John 15:18-20: Slaves and Masters
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
When we try to reconcile this world with the kingdom, we often find more misunderstanding than peace. Jesus gives us important information about how we might handle this difficulty.
Jesus says: If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, “A slave is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
God says: Spend time with these confusing words today until they begin to clarify. Spend time with me today until you better see how to be in the world and not of it. Spend time with me until you see that the world’s persecution is a quiet blessing. Spend time with me until you believe that you are made in my image and are called to enact my love in a world that cries out for compassion. Spend time with me until you understand that the slaves of this world are always masters in the next. Then go into the world that wants to enslave you and carry my Spirit within. You will find that you are master of far more than you had imagined.
Scripture is always showing us the inversions of the kingdom and Jesus speaks to us directly today in the hope that we understand how our witness in his name will generally bring us scorn rather than praise. Enter the word inversion into the blog search bar and look for other ways that the kingdom turns the world on its head.
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