¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another. ¹⁸ “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

INTRODUCTION

I recently got the following text from a pastor friend.

My day yesterday: 8:45: Baptized [my son]. A great joy. 10:15: Here a testimony of someone who came to faith through my preaching when I told the story of Spurgeon’s conversion. A great encouragement. 12:00 – A couple pulls me [aside] and asks to meet immediately. Wife is in [an] unrepentant affair. Her second. A member. I’m at a loss for words. I can’t convince her to stop. Though today she broke it off (we’ll see…) and agreed to meet. 2:00 – I’m flabbergasted by the dear influential family in our church that I love. 3:45 – With [baptized son] eating Buffalo Wilds Wings to celebrate. A great joy. 5:00 – With a young family. Dad most likely has pancreatic cancer. 7:30 – [Baby of a family friend] has a heart attack and has to [be] resuscitated.

I responded by coining the term (probably not), “Pastoral whiplash.”

That’s somewhat akin to what we have in our passage for this morning. It is clear that v.18-25 are meant to be seen in contrast to the previous section (vs.1-17, and especially 12-17). That’s why I included v.17 in the Scripture reading. Jesus moved abruptly from talking about the love and friendship between Him and His followers to the hatred of the world for Him and His followers. In other words, in a sense, Jesus was preparing His followers for the kind of perpetual whiplash inherent to the Christian life in a hostile world.

The big idea of the passage is that wherever Jesus is hated in the world, all who truly follow Him will be hated as well. And the big takeaways from the passage are to (1) follow Jesus in such a way that those who hate Him will also hate us and (2) to love one another in such a way that will protect and heal us from the world’s attacks. Let’s all decide once-and-for-all that suffering for obeying Jesus in the love of the saints is a far better life (not to mention eternal life) than every temporary comfort in disobedience.

IF AND WHEN THE WORLD HATES YOU (18-19)

The logic of this passage is easy to see (I love it when that happens). To make it as clear as possible, I’m going to preach it somewhat out of order. What I mean is, the four main arguments of Jesus are plain, but spread out throughout the passage. I’m going to bring them together so we don’t miss what’s there.

The first main argument is found in vs.18-19 (I’ll come back to v.17 at the end). It is a warning from Jesus to His followers that where He is hated by the world, we will be too. The second is Jesus’ explanation for why that is—because the world first hated Him because it is confused by the nature of God. We see that in vs. 18, 20, 21, 23, and 25. Third, in vs. 22 and 24, we find a couple of interesting statements regarding the world’s responsibility for its hatred of Jesus and His followers. And finally, the fourth main argument of the passage (within its broader context) is that Christian love is both God’s protection against and means of healing from the world’s persecution.

With that, let’s look at vs.18-19 and consider the first claim of John: That the world hates those who follow Jesus.

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

The World and Hate

It’s always good to begin with definitions. There are two of particular importance: “World” and “Hate”.

To understand what Jesus/John means by “The world,” we need to understand two things. First, it is one of the most important words in John’s Gospel. This is easily seen in the fact that John/Jesus use it seventy-eight times; more than almost every other word. And second, it’s used in a few different ways. 1:10 helps us to see this. It reads, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.” In the first two clauses “the world” refers to God’s physical creation. In the third clause it refers more specifically to rebellious people within the world; to those whose trust is not in God (even if they believe it to be).

It is that second sense that Jesus has in mind throughout this passage. When He speaks of the world’s hatred for Him and His followers, therefore, He is referring to all who are in rebellion against God.

The second key term, “Hate,” as Jesus uses it means just what you think it means. The man who authored my Greek grammar text highlights the various facets of the word, “to regard with ill-will, Mt. 5:43, 44; 10:22; to detest, to abhor, Jn. 3:20; Rom. 7:15”. In its strongest form, this is no mere indifference. It is more than preferring otherwise. It is animosity, hostility, disdain.

Jesus’ promise to His followers is that those in rebellion against God, those who hate God (the world), will detest and abhor (hate) them. Let’s follow along as Jesus unpacks that by considering His several clarifying clauses.

If the World Hates You…

All of that sounds pretty harsh, doesn’t it? I’m pretty sure I’m following Jesus, but I don’t know that I’ve ever experienced something I’d call “hate” from others because of it. So what does all of this mean?

