As we were looking and seeing this hatred that’s going to come, we’re talking about preparing for persecution.  John’s gospel, Chapter 15:20 says “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” Jesus is saying we are His image, we are His likeness, His church in the world today.  If they persecuted Him, they’re going to persecute us for the very same purpose, because we are doers of the word and not hearers only.  People don’t mind religion, they don’t mind talking about the bible, it’s doing it.  They don’t mind talking about sound doctrine and the professed lordship of Jesus, they just won’t bow their knee.  You can verbalize, “Lord” all you want.  But you need to bow your knee!  Bow your will; amen?  He says very clearly if I, your Lord and Master, have done these things, then you’re obligated to do them yourself.  He goes on in this gospel, verse 19, and says, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”  Amen?

The further we separate ourselves from the world and its ideology, we no longer recognize or bow to their gods; self, creature worship.  They worship the creature more than the creator.  There are all of these idols that are in the world today; sports, personalities, movie stars, billionaires, and people are awed by all of their money, their influence.  Those people shouldn’t impress you a bit; amen?  You know what should impress you?  When you look around here and find out who’s the humblest, who’s the servant of all among us, that’s what ought to impress you.  That is difficult to achieve.  You have to see the love of the world for what it is and just keep reducing it in your thinking as you’re meditating on these things.  The love of the world is just the love of self.  You love the world because you love yourself and you look for the world to feed you whatever you think you’re worthy of.  These things are tantalizing to us and there is never a thankfulness and it’s never enough.

Our father Adam had everything but one tree, and it wasn’t enough so you think you’ll be satisfied?  Why would we believe that lie?  Just a little more, this will make you happy.  You will never be content outside your redemption and the Lordship of Jesus Christ in your life.  There is nothing in this world that can satisfy, so when we see these comments that are made like that if you were of the world, the world would love its own.  You ought to be very; very offended if this world loves you.  “I’m so glad I can be a Christian and yet be one of the guys at work that everybody really likes and wants to hang around with.”  If all the guys that are sinners at work want to hang around with you, you’re not shedding forth enough light.  We are the light of the world and these people prefer darkness because their deeds are evil; amen?  I’m not talking about being offensive and insulting people.  I’m just talking about being like Jesus.  “Well, everybody loved Jesus,” yeah right.  “Jesus is so loving and so kind,” He is, and the more loving and the kinder He was the more the world hated Him, because it just showed their wickedness and their evil and their own personal lordship.  “Beware when all men speak well of you”; amen?