Loved By God, Hated by Man

Well, I have the privilege this morning of preaching, and as you all know, I like to move around a little bit, so I end up standing here in front.

We will continue this morning in the book of John.

The last time that Jonathan preached on the book of John, it was in John 15, the first part of John 15.

And this morning we will pick up mid-wage in verse 17 in John chapter 15.

John 15 · chapter mention

And in honor of God's Word, I would ask if you would, if you're able, if you would please stand as we read His Word this morning.

I'll read, if you would, if you have your Scriptures in hand, if you would follow along as I read for us this morning.

Starting in verse 17, chapter 15.

These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you.

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.

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.

But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know Him who sent me.

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.

Whoever hates me hates my Father also.

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.

But the word that is written in their law must be fulfilled.

They hated me without a cause.

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.

And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.

They will put you out of the synagogues.

Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think that he is offering service to God.

And they will do these things because they have not known the Father nor me.

But I have said these things to you that when their hour comes,

you may remember that I told them to you.

Let's pray.

Father, open our mind that we might understand your word this morning.

Open our ears that we might hear it and move our hearts to desire you.

Fill us with a desire to honor and serve you.

I pray in Christ's name.

Amen.

And you have a seat.

In the 1930s, in the country of Russia,

the Bolsheviks came to power in 1917 and following.

And the Bolsheviks persecuted Christians, even killing them.

There was a man, a particular man, that in his village, his brother had been killed by the Bolsheviks.

And he, out of fear of being killed himself as a Russian Orthodox,

he fled into the Siberian wilderness with his family, his wife and his two children.

And they went deep, deep into the Siberian wilderness and lived there for the next 42 years,

not coming back to where the place where they had left.

They were themselves, their family were in the wilderness for this incredible time frame.

On the edge of starvation continually.

Very, very difficult for them to exist in this place way out in the wilderness.

They had taken a couple of kettles to cook with.

They had taken a cup full of seeds to be able to plant with.

And they had taken the shoes on their feet and they had fled.

And the world would not even have known they had gone there.

With the exception of this is that because of the exploration of iron ore,

the Russian government had sent geologists into this Siberian wilderness

to explore to see what natural resources were there.

Prior to the exploration of a helicopter had flown over,

and this is in the 1970s, had flown over this area in Siberia

and spotted this area that couldn't be explained.

It was an area where the trees had been leveled.

It was an area where they saw rows that appeared to be crops or plants

that had been planted.

In this place, it was 150 miles from nowhere, from any civilization.

And so they had told the geologist about this spot,

and the geologist had come up and they began to place gifts in the clearing

in this area where a cabin was visible and they had cleared

and they had planted crops.

They placed gifts as a way to let them know that they were there.

They didn't want to scare them off.

They wanted to somehow engage this family that they had not met,

did not know were there, did not know where they were from.

Finally, the family chose one of the gifts.

It was salt.

You can imagine in that setting to have salt would be a blessing and a gift.

And gradually, they began to engage with this family that was there.

And finally, they met the father of this family who, by that time, was in his 70s.

And when they got there, the father invited them into this very rustic,

dirt floor cabin that had been built by this family that had stood for 40-plus years.

They walk in and two daughters that were there when they saw these geologists,

they ran and hid.

Now, these two daughters had never seen the world that their father and mother came from.

They were born in the wilderness.

And all they had ever known was one family

and the difficulty of trying to survive in the Siberian wilderness.

When these people came in, they were in great fear.

They did not even know another world existed.

They had never seen it.

To them, it was a story that they heard, but they didn't really know existed.

It was a world they had no idea there was such a thing as cars

and planes and roads and light and grocery stores and gas stations.

They never knew it even existed.

This morning, as we look at our text,

we're going to see that there's two worlds spoken of in this text.

If we look with me at verse 19, I want to show you

what John is trying to reveal here.

Christ speaks and he says,

if the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you.

He's referring to this world,

and you see the divide between these two worlds.

This world that Christ has come into,

this world that hates Christ.

Notice what he says.

If you were of this world,

the world would love you as its own.

But because you are not of this world,

but I chose you out of the world,

therefore the world hates you.

Do you see the two worlds?

It's this world that all of us are born into.

Now this is something that we've read much about,

we've heard preached on often,

but I want to remind us what that world is,

this world that we've been born into.

You know, all of us were born into sin, right?

We're born in Adam,

is a phrase we've heard often,

into this kingdom of darkness.

Physically speaking,

all of us are born in sin.

