期待 vs 現実 | Expectations vs Reality ヨハネの福音書15章18～16:33 John 15:18-16:33
(English below)
Several years ago, there was a popular meme format called expectation vs reality.
These memes were popular because they point to a shared human experience.
We often have a certain expectation… like building the perfect snowman.
But reality is often disappointing…our snowman looks awful.
Wrong expectations lead to disappointment.
Whether or not you’re a Christian, it's possible you have wrong expectations about what it means to follow Jesus.
And that’s dangerous because when life doesn’t go the way you hope, you might be tempted to give up on Jesus.
I’ve heard many stories over the years of people leaving the Christian faith.
A common theme in many of these stories is unmet expectations.
People expect something from God that he never promised… and when they don’t receive it, they walk away.
In our text, John 15 and 16, Jesus gives his disciples realistic expectations.
In less than 24 hours, Jesus will be crucified, and he wants them to expect hardship.
And after Jesus tells them about all the difficulties ahead, he says…1 I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away…
To keep you from falling away, Jesus wants you to understand a key truth.
Expect following Jesus to make your life more difficult.
But as we’ll see, even with the unique difficulties of following Jesus, there’s also unique blessings that come from following Jesus.
To better understand that, let’s consider three things to expect when following Jesus.
And I should say at the beginning that my first point will be a lot longer than my second and third point.
Expectation #1: The world’s hatred, but the Spirit’s power (15:18-16:15).
Jesus says, John 15:18… 18 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
The faithful Christian shouldn't be surprised by the hatred of the unbelieving world.
Why does the world hate Christians?
Jesus tells us why in John 15:19.
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.
Christian, you are not of the world, because Jesus chose you out of the world.
So in every human culture, you will stand out…and that will make people furious.
Why?
Because choosing Jesus over sin will make you the enemy of a world that chooses sin over Jesus.
The world demands agreement with false beliefs and participation in sinful activities.
And if you live like the world, the world will love you as its own.
It feels good to be loved by everyone, doesn’t it?
But Christian… why would you want to be loved by a world that crucified your Savior?
You don’t need the world's love because you already have a superior love.
Jesus says in John 16:27, for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
And you don’t need to listen to the world because you belong to another world.
Pilgrim’s Progress is a fictional allegory about the Christian life.
The main character’s name is Christian.
He’s born in the City of Destruction, which represents our sinful world.
Christian realizes that because of sin, he and his city are headed for destruction.
So he cries out, “What can I do to be saved?!”
A man named Evangelist gives him a scroll that says, “Flee from the wrath to come.”
He tells Christian to run to the narrow gate of salvation.
As Christian starts running, his neighbors from the City of Destruction notice.
Some mock him.
Some threaten him.
Others beg him to return.
But Christian plugs his ears with his fingers and screams, “Life! Life! Eternal life!”...and keeps running.
***
Jesus says in John 15:20, anyone focused on another world will be opposed by this world.
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.
Jesus' words in v20 have proven true.
Church tradition says that of the eleven disciples hearing these words, all but John, the author of this Gospel, were killed for their faith in Jesus.
According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, 70 million Christians have been killed for their faith in the last 2000 years.
For reference, that’s the same as the population of Thailand or France.
But persecution isn’t limited to being killed.
Biblically, persecution is suffering the world inflicts on those who follow Jesus.
And defined this way, every faithful Christian should expect persecution.
2 Timothy 3:12 says all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Tim Keller says: “The gospel attracts and repels. If you're always persecuted you're probably a jerk. If you're never persecuted you're probably a coward.”
Sounds grim… but there’s good news!
Look at the last part of v20.
Jesus says: 20b If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
This statement doesn’t seem to fit with everything else Jesus said.
Jesus says here that even as many oppose the gospel…many will accept the gospel.
Often…the harder the world attacks the gospel, the further the gospel spreads.
Today, Korea is the world’s 2nd-largest missionary sending nation.
But in the 1860s, less than 1% of Korea was Christian.
A missionary in China learned that educated Koreans could read Chinese.
So he boarded a ship headed for Pyongyang with Chinese Bibles.
At the time, Korea was closed off to the world, so the ship was attacked.
Before he died, the missionary threw as many Bibles as possible into the water.
One twelve-year old boy in the watching crowd took three Bibles.
He gave the Bibles to his friends and family who used them as wallpaper.
As they read the Bibles, they came to faith, and founded the first Christian church in Pyongyang.
The ancient Christian Tertullian famously said “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
Knowing this, the true Christian suffers gladly for the name of Jesus.
Jesus says, John 15:21, 21a But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
Anyone can check a box on a survey that says “I’m a Christian.”
Private Christianity costs nothing because it is worth nothing.
But identifying publicly as a Christian, gathering with a church, and speaking the gospel… that’s when you might suffer on account of [Jesus’] name.
Post-World War II Romania was communist and promoted atheism.
The government fiercely persecuted anyone who preached about Jesus.
A pastor named Richard Wurmbrand refused to stop preaching and was thrown in jail for 14 years.
But even in prison he couldn’t stop.
He said…It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners. It was understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe beating…so, we accepted the communists' terms. It was a deal; we preached and they beat us. We were happy preaching. They were happy beating us, so everyone was happy.
***
Christian, as you publicly bear witness to Jesus, you are not alone.
John 15:22, 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.
Jesus has found the world guilty.
