So far in the upper room, Jesus has made some great and precious promises. Here are just a few of the many:”In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (13:2-3)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (14:12)
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (14:13-14)
“Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” 14:19
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (15:5)
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (15:7)
Then, at the end of chapter 15, we find a promise that is not “claimed” as often as the others. “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.”
There it is. The promise that those who follow Christ cannot expect to be treated by the world any better than Jesus was. And the reason they persecuted Christ is because they did not believe the One who sent Him. Having heard Jesus’ words and having seen His works, they were without excuse. (There is a positive side to the promise, that if they believed Christ they would continue to believe Him as He spoke through the disciples!)
And there is another promise in our passage this morning. “When the Helper comes…He will bear witness about Me. And you also will bear witness”.
So in spite of the hatred and persecution, the Holy Spirit will still bear witness and lead the Christ-follower to continue to testify to the words and works of Jesus.
Disciples today have also been chosen out of this world and will be hated. We can, by the Spirit’s power, continue to testify to what we have seen and heard from Jesus. But we must make sure we are being hated for the right reasons.