1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:06,040 Pray with me, Father in heaven, as we open your word, as we come 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:12,040 as your children, confident in who we are in Christ, confident 3 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,600 in the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 4 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:19,920 We long to be fed, to be nourished, to be encouraged, to 5 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:24,560 be trained, to be taught, to be rebuked and corrected, all in 6 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,360 righteousness. This is what only you can do, 7 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:30,840 and you've proven faithful to do it. 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:34,920 We take you at Your word. Enable us now to hear it once 9 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,760 again and transform the lives of all who are present. 10 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,640 This we pray in Jesus name, Amen. 11 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,160 This morning we're going to be going back into John's Gospel 12 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:48,520 and to his farewell discourse in John 15. 13 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,440 I'm going to read from verse 8 through 16. 14 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,360 Three. I'm going to focus on two 15 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,760 different parts of the passage this morning as we're getting 16 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:00,800 ready to come to the Lord's Table. 17 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:06,720 This passage is so powerful, and the doctrine that I want to 18 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,760 focus on particularly this morning is the doctrine of the 19 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:15,680 effectual calling. It is the precious doctrine that 20 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,560 He is the one who called us to Himself. 21 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:26,680 He is the one who chose us. We did not choose Him, He chose 22 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:28,920 us. Jesus is going to say that 23 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:33,280 twice, and this is the precious doctrine for His people to know 24 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,640 what it means to be pursued by the living God. 25 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,120 This text is famous for the word abide. 26 00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:44,600 This text is also famous for the call of Jesus on the disciples 27 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,840 to love one another. He teaches us that the world 28 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:52,280 will know us by our love, but then he's going to move to teach 29 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,200 us that that same world is going to hate those who have been 30 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,360 called by Christ. This is not something that might 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,000 happen. It's something that is going to 32 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:06,120 happen, and that hostility is going to continue to grow and 33 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,840 grow and grow. And how are we to live in that? 34 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:13,880 You'll see the help of the Holy Spirit as promised, even the one 35 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,920 who lives inside you. Now, if you're in Christ and the 36 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:20,680 only one who can illuminate these words to you and to me, 37 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,600 that we would believe. So hear the words that Christ 38 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,640 spoke to his disciples. John 15, verse 8. 39 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,440 By this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so 40 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,960 prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved me, so 41 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,600 have I loved you. Abide in My love. 42 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:44,040 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I 43 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,560 have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His 44 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,320 love. These things I've spoken to you, 45 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:53,200 that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 46 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,480 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved 47 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,800 you. Greater love has no one than 48 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,360 this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 49 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,800 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 50 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,080 No longer do I call you servants, but the servant does 51 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:11,000 not know what his master is doing. 52 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:15,160 But I've called you friends, for all that I have heard from my 53 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:20,040 father I've made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I 54 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,920 chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, 55 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:27,200 and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask 56 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:29,760 the Father in My name, He may give it to you. 57 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,960 These things I command you, so that you will love one another. 58 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:38,680 If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated 59 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,000 you. If you were of the world, the 60 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,800 world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the 61 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,240 world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world 62 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,720 hates you. Remember the word that I said to 63 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,760 you. A servant is not greater than 64 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,440 his master. If they persecuted Me, they will 65 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,560 also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will 66 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,360 also keep yours. But all these things they will 67 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:05,640 do to you on account of my name, because they do not know Him who 68 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,240 sent me. If I had not come and spoken to 69 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,520 them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have 70 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,960 no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father 71 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,959 also. If I had not done among them the 72 00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:22,240 works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. 