Why Are We Not Persecuted?

Lesson #282

Jesus continues his prayer and brings up something that might make a western Christian uncomfortable. Jesus prays: “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14 ESV). As I read this verse I happened to look ahead to verse 20 where we read: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” and realized that I may have violated the context some in previous lessons by including us at that time. Jesus was specifically praying for the disciples, most of the time, but then in verse 20 he draws us into his prayer. Knowing this I want to include both the disciples and us in the application of verse 14.

While with the disciples, Jesus gave them the word he heard from his Father. We receive this word from the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit. It is this word we are to know and live by and if we do it should affect our lives; it should set us apart from the world with a different lifestyle. Jesus relates living out the word with being hated by the world. Paul tells Timothy: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV). He doesn’t say may be persecuted, but will be. This begs the question, “Why are we not persecuted here in the US?” I might suggest two reasons: environment and compromise.

Another verse we should look at is found at Matthew 5:10 (ESV): Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Those being persecuted for righteousness’ sake are promised a blessing. It says nothing about righteous living producing persecution. How might persecution be affected by environment? Living as a Christian in Iran compared to living here in the west will yield different results due to difference in environment. Here Christianity is the major religion not a minor one as in Iran. Clearly this would affect the level of persecution.

What about compromise? How faithful are we in living according to the Scriptures? Have we not defiled ourselves with our relationship with the world? How close does our lifestyle match that of Jesus or our Father in heaven? How closely do we represent the image of a child of God according to the Scriptures? I am not so sure we are as righteous as we might think. Being politically correct is just one way we protect ourselves. Another way we avoid persecution (I am sure you are tired of me saying this again) is by embracing the idols of comfort, convenience, safety, and security. If we were not encumbered by these, the Christian community would look much different than it does now. 

Prayer

Father, as I worked on this lesson I thought about my brothers and sisters living under persecution who can lose their lives by just owning a Bible. Father, I wonder how many of us would keep a Bible and what would be our relationship to it if it might cost us our lives. I believe if we someday wake up to that reality, it will probably have an adverse effect on our walk with the Lord and how we view the Scriptures. Father, I wonder if we are drawing closer to war with Russia that might make this suffering a reality. 

Security and Joy Is Ours

Lesson #281

The prayer of Jesus is now focused on the disciples: “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12 ESV). During the time Jesus was on earth with the disciples he taught them many things and kept them in the truth he was teaching. He watched over them and protected them from being drawn away by the evil one, except for Judas.

Before the foundation of the world, the Father selected those who he would give to Jesus to receive eternal life. Included in this group were the disciples, except for Judas. He was chosen, not for eternal life, but to carry out the assignment of betraying Jesus. Everyone the Father chooses for salvation would be given to Jesus as a gift and everyone given will be accepted and will be kept forever. Some are chosen for everlasting life and others are appointed to eternal wrath; some are saved and some are lost; some as sons of God and others as sons of perdition. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas took place in fulfilment of Scripture; Psalm 41:9 (ESV) speaks of this: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” Judas is called the son of destruction or in some translations, the son of perdition. Referring to Judas in this manner points ahead to the man of sin. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 ESV).

Jesus continue with his prayer: “But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (John 17:13 ESV). The phrase “I am coming to you” is repeated from John 17:11, where one could sense his concern of the coming cross and his suffering, but here the focus shifts to the joy of his homecoming and being with his Father.

Jesus has been speaking of the nature of eternal life, and his power to give it to those the Father gives to him; He has been sharing about the work of redemption that will be finished by him with his death on the cross and the glory due to him as a result; He has spoken about the chosen ones, especially the disciples, and his sharing the gospel with them and keeping them by the powerful influence of his grace; He has spoken about his concern for the preservation of the disciples after he leaves them. These things he has prayed about before he leaves the world.

Jesus looks forward to the joy he will experience when he returns to his Father, but he also refers to the joy that will be experienced by the disciples and by all of us. There are two phases to this joy; first here on earth and then in heaven. John speaks of this joy (1 John 1:4) being complete through our understanding of the things he is writing about in the book of 1 John. To have this understanding we must abide in Jesus as the branch abides in the vine (John 15:1 – 11) and then his joy will be in us and will be full (John 15:11). But the verse that really excites me about this joy is found in 1 Peter 1:8 – 9 (ESV): “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” The theme of 1 Peter is hope in the midst of suffering. Through their suffering they look to the cross and see the suffering of Jesus and then his resurrection, providing the promise of their resurrection to the living hope of obtaining their imperishable, undefiled and unfading inheritance reserved for them in heaven. For anyone walking with the Lord, this living hope should provide inexpressible joy.

