The grand distinctions of Christ's own:
Our relationship to the world
John 17:14 ~ Terry Phillips
May 6, 2018
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The grand distinctions of Christ's own:
There are times in most of our lives when we feel the need to make some kind of substantial change. Some of these changes can be quite frivolous. Other times they can be very necessary. I've noticed over time that there are certainly almost an endless variety of ways that people attempt to make meaningful changes in their lives. Some of them are somewhat impressive may be more impressive than others, I guess I would say, but ultimately there are very limited in their scope and their significance. That is the changes that you and I can bring about in our own lives. The one change that each and every one of us so desperately needs is simply not possible for us to make on our own. No matter how diligent no matter how zealous, no matter how disciplined we may be. The truth of the gospel is the only means of real change in the very essence of who we are. There's nothing as transformative as the gospel of Christ.
God Himself is the only one who can accomplish genuine and lasting change, change in our very nature. The only one who can to give to us a new nature. In drawing us to Himself, the Lord lays claim to us. We become His in accordance with his eternal redemptive purpose, and He sets us apart as His own. He sets us apart from the world so that it may be seen that we belong to Him. That we are His. As we have been noticing in the Lord's prayer to the Father in John 17. The Lord Himself gives prominent attention to this fact. The fact that believers belong to Him and He does so from the divine perspective, that is to say, we have always belonged to Him from eternity past and we always will, in eternity future. But as Jesus as He anticipates His return to the Father, He is especially concerned about the well-being of His followers and their continuing influence in this world. This is obviously a very important thing to the Lord.
I would like to begin this morning by reading once again beginning with verse nine of John 17
“I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom Thou hast given me, for they are Thine. And all things that are Mine are Thine and Thine are Mine and I have been glorified in them. And I am no more in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name, which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them I was keeping them in Thy name, which Thou hast given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Thy Word and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
In this passage as the Lord is praying to the father, Jesus openly acknowledges the unique reality and the challenge of our complex relationship to the world. That is once we've been made alive together with Christ. When you think about it our situation is completely unique. Here we are still living in this world. No different than we always did, even before Christ, and yet now were no longer of this world. This places us in an exclusive position. There's no one else who can relate to the inherent tension of this position outside of our brothers and sisters in Christ and apart from, of course, The Lord Himself. This position is both a serious challenge, but it is also an unparalleled privilege. The Lord delights in the distinguishing of His own as no longer being of this world. This is not something that comes sort of inadvertently because the gospel, this is part of God's plan. This is part of God's purpose, and the Lord obviously delights in it here. As He's anticipating the agony, the shame, the horror of the cross, if you will, this is something that gives the Lord much joy. He is delighting in this fact. That the Father has given to Him, has granted to Him, a people for His very own possession, that He will in fact distinguish from the rest of the world. It is a distinction as we noted last time, of belonging.
We belong to the Lord. It's a distinction of divine purpose. This is God's plan. This is God's purpose for us that while we are still in this world, having come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will now be, from that point on, strangers in this world, aliens, pilgrims, those are some of the words are used, to describe us in our relationship, our new relationship to the world. In this passage Jesus is describing then some of the most prominent and practical ways in which this distinction is going to be evidence. We will see as we focus our attention on this morning primarily on our relationship to the world, but then also will be moving on, as the Lord speaks of our relationship to the truth and then our relationship to one another. In these specific and very practical ways, God's people are set apart. They’re different. we are seeing to no longer be of this world, even though were still in it. But this first evidence we want to focus in on this morning is found in the 14th verse, and that is our relationship to the world.
“I have given them Thy Word; and the world has hated them.”
This is not some overblown exaggeration coming from one of the disciples or from someone with a persecution complex. These words come from the Lord Himself. He acknowledges the truthfulness, the reality of this unique situation that we’re in. While we are still in this world because we are no longer of it, the world has hated us. It's a difficult and a seemingly very discouraging reality. You and I if we had our way, we would probably like to eliminate this verse from the Lord's prayer. we would like to eliminate this entire concept from God's Word, would we not? If we had our way.
John uses this word world quite often actually, it’s one of his favorite words not only in the gospel of John but in the epistles that bear his name. The word in the Greek is the word cosmos, it’s a word that we’re probably somewhat familiar with. Can be useful in a number of different ways in the Scriptures, depending on the context in which we find it. Sometimes refers to the universe as a whole, which is typically what we think of when we think of the word cosmos. Sometimes this word is used in the New Testament to refer to the physical earth itself or the physical earth in contrast to the heavens. Sometimes it’s used to refer to the human race as a whole, sometimes used to refer to everyone, all of humanity who is not a Jew. The Jews and then the world, sometimes it’s used in that way. In this instance, it seems quite clear that the Lord is using this word as a general reference to humanity in its present state of alienation from an opposition to the Lord.
This is demonstrated in nations, it’s demonstrated in governments, it’s demonstrated through organizations, false religions, through all sorts of different groups and obviously in individuals as well. It's obvious that the hatred Jesus is speaking of here is not demonstrated to the same degree in each and every center. We need to be careful to understand what the Lord is saying here the Lord is not speaking of the hatred that is evidenced to the same extent and at all times in each and every situation and each and every person who is apart from Christ. There is to be sure and overriding hatred in humanity as a whole. Towards Christians as a whole, even though it may vary a great deal from time to time, place to place, individual to individual, government to government. There are times in their individual instances when this hatred is seen in the most graphic ways, I think all of us know that. Surely we’re aware of that. That hatred explodes into viciousness, brutality, persecution that is very severe. There are other instances, though, and they’re other individuals, Instances or examples in individual lives where this hatred is far more concealed, it’s not so easily discerned. It’s still there sometimes seems like it's well hidden below the surface. No matter the circumstances, no matter the situation at any given point in time or place, this is an undeniable reality. If Jesus is to be believed. He says the world has hated them. Jesus is already speaking in the past tense here. These men have already seen some of that hatred, that's for sure, but they're going to experience it individually, personally in the days and the weeks that would come.
