The cruelty of Christ and His faithful followers of all ages

The cruelty of sinners to Christ and all His faithful followers of all ages. 

John  18:39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?  18:40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

Sinners from the outset hated Christ and His faithful followers.

John  15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  15:19 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.  15:20 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.  15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.  15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.  15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.  15:24 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.  15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

Don’t ever be surprised if the world or unbelievers or sinners hates you.

1 John  3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

Your relationship with Christ will bring you peace but trouble or tribulations from the world or sinners.

John  16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Christ’s ministry will bring unavoidable separation between those who wants to be obedient to Him wholeheartedly and churchgoers and professors of religion.

Matthew  10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

John  17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

The professors of religion and churchgoers will separate faithful followers of Christ from themselves.

Luke  6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.  6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

You will experience unavoidable persecutions because of your resolve to wholly and faithfully follow Christ.

Romans  8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

But then why was Christ hated? 

 Why is His faithful followers of all ages and you hated?

First let us consider Christ.  Remember Jesus is the light

Christ 

John  1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John  8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John  14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Very very unfortunately, sinners don’t the light and the truth.

John  3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

The churchgoers hated faithful f

ollowers of Christ.

Luke  6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

Matthew  24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

John  17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Romans  8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

What must you do?

Don’t be surprised.

1 John  3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

Be resolute to endure to the end.

Matthew  10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Revelation  2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Let us pray.