Expect To Suffer

 

 Jn 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.

Jesus is very clear:his followers will suffer as he did for 'a servant is not greater than his master.' As his disciples, we experience rejection, ridicule, persecution and as we have seen over the centuries, death. Our love for Jesus is tried and proved in the crucible of suffering. Jesus warned us and stands by us. May we be willing to follow him in "bad times" as well as in good times. He suffered for us; are we willing to suffer for him?

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, thank you for suffering for me; may I willingly suffer for you. Amen.