Lesson #27

JOHN 15:18-27; 16:1-6
Lesson #27
THE CONSEQUENCES OF AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST

• Memory Verse: John 15:23

• In the first part of Joh 15, we discussed in detail the nature of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
• We concentrated on:
• What it means to “abide” in Christ:
• The believer must “abide” in Jesus.
• The believer must “abide” in the Word.
• The believer must “abide” in Christ’s love.
• The “fruit” of the Christian life:
• Souls won for the kingdom of heaven.
• Character development in the believer.
• Good works produced by believers after salvation.
• We learned that love is the key to this abiding relationship between God and Jesus, between Jesus and the believer, and between the believer and others in the faith.
• In the second part of Joh 15, we will see the consequences of this intimate relationship with Christ. This is the consequences of abiding and bearing fruit for the glory of God. The consequences is persecution.
• It is love in the family of God that will see other persecuted Christians encouraged and cared for.

• Read Joh 15:18-25
• What do you learn about persecution and hatred?

• “If the world hate you…”

(18)

• Jesus promised hatred and persecution for Christians. Because the believer is identified with Christ, whom the world hates, that hatred of Christ would be transferred to the believer. The closer the believer is to Christ, the greater is the opportunity for suffering.
• Why does the world hate Christ?
• The values Christ taught are opposed to the values of the world system.
• Christ taught absolute moral standards in a world opposed to any standards.
• Christ desires a will submitted to God in a world where Satan is the god and man desires to do his own thing.
• “…but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

(19)

• The believer in Jesus Christ is set apart from the world. He is called to come out of his reliance upon, and participation in the values of the world system.
• The believer who does not experience rejection or persecution should ask himself how hidden is his relationship with Christ, and how close to the world system he lives.(Jam 4:4)
• “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.”

(22)

• The Jews would not have been guilty of rejecting Jesus Christ if He had not come to this world. Now that He came, their rejection means they have not taken advantage of the forgiveness of sin when Jesus died on the cross. Therefore, they remain in their sins.
• “…this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.”

(23)

• This statement is a quote from Psa 69:4 and Psa 35:19.
• Jesus quotes this phrase in order to fulfill prophecy.

• Read Joh 15:26-27

• “…he shall testify of me:”

(26)

• From the beginning of chapter 14, Jesus has sprinkled truths about the role of the Holy Spirit. For example:
• We have learned about the role of the Holy Spirit in chapter 14: that:
• =1= The Holy Spirit will abide in the believer. (14:16)
• =2= The Holy Spirit of truth will teach the believer and bring truth to the mind. (14:17, 26)
• Now in chapter 15, we learn another aspect of the role of the Holy Spirit:
• =3= The Holy Spirit will testify about Jesus Christ. (26)
• The Holy Spirit illumines the heart of the non-believer who hears the message about Christ.. He convicts the heart of sin and prepares the heart to receive Christ.
• And because the Spirit dwells inside the believer, He will prompt the believer to testify about Jesus Christ to others.(27)
• “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father…”

(26)

• In Joh 14:26, Jesus had told us that God, the Father, would send us the Holy Spirit while here in verse 26, Jesus tells us that He will send the Holy Spirit.
• How do we explain this?
• Both are accurate for the Holy Spirit is sent by both God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son of God. Remember that Jesus spoke often in this gospel of the unity between the Father and the Son in both speech and actions.
• Summary:
• The two names given for the Holy Spirit in Joh 14-15 tell us how He ministers to believers:

• Read Joh 16:1-6
• Jesus’ teachings in Joh 14 and 15 were for the purposes of warning the disciples what was ahead of them so that they would remain strong, especially through the persecution ahead.
• “…that ye should not be offended..”

(1)

• Literally this phrase means, that the disciples will not be caused to stumble.
• “They shall put you out of the synagogues:”

(2)

• This was already occurring in Joh 9:22. Jews who had freely come into the synagogue, taking part in religious Jewish traditions, were already being barred from entrance in a synagogue simply for mentioning the name of Jesus.
• This type of persecution of Jewish Christians grew and prompted the official break between Judaism and Christianity that we wee in the book of Acts.
• “…the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”

(2)

• Saul (the apostle Paul) did exactly this. He persecuted believers, had them beaten, tried, and killed in the book of Acts until God revealed himself to Saul, and he was converted to Christ. (Act 9:1-2)
• At the hands of Saul, Stephen suffered the first martyrdom in Act 7:54-60.
• Those who would do violence against Christians, would be motivated by a zeal for a God they did not know. (3)
• Such violent actions, like those of the Apostle Paul before his conversion, were done out of ignorance. (1Tim 1:13)
• The warning:
• Persecution comes. (4)
• Jesus prepared the disciples for the persecution they would suffer. In reality, the disciples suffered greatly for their testimony of faith in Christ even to the point of death.
• All the disciples except John were martyred for Christ.
• It was the presence of the Holy Spirit in them that gave them the strength to stand for Christ even in martyrdom.
• Trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit brings the comfort Jesus promised. The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter for good reason.
• “…And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.”

(4)

• Jesus waited until his last hours before warning the disciples of this coming persecution. His reason for waiting was that He was their protection. However, now that He was going to be crucified, resurrected and ascend to heaven, the disciples would need to know that Jesus’ strength and comfort would come to them through the presence of the Holy Spirit inside of them.
• Scriptural review and coordination of the work of the Holy Spirit (Rev 1:4)

 HOMEWORK
JOHN 16:7-33
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joh 15:18-27: 16:1-6
• There are certain practices in the Christian life that help the believer to grow in strength to be able to stand strong for the Lord under persecution. Make a list of thee practices and explain how they strengthen the believer.

• Preparation for Joh 16:7-33
• Read Joh 16:7-33
• What names do you find for the Holy Spirit?
• What do you learn abut the role of the Holy Spirit?
• What do you learn about peace?
• According to this chapter, how can the believer have peace in a world where there will be trials and persecution?

• Memory verse: Joh 16:33