Prayer

Father, there were two important topics touched on in this lesson: security and joy. We have the promise that everyone of us chosen by the Father will be received and eternally protected by Jesus and by our relationship with him, even during times of intense suffering, we can experience inexpressible joy. We have so much to enjoy and be thankful for from the kindness of your grace, but yet we so easily get so messed up with our friendship with the world. Father, forgive us and by your Spirit direct us back to a right relationship with Jesus. 

Do You Feel Secure? Why Not?

Lesson #280

As we move ahead to the next verse, we find Jesus praying as if he had already risen from the dead. Jesus continues, saying: “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11 ESV). At this time the work on the cross is finished and Jesus has risen from the dead, but has not yet ascended into heaven. This is the time when he appears to the disciples and to others before his ascension. He is concerned over leaving them and prays for their need of assistance and support in his absence. They will be left among wicked men and will be subject to trials and persecutions and will be in need of the same protection he could give them if he were with them. Jesus is asking his Father to keep them; to preserve, defend, and sustain them in trials and to protect them from apostasy.

There is some question among commentators about the meaning of “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me.” Think of this in the context of family. We have our holy Father and his Son Jesus and us adopted children. Jesus is asking the Father to keep each one safe, that no one will be loss along the way as we are family. In a family the name of the father is given to his offspring, like possibly the name Christian.

Not only does Jesus want each one to be kept and not be lost along life’s journey, but he asks that there be unity as perfect as there is between Jesus and his Father. Later in verse 26, Jesus asks that the love with which the Father loves him be given to each believer because without this kind of love for one another, unity will be impossible. This divine love of the Father is the substance which sustains the unity of the body of believers. Today that love is nearly lacking and as a result unity is hard to come by among Christians. God’s love is willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others and that produces unity.

While Jesus was with the disciples he claims to have done his part. We will look at that in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, what a beautiful picture of love and protection is emerging. Out of love you chose us and you take each of us through the spiritual gestation period to our spiritual birth, then you work in our lives, conforming us into the image of Jesus Christ while waiting for all to be ready for the great marriage celebration. The central focus of Scripture seems to be the process of selecting and preparing the bride for Jesus Christ and in his work of preparation for receiving her. As in any large family, the older siblings have the responsibility of helping raise the younger ones. Father, because of such disunity in the church today and historically, it is very difficult to comprehend what family unity in heaven will be like. Father, we need to get our minds around your love and focus on the work of spiritual maturity of ourselves and as we grow to help out in the growth of less mature children. Father, forgive us for trying to navigate life in the ditch along the pathway we should be on. 

What is this Joint Ownership?

Lesson #279

It is by now clear that the human population is divided into two groups: a small select group chosen by the Father and the rest that are left spiritually dead in their sin to spend an eternity under the wrath of God. While on earth Jesus had been praying for this chosen group that the Father gives as a gift to Jesus. The next verse, we are to cover, is an emphasis that this group has joint ownership. John 17:10 (ESV) reads: “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.” They first belong to the Father because he chose them out of the world and legally adopted them as his children. These children make up God’s family. We who make up this group, have been born again as spiritual children and should mature into young men [and women] and then into mature fathers [and mothers] (1 John 2:12 – 14). While on earth we have the responsibility to move along this path of maturity (Philippians 2:12 – 13) doing the work assigned to us to do (Ephesians 2:10). This group is given to Jesus and thus becomes his as a father chooses a bride to give to his son. This group, the bride, thus belongs to Jesus and he has authority over her.

