John 15 — I Am the True Vine, Hatred of the World
John 16 — The Work of the Holy Spirit, I Have Overcome the World
Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
My prayer is for you to join me on this journey. Subscribe to this blog below to get an email when a new post is available.
Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
Jesus continues to encourage his disciples as his earthly ministry enters into the home stretch (yes, I hear cars racing in the background). He tells them “the Advocate” will come, the Holy Spirit will be poured into them to give them courage, strength and wisdom. Chapter 16 starts with a shocking truth, “The will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God” (John 16:2). Perhaps this is meant to prepare them for Paul and his ministry coming to them very soon. We shouldn’t expect to be received with open arms by the world. Indeed Jesus provides this great promise, “in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (16:33).
Having just held a newborn baby this week, I love the imagery in Jesus’ example: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world” (16:20-21). In many trials we suffer and feel pain, even Jesus felt this stress and demonstrated his understanding of the pain the disciples would feel. Such is our Savior. Lord help us as we go out into the world with great expectation and hope; expecting we will be hated by the world, yet full of hope for the salvation of many.