There’s something else that’s important, it seems to me, to remember as we consider this matter this morning. Humanity in a general sense is filled to the brim with hatred. Hatred that has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity. Something we need to keep in mind. The Lord is not speaking here of human hatred in the general sense, the world is full of that. Everywhere you turn, everywhere you look, everything. In any direction you want to go and you can see hatred. Hatred that has nothing to do with Christ. People hate each other for all kinds of reasons. Some people are from the day they are born, are taught to hate other people. Some people hate each other because of something that's happened in the past, or maybe something that happened hundreds of years ago. In the past between their nation and other people. Some people hate each other for who knows what? For little or no reason whatsoever. So, in this sense, we need to be careful that we understand what the Lord is talking about. You recall the passage there in Titus chapter 3 verse three as Paul describes, as we looked at this last time, our condition apart from Christ. He says
“For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.”
That's true, apart from Christ, forgetting the gospel even taking the gospel out of the picture. You can go to peoples and nations who've never heard of Christ and there is no lack of hatred. So this is not the hatred that the Lord is speaking of here. It's not hatred in a general sense, though there's plenty of that in this world. Jesus is speaking very specifically here. It is a hatred that comes because of who we are in Christ. It is very specific. It is universal and it's very real. Jesus says these words,
“The world has hated them.”
As we contemplate what the Lord says here, there are several questions that ought to come to our minds. I'd like to deal with several questions this morning as we consider this together. First of all, why does the world hate the followers of Christ? Let's start there, and really we've already answered that in several of the comments I've already made. The first and fundamental answer to this question of why the world hates God's people is because of our relationship, are genuine, are real and close relationship to Christ. That's a first answer we can give. Jesus says the world has hated them because
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
There's a very close connection between us and Christ and specifically in this passage in our relationship to the world. our relationship to Christ is such that His relationship to the world and our relationship to the world is going to be very much the same. The world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I remind you what the Lord said earlier in the upper room discourse in the 15th chapter, He says in verse 18:
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 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, therefore the world hates you.”
Because we are not of the world and because the Lord chose us out of the world. He goes on in verse 20.
“Remember that 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. But all these things they will do to you for my name's sake.”
The world hates followers of Christ because the world hates Christ. It’s our relationship to the Lord that makes the difference. You recall in the Acts of the apostles. Early on, when Peter and John had been arrested and there giving a defense before the lead Jewish leaders and were told that the Jewish leaders recognize them as having been with Jesus, and this is infuriating to them. It causes their anger to just boil. To boil over in relation to these men. They were suffering shame for His name. This is the hatred Jesus is speaking of. The hatred that comes, that is directed toward God's people, and is primarily because of our relationship to Christ. This is a given. It should be given for us. As those who belong to the Lord, we are going to be a specific focus of the world’s hatred, which is ultimately a hatred for the Lord.
So that leads us to the second question. Why does the world hate the Lord so much? Have you ever thought about that? Why does the world hate the Lord? At times the world's hatred of the Lord and of His followers seems so hard to understand. Especially in the specific instances when it explodes into a full-blown brutality. And, in certain instances when it's very obvious that brutality is exacted upon those who truly do know the Lord, and whose lives have been exemplary. Whose lives have been anything but threatening, and yet their hatred that the world has for godly people, as followers of Christ. Where does that come from? Why? As I was thinking about this and I was contemplating this fact, because there's been many times in my life where I've read about this or that in terms of severe persecution, or I've witnessed significant, very obvious and deep-seated hatred towards the Lord and towards his people, and I had asked myself why? Where does this come from, what did this person or these people ever do to you?
I was reminded of Pilate’s words you recall, as he is trying to determine what to do with Jesus. The multitudes are screaming for Him to be crucified. Remember at one point what Pilate says to them when he asks if they would have him release Jesus and they demanded that He be crucified, and his response is this. Why, what evil has he done? You see the exasperation in him in his voice. now he knew there was envy, we’re told that. But this degree of hatred, why this level of animosity? Jesus Himself answers this question. If we go on back to John chapter 15 and continue, Verse 22, He said this.
“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, (or guilt) but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also.”
You see the progression in this? Those who hate the Lord's people, hate the Lord. Those who hate Christ, hate the Father. They hate God. That's the real issue. Verse 24:
“If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; (or guilt again) but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.”
I want to remind you of something that the Lord said back in John's Gospel, the seventh chapter. You recall when even His brothers, who themselves were not believing in Him, and they were encouraging Him to go to the feast and to make Himself known. And He said in response, Verse six:
“My time is not yet at hand, but your time is always opportune.”
And then Jesus says this in John 7:7
“the world cannot hate you; but it hates Me”
Why? Here's the answer to that question:
“because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.”
Back in the third chapter of John's Gospel, toward the end of His discourse with Nicodemus, Jesus says in verse 19:
“and this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.”
This really gets to the very crux of the matter, the heart of it all. Men love the darkness rather than the light because their deeds are evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, this is the extent to which we are enslaved in bondage to and in love with sin. Everyone does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. It’s one of the things that many times we forget, once in a while it comes to our attention very quickly, and sometimes in a very abrupt manner. Conviction is a very powerful thing. It really is. Nothing brings conviction quite like the Holy One. the Lord Jesus said if I hadn't come, if I hadn't done these things, if I hadn't spoken in this world as I had, they wouldn't have this level of guilt. Jesus isn’t saying they would be guiltless, they wouldn't be sinners. He’s saying their level of guilt at this point has reached a new low, if you will. And it begins to manifest itself in an outward hatred and animosity, opposition to the Lord.
I don't know about you, but even then, as I think about that, I think, well, if a person's happy in their sin and they really don't want to hear about it, why not just, if they don't want to hear those things that convict them, why not just turn away from it? Why would they get so upset and so mad? Obviously, the very finger of God is on the human heart, in this kind of situation. But, I would also say this, there is an extent to which this hatred has no legitimacy even in terms of reason. Do you notice what Jesus says as you go down in John 15, I just read the 24th verse a few moments ago, verse 25, He says this:
“but they have done this in order that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their Law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’”
There's times when you just can't explain it. And the Lord speaks to this very specifically. Why does the world hate us? Because of our relationship to the Lord. Why does the world hate the Lord? Because of the Lord's holiness, because of His works and His words. It's amazing how people will pick and choose what they like about the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from repenting, apart from submitting to the gospel and coming to Christ, a person will avoid an awful lot of what the Lord taught, and did, and said; how He lived. but they’re certain little aspects of what He said and did that they’ll, pick out and lay hold of. Because, those other things that Jesus said can make a person apart from Christ very uncomfortable, and eventually very mad, very angry.
