“If The World Hates You” [Matt's Messages] ~ Matt Mitchell

“If The World Hates You”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

August 25, 2024 :: John 15:18-16:4

Jesus says that His disciples should expect to experience hostility.

In this passage of Scripture, Jesus tells His disciples, on the eve of His crucifixion, to be prepared to be hated. To be ready to be hated by the world.

The very first words in verse 18 are, “If the world hates you...”

So far, chapters 14 and 15 have been more about LOVE.

Jesus has been preparing His followers for His departure, and for the most part, He’s been giving them comfort. He’s told them that He’s going away to prepare a place for them. And He’s told them that He’s coming back for them. And He’s told them that He is their way to the Father and that through Him they know the Father.

Jesus has told them that they are going to do greater things because He’s going to the Father. He’s told them that He’s going to ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit (the Paraclete, the Advocate, the Alongsider, the Counselor) to be with them and in them forever. They are not alone.

And they are going to be loved! So loved! Loved by the Father, loved by the Son, loved by the Spirit, three in One. The Spirit reminding them of everything that the Son has taught them all along.

And giving them peace! And answering their prayers! And giving them life! And producing in them fruit like a vine to its branches.

Jesus has told them that they are His friends. That’s what we saw last time in the Gospel of John. Jesus has called you and me His friends! He has chosen us and appointed us. And He is going to die for us!

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (v.13)!

Love, love, love. And He says that we are called to love each other. The Vine wants the branches to love the other branches. How many times this evening has He said to them, “Love one another?”

We sang it last week at the end of the Malawi Team Report. “They will know that we are Christians by our love.”

It’s ringing out of verse 17, “This is my command. Love each other.”

“Love each other.”

But then in verse 18, He speaks of hate. “If the world hates you.” There’s a lot about hate in this next section, but notice that it all runs one way. It’s the world that does the hating. Jesus is preparing His disciples for the hate that is going to come their way very soon from the world.

And we should take note, because we can expect it, too.

Now, that doesn’t mean that all we can expect is hate from the world. There will be times of relative peace. Even in the book of Acts when this all first played out, there are times when the church experienced some favor in the eyes of the world.

But the general expectation is hostility. The world is not neutral about Christians because it is not neutral about Christ. And that’s the first and most important thing that Jesus wants His disciples to understand when they experience this hate. They are not alone. V.18

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”

By the way, the “world” here is the human system of the world. Sinful humanity united together, working together against God. Not the “world” as in the Earth. But the world system that Jesus came into and for but who rejected Him. Remember that from the very first chapter of John?

“[The Word] was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him...” (Jn. 1:10-11 NIVO).

If you experience hostility from the world, you are not the first. The world hated Jesus first. In fact, that’s why the world hates you. It’s not really about you. It’s about Him.

I have three points to summarize the teaching of this passage, and this is the first and biggest one.

If the world hates you...

#1. YOU ARE HATED WITH JESUS.

And that’s a good thing. It’s good because you’re not alone. Someone else has gone through this before you, and by the Spirit, is going through it with you even now. And it’s good because it means that you are doing it right.

I don’t know about you, but whenever the Christian life gets hard, I tend to think that I must be doing it wrong.

“Oh no, the world hates me. What am I doing wrong? What can I do to fix this?”

But Jesus tells us that this hate is going to flow towards us, and it’s not because we’re doing it wrong, but because we are connected to Him. Look at verse 19.

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

It’s not because you are doing it wrong, but because you are doing it right. You’re with the right One!

Because you belong to Jesus now, and the world hates Jesus, so it’s going to hate you.

Now, by the way, make sure that this IS the reason why the world hates you and because you act like a total idiot. Make sure that the world hates you because you act like Jesus! Make sure that you abide in Jesus and produce much fruit. We want the world to hate us because of our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

If the world hates you because you’re angry, unloving, contentious, impatient, rude, mean, and out of control, that’s not on Jesus. That’s on you. And cut it out! But if we are abiding, remaining, dwelling in Jesus, that will not safeguard us from the world’s hate. It will actually attract it.

The world will hate that you left it for Jesus. And so you will experience the hate it has for Jesus. We will not escape the hate. Why would we think we would? V.20

“Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' [John 13:16]. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”

What a number of Christians have experienced in America for the last two centuries has been an anomaly. There has been quite a bit of favor shown to Christians in our culture. And we can be grateful for that and steward it well whenever it comes our way. Daniel is example of a believer who, at times, was shown favor by the world. Great example for us.

But not the rule. The Apostle Paul said, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted...” (2 Tim. 3:12 NIVO).

Our Lord Jesus said that no servant (that’s us) is greater than His master (that’s Him). So if they persecuted Him [And they did! They killed Him on cross!], they will persecute us, too.

Notice, however, that He also says if they obeyed His teaching [And some of them did. They came over!], then they will obey ours as well. So that gives us hope that there will be times when the haters will change and become the lovers! But don’t think that you are above this.

Don’t think that you, as a follower of Jesus, can expect to be celebrated by the world as a follower of Jesus.

I think this is especially appropriate for Back To School Sunday. When all of these Christian students, teachers, administrators, helpers, aides, bus drivers, head back into various situations amongst the world. You will not always be celebrated for belonging to Jesus. You may very well experience hate.

Don’t take it personally. Verse 21 says, “They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.” It’s not really about you and me. It’s about Him. It’s about His name.

Remember, that’s where we find life. “...that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31).

And you will also have persecution in His name.

It’s about Jesus. And it’s about His Father. “...for they do not know the One who sent me.” In fact, they rejected Him. And so they will be judged. Verse 22.

“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.”

He doesn’t mean that they would have no sin whatsoever. We all have sin. He’s saying that if He had not come in the flesh, they would not have rejected Him in the flesh. But He did, and they did. And there was no excuse. They hated Him. And they hated His Father. Verse 23.

