“If the world hates you keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world it would love you as its own. As it is you do not belong the world but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” John 18 -20.
These are the very words of Jesus and it’s the very 101 of discipleship. We don’t like this because at the very core of our makeup we want to be loved, liked and excepted. We spend much of our energy and life looking to be accepted and liked and included but being a disciple of Jesus cuts deep into the very core of that belief. Being loved, liked and accepted comes from Jesus alone. On sun I talked about how Jesus hated the teaching of the Nicolaitans which is the spirit of compromise with the things of the world. The very core of compromise is really the fear of man. The fear of been rejected, disliked and yes even hated for being a follower of Jesus. It happens when we don’t speak up when we know we should. When we go along with a belief which totally contradicts Gods word and truth because we know if we speak up we will be attacked and vilified in some way and even rejected. It will cost us something to say I don’t believe in that and can’t go along with it Sorry. That’s when the rubber really hits the road and discipleship becomes real and personal. Let’s be like the church in Ephesus who hated what Jesus hated. It’s a hard call but the true meaning of being disciple of Jesus.
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