Are you Greater than your Master?
Kyle Wendel
“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” John 15:20
Persecution is defined as hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs.
How many of you like to be persecuted?
I would say that most of us do not like the thought of having to go through persecution. In our lives in America, we sometimes think that we are above persecution or that we are blessed to live in an age where it is not as strong.
I want to challenge this thought today. If we look at the Word of God, we see that persecution will be a guaranteed thing for us as followers of Christ. John 15:20 says, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”
Jesus says to remember these words that He has said to us. Remember that tough times are coming. If we look at the context of who He is talking to, it would be His disciples. If we look in the Bible and from history, we would learn that these men went through some extremely difficult times and persecution. Most were even killed for the cause of Christ in extreme ways. Why would they do this?
“A servant is not greater than his master.” Do we think that we are greater than Jesus? We would all say not a chance; however, our lives show what we truly believe. If we think that we are above persecution, we are placing ourselves greater than our master.
“If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” If we are true followers of Christ, we better expect the world to come after us just as they did our King. The world hated Jesus. The world will hate us as well. The reason for the hatred is that we are called to love and serve as Jesus did. People will hate us if they see Jesus in us. We better expect persecution rather than try to avoid it.
What does persecution look like for us? It can look very different depending on where in the world we are. In America, we are currently very blessed to not have to face the threat of losing our lives for following Christ as other believers face around the world. We do not have to worry about being imprisoned for preaching the Bible. In reality, we have it very easy in America. Our persecution comes down to people not liking us, making fun of us, losing friendships, society speaking out against Christians, not fitting in, and the possibility of being passed by at work. Rarely does it come down to the extreme persecution that we have seen in the Bible and history.
However, what if it ever did? How would you respond to extreme persecution? How do you respond to persecution now? Jesus said if they persecuted Him, we better expect persecution to also come our way. He does not specify exactly how, but just to expect it. We should not be surprised when we face opposition in any way. We should not be running away from every persecution that comes our way. Instead, we should be using our persecution to glorify God and to show the world who Jesus is through our actions and endurance through the persecutions.
In 1 Peter 4:12-19, we are challenged, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And ‘If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’ Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
Do you rejoice through the sufferings, persecutions, or trials?
Do you trust yourself to your Creator through everything that may come your way?
Are you living and following Jesus in such a way that persecution will come your way?
Kyle Wendel
“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” John 15:20
Persecution is defined as hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs.
How many of you like to be persecuted?
I would say that most of us do not like the thought of having to go through persecution. In our lives in America, we sometimes think that we are above persecution or that we are blessed to live in an age where it is not as strong.
I want to challenge this thought today. If we look at the Word of God, we see that persecution will be a guaranteed thing for us as followers of Christ. John 15:20 says, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”
Jesus says to remember these words that He has said to us. Remember that tough times are coming. If we look at the context of who He is talking to, it would be His disciples. If we look in the Bible and from history, we would learn that these men went through some extremely difficult times and persecution. Most were even killed for the cause of Christ in extreme ways. Why would they do this?
“A servant is not greater than his master.” Do we think that we are greater than Jesus? We would all say not a chance; however, our lives show what we truly believe. If we think that we are above persecution, we are placing ourselves greater than our master.
“If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” If we are true followers of Christ, we better expect the world to come after us just as they did our King. The world hated Jesus. The world will hate us as well. The reason for the hatred is that we are called to love and serve as Jesus did. People will hate us if they see Jesus in us. We better expect persecution rather than try to avoid it.
What does persecution look like for us? It can look very different depending on where in the world we are. In America, we are currently very blessed to not have to face the threat of losing our lives for following Christ as other believers face around the world. We do not have to worry about being imprisoned for preaching the Bible. In reality, we have it very easy in America. Our persecution comes down to people not liking us, making fun of us, losing friendships, society speaking out against Christians, not fitting in, and the possibility of being passed by at work. Rarely does it come down to the extreme persecution that we have seen in the Bible and history.
However, what if it ever did? How would you respond to extreme persecution? How do you respond to persecution now? Jesus said if they persecuted Him, we better expect persecution to also come our way. He does not specify exactly how, but just to expect it. We should not be surprised when we face opposition in any way. We should not be running away from every persecution that comes our way. Instead, we should be using our persecution to glorify God and to show the world who Jesus is through our actions and endurance through the persecutions.
In 1 Peter 4:12-19, we are challenged, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And ‘If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’ Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
Do you rejoice through the sufferings, persecutions, or trials?
Do you trust yourself to your Creator through everything that may come your way?
Are you living and following Jesus in such a way that persecution will come your way?
Posted in Upper Room
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