There's a third question I want to ask this morning and deal with. How is this hatred demonstrated? How is this hatred demonstrated? I think we can all agree that there are many times in many situations in which the demonstration of this hatred is very obvious. Especially when it's very severe, very open, in its most cruel manifestations. It's hard not to see it. But we also recognize that it manifests itself in many less obvious ways. There are ways that the world demonstrates their hatred for the Lord and for His people in simple ridicule, ostracizing His people, ignoring them, mocking them, doing what they can to marginalize them. But one thing about this hatred and that is that it can always be seen to be ultimately directed against the Lord Himself. And that’s where we need to be very careful. Sometimes we as Christians assume the way were being treated by the world is because of Christ when it's not. It may be because of other things. It may even be because of our own sin; for our own failures. But, what Jesus is speaking about here is a hatred that is demonstrated toward us because of our relationship to the Lord, because of who the Lord is.
In our close relationship to the Holy One, there are going to be instances where our simply walking in the light, as He is in the light, is going to stir up the world’s hatred. It is going to happen. It should not be something that we try to do. This is not something we should be attempting to stir up. As much as it is possible on our part, we’re told to be at peace with all men, right? We are not trying to stir this up, but there is a sense in which is going to be inevitable, especially if we’re faithful to the Lord. I remind you of the passage in Ephesians chapter 5, verse seven says:
“Therefore do not be partakers with them;”
He had just listed the things that are evidenced in those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. He says:
“do not be partakers with them;”
Verse eight:
“for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth) trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”
We are walking in the light. when we are walking as children of light, there are going to be times when that light is going to expose the darkness around us. And those who are walking in the darkness, who are enslaved in the darkness, at times are going to be made very uncomfortable. At times they are going to react very adversely. You recall in the instance of John the Baptist. John the Baptist had the gall to tell Herod that It's not lawful for him to have his brother’s wife. Now this didn’t make Herod or Herod’s brother’s wife, who was now his wife, very happy. And, eventually cost John his life. It's a good example of the extent. Why would these people hate John the Baptist? Why such hatred? He exposed their sin. John the Baptist was a good and righteous man, we’re told. They had no other reason to want to harm him, but that he exposed their sin.
One of the things that I think too sometimes confuses us is the fact that the world in many respects and in many places admirers a righteous life. Have you noticed that? many people, even apart from Christ admire a righteous life, and they’ll even say so. I've noticed this many times. But, at the very same time, to the extent that our personal pursuit of holiness begins to bring conviction, there will oftentimes be an intensifying hatred that begins to well up. You can admire someone's good life as people will put it. Well, that's a good person and I admire them for that. Until that person's pursuit of holiness as a child of the living God, begins to bring conviction. Real conviction, deep conviction, and all of a sudden that attitude changes. In many times we begin to see people for what they really are. Isn’t it a sad thing to notice this even in some of your closest loved ones, who do not know the Lord in your own close families? Some of you I'm sure have witnessed this. Many of you have unsaved family members. I've seen it in unsaved family members in their relationship to God's people at times. At least even from a distance I've seen it. It can be an awful thing. All of a sudden it's like you see a side of this person that you really don't want to believe exists. But it's there, it’s real. Jesus says the world has hated them and they have and they continue to do so.
Another question I want to answer this morning. Why do we need to be reminded of this reality? What's the point of the Lord saying this? Now, we know there's a pointer, He wouldn't say it, right? Jesus does not reveal this truth to His followers with no purpose in mind, He just sort of let it slip. That's not what happens here. The Lord is speaking to his followers very directly and very purposefully. He's very concerned for these men, and yet He reveals to them, ‘this is what's going to happen’. This is what you can expect. Why? it's obvious this was something Jesus very much wanted His followers to be alert to. We've noted this before, we’ve talked about it. Jesus is very much concerned for our spiritual well-being and stability. Our Lord as our good Shepherd cares for us so much. Nothing has quite so much potential for deep and unsettling discouragement as being the brunt of this world’s hatred. It can be very disheartening. And, especially when the evil one does all that he can to sort of isolate one of us, or even to make us feel isolated, maybe even though we are not. To make us feel alone in bearing the world’s hatred. The Lord knows that. He knows how painful that is. Jesus knew about this personally on a level none of us could ever experience. And so, the Lord prepares these men for this.
There are several passages I would like to bring to your attention in this respect. First one is in first Peter, first Peter chapter 4 in verse 12. Peter says this, and of course Peter himself, having been taught of the Lord, and then in his own life experience exactly what the Lord said he was going to experience. A lot of persecution, and eventually would the become a martyr for the Lord. Peter has much to say in this first epistle regarding suffering. Suffering and being persecuted for the sake of the Lord Jesus, enduring the world’s hatred. He says this in first Peter 4:12:
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you.”
and these people were experiencing real persecution. Severe persecution, insane persecution from the leader of Rome at this point in time. Things you can't even talk about, that kind of persecution, and Peter says:
“do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;”
This is the purpose. Here we have a glimpse into the Lord's love in His care for His own. Why do we need to be told about this? Why do we need to be warned about it? So we won’t be taken by surprise. So we won't when we face persecution and when we actually are in a position where we experience the world’s hatred, it doesn't unsettle us, as though something strange was happening to us. As though, what in the world? Why would God allow this to happen to me? Surely something must be very wrong. Something must be wrong in my relationship to the Lord. why would he allow this to happen? That's the idea here. Peter is saying, don't be surprised at this fiery ordeal, as though some strange thing were happening to you. Be ready for it, expect it. Jesus said something similar in the first verse of John chapter 16 in the upper room discourse, previously.
“These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling. 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.”
Imagine how disheartening it could be for the child of God, who is being put to death and sometimes in the most brutal manner by those who declare their doing so in obedience to God. It's happened hundreds of thousands of times. These words would be of such comfort in those moments. First Thessalonians chapter 3, in Paul's first letter to the saints who had come to Christ in the midst of much persecution, when Paul had been there. He says this in chapter 3, verse one, beginning with verse one.
“Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone; and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For indeed, when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.”
notice Paul implementing this same principle, same principle that the Lord implements with His disciples. We warned you. We kept telling you this is where the way it will be. I think one of this is one of those areas where so many, so many who are responsible for the shepherding of the Lord's sheep today are failing miserably. How many times are we warning people that this is what they ought to expect if they come to Christ? How many times is that part of the message of the gospel been included? James chapter 5, beginning with verse eight, he encourages the brethren. He says:
“You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”
Being prepared is crucial for us to respond properly to suffering, to suffering for the sake of the Lord Jesus. To enduring the world’s hatred and to endure it with the right attitude and the right response. What does Jesus say in Luke chapter 6 verse 27? Love those who hate you. I tell you without some kind of preparation, that's a pretty difficult thing to do. Jesus has warned us we’re to be on the alert, we’re going to suffer, we’re going to endure on some level or another, the hatred of the world, because of our love for Christ. And when that happens, we need to be prepared to love those who hate us. That is the opposite of our natural instincts isn’t it. Our natural links to instincts apart from Christ is you hate me, I'll hate you back, and maybe even worse. As the Lord prepares us for this, this onslaught of the world’s hatred, we should be prepared to love, to respond as we should. Not only to love those who hate us, but to not be unsettled, not to become completely undone, as though something is completely amiss and wrong. Something's all wrong here. This really isn't what it means to be a Christian. Yes, it is. Jesus said that's what it means. That's what is going to be like.
There was one last question that I want to answer this morning, and first of all I want to look at a couple of statements that are made, the first one is found again in Luke's gospel the six chapter. It's a statement that the Lord Jesus makes, Luke chapter 6 verse 22, and He says this:
“Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. be glad in that day, leap for joy.”
Peter says this in first Peter chapter 3 verse 14:
“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed”
So, I have a question at the end of our time here this morning. How can we be blessed by being hated? That seems really to be an odd thing, does it not? How can we be blessed by being hated? The Lord says we are blessed and we’re to be glad in that day and even to leap for joy. Probably not the response that the world would expect, but it's a response that the world has seen time and time and time again in God's people. How can this be? How can we be rejoicing? How can we be so blessed?
Several things I want to give to you in answer to this question. First of all, we can be blessed and even rejoicing in the fact that this is a confirmation of our genuine relationship to the Son of God; that I have been united with Christ. I belong to Him. This is an opportunity for that to be confirmed in a very unique way. Not the most pleasant way, but very real, extremely real. Again I go back to John 15 verses 18 and 19.
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 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, therefore the world hates you.”
That hatred confirms this fact that I belong to the King of kings. I don't care what the rulers of this world may do to me, I belong to the King of kings. To the ruler of all the heavens and the earth. I’m His, He's mine. This been joined with Christ is a very real thing. It comes with great implications, and wonderful realities. But, it also comes with testing. It comes with the promise of difficulty. Jesus had promised in the 14th chapter of John's gospel.
“In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you”
Testing, trials, and enduring the world’s hatred the same way the world hated Jesus confirms my relationship to Him. Paul puts it in this way, in Romans chapter 8 verse 16:
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.”
It's part of our heritage in Christ. It's part of our being chosen by Him, belonging to Him. Suffering confirms that in a unique way.
A second thing that I would say in answer to this question ‘how can we be blessed by being hated’, and that is we can enjoy the blessedness of following the Lord's example through the most difficult of circumstances, and that is a real blessing. We look at the Lord and we admire what Jesus did, do we not? We’re in awe of the way He endured the cross. But, when the world pours out that hatred on us, we have an opportunity to follow in His footsteps, do we not? I remind you of what Peter said in first Peter chapter 2, beginning with verse 19:
“For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”
Here we have an opportunity, a unique opportunity, to follow the Lord's example. To utter no threats, to not be unsettled, and to come apart in the face of suffering, but to look to the Lord. To watch the way he endured. He endured suffering like none of us ever will. How did he do it? He didn't get in an argument with those who were about to take His life, with those who were beating Him. He did not berate them, He didn't challenge them in regard to what they were doing. A terrible thing that they were doing, but He kept entrusting Himself. Peter says later on in chapter 4, the end of the chapter:
“Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”
There's an opportunity for us to be blessed greatly in the midst of suffering, and that is to learn how to follow the Lord's example, and to learn how to entrust ourselves to the father.
One third thing that I would say in answer to this question ‘how can we be blessed by being hated’, and it is by more fully sharing in the Lord suffering, in the Lord's comfort, and in the Lord's glory. Several passages I want to briefly share with you in this respect. First of all, in Philippians, in the book of Philippians, Paul looks at sufferings in a unique way. He says in chapter 3, and of course in that third chapter towards the beginning of the chapter, Paul is recounting all that he had apart from Christ in terms of position and prestige in this world in relation to men. But, he says:
“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
He says in verse seven, verse eight:
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
How can we be blessed by being hated? By being drawn into a closer fellowship with the one who suffered for us. Who endured the ultimate in suffering, and did so on our behalf. Notice what Paul says:
“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;”
What a privilege. What a blessing to be drawn into a closer fellowship with the One who suffered so much for me. But also, the Lord's comfort. Second Corinthians chapter 1 verse five says this:
“For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”
You and I have a great privilege. We are greatly blessed and we endure sufferings for the sake of Christ. When we bear up in a way that honors the Lord under that world hatred, that hatred which is focused upon us simply because of our relationship to the Lord. This is a great privilege. We are able to experience the Lord's comfort in a very unique way. You and I both know that comfort doesn't mean quite the same, unless you're under a lot of stress. Unless you're in the midst of difficulty. If I come alongside you and offer you comfort and you're not going through anything difficult, it probably is not going to mean a whole lot. We can be blessed by being hated in the reality that we will share more fully through that suffering, through that hatred, in our Lord's suffering and in His comfort, but also in His glory. I go back to first Peter. Peter has a lot to say on the subject. First Peter chapter 4 verse 13 and 14; we read verse 12 earlier.
“Do not to be surprised at the fiery ordeal coming… as though some strange thing were happening”
But verse 13 says:
“But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”
It’s a marvelous thing, a marvelous thing. The world cannot understand that. You notice earlier on in the same fourth chapter of first Peter, Peter talks about the world's response. He says in verse three:
“For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excessive of dissipation,
They can't figure you out, what's happened? And then the next step:
“and they malign you”
There you see that hatred intensifying. And Peter says if this is actually what's taking place, if you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed. Rejoice in this fact that the spirit of glory and of God rests upon may not always feel that way in the moment, but this is the assurance were given. We can be blessed even while being hated. Peter says at the close of that great epistle, he says in the 10th verse of the fifth chapter:
“And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself”
Notice the personal attention, of the Lord,
“will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
How can we be blessed by being hated? We can anticipate the joy of the Lord in its fullness. The 13 verse in John 17 anticipates this:
“But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves.”
