THE WORLD MUST YOU!

John 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples, "If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'Servants are not greater than their master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

John 15:18-21

Some thoughts on this scripture

The Lord Jesus warns us that the world is going to hate us, and it does! Think of how he responded. “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they are doing.”
Jesus has withdrawn true believers from the world, from worldly ways of thinking, from greed and selfishness and self-importance.

The Lord Jesus grieves that the world does not know his Father who sent him to bring the good news of his endless love for us all. But whenever we pray our awareness of this love grows imperceptibly deeper. You can notice this only by reflection over a period of time. When you do notice that you have grown at least a little in love, thank God for it.

‘My choice withdrew you from the world’. I am the choice of God! Surely this touches my heart with wonder and gratitude. A love-poem of which I recall only a single line runs: ‘I have singled you out from all the world.’ The poet is speaking to her partner who is slipping away from her due to a debilitating illness. What must that line have meant to him! Let Jesus’ words give you comfort in times of hatred, trial and doubt.


Not everyone accepts the Lord Jesus, which was his experience from the start. Opposition to him took him to death, and love took him from death to resurrection. Persecution and similar opposition is the experience of his true followers. Goodness offends people; evil seems for a while to be stronger than love, but the message of Jesus is that love conquers all.

Command any aspect of your life in which
John 15:18-21
The Word of God
Jesus said to his disciples, "If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'Servants are not greater than their master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

John 15:18-21
Some thoughts on today's scripture
Jesus warns us that the world is going to hate us, and it does! Think of how he responded. “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they are doing.”
Jesus has withdrawn us from the world, from worldly ways of thinking, from greed and selfishness and self-importance. Do I need to examine myself here?


The Lord Jesus grieves that the world does not know his Father who sent him to bring the good news of his endless love for us all. But whenever we pray our awareness of this love grows imperceptibly deeper. You can notice this only by reflection over a period of time. When you do notice that you have grown at least a little in love, thank God for it.
‘My choice withdrew you from the world’. I am the choice of God! Surely this touches my heart with wonder and gratitude. A love-poem of which I recall only a single line runs: ‘I have singled you out from all the world.’ The poet is speaking to her partner who is slipping away from her due to a debilitating illness. What must that line have meant to him! Let Jesus’ words give me comfort in my times of trial and doubt.



Not everyone accepts Jesus, which was his experience from the start. Opposition to him took him to death, and love took him from death to resurrection. Persecution and similar opposition is the experience of many of his followers. Goodness sometimes offends people; evil can seem for a while to be stronger than love, but the message of Jesus is that love conquers all.

Command any aspect of your life in which you feel rejected or unappreciated before the Lord, considering your treatment was because of you being a disciple.


“The world” in today’s reading doesn’t mean the physical world but the world of people who have mistakenly made money, success, reputation, power, and control their God. They place their worth solely in how much they own, who they know, and in their capacity to exploit others and the earth to their own exclusive benefit. They are ready to use force to gain their ends. Jesus warns us that they hated Him and his message of putting God and His kingdom first and all these things fall into place.

Could we be true Christians if we don’t challenge and encounter violence from those who exploit everything and everyone for their own benefit alone? The good news isn’t good news initially for them, and yet God embraces them in God’s desire to save all men and women.
“Repent, and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15).



Witnessing to love means standing for justice, and the unjust will not like it. Standing for truth will infuriate those who live by lies. I won’t look for trouble, but if it comes, let me not run away. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of holiness, righteousness, justice and truth. At the end of my life I will be glad to have contributed what I could to its growth, and those I stood by will intercede for me.

There are times when I slip into voguish nonsense, trying to keep up with the prejudices and fripperies of fashion, or echoing the cynicism and materialism around me. When the worldly love me, I need to look hard at myself, and remember that, the most lovable of men, even the Lord God Jesus Christ, suffered hatred and execution. When people are giving you a hard time, it may well be that you blessed.


‘Hate’ may seem to be a strong word, to be overstating it a little. If everyone in your world is comfortable with you, it suggests that your light has dimmed a little, that your salt has become less tangy. know that, any Godly resistance you cause in others is from your being a true disciple of the Lord Jesus.



The Lord Jesus gives us advance warning of tough times. Which of us wants to be hated? Instead we want to be affirmed for what we are and for the choices we make. But he tells us that the experience of rejection is an opportunity for us to live his Passion in our own lives. In facing this, companionship with the suffering Christ strengthens us.

None of us can serve two masters. We are called to live an integrated life where our daily choices give expression to our discipleship and love of Jesus. We do not seek out suffering, but neither do we run from it when it is forced on us.


Jesus wants a world in which love, friendship and inclusion prevail. But we find ourselves in a world of domination, corruption, revenge and exclusion. To have the courage to make right choices we must be firmly grounded in the friendship and support of Jesus.

None of us likes to be hated, but we are told not to expect an easy life in following Jesus. He doesn’t promise that we will be loved by all when we stand for the truth, but we are to be available, faithful and loving. The struggle to witness to the Gospel will deepen the companionship between Jesus and ourselves but also deepen hate from the world. ‘We are in this together.’

This talk about hatred is distasteful stuff, and politically incorrect. But I have to admit that it rings true. It happens that good Christians are slandered and hated, for whatever reason. Then I need to remember how the Lord Jesus was hated but kept His peace, and did not let His heart flame up in resentment. Dont feel rejected or unappreciated before the Lord, . Stand beside Jesus who knows how I feel.


“The world” in today’s reading doesn’t mean the physical world but the world of people who have mistakenly made money, success, reputation, power, and control their God. They place their worth solely in how much they own, who they know, and in their capacity to exploit others and the earth to their own exclusive benefit. They are ready to use force to gain their ends. Jesus warns us that they hated Him and his message of putting God and His kingdom first and all these things fall into place.

Could we be true Christians if we don’t challenge and encounter violence from those who exploit everything and everyone for their own benefit alone? The good news isn’t good news initially for them, and yet God embraces them in God’s desire to save all men and women.
“Repent, and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15).


Witnessing to love means standing for justice, and the unjust will not like it.

May the Lord guide you!