stay quiet.
If your college friends
are having one drink
too many
on a night out,
well,
just order another drink
and be able to laugh
about it the next day.
If your peer group
are spending excessively
on their own pleasures,
just do the same.
You can compare
what you bought.
Listen,
the world's acceptance
is so easy to earn.
But Jesus says,
you do not belong
to the world.
I've chosen you
out of the world
to belong to me.
Colossians says this,
the Father
has rescued us
from the dominion
of darkness
and brought us
into the kingdom
of his Son.
You know,
Jesus says it straight
in John chapter 8.
He says,
before you were chosen
and adopted
by God the Father,
you belonged
to your father,
the devil,
and you wanted
to carry out
his desires,
you were enslaved
to whatever
he wanted you to do.
That describes
all people
in the world
outside of Christ.
But now,
God has chosen
you to be free
from your slavery
to sin
and to the crooked
belief systems
of this world,
and the second
that you or I
stand up
against that tide
of popular opinion,
we're going to
unsettle people
around us.
It's just going
to happen.
Nobody wants
to be challenged.
Nobody wants
to be confronted
in their sin.
Light
exposes
darkness.
You will be hated
in various
different ways.
If you belong
to them
and do what
they wanted you
to do,
they just love
you as their
own,
but as it is,
you've been
chosen out
of the world.
That's the first
thing Jesus
wants to say.
Now,
question for us.
Do we live
as if we still
belong to the world?
Like,
practically speaking?
Do your words,
actions,
or beliefs
ever challenge
people around you?
I'm not talking
about deliberately
provoking people.
And,
to be fair,
I can think
about times
when I have
provoked people
in a way
that was just
wrong.
And there are
people in Ireland
in recent years,
even,
you know,
on the news,
who have stood
for right
biblical principles,
but without
any gentleness
or respect
for people
who held
the opposing
view.
And here's
what Peter
says,
he's one
of the
apostles.
I see
you don't
have it up
there.
He says,
always be
prepared to
give an
answer to
everyone who
asks you
to give
the reason
for the
hope you
have.
Okay?
Always be
ready to
say,
to speak
for Jesus.
But,
he says,
do this
with gentleness
and respect,
keeping a
clear conscience
so that
those who
speak maliciously
against your
good behavior
in Christ
may be
ashamed of
their
slander.
So,
if people
have hated
you because
you've shown
them zero
respect or
kindness and
how you've
spoken to
them about
Jesus,
well,
that is not
persecution.
That is
something to
repent of.
Jesus is
calling us
to truly
live out
his way
and his
message with
gentleness
and respect.
So,
that's the
first thing.
The world
will hate
you because
it rejects
those who
don't belong
to it.
The next
reason Jesus
gives us
for why
the world
hates us
is the
world hates
Jesus and
you bear
his name.
Have a look
at verse 18
with me.
If the
world hates
you,
Jesus says,
keep in
mind,
it hated
me first.
Verse 20,
remember what
I told you,
a servant
is not
greater than
his master.
If they
persecuted
me,
they will
persecute
you also.
Verse 21,
they will
treat you
this way
because of
my name.
The great
cost of
bearing
Jesus'
name is
that as
people hated
him,
so they
will hate
us.
And Jesus
is hated
by the
world because
he confronts
it head
on.
He shows
up the
values and
priorities of
this world
as darkness,
as evil.
Jesus throws
out all our
attempts to
save ourselves.
He is
starkly honest
about our
sin-stained
hurts that
we cannot
mend.
Jesus claims
that his
work on the
cross is
actually the
only way
that any
of us
could be
forgiven.
are made
whole and
made right
with God.
And Jesus
demands
humility,
repentance,
and total
submission to
him as
Lord.
He calls
us to
come empty
handed to
him to
receive his
full salvation.
Now,
that message
offends.
It offends
our proud
hearts.
And not
only does
Jesus say
that.
He condemns
our selfish
individualistic
values,
which place
personal gain
over the
needs of
others.
He calls
us to
radical love
and to
give away
our lives
for others.
No wonder
Jesus is
hated by the
world.
And you
can be
sure,
if the
world hates
Jesus'
way of
living,
and his
message,
then they're
going to
hate us
as we
reflect his
way of
living and
his message.
As Jesus
says,
a servant
is not
greater than
his master.
If they
persecuted
me,
they will
persecute
you also.
Now,
hold on.
We can
avoid it,
all right?
We can.
We can
water down
the message.
We can
hide who
we truly
are.
we can
skip over
the more
offensive
parts of
the gospel.
We can
omit to
tell people
we belong
to Jesus.
We can
avoid
the rejection,
but that's
not what
Jesus has
called us
to do.
Now,
there is a
massive comfort
for you and
me in this.
You see,
our bridegroom
Jesus,
he's walked
the path
ahead of us.
