John the apostle wrote how Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 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. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin”, and in chapter fifteen and verse twenty-three of his book John shared how Jesus told His disciples, “He that hates me hates my Father also”, where we read:
He that hates me hates my Father also.
The verse reads, “He that hates me ...” John began with the words, “He that hates” which means “the person whether male or female who despises, detests and persecutes” “me” which refers to “Jesus”. John shared how Jesus referred to the person who “despises and detests” Him.
The verse goes on to say, “... hates my Father also.” John continues with the word, “hates” which means “despises, detests and persecutes” “my Father also” or “my, Jesus' Heavenly Father God even so and indeed”. John shared how Jesus said the person who “despises” Him also “despises” His Heavenly Father God.
When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how there is a direct relationship between “hating” Jesus and “hating” His Father God. The person who says they “love” God but “hate” Jesus are not in alignment with what Jesus said. Jesus was God who came in the flesh, (See John 1:14) and when a person “despises” Him, they include “God” in their “hatred”. God the Father loves people, so He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for their sins. Anyone who believes and trusts in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be saved from the penalty of sin and enjoy a relationship with God. Those who are wise will “love” Jesus and yield their lives to Him to live eternally with Him and His Father God.
Next time John shares how Jesus tells His disciples, “If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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