73 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:27,080 But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father, but the 74 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,680 word that is written in their law must be fulfilled. 75 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:34,840 They hated me without cause. But when the helper comes, whom 76 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:38,880 I will send you from the Father, the spirit of truth who proceeds 77 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,560 from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 78 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,920 And you also will bear witness because you have been with me 79 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,800 from the beginning. I've said all these things to 80 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,040 you to keep you from falling away. 81 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:52,560 They will put you out of the synagogue. 82 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:57,360 Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he 83 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,080 is offering service to God. And they will do these things 84 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,200 because they have not known the Father nor me. 85 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,240 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 86 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:16,320 Please be seated. This is an amazing passage. 87 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:19,720 We've spent some time in it already through our series in 88 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:23,720 John. We have three more sermons in 89 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,760 the Gospel of John that will finish this month and then we're 90 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:29,600 going to be moving into the book of Jonah. 91 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,400 So even now you might want to begin to read that very small 92 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,320 minor profit that will spend the entire fall semester in the book 93 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,720 of Jonah. How many of you are going back 94 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:41,600 to school this week? Raise your hand. 95 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:46,200 Hi, want to see a college elementary teachers? 96 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,040 Some of you are going for the first time. 97 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,280 My daughter teaches first grade at Providence. 98 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,920 It's always fun. She got her class list last week 99 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,440 and began to make those calls. What you probably don't know is 100 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:04,520 I'm also going back to school. Next weekend is my 40th high 101 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:08,360 school reunion. Some of you are thinking that's 102 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,600 why he's growing the beard. You must know I won the most 103 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,280 grey at every reunion we've had so far, and I only attended one 104 00:06:15,280 --> 00:06:18,840 of them. People just know I'm going to be 105 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:21,600 in Oklahoma City next weekend and I tell you that not really 106 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,320 to be silly or cute, but to ask you to pray. 107 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,000 There's a list of people for over 40 years I've been praying 108 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:29,600 that they would come to saving faith. 109 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,880 Some of them I've not spoken to since 1985. 110 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,560 I hope to see them. They know what I do, most 111 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:40,240 likely. Why don't you also know that the 112 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,920 reality of this passage of John, what it means to live for Christ 113 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:46,680 and to be mocked and to be persecuted. 114 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,320 It's real. It's real because often where we 115 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:55,160 live, but how we live where we live. 116 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,440 I became a Christian just before my sophomore year of high 117 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:03,160 school. That meant exactly what Jesus 118 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,560 taught his disciples here, that the Spirit of God did a work 119 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,000 that only he could do and calling me to himself. 120 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,840 I was radically changed. That change meant that I was 121 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,480 separate and distinct from the world. 122 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,960 And that caused some to celebrate, some to be 123 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,280 indifferent, and many to actually despise. 124 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,360 So those students who raise their hands, particularly those 125 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,440 who are in middle school, those who are in high school, those 126 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,000 who are in college, we're praying for you. 127 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,120 We know how hard it is for you to say. 128 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,400 I don't believe that or I'm going to reject that. 129 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:43,200 In a world even like this bubble, this Bible Belt bubble 130 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,200 that's constantly tempted to conform to the pattern of the 131 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:51,000 world, when you stand strong for the name of Christ, you need to 132 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:56,560 know that that hatred and persecution is going to come at 133 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,680 some level, at some time and some way. 134 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,840 So what I want to do this morning is I want to begin by 135 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:08,480 looking deeply at verses 16 and 19 of John 15. 136 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:13,200 Go there with me. Jesus tells the disciples in 137 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:19,520 John 15 verse 16, you did not choose me, but I chose you and 138 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:23,240 appointed that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit 139 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,520 should abide so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, 140 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:31,160 he may give it to you. This word abide is such an 141 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:35,400 important word for Christians and many of us don't really 142 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:39,400 comprehend what it means or even if we think we do, we don't live 143 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:43,200 in the reality of what it means. Here's what I'm trying to say. 144 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:47,440 Barnes and Nobles, one of my favorite places to study right 145 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,680 there on Northwest Highway across from North Park Mall. 146 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:55,600 I love the fact that there's so much around me that is of the 147 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,520 world. I love the fact that I can 148 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,560 remember the importance of why I'm doing what I'm doing. 