The “if” at the beginning of v.18 helps answer that question. There is a sense in which Jesus statements are both possible and certain. As we’ll see in a bit, it is certain in that to the degree that the world hates Jesus, it will to the same degree hate those who think, feel, speak, and act like Jesus.

At the same time, Jesus’ words are a possibility for Christians in that if “the world” is in smaller concentration or through God’s common grace knows a significant measure of the fear of the Lord, the hatred will be muted. Additionally, Jesus’ prediction is a possibility in that, the less we act think, feel, speak, and act like Jesus, the less the world will hate us (more on that in just a second).

Again, the promise, as we will see, is that wherever and however Jesus is hated, so too will be those who truly follow Him. In Jesus’ day, there was a strong concentration of hatred for Him and, therefore, there would be a strong concentration of hatred for those who imitated and obeyed Him.

…If You Were of the World, the World Would Love You as its Own…

In the next clause (“if you were of the world, the world would love you as its own”) we see more clearly that the hatred promised by Jesus is only a promise to those who are truly following Jesus. It is not a promise to those who merely claim to follow Jesus or for those who go along with the world’s ways.

Grace, we noted that “the world” refers to those who are not truly trusting in God. As you know, that consists of quite a spectrum from unbelieving believers on one end, to angry atheists on the other. Being “of the world,” therefore, has a number of different looks. All of them have one thing in common, however. They are all willing to compromise on certain aspects of God’s design and commands.

Jesus’ point is that wherever there’s willing compromise with the world, the world “loves” it. The world will tolerate you just fine as long as you’re willing to go along with them in their thinking.

It’s hard to picture a context in which that’s more obviously true than our own. Both within and without of the church there’s a continual temptation to compromise to maintain the “love,” the “favor,” of the world.

Within and without of the church we’re continually challenged to compromise and capitulate on areas of sexuality, race, gender, feminism, life, the role of government, love, spirituality/religion, marriage, truth, the kingship of Jesus, etc. And as long as we’re willing to float along in whatever current the culture around us (the world) has determined to create in those areas, we’ll be fine. They’ll be glad to have us. But the moment we get out of the cultural water or begin swimming against the cultural current, however, the veneer of “love” is peeled back and the truth is revealed. The temptation is ever before us to seek the world’s love by believing, teaching, and practicing things that are culturally acceptable, but biblically untenable.

…But Because You are Not of the World…

If you were in the world, you’d be OK. But Jesus declared in the next clause that all of His true followers “are not of the world.” That means that Christians have given ourselves to living in light of God’s love and not to gain the world’s “love.” It means that our hope is in not ultimately in anything this world can provide. It means that by God’s grace we have determined to live according to God’s promises, plans, and priorities, and not the world’s.

Putting all of that into practice means that we need to know our Bibles well because we need to know who Jesus really is and what He really requires. Grace, please hear this clearly, there is no virtue in taking stands where Jesus hasn’t called us to take a stand. And there is no honor in experiencing persecution for a misunderstanding or misapplication of God’s will. And there is nothing glorifying to God about placing our trust in something Jesus hasn’t really promised. And it does not please the Lord for us to simply believe we are not of this world.

We have to be thoughtful, prayerful, humble, charitable, loving, kind, and brave. And with all of that, we have to determine to be willing to endure any hardship and hatred for living as Jesus modeled and commanded. We need to live such that anyone who loves that which is good, beautiful, and true will think well of us, while knowing full well that the world is largely defined by those who do not; and those who do not will hate us, Jesus said.

That leads us to wonder why we are not of the world. How did we get out? That’s next point.

…But I Chose You Out of the World…

Remember Jesus’ words from 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you…”. He returned to that idea in v.19. His followers are not of the world because He chose them out of it. He removed them from bondage and allegiance to it. We remain in it, but are no longer of it.

Like the world, we too were once hostile to God (Romans 8:7). We too once thought of the cross as foolish (1 Corinthians 1:18). We too were once blinded to the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:4). We too once had no appetite for goodness, beauty, and truth.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

But God called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

But God chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him (Ephesians 1:4).

God’s people, Jesus’ disciples, are such because of the sovereign grace of God. It is not ultimately the result of our works (Ephesians 2:8-9sal) or will (John 1:13), but God’s mercy. He opened the eyes of our hearts (Ephesians 1:18) that we might behold the Son of God in glory, forsake the world, and follow Jesus wherever He leads and whatever it costs.

