John 15:18-25
The World Will Persecute Jesus' Disciples
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
The Way to Jesus is through the cross...The Way to Jesus, our Savior, and taking away our sins is through His cross...Suffering somehow strips away our feelings and thoughts of being self-righteousness and reveals the sin within us...Suffering creates this need for our Savior which can only be found in Jesus...We don't like to suffer, but we can look at His example on the cross and His suffering to the point of His death, to save us from our sins...
Jesus tells us about suffering...Jesus teaches us that we will suffer because of our belief in Him, and that He would also suffer...Jesus explained to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life...He said: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me...Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you...Remember the Word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his Master.’...If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My Word, they will keep yours as well...But they will treat you like this because of My Name, since they do not know the One who sent Me...If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin...Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin...
His disciple, St. Peter said these things about suffering for Jesus...For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly...But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed...And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled...For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong...Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name...For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?...Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right...After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal Glory in Christ, will Himself Perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you...For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?...But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God...