Divine Help to Persevere to the End (John 15:18-16:15)
In Singapore, we enjoy religious freedom. We can go to church freely; we do not fear losing jobs or having our homes confiscated because of our faith. … But the reality is most Christians around the world experience hardship because of their faith.
Just last month, Sameer Patel’s mother urged him to leave his village in India. The entire village had showed up at his house and demanded to know if he would deny Jesus or let his house be destroyed.
Both Sameer and his wife refused to give up their faith. The mob then destroyed Sameer’s house and exiled them — all because they had chosen to follow Jesus and attend church.
As recent as last week, thirty Christians linked to a famous underground church network in East Asia were arrested.
The organization Open Doors, estimates that more than 380 million Christians presently suffer persecution and discrimination.
Even in our midst, we have believers who have received threats from parents if they were to go through the act of baptism. We know of friends who face hostility for upholding Christian values in work and social settings.
But with all this persecution, the gospel is not hindered. In fact, that was how Christianity grew in the first place.
The early church father, Tertullian, told Roman persecutors in the 2nd century, “The more you mow us down, the more we grow. The blood of Christians is seed.”
Whilst we can be thankful for religious freedom, we should be neither surprised nor defeated when we experience persecution for the faith.
Disciples of Jesus would note that He has always been upfront about the cost of following Him. Although Jesus promises many blessings, He has prepared believers to expect persecution (Jn 15:18-16:4a). At the same time, Jesus assures believers that He will provide the help we need to be faithful disciples. Christians can Rely on the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:4b-15).
Do not fear persecution; Jesus has given us a divine Helper.
Therefore, the big idea of today’s sermon is: Do not fear persecution; Jesus has given us a divine Helper.
(A) Expect persecution as a witness of Jesus (Jn 15:18-16:4a)
Hate is a very strong word and you might be surprised by how many times it shows up in this paragraph. Nevertheless, it is important for us to recognize the two camps that exist in this universe.
On one side we have Jesus and on the other side is the world. In John’s gospel the world represents all who have sinned against God and reject His Son. The world does not acknowledge God’s rule and dismisses the Son He has sent. The world seeks to protect the sinful lifestyle they have been accustomed to. They are full of pride and think that they are in the right.
Thus, John helpfully uses the analogy of light and darkness in John 3:19 to describe the stark difference between Jesus and the world. Jesus is the Light, and the world is shrouded in darkness. Therefore, the world isn’t simply indifferent to light. The world hates the Light.
I like to sleep in pitch darkness and so I am quite careful in closing the curtains each night. The slightest gap lets in external light which bothers me.
Darkness is not a thing itself. It is essentially the absence of light. Those who love darkness are intentional on keeping the light out.
Although the Light of the World had come in the person of Jesus, the Jews, who represent the unbelieving world in our text, reacted with great hostility. They had gotten so accustomed to darkness that they hated the light.
Recall how the Jews responded to Jesus’ earthly ministry. After proving that He is the Son of God through healing a man who could not walk for 38 years, the Jews sought to kill Jesus (John 5:16-18). After Jesus declares in John 10:30 that, "He and the Father are one," the Jewish leaders took up stones to kill Him. After raising Lazarus from the dead, the high priest Caiaphas convinces the council that it is better for Jesus to die (John 11:45-53).
When the Roman governor gave the Jews the option of freeing Jesus whom he had found innocent or a hardened murderer, the Jews persisted in demanding Jesus’ crucifixion. They coldheartedly wanted to see Jesus suffer the most excruciating death known to them.
Jesus had indeed used the word “hate” accurately to describe the response the world has to Him. The darkened world hates Jesus’ teachings. They hate Jesus’ call to repent of sin. They hate Jesus’ assertion that He is the only way to be saved. Therefore, the world will hate anyone that echoes Jesus’ teachings or exhort people to believe in Jesus.
Even if you have not personally experienced hate, I’m sure you are no stranger to the hatred targeted at Christians collectively. With the rise of keyboard warriors and cancel culture, we have all come across these terms flippantly used on Christians: narrow-minded, arrogant, hypocritical, moralistic, self-righteous … and the list goes on.
Jesus’ disciples were once of this world. Like you and me, they had lived a life that did not truly honor God. As such they blended well with the world. But when Jesus came to call them out of darkness into His marvelous light, their relationship with the world changed.
