A Slave is Not Greater Than His Master
Scripture Passage: John 15:18-27 (NASB)
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
SUMMARY
Jesus warns the disciples that if the world hates them, it is because it hated Jesus first and because Jesus chose them out of the world. Jesus says if the world persecuted Jesus, they will persecute His disciples, and if they obeyed Jesus, they will obey His disciples, also. Jesus says that the world hated His Father, as well, because they hated Jesus who came, spoke to them, and did works amongst them. But, even their hatred toward Jesus and God the Father fulfills the prophecy that, “They hated me without cause” (v. 25). Jesus says He will send a Helper, the Spirit of Truth, who is from the Father, and He will testify about Jesus. Since the disciples were with Jesus from the beginning, they will also testify about Him.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
“A slave is not greater than his master” (v. 20) and therefore, as Jesus was hated, rejected, arrested and crucified, followers of Jesus will also be hated, rejected, and persecuted. People who hate Jesus will hate Christians, but people who love Jesus will love Christians. Jesus spoke to the ones who hated Him, and they got to see His works. Jesus spoke to both those who would accept Him, as well as those who would not. He gave them a chance also. We are to be witnesses to Him not only to those we feel safe with but also to those who may be hostile to us. We are to testify about Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will help us when we do. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26 NASB).
Years ago, when CL was almost 4 years old and JL was about 9 months old, I went to Korea to witness to my grandmother who was showing early signs of dementia. I faced many oppositions from my own family and relatives. One aunt thought I went to Korea because I had postpartum depression, another thought I was having marital problems. While preparing to go to Korea, I cried many tears listening to praise songs and I once went to an early morning service when they were launching long-term missionaries, and I cried as if I was going on that long-term mission. However, I was grateful and overcome with joy when my grandmother, who believed in Buddha and other gods all her life, accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. It really was the Holy Spirit that helped me because I could not have convinced her with my own words. I knew then that God loved her more than I could ever love her. Some people hated me during that time but my grandmother received me and received Jesus Christ as her Savior. I was afraid of rejection, but who am I, that I can avoid the rejection that Jesus suffered? I should be glad that I am worthy enough to suffer even just a little bit of what Jesus suffered.
APPLICATION
Recently, I have gotten really comfortable and complacent, just going through the routines of doing ministry and I haven’t thought about being a witness to my unbelieving family members and friends. I don’t like to argue about religion and they don’t either and I didn’t want to have conflict. However, God is speaking to me through this passage and the COVID-19 pandemic, to not fear rejection but make use of every opportunity to share the gospel while we can, to pray for unbelievers, and to be a witness to them, starting with my own family members - my own father. Just as my children were instrumental in the opening of my grandmother’s heart, I think they can be instrumental in the opening of my father’s heart, as well. I have asked my daughter CL to read the Bible in Korean to my father everyday for about 2 weeks now. I will keep asking her to do this and not give up. I will not fear rejection but I want to take more risks in inviting non-believing friends and relatives to watch online sermons.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of salvation through Your Son, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. I am sorry I have wanted to shield myself from rejection and persecution from the world, and have not been making use of every opportunity to testify about Jesus Christ. I want to be a witness for Jesus so more can be saved. I pray that I may be filled with the Holy Spirit so that I will know what to say. I need Your help. Help me to be brave and steadfast, help me to return to the time that I had first loved You, when I was fearless, when I took risks, when doing Your will was not out of duty but was pleasure, when all I wanted was to spend time praising and worshiping You. I want to focus my attention on You. I want to put my time and efforts in things that are everlasting. Help me to know Your will for me so I can do them. In Jesus name, Amen.
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