149 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,280 The people need to know the hope of Christ. 150 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:09,000 In the back of that store to the left, there are two sections. 151 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:13,920 One section is titled Self Help, Self Improvement, and there are 152 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:15,960 some books in there that can truly help yourself. 153 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,840 They can improve yourself. Then there's a thin wall, and on 154 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,280 the other side of that wall is where all of the Christian books 155 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,440 are. There's a separation. 156 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,840 You feel a little bit different when you're in one versus 157 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,840 another. But here's my deep concern of 158 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:34,800 the books. And there are literally hundreds 159 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,560 of titles written by Christian authors in the Christian 160 00:09:37,560 --> 00:09:40,120 section. For many people, there's not 161 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,920 much difference between the self help section and the Christian 162 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,040 section. The only difference is maybe a 163 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:51,520 little bit of Jesus, like a condiment sprinkled on more self 164 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:53,440 help. People pick those books up, they 165 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,280 read those books and they walk away thinking it's all about me 166 00:09:56,560 --> 00:09:59,600 doing something to improve myself. 167 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,760 Some of the books are written that way, but even the books 168 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,640 that aren't written that way, and there are many good ones, 169 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:12,720 are often applied that way. And that is not Christianity. 170 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:18,680 Jesus Christ and what he's teaching in John 15. 171 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:23,480 The essence of Christianity is so radically different than a 172 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,200 message of self help and self transformation. 173 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,880 Jesus says it twice in these few short verses. 174 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:37,040 You did not choose me, I chose you. 175 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:43,520 Why did he say that twice? Because when these disciples are 176 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:47,360 going to the to experience the reality of what he said, when 177 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:51,920 others kill you, they will think they're doing service to God. 178 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:55,800 They're going to be tempted to say we didn't sign up for this, 179 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:04,360 but Jesus teaches them, I called you. 180 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:09,960 And what's true of these 11 is true of every follower of 181 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:15,760 Christ. Not one of us chose him first. 182 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,160 He chose us. Now, this is the doctrine of 183 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,320 election. It's a doctrine that has been 184 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:26,640 controversial, but you can never say it's unbiblical. 185 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,960 It's mysterious for sure. It's complicated, but it's 186 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,280 precious. Take Jesus at his word. 187 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:40,040 I chose you. You did not choose me, but I 188 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,520 chose you. It's not just the apostle Paul 189 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,240 that preaches and teaches election. 190 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,720 It comes from Christ. And remember what it was like. 191 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,800 These men were just doing ordinary tasks. 192 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:55,400 They were fishermen, physicians, They were all sorts of 193 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:59,160 occupations. When Jesus called them and told 194 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:02,400 them he would make the fishers of men, they left everything and 195 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:06,040 followed Him. It's called effectual calling. 196 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:11,320 That's an important word because what it means is that when God 197 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:17,240 in His own timing has determined this child from all eternity is 198 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:22,560 mine, I am going to effect the calling on his life. 199 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,920 This calling cannot be rejected by those who are truly mine 200 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,920 because the all powerful sovereign God is going to make 201 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:36,640 certain that it's irresistible. This is powerful, effectual 202 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:42,360 calling is the work of God from beginning to end and His 203 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:50,120 almighty power and grace. He invites us, He draws us, his 204 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,600 children to Jesus. He does it through His Word and 205 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,280 through His Spirit. I believe that's so fully that 206 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:01,640 today I'm not going to be surprised if there are those in 207 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,320 this sanctuary or listening online or even listening on 208 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,920 another date. At this moment. 209 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:13,200 The Spirit will open your eyes to see your sin and your misery 210 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:17,800 and your need for Christ. Christ is the one who initiates 211 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,840 it, and when He initiates it, Father, Son, Holy Spirit doing 212 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:26,640 the work. We who are truly His receive the 213 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:32,000 invitation and we come. This calling takes place as the 214 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,280 Holy Spirit does these things. Listen carefully. 215 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,640 He enlightens our hearts and minds. 216 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:43,760 He enables us to believe what the Word of God says about God 217 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:47,600 and about us. He then enables us to embrace 218 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:51,720 Jesus as our Savior. If you're a Christian, there was 219 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:53,800 a point in your life when that happened. 