Jesus says in John 15:19 and John 15:27 that He had personally chosen His disciples to be His witnesses. He gave His disciples a front row seat to learn from Him so that they could model Him and teach His truths. A disciple is fundamentally one who learns by imitating His master's actions and teachings.
Therefore, the disciples had become reflections of Jesus. They were taught that sin against God is the greatest problem that we have. They learned that God sees beyond our veneer and judges the sins of the heart.
Instead of practicing false religion, the disciples followed Jesus in giving God true worship. They learned from Jesus to seek God’s will rather than their own interests. They learned to have compassion for the lost and vulnerable. Most importantly, they believed that Jesus is the Son of God and that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. Therefore, the disciples no longer followed the world’s practice. They now followed Jesus in prioritizing love for God over manmade traditions. Hence the disciples became at odds with the world.
As a result, Jesus says in John 15:20 that if He was subject to such hostility, then His disciples should not be surprised by persecution. The world will hate every disciple simply because of their association with Jesus.
In John 15:21-25, Jesus exposes the underlying reason for the world’s hatred of Him. He says in John 15:21 that they persecute Him and all His associates because they do not know the one who sent Him.
Jesus came to reveal to the world that He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through Him. To prove His claim, Jesus performed wonder after wonder. He healed the lame, caused the blind to see, freed captives from bondage by casting out demons and even forgave sin. He rebuked the wind and the waves, multiplied bread, transformed water into wine, and even raised the dead. Therefore, Jesus states in John 15:22 that the Jews have no excuse for their sin. They had not only seen the finger of God, but God Himself in human flesh.
Hence Jesus’ point in John 15:22-24 is that because the Jews had clearly received God’s revelation of His Son, they are beyond excuse. Greater judgment awaits those who witness Jesus’ miracles but refuse to worship Him.
In John 15:23 Jesus reveals the deeper problem of rejecting Him. He says, “Whoever hates me hates my Father also.”
One can imagine the Jews protesting such an accusation. Surely their regular visits to the temple and careful keeping of the law proved otherwise. But Jesus’ point is had they truly known the Father, they would have recognized His Son and worshipped Him.
The fact that they could witness Jesus’ miracles and be amazed by the authority with which He spoke, yet conclude that Jesus is demon-possessed, showed that they had been practicing false religion. Their religious beliefs and practices were fundamentally flawed. They had been worshipping the god of false teachers, rather than the one true God. Their rejection of Jesus is proof that they were never children of God. Instead, the Jews revealed themselves to be children of the devil.
It is no wonder that their reaction to Jesus was irrational and can be described as satanic! Why else would the Jews seek to persecute someone who had healed many of their countrymen? If you knew of a really good doctor, would you not refer others rather than badmouth the doctor or worse submit a complaint to the medical association asking for his disbarment?
Why would a rational person describe Jesus as demon-possessed when he had cast out demons that no one else could drive away? Why would the chief priest persuade the Jews to kill the one man who had shown his power to raise the dead?
Because the world is shrouded in darkness, John 15:25 states, “they hated Jesus without a cause.”
Jesus wants us to understand the darkness of this world so that we will not be surprised by the hostility unbelievers express towards Him and His representatives.
Friends, Jesus wants us to understand the darkness of this world so that we will not be surprised by the hostility unbelievers express towards Him and His representatives.
Do not be surprised when people tell you to stop sharing your faith. Do not be surprised when people forbid you from mentioning Jesus in their presence.
Whilst we desire our family to rejoice that they too can share the salvation we have in Christ, do not be surprised when they take offense and kick you out of the house.
Whilst we may hope that our colleagues would appreciate the Christian ethic we bring to the table, do not be surprised when they blame you for the team’s poor performance and intentionally make your life difficult.
Although we pray for our friends to find meaning and comfort in Jesus, do not be surprised when they mock you for being a Christian.
Jesus says in John 15:18, if the world hates you, know that it has hated Him before it hated you.
The world does not hate you because you did something wrong or because you are an awful person. No, the world hates you because you are no longer a friend of the world but a friend of Jesus. This verse is not meant to excuse bad behaviour, but a reminder that the world will find fault with us simply because of our faith.
So please do not be misled by those who tell you a Christian will only experience victory and bliss. Whilst we will reign in victory for eternity, that will only be fully realized in the age to come. Until Jesus comes again, we continue to live in a darkened world that hates the Light of Christ.
Therefore, even though we presently can have victory over sin and enjoy a relationship with God, we must remember Jesus’ teaching that His disciples are to expect persecution from this world.
