SUFFERING HATRED
Memorise: Jesus said unto them, if God were your Father, ye
would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself,
but he sent me. John 8:42
Read: John 15:17-21, 17 These things I command you, that ye
love one another.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it
hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:
but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is
not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute
you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's
sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Bible in one year: 1st Kings 19:19-21:16, Proverbs
19:19-20:3
MESSAGE
As the time of the departure of Jesus began to draw near, He
started talking to His disciples about the things that will befall them the
moment when he would depart, so that they would not be caught unawares. These
series of talks are generally referred to as the ‘farewell discourse’. The
Bible reading for today is one of the farewell discourses, it points to the
fact that the disciples would suffer hatred. John 15:20 says:
“Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not
greater than his lord. if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute
you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”
Jesus said, if the world persecuted Him, then the disciples
should expect a similar treatment in the hands of the people. Jesus told them
that He was telling them ahead of time so that when these things began to
happen, they would not be caught unawares. Jesus wanted His disciples to be
fully ready for any eventuality.
What is the nature
of the hatred that Jesus suffered in the hands of the people of the world? He
was defamed, misrepresented, rejected unfairly, forsaken by friends and
relatives, harassed, beaten, assaulted, abused, crucified and murdered. Jesus went
further in John 15:21 to say:
“But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s
sake, because they know not him that sent me.”
The prophecy is not limited to the twelve apostles or those
that were physically present with Him at that time. Jesus explained that this
would be the fate of all that come after Him and live as true disciples. That
the Church and people of God are presently operating under various kinds of
attacks and persecution in many regions of the world is not news any longer.
Christians are presently suffering untold hardships, insecurity, harassment,
brutality, assaults, and murder. In fact, Jesus told the disciples that a time
is coming that a person that kills a Christian would suppose that he is doing
God a favour.
However, the Bible says we should count it all joy when we
are faced with diverse temptations and persecutions, knowing that enough such
challenges, we become exercised, our spiritual muscles get toughened and
built-up.
Prayer Point
Father, please give me the grace to remain adherent to You
no matter what the devil throws my way.
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