A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church (very slow to upload; please be patient)
I. PROPHECY OF PERSECUTION
A. WORLD HATES CHRISTIANS
1. FURY
Jn 15:18a Since the world hates you . .
also I Peter 5:8 “Satan prowls like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”
2. FAVORED
Jn 15:19 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, on this account the world hates you.
also Prov 29:27 “The one whose way is righteous is an abomination to the wicked.”
Phil 2:15 “That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”
Eph 5:11 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
Eph 1:4 “We are chosen before the foundation of the world”
Eph 1:6 “to the praise and glory of His grace bestowed freely upon us”
Rom 3:27 “Where then is boasting? Man is justified by faith, apart from works”
B. WORLD HATES JESUS CHRIST
1. FACT
Jn 15:18b [The world] hated Me before you.
also Heb 12:3 “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself”
2. FRAME OF REFERENCE
Jn 15:20 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.
C. WORLD HATES GOD
1. FAULTY VISION
Jn 15:21 But all these things they’ll do to you on account of My Name, because they don’t know Him Who sent Me.
also We have (Phil 3:10) “fellowship of His sufferings”
They have (Rom 8:7) “a mindset hostile to God”
They are (Eph 2:1) “dead in trespasses and sins”
Eph 4:18 “darkened in their understanding, excluded for the life of God because of the hardness of their heart”
2. FALSE FRONT
Jn 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they wouldn’t have been guilty of sin [rejecting Me]; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
also Rom 1:18-20 they “suppress the truth in unrighteousness or what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse”)
3. FEIGNED LOVE
Jn 15:23-24 Those hating Me also hate My Father. If I hadn’t done the works among them that no one else did, they wouldn’t be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.
also John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father”
John 5:23 “He who doesn’t honor the Son dishonors the Father Who sent Him”
I Jn 2:23 “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father”
4. FIENDISH PLOY
Jn 15:25 But the word written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
also They (I Cor 2:8) “crucified the Lord of glory”
Mt 5:10-12 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
II. PROPHECY OF POWER
A. WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. FROM THE FATHER
Jn 15:26a But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, (the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father)
also I John 5:6 “It is the Spirit Who testifies … because the Spirit is truth”
II Pet 1:21 “carried along by the holy Spirit”
I Cor 2:14 “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned
2. FOCUS ON THE SON
Jn 15:26b He will bear witness concerning Me.
also Acts 5:30-32 “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him at His right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
B. WORK OF DISCIPLES
1. FOR US
Jn 15:27a And you also will bear witness
also Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 5:32 “We are witnesses of these things and so is the holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him”
Heb 2:3-4 “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will”
2. FOUNDATION
Jn 15:27b because you’ve been with Me from the beginning.
also II Tim 2:24-26 “The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
I Peter 3:15 “Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”
James 4:4 “Don’t you realize that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God”
I John 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him”
Conclusion: Two prophecies – PERSECUTION from a world that hates us because it hated both God the Son and God the Father; and POWER from the Spirit of God. We ARE witnesses
And what is our message? The Law reformed us, but Grace transforms us.
Probably best, most simple and contemporary way to explain this is the story of Les Miserables. What was it that completely melted and transformed the heart of Jean Valjean? Unmerited, extravagant Grace! What crushes and destroys the heart of Javert? Law!
The Gospel has a power to transform hearts. You can hear it 10,000 times and still be pierced by it.
What can change a selfish heart to an unselfish heart? the cross
What can change a proud heart to a humble heart? the cross
What can change a greedy heart to an giving heart? the cross
What can change a angry heart to an empathetic heart? the cross
I can stand up in front of you on Sunday morning and give you a list of 5 things you need to do for God. You can go home add it to the list of 6 things I gave you the week before. Or I can stand up here and tell you of the 1 thing God did for you.
Which do you think is more effective?