He's
experienced
hatred and
rejection to
a depth
that none
of us will
ever know.
He's saying
to you
and to I
today,
I've been
there.
I know
what it
feels like
to have
vicious lies
spread about
me,
to be
hated
without
cause,
betrayed,
deserted
by friends,
condemned
though
innocent,
nailed to
a cross
by the
ones I
came to
rescue.
I was
scared,
I was
alone,
I know
how you
feel and
I'm with
you when
the world
hates you.
Take
comfort.
your savior
is with
you as
you
experience
hatred.
So that's
the second
reason why
we bear,
why we
experience
hatred.
We bear
Jesus' name. There's one last quick reason
the world doesn't know who God really is.
Have a look at verse 21. Jesus says,
They will treat you this way because of my name.
For they do not know the one
who sent me. He says it again actually in 16
and verse 3. Now the world
hates Jesus because
they don't realize who God is.
They don't recognize that Jesus is the fullness
of God. That he is the radiance of the Father.
And we read earlier
verses 22 to 25. And what Jesus was saying
there is that Jesus came speaking
his Father's words, doing
his Father's works, and still
people rejected him and reject him today.
Now all of those things are more than enough
to convince them that he is God.
And that they need to be reconciled to him.
But people still
reject Jesus. And for this
there is no excuse.
Their long foretold hatred of Jesus
is
hatred of the Father
who does his work through Jesus.
So why does the world
hate Jesus' followers?
Well another reason why is because
they just can't see who God is.
They just don't recognize
who God is.
And Jesus tells us elsewhere
to pray
for our enemies.
What we can do in this situation
is this.
We can pray
for people in the world
that God would
open their eyes
to see
who God is.
That Christ really is
God and Savior.
If God can do that for us
then God can do that for them.
So instead of our natural instinct
of
hating back
those who hate us
we can actually pray
for those who reject us.
And God
just like he did
when he opened our eyes
to see who Christ is
God can do the same
for those who persecute us.
So
we pray for them.
So that is
those are some of the reasons
Jesus gives us
for why
we are going to bear
the cost
of being hated.
But we can't leave this text
without seeing
the great privilege
we have
as those who bear his name.
It's not just the cost
Jesus tells us
about the privilege
and here it is.
We will testify
about Jesus
and people
are going to listen
and they're going to believe
and they're going to be rescued
just as we were.
Look at verse 26.
Listen for the role
Jesus gives us.
When the advocate comes
whom I will send to you
from the Father
the Spirit of Truth
who goes out
from the Father
he will testify
about me
and you also
must testify
for you've been with me
from the beginning.
Okay, so Jesus
is giving us the role
of testifying to him.
Match that with verse 20.
Have a look at that.
Remember what I told you?
A servant is not greater
than his master.
If they persecuted me
they will persecute you
also.
If they obeyed
my teaching
they will obey
yours
also.
Now the apostles
had the authority
to say
what Jesus' message
was
from day one
and to be obeyed
as if Christ
were speaking.
We
have authority
from the
King
of Kings
to speak
this message
of Christ
handed down
by the apostles
to the whole world.
We
are his ambassadors
and our job
is to speak
about Jesus
not in our own strength
in the power
of the Holy Spirit
whom he has sent
upon all
believers.
Now
to be an ambassador
for a king
or a president
that's a pretty big deal.
That's an honor
to be asked.
Imagine now
if you got a phone call
from Micheal Martin
in the morning
calling you up
to be his ambassador
to the United States
of America.
You will be sent
to Washington
to speak
his words
on his behalf.
What a massive
privilege and responsibility
that would be.
We've been given
something immeasurably
greater.
The king of kings
has entrusted
his message
to us.
And it's not a message
about trade agreements
or foreign policy.
It's the greatest message
that the world
has ever heard.
It's a message
that guilty sinners
can be forgiven.
That rebels
can become
children of God.
That slaves
to sin
can be released.
That death
is defeated.
That Jesus Christ
is Lord.
That everyone
who believes
in his name
will receive
eternal life.
No ambassador
has ever
carried a message
more important
or life
transforming
than that.
Can you see
the privilege
we have
of carrying
this message
but not just
to carry it.
that God
would have
us
play
a part
in the
salvation
of others.
Many of you
have experienced
this.
Maybe you're
a parent
whose child
has come
to Jesus
for life.
You had
the amazing
privilege
of telling them
about Jesus
over many years.
things.
Maybe you had
the privilege
of inviting
a friend
to a youth
group
or to church
on a Sunday
morning
and speaking
with them
about Christ
and now
they know
him themselves.
For most
of us though
we don't even
know
the impact
of our words
and actions
yet.
Often
we don't
see the fruit.
We don't know
what God
has been doing
behind the scenes
and in many
cases we won't
know until
heaven.
