“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning (John 15:18-27, ESV).
Introduction
Jesus said, “They hated me; they will hate you.” There are horrific events in life that you will never forget, including the moment you heard the news about the attack on the World Trade Center. I was in fourth grade when I learned that Islamic terrorists flew two planes into the Twin Towers, killing thousands of people. I heard the news from my wife about Donald Trump being shot in the ear in Butler, Pennsylvania. I had just finished my day at my part-time employment when my wife told me in tears that Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck. This one hit close to me. He was 31 years old, and I am 33 years old. In fact, my sister is his age. Kirk was shot over his views on the Bible, politics, and common sense. I am a pastor of a small church in a city. Church shootings happen all the time because of what the Scriptures say about the sin of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle and the need for repentance.
What Jesus Showed About Hatred
Why does the world, our world, hate the truth of the Bible? Why do they hate that there absolute truth exists, salvation is only through repentance and faith in Jesus, and that sin is sin? They cannot stand to hear the truth because it destroys the lies they use to try to suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Their dark hearts are exposed by the light of God. This is the reason they killed Jesus. He claimed to be God, He said that everyone else is a sinner in need of grace, and that if they did not repent, they would go to Hell. And then He proved the validity of His claims by doing divine miracles of mercy. This angered the religious so much that they sought to put Him to death by a Roman cross.
What Jesus Said About Hatred
Before Jesus died, He said that he would be crucified and rise from the dead three days later. He also said if they crucified Him, His followers should expect the same treatment. Nearly all of the original disciples died in persecution through violent, torturous deaths. John was the only disciple to survive terrible persecution and die of old age in poverty. Yet we know that Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is God, and we know that His people will also rise from the dead to glory. No one is going to die for a lie that they know is a lie. They were willing to risk death because they knew the truth.
The Blessing of Hatred
Therefore, persecution for loving Jesus shows several things. It shows that people who are persecuted out of hatred for Jesus truly belong to Jesus. Second, it shows that the truth is real. If someone kills you because you offended them, they know you are telling the truth, and they cannot silence you any other way. Therefore, your faithfulness in suffering will prove to others that the gospel is true. Third, you know you will receive the blessing of the prophets who died for the truth. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). True believers will receive the inheritance of Christ and rule with Him in the New Heavens and New Earth.
Conclusion
Violence toward someone you love and respect can cause hatred to rise in your hearts. It should make us righteously angry that one of God’s children was murdered. However, let us not sin in our anger and avenge ourselves. Paul said, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19). Instead, we should pray for our enemies and those who persecute us. God may bring them to repentance and save many. It is also not wrong to pray for swift justice. Under the law, taking a life still demands your own life be forfeit. Jesus pays the Christian’s fine to be made right with God, however, we all still have to deal with the earthly consequences’
Please pray for Mr. Kirk’s family as they are having to deal with losing a husband and a father who loved God.
The Gospel
Are you morally perfect? How many lies have you told in your life? Plenty? That makes you a liar. Have you ever stolen anything, regardless of its value? That makes you a thief. The reality is God sees our hatred as murder, lust as adultery, lies as an attack on His character, and dishonoring your parents as insulting Him. You stand guilty before a holy God. There is nothing you can do to save yourself. That is a terrible thing because of the reality of Hell.
Since we can’t get to heaven because of our lack of goodness, we need to be accredited with goodness from someone else. This is where Jesus comes in. He is fully God and fully man; one person with two natures. Here is the gospel put in a nutshell.
God loved us so much that Jesus died in our place, taking the punishment for the sins of all who would repent and trust in Him. He paid for the sins of believers in full. There is no more wrath for God to pour out on believers. Jesus paid it all.
God calls all people everywhere to repent and trust in Jesus (Acts 17). What do these terms mean? It means that all people must turn from sin to God. People who repent acknowledge their sin, mourn over sin, desire to submit to God, and hunger to be made right with God. That is repentance. Faith is trusting in Jesus’ person and work on the cross to save you from sin.
More From Striving for Eternity
If you want more information on studying the Bible and how to interpret it correctly, check out the store section at strivingforeternity.org/store. There are tons of resources to help you get started on your journey to interpreting the Bible better. Also, invite Andrew Rappaport and Aaron M. Brewster to come to your church and teach you biblical interpretation with their Biblical Interpretation Made Easy Seminar. Andrew Rappaport, Aaron M. Brewster, and other guests on Apologetics live would also enjoy answering your questions on the live show on Thursdays from 7pm–9pm CST with the link to the stream yard at strivingforeternity.org/apologeticslive. Lord bless you and strive to make today and eternal day for Christ Jesus.
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