Sermon - Exaudi 2021 - John 15:26-16:4

 

"The Christian Martyrs' Last Prayer," Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1824-1904

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Early on in the nation of Israel, after God had brought His people out of bondage in Egypt, He established laws among them. Rather than setting over them an earthly king, He was their King who had written their laws and provided for their needs. On earth the Lord had established judges who would judge the people on the basis of His laws. 

However, the Israelites didn’t like that they didn’t have an earthly king like all of the Gentile nations. They didn’t like being different from everybody else. So they said “appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” The Israelites didn’t like being different, they didn’t like that God had set them apart and established holiness laws, distinguishing the Israelites.

What the Israelites wanted was conformity with this world. This conformity is what many people want; it’s a human characteristic to want to be like other people. We don’t like being seen as weird, different, or non-conformists. This is why when a child does something bad with a group of other kids, the parent has to ask their kid “if everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you?” The kid may say no, but of course the kid would jump off the cliff if everyone else did it. Peer pressure and wanting to not be different is a very deep emotion.

For that reason, the fact that God has called us to be holy as He is holy, to be different as He is different, is really hard for us. This is why Jesus teaches us: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 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. 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.” 

It’s a hard reality, but being a Christian is different and it makes you weird. It’s really tempting for us to try and fit in with the world, because we don’t want to be seen as a cult, we don’t want to be labeled derogatory terms, we just want to fit in and get along! But that’s just not possible for Christians. Just as Jesus was hated by the world, so are we hated by the world. Just as Jesus ascended to glory in heaven, so will we ascend to glory in heaven. We share in Christ’s suffering and His glory.

Because the world will hate us for being so different, Jesus forewarned us. “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.”

It’s good to be forewarned about the reality of suffering because it enables us to prepare for it and brace against it. Sometimes the suffering is hard persecution, like what Christians face in parts of Asia and Africa, where they’re burned alive in their churches. Sometimes it’s soft persecution where Christians are threatened with fines and imprisonments, like in parts of Canada where churches are told they can’t meet and police will be periodically inspecting sanctuaries to make sure they're empty. Sometimes it’s softer persecution like here in America, where by means of social pressure Christians are urged to be just like everyone else.

Through these means of persecution, whether they be soft or hard, Satan is urging Christians to be just like all the rest of the world. There’s no escape from it for Christians! If you think that you can go undercover and look like the world, and still be a Christian, you’re mistaken. The world already thinks we Christians are nuts, conspiracy theorists, cultish, and just plain weird. Instead of trying to prevent the world from thinking those things about us, let’s ignore what the world says about us, and simply focus on being faithful Christians, holy and set apart, and people for God’s own possession. 

Lest we forget, there’s no escaping the suffering. Being a Christian means we are little Christ’s, and so we will suffer just as our head and master Jesus suffered. Our Lord Jesus, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. He was hated by so many. He would amass great crowds, and then nearly everyone would leave Him. He would heal the sick, and then people would try to stone Him. Ultimately, Jesus is our King, Pilate wasn’t wrong about that, and yet He is our King who was crucified. He is the Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep.

Jesus laid down His life for us, we who were His enemies, whose sins pounded the nails into His holy hands. Jesus suffered and was hated by the world because He loves the world and desires to redeem the world. Jesus has redeemed you, His dearly beloved Children, by suffering for you and bearing the agony of the cross.

Yet through His suffering, He brought you life and immortality. He brought you glory by being spit upon and trampled! This world with all of it’s fallen tragedies is passing away and a world filled with joy is approaching! Entrance into this new world has been won for us by Christ whose blood set us free to be children of God! So just as we Christians share in our Master’s suffering, likewise do we share in our Master’s glory!

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 

We are in the final days; the end of all things is at hand. So Christ, in order to lift you up that you may endure until you enter into glory, He’s given you the Spirit. “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, He is the great Comforter and the Helper in these dark and latter days. How does He help and comfort you? He bears witness to Christ. The Spirit preaches truth, the Truth, Jesus.

The Spirit gives you the faith to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing in His name you may have everlasting life! Jesus has come to give you life; His life! Life in heaven! Through faith you no longer fear death, nor any evil thing, because Christ has overcome them and gives you life! Through faith, no longer does the world hold sway over our lives, no longer do we desire to be conformed to this world, instead the Spirit conforms our minds to Christ! Through faith, we view our suffering in light of the resurrection and we look ahead to heaven, regardless of the pain we may be enduring.

We have joy and bliss eternal since we share in Christ’s suffering and glory. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!