#1526 John 15 Part 3 Hated

 

18 “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 its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the 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. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 But this happened to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without cause.’

26 “When the Advocate 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 will bear witness also, because you have been with Me from the beginning. John 15: 18-27 LSB

John  15: 18-27

If the world hates you - This goes back to the denying of self. It is inherent in all of us to either be accepted or at least left alone, but God is calling us to witness to a hostile world. Why did they hate Jesus? He came convicting the world of sin, calling men to repent. Those that thought they had dealt with this in their religious system hated being told that they missed the whole point, that their works weren't acceptable, that they would depend on His works, and that He would have to be made a sacrifice for their sin. Telling people who think they're good that they are not is His crime. 

2. Their confederacy and combination; these numerous hosts are embodied, and are as one, Ps. 83:5. Jews and Gentiles, that could agree in nothing else, agreed to persecute Christ's minister.

3. Their spirit and disposition; they are men of the world (Ps. 17:13, 14), wholly devoted to this world and the things of it, and never thinking of another world. The people of God, though they are taught to hate the sins of sinners, yet not their persons, but to love and do good to all men. A malicious, spiteful, envious spirit, is not the spirit of Christ, but of the world. - Matthew Henry

…13Arise, O LORD, confront them! Bring them to their knees; deliver me from the wicked by Your sword, 14from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children. 15As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.… Psalm 17: 13-15

V. 19 But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you - Pretty simple, I always tell people when they ask me what it's like where I work, I say, "it's Babylon". The world is always asking you to accept things that God says are wrong, even things that logic, reason, science, will tell them that they are wrong about, some things they don't even believe when they sit down and think about it rationally. They won't buck the world's system though, like I have said before, they are weather vanes, pointing whichever way the wind of the culture is directing them. It's not for me to hate them though, but to tell them the truth and understand that they aren't going to like it, very few will respond in a positive manner, but love tells the truth, again we are confronted with the idea of self denial. If you think about Daniel, he was the best man in Babylon, the wisest, and the man with the most integrity, but he had haters. They can't go after him in a normal fashion, say that he is not doing a good job, that would only point out that he is doing a superior job to theirs. He doesn't steal from the boss, doesn't lie, all things that they have no issue with doing themselves, so how do you go after Daniel? You have to make something good evil, you have to make a law that goes against God and then accuse him for not following that law. If you are not found disagreeable to the world, then you either live in a bubble or you are so much like them that they can't tell. 

…11Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul. 12 Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us. 13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,… 1 Peter 2: 11-13

…12And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 13All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own.… Hebrews 11: 12-14

Daniel always prayed to God three times every day. Three times every day, he bowed down on his knees to pray and praise God. Even though Daniel heard about the new law, he still went to his house to pray. He went up to the upper room of his house and opened the windows that faced toward Jerusalem. Then Daniel bowed down on his knees and prayed just as he always had done.

11 Then the supervisors and satraps went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and talked to him about the law he had made. They said, “King Darius, you signed a law that says, for the next 30 days anyone who prays to any god or man except you, the king, would be thrown into the lions’ den. You did sign that law, didn’t you?”

The king answered, “Yes, I signed that law, and the laws of the Medes and Persians cannot be canceled or changed.”

13 Then they said to the king, “That man Daniel is not paying any attention to you. He is one of the captives from Judah, and he is not paying attention to the law you signed. Daniel still prays to his God three times every day.”

14 The king became very sad and upset when he heard this. He decided to save Daniel. He worked until sunset trying to think of a way to save him. 15 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, “Remember, King, that the law of the Medes and Persians says that no law or command signed by the king can ever be canceled or changed.”

16 So King Darius gave the order. They brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. Daniel 6: 10-16

V. 20 A slave is not greater than his master - In this case Jesus is the Master, and He is going to be sent to the cross by both the Jews and Rome, the ruling gentile power of the time. I have known a lot of pastors, people in "ministry", who thought, "I am an extrovert, I love people, gatherings, potlucks, making people laugh, making people feel good about themselves, giving advice, telling jokes, going to meetings, sitting on boards. I am a good public speaker and like to dress for success, a people pleaser." None of those things are qualifiers, none of those things reflect the call that we see here. In fact, some love being liked so much that it becomes evident that they were never called. If they could only afford to pay you 50 thousand a year, and so in order to live in that area you would have to get a second job, do you still feel called? If there are factions there and some of the more antinomian, feels people voted for a different pastor than you, but got you instead, are you going to cower or are you going to let the word of God roar from the pulpit? Do you still "feel" called? If they hated Jesus and He is your Lord, as slave implies, and the message your to carry is that, that Jesus is Lord, and one day every knee will bow and confess that, but you need to repent now while it's still today, then I'm sorry, but not everyone is going to like you. Now brace yourself, some are even going to hate you, maybe want to put you in jail or even kill you, but you're not better than Jesus, and this is what He was called to and your His servant.

…10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.… Matthew 5: 10-12

V.22 But now they have no excuse for their sin - Jesus backed up His words with miracles before the people there, but they didn't believe what He said even though they believed what they saw Him do. It goes still deeper, because God, Who had given their fathers the law, the warning through the prophets, had also promised a Savior, the Messiah, the Seed of the woman, and here He is, fulfilling all things, everyone is without excuse. Everyone chooses sin, that is all that free will is good for, the sin of believing in your works, the sin of making another god, another Christ, or of saying I love my immorality and so I am going to call it good and you a bigot for saying it's sin. 

First, His words were such as merited their love (v. 22): "If I had not spoken unto them, to court their love, they had not had sin, their opposition had not amounted to a hatred of me, their sin had been comparatively no sin. But now that I have said so much to them to recommend myself to their best affections they have no pretence, no excuse for their sin." Observe here,1. The advantage which those have that enjoy the gospel; Christ in it comes and speaks to them; he spoke in person to the men of that generation, and is still speaking to us by our Bibles and ministers, and as one that has the most unquestionable authority over us, and affection for us. Every word of his is pure, carries with it a commanding majesty, and yet a condescending tenderness, able, one would think, to charm the deafest adder.

2. The excuse which those have that enjoy not the gospel: "If I had not spoken to them, if they had ever heard of Christ and of salvation by him, they had not had sin."(1.) Not this kind of sin. They had not been chargeable with a contempt of Christ if he had not come and made a tender of his grace to them. As sin is not imputed where there is no law, so unbelief is not imputed where there is no gospel; and, where it is imputed, it is thus far the only damning sin, that, being a sin against the remedy, other sin would not damn if the guilt of them were not bound on with this.

(2.) Not such a degree of sin. If they had not had the gospel among them, their other sins had not been so bad; for the times of ignorance God winked at, Lu. 12:47, 48. - Matthew Henry

V. 23 He who hates Me, hates My Father also - There is no separating the two. God the Father has provided one clear way to be made right with Him, to enter into communion, be adopted even as His children, and that is in His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus. 

…43Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!… John 8: 43-45

V. 25 But this happened to fulfill the word written in their law - They hated Him without cause, without legitimate reason, for He had done them no wrong. 

…3I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. 4Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me— my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay. 5You know my folly, O God, and my guilt is not hidden from You.… Psalm 69: 3-5

V. 26 He will bear witness about Me - This is the Holy Spirit, this is the work He does.

…31God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” 33When the Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved to put the apostles to death.… Acts 5: 31-33