i_want_to_be_liked_and_respected . I try to be a nice person. Decent to those I encounter. I mean, I just don't get it sometimes. The whole world seems to smirk and snicker as I pass by. Why does the whole world hate me? It's like I extend my hand, my heart my hope and the next move is to try and strip me of my self respect. I just don't GET it. I wish I did. I wish we were BETTER towards one another. not so jealous, or prejudiced, or judgemental or suspicious. I wish God hade made us BETTER, or made me tougher or less....no wait, I think I'd rather suffer in my skin than to become the kind of person who lashes out mindlessly at people with no thought to how my words or actions impacted others. I've been chasing this hope this shadow for a long, long time ya'll. A real long time. 040811 ... not important THEY HATE ME John 15:18-25 Introduction: I need to inform you about a cult that has spread in our land. They stir up trouble in public places. They do not believe that they have to obey our laws. They have gatherings where things go on I cannot mention. They are always kissing each other. They are focused on the end of civilization. They divide families from each other. They are like vampires, drinking blood and eating flesh. They are called ... Christians. That's a speech you could have heard in the first century about the first Christians. They were mocked, imprisoned, maimed, killed. The call to become a Christian is a call to adventure, risk, and sacrifice. There are three key principles in John 15: 1. Christians must LIVE in Jesus. *You can't bear fruit if you do not Live in Jesus (15:4) *You can't receive His blessings if you do not Live in Jesus (15:6-7) *You must keep his commandments to Live in His Love (15:9-10) 2. Christians must LOVE one another. *Love as Jesus has loved even giving life (15:12-13) *Love one another (15:17) … because … *The world will not love you (15:19) 3. Christians must be prepared to be HATED by the world. *The world hated Jesus (15:19) *You live in Jesus, thus the world hates you (15:19) *The world hates Jesus because of his works (15:24) *The world has no cause to hate Jesus (15:25). Read Text. No one wants to be hated. Everyone wants to belong. It hurts to be made fun of or rejected. How much effort do you put into trying to get the world to love you? In order for the world to love us, we would have to live like them. So there's a big choice to make in life … live in Jesus, or live in the world? James 4:4 "… 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." We can't be enamored with the world and with God. Christianity is just too different. Why does the world hate Jesus so much? John tells us: I. The World Hates Jesus Because They Don't Know God (21,23) A. Many think that God makes life boring and dreadful. B. In actuality, Our Heavenly Father… *Made us - He is our Creator *Loves us - He has gone to great lengths to save us. *Wants us - to live forever with Him *John 3:16-17 The world does not know that the Father cares … loves … saves … and so they hate the things He stands for. II. The World Hates Jesus Because of Guilt (22,24) A. They hated him when he was on earth. "… the hatred, disobedience, mockery, persecution, lying trials, scourging, and death itself, etc., which marked the treatment of Christ by the world… The holy Savior was the object of Satan's unrelenting scorn, hatred, and opposition…." (Coffman) Just think of how Jesus was treated - and what did he ever do to deserve it? They hated Him without a cause (25) B. Living in the light exposes the darkness by contrast... John 3:19 "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil." The Christian who lives and loves in Jesus exposes the evil of the world for what it is. When you are honest, you expose dishonesty! When you have values, you expose the valueless. When you are compassionate, you expose the heartless. When you have peace and joy, you expose the anger and unhappiness of those who live away from God. "There was no way the world COULD love such people, whose very lives and commission would ever be anathema to sinful man." (Coffman) Matthew 5:11-12 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." III. Why The World's Hate Does Not Destroy the Christian A. Because the Christian is In Jesus Christ! *Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." *Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." B. Because we get "into" Jesus Christ through faith and baptism. *Galatians 3:26-27 "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. [27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." *1 Corinthians 12:13 "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-and all were made to drink of one Spirit." C. Because Jesus gives life and love and comfort. *John 15:26-27. This was written to the apostles specifically. To us in the sense that God's spirit lives within the Christian and He is always there to strengthen and help us. We can't make it on our own - very clear in chap. 15. Matthew 10:22 "… you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." Conclusion: 1. There are three key principles in John 15: *Christians must LIVE in Jesus. Abide in Him … never leave Him … never choose others above Him. *Christians must LOVE one another. This is your witness to the world that Jesus really does change lives. *Christians must prepare to be HATED by the world. They hated Jesus first. 