We can be blessed even by being hated, as we anticipate the joy of the Lord. You and I can actually share more closely in the fellowship of His sufferings, knowing the Lord more intimately and relying upon partaking of His comfort in looking ahead to His glory. Let’s bow together in prayer.
God Himself is the only one who can accomplish genuine and lasting change, change in our very nature. The only one who can to give to us a new nature. In drawing us to Himself, the Lord lays claim to us. We become His in accordance with his eternal redemptive purpose, and He sets us apart as His own. He sets us apart from the world so that it may be seen that we belong to Him. That we are His. As we have been noticing in the Lord's prayer to the Father in John 17. The Lord Himself gives prominent attention to this fact. The fact that believers belong to Him and He does so from the divine perspective, that is to say, we have always belonged to Him from eternity past and we always will, in eternity future. But as Jesus as He anticipates His return to the Father, He is especially concerned about the well-being of His followers and their continuing influence in this world. This is obviously a very important thing to the Lord.
I would like to begin this morning by reading once again beginning with verse nine of John 17
“I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom Thou hast given me, for they are Thine. And all things that are Mine are Thine and Thine are Mine and I have been glorified in them. And I am no more in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name, which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them I was keeping them in Thy name, which Thou hast given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Thy Word and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
In this passage as the Lord is praying to the father, Jesus openly acknowledges the unique reality and the challenge of our complex relationship to the world. That is once we've been made alive together with Christ. When you think about it our situation is completely unique. Here we are still living in this world. No different than we always did, even before Christ, and yet now were no longer of this world. This places us in an exclusive position. There's no one else who can relate to the inherent tension of this position outside of our brothers and sisters in Christ and apart from, of course, The Lord Himself. This position is both a serious challenge, but it is also an unparalleled privilege. The Lord delights in the distinguishing of His own as no longer being of this world. This is not something that comes sort of inadvertently because the gospel, this is part of God's plan. This is part of God's purpose, and the Lord obviously delights in it here. As He's anticipating the agony, the shame, the horror of the cross, if you will, this is something that gives the Lord much joy. He is delighting in this fact. That the Father has given to Him, has granted to Him, a people for His very own possession, that He will in fact distinguish from the rest of the world. It is a distinction as we noted last time, of belonging.
We belong to the Lord. It's a distinction of divine purpose. This is God's plan. This is God's purpose for us that while we are still in this world, having come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will now be, from that point on, strangers in this world, aliens, pilgrims, those are some of the words are used, to describe us in our relationship, our new relationship to the world. In this passage Jesus is describing then some of the most prominent and practical ways in which this distinction is going to be evidence. We will see as we focus our attention on this morning primarily on our relationship to the world, but then also will be moving on, as the Lord speaks of our relationship to the truth and then our relationship to one another. In these specific and very practical ways, God's people are set apart. They’re different. we are seeing to no longer be of this world, even though were still in it. But this first evidence we want to focus in on this morning is found in the 14th verse, and that is our relationship to the world.
“I have given them Thy Word; and the world has hated them.”
This is not some overblown exaggeration coming from one of the disciples or from someone with a persecution complex. These words come from the Lord Himself. He acknowledges the truthfulness, the reality of this unique situation that we’re in. While we are still in this world because we are no longer of it, the world has hated us. It's a difficult and a seemingly very discouraging reality. You and I if we had our way, we would probably like to eliminate this verse from the Lord's prayer. we would like to eliminate this entire concept from God's Word, would we not? If we had our way.
John uses this word world quite often actually, it’s one of his favorite words not only in the gospel of John but in the epistles that bear his name. The word in the Greek is the word cosmos, it’s a word that we’re probably somewhat familiar with. Can be useful in a number of different ways in the Scriptures, depending on the context in which we find it. Sometimes refers to the universe as a whole, which is typically what we think of when we think of the word cosmos. Sometimes this word is used in the New Testament to refer to the physical earth itself or the physical earth in contrast to the heavens. Sometimes it’s used to refer to the human race as a whole, sometimes used to refer to everyone, all of humanity who is not a Jew. The Jews and then the world, sometimes it’s used in that way. In this instance, it seems quite clear that the Lord is using this word as a general reference to humanity in its present state of alienation from an opposition to the Lord.
This is demonstrated in nations, it’s demonstrated in governments, it’s demonstrated through organizations, false religions, through all sorts of different groups and obviously in individuals as well. It's obvious that the hatred Jesus is speaking of here is not demonstrated to the same degree in each and every center. We need to be careful to understand what the Lord is saying here the Lord is not speaking of the hatred that is evidenced to the same extent and at all times in each and every situation and each and every person who is apart from Christ. There is to be sure and overriding hatred in humanity as a whole. Towards Christians as a whole, even though it may vary a great deal from time to time, place to place, individual to individual, government to government. There are times in their individual instances when this hatred is seen in the most graphic ways, I think all of us know that. Surely we’re aware of that. That hatred explodes into viciousness, brutality, persecution that is very severe. There are other instances, though, and they’re other individuals, Instances or examples in individual lives where this hatred is far more concealed, it’s not so easily discerned. It’s still there sometimes seems like it's well hidden below the surface. No matter the circumstances, no matter the situation at any given point in time or place, this is an undeniable reality. If Jesus is to be believed. He says the world has hated them. Jesus is already speaking in the past tense here. These men have already seen some of that hatred, that's for sure, but they're going to experience it individually, personally in the days and the weeks that would come.
There’s something else that’s important, it seems to me, to remember as we consider this matter this morning. Humanity in a general sense is filled to the brim with hatred. Hatred that has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity. Something we need to keep in mind. The Lord is not speaking here of human hatred in the general sense, the world is full of that. Everywhere you turn, everywhere you look, everything. In any direction you want to go and you can see hatred. Hatred that has nothing to do with Christ. People hate each other for all kinds of reasons. Some people are from the day they are born, are taught to hate other people. Some people hate each other because of something that's happened in the past, or maybe something that happened hundreds of years ago. In the past between their nation and other people. Some people hate each other for who knows what? For little or no reason whatsoever. So, in this sense, we need to be careful that we understand what the Lord is talking about. You recall the passage there in Titus chapter 3 verse three as Paul describes, as we looked at this last time, our condition apart from Christ. He says
“For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.”