If you have not faced any persecution or discrimination for your faith, don’t feel guilty or think that you are missing out. Jesus’ teaching is not meant to lead you to desire persecution and to pray for the world to harm you. Be thankful for God’s grace in preserving you and giving you peace.
But all of us should be ready when persecution comes. Jesus has not buried persecution for the faith in the fine print. He has not tried to minimize the likelihood of Christians facing persecution. Jesus says in John 16:1 that He has intentionally told His disciples to expect persecution so that they will not be taken by surprise and fall away at the first sign of hardship.
Since the Jewish leaders were the primary opposing force of Christianity in the first century, Jesus prepares His disciples to face persecution from them. He says in John 16:2 that unbelieving Jews will put Christian converts out of the synagogue.
Back then, a synagogue was central to the life of a Jew. To be put out of the synagogue was to be cut off from your people. You would not be recognized by your family and friends. You would be ostracized by society and probably experience financial hardship.
As if being excommunicated is not severe enough, Jesus warns His disciples that they might even lose their life. He says in John 16:2-3, Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
The High Priest’s desire to kill Jesus should have been branded as murder. Yet Caiphas convinced his fellow leaders that Jesus’ crucifixion is God-honoring.
Similarly, Acts 9 records a horrifying example of a zealous Jew securing power to arrest any Christian in Damascus. The pre-converted Saul went around hurting Christians because he did not truly know God. It was only after God removed the scale from his eyes that Saul realized how misguided he had been.
Usually, salesmen try to hide the bad stuff from us. But here Jesus speaks plainly. In John 16:4 He even urges the disciples to remember that they had been forewarned about persecution. Why? Because Jesus wants us to know that persecution is not only to be expected but is foreknown by Him.
Whilst unjust suffering is never pleasant, we are to take heart that Jesus is fully in control. He will not allow us to experience more than we can bear. He will ensure that we are not crushed but will ultimately share in His final victory.
The apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”
It is no wonder that Peter and John were unfazed when they were first arrested for proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection in Acts 4. Even the rulers were astonished by Peter’s boldness to preach Christ during his trial. In Acts 4:25-31, the early church proclaimed God’s sovereignty over pagan rulers who breathed threats and prayed for greater boldness to continue sharing the gospel.
Friends, may we be like the apostles and early church who did not renounce Jesus when they faced persecution for their witness.
Instead, let us heed Jesus’ teaching that if we are united with Him in glory, we will likewise be united with Him in suffering. Let us expect persecution for the faith. But since Jesus is sovereign and fully aware of all persecution, let us not be afraid.
When we experience suffering, we instinctively feel as if we are losing or have made the wrong decision to follow Jesus or wonder if we should dial down our witness.
But remember that we are united to a Saviour who was arrested, beaten and crucified, only to rise triumphantly from the grave. Friends, Jesus is presently seated at the right hand of the Father watching over us with tender care and sovereign power.
So, expect persecution as a witness of Jesus, but do not be afraid.
Rely on the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:4b-15)
In John 16:4b-15, Jesus promises to give His disciples a Divine Helper. Although living and ministering in a darkened world is difficult, Christians can rely on the Holy Spirit.
Jesus explains in John 16:4b that the topic of persecution had not been so relevant whilst He was with His disciples. Since Jesus was the one performing miracles and calling people to repent, the religious leaders were focused on silencing Him. Jesus was such a large target that He shielded His disciples from the world’s hatred.
But when Jesus leaves, His disciples will be exposed to the hostility of the world. Without visibility on Jesus, the world will turn her guns on His disciples.
Jesus is sensitive to what His disciples can bear. He remarks that they did not ask the obvious question “where are you going?” in response to His announcement that He is leaving. The thought of persecution must have been overwhelming for the disciples. Although Jesus had many things to teach, He paused to address the sorrow that had filled their hearts.
Jesus offers great comfort in John 16:7. His departure should not be viewed as abandonment. Whilst the departure of a legendary football manager might be worrisome for a club or the retirement of a competent CEO might be concerning for shareholders, Jesus says that His departure is an advantage. His departure will bring about the arrival of a Divine Helper, that is the Holy Spirit.
Because some of us have witnessed incorrect teachings and applications about the Spirit, we may have inadvertently made light of the Spirit’s role. But the truth is the Holy Spirit is fundamental to our faith. The Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. The Spirit is our seal of redemption. The Spirit is God dwelling in us. We know that we are in Christ because we have the Spirit.