…Therefore the World Hates You.

Therefore, once again, the world hates you. What’s more, in v.20, Jesus adds that they will persecute you as well. While hatred denotes a disposition, persecution denotes an action based on the disposition. Hatred is a feeling toward Jesus’ followers. Persecution is the mistreatment that results from it.

It will not take long to function in authentically Christian ways in the public sphere before you will know some measure of hatred and persecution.

In all of this we find the first of two significant helps from Jesus to navigate this hatred and persecution. We’ll get to the second one at the very end of the sermon. The first is a clear warning and an explanation. The warning, which we just saw, is, simply enough, the clearest possible statement that this will happen—that where the world hates Jesus, it will hate all who love Him. It doesn’t take away the difficulties associated with the world’s hatred, but it ensures that we need not be surprised by it and it gives us a chance to prepare for it.

And within that, He gave a clear explanation as well. That’s where we’ll turn now.

THE ULTIMATE CAUSES OF THE WORLD’S HATRED FOR CHRISTIANS (18, 20, 21, 23, 25)

Why is it inevitable that the world will hate you for following Jesus, for abiding in Him? Jesus gives three direct answers to that question.

Hatred for Jesus (18, 20)

The first answer we’ve seen several times already. We saw it first in the second half of v.18, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”

We see the same thing again in v.20, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

With those two verses in mind, let’s think back to Jesus’ words in 15:1-11. There He explained to His followers that they were united to Jesus, and He to them. Therefore, Jesus said, they ought to abide in Him—to gladly acknowledge in every aspect of their lives—every thought, feeling, action, interaction, inclination, observation, and evaluation—that they are entirely dependent on Jesus.

When we combine those ideas, Jesus’ rationale ought to be clear. Consider my paraphrase…

“As you know, I lived in such a way that stirred hatred among many of the Jews and their leaders (“the world”). Even the miracles I worked, rescuing people from a lifetime of suffering in some cases, filled them with vitriol. While I was on earth all the anger was directed at me. Now that I’m going away, however, insofar as you abide in me, insofar as you think what I thought, feel what I felt, say what I said, and do what I did, insofar as you faithfully represent me among the nations, that hatred will be redirected at you. They will hate you as they hated Me, because I am in you and you are in me. It is, therefore, Me in you that they hate.”

What’s Jesus’ explanation for the world’s hatred of His people? The first part is the world’s hatred of Jesus.

Misunderstanding of Jesus’ True Nature (21, 23)

The second part of Jesus’ explanation is a misunderstanding of His nature. In other words, Jesus answers the question of why the world hates Him as it does. We see that in vs.21 and 23.

²¹ But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father also.

The world hates us because it hates Jesus (who is in us). And it hates Jesus because it does not understand Jesus’ relationship to the Father. Without knowing it, in Jesus’ day, the world hated the Father as well, for you cannot hate the Son without hating the Father—for they are one in essence, purpose, will, and glory.

Again, Grace, remember that whenever you experience the ire of the world around you for following Jesus, it is not really you that the world hates, it is the God you represent.

Ultimately, Without Cause (25)

In that way, third and finally, Jesus explained that the world’s hatred of His followers was the fulfillment of prophecy and ultimately without cause.

²⁵ But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

In this passage Jesus was quoting Psalm 35:19 and 69:5. In that we see that the world’s hatred of Christians shows God’s knowledge and power as it is the fulfillment of His promise. At the same time, it is entirely without legitimacy. It is a foolish hatred. It is ignorant hatred. It is deadly hatred.

Remember, whatever challenges, persecutions, and hatred you encounter, isn’t ultimately directed at you. It’s directed at Christ in you. Grieve the rejection of Jesus, but be encouraged in your faith, as it means that you really are following Jesus.

JESUS’ MINISTRY AND MANKIND’S RESPONSIBILITY (22, 24)

In the midst of all of this, Jesus made two interesting claims.

²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

²⁴ If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.

This, of course, does not mean that mankind in general or “the world” in particular was sinless before Jesus came. Neither was He suggesting that anyone had a legitimate excuse for sin prior to His coming. His teaching and works did not introduce sin or make mankind responsible for sin.

