Lesson 43: John 15:18-27 - The World’s Hatred

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
19 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, therefore the world hates you.
20 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.
21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.


Another result of our being attached to the Vine [Jesus] is gaining a powerful enemy. Remember a few lessons ago we read Jesus drew a line between Himself (Truth) and Satan (Liar) and said we can follow only one or the other. There are no other options. In Matthew 12:30 we read Jesus’ words – “if you are not with Me, you are against Me.” Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) and God’s enemy. Because we belong to God, Satan also hates us.

What does an attack from Satan look like in our life? It is anything that will take us out of active relationship with Jesus – removing us from the life-sustaining power He gives us. Isn’t Jesus more powerful than Satan? Yes, He is, but Jesus also leaves the choice to us whether or not we stay connected to Him. Being connected is our responsibility.

Hate, as Jesus is talking about here, is not necessarily an emotion. It is an opposition to Him. In Matthew 6:24 He said we cannot serve God and money (or anything from this world). Jesus and this world (Satan’s domain) are opposites – when we face one we have our backs turned on the other. Having our back turned is the “hate” as Jesus uses it in these verses.

Jesus’ statement of being the Vine and we the branches means there are consequences we must not ignore. It is not simply a matter of letting Jesus do all the work in us and we sit back with no responsibilities at all. Yes, He does the work, but each step of the way means we are responsible for choices and obedience. Choosing Him means we will suffer attacks through people around us (Ephesians 6:12). We must love the individual but at the same time battle the true source of the attack, spiritual forces of darkness. We never battle alone – we have the Holy Spirit to help us see the real enemy whom we cannot see with human eyes.

*Read Ephesians 6:10-18 – what has Jesus made available to you for this spiritual battle?