Manifested love Pt 25: Don't deny Him

John 16:1-5                            1”All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.  2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.  3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.  4I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them.  I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5but now I am going to Him who sent me….”

Philippians 3:4-6                   4…If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

The reader may not know that in the original languages the Bible was not separated by verse numbers, chapter numbers, or section headings.  Each book ran uninterrupted from beginning to end.  Although often useful, these annotations can be rather arbitrary.  In this case we should not think these verses are a new thought.  No, they are a continuation of 15:26-27 and as such we should see the Holy Spirit’s available help in the background as we look at 16:1-5.

Strength against opposition

As long as Jesus has been with the disciples, he has been able to divert opposition upon himself rather than have it fall on them.  But now things are about to change.  After Jesus is gone that protection, at least in the physical realm, will no longer exist.  So these verses show Jesus advising his disciples about what is to come.  Imagine what might have taken place if they had not been forewarned.  Human beings being who they are, I can see that the disciples might think Jesus had let them down, and this might lead to doubt, questioning, and even falling away.

Jesus died on Friday of Passover week and for 50 days the disciples hid in fear.  On that 50th day, called Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon each of them empowering them to spread the Gospel.  This really was Day 1 of the spread of the Kingdom.  From this day forward the disciples actively and forcefully preached the good news, and it was from this day that opposition and persecution began.  They faced two major forms of persecution:  Excommunication and murder.

Increased persecution

In our modern society, it may be difficult to understand the pressure excommunication placed on the disciples.  Americans particularly are apt to bounce from church to church upon the perception of the slightest deviation from the norm.  Physical and spiritual life was intertwined in the 1st century so excommunication presented very difficult circumstances to the disciples.  They would be cut off from every social and religious aspect of life.  They were considered pagans, or even worse, and would lose all their friends.  They were exiled by their families, lost their jobs, and even were refused an honorable burial.

Beyond that, they would actually face legal murder.  The problem was that Jesus presented himself as one with God.  That implied to the religious leaders that Jesus was presenting himself as a second God.  This was blasphemy to a community believing there was only one true God.  And blasphemy was punishable by death.  It was even a sort of unwritten rule in those days that taking the life of a pagan or apostate was the same as offering a sacrifice to God.  Even Paul, in his former life as Saul, persecuted Jesus’ followers with great energy.

9I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem.  On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my voice against them.  11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. (Acts 26:9-11)

I don’t want to appear too negative here, but it seems likely we will be facing similar circumstances today.  No doubt the specifics will change but certainly we will begin to face opposition.  There are faint signs people are disgusted with the current state of Western culture and turning back to a more spiritual life, but generally most people will agree there is something horribly wrong.  People don’t like to be told their lifestyle is against God’s precepts.  They will respond with, “Who do you think you are?” or “My life is right for me!”

But people, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, if we believe that God has had a several Millenia long plan to cleanse the earth of its sin, and if we believe God wants all people to enter into eternal life through his Son, then we have to act.  But people don’t respond well to preaching; the only thing that really works is to show our Holy Spirit lifestyle to any- and everyone who will listen.  Especially those with whom we already have a relationship.

But even the slightest attempt to share the gospel will result in opposition.  People will call you names; they will withdraw their friendship, your job will be threatened, even your patriotism will be called into question.

What about me?

So we come now to the nitty-gritty.  Who do we name as our Lord?  Is it the world or is it God.  I have long thought that American churches focused on Jesus as Lamb.  But there is another Jesus; Jesus as Lion.  The Lion is the One coming to redeem his people.  It is the Lion who is coming to correct the abuses and persecution laid on the heads of God’s people.  I also think churches have made it too easy to come into the Kingdom.  They share a prayer with the person and then have the person take a six or eight week class on discipleship.  I think it ought to be the other way around;  the new believer ought to understand just what they are entering into.

Dear reader, where are you at?  As you approach the end of your days will Jesus say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”  Or will he say, “Be gone, I never knew you.”  Take your faith to heart.  Depend on Jesus and trust in him.  Listen for his still, small voice.  He will guide you to those he wants you to share your testimony with and guide you in the doing of it.  It will be wonderful.  Go for it.

3Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? (Amos 3:3)