“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor Me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” John 16:1-4
Devotional Thought For The Day
Usually when someone tells us “I told you so” it is something negative. Here Jesus provides us with a great positive even though it portends very negative circumstances. He communicates His greatest will and desire for us, that we not fall away at any time, but especially not in troubling and difficult times. It is always difficult to persevere when many around us are opposed to us and trying to dissuade us. It becomes even more difficult when we are ostracized and rejected by others. When it becomes apparent that what we value most highly, what has become our life and our very being, is so odious to others that they believe it would be God-serving to kill us, the strain is crushing. Jesus warns us ahead of time, so that if such circumstances envelope us we will remember and be prepared, so that nothing will be able to sever us from Him. He wants us to hear His Word: “I told you so.”
One of the great difficulties of maintaining faith and loyalty to Jesus is knowing with certainty. We all struggle with doubts and soul-searching. “Knowing” is somewhat of a tentative and vulnerable thing; we often learn more, learn something different, and are surprised that what we were certain of is not so certain. The same is true of our process of coming to know the truth by abiding in Christ’s Word [John 8:31,32]. However, the truth which we learn from God’s Word in regard to the nature, character, and Person of God – that He is love, is crystal clear. We may doubt, but God’s Word is unambiguous in regard to His gracious forgiveness and mercy and His will to bring the best blessings into our lives. Included in this is His certain promise regarding salvation and eternal life for all who live in repentant faith in Jesus. The same is true in regard to Jesus. Who could doubt His love for us and His eternal commitment to our eternal good and blessedness when informed by His Word of His laying down His life for us for the purpose of atoning for our sins and restoring us to eternal peace and fellowship with God?
The explanation for the evil that we suffer at the hands of others, when they reject us and seek to dis-fellowship us or do other harm to us even though we are loved and embraced by God is stated simply by Jesus: “they have not known the Father nor Me.” With this explanation Jesus asserts that we who are of faith do in fact know the Father and know Him. This knowledge – which is provided for us through His written Word, the Bible, is unassailable and certain. You remember that God cuts His Word in stone, “the Scripture cannot be broken.” [John 10:35] It is this unassailable certainty of God’s gracious love for us, provided and cemented in our hearts by the Holy Spirit of God through God’s written Word, which sustains and carries us in faith through all of the difficulties of life, including the worst trials, even that of persecution. Jesus has told us ahead of time so that we not be fearful and dismayed when such trials come. As we remember His Word we will be preserved in faith, and will not fall away.
All is not dismal. Jesus concluded His remarks with a sure and certain pronouncement: “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” [John 16:33] He speaks these warnings not so that we may be dismal and depressed, but rather that we may have peace, the peace which only He can give, a peace which surpasses human understanding. Yes, we will have tribulation – how well we know this! But in His peace we “take heart,” for He has already “overcome the world.” This peace is the assurance of His love, His guarantee that nothing can separate us from His love for us, that He Who loves us also remains in complete control of all things, and that in Him and with Him we too “overcome the world.” Only one who is ignorant of God and His love for us would dare to persecute and assault one of His dear children. [“By their fruits you shall know them.” – Matt. 7:20,21] So let us take heart, as Jesus encourages, not only so that we do not fall away, but that we be filled with gentle, humble, and certain courage and confidence no matter what befalls us. It is obvious and certain that this is Jesus’ loving will for us! May we never allow anyone or anything to dissuade us!
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for providing us with such blessed assurance and strength for life and ministry. As You know, we are bothered deeply by the disregard and antipathy that we often endure as Your children. Forbid that we allow such sorrow to destroy our faith and trust in You, and to erode away our determination to be Your disciples. Grant us peace and joy in a constant and certain faith and knowledge of Your love for us. May those who seek to bite and devour us break their teeth on Your powerful love for us. Amen.