In this group, this bride, this body of Christ, Jesus is glorified; how? He is glorified by our believing in him; by our walking worthy of him in our lives and our conversations; by our suffering patiently and cheerfully when called upon to do so; by attributing to him our eternal spiritual nature; and by our worship of, our praise to and our love for him for all eternity. I am overwhelmed by this picture of family, our relationships and our joint activities. Our Father is raising us, his adopted children, through his loving discipline. Jesus purchased our salvation and gives the gift of eternal life to us as the Father gives us as a gift to Jesus. As our growth takes place we are working with the Lord Jesus is building his kingdom. If I am proven faithful in the small things now, then in heaven activities will continue with the Father and his Son in an ever increasing manner. This joint effort of writing these Bible studies with Jesus and the Spirit to the glory of the Father, I believe, is just the beginning of a wonderful eternity of activity. I long to learn more now as an apprentice to be ready for skillful work when we meet face to face (2 Timothy 2:15).

This is enough for this study as the next verse is long and has many parts to it. It is a good verse to start a new lesson on.

Prayer

Father, I am still here on earth and as part of this chosen group, I must pray for others. Father, I pray for those lost sheep yet to be found. I know that many of them will be exposed to persecution, some even facing death shortly after conversion. Father, I pray for those facing persecution that they will be encouraged, that they will be strengthened and have endurance to continue on in their suffering, that they would stand steadfast and not forsake the Lord or their faith, that your love will fill their hearts providing them the ability to forgive, and that you would place your hand of blessing and grace upon them. Father, I pray for those not facing persecution that they would resist the call of comfort, convenience, safety, and security and be willing to take some risk in their walk with the Lord. Father, protect each one of us from the powers of darkness and from deception and please have mercy on us because of our sin. 

Praying for Them

Lesson #278

In our last two lessons, Jesus was praying for a special group of people that were chosen out of the world by the Father and given as a gift to Jesus. In this lesson, Jesus continues to pray for these believers: “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours” (John 17:9 ESV). This verse clearly describes two groups of people: those chosen by the Father and adopted as his children from the world and those he passed over and left for eternal judgment because of their sin.

Jesus suffered and died to purchase salvation for this group of people and he did it for the joy that would be his as he spends an eternity with them. From eternity past Jesus knew the names of those who would make up this group. These he loves and will protect and provide everlasting care. It is these he prays for because they are family. Such love on the part of God that he would sacrifice his Son to purchase this select group of people. Such a demonstration of his love, mercy and grace.

The other group he does not pray for because they are not part of the family of God and never will be. They are children of the devil and live under the eternal wrath of God. This is a very harsh view, that we don’t hear preached about today, but it is reality.

“I am praying for them.” Jesus sets an example for us to also pray for those who make up this group. We don’t know what Jesus prayed for this group. All we know is that he knows them as a shepherd knows his sheep and the sheep know who their shepherd is. We also know that he died to secure their salvation and his right and authority over this group. Will he continue to pray for them after he ascends to heaven? Will we pray when we reach heaven? I believe the answer to both questions is no, because faith is then replaced with sight. Now Jesus is working with us gathering the loss sheep together into one flock; the Church; the body of Christ. In heaven we can talk directly to God as we see in Revelation 6:10 (ESV): “They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”

“for they are yours.” First this group was chosen out of the world by the Father and adopted as his children. They are his and will always be his children, but children grow up and the Father given them to Jesus as he would give a bride to his Son. Jesus uniquely meets all that is needed to be the rightful groom for this bride. How wonderful all of this is!

Prayer

Father, what joy it brings me to study your word and as I do the living hope I have continues to grow to where the things of this world have less and less interest for me. I long to grow in my relationship with Jesus in writing these studies and to pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in touching lives of people in various cultures around the world as they read these. At one time I never imagined I would teach Bible in China and I never imagined I would one day write Bible studies to be read in a multitude of countries. Father, I pray that you will find me faithful in Christ to bless me, to bear much fruit, through this outreach. 

How Well Do You Represent Jesus?

Lesson #277

In our last lesson we looked at a special group of people that the Father has chosen, before the foundation of the world, to be his children. These the Father gives to Jesus to be given eternal life. About these people, Jesus said, “they have kept your word.” He continues by saying, “Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me” (John 17:7 – 8 ESV). These two verses have the disciples in view, but there is application for us today. During the three years the disciples spent with Jesus they had learned what Jesus was teaching was actually from the Father and not made up by him. Those words were received by the disciples and by those who were following Jesus and they came to know the truth that Jesus was from the Father.