220 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:57,400 You might have been young. You might have been in college, 221 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,280 you might have been an adult, but that's what happened. 222 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,280 It's the testimony of every believer. 223 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:11,560 God initiates, God calls, and God's calling is always 224 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:14,560 effective. This week, some of you who are 225 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:18,120 going to have mothers wake you up, some of you will have 226 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,800 mothers that come into the room, rise and shine and give God the 227 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,600 glory, glory. Some of you will have that. 228 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,120 That's probably not going to be very effective. 229 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:33,200 My mother would come in three times and it was never effective 230 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:37,720 until she used my first, middle and last name. 231 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:45,000 That's not God. God's call is effective always. 232 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:50,080 It accomplishes what He intends. It's powerful. 233 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,000 The reason we have to focus on this is we could miss it. 234 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,760 We could say that doctrine is too complicated, too 235 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,200 controversial, and we can move on to other parts of the 236 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:00,880 passage. But this is essential. 237 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:04,560 When Jesus tells them that people are going to think 238 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:10,200 they're serving me or God and their own idea of who he is by 239 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,040 killing you, they're going to need something to anchor in. 240 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:17,400 And the anchor that they have is that Christ has told them I 241 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:23,240 called you, I've chosen you. He says it again in verse 19, 242 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,160 just a few verses laters. If you were of the world, the 243 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,640 world would love you as its own. But because you were not of the 244 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:33,040 world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world 245 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,360 hates you. It's easy to focus on the world, 246 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,160 isn't it? John wants us to linger with the 247 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:43,000 idea of the world because he uses that word five times in one 248 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,560 verse, telling us that the world is going to hate us. 249 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:54,440 But don't miss what Jesus says. I chose you out of the world. 250 00:15:55,880 --> 00:16:00,320 You are set apart. You are distinct. 251 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:06,840 Let me say it this way. You two were once a God hater, 252 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:13,640 but because of my will, my sovereign will, my own purposes, 253 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:21,560 I have made you my own. I chose you, and because I chose 254 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:24,160 you, you're a new creation. The old has gone, the new has 255 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:25,960 come. You are set apart. 256 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:28,360 You're different from the world. You're not to live according to 257 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:30,440 the world. You're going to be in the world 258 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,200 and the world's going to hate you, but I've chosen you. 259 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:39,960 We have to anchor there. But then Jesus tells them what's 260 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:44,360 going to happen. He says at verse 18, if the 261 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:47,800 world hates, you know that it hated me first. 262 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,680 Well, what is meant by the word hatred here? 263 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:57,760 This word means to be despised. It means to have strong 264 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,440 aversion. It means to hope for and plan 265 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,599 I'll will against. And in the tense of this 266 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:08,359 sentence of this language means that it is permanent, the sight 267 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:10,800 of heaven. It's not going away. 268 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:16,079 You can expect it when John says if the world hates you, it's not 269 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:17,640 like it might or might not happen. 270 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,200 The world is going to hate you. Why? 271 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:28,160 Well, Jesus tells us because it hated me and my Father first. 272 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,400 John at the very beginning talks about light and darkness of 273 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,800 Christ as the light, and he's coming to the darkness. 274 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,120 The darkness hates the light, and darkness is always going to 275 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:42,480 hate the light. So that when you come to saving 276 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:46,720 faith, when your children come to saving faith, there are so 277 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:52,200 many promises, so many blessings, eternal security, 278 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,640 peace with God, purpose for living. 279 00:17:56,360 --> 00:17:59,760 That's the first part of John 15, the first verse we read 280 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:01,720 today. It is to My Father's glory that 281 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,720 you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 282 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:08,560 Well, the more fruit that you bear and it can only be borne by 283 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,760 you abiding in Christ, the more different you're going to look 284 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:15,800 in the world and those in the world are going to hate you for 285 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:19,600 it. Certainly some parts of the 286 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:23,480 world that hatred is more pronounced, but I believe this 287 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,400 to be true. It's not just where you live 288 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:31,720 that dictates persecution against those in Christ. 