The World Hates the Disciples – John 15:18-16:4

When and how have you experienced the hatred and persecution of the world?

Bible Reading

John 15:18-16:4

18  “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

19  “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

20  “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. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

21  “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

22  “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

23  “He who hates Me hates My Father also.

24  “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.

25  “But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

26  “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

27  “And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

CHAPTER 16

1  “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.

2  “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

3  “And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

4  “But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

(NKJ)

 

Food for Thought

1.   What are some things that you hate or dislike?

2.   Why do you like the things that you like?

3.   What causes people to hate one another?

 

Bible Study

4.   What did Jesus want his disciples to keep in mind? (15:18)

5.   Whom does the world love? (15:19)

6.   Why would the world hate Jesus’ disciples? (15:19)

7.   What did Jesus want his disciples to remember? (15:20)

8.   What difference does it make that the world does not know God? (15:21)

9.   Why do the people of the world have no excuse for their sin? (15:22)

10. What is the significance of hating Jesus? (15:23)

11. What has made the world fully accountable for its sin? (15:24)

12. What did the world’s hatred fulfil? (15:25)

13. What would the Helper do when he comes? (15:26)

14. Why did Jesus say that his disciples must testify about him? (15:27)

15. Why did Jesus tell the disciples these things? (16:1)

16. What was going to happen to the disciples for following Christ? (16:2-3)

 

Kingdom Dynamics

17. What is “the world”?

18. Can something which is of God be popular in the world? 

19. What do you make of the fact that the film, “The Passion of the Christ,” was so popular?

20. How do you explain the fact that there are so many Christians in Nigeria today?

21. Who are the followers of Christ today that the world hates?

22. How does the world today hate the followers of Jesus?

23. When and how have you experienced the hatred and persecution of the world?

24. How does the world today display its hatred for Jesus and God?

25. Why is it important for a believer to expect hatred from the world?

26. How has God chosen you “out of the world”?

27. How and when do you still feel a part of the world?

28. How does the Holy Spirit testify about Jesus to the world?

29. How are you a testimony for Jesus?

30. Can we use the world or something from the world, to testify about Jesus?

 

Practical Christianity

31. How and to whom can you be a testimony for Jesus today?

32. How should you adjust your expectations of being accepted by the world?