In John 16:8-15, Jesus highlights three ways that the Spirit helps Christians live for Him.
Firstly, the Spirit will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment (Jn 16:8-11). Telling someone that they are in sin is one thing, but getting the person to acknowledge their sin and feel sorry is a whole other thing. It is not difficult to tell your housemates how they have wronged you by not cleaning up after themselves or causing disturbances when you needed some peace and quiet. But it is an uphill task to get them to recognize their selfishness displayed through their lack of consideration for others.
Similarly, helping unbelievers recognize the many ways they have displeased God seems humanly impossible. How would you have gone about helping one of the Pharisees see their sin of rejecting Jesus? How would you help a sinner understand God’s coming judgment and need to repent?
Good news is we can rely on the Holy Spirit to do what we cannot.
Jesus alone was fully obedient to God and hence qualified to die in our place. The Spirit assures us that we can rest in Jesus’ righteousness.
Jesus says the Spirit will convict people of sin, righteousness and judgment. The Spirit will give people spiritual sight and enable them to see their sin against God. The Spirit will convict people of their failure to believe in Jesus. The Spirit will help us recognize that none are righteous and we need a righteous Saviour. Jesus alone was fully obedient to God and hence qualified to die in our place. The Spirit assures us that we can rest in Jesus’ righteousness.
The Spirit will also reveal the holiness of God and the judgment that Satan and all sinners are under. The Spirit will give us a distaste for sin and convict us of our need to find salvation in Jesus alone.
Saul is a great example of the Spirit’s work. I’m sure some brave Christian had told Saul that he was misguided and should repent before it is too late. Yet Saul’s heart remained hardened, and he wielded the sword against the church. It was only after he received the Holy Spirit that Saul transformed into the devout evangelist who boldly proclaimed Christ.
Acts 9:17-18 records Ananias praying for Saul who had been blinded by Jesus on the way to Damascus. After Ananias said “be filled with the Holy Spirit,” immediately something like scales fell from Paul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized. Clearly it was the Spirit and not Ananias that was able to convict the infamous Saul of his sin and need to repent and believe in Jesus for salvation.
Consider your own conversion. Was it not the Spirit who ultimately helped you recognize your sin against God and the need to escape His judgment?
Friends, the Spirit’s work in convicting us of sin should lead us to praise God. Although we are deserving of judgment, God has given us divine help to receive the Savior He has sent.
This truth should also give us much encouragement and hope as we seek the salvation of loved ones. Whilst we are tasked with faithfully communicating the gospel, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to do what we cannot. Even when people reject the Good News we have shared, we can pray that the Spirit will soften hearts and allow the seed that was sown to spring to life at the right time.
So do not be anxious about how people will respond during the upcoming block visits. Let us pray that the Spirit will go before us to convict hearts of sin, righteousness and judgment. Let us trust the Spirit to move residents to be receptive to our invitation to fellowship and learn the true meaning of Christmas.
It is because of the Spirit’s work that we can be bold evangelists, assured that every gospel sharing is not in vain. The Spirit is more than able to do what we cannot.
Secondly, the Spirit will guide believers into all the truth (Jn 16:12-13). Did you know that whilst John packs in three years of Jesus’ ministry into the first 12 chapters of the book, chapters 13-17 focus entirely on Jesus’ final night and last words to his disciples?
And even then, Jesus says in John 16:12, “I still have many things to say to you.”
Jesus had probably been teaching for several hours already, and he could have kept going. But he knew that His disciples could not bear any more in the same way that some of us struggle to sit through long sermons.
But if Jesus didn’t finish imparting all His wisdom to the disciples, then how would they function after His departure?
Jesus says in John 16:13, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
When you have a question, you may instinctively reach for your phone to google it or ask ChatGPT. Whilst the internet and AI bots can present to us relevant bits of information from large databases, they are unable to tell us God’s will for our life.
But the Holy Spirit can. This is because the Holy Spirit is the third person of our Triune God and fellowships with Jesus. He is listening to everything that Jesus says. Recall the opening of John. Jesus is the Word of God. Thus the Spirit points people to the very Word of God.
It is no wonder then that Jesus did not feel compelled to preach through the night. Although He will be departing, He will continue to guide His disciples through the Holy Spirit. Whatever the Spirit hears from Him, He will declare to the disciples. This is why the disciples could continue to teach Jesus’ truths and even write Scripture after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into heaven. Through the Holy Spirit, they continued to receive Jesus’ guidance and instruction.
