John 15.18-16.4 Hated for Jesus or Just Hated

  • Sam Ford
  • Apr 6, 2008
  • Series: Gospel According to John

John 15.18-16.4 - Hated for Jesus or Just Hated

April 6, 2008

Sam Ford

 

Christian Comedy Central

I make it a practice to turn on some of the various "Christian" television stations.  Usually I do this when I'm feeling down because it amounts to something like Christian Comedy Central. I'm going to generalize a lot here, but not really, if you take a minute to turn it on, usually you'll see a group of people all with microphones, crammed on a stage singing repetitive songs a with a tremendous amount of passion not to be outdone by their equally impressive jewelry and clothes.  In fact, I watched it just last night and saw

  • A man screaming that, "God is getting ready to bless you...we declare war on the devil"
  • A crowd of people agreeing with everything he said with much enthusiasm
  • A scrolling words telling me to sow my seed...over and over and over again
  • Some really ornate chairs and pillars and stain glassed...
  • And of course, a woman dressed in something that looked like the princess dress my daughter wears who looks like she went into a paintball fight with

 

As I watched, I got more and more ticked...as well known false teacher Kenneth Hagan came on and prophesized or prayed that, "This is the season....that's why I want you to go to the phone right now.  God wants to send "NOW" prosperity.  You begin it by sowing  seed....it starts with a seed.  In 2008, this is the year of 8 - the number of great abundance. You may have to look for it, perhaps you have a Savings account.  Maybe you want to send 10K, but perhaps you can do just a 1,000....And I couldn't help but think, at what point did this become representative of Christianity-who allowed these guys to hijack it?  

 

Is my example any better?

In today's passage, Jesus talks about how his followers are going to be hated.  And, when I watch these people on TBN, I can see why someone might think hateful thoughts towards us.  Then I thought about what how people, Christian or not, might view my own life.  I wonder what generally how the people of Marysville think about Christians and all the "churchy" things we do?  Our church was on the front page of the Herald last week but I guarantee you there was another paper in America somewhere with a different article about church.  Perhaps it was the one:

  • Detailing what candidate the evangelicals will vote for
  • Describing the anti-gay marriage rally
  • Talking about the church who swallows up residential homes to grow their campus

 

How do people view us?  Am I hated for Jesus or am I just hated...and should I care?

 

READ TEXT John 15.18-16.4

 

HATED by the WORLD

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

 

What is the world?

Jesus begins here by saying that the world is going to hate us.  We'll need to unpack that a bit so we understand exactly WHO is hating us and WHY.  The term "world" is used in the Scripture several different ways.  It can mean (1) the literal created world-he created the world (2) a large number of people representing all tribes and all tongues (3) the world as characterized by its disobedience and rebellion to God.   When he says WORLD here, I believe he is talking about those people who are not Christian.

 

How does Jesus feel about the world?
The term world, using one of these three definitions, is mentioned in 17 of 21 chapters in John.  In John 1 teaches that Jesus created the WORLD and all that is in it, that He was sent into this WORLD to live in and among the people, and that this WORLD denied Him. 

  1. He made the world
  2. He enlightens the world
  3. He takes away the sin of the world
  4. He did not come to judge but to save the world
  5. He loves the world
  6. He came as the savior of the world
  7. He gives life to the world
  8. He testifies about the evil of the world
  9. He is the light of the world
  10. He was sent into the world

 

  1. He delivers the world from darkness
  2. He loves his own in the world
  3. He obeys the Father so the world will know he loves the Father
  4. His Spirit convicts the world
  5. He overcomes the world
  6. He manifests the name of God to the world
  7. He speaks in and to the world openly
  8. He prays the world will believe
  9. He sends his disciples into the world
  10. He bears witness to the truth in the world

 

 

How does the world feel about Jesus?  It hates him and loves sin.

Despite the fact that Jesus created the world, whose very arrival demonstrates God's love for the world, and whose actions prove that He is there to save the world-the world denies Him.  Although Jesus said I did not come to judge, He indicates that those who don't believe in him have already been judged saying in John 3.19 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.

 

What does this hate look like?

§         Jewish King of Judea Hated Baby Jesus and tried to kill him Matthew 2.16 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men

 

§         Religious People Hated Rabbi Jesus and wanted to kill him: John 8.39-41 39 They answered him,  "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them,  "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing what your father did.

 

§         Roman Government Hated King Jesus and did kill him:  Mark 15.16-17 18 And they began to salute him,  "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19 And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

 

Why does the world hate Jesus?

The real question is: Why did the world hate Jesus?  Basically, he says that He is not of this world, meaning, if he had looked, acted, and thought like the world-he would have gone unnoticed.  But, for at least 30 years he at least did look and act like the world to the extent that no one realized he was anything SUPER-SPECIAL  Sometimes I wonder if we don't get confused about what it means to be called "out of the world". 

