As We are Unified, Expect Hope, Part 1

Scripture: John 15:26-27

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

Insights:  So far this week the points have been rather negative in nature.  The points are true, but somewhat of a bummer.  The world hates Christ-followers, and therefore, we ought to expect opposition.  The very message of life and hope we preach and live before a lost world is going to be rejected by most.  If that is all Christianity is, then I am not certain any of us would want to be identified with Christ.  Jesus, however, did not end His teaching with verse 25.  He went on and taught us the verses we are looking at today.  Praise the Lord!  I again say, praise the Lord!  Jesus sends to us the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father.  The Holy Spirit literally enters our lives when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  He counsels us and teaches us everything we need to know about Jesus and life.  He literally infuses our life with His power and presence.  He births us as new creations.  We are no longer the same person we once were.  We are changed.  When we start to walk the old path of sin, He convicts us until we repent and turn back do the road He is directing us.  When we are supposed to do something He prompts our heart and gives us confirmation as to the action we are supposed to take.  The beautiful part of these promptings and convictions is it is always directed toward our Lord, Jesus.  Everything the Holy Spirit does is to point and magnify Jesus.  Everything He does brings glory and praise to Jesus.  If we are submitting to His leadership in our lives, guess what our lives will do also?  Our lives will point, magnify, praise and bring glory to Jesus as well.  The lost world cannot comprehend the joy and satisfaction that comes from being a Christ-follower; but Beloved, if you are truly born again, then you know exactly what I am writing about this morning.  And you know the hope we have of an eternal day when we will see Jesus face to face because we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.  Beloved, experience this hope and live a life under the authority of the Holy Spirit.

Questions:

1. Have you been born again?
2. Do you daily live under the control of the Holy Spirit? 

Prayer: Lord, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to reside in me and seal me for the day of redemption.  I am so grateful He teaches me about You and empowers me to live a life that honors You.  Help me, Lord, to live a more surrendered life to You through the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

As We are Unified, Expect Rejection

Scripture: John 15:21-25

They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.  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 who hates me hates my Father as well.  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.'

Insights:  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus expresses the sentiment of today’s verses in a more simplistic fashion.  He said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it (7:13-14).”  The point being communicated is the gospel is rejected by many.  The world system is in opposition to the Triune Community and most do not want anything to do with Him.  Some have tried to make today’s verses a kind of loophole for not sharing Jesus.  The faulty argument goes something like this: if they never hear about Jesus then they can’t be held accountable for not receiving Him as Savior.  In the first chapter of Romans, Paul eradicates such a premise in verses 18-32.  Here is a sample of Paul’s words, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened (18-21).  One last faulty argument is: well if they are going to reject Him, then why should we waste our time with sharing Jesus at all?  The error is that not all do reject Christ.  It is true most will, but we don’t know who those are that will enter into a life changing relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  So, we share boldly the love of God.  Beloved, share Jesus!

Questions:

1. When was the last time you shared your faith?
2. Has fear of rejection prevented you from sharing the love of Jesus?

Prayer: Lord, the early church prayed for boldness in witnessing.  Grant me that same Spirit so I might share the love of Jesus more courageously.  Amen.

As We are Unified, Expect Opposition, Part 2

Scripture: John 15:18-20

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  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.  Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

Insights:  Jesus told us in today’s verses the world hated Him and that the world would also hate us.  I desire to share with you about the deaths of the disciples according to church historians.  James was beheaded by King Herod.  Philip was hung on a cross and while hanging he was stoned to death.  James the lesser was stoned to death.  Peter was crucified upside down after surviving imprisonment in the notorious Mamertine prison.  Matthew was pinned to the ground and beheaded.  Matthias, the disciple selected to take the place of Judas Iscariot was beheaded.  Andrew was crucified for witnessing to Maximilla, the wife of a Roman official.  He hung for three days and preached Christ to everyone who walked by him.  Judas, also known as Thaddaus, was run through with a javelin.  Bartholomew, also known as Nathanial, was flayed and then hung on a cross.  Thomas was speared to death in India.  People can still see his grave in Meliapore, India to this day.  Simon was sawn in half and John after many years in exile was released and died of old age in Ephesus.  The reason I have shared the way these men of God died is because they were either crazy or the gospel is real.  Each one of these men died for their faith.  It was not because they broke a moral law that they were put death.  It was because they preached an offensive message.  Jesus Christ is the ONLY name on which one must call in order to be saved.  These men saw, fellowshipped, and ate with the risen Lord.  They knew firsthand the gospel was not some kind of fabrication.  If Jesus’ resurrection had been some kind of scam, then at least one of these men would have cracked and forsaken their belief before their death.  But not one of them did.  Each one knew and experienced the opposition and hatred of this world toward Christ-followers; and yet, they each still went to their deaths willingly to proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord.  Beloved, we ought to live our lives with such passion and fervency.  The urgency of the gospel is before us.  How are you going to respond to Jesus?