Take Peter for example. He was unschooled and infamous for saying the wrong things. But after receiving the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, Peter is suddenly filled with the very words of Christ. He preaches to thousands of Jews and they convert. When the religious leaders arrested Peter, he was enabled to give an authoritative defense of the gospel. Peter even wrote two letters that are part of our Canon of Scripture.
How could a fisherman write such wonderful words of life?
2 Peter 1:21 states, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Friends, the Spirit was a tremendous advantage to the early disciples. Because of the Spirit, the disciples were never lost. Through the Spirit they were guided into all the truth.
Similarly, we never need to fear that we will lack knowledge or not know what we ought to do as a Christian. Jesus has given every believer the same Spirit of Truth. The Spirit illumines our hearts and minds to understand and believe God’s Word. The Spirit helps us to recalls God’s promises whenever we need encouragement or are finding the words to minister to someone else.
The Holy Spirit will bring to mind God’s truths that will help you discern if the job you are considering is pleasing to God. The Spirit will convict you of God’s design for marriage as you seek the right spouse. The Spirit will help you make decisions that are in accordance with God’s revealed will. So be intentional about asking the Holy Spirit to guide you.
Thirdly, the Spirit will aid disciples in glorifying Jesus (Jn 16:14-15). In the same way that Jesus is committed to glorifying the Father, so the Spirit will glorify Jesus. The Spirit will help disciples internalize the truths that are bound up in Christ. In this manner, the disciples are enabled to glorify Jesus in word and in deed.
As we read the rest of the New Testament, we see Jesus’ disciples glorifying Him wherever they went. Even when they were imprisoned and threatened with death, the disciples proclaimed Christ and gave Him glory.
In Acts 5:40-42, Luke tells us that after the apostles were unjustly beaten for the faith, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
The same Spirit is given to everyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Although Jesus was primarily addressing his sorrow-filled disciples who were overwhelmed by His departure, the truths about the Holy Spirit continue to have implications for us today. The same Spirit is given to everyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. Therefore, we who have gathered in the name of Jesus, should be greatly encouraged by what we have learned about the Holy Spirit. Whilst we are to faithfully sow the seeds of the gospel, we can rely on the Spirit to bring about the fruit. When we need to make decisions, we can rely on the Spirit to illumine our hearts to God’s truth and guide us. As we seek to live as a faithful witness of Jesus, we can rely on the Spirit to help us glorify Him in all circumstances.
If you are exploring the faith and have found it difficult to accept the truths about Jesus or are fearful about the implications of becoming a Christian, let me encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit for help. The Holy Spirit promises to lead us to all the truth and graciously grants us understanding. We would love to pray for you and answer any questions you may have after service.
The world we live in remains in spiritual darkness. Thus it is no surprise that there are more and more clashes with our Christian beliefs and values. It is a matter of time before we experience the challenges Christians face in Western countries. A darkened world will ridicule marriage and push for all sorts of distortions to God’s created order.
Some of you have already shared the challenges of working for international companies that have adopted gender-inclusive policies. Others have experienced hostility from classmates who take offense when they are not addressed by their chosen pronouns. Some of you have been ridiculed by friends for your conversion, others have been disowned for following Christ. More and more of us will feel the pressure of being a Christian witness at work and in school. Friends, I pray that Jesus’ teaching will encourage us to not fear persecution.
Firstly, Jesus is already reigning over this universe, and nothing happens without His knowledge. Remember that Jesus is watching over us and will not let us go through more than we can bear. He only permits that which will build us up and bring Him glory.
Secondly, the persecution we face is affirmation that we are a new creation. We are no longer of this world but are now united with Christ. We are now His friends who share in both His glory and suffering.
Thirdly, Jesus has given us divine help to persevere to the very end. Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to help us through this journey from earth to glory. The Spirit dwells in us and will be with us even when we face persecution.
We can rely on the Spirit to help us be effective witnesses and disciples of Christ. The fact that members of our church are moved to reach out to neighbors and do street evangelism is testament to the Spirit’s work.
The testimonies of conversion and commitment of members to break sinful habits point to the Spirit’s ministry. Those of us who are introverts can attest to the Spirit’s work in leading us to fellowship with others after service. Through the Spirit we can live a life that glorifies Jesus.
Therefore, let us not fear persecution, but rely on the divine Helper.
Take courage for this darkness shall break to dawn and the Spirit will see us home.
Let us pray.