John 15:18–27 - 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave 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. 21 “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 “He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 “But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ 26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
John 16:1–4 - 1 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3 “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, Jesus alerts His disciples that those who follow Him should expect opposition from the world. He explains that just as people despised and rejected Him, they will treat His followers the same way. A servant should not be surprised to face the same treatment as his master (vv. 18-20). Jesus explains that this hatred stems from the world's ignorance of God. Those who oppose believers do so because they have turned away from both Jesus and the Father. Their actions match what was written in Scripture about those who hate without cause (vv. 21-25). Jesus then gives His followers two sources of support: the Holy Spirit who will speak about Jesus, and His own advance warning so they will not lose faith when persecution comes. He tells them these things so they will be ready when enemies attack their faith. (vv. 26-16:4a).
How can I apply John 15:18-16:4 to my life?
Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ should bring radical changes to our lives. Not all of these changes are going to be comfortable or make us feel good. As He ate His last meal with His disciples in the upper room, Jesus warns that they needed to be prepared. He said that the world was going to hate them. Today, for many believers, those words are truer than ever. In some parts of the world, believers face brutal persecution as they risk their lives just to own a Bible. In other parts of the world, the persecution is more subtle – the snide comments at work, family members who mock their faith, or so-called friends who slowly drift away. Jesus knew what His followers would be facing. During that last meal, He told them the sad truth about what it was going to cost them to follow Him saying that the world’s hatred would be against them. He also reassured them that this persecution would also mark His followers as disciples of His. He taught that when we face persecution for holding to and living out our faith, it means that we are exactly where God wants us to be – in the center of His will rather than in the world. He even promised the Holy Spirit and has equipped us with everything we need to endure and persevere through persecution as we stay true to our faith. He has given us the divine help of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Word so that we may stand firm when others attack what we believe. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Hold Fast When the World Hates You Because of Jesus (15:18-20): Jesus tells His disciples that the world is going to hate them because it hates Him. Genuine faith often leads to opposition and rejection. Christians will face rejection at work as their colleagues roll their eyes at them because as they live out their faith. Even within our own families and with our friends, we will be ridiculed or even cut off as we make hard choices to follow Jesus. Staying true to what we say we believe in these kinds of circumstances requires perseverance and grace. The fact is that these attacks on our genuine faith are often proof that we are following Jesus and not the world. They see something different, something right that convicts them of their own sin and that creates conflict. God has not put us here to win a popularity contest. He does not want us to water down or compromise our faith to make it acceptable to others. Instead, He wants us to stand firm in His truth and to persevere through the power of the Holy Spirit. Opposition will come and it will take different forms. Sometimes it will be subtle – we will be left out of conversations, or we won’t get that invite; other times it will be direct, through harsh words or actions taken against us. But each time it happens, God is giving us the opportunity to show the transforming power of Jesus Christ in our lives. Look at how Jesus handled adversity and hostility – He never compromised or held back on speaking truth. Instead, He always showed amazing grace and even love to those who persecuted Him. In the same way, our Christ-like response to hostility and hatred can open doors to share the Gospel and to love others as Christ loved us. Some will always mock our faith, but others will watch us. They will be intrigued by the peace that we have even in the most difficult of times. So, rather than retaliating or hiding our faith when we are persecuted, we should let that persecution compel us to live out the faith that we claim to have and draw us toward a deeper trust in Christ. Jesus makes it clear: the world’s persecution or hatred of us and our faith simply shows that we are living as true followers of the One True King (1 Peter 4:12-14, Matthew 5:10-12, 2 Timothy 3:12).
Food for thought: How does knowing Jesus faced hatred help you stay strong when others oppose your faith? What specific actions can you take to respond with grace when others mistreat you because of your faith in Jesus?