Like a court of law, Jesus has called both Christians and the Holy Spirit forward to be witnesses.
If someone testifies in court against a mafia boss or a yakuza oyabun, they might need to enter a witness protection program.
Because powerful people found guilty want to kill the person who bore witness against them…
So what will the world do to Christians who bear witness to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit?
John 16:2, 2 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. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you…
Jesus says his disciples should expect two things in the near future.
Social exclusion… that is, being put out of the synagogues.
Death… they’ll be killed for worshipping Jesus.
How terrifying!
And yet… Jesus advises no particular action to avoid them.
Jesus doesn’t say “Sure, believe in me… just don’t be too extreme about it or else they might kill you.”
No Jesus says “they will kill you… but whatever you do… do not deny me.”
Apostasy is falling away from Jesus.
And Jesus says… fear apostasy more than death.
And just be honest with yourself for a second…which do you fear more?
It's easy to say “of course I’d never deny Jesus…”
But do you hesitate to share the gospel?
Do you give into sinful peer pressure?
Do you serve Jesus only until it stops being comfortable and convenient?
400 years ago, right here in Kyushu, one of the most severe persecutions in church history took place.
Christians would be shown a fumi-e like this.
They would be asked to curse Christ by stepping on his image.
If they didn’t, they were killed.
The world still demands that Christians curse Christ…
“Just pray at this temple like everyone else.”
“Don’t be so serious… we’re all doing it… relax.”
“Stop talking about Jesus, you’re disturbing the peace.”
And every time you follow the world rather than Jesus, its like you’re stepping on the fumi-e.
Jesus demands that you forsake your sin and follow him.
The world demands that you forsake Jesus and follow it.
Which side will you choose?
***
When you choose Jesus over the world, expect sorrow in this world.
And that brings us to our second, more brief point.
Expectation #2: temporary sorrow before everlasting joy (16:16-24).
Jesus says, John 16:20… 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Jesus says, his death and resurrection will be like a woman giving birth.
The sorrow of the cross will turn into the joy of salvation.
The result of Jesus’ pain and suffering on the cross will be new life for all who believe.
It seems like once a month I learn about another symptom of pregnancy.
Pregnancy affects the whole body, and so there’s tons of side effects.
For 9 months, a woman may have food aversions, sudden fainting, feet swelling, throwing up, and gestational diabetes.
Childbirth itself is extremely painful, and even with medical advances… dangerous.
But as my wife will tell you…in a single moment, when she held our beautiful baby for the first time she said… “it was all worth it!”
If you follow Jesus it may mean…
Parents questioning you.
Friends ridiculing you.
Co-workers excluding you.
It will mean saying “no” to your sinful desires.
Like “it feels so good, so right, so natural to do this but… I’m not going to.”
But in a single moment when you see Jesus’ face in heaven for the first time you will say… “it was all worth it!”
Like the song we sang earlier…
When I stand accepted before the throne of God, I’ll gaze upon my Jesus and thank him for the cross.
御座の前に立つその日、十字架の救い感謝します
Jesus says you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
In the Christian life, the bitter comes before the sweet.
And the gospel works the same way.
On the cross, Jesus tasted God’s bitter wrath against sin.
In his resurrection, Jesus tasted God’s sweet victory over sin.
So, repent of your sins.
Trust in Jesus.
And you will taste the free gift of eternal life for all who believe.
Christ will not be sweet until sin is bitter.
And it's only when you realize you’re a sinner that the gospel becomes good news of great joy.
***
And if you have that gospel joy, Jesus says in John 16:22… no one will take your joy from you.
The enemies of Jesus’ may take your life, your reputation, your job…but they can never take your joy.
They can take everything you have in the world, but they can’t take your joy because your joy is not of this world.
Which brings us to our final point.
Expectation #3: worldly tribulation, yet other-worldly peace (16:25-33).
Jesus ends his final sermon to his disciples in John 16:33.
33 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.
From day one of being a Christian, you should expect tribulation.
In the book of Acts, Paul and Barnabas return to strengthen and encourage a new church they had started.
What do Paul and Barnabas say to this church full of new Christians?
Acts 14:22…“through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Doesn’t it feel like the smooth and easy times in life… are so rare and go by so quickly?
Jesus tells you to expect all these difficult things so that in [him] you may have peace.
If your peace is dependent on easy circumstances… you will never have peace.
But the peace Jesus gives… has nothing to do with circumstances.
Its a peace comes from knowing that Jesus has overcome the world.
Did you notice that’s past tense?
Jesus has overcome the world.
How wild is that...Jesus is talking before his death and resurrection… and yet he says “I’ve already overcome the world.”
As sure as you can be that the sun will rise tomorrow… is how sure you can be that Jesus defeated sin and death.
Listen…there’s nothing happening in your life right now that can put Jesus back in his grave.
And when you not only believe that but make it your focus… you will have peace.
***
Everyone suffers.
Christians can expect a unique kind of suffering: persecution, sorrow, and tribulation.
And yet, what Christians suffer now is not even worth comparing with what they will enjoy on the other side of suffering.
Imagine you were given two choices for how tomorrow will go.
Outcome A: You break your foot.
Outcome B: You break your foot... then you break your arm... but afterward, you receive all of Elon Musk's money.
By the way... this is how much money that is.
Which would you choose?
***
As the saying goes, "The bitter must come before the sweet—and that makes the sweet even sweeter."