Spiritually speaking,

we're born separated from God, right?

We're born as enemies to God

because we're born in sin.

Look with me,

or don't turn there,

I'll just read a couple of verses here

that talk about this dark world,

this dark kingdom,

this world that Christ is referring to

that hates him

and hates believers.

In 1 John,

it talks about it this way,

do not love the world,

this is John,

the same author speaking,

do not love the world

or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world,

the love of the Father is not in him.

You see the vast divide here?

For those who love this world,

by definition,

don't love the Father

because there's such a divide

between the two.

The values of this world

and the values of the Father

are infinitely far apart.

I continue here.

If anyone loves the world,

the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world,

the desires of the flesh

and the desires of the eyes

and the pride of life

is not from the Father,

but is of the world.

You hear what he says?

The lust of the eyes,

the lust of the flesh

and the boastful pride of life.

It's a focus on self.

It's a fleshly living.

You know, that's the way

that we were born.

We were born self-focused.

We were born as those

who live for self.

That's what's declared in the Word.

Remember in Romans 3.23,

all have sinned and do what?

We all fall short

of the glory of God.

Hear what James says

in his general epistle.

Here's how he says it.

He says,

Friendship with the world,

and I'll start at the sentence.

Do you not know

that friendship with the world

is enmity with God?

Therefore,

whoever wishes to be

a friend of the world

makes himself the enemy of God.

You hear it?

If we're part of this world

and the system of this world,

by definition,

we're enemies to God.

Those who long

to be a part of this world,

who long to walk

by the course of this world,

we're enemies to God.

In 2 Corinthians,

we get a picture.

Paul is talking

to the Corinthian church

and he's talking

about this same concept,

this worldly system.

You know, when I say world,

I'm not talking about the planet.

I'm not talking about

parts or other countries,

parts of the world.

We're talking about a system.

We're talking about

a way of thinking.

A way of living.

This living

in this dark kingdom.

This separation from God.

Listen to what Paul says

to the Corinthians.

He says,

in their case,

that is the case of those

who are not in the kingdom,

the case of those

who are not Christians

whose life hadn't been changed

by the touch of God.

Here's what he said.

In their case,

the God of this world

has blinded the minds

of the unbelievers

to keep them from seeing

the light of the gospel

of the glory of Christ.

Think about it.

There is a God of this world.

Who is he?

Satan.

Do you know that

when we were born

into this world,

that we were subject

to the God of this world,

we were subject to Satan?

Do you know that

the way we lived

honored Satan

and dishonored God?

That the way we live,

the desires of our flesh,

dishonored God

and we all walked in it.

That's the way we used to live

before we came into the kingdom,

before we were born again,

before we became Christians

by the work of God.

Notice what it says.

The God of this world

has done what?

He has blinded the mind

of unbelievers.

Why?

To keep them from seeing

the light of the gospel

of the glory of Christ

who is the image of God.

The enemy hates everything

to do with the kingdom of God.

Satan hates everything

to do with God

and anything that honors God.

Paul talked to the Christians

in Ephesus

and he shared with them

about who they used to be.

And you know this is true

for all of us.

We all used to be like this.

What Paul says to the Christians

in Ephesus.

He says this,

past tense.

And if we,

for those of us here

that have been born again,

this is true for us

in a past tense way.

That we used to also live like this.

Listen.

It says,

but you were dead

in the trespasses and sins

in which you once walked.

Following the course of this world.

Let me stop there for a second.

Do you know that we used to

follow the course of this world?

We used to live in a way

that the world lives

in a system

that the enemy controls?

Do y'all believe that?

Do y'all recognize

the depravity

that we walked in

the way we used to live?

You once walked

following the course

of this world,

following the prince

of the power of air,

the spirit that is now at work

in the sons of disobedience.

Listen.

Listen.

We once walked

in the course of this world.

We once followed

the prince of the power

of the air.

Who is that?

It's the God of this world.

It's Satan.

Do you realize that

even though we didn't

cognitively know it,

we were walking

in the ways of Satan?

We were walking

in the ways of this world.

We were walking

in darkness.

Back to John 15.

I want us to see

that God has done something.

Christ has done something.

Sorry.

Christ has done something

amazing here.

And in verse 19,

he declares it.

He's speaking to his disciples

and he says this to them.

He says,

if you were of this world,

the world would love you.

But you're no longer

of this world.

Something had happened

in their life.

And what was it?

We see it in verse 19.

He says,

I chose you out of the world.

God chose him out of the world.