Questions:

1. Are you willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for our Lord?
2. Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? 

Prayer: Lord, You laid down Your life for my sin.  Give me the courage to live my life for Your glory.  Amen.

As We are Unified, Expect Opposition, Part 1

Scripture: John 15:18-20

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 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. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

Insights: Jesus modeled God’s perfect standard before the world. As a result, the world was reminded of its evil works and God’s resultant judgment which was eternal damnation in hell. The world hated Jesus because of this constant reminder. They wanted to live their lives however they desired and did not want anyone to dampen their pleasures with the truth of God. One of the saddest commentaries of the modern church is we often times want the same thing these lost people desire. The problem is this kind of “double dipping” life is what James, the brother of Jesus, addressed in his letter. He wrote, “Adulteresses! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy.” As a Christ-follower we cannot have it both ways. We cannot have the pleasures of this world and the pleasures of eternity because they are in complete opposition. Jesus said it this way, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Jesus’ life was so heavenly minded that He was actually an earthly good. He pointed people to the salvation the Father was offering them through His Son’s death. He did good to those in pitiable situations. He did not turn a blind eye to the plight of their condition. He was the perfect model of God’s love and He was an affront to the lost world. So, the world hated Jesus and had Him put to death. Fortunately, that was God’s plan all along and in His death He bore the punishment of sin and death. God raised Him on Easter morning and hope has been alive ever since. This verse continues and states that if the world hated Jesus, then it will hate His followers as well. Tomorrow we will look at that aspect of this verse in a little more detail.

Questions:

1. How well do you model Jesus before a lost world?
2. Can anyone tell the difference between their “lost” life and your “saved” life?

Prayer: Lord, the world hated You because You modeled perfectly the standard of God. Your life was an assult on their sensibilities and reminded them of their future judgment. Help me Lord, to live such a life before a lost world. Let Your love shine through me. Amen.

The Appointment of a Friend, Part 2

Scripture: John 15:16

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Insights:  This fifteenth chapter is such a beautiful passage which points to the whole and complete life in Christ.  Up to this point it has painted this circular portrait that goes something like this:  “I, Jesus, am the Vine, the very source of life for you.  I desire one thing—that you abide IN Me.  If you will abide in Me, then you will know Me and recognize that I chose and appointed you to go on mission with Me.  Because you are working with Me, I no longer treat you as slaves, but as My friends.  Because you are My friends, I know you will desire to obey Me.  As you obey Me, there is only one possible outcome—you will bear fruit.  Your fruit bearing will prove you are My disciples.  And there is one last truth I know to be evident from this relational interchange.  You will be transformed and become like Me.  As this reality happens, you will begin to ask My Father for things and He will give them to you because the things for which you ask, will be things I also want.  In other words, as you grow in Me, you will ask for My will to be done in your life and My Father will answer in the affirmative such requests.  So, what is the key to this full and wonderful life—abide in Me!”  Beloved, do you see the simplicity of Jesus’ teaching found throughout this fifteenth chapter?  And yet, so many find this life to be boring and hard.  As they walk that path they become apathetic toward the things of God and then wonder why their prayers are not being answered when they do pray.  Once again, the answer is simple.  They are NOT abiding in Jesus.  Here, however, is the beautiful part of Christ.  All one has to do in order to begin abiding in Jesus and experience that wonderfully simple life of joy and peace is REPENT!  Ask Jesus to forgive you for your wayward heart and ask Him to restore you to the joy of your salvation, which is Him.  Then, just start abiding with Him.  The circular portrait will soon become your life and it truly is a joy filled life of adventure.