That's true, apart from Christ, forgetting the gospel even taking the gospel out of the picture. You can go to peoples and nations who've never heard of Christ and there is no lack of hatred. So this is not the hatred that the Lord is speaking of here. It's not hatred in a general sense, though there's plenty of that in this world. Jesus is speaking very specifically here. It is a hatred that comes because of who we are in Christ. It is very specific. It is universal and it's very real. Jesus says these words,
“The world has hated them.”
As we contemplate what the Lord says here, there are several questions that ought to come to our minds. I'd like to deal with several questions this morning as we consider this together. First of all, why does the world hate the followers of Christ? Let's start there, and really we've already answered that in several of the comments I've already made. The first and fundamental answer to this question of why the world hates God's people is because of our relationship, are genuine, are real and close relationship to Christ. That's a first answer we can give. Jesus says the world has hated them because
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
There's a very close connection between us and Christ and specifically in this passage in our relationship to the world. our relationship to Christ is such that His relationship to the world and our relationship to the world is going to be very much the same. The world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I remind you what the Lord said earlier in the upper room discourse in the 15th chapter, He says in verse 18:
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 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, therefore the world hates you.”
Because we are not of the world and because the Lord chose us out of the world. He goes on in verse 20.
“Remember that 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. But all these things they will do to you for my name's sake.”
The world hates followers of Christ because the world hates Christ. It’s our relationship to the Lord that makes the difference. You recall in the Acts of the apostles. Early on, when Peter and John had been arrested and there giving a defense before the lead Jewish leaders and were told that the Jewish leaders recognize them as having been with Jesus, and this is infuriating to them. It causes their anger to just boil. To boil over in relation to these men. They were suffering shame for His name. This is the hatred Jesus is speaking of. The hatred that comes, that is directed toward God's people, and is primarily because of our relationship to Christ. This is a given. It should be given for us. As those who belong to the Lord, we are going to be a specific focus of the world’s hatred, which is ultimately a hatred for the Lord.
So that leads us to the second question. Why does the world hate the Lord so much? Have you ever thought about that? Why does the world hate the Lord? At times the world's hatred of the Lord and of His followers seems so hard to understand. Especially in the specific instances when it explodes into a full-blown brutality. And, in certain instances when it's very obvious that brutality is exacted upon those who truly do know the Lord, and whose lives have been exemplary. Whose lives have been anything but threatening, and yet their hatred that the world has for godly people, as followers of Christ. Where does that come from? Why? As I was thinking about this and I was contemplating this fact, because there's been many times in my life where I've read about this or that in terms of severe persecution, or I've witnessed significant, very obvious and deep-seated hatred towards the Lord and towards his people, and I had asked myself why? Where does this come from, what did this person or these people ever do to you?
I was reminded of Pilate’s words you recall, as he is trying to determine what to do with Jesus. The multitudes are screaming for Him to be crucified. Remember at one point what Pilate says to them when he asks if they would have him release Jesus and they demanded that He be crucified, and his response is this. Why, what evil has he done? You see the exasperation in him in his voice. now he knew there was envy, we’re told that. But this degree of hatred, why this level of animosity? Jesus Himself answers this question. If we go on back to John chapter 15 and continue, Verse 22, He said this.
“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, (or guilt) but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also.”
You see the progression in this? Those who hate the Lord's people, hate the Lord. Those who hate Christ, hate the Father. They hate God. That's the real issue. Verse 24:
“If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; (or guilt again) but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.”
I want to remind you of something that the Lord said back in John's Gospel, the seventh chapter. You recall when even His brothers, who themselves were not believing in Him, and they were encouraging Him to go to the feast and to make Himself known. And He said in response, Verse six:
“My time is not yet at hand, but your time is always opportune.”
And then Jesus says this in John 7:7
“the world cannot hate you; but it hates Me”
Why? Here's the answer to that question:
“because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.”
Back in the third chapter of John's Gospel, toward the end of His discourse with Nicodemus, Jesus says in verse 19:
“and this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.”
This really gets to the very crux of the matter, the heart of it all. Men love the darkness rather than the light because their deeds are evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, this is the extent to which we are enslaved in bondage to and in love with sin. Everyone does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. It’s one of the things that many times we forget, once in a while it comes to our attention very quickly, and sometimes in a very abrupt manner. Conviction is a very powerful thing. It really is. Nothing brings conviction quite like the Holy One. the Lord Jesus said if I hadn't come, if I hadn't done these things, if I hadn't spoken in this world as I had, they wouldn't have this level of guilt. Jesus isn’t saying they would be guiltless, they wouldn't be sinners. He’s saying their level of guilt at this point has reached a new low, if you will. And it begins to manifest itself in an outward hatred and animosity, opposition to the Lord.
I don't know about you, but even then, as I think about that, I think, well, if a person's happy in their sin and they really don't want to hear about it, why not just, if they don't want to hear those things that convict them, why not just turn away from it? Why would they get so upset and so mad? Obviously, the very finger of God is on the human heart, in this kind of situation. But, I would also say this, there is an extent to which this hatred has no legitimacy even in terms of reason. Do you notice what Jesus says as you go down in John 15, I just read the 24th verse a few moments ago, verse 25, He says this:
“but they have done this in order that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their Law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’”
There's times when you just can't explain it. And the Lord speaks to this very specifically. Why does the world hate us? Because of our relationship to the Lord. Why does the world hate the Lord? Because of the Lord's holiness, because of His works and His words. It's amazing how people will pick and choose what they like about the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from repenting, apart from submitting to the gospel and coming to Christ, a person will avoid an awful lot of what the Lord taught, and did, and said; how He lived. but they’re certain little aspects of what He said and did that they’ll, pick out and lay hold of. Because, those other things that Jesus said can make a person apart from Christ very uncomfortable, and eventually very mad, very angry.
There's a third question I want to ask this morning and deal with. How is this hatred demonstrated? How is this hatred demonstrated? I think we can all agree that there are many times in many situations in which the demonstration of this hatred is very obvious. Especially when it's very severe, very open, in its most cruel manifestations. It's hard not to see it. But we also recognize that it manifests itself in many less obvious ways. There are ways that the world demonstrates their hatred for the Lord and for His people in simple ridicule, ostracizing His people, ignoring them, mocking them, doing what they can to marginalize them. But one thing about this hatred and that is that it can always be seen to be ultimately directed against the Lord Himself. And that’s where we need to be very careful. Sometimes we as Christians assume the way were being treated by the world is because of Christ when it's not. It may be because of other things. It may even be because of our own sin; for our own failures. But, what Jesus is speaking about here is a hatred that is demonstrated toward us because of our relationship to the Lord, because of who the Lord is.
