Day 34 :: The Upper Room

John 15:26-27

Love-Hate Relationship

February 26, 2015

Don Schmidt  Associate Pastor | Adult Ministries & Connections

Today's reading is another passage of Scripture that causes us to pause and say, “Wow!”

As Jesus was preparing the disciples for His final days and His ultimate departure, He told them He would send to them "the Helper," whom we know to be the Holy Spirit. From this passage, we know the Holy Spirit's assignment is to "bear witness about" Jesus. We could pause to consider what exactly that means, but here is the challenging part: As believers we have been given the very same assignment, to give a personal witness about our firsthand relationship with Jesus.

We would do well to pause and consider the weight of those words. You and I, and every local congregation of believers, has been given the same assignment that was given to the Holy Spirit: To bear witness to Jesus as the Messiah and invite others to have the same relationship that we have with Him. That is so exciting!

God has given us a distinct mission to be His witnesses through the power of the Holy Spirit. This assignment is the basis for our shared vision that unites our church and aligns our strategies to accomplish the purposes of God.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:8

TWEET THIS: God has given us a distinct mission to make disciples through the power of the Holy Spirit. #UpperRoom

Day 33 :: The Upper Room

John 15:23-25

Hated by the World

February 25, 2015

Don Schmidt  Associate Pastor | Adult Ministries & Connections

Wow! Who can imagine hating God? Upon reading this passage, I assumed that this passage was only intended for those in Jesus’ day who wanted to kill him. Though true, this can also be true of me. Later, my mind shifted to Matthew 12:30 where Jesus said, "Whoever is not with me is against me; and whoever does not gather with me scatters." I was reminded of the importance of aligning my life with God's agenda and how not doing so is to hate Him.

Jesus began his discourse in Matthew 12 with this analogy: "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid to waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand" (12:25). This is a fitting challenge for us at Calvary. Our "house" can only stand against Satan if we are united as a church in our pursuit of God's agenda.

It is no surprise that the world will hate God and oppose His agenda. Nor should it be a surprise when the world opposes us as we pursue God's agenda. Jesus told the disciples to expect that. It should never be said that we, as believers, were anything but wholly committed to the purposes of God for our lives and our church. Join us in praying that God will grant each of us clarity of vision and singularity of purpose.

TWEET THIS: Do you wonder if you are in alignment with God’s agenda? The Bible says that the world will hate you if you are. #UpperRoom

Day 32 :: The Upper Room

John 15:20-22

Reality of Persecution

February 24, 2015

Kent Oviatt, Associate Pastor | Deaf & Multicultural Ministry

Please take a moment to reflect on these Scriptures. Relate these thoughts to the Upper Room—those greater things, those things, which call us into a deeper relationship with Christ and draw our attention away from ourselves. Consider the phrase, "A servant is not greater than his master." Just as Christ was persecuted, Christ-followers will be persecuted. Do we naturally expect a life of ease, of quiet rest or of calmness? Is that what an Upper Room relationship means? Or is Christ preparing us, his followers, for conflict?

In verse 22, Christ speaks to the issue. Since he came to confront the sin of the world the world’s response was that of hate. Our love for Christ will results in the world hating us as well. Though true, because we are in Christ and share in his persecution, we can find great confidence in being in communion with Him.

TWEET THIS: The Christ-follower will be persecuted. Do we expect a life of ease, of quiet rest, or of calmness? #UpperRoom

Day 31 :: The Upper Room

John 15: 18-19

Contempt of the World

February 23, 2015

Kent Oviatt, Associate Pastor | Deaf & Multicultural Ministry

Last week, we read Christ's words expressing his desire for us to understand and experience his love, and to demonstrate that love to one another. This week, our study abruptly shifts to the subject of hate. Jesus uses a strong word here of maliciousness and animosity. There are many "hard sayings" of Christ in the Gospels. This is no exception. Jesus does not mince words to describe the contempt that the world has for him (the Savior). Consequently, as followers of Christ, we should expect the world to hate us being that Jesus was hated immensely. In fact, the conditional language that Jesus uses here is to be understood as, "the world really does hate you."

Are we surprised by the attitude of the world? When we stand for truth, especially when this truth confronts the worlds’ sin, we should expect nothing less than contempt. In stark contrast to the hate that we receive from the world do not forget the glorious thought! Jesus said, "I chose you out of the world." Even if we are hated by the world, we can love them because Christ first loved us.

TWEET THIS: When the world hates us, we can find assurance by resting in our salvation. #UpperRoom