Love Hate Existence:

Context:

• Jesus had just explained that abiding in Him produces fruit that remains.
• He then commanded that His followers to love one another, as He had loved them.

John 15:18-19 “...If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you...”

Does following Jesus insure love?

• Abiding in Jesus allows believers to love one another.
• Abiding in Jesus allows believers to love the world like the Father loves His world.
• Abiding in Jesus brings forth the world’s hatred.

Who and how does the world love?

• The love of Jesus and his followers is agape - unconditional concern for the welfare of others. No hooks.
• The love of the world is phileo - the love of friends, or brothers. With conditions.
• The two types of love are not the same.

Why does the world hate (miseo) the followers of Jesus?

• They have been rescued from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of the beloved son.
• They are not friends of the world’s brotherhood.

John 15:20-21 “...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 also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me...”

Why should followers of Jesus expect persecution?

• Jesus was perfect, and yet was persecuted.
• Those who despise Jesus, will also despise His followers.
• Persecution comes from those who simply do not know the Father, who sent Jesus.

What changed Saul the persecutor to Paul the proclaimer of gospel truth?

• He met Jesus.
• He came to know the Father who sent Jesus.

John 15:22-25 “...If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ ...”

Why didn’t the haters and persecutors of Jesus’ day have an excuse for their sin?

• They had observed the works that no one else did.
• They saw, yet hated both Jesus and the Father, without a cause.

Do current haters and persecutors have an excuse for their sin?

• Have they seen kingdom works?
• Do they hate both Jesus and the Father without a cause?

John 15:26-27 “...But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning...”

Who sends the Spirit of truth?

• Jesus sends Him from the Father.

How does the Holy Spirit cause current haters and persecutors to have no excuse?

• The Holy Spirit bears witness.
• The Holy Spirit helps followers of Jesus bear witness.
• People are exposed to the Kingdom, therefore having opportunity to move from phileo to agape.