  • It's like we confuse God calling us to live with a godly value system IN the culture with asking us to live outside of the world in our own church culture. 
  • If you think about it, if you are only living among people who agree with every thing you do, you're never going to look different to anyone.  Somehow, Jesus lived in the world, without sinning, and he was hated.

 

Seven reasons the world hated Jesus...

Quoting Psalm 35, Jesus does say at the end of this chapter that they have "hated me without cause."  That is true in that there was not sufficient reason to dislike or despise Jesus beyond sin and rebellion.  But if I had to break it down, I do believe that there the "world" gives reasons for why they hate Jesus: 

 

  1. He claimed to be God and huge claims of idenity:  John 10.33  33 The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."

 

  1. He spoke exclusive truth by his own authority - John 14.6 I am the way, the truth, and the life.

 

  1. He challenged the religiosity - Mark 2.27 27 And he said to them,  "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."

 

  1. He loved the unlovable- Luke 5.30 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying,  "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" 31 And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

 

  1. He showed immeasurable grace:  John 3, Woman caught in adultery, John 4 Samaritan woman at the well...

 

  1. He lived a life of authority joy to the point of envy:  John 12.19  19 So the Pharisees said to one another,  "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him... (Pilate) Mark 15.10  10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.

 

  1. He told "good people" about sin not sins AND Hell: John 8.24 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."...Luke 12.5  5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

 

HATED FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

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.

 

Jesus said the world will hate us. Why? 

Jesus says the world is going to hate us just as they hated Him. If they persecuted Him they are going to persecute you. IMPLIED FOR THE SAME REAONS And in V.21 He says that they are going to do this ALL as a result of Him, of the name of Jesus. 

 

Why does the world hate Christians today?

Although Jesus quoted Psalm 35...I wonder if the world hates me WITH CAUSE.  Does the world hate, dislike, mock, ignore, me because of my affiliation with Jesus or because of me? I cam across a new book was recently published the Barna Research group titled UnChristian.  The book is a culmination of three years of study concerning the "image" of Christianity.  Namely, the researches sought to determine how the "outsider" viewed Christians. 

 

In surveying thousands of 16-29 year olds, the study determined that people today are much more critical of Christianity than in the past.  Many Christians will quickly dismiss any such study because "the world is supposed to hate us."   I would argue that while that is, without question, a guaranteed reality.  But our goal is to live like Jesus to the world and IF we're doing that, and still get crucified, then fine.  But WHAT IF...WHAT IF WHAT THEY SEE, doesn't look anything like Jesus, and they hate us...well...you get the picture.  So, Barna asked the world what we look like....

  Christianity is Judgmental (87%),

  1. Christians are Hypocritical (85%),
  2. Christianity is Old-fashioned (78%)
  3. Christians are too involved in Politics (75%)
  4. Christianity is "anti-homosexual." Most common...91% of young non-Christians and 80% of young churchgoers say this phrase describes Christianity.

 

What are we supposed to think about this?  I think they're right.

1.      Why Judgmental?  - We speak on our own authority vs. appealing to Jesus'.  Christians seem to be an angry bunch of people sometimes.  Always snooping and sniffing for sin.  Whenever you draw lines for truth, or falsehood, you're going to receive flak from the opposition.  I wonder how much of this "judgement" is a result of our inability or unwillingness to appeal to Jesus as King, Jesus as the way, Jesus as the truth, versus giving my opinion about everyone's behavior.  Do I exalt the authority and truth of Jesus or my own authority and pride?

 

2.      Why Hypocritical?  - We forget we're broken and only whole because of Jesus but Christians refuse to living with any level of transparency-admitting that they're struggling too.  The reality is that people hear what we say, then watch what we do-and we don't look much different. 

When asked to identify their activities over the last 30 days, born-again beliervers were just as likely to bet or gamble, to visit a pornographic website, to take something that did not belong to them, to consult a medium or a psychic, to physically fight or abuse someone, to have consumed enough alcohol to be considered legally drunk, to have used an illegal-nonprescription drug, to have said something ot someone that was not true, to have gotten back at someone for something he or she did, and to have said mean things behind another person's back.

 

One study we conducted examined Americans engagement in some type of sexually inappropriate behavior, including looking at online pornography, viewing sexually explicit magazines or movies, or having an intimate sexual encounter outside of marriage.  In all, we found that 30% of born again-Christians admitted to at least one of these activities compared with 35% of other Americans.  In statistical and practical terms, the two groups are essentially no different from each other.  (Unchristian, pg. 47)

 

3.      Why too Old-fashioned?  -- We avoid culture unlike Jesus who lived in it.  I searched the Internet recently putting in "Why I hate Christians."  I found a lot of colorful blogs but one in particular stood out.  He began his blog by saying that the "Christians" he hates are not the genuine followers of Christ.  But he loathes those "F-ing" nutjobs who write things like this.  The "This" was a link to some, I assume Christian, blog where the writer attacked every video game there was as Satan's way of brainwashing us.

