March 10, 2021
John 16:1-4, “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.”
Jesus is concerned here about their steadfastness in the face of persecution. He is very clear about the persecution his followers are about to face. He says they will be put of synagogues, the gathering places for the Jewish people, and even that they would be killed, by people who believe they are being holy in their persecution of Christians. Paul was one of these people, who took great pride in his role of persecuting those who were thought to be blaspheming the God of the Jewish people. But Jesus makes clear that to know Jesus is to know the one true God, and to reject him is to reject the one true God. He wants them to be prepared in their hour of persecution.
What do you think about when hardship comes your way? Or what do you consider when you find yourself in an opportunity to help someone in the name of Christ? Do you remember him in the same way? Do you remember that Christ gave his life for you, so that we could enjoy him forever, in eternal peace? It means that the sufferings we endure presently are nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory (2 Cor. 4:17) in knowing Jesus. Our hardships are minor compared to the overt persecution experienced by the earliest Christians. And it was their steadfast faith in the face of death that converted thousands of people in multiple cities across the ancient world. Does our faith today have the same kind of effect on our neighbors? Do they see us willing to go the extra mile for someone who is struggling in our community? This witness of both word and deed is crucial for an accurate representation of Jesus Christ in our neighborhoods.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to remember what you have done for me and let that be my motivation for doing good work in your world. Let me remember, too, the faith of so many believers who have gone to their death because of their trust in you. Help me to remember that nothing can separate me from your love. Amen.
40 Days of Joy: Watch the movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Shout out to Emily Fedor for this recommendation - this is a beautiful movie about family, resilience, selflessness.