Questions:

1. How well do you know the Father?
2. What kind of requests do you make of Him? 

Prayer: Lord, every aspect to receiving what we pray for has to do with You.  May our love abound and grow in order for me to know Your thoughts and ways better.  Then, I can pray your will and know I am going to be appointed to the right task, right words, right out come for Your glory.  Amen.

The Appointment of a Friend, Part 1

Scripture: John 15:16

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Insights:  It ought to give you a great deal of comfort to know while you were still an enemy of God He reconciled Himself with you by the death of His Son (Romans 5:10).  Jesus has just declared that He chose us.  We did not choose Him, but by His grace, He chose us.  What an eternal joy and satisfaction there is to know we are loved by the Creator.  Notice, however, He did not choose us to sit in our pews happy and comfortable.  He chose us in order to appoint us to a task.  The end result of that task is fruit that is born out of our obedience to Him.  We do really well quoting Ephesians 2:8-9 in our gospel presentation, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.”  And it is true we cannot work for our salvation.  It truly is a grace gift from God.  If it were based on our merit, we would boast in our goodness; but Jesus reminds us in His conversation with the rich young ruler that no one is good except God.  We do not typically go on to verse 10 of Ephesians 2 which states, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  From the foundations of time, God knew when you were going to live.  He knew He was going to choose you.  He knew you were created to do good works in Christ Jesus.  And He knew those works would produce fruit.  Salvation is not just some pass that we get to wave in the air and say, “I’m in, I got my fire insurance policy, see, I’m saved,” and then walk around as if nothing has really happened to us.  We are born again to serve Him and bear much fruit.  Beloved, we have got to set aside our agenda.  We have to let go of our desires.  We must serve with unashamed abandon the only One worthy of our service.  We must let our petty differences and opinions go and become unified in service to the One King.  After all, He chose us to be His royal priesthood and chosen nation.  Is He your King?  Then serve Him where He has appointed for you to serve!

Questions:

1. How well are you serving in the role God placed you?
2. Are you bearing fruit for Him in that position?

Prayer: Lord, You have ordered my life and I am grateful.  Let me bear much fruit for You where You have me planted.  I desire for my life to bring You glory.  Amen.

The Knowledge of a Friend

Scripture: John 15:14-15

You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Insights:  Language deteriorates over time.  For example Shakespeare had a working vocabulary of over 50,000 words.  The average American today has a working vocabulary around 10,000.  Even differing languages have degradation.  For example, in English we have one word for love, but in Greek there were four.  We use modifiers in English to differentiate our meanings regarding love.  Well, the same is true with today’s verses.  Jesus tells us He calls us friends because He discloses to us everything He has learned from the Father.  In the Greek language the word used for friend is a specific kind of friend.  In English we have to use modifiers to explain what is meant by that single Greek word.  The type of friend Jesus describes is a friend at court.  Think of a kingly court and not a judicial court.  It can also be used in reference to a best man at a wedding.  This meaning for the word friend is found in John 3:29.  In both of these examples the friend is truly a friend, but at the same time, they are servants to the real authority.  The king is still king and whatever he says to his friend the friend must do.  The best man at the wedding is the groom’s closest friend, but his job is to serve the groom however he sees fit.  It is this type of picture of friendship Jesus is describing in today’s verses.  Look at verse fourteen again.  We prove our friendship with Christ by obeying His commands.  J. Oswald Sanders once said, “Each of us is as close to God as we choose to be.”  Jesus calls us friends and shares with us everything the Father has taught Him.  We prove our love, friendship and knowledge of God by obeying Him.  As we learn from Jesus and get to know Him better, we grow in our knowledge of Him.  As we grow, we learn what He wants us to do.  After we know what He wants done, we prove our friendship by doing what He has commanded.  He wants to disclose as much as we are able to handle, but He will not give us new truths about Himself until we have obeyed what He has already told us and proven to Him we really want to be His friend.

Questions:

1. How well do you desire to know God?
2. What is your plan for having a consistently growing and vibrant relationship with the Father?

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You want an intimate relationship with me.  Mold my life into one that deeply desires You.  You have called me friend, let me grow and be a good friend back to You.  Amen.