Brothers and sisters,

you realize that

for those of us

who have been born again,

we've been delivered

from this world.

This world,

you know,

when we were first born,

we didn't know

that there was another world.

We didn't understand

that there was a spiritual world.

We didn't even understand,

at least for me,

and I think you would probably

say the same,

is we didn't realize

that the way we were living

was in absolute opposition to God.

It's as if we didn't even know

that world existed

until God opened our eyes, right?

It says,

the God of this world

had blinded the mind

of unbelievers.

We did not even realize

we were enemies of God

until God showed us our sin.

The beauty of what he did

is spoken of by Paul

in Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

And it says this.

It says,

He has delivered us

from the dominion of darkness

and has transferred us

into the kingdom

of his dear son.

These two worlds

that are far apart,

this world of darkness

and this world of light,

this world of Satan

and his rule

and this world of Christ

and his rule

is so drastically different.

And what God has done

for these 12

and what he's done

for you and me

is he's called us

out of this world of darkness

and he's translated us

into the kingdom

of his dear son,

the kingdom of light.

He's taken our heart of stone

and he's given us

a new heart,

a desire to live for him.

Ephesians also

talks about this too.

It says this.

For at one time

you were darkness,

but now

you are light

in the Lord.

At one time

you were darkness,

you were living in darkness,

serving the enemy,

but now

you are children of light

and he calls for us

to walk

in this way,

this walk

as children of light

to change the way

we live.

It's interesting here

where we are

in the last week

of the life of Christ.

As Christ is heading

toward the cross

and very soon

in the text

he will be arrested

and he will be taken

to the cross

and he will die

as a criminal

hung on a cross.

But notice what he does

for the sake

of the apostles.

He is mentioned

to them prior

back in chapter 13

he says,

a new commandment

I give you

and that commandment

is to love

one another.

You know what

Peter says

in this encounter

in chapter 13?

He says,

I'm willing to die

for you.

I love you.

I'm even willing

to die

on behalf

of the kingdom.

And you know what

Christ says to him?

He says,

Peter,

even this very night

the cock will not crow

three times before you

I mean twice

before you have denied me

three times.

Left to ourselves

in our own ability

notice what tends to happen

is that we fall away.

We're not able

to love him

in the way

that he's calling us

to love him.

Love one another

with this new power

that is the power

of the Holy Spirit.

Notice what he said

to Peter.

Peter,

even this night

though you desire

to love me

you're not able

in and of yourself.

That's why I'm sending

a helper

the Holy Spirit.

And we see

he says

the helper

the Holy Spirit

whom the Father

will send in my name

he will teach you

of all these things.

Teach you

what it's like

to live.

He will empower you

to be faithful

as witnesses.

So as we

as we come

to chapter 15

what Jonathan

preached about

two weeks ago

here's what Christ

says to them

he says to

abide in me.

Abide in me.

Why?

In order that

you might produce fruit.

You know

the call of God

for you and I

is to

abide in him

is to live for him

is not to

be drawn back

into the kingdom

of this world

to live for that kingdom

but to live for him

to honor him

and to abide in him.

So looking at

verse 17

I want us to see

the relationship

between abiding

and love.

So the call is

in verse 17

is this

these things I command you

so that you will love

one another.

What things?

What things are you commanding?

He's saying

abide in me.

Abide in me

and live this life

of abiding

in order that

fruit might be produced

through your life

because there's

coming a time

he would say

there's coming a time

when the world

is going to hate you

just like it hated me.