2. See Persecution as Evidence of the World's Rejection of Jesus (15:21-25): Jesus teaches that the world’s hatred of His followers is because they have rejected Him and the Father. The truth is that those who stand against us as believers, who persecute us, are actually fighting against God Himself. But those who oppose Christianity don’t recognize this truth. Their hostility towards Christians and biblical truth is a direct result of their resistance to God’s authority though they may not even realize this. Some will attack with sharp words while others might do it through social media posts or even at family gatherings. But behind every attack is a heart that has not surrendered to Jesus and does not even know Him. When we understand this, it should change our perspective not only on the persecution but on the individuals persecuting us as well. Instead of letting this opposition crush our spirits or drive us into some kind of sinful response, we should see these attacks as indicators that point us to real spiritual needs. The co-worker that is always belittling our faith – she needs Jesus. That family member who is always making fun of us for going to church all the time – he is actually fighting against God’s call on his life. The neighbor who avoids us because we are always talking about Jesus – they are just showing us their heart’s condition. When we see persecution this way, it can dramatically change how we respond to it. Instead of retreating or retaliating, we can stay focused on our witness. The rejection should encourage us as it gives us reason to keep sharing God’s truth but with wisdom and gentleness. We should pray with compassion for those who oppose us and ask God to break through their spiritual blindness. Every time we face persecution because of our faith, it is an opportunity to show God’s overwhelming love (Matthew 10:22-25, Acts 4:18-20, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
Food for thought: What makes it hard for you to love those who oppose your faith? How can viewing persecution as rejection of Jesus rather than rejection of you change your response to opposition?
3. Stand Ready as Jesus Prepares You for Opposition Through His Word and Spirit (15:26-16:4a): Jesus promises that both the Holy Spirit and His Word will equip believers to stand strong when persecution comes. God has given us everything we need to face persecution head on. The problem is that we would rather avoid conflict altogether. We want peaceful lives sometimes even when that means compromising our faith or tolerating untruth just to avoid offending someone. But God has given us everything we need to face opposition. We have the sure and certain hope of our eternal security, and we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us who works as our guide as we navigate through times of persecution. Sometimes, persecution comes at us head on and leaves us unprepared. Other times, it quietly sneaks up on us through those we thought were friends. But regardless of how it hits us, God knew exactly what we were going to face, and His Holy Spirit gives us everything we need to endure. Sometimes, it will be a peace that allows us to persevere, or it might be the exact right words we need to stand firm in our faith but with gentleness and respect. Other times, it will be the perfect passage of Scripture. That is why it is so important for us to study God’s Word. It is the spiritual armor that we need to fight these battles. The Spirit takes what we have learned and applies it right when we need it. We need to be ready for opposition and persecution. We need to do the hard work of digging into Scripture, building real friendships with other believers who will stand with us, and stay in fellowship with Jesus through honest prayer and confession. We need to be transparent with our brothers and sisters in the Lord when we struggle, letting them pray for us and help us stay accountable and strong. The Holy Spirit will give us the wisdom we need to handle each and every situation, letting us know when we need to speak the truth boldly or when we need to take quiet action that will speak more than words ever could. Through His power, we can face opposition with an amazing mix of both courage and gentleness that can only come from God (Acts 1:8, 1 Peter 3:14-16, Philippians 1:27-28).
Food for thought: How has the Holy Spirit helped you stay strong when others have opposed your faith? What specific Bible verses give you courage when facing persecution?
Jesus never promised that living as a faithful Christian in today's world would be easy. He told His disciples straight out that persecution would come. But with that warning, He also gave tremendous hope. He said that the hatred and persecution we face because of our faith actually proves we are on the right path. Every time we face opposition, it gives us a chance to show Jesus to others in powerful ways. When we persevere in the face of both head on conflict as well as more subtle attacks, we find that these difficulties can strengthen our faith when we view them through God's eyes. The Holy Spirit works in amazing ways during these hard times. He gives us exactly what we need: peace in chaos, words when we need them, or the strength and wisdom to stay silent. Our job is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, trust His Spirit's guidance, and fill our minds with His Word. True faith will always face resistance from the world. But God uses even the toughest opposition to shape us more into Christ's image and to reach others with His love. The world's hatred cannot stop God's work in and through His people.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would give me Your strength when others attack me because of my faith. Lord, it hurts when people reject me, but I pray that You would help me see these painful moments the way You do. You faced far worse hatred, but You never wavered from Your truth. I pray that You would fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can stand firm when opposition comes. Help me to dig deep into Your Word so that, in those tough moments when I need Your wisdom most, Your Spirit can bring those verses to life in me. Father, guard my heart from bitterness when others mock my faith. Instead, show me how to love them like Jesus did. Show me how to love them with steadfast love and truth with genuine compassion. Some days the persecution feels subtle, like closed doors or cold shoulders. Other times it feels like a storm. But through it all, I pray that You would use these trials to make me more like You. Give me the courage to keep speaking truth, the wisdom to know when silence speaks louder than words, and a heart that stays fixed on You no matter what comes my way.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
John 15:18 - “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
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