Prayer:
O Jesus, help me to be a servant who is just like his master.
Imagination:
Picture Jesus with his apostles at the Last Supper.
Context:
Jesus begins a long teaching about how this unity between the disciples and himself will arouse the world’s hatred. The world has hated Jesus and will hate his chosen disciples. In this text, Jesus makes a very sharp distinction between his disciples and the world.
Gospel Text: (Read slowly, possibly aloud.)
Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own. You are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore, the world hates you.
Remember my word. The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also. Yet, all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake, because they did not know him who sent me.”
Thoughts: (Read all. Ponder the ones that attract you.)
- When they preach the gospel, the disciples will be hated by the world.
- The world will persecute them because they do not belong to the world any longer.
- Being aligned with Jesus, the disciples are unacceptable to the world.
- How blessed are the disciples. Jesus has chosen them out of the world.
- Persecution is such a small price to pay to be Jesus’ disciple.
- The world is consistent in its hatred. Having persecuted Jesus, it will persecute his disciples.
- All this hatred happens because the world does not know the Father Who sent Jesus.
Affections: (When one touches your heart, use your own words.)
- O Jesus, if I love you, the world will not love me. What a small price!
- What more could I ask? A servant wants to be treated like the Master.
- You have chosen me, and taken me away from the world.
- I have said my “Goodbyes.” I have parted company. I am with you forever.
- Being persecuted for your name is greater than any worldly honor.
- Jesus, the one who sent you is now my Father. You have made me his child.
Resolutions: (Possibly you might want to make your own.)
+ Today, I will rejoice to think, “Jesus has chosen me out of the world.”
+ If people do not understand me, I will think of how the world misunderstood Jesus.