289 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:36,960 It's how you live where you live. 290 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:41,560 Martin Luther imagined Jesus in teaching this text, saying 291 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,720 something like this. If you want to have peace in the 292 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:51,680 world, just be silent about me. So wherever you work, wherever 293 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:56,360 you go to school, even if you're in a Christian School, but 294 00:18:56,360 --> 00:18:59,320 really pursuing Jesus with everything is not what's really 295 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:04,360 cool. If you're seeking to abide in 296 00:19:04,360 --> 00:19:10,000 Christ, seeking Christ first in all things, you're going to bear 297 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,560 fruit. The Spirit is in you and the 298 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,680 world is going to notice. And that light which radiance 299 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:20,280 from you, which is the Spirit of God, Christ himself, they're 300 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:25,320 going to hate you for it. How you live, where you live, 301 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:30,240 what influence the type of persecution you will receive. 302 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:38,840 When Jesus teaches his disciples this, he then prays the next 303 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,600 chapter over. In chapter 17, these words to 304 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,960 the Father of the disciples, He says I've given them your word 305 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:50,360 and the world has hated them because they are not of the 306 00:19:50,360 --> 00:19:53,400 world, just as I am not of the world. 307 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,440 Now listen to this. I do not ask that you take them 308 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:00,200 out of the world, but you keep them from the evil one. 309 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,640 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 310 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,720 Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. 311 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,440 When you have had the privilege of teaching someone what it 312 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,840 means to come to saving faith, have you told them the whole 313 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,560 truth? Have you told them all the 314 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:25,000 promises that we have in Christ if we receive Him and rest in 315 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,080 Him as our Savior? Peace. 316 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,680 Purpose for life to glorify God and enjoy him forever. 317 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:38,440 The unbelievable joy that is Christ, his joy in us, all those 318 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:40,720 promises. But if you also told him what he 319 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:47,240 said that also by the way, his word tells us he the word tells 320 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:51,400 us because of me, you're going to be hated. 321 00:20:55,640 --> 00:21:00,120 Sometimes after persons come to faith in Christ, genuine faith, 322 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:04,120 true transformation, true born again and the persecution rises. 323 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:06,120 They make sense. Something like this. 324 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,400 I didn't sign up for this. I didn't sign up for social 325 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,480 isolation. I didn't sign up for loneliness. 326 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:15,920 I didn't sign up for being rejected. 327 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,560 I didn't sign up for a world that was going to hate me. 328 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:24,040 And you know what, you're right, you didn't. 329 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:30,160 You never would. He, if you're his signed you up 330 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:37,960 long before eternity. That's why Jesus gives the 331 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:43,480 disciples these words. It's not long after this Peter 332 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:45,920 who said I will never deny you is going to feel that 333 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:50,760 persecution 3 times. He is going to say I don't know 334 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:56,200 the man, I'm not one of his. He curses himself if he's to be 335 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,560 found to be known as one of Christ's followers. 336 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,080 And the rooster crows and he sees Jesus. 337 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:05,840 But in a few weeks, when we get to the very last chapter of 338 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,640 John, where's Christ? He's on the shore. 339 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,880 He's fixing breast breakfast. He says to Peter three times, 340 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:15,360 Peter, do you love me? Do you love me? 341 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:17,720 Do you love me? And each time he finishes by 342 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,240 saying feed my sheep, feed my sheep, feed my sheep. 343 00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:22,400 Where is sheep going to be? They're going to be in the 344 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:24,240 world. They're going to be in that 345 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:25,880 world. And as he goes out and proclaims 346 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,320 the truth that Christ has given him, that world is going to hate 347 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,840 him. But some are going to experience 348 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:35,320 the effectual call. Some are going to come to saving 349 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:37,760 faith. In fact, thousands of them and 350 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:40,920 as thousands of them are converted to Jesus as the way, 351 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,240 the truth and the life. Those worldly religious leaders, 352 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:49,320 the very ones that brought about the death of Christ, the 353 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:52,520 crucifixion, they're the ones that are going to be coming at 354 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,160 them. And Peter, a new man is going to 355 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:56,960 stand before them. And here's what he's going to 356 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,840 say. Judge for yourselves whether it 357 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:04,320 is right for us to obey God or man, for we cannot help speaking 358 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:06,720 about that which we have seen and heard. 