In our close relationship to the Holy One, there are going to be instances where our simply walking in the light, as He is in the light, is going to stir up the world’s hatred. It is going to happen. It should not be something that we try to do. This is not something we should be attempting to stir up. As much as it is possible on our part, we’re told to be at peace with all men, right? We are not trying to stir this up, but there is a sense in which is going to be inevitable, especially if we’re faithful to the Lord. I remind you of the passage in Ephesians chapter 5, verse seven says:
“Therefore do not be partakers with them;”
He had just listed the things that are evidenced in those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. He says:
“do not be partakers with them;”
Verse eight:
“for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth) trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”
We are walking in the light. when we are walking as children of light, there are going to be times when that light is going to expose the darkness around us. And those who are walking in the darkness, who are enslaved in the darkness, at times are going to be made very uncomfortable. At times they are going to react very adversely. You recall in the instance of John the Baptist. John the Baptist had the gall to tell Herod that It's not lawful for him to have his brother’s wife. Now this didn’t make Herod or Herod’s brother’s wife, who was now his wife, very happy. And, eventually cost John his life. It's a good example of the extent. Why would these people hate John the Baptist? Why such hatred? He exposed their sin. John the Baptist was a good and righteous man, we’re told. They had no other reason to want to harm him, but that he exposed their sin.
One of the things that I think too sometimes confuses us is the fact that the world in many respects and in many places admirers a righteous life. Have you noticed that? many people, even apart from Christ admire a righteous life, and they’ll even say so. I've noticed this many times. But, at the very same time, to the extent that our personal pursuit of holiness begins to bring conviction, there will oftentimes be an intensifying hatred that begins to well up. You can admire someone's good life as people will put it. Well, that's a good person and I admire them for that. Until that person's pursuit of holiness as a child of the living God, begins to bring conviction. Real conviction, deep conviction, and all of a sudden that attitude changes. In many times we begin to see people for what they really are. Isn’t it a sad thing to notice this even in some of your closest loved ones, who do not know the Lord in your own close families? Some of you I'm sure have witnessed this. Many of you have unsaved family members. I've seen it in unsaved family members in their relationship to God's people at times. At least even from a distance I've seen it. It can be an awful thing. All of a sudden it's like you see a side of this person that you really don't want to believe exists. But it's there, it’s real. Jesus says the world has hated them and they have and they continue to do so.
Another question I want to answer this morning. Why do we need to be reminded of this reality? What's the point of the Lord saying this? Now, we know there's a pointer, He wouldn't say it, right? Jesus does not reveal this truth to His followers with no purpose in mind, He just sort of let it slip. That's not what happens here. The Lord is speaking to his followers very directly and very purposefully. He's very concerned for these men, and yet He reveals to them, ‘this is what's going to happen’. This is what you can expect. Why? it's obvious this was something Jesus very much wanted His followers to be alert to. We've noted this before, we’ve talked about it. Jesus is very much concerned for our spiritual well-being and stability. Our Lord as our good Shepherd cares for us so much. Nothing has quite so much potential for deep and unsettling discouragement as being the brunt of this world’s hatred. It can be very disheartening. And, especially when the evil one does all that he can to sort of isolate one of us, or even to make us feel isolated, maybe even though we are not. To make us feel alone in bearing the world’s hatred. The Lord knows that. He knows how painful that is. Jesus knew about this personally on a level none of us could ever experience. And so, the Lord prepares these men for this.
There are several passages I would like to bring to your attention in this respect. First one is in first Peter, first Peter chapter 4 in verse 12. Peter says this, and of course Peter himself, having been taught of the Lord, and then in his own life experience exactly what the Lord said he was going to experience. A lot of persecution, and eventually would the become a martyr for the Lord. Peter has much to say in this first epistle regarding suffering. Suffering and being persecuted for the sake of the Lord Jesus, enduring the world’s hatred. He says this in first Peter 4:12:
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you.”
and these people were experiencing real persecution. Severe persecution, insane persecution from the leader of Rome at this point in time. Things you can't even talk about, that kind of persecution, and Peter says:
“do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;”
This is the purpose. Here we have a glimpse into the Lord's love in His care for His own. Why do we need to be told about this? Why do we need to be warned about it? So we won’t be taken by surprise. So we won't when we face persecution and when we actually are in a position where we experience the world’s hatred, it doesn't unsettle us, as though something strange was happening to us. As though, what in the world? Why would God allow this to happen to me? Surely something must be very wrong. Something must be wrong in my relationship to the Lord. why would he allow this to happen? That's the idea here. Peter is saying, don't be surprised at this fiery ordeal, as though some strange thing were happening to you. Be ready for it, expect it. Jesus said something similar in the first verse of John chapter 16 in the upper room discourse, previously.
“These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling. 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.”
Imagine how disheartening it could be for the child of God, who is being put to death and sometimes in the most brutal manner by those who declare their doing so in obedience to God. It's happened hundreds of thousands of times. These words would be of such comfort in those moments. First Thessalonians chapter 3, in Paul's first letter to the saints who had come to Christ in the midst of much persecution, when Paul had been there. He says this in chapter 3, verse one, beginning with verse one.
“Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone; and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For indeed, when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.”
notice Paul implementing this same principle, same principle that the Lord implements with His disciples. We warned you. We kept telling you this is where the way it will be. I think one of this is one of those areas where so many, so many who are responsible for the shepherding of the Lord's sheep today are failing miserably. How many times are we warning people that this is what they ought to expect if they come to Christ? How many times is that part of the message of the gospel been included? James chapter 5, beginning with verse eight, he encourages the brethren. He says:
“You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”
Being prepared is crucial for us to respond properly to suffering, to suffering for the sake of the Lord Jesus. To enduring the world’s hatred and to endure it with the right attitude and the right response. What does Jesus say in Luke chapter 6 verse 27? Love those who hate you. I tell you without some kind of preparation, that's a pretty difficult thing to do. Jesus has warned us we’re to be on the alert, we’re going to suffer, we’re going to endure on some level or another, the hatred of the world, because of our love for Christ. And when that happens, we need to be prepared to love those who hate us. That is the opposite of our natural instincts isn’t it. Our natural links to instincts apart from Christ is you hate me, I'll hate you back, and maybe even worse. As the Lord prepares us for this, this onslaught of the world’s hatred, we should be prepared to love, to respond as we should. Not only to love those who hate us, but to not be unsettled, not to become completely undone, as though something is completely amiss and wrong. Something's all wrong here. This really isn't what it means to be a Christian. Yes, it is. Jesus said that's what it means. That's what is going to be like.
