Lenten Devotion (Evening) for 19 April 2011 Anno Domini

Lenten Devotion (Evening) for 19 April 2011 Anno Domini
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another. 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 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. 20 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. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:17-27)
“These things I command you, that ye love one another.” Here in this verse again we find the direct commandment of Christ for us to love one another. He stresses this over and over again. That lends the commandment a critical importance to the life of the Christian. The world, doubtless, will hate us but we should certainly not hate each other – we should love one another with a deep and abiding love. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” The world loves its own, but the world also instinctively recognizes that the practicing Christian is not of its camp and allegiance. It perceives the Christian as the enemy of all that it represents and, therefore, hates the Christian and his Church. “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.” How will the world recognize, with assurety, that we belong to Christ? Hear the words of Christ: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. “ (John 13:35)
The Scriptures teach us that, once we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, we may have an easy ride of it, right? WRONG! The world offers many presumed privileges to its own, but it withholds privilege to the Christian. It actively seeks to smother faith in Christ, and this process begins in the life of the Christian at the moment of conversion. “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.” Why does the world hate you with such intensity? Because Christ turned the tables of the money-changers. He forbids buying and selling in the name of religion! He brought into existence a new standard and a new way that is very unlike the way of the world. He established His Church to stand in stark contrast to the sinfulness of the world. Christ is our Master, the Captain and Bishop of our souls. We follow His Will and, therefore, the world sees Christ, their enemy, in you.
“If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.” Willfull disregard for God’s Word is a mighty sin. They cannot claim ignorance before the law for Christ has clearly told them who He is and why He came. They have no cloke of fig leaves to cover their knowing sin and any attempt to cover them is futility. “He that hateth me hateth my Father also.” Like Father, like Son – like Master, like follower. It is easy to make an unknown god into an ally in every vice, but a known God cannot be re-invented by man. He is immutable and all-sovereign. When Christ revealed the nature of the Father though Himself, the world did not like what it saw. This was a God who had all authority and could not be manipulated for profit or power.
“If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.” If they had not seen with their own eyes the mystery of God in Christ, they may have had some resort to ignorance, but having seen and known, they willingly rejected Christ knowing Him to be the Son of God. To once know God and turn away from Him is a grave breach of faith for which God will bring judgment. This is a cause of great concern for America who has been blessed above every nation on earth for the early righteousness of her people. But modern America has turned to the unclean and immoral things of the world and has called that which is good, evil; and that which is evil, good! Our only refuge is found in 2 Chron 7:14. The principle stated therein does not dictate that all America repent and pray, only those “who are called by My Name!” Christ has performed many marvelous works in America, and we have, finally, rejected the Fountain of Living Waters. (Jer 17:13).
“But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.” The Father is a God of Justice. He leaves no doubt of guilt in the sinner. THEY know it, and HE knows it! And without a cause does the world hate Christ – the news media of America hates Christ. The education establishment hates Christ. The government hierarchy hates Christ. And so does all the world of power and pomp hate Christ. He keeps getting in the way of their plans. He is the Stone of Stumbling, but has become the Chief Corner Stone of the Building!
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” The Holy Spirit has come to us! He will confirm truth to us, and will testify of Christ. Many modern, lucre-seeking ministers believe that they can manipulate the Holy Spirit and appropriate His power unto themselves. They are deceived, and so are their unfortunate followers. The Holy Spirit gives comfort in truth of all that Christ has told us. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” Sadly, we observe much spirit to the detriment of truth in today’s worship. The Spirit and Truth must be joined as One in order for reverent worship to occur. It is my prayer that our churches across America, and the wider world, would again worship in Spirit AND in Truth! Are you, my friend, very conscientious to insure you worship in the proper spirit of reverence and in the absolute certainty of Truth?