seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 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. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’[c]
26 “When the Advocate 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. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
b. John 15:20 John 13:16
c. John 15:25 Psalms 35:19; 69:4
These stark statements came from bible-studys.org.
In this Jesus is saying: if you are my followers, you are in the world, but you are not of the world. Christians are to be separated people. We are separated to the call of Jesus in our lives.
The disciples of Jesus, then or now, cannot expect any better treatment than our leader, Jesus, had when He walked the earth. The true believers, then and now will be persecuted. There are just two kinds of people in the world. The true believer is one and those who are not true believers is the other.
Ever feel like you don't fit in? Ever feel like you are different? Did you look around at the people you were with and wonder how you found them in the first place? Oh I have. I've been in a lot of places I didn't belong. I've been a Christian since I was 12.... and I've been in a lot of places I didn't belong.... that's a sad fact. It wasn't just a bar or a brothel..... there have even been churches where I felt like I didn't fit in. Yep... there are even churches that make a Believer feel unwelcome.Jesus taught His disciples, they would never be treated any better than Jesus was treated. He was, after all, the Son of God.... and He was treated like a thief. Those Pharisees and Sadducees were jealous. They were sure that Jesus could not be the Messiah because they were sure God would have sent them an engraved announcement. Oh wait.... God did announce it.... He lined up the planets to create a beautiful reflective star. He sent a legion of angels to announce the birth and sing "Noel". He sent three scientists [wise men] to explain the star to Herod... the Roman king at the time. Herod believed them... Herod had all the babies aged newborn to three years murdered so the Messiah would not grow up and take his throne. But the Pharisees and the Sadducees enjoyed being the head boobs in the Temple. The Temple was a significant part of the lives of all the people in Israel... and they were the head boobs.... so they deserved a personal announcement before God would "dare" put the Messiah in their town.
Oh they believed that Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth. He did it on a Sabbath and they were going to make Him pay for breaking their rules and regulations. He made a man that had been laying around for 38 years get up and pick up his mat. He did it on a Sabbath and they were going to make Him pay for breaking their rules and regulations. He brought Lazarus back from the dead.... stinky in the tomb for four days.... stinky dead. No one can bring someone back from the dead.... except Satan. They were going to make Him pay.... Satan isn't allowed to stir up stuff on their watch. They figured they were such great head boobs that even Satan would have to ask their permission first. Boy they were full of themselves.... just like a lot of leaders, religious and political.... of these days.
Jesus warned the disciples.... "they hated me.... and they are going to hate you too".
The world is in rebellion these days. I subscribe to Al Jazeera and BBC News. There have been rebellions everywhere... even Russia. The United States has some very vocal humans shouting down the results of the last political election. Church goers are plotting to sue the government over social distancing! They're angry because they cannot preach to a packed house and pass the plate and eat steak again.
In the United States... the credit for charitable contributions was all but removed from the IRS code by the last president The good rich people of the church can no longer report all their tithe as a charitable contribution.... so it's not worth their time to give to the church... it's not profitable... they can't claim the church as an expense so they will put their money elsewhere.... leaving the preachers, priests, and teachers to eat tuna noodle casserole instead of a thick steak and fries. This will not stand. Someone has to pay, they say.
Believers are shouting on both sides of the argument.... and the true believers are crying over the hundreds of thousands of lost souls among the 2.3 Million dead worldwide, 459,000 in the United States alone. True Believers are crying over the lines at the food banks and the hundreds of thousands of people falling into poverty due to lack of work.
Jesus said.... "look at how they hate me.... they are going to hate you too."
There were three brothers on the ark when it finally landed on dry ground. There was Seth, Japheth, and Ham. The Messiah was the great great great whatever grandson of Seth, the Jews. Japheth and Ham were the great great great whatever grandfathers of the Gentiles.
Jesus taught His disciples.... there are actually only two types of people on earth today.
There are Believers and Non-Believers.
What's in your pew seat?