There was one last question that I want to answer this morning, and first of all I want to look at a couple of statements that are made, the first one is found again in Luke's gospel the six chapter. It's a statement that the Lord Jesus makes, Luke chapter 6 verse 22, and He says this:
“Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. be glad in that day, leap for joy.”
Peter says this in first Peter chapter 3 verse 14:
“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed”
So, I have a question at the end of our time here this morning. How can we be blessed by being hated? That seems really to be an odd thing, does it not? How can we be blessed by being hated? The Lord says we are blessed and we’re to be glad in that day and even to leap for joy. Probably not the response that the world would expect, but it's a response that the world has seen time and time and time again in God's people. How can this be? How can we be rejoicing? How can we be so blessed?
Several things I want to give to you in answer to this question. First of all, we can be blessed and even rejoicing in the fact that this is a confirmation of our genuine relationship to the Son of God; that I have been united with Christ. I belong to Him. This is an opportunity for that to be confirmed in a very unique way. Not the most pleasant way, but very real, extremely real. Again I go back to John 15 verses 18 and 19.
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 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, therefore the world hates you.”
That hatred confirms this fact that I belong to the King of kings. I don't care what the rulers of this world may do to me, I belong to the King of kings. To the ruler of all the heavens and the earth. I’m His, He's mine. This been joined with Christ is a very real thing. It comes with great implications, and wonderful realities. But, it also comes with testing. It comes with the promise of difficulty. Jesus had promised in the 14th chapter of John's gospel.
“In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you”
Testing, trials, and enduring the world’s hatred the same way the world hated Jesus confirms my relationship to Him. Paul puts it in this way, in Romans chapter 8 verse 16:
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.”
It's part of our heritage in Christ. It's part of our being chosen by Him, belonging to Him. Suffering confirms that in a unique way.
A second thing that I would say in answer to this question ‘how can we be blessed by being hated’, and that is we can enjoy the blessedness of following the Lord's example through the most difficult of circumstances, and that is a real blessing. We look at the Lord and we admire what Jesus did, do we not? We’re in awe of the way He endured the cross. But, when the world pours out that hatred on us, we have an opportunity to follow in His footsteps, do we not? I remind you of what Peter said in first Peter chapter 2, beginning with verse 19:
“For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”
Here we have an opportunity, a unique opportunity, to follow the Lord's example. To utter no threats, to not be unsettled, and to come apart in the face of suffering, but to look to the Lord. To watch the way he endured. He endured suffering like none of us ever will. How did he do it? He didn't get in an argument with those who were about to take His life, with those who were beating Him. He did not berate them, He didn't challenge them in regard to what they were doing. A terrible thing that they were doing, but He kept entrusting Himself. Peter says later on in chapter 4, the end of the chapter:
“Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”
There's an opportunity for us to be blessed greatly in the midst of suffering, and that is to learn how to follow the Lord's example, and to learn how to entrust ourselves to the father.
One third thing that I would say in answer to this question ‘how can we be blessed by being hated’, and it is by more fully sharing in the Lord suffering, in the Lord's comfort, and in the Lord's glory. Several passages I want to briefly share with you in this respect. First of all, in Philippians, in the book of Philippians, Paul looks at sufferings in a unique way. He says in chapter 3, and of course in that third chapter towards the beginning of the chapter, Paul is recounting all that he had apart from Christ in terms of position and prestige in this world in relation to men. But, he says:
“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
He says in verse seven, verse eight:
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
How can we be blessed by being hated? By being drawn into a closer fellowship with the one who suffered for us. Who endured the ultimate in suffering, and did so on our behalf. Notice what Paul says:
“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;”
What a privilege. What a blessing to be drawn into a closer fellowship with the One who suffered so much for me. But also, the Lord's comfort. Second Corinthians chapter 1 verse five says this:
“For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.”
You and I have a great privilege. We are greatly blessed and we endure sufferings for the sake of Christ. When we bear up in a way that honors the Lord under that world hatred, that hatred which is focused upon us simply because of our relationship to the Lord. This is a great privilege. We are able to experience the Lord's comfort in a very unique way. You and I both know that comfort doesn't mean quite the same, unless you're under a lot of stress. Unless you're in the midst of difficulty. If I come alongside you and offer you comfort and you're not going through anything difficult, it probably is not going to mean a whole lot. We can be blessed by being hated in the reality that we will share more fully through that suffering, through that hatred, in our Lord's suffering and in His comfort, but also in His glory. I go back to first Peter. Peter has a lot to say on the subject. First Peter chapter 4 verse 13 and 14; we read verse 12 earlier.
“Do not to be surprised at the fiery ordeal coming… as though some strange thing were happening”
But verse 13 says:
“But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”
It’s a marvelous thing, a marvelous thing. The world cannot understand that. You notice earlier on in the same fourth chapter of first Peter, Peter talks about the world's response. He says in verse three:
“For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excessive of dissipation,
They can't figure you out, what's happened? And then the next step:
“and they malign you”
There you see that hatred intensifying. And Peter says if this is actually what's taking place, if you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed. Rejoice in this fact that the spirit of glory and of God rests upon may not always feel that way in the moment, but this is the assurance were given. We can be blessed even while being hated. Peter says at the close of that great epistle, he says in the 10th verse of the fifth chapter:
“And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself”
Notice the personal attention, of the Lord,
“will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
How can we be blessed by being hated? We can anticipate the joy of the Lord in its fullness. The 13 verse in John 17 anticipates this:
“But now I come to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy made full in themselves.”
We can be blessed even by being hated, as we anticipate the joy of the Lord. You and I can actually share more closely in the fellowship of His sufferings, knowing the Lord more intimately and relying upon partaking of His comfort in looking ahead to His glory. Let’s bow together in prayer.