2. If you were running an ad in the local paper to inquire about people who might be interested in being a Christian, how would you word that ad? Wanted, human beings. To be hated, despised, misunderstood, and betrayed. Because they killed Him, they will try to kill you. But some will listen, and because of your faithful witness, they will receive everlasting life. If you persevere in the struggle by the power of the Holy Spirit, not only will you stand with Jesus, but you'll be rewarded by Him in glory. (Garner) Jesus is calling you today … Is there anyone here willing to forsake the world to love Jesus, live in Him, love His people, and endure whatever struggle may come because of it? That's just the way He loves you right now. Resources: Barclay, William. Daily Bible Study Series: John, Vol. 2 Coffman, Burton. Commentary on John, found at www.studylight.org Garner, Brian. Sermon, Think I'm Open. Maybe. Found at www.sermoncentral.com so...look, whether you're christian or not it's something to think about. Don't sweat it. 040811 ... . Okay so, but what if the world hates you just because you're a little askew, or eccentric, or "different" whatever the h*** THAT'S supposed to mean. I mean some words you type on this screen aren't going to make me want to stick around. Some words you paste here aren't going to FIX me or fix the world. 040811 ... later... Maybe I should at least READ what was pasted, or at least the things that appeal to me. I don't have to agree with ALL of it. Maybe, I AM a little too defensive. and uh..for the record I am a christian but when I get waist deep in my wounds. When I get pinned to the stake and my feet set on fire I'm not really thinking about some mantra or some magical reality altering affirmation. I'm so ashamed of my own words that I putting a dot down instead of the psuedonym I usually use on this site. But the music of my endlessly aching soul will be apparent sooner or later to any who read these lines any way - that and my egregious spelling and grammatical lapses. I want out. Sometimes I just want out. Sometimes I just wish I were stronger. Not meaner or more calloused, but just maybe more accustomed..not so still naive and shocked by the stark dimensions of human cruelty or the irredeemable aspects of the human ego. The ego is tenacious, it is biased, it is slow to admit fault, slow to renovate and reevaluate its own preconceptions. My own suffering is a function of my own over sensitive ego and the unreasonable expectations I place upon poeple. Sure I know that. NOW. I've got to feed myself with more than the over played litany of my so called "noble sufferings". I mean god give it a rest all ready. I need to stop feeding myself all together and learn to become dependant on the Spirit. Hey use a small s if you want. The Buddhists call it egoless compassion, the christians call it "walking in the spirit." May my steps from here on be made firmly, on the path to the soul, to the spirit and may all of my utterances be not idle, may all my utterances be - come en - lightened. Out of my emptiness may I truly become filled and find the courage and the strength to live in peace with my wold even though it may be in conflict with me, i do not have to be in conflict with It. 040811 ... Lila Pause Thanks for posting this- you've brought up some interesting ideas. And as far as being persecuted for "difference" or "eccentricity", I suppose you could say that likewise, they are qualities that threaten to question/expose others' mindless conformity... 040811 ... pete the basis of western society *smiles* 040811 ... phil actually "not important" I was jsut thinking how much i liked you and wanted to call you on the phone. 050207 ... sab 1. Christians must LIVE in Jesus. eughh, sticky. im pretty sure that will do terrible things to the leather in my shoes and then, what will i give out as my postal address? sab left ventricle heart aorta jesus 3752 2. Christians must LOVE one another. but not in that dirty pants kind of socrates way. it should be platonic. after plato. who was jsut as fond of young men as every other ancient greek. 3. Christians must be prepared to be HATED by the world. hey, news flash. everyone in the world is hated and dispised by others, both on a large societial scale [ie, those fucking americans] to a smaller, personal scale [the dude who sits behind me at work is constantly laughing. it makes me jsut wanna stab him]. the world itself doesnt hate you, although current global weather patterns does suggest that the earth is trying to rid itself of its plauge of humanity, but its probably in a non-personal kind of way. most of humanity, on the other hand, hate you, no matter which god you believe in. christians have a persecution complex so do muslims. so do pagans, ever ask a witch about the burning times? so do jews... need i go on? if you believe in something, it doesd appear that other people'll hate you for it and in turn, you'll feel victimised for it. but when i clicked on i_want_to_be_liked_and_respected, i have to say, i didnt expect it to be a be_christian_and_everythingll_be_ok sheesh make some fucking art, for all our sakes. 050207 ... daxle Sometimes I ask myself why I keep sticking around here, and often I read something and answer myself "oh yeah! because of sab :)" 050207 ... sab i love you daxle, thank you 050207 ... 42 usc 1983 “If you were running an ad in the local paper to inquire about people who might be interested in being a Christian, how would you word that ad?” Hmm, let’s see. How about this: “The most successful cult ever seeks young, energetic singles who believe in magic, lack the ability to question authority, and take allegories literally. If can you get excited over stories that were written thousands of years ago by people dumber than Bill O’Reilly to impress illiterate goat herders, then this is the position for you. Great benefits, including lifelong celibacy, bigotry, self-righteousness, and an eternity of all three guaranteed when you die. No experience necessary. In fact, no experience is a plus, because it would be hard to believe that all Muslims/Jews/Hindus/Queers deserved to burn in hell forever if you actually knew any people who belonged to any of those groups, and it would be difficult to pretend that Jesus makes everything okay if you opened your eyes once in a while to see that despite your professed happiness there are those who earnestly believe in the divinity of Christ who nonetheless suffer in vain until they finally, but not necessarily mercifully, die. Must know Micosoft Word.” 050207 what's it to you? who go blather from