359 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:11,720 Where did that power come from? Comes from the help of the 360 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:16,160 Spirit. The world will hate you if 361 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:20,560 you're in Christ, but God's promises that the Holy Spirit 362 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:25,400 will help you. He will help you endure whatever 363 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:30,240 persecution comes against you, your children, your 364 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:35,320 grandchildren, your pastors. He will. 365 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:42,480 It's His promise. We see this manifest in the 366 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:48,040 Gospel of Mark near the end of Mark's Gospel, as Jesus is 367 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,360 teaching his disciples, listen to what he says and how it 368 00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:55,360 compares to John 15 and 16. This is but be on your guard. 369 00:23:55,360 --> 00:23:58,880 This is to the disciples, but be on your guard, for they will 370 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:02,600 deliver you over to councils and you again. 371 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,280 This is to his disciples. You will be beaten in 372 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,480 synagogues. You will stand before governors 373 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:12,280 and kings for my sake to bear witness before them. 374 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,600 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 375 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:23,680 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be 376 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,880 anxious beforehand about what Listen to what Jesus says. 377 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,440 Do not be anxious beforehand about what you were going to 378 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:35,880 say, but say whatever is given you in that hour. 379 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:41,160 For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 380 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:47,680 That same Spirit is the one that lives in us. 381 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:53,480 The same one that carried John to write this gospel, the same 382 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:57,240 one who carried all the prophets along, all those who authored 383 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,120 Scripture, is the same Spirit who lives in you. 384 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:04,680 If you're in Christ behind the scenes without you ever knowing 385 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:10,520 it, it was the same Spirit who brought effectual calling into 386 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:17,280 your life today. If you're in Christ, pray that 387 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:22,680 God would make that doctrine precious to you, that not a day 388 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:27,120 of your life would go by until He calls you home in full glory, 389 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:33,800 that you would forget. He chose you, He picked you, He 390 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:38,080 called you. You said yes, because the 391 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:42,360 almighty powerful hand of God moved in you. 392 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:45,000 It's not something you could have done. 393 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:46,920 It's not something I could have done. 394 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:51,040 Think of it this way. Anybody could have stood outside 395 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:57,640 Lazarus's tomb and said Lazarus come out and not one of them 396 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:01,200 would have been effective. But the moment Jesus said 397 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:07,320 Lazarus come out, he rose. That which happened to him 398 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:12,320 physically is what must happen to all who are in Christ 399 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,440 spiritually. You can't make your children 400 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:17,400 believe. You can't make your spouse 401 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,400 believe. You can't make your parents 402 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:22,120 believe, can't make anyone believe. 403 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:27,880 But God in his precious will is the only one. 404 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:34,560 And when he speaks, his true children come. 405 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:41,680 If that's you, praise him today, praise him, praise him. 406 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,160 Why did he choose you? I don't know other than to say 407 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:50,160 for his glory and his precious love for you today. 408 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:54,280 If you're here and you know that you've never rested and received 409 00:26:54,680 --> 00:27:00,920 Jesus, please do me one favor. Just ask the question, why am I 410 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:05,560 here today? Is it possible that the Spirit 411 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:09,680 Mark is talking about brought me to this place, that I might hear 412 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:14,440 these words, that I might hear of my sin and misery, and that 413 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:16,920 apart from Christ I'm eternally doomed? 414 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:22,520 You've heard the word. Now what does the Lord saying to 415 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,840 you through his Word and Spirit? The table that we're about to 416 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:28,960 come to is a table for Christians. 417 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,240 It is a table for all those who have experienced that effectual 418 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:35,600 call, who aren't trying to do things themselves but have 419 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,760 trusted in Jesus. We're saved. 420 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:40,960 If that's not you today, we would ask that you not come 421 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,880 forward, lest you eat and drink judgement on yourself, but 422 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:47,840 instead that the elements and all that happens remain here. 423 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:50,360 But pay attention. Why might the Lord have you 424 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:53,360 here? For those who are in Christ, as 425 00:27:53,360 --> 00:27:58,560 you come forward, just meditate on this truth even as we sing. 426 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:07,320 He chose me. I am His beloved Father in 427 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:08,920 heaven. As we get ready to come to the 428 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:11,840 table, we thank you for your word. 429 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:16,520 We thank you for your clarity. We thank you for your conviction 430 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:20,440 and for the truth. Now, as we come and feast, bless 431 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:24,760 this body with this food. Bless this body with your body 432 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:29,440 and your blood, that we might be transformed and able truly to 433 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:33,480 endure all that this world might bring against us. 434 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,280 We pray this in Christ's name. Amen. 435 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:37,000 Please stand.