The Gospel of John - Outline Part 38 - God’s Witness Protection Program

TITLE

John 15:18-27 – God’s Witness Protection Program

EXPLANATION

Having given His disciples a truly exciting look ahead and the expected heights to which they would aspire in the future, Jesus now brought things back down to earth by reminding them that all will not be rosy.  He bluntly told them that they would be hated by the world.  The world, represented during Christ’s life mostly by the Jews, had abundantly demonstrated their hatred of and rebellion against God.  The disciples were certainly not greater than Jesus was.  Therefore, as His representatives, they could expect the same treatment as their Master.  However, even in this the Lord would not leave them alone.  The Spirit, when He came, would be the front rank of witnesses for Christ.  He would be with the disciples and would accompany them on their mission of representation.

APPLICATION

One who represents another is typically given much of the same response as the one they are representing would receive.  If people love someone, they will typically grant favor to their representatives.  On the other hand, if someone is reviled, those who stand in for them can expect to be ill treated.  This is exactly the state of affairs that Christians have to look forward to.  The world, meaning the mass of unbelieving humanity, hate God, according to the Scriptures.  They cannot and will not tolerate His truth or His good news.  Therefore, they will persecute those who come in His name.

Yet, notice one of the very first things that Jesus told His disciples in this section.  In verse 19 He points out that He chose them out of the world.  There is an implication of protection in that statement.  Christ chose those upon whom He would set His favor.  He selected them out of the world in which they lived.  Although the text does not explicitly state this, I think there is a sense of protection built into this imagery.  If Jesus went to all the trouble to choose us out of the world, He is surely not going to allow us to be destroyed.  Of course, we could reinforce this point with a multitude of Scripture passages that do explicitly state such truth.  But even here, as subtle as it is, I think there is tremendous reassurance for us to grasp hold of.  When we are faced with the hostility of the world in which we live, we can take comfort and be of good cheer.  Our Master has chosen us.  We are His and He is ours.  He will in no wise leave us alone.  And, our future is secured.  We will triumph one day because Christ will triumph one day.