Dear Christian friends:

All of us want people to like us and respect us. We don't want people to hate us and mock us. We want many friends and not enemies. Sometimes we say or do something wrong and make enemies. Then our conscience bothers us, and it should, that is our fault.

But sometimes we do nothing wrong and people hate us. Yes, when we do right as God wants often we get into trouble and people hate us. Then our conscience should not blame us. We should not get upset about that hatred.

In our text Jesus cautions us about such hatred He Himself met such hatred and He faced that courageously. Let us from God's Holy Word learn to:


Jesus shows us the cause of this hatred. First He shows us that the world, the unbelievers, hate us because we do not belong to them. "If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you." (John 15:19) We Christians are a different people. We refuse to join in their sinful pleasure. They may invite us to go fishing on Sunday; we say, "No, I must go to Church on Sunday." This connects their sin and makes them displeased with us.

Sometimes they see a Christian do much work for Jesus in the Church. They criticise that. One deaf man was giving $20 a month to the Church. Another deaf man heard about that and went to him and said, "You are crazy to give all that money to the Church. Better save it for your self." But the Christian deaf man told him, "I love Christ, not money." The other deaf man became angry and his enemy after that.

Of course, if you live like the sinful world then you will not suffer hatred. If you like the world, love money, pleasure, yourself and sin, then they will like you. I fear often we do that, also we Lutherans. We have these same false ideas, hopes and goals. That is why we do not get hated and mocked here in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

In John 15:20, "Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well." Jesus shows that if we are really His disciples we will get persecuted and the world will hate us. And in Romans 8:7, "the carnal mind is enmity against God."

Even in our church work we often agree with the unbelievers. We don't go and witness to them as we should. We should try to "sell" Jesus the Savior to them and invite them to change and believe in Him as in our Sharing Christ Plan. But few are eager to do that, "Keep quiet!" Then instead of selling Jesus you want to sell pancakes and fish and chicken and clothes and quilts.

If you can have a dinner sale or bazaar then you all get excited and want to work. You know all the unbelievers will come and like that. That's a big mistake, a bad habit here. We should "sell" Jesus and not fish, pie or cakes. And if we only "sell" Jesus many will kick and complain and hate us. That's all right our conscience is free. We are obeying Jesus and suffering hatred as He did.

People don't know the true God, His holiness and mercy. They think God is like a man who winks at sin and thinks sin is nothing. Because of their ignorance about God almighty and His mercy they mock and laugh when we tell them the truth. The preaching about man's sin and condemnation and salvation through the blood of Christ, such preaching is funny or strange to them.

They think we are foolish, but really they are the foolish ones. Unbelievers have good reason to love Him and us who follow Him. We, with Jesus, speak to them words of life and salvation.

In His days on earth Jesus did many wonderful works, as He says in John 15:24, to prove that He was the true God and their Savior. Above all, chiefly He suffered without measure, endured the punishment of hell, died for them, so that with His stripes they could be healed. So they have no reason to hate him. (John 15:25)

It is unreasonable and foolish for them to hate the One who loved them and died for them. So it is foolish also for them to hate us, Jesus disciples. We don't hate them, but seek only to lead them to the true God and Savior.

If they continue in this hatred they will be lost. On judgement day they will have no excuse for their sins. (John 15:22) Jesus died for them and then sent us to tell them. If they don't believe and hate us they will have no excuse before God. Like the man who came to the wedding without a garment. He was speechless. (Matthew 22:11-14)

Because we know these things we should become more courageous in our living and speaking for Christ. As Jesus says in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

You should expect such hatred and trouble and when it happens you will not be surprised or afraid. You will know about it and go ahead with your true, right living and speaking. You will not hate them and pray for them as Jesus did for His enemies. Some will stop hating and change and love Jesus and us.

Be not afraid, only believe.

Amen.