His point, rather, is that His words and deeds were the final and greatest proof of the sin of the world and the only rescue from it. Their rejection of Him removed every possible objection to God’s judgment. Let me explain.

The OT is largely the story of every man trying every possible way to escape from sin. God revealed Himself and mankind’s sin in creation, leaders, laws, judges, prophets, and kings. At the same time, God provided help in covenants, sacrifices, and priests to administer them. In each of these things God revealed to mankind his sin and his inability to rescue himself from it.

And yet, it might be argued that there was still a greater revelation God could provide, one in which mankind would finally understand and turn from sin to God. Indeed, there was, the very Word of God Himself had not yet come. The light in the darkness. The perfect image (Colossians 1:15), the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3). Were He to come, everyone would finally see and turn to God, right?!

Indeed, He did come and stood before them and taught them and performed miracles for them to see. And they still rejected them. They rejected the highest and greatest display of God’s glory and holiness and power to save just as they had every lesser one. Therefore, they were finally and truly without excuse. There was nothing left for them to appeal to. Therein they revealed their true hatred for God, themselves as God’s enemies, their guilt, and the justice of their condemnation.

So where does all of that leave us?

CHRISTIAN LOVE AS PROTECTION AGAINST AND HEALING FROM PERSECUTION (17)

I mentioned earlier that in the context of this passage, Jesus offered two helps to His followers who would be hated by the world. The first one we already considered—fair warning and a clear explanation.

The second is found in the previous section and is well summarized in v.17, “These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

In addition to being good in its own right, Christian love and friendship is the second help Jesus provides for His hated, persecuted followers.

Grace, Christian love and friendship is a tool for war. It’s a shield against the enemy’s attacks and a balm for when their wounds land. In that way, insofar as we are a people who are determined to follow Jesus in such a way that will stir the hatred of the world, we must also be a people who are determined to love one another well. Bu not just any old kind of love will help. We need to be a people who care about one another in ways that require the Spirit in us. We do so primarily by living out the one-another commands of God’s Word together.

In other words, the kind of Christian love and friendship that protects and heals from the world’s hatred isn’t up to us to define or decide on. It is obedience to God’s Word. God tells us what Christian love looks like, even as He empowers us for it (the good fruit of abiding in Jesus).

Consider with me, therefore, in closing, many of the God-prescribed ways to love one another and therein protect and heal. I’ll read a handful of them, but you would do well to pull up the manuscript later and consider all 33. (Most of this list was compiled by Tim Chalise. It’s the best one I’ve found.)

1. Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50).
2. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10).
3. Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16).
4. Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother (Romans 14:13).
5. Welcome one another as Christ has accepted you, for the glory of God (Romans 15:7).
6. Instruct one another in the knowledge of God (Romans 15:14).
7. Greet one another with a holy kiss (Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, 1 Peter 5:14).
8. Agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 4:2).
9. Have the same care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25).
10. Through love serve one another (Galatians 5:13).
11. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another (Galatians 5:26).
12. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
13. Be bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2).
14. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).
15. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19).
16. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21).
17. Be bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive (Colossians 3:13).
18. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16).
19. Abound in love for one another and for all (1 Thessalonians 3:12).
20. Encourage each other with [the words of Scripture] (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
21. Encourage one another and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:25).
22. Be at peace among yourselves (1 Thessalonians 5:13).
23. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
24. Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13).
25. Consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).
26. Do not speak evil against one another (James 4:11).
27. All of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called (1 Peter 3:8-9).
28. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).
29. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling (1 Peter 4:9).
30. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5).
31. Let brotherly love continue (Hebrews 13:1).
32. Do not grumble against one another (James 5:9).
33. Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another (James 5:16).

Again, these are the ways we love one another well. And as we do, by the Spirit’s power, we will protect one another from the sting of world’s hatred and heal the wounds that come.

CONCLUSION

Grace, remember the teaching of our Lord, wherever Jesus is hated in the world, all who truly follow Him will be hated too. And remember that the big takeaways from the passage are to (1) follow Jesus in such a way that those who hate Him will also hate us and (2) to love one another in such a way that will protect and heal us from the world’s attacks. May it be so, by the Spirit’s power, for the glory of God, and unto the good of the world. The world hates you, so love one another in Jesus’ love.