He's telling them

before it happens

he says listen

if the world hated me

the world's going to hate you

because you're no longer

you're no longer

of the world

you're no longer

part of their system

you've been changed

fundamentally

you're a different person now

because I've chosen you

out of the world

and I've chosen you

out of the world

and I've also given you

a helper

that is the Holy Spirit

who will be in you

he will live

in you

he says

but let

I want you to know

that this is coming

that the world

is going to hate you

when you begin

to live for me

and serve me

the world is going to hate you

not only is it going to hate you

it's going to persecute you

Christ says in

verse 20

if they persecuted me

they will also persecute you

be aware

disciples

be aware

apostles

that

suffering

is coming

here's what I want to share

with you and I

do you think

this would be true

for you and I as well

so church

we used to live

in this world

that was ruled

by Satan

and by the grace

of God

he's delivered us

out of that world

he's translated

into his kingdom

he's changed us

from the inside out

he's given us

a new heart

and he's given us

this call

to live for him

this call

to abide

in him

in order

that love

might spill

out of us

did you catch that

these things

I command you

what do you command us

Christ

command you

to abide

and to produce fruit

fruit is the result

of abiding

why

so that you will

love one another

the call of God

in your my life

is to love one another

in our own strength

we're not able

but because we've been

transformed

and the Holy Spirit

has been given to us

church

now we're able

to live this life

of abiding

and the love of God

would spill out of us

to touch the world

here's the expectation

for you and I

certainly was the expectation

for the apostles

in that day

that they would be hated

that they would be persecuted

and in chapter 16

they would be rejected

and they would be killed

verse 16

verse

chapter 16

verse 2

they will put you

out of the synagogue

indeed the hour is coming

when they will kill you

excuse me

whoever kills you

will think that he is

offering service to God

what Christ I believe

is sharing with the apostles

is this

is there's coming a day

now that you are

no longer a part

of the world system

now that you have been

transformed by my work

in your life

that the world is going

to hate you

and be against you

you can expect

to be persecuted

you can expect

to suffer

you can expect

that they're going

to reject you

even perhaps

they're going to kill you

and we know

for the apostles

that 11 out of the 12

were martyr

for the faith

now here's the question

for us

do we think

that that's the same

for us

do we think

that we're going

to suffer

because we're Christians

that we're going

to be persecuted

in some way

you know

in certain parts

of the world

that persecution

might be

that we would

have to die

that we would

be put to death

certainly in Somalia

and Pakistan

and other countries

that is still true today

in China

for those who live

they have to be

a part of the church

underground

for fear that

they'll be arrested

and jailed

for us

is it true

that if we really

genuinely stand

for Christ

we really seek him

and we stand

for what's true

might we also

be persecuted

probably not

put to death

but certainly

ostracized

certainly laughed at

certainly not

a part of

what the world

is doing

whatever form

that suffering

might take

are we willing

to walk that road

are we willing

to be faithful

to him

in the midst

of the persecution

notice in 16

1 it says this

I have said

these things

to you

to keep you

from falling away

what was the result

what happened

to the apostles

after Christ

was arrested

do y'all remember

what the scripture

says

they scattered

didn't they

you know

what he said

to them

is he said

I want you

to go

he came back

and he showed

himself again

for 40 days

after he ascended

I'm excuse me

after he resurrected

and he said

I want you

to go to Jerusalem

and I want you

to wait

wait for what

wait for the power

of the Holy Spirit

you know

when Pentecost

happened

and the power

of God

the power

of the Holy Spirit

came and

rested on them

and ultimately

in the new covenant

dwelt within them

they were different

men right

these same men

that fled

when Christ

was arrested

these same men

began to stand

and proclaim

the gospel

with power

in the face

of those

that is the

Jewish nation

the Jewish leaders

who had already

threatened them

that they were

going to lock

them up

or even

kill them

if they didn't

quit preaching

this message

of the gospel

that same message

these same people

after the power

of the Holy Spirit

had come upon them

began to be bold

and began to be

a witness for Christ

Acts 1.8

says this

it says

he tells them

to go to Jerusalem

and he said

that there's coming

a time

when the power

of the Holy Spirit

will come upon you

and you will be

my witnesses

in Jerusalem

Judea

Samaria

and to the

uttermost parts

of the world

brothers and sisters

you know that

that same thing

is true for us

that the Holy Spirit

has come

and he has called

us to be witnesses

he's called us

to live

differently

to love

and to

be bold

in speaking

the truth

of the gospel

are we willing

to do it

do you still

do you feel

like that

that

that there's

a difference

between us

that is the church

and the

the way that

the world operates

do you see

the divide

do you feel

that it's increasing

in the U.S.

even now

there seems

to be a separation

is it

difficult

to be faithful

to Christ

in our walk

I think more so

now

than ever before

I think about

kids in high school

and how much

more difficult

it is

to stand

for Christ

nowadays

to be faithful

in the way

we live

it's more difficult

now than it has

been

in the U.S.

and the call

for each of us

is to faithfully

live for him

even though

we might be

in some way

persecuted

pray with me

Father

I pray that you

would give us

courage

to be faithful

in our walk

I pray that you

would help us

to be bold

to speak the truth

to be witnesses

for you

in the midst

of a world

that's

in opposition

to you

those who are

not Christians

those who don't

know you

and the

need they have

for the truth

of your word

God give us

boldness

to share

your word

with all

that we come

in contact with

Father

give us doors

of opportunity

I pray that you

would strengthen us

and encourage us

in Christ's name

Amen