The Son of God, Messiah, was sent to earth by his Father and took on a body of flesh through a virgin birth and became known as Jesus. He taught that he was from the Father and was the way, the truth, and the life; the only way to the Father. Jesus made it clear that knowing him was how one would know the Father. Jesus came as a witness for the Father and to die on the cross to purchase our salvation and rise from the dead to insure our resurrection.

What the disciples and others learned from Jesus as a basis for belief, we also had to learn and then when our spiritual gestation period was complete we were born spiritually and experienced our Pentecost when the Spirit came to indwell us. Jesus was the Son of God in flesh and after our spiritual birth we are flesh inhabited by the Spirit. One day our salvation will be complete and our sinful body of flesh will be replaced with a perfect eternal body. What a marvelous time that will be.

Jesus was sent by the Father to be a witness and purchase our salvation. We as Christians, indwelt by the Spirit are to take the place of Jesus as a witness and through our sacrifice work at expanding the kingdom of God. As we walk with Jesus through the Gospel of John, we see a person completely dedicated in doing the work assigned to him by the Father. As representatives of Jesus we have been assigned work to do, but our sinful flesh encumbers us and hinders our progress.

Prayer

Father, there are so many ways my sinful flesh encumbers me in doing kingdom work. I find that I have to constantly be nourished by the word and exercise faith through Galatians 2:20 (ESV): “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I must not let my focus drift from: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 ESV). If I am to bear much fruit I must abide deeply in Jesus, for apart from him I can do nothing. Father, I long for more of Jesus to live in and through me. 

Were You Given as a Gift to Jesus?

Lesson #276

With this lesson we begin the next subsection of this chapter with a verse that many might not have thought carefully about: “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word” (John 17:6 ESV). Jesus identifies a group of people that were the possession of the Father; those people were his. These people came out of the world and were given as a gift to Jesus. To these people Jesus has manifested the Fathers name and they have kept his word. With this summary in mind we need to look at some details.

Looking at John 17:4, Jesus is praying as though he has already died on the cross and completed the work assigned to him to do: “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” This is important because as Jesus glorified the Father through work that was yet to be accomplished, he likewise will manifest the Fathers name to those yet to be born again. The manifestation that Jesus did while on earth, he continues to do through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we study the Scriptures or are engaged is some way with true Bible teaching and preaching, we are learning more about the Father. Jesus is the truth and by him through the Spirit the Father is manifested.

To these people Jesus manifested the Father and continues to do so, but these people did something in response; they kept the Fathers word; the word of God. There is one God, so there is one Word, but that word is from the Father in the person of Jesus. By Jesus saying they kept the Fathers word, Jesus is pointing to the Father as the head of authority. For us, the people, we should be keeping the word of God if we truly are his people.

The real question before us is who are these people that are in the possession of the Father and given as a gift to Jesus? Do these people choose salvation or does the Father choose them and cause then to be born again? I grow weary over the debate on this that divides us as believers. From many years of Bible study, I am convinced that the Father makes the choice, but no one is excluded that desires salvation. Without God’s intervention in our lives, no one would choose salvation, because Romans 3:10 – 11 tells us that: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Like selecting a child from an orphanage, the Father chooses from the human population, those who will make up this group of people and records them in the book of life. These are his children and are known as lost sheep, until born again, who we have the responsibility of finding through sharing the gospel.

Every person physically conceived is born is spiritually dead, under the bondage of sin. Justice demands that each one suffer eternally in hell, but God in his sovereignty can choose those he will adopt as his children. We may call that unfair, but ask any orphan who was chosen by a loving family and see how thankful they are. I don’t know of any orphan who ever chose the family who would adopt them and I know of no children who chose who would be their parents. I am eternally thankful that my Father chose me because he loved me and gave me as a gift to Jesus to keep and love forever.

 

Prayer

Lord, it is a mystery concerning who is offered the gift of salvation. Today, under severe persecution, many are started along the journey of salvation through a dream or vision about Jesus. Paul was an example where you reached down and converted a murderer and used him to write a large portion of the New Testament. I think of all the people you chose to walk with you in the Old Testament. People in their pride want to think they chose salvation, thus earning the gift. Your word is clear that no one left spiritually dead is interested in salvation. Father, thank you for your gift of me to Jesus and the gift of eternal life to me from Jesus.