John15:18-27
INTRODUCTION: Last week we talked about producing fruit for the benefit of others and glory of God. Fruit is the byproduct of continue in relationship with Jesus for the long haul, loving one another, and not fighting the pruning process, knowing that the Father wants to grow even more fruit on your tree!
This Morning we are going to examine the biggest threat to our being Fruit bearers. Let’s listen to Jesus follow up on the matter of fruit bearing:
SCRIPTURE READING:
“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 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. 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; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 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. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
“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. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
- The first of the pest whose goal is to ruin our chances of bearing fruit.
I. AS BELIEVERS WE LIVE IN TERRITORY.
Jesus wanted his followers to know two things in relationship to their mission and fruit bearing: 1) Know that you will have lots of “haters.” 2) The government’s policies will often be in conflict with God’s Kingdom rule. And we believers will be caught in the middle and will catch the flack (persecution)
A. Biblical Perspective:
- Jesus used himself as the primary example
- Stephen was the first of a long line of martyrs in the age of the Church along with James.
- The Church Fathers: In the first three centuries, Christians were persecuted by Roman authorities, offering freedom if they burned incense to Caesar. Early martyrs, such as Polycarp and Ignatius of Antioch, were honored as imitators of Christ’s passion.
- Modern Examples: According to studies on the persecuted Church, in the 20th and 21st centuries, more people have been martyred for their faith in Christ than at any other time history. In Nigeria alone about 5000 Christians a year are killed for the crime of confessing their faith in Christ.
- American Christians for the most part have lived with relative freedom from persecution. Living in a free society is great but the foundations are shaking beneath our feet.
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Illustration:
Charlie Kirk was assassinated six months ago because of his conservative beliefs that were the result of his faith in Christ.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom. 12:2
A. Our world is under Satanic Influence and therefore its beliefs and values have been corrupted.
- The world (Greek: kosmos) refers to an invisible, organized, and evil-influenced structure that operates in direct opposition to God’s Kingdom (James 4:4).
- The world is under invisible leadership of the ruler of the kingdom of the air.
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” Eph. 2:1-2 NIV
- The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving world concerning the person and work of Christ. Apostle in 2 Cor. 4:13
B. We are not to align our beliefs and morality with this world. Romans 12:2
C. Jesus informed his disciples that they are not of this world any more than he was.
D. Conformity to this world leaves us on the wrong side of God.
“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4
- “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16
LUST + LUST + PRIDE EQUALS A BEAREN TREE
III. WE CAN AND WILL TO WORLD IF WE WALK IN .
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 1 John
“In this world you will have trouble but be of good cheer for I have overcome this world.” John 16
- Jesus prayed for our protection from the plans of the evil whose aim is to keep us from a wasted life. John 17:15
CLOSING PRACTICAL WAYS TO NAVIGATE THE WATERS OF THIS WORLD
- Don’t make yourself a target. Season your speech with grace and walk wisely among unbelievers. (Col 4)
- Remember to love those who hate you. Stephen prayed that the Father would forgive the very ones who stoned him to death. The Apostle Paul was one on the stoning committee and was forgiven. Acts
- Ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide and counselor.
- Pray for those in authority to keep the laws in place that protect the church persecution. 1 Tim.2:1-4
- Decide to live lives that produce fruit rather than to feed your flesh.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 1 Peter 4:1-3