Not Of The World

 

 John 15:18-21

The World Hates the Disciples

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.’ 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.

As did Jesus, his followers must stand apart from and challenge the values of the world. It is clear that our present age of secularization, immorality and faithlessness is no friend of Jesus. So much more the need for those who still believe and follow him not only to oppose these trends, but to offer their counterparts, as we have seen in our previous Gospel passages on LOVE. Jesus reminds us that we are not of this world, not greater than he, and must follow him to the cross, but yea, as well to the RESURRECTION!  We might suffer, but we can't lose.

Bro. Rene  

Dear God, despite the challenges of a world that has drifted away from you, my I renew my determination to remain faithful to you, willing to accept suffering and rejection, but confident that in the end "we shall overcome." Amen.