SUFFERING HATRED
Memorise: Jesus said unto them, if God were your Father, ye would
love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but
he sent me. John 8:42
Read: John 15:17-21, 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18 If the
world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye
were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember
the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If
they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my
saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But
all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know
not him that sent me.
Bible in one year: 1st Kings 19:19-21:16, Proverbs 19:19-20:3
MESSAGE
As the time of the departure of
Jesus began to draw near, He started talking to His disciples about the things
that will befall them the moment when he would depart, so that they would not
be caught unawares. These series of talks are generally referred to as the
‘farewell discourse’. The Bible reading for today is one of the farewell discourses,
it points to the fact that the disciples would suffer hatred. John 15:20 says:
“Remember
the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. if
they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my
saying, they will keep yours also.”
Jesus said, if the world
persecuted Him, then the disciples should expect a similar treatment in the
hands of the people.
Jesus told them that He was telling them ahead of time so
that when these things began to happen, they would not be caught unawares.
Jesus wanted His disciples to be fully ready for any eventuality. What is the
nature of the hatred that Jesus suffered in the hands of the people of the
world? He was defamed, misrepresented, rejected unfairly, forsaken by friends
and relatives, harassed, beaten, assaulted, abused, crucified and murdered.
Jesus went further in John 15:21 to say:
“But all
these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not
him that sent me.”
The prophecy is not limited to
the twelve apostles or those that were physically present with Him at that
time. Jesus explained that this would be the fate of all that come after Him
and live as true disciples. That the Church and people of God are presently
operating under various kinds of attacks and persecution in many regions of the
world is not news any longer. Christians are presently suffering untold
hardships, insecurity, harassments, brutality, assaults, and murder. In fact,
Jesus told the disciples that a time is coming that a person that kills a
Christian would suppose that he is doing God a favour.
However, the Bible says we should
count it all joy when we are faced with diverse temptations and persecutions,
knowing that enough such challenges, we become exercised, our spiritual muscles
get toughened and built-up.
Prayer Point
Father, please give me the grace to remain adherent to You no matter
what the devil throws my way.
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