 

4.      Why Too Political?  -- We believe legislation will change hearts vs. hearts changing our country. There is nothing wrong with being political, but in my humble but deadly accurate opinion, our involvement is a question of stewardship not necessarily morality.  Our laws are not intended to stop bad behavior-it's intended to punish it. 

 

5.      Why Anti-homosexual? - We do not love but instead, declare people to be unlovable-at least those that make us uncomfortable; more time is spent identifying sins than talking about the SIN problem we all have.  We can't help but wonder if this perception was created because it's all we talk about.

 

Do the reasons that the world HATED Jesus match the Reasons that they hate me? 

Regardless of what some pole or research says, Jesus says that at the core of the world hating the genuine followers of Jesus is a hatred for God himself-a rebellious heart rooted in sin.  In other words, God is sovereign, and He can break through any and all resistance ANYONE has to draw people to himself should he choose.  I hated  God at one point.

 

But if I am going to be hated by others, I guess I wanted to be hated for the right reasons.  So what are the right reasons? NOT WHAT I JUST READ.   I should be hated for the same reasons they hated Jesus.  But it doesn't seem like the world hates me for that reason.  The world doesn't hate me because I'm Christian, but because much of my Christianity doesn't look like Jesus Christ.

 

1.      Does the world hate me because of my claims about WHO Jesus is? 

2.      Does the world hate me because I speak biblical truth by the authority of Scripture?

3.      Does the world hate me because I love God more than I love religiosity?

4.      Does the world hate me because I love with the dirty, marginalized, outcasts of society?

5.      Does the world hate me because I show too much grace?

6.      Does the world hate me because they're envious of what I have?  (truth authority joy)

7.      Does the world hate me because I speak about the sin problem that affects everyone and everything versus little sins...what about hell?

 

THE WORLD WHO SEES JESUS IS WITHOUT EXCUSE

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.

Sometimes I think Christians just get in the way of others seeing Jesus. 

Are they able to see Him?  Do they know who Jesus is?  Do they know what he did?  If they see Jesus and hate me, then that's just because Jesus said they would hate him.  But if they've never seen Jesus and they still ...I wonder what is in their way?  Perhaps it's me. 

 

The world will never be honest about their own sin and that at the root of it is a hatred for God.  Jesus says that if he had not come; If the Word had not been spoken, If I had not done works they may have a reason not to believe in Him.  But now he has come, and his life is recorded, there is a history, there are eyewitness accounts of those same words and works.  Now, there is no excuse.

 

Do you look like a follower of Jesus or a Christian? 

But the question remains....does the world see that?  Do they see ever see Jesus OR do they hate you? Whoever hates Jesus-hates God.  IF they hate you, they may not hate Jesus but haven't in fact seen him, heard about him-DOES YOUR LIFE POINT BACK TO JESUS or does it point back to a loaded term like CHRISTIANITY? 

 

THE GENUINE WITNESS ABOUT JESUS ALWAYS COME WITH A CROSS

 "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. "I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

 

We are called to bear witness of Jesus.

If you are going to bear witness of WHO Jesus is, WHAT he did, and WHAT he claimed, then you are going to have to study the eyewitness accounts.  The only thing worst than NOT being a follower of Jesus is being an ignorant follower of Jesus.  I'm surprised that wasn't one of the top five reasons people have a poor view of Christianity-there are a lot of Christians who will argue against homosexuality until their blue in the face...but they can't tell you the first thing about who Jesus is, what he claimed, and where it is in the Bible. 

 

The disciples bore witness of Jesus and were killed for it-God was in control.

The Scripture says that ‘they will put them out of the synagogue' and kill them.  The only ones that could put them out of the synagogue were the leaders of the church.  No one says anything when you want to stay in line and preach the truth of the world...or if you want to make the people in the church love you..  But when you preach the truth of God, Jesus, you upset everyone.  When you speak it, you upset the world because the Spirit convicts it of sin.  And when you LIVE it, you convict the religious people because the Spirit convicts them of their refusal to live it themselves.

 

WITNESS for the truth of a radical Jesus will come with a cross...

A witness for a CHRIST-LESS Christianity will bring hatred.  But this is not the kind of hatred that Jesus is talking about.  And this sermon is not about making every non-Christian like you.  It's about being hated for the right reasons.  It's about standing up for your LORD and KING, declaring salvation in the blood of Jesus alone, the admittance and confession of your own brokenness and sin, the acceptance of God's grace which empowers you to repent and turn from your sin, so you can honor God with your life, so that you can LOVE those around you who are broken, hurting, even hateful.  And not refusing to take a position of superiority, but humbling yourself to admit that on your BEST DAYS you are holding on to the cross with splintered fingers are your strength, your peace, and your hope. 

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