“He who hates me hates my Father as well.”

That’s really important. Some people say that they love God, but they just don’t believe in Jesus. But that’s not true. If you reject Jesus, you are rejecting His Father, as well.

Do you feel all the hate here? They hate the Son. They hate the Father. That’s why they hate you. Verse 24.

“If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason'” (vv.24-25).

Jesus is not surprised by this hate, and neither should we be. It was predicted a thousand years before He came on the scene. Jesus here is quoting Psalm 69.. A thousand years before Jesus was born, the Old Testament was predicting His suffering and death. And His persecution.

If you are hated by the world, don’t be surprised. You are in good company. You are hated WITH Jesus and His Father.

So what should you do if you find yourself hated by the world?

Don’t be surprised. Be grateful to be in good company. What else? What should you do if the world hates you?

Should you hate them back?

Should you fight fire with fire?

Should you whine and complain about being mistreated on social media?

Should you write your congressperson?

Should you make sure you vote for the candidates for public office that promise to give you the most protection for living out your Christian values the way you want to?

You can vote however your conscience directs you, but that’s not where Jesus goes here.

Jesus says that we need to testify.

If the world hates you...

#2. SPEAK UP FOR JESUS.

Look at verse 26. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit once again. Verse 26.

“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.”

Remember this? Jesus is going to ask the Father to send the Spirit to come alongside us and even be in us. The “Paraclete” or the “Advocate” or the “Counselor.” And the Father is going to do it. He’s going to pour out His Spirit at Pentecost. The Spirit is going to come, and...what’s He going to talk about? he Spirit is going to testify about the Son.

“About me” Jesus says.

The Holy Spirit loves to point the spotlight on Jesus! Whenever the Spirit shows up, Jesus gets glorified!

You see the Trinity here? God is Three Persons.

The Son sending the Spirit to the Disciples.

The Spirit going out from the Father (who has also sent the Son).

The Spirit testifying about the Son.

Three in One.

And when that Holy Spirit comes, what is the Church supposed to do?

We are supposed to testify, too. Verse 27.

“And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

The eleven remaining disciples had been with Jesus since the start, and when the Holy Spirit shows up, they are supposed to talk about Jesus and talk about Jesus and never stop talking about Jesus. Even if they start to be killed for talking about Jesus. Jesus is preparing them to die if they need to. And most of the men in that room will eventually die because they belonged to Jesus. And we need to be ready to die for Him, too.

And we need to speak up for Jesus even if they come at us with guns.

Now, that’s easy to say and hard to do. And we need to pray for wisdom and discernment about how and when and what we say. But we also need to be bold.

Because Jesus is worth it. He died for us, and we need to speak up for Him. We need to tell the world what we know about Him.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Nobody comes to the Father except through Him.

That’s not a popular thing to say to the world. But it’s true. And everybody needs to hear it.

Jesus is the Bread of Life.

Jesus is the Light of the World.

Jesus is the Gate for the sheep.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

Jesus is the True Vine.

We know the truth about Jesus, and we need to testify that truth to the world. And if they reject Jesus, that’s on them. But we need to speak up for Him, even if they hate us for it.

That’s hard to do. It’s easy for me to get up here on a Sunday with all of you smiling at me and say all these great things about Jesus. Everybody here nods at everything I say. I’m glad you do!

But they aren’t nodding at us out there in the world. They don’t want to hear what Jesus says.

They don’t want to do what Jesus says to do.

With their money.

With their bodies.

With their relationships.

With their words.

With their hearts.

And they are going to get mad when we tell them about Jesus.

But Jesus says (v.27), “You also must testify...”

You don’t do it on your own. The Holy Spirit is there testifying inside you and through you. He’ll provide the power! But you still have to step out in faith and speak up about Jesus. And not stop. Not run away. That’s the third and last point.

If the world hates you...

#3. DON’T FALL AWAY FROM JESUS.

Look at verse 1 of chapter 16.

“All this I have told you so that you will not go astray.”

The Greek word there means to not “stumble” or “trip up.” Jesus is telling the disciples how hard it will be, so that they do not bail on Him when the going gets rough. And it’s going to get rough! Look at verse 2.

“They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.”

That happened. Think about Stephen. He was telling people about Jesus, and the Jews picked up rocks to throw at him. And they threw enough rocks at him that he died. And there was a guy named Saul there who was holding the coats for the guys with the rocks. And they all said, “We are offering a service to God” by killing this man talking about Jesus.

And it happens today. Not so much in this country at this point, but lots of places around this world, Christians are killed in the service of many gods.

And, of course, it’s not just killed. Jesus says that they may be ostracized. Put out of the synagogue. How hard that would have been to accept! To get kicked out of the center of your community.

And that can happen to us, too. You might get dirty looks and snide comments. You might lose a job or be denied a promotion or a scholarship. You might not get an important sal or lose someone’s business. You might lose your spouse if they can’t stand you talking about Jesus. You might be ridiculed or accused of things you have not done to smear mud on your reputation.

Or you may be jailed or tortured or killed. Verse 3.

“They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. [Remember, it’s not you. It’s Jesus.] I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.”

They were safe while He was still there. But He’s going away, and the hate will come raining down. nd He wants them to be ready so that they don’t run away.

Jesus did not tell us all of this to scare us. He told us all of this so that we are ready and steady. So that we would remain! So that we would abide! So that we would continue to stay closely connected to Jesus, the Vine.

And not fall away when the going gets rough. Because He did not fall away. He was ready to go all the way to the Cross for you and me.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”

So we aren’t alone, we aren’t surprised, we aren’t scared.

And we don’t fall away, but instead we tell everyone what Jesus did for us.

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Messages in this Series