And I think
there are going
to be many
wonderful
surprises there.
I think
we will be
meeting people
who we lost
touch with
years ago
and they'll
say,
do you remember
that conversation
you had with
me?
When you
shared Jesus
with me?
Or do you
remember that
time that you
showed me
that act of
love that was
just incredible?
we may have
thought very
little of it.
But God
used our
words about
Christ and
our acts
of love as
stepping stones
that led
them to
saving faith
in Christ.
All the
glory goes
to God.
How amazing
that he would
involve us,
little us,
and his
work of
saving people.
Can I ask
you to think
about 100
years from
now?
What is
going to
matter more
than that?
You could
have a
successful
career,
travel the
world,
enjoy family
and friends.
What wonderful
things.
Amazing gifts
from God.
God, what
greater
privilege
could you
have than
to play a
real part in
someone else's
rescue story?
How they
were transferred
from the
kingdom of
darkness into
the kingdom
of the sun.
How they
are now safe
in Jesus'
arms forever.
What else
could matter
more than
that?
Brothers and
sisters,
two things.
standing side
by side.
A great
cost.
Being hated
by the
world.
A great
privilege.
Being
witnesses
to Christ
in the
world.
I have one
last
application.
What if
you've been
listening to
this whole
thing and
thinking to
yourself,
I don't
experience any
rejection or
hatred in
the world.
I just
don't
experience any
pushback or
awkward silences
or discomfort
because I'm a
Christian.
And if that's
true,
Jesus'
words here
invite us to
examine ourselves
seriously this
morning.
because the
more that we
speak his
words and
do his
works,
people will
be challenged.
They will
be unsettled.
Not because
we're argumentative
or insensitive,
but because
light exposes
darkness.
And this
passage has
challenged me
personally.
I'm thinking
about some of
the friendships
I have.
Wondering,
even after
years of
knowing these
people,
do they
even know
the most
important thing
about me?
Do they
realize Jesus
is the Lord
of my life?
Because if
they don't,
they deserve
to know.
I'm not
saying that we
have to turn
every conversation
into a three-point
summary of the
gospel.
But we do
need to ask
ourselves,
have we been
too quiet
about the
reason for
our hope?
Have we
just gone
along with
sinful talk
and attitudes?
Have we
been more
concerned about
acceptance
than speaking
openly about
Christ,
which may
not go
down well?
I get it,
it's hard,
but there's
this disconnect
between the
disciple of
Christ we're
claiming to
be on the
one hand
and the
disciple that
Christ asks
us to be
on the
other.
James,
the brother
of Jesus,
says this
in his
letter.
He says,
don't you
know that
friendship with
the world
means enmity
against God?
Therefore,
anyone who
chooses to be
a friend of
the world
becomes an
enemy of
God.
That's what
James says.
That's
serious.
That is
disobedience to
Christ.
And for
this and
every other
sin,
Christ was
nailed to
the cross.
There is
time for
us to
repent.
We can
come to
Jesus today
God's
We can
that we
have not
stood up
for him.
That we
have feared
more what
the world
thinks of
us than
what he
thinks of
us.
We can
come to
God now
and we
can ask
for new
strength
to count
the cost
of the
world's
hatred,
to take
it on.
And to
remember the
awesome
privilege we
have of
being his
ambassadors and
standing for
him.
That is
something we
will never
in a million
years in
heaven regret.
it.
Let us
pray.
Thank you
Lord Jesus
for walking
the road of
hatred before
us.
The world
hated you
first and
you did
not fall
away.
You
remained
faithful to
your father.
Help us
to be
faithful to
you.
To bear
your name
well.
To count
it a
privilege to
suffer for
your sake.
To count
it a
privilege to
speak of
you to
the world
even when
it costs
us.
Give us
eyes to
see the
wonderful
privilege of
leading
others to
you.
Give us
a vision
for that
Lord.
That
would make
all the
costs that
we could
pay on
this earth
nothing in
comparison.
Lord we
just also
bring before
you brothers
and sisters
throughout the
world who
experience the
type of
persecution for
their faith
faith.
That we
probably never
will in
this time
in Ireland.
For
believers in
Somalia,
North Korea
and other
countries like
that who
literally face
death
simply for
claiming to
be long to
you.
Lord Jesus
we ask you to
strengthen them
this morning.
We can't even
imagine what that
feels like.
Would you
strengthen and
build up your
church?
Where the
pressure seems
too great
to even
survive?
Lord God
let them know
your power
and presence
with them
in their
pain.
And Lord
help us to
keep them in
mind as
we count
the cost
maybe
relatively in
small ways
compared to
them.
Help us to
count that
cost.
for Jesus
and to
live as
your
ambassadors
in this
world.
We pray
all of this
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.