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About-Him.Com Devotional 03-03-2006
Http://About-Him.Com/ My Thoughts on the Life of Christ, from His Baptism to His Ascension. 212b: Jesus Final Words to His Disciples John 15:18-27 18 ¶ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. After giving the Parable of the Vine, Jesus and His group continue walking toward Gethsemane. This would be His last night on earth prior to His crucifixion and Jesus had much more to say. His disciples could see that he was being assaulted by all the forces of hell. They realized that His death was imminent. This gave Jesus an opportunity to tell them that the same would be in store for them. They were no better than their Lord. They would be persecuted and hated by men everywhere, simply because they confessed His name. They were not of the world. They had been with Jesus and it would forever show (Acts 4:3). Jesus had done many works and miracles that perfectly demonstrated that He was divine. The people of that day would not accept Him, simply because their eyes were blinded by their own evil nature. They might have been religious, but they were exceedingly evil. They were incapable of recognizing Jesus as Emmanuel, God with us. By hated and despising Jesus they were actually hating the God whom they professed to serve. Conclusion and Application: The early disciples and apostles all saw these words of Jesus literally fulfilled in their own lives. Tradition tells us that eleven of the apostles were martyred, and only John died a natural death after having been imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. During the Roman persecution of the second century, the Apian Way which lead into Rome was literally lined for miles with the crosses of crucified Christians. Persecution has continued down through the centuries. In 1919 one million Armenian Christians were slaughtered by the Turks. Some have said that there is actually more active persecution of Christians now more than any time in history. It’s not easy being a Christian, in the Moslem countries. If you name the name of Jesus in China, you do so at a cost. I continually hear of beatings and murders committed against Christians by both Muslims and Hindus in India. Like the apostles, these folks count it an honor to suffer for the name of Jesus. I believe they have taken the words of Paul to heart, that if we suffer with Him, we’ll reign with Him (II Timothy 2:12).” Like the apostles they are glad that they are counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. So, is the U.S. and the western world exempt from suffering? We are blessed to live in a religiously tolerant societybut we may have our day yet! If we do, I wonder how a church world that has been fed a watered down, hyped up, gimme gimme self serving, merchandised gospel will bear up? I wonder how I would bear up? Something to think about, my friend! We’ll find the answer in next week’s devotional, "The Promise of the Holy Spirit." While shopping at Walmart this week, the checker kept calling me endearing name. As we were leaving, I told Marie that I had received four "Honeys" and two "Sweethearts." I asked her if that was how I really came across to people. She said, "Not exactly!" In About-Him
Online Sermons http://about-him.com/sermonlink.htmlOur Bible Studies http://about-him.com/bslinkpage.html Our Music: http://about-him.com/audio.html Flash Theater http://about-him.com/player.html Scripture list on 30 subjects http://about-him.com/wordarc.html Humor
While shopping at Walmart this week, the checker kept calling me endearing name. As we
were leaving, I told Marie that I had received four "Honeys" and two "Sweethearts." I asked
her if that was how I really came across to people.
She said, "Not exactly!" Somebody Has Said
"I care not where I go, or how I live, or what I endure so that I may save souls. When I sleep I
dream of them; when I awake they are first in my thoughts. No amount of scholastic
attainment, of able and profound exposition of brilliant and stirring eloquence can atone for
the absence of a deep impassioned sympathetic love for human souls." - David Brainerd
Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@about-him.com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe@about-him.com
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