If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
7 sermons cite this verse
… Jesus says in John 15, if the world hates you, no one hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you're not of the world, but I choose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word I said to you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they persecuted me, they'll persecute you. As I've said before, just make sure you're being persecuted for the right reason. Sometimes Christians are persecuted not because of their faith, but because they're weird. They're obnoxious. They're unnecessarily offensive, right? Don't be that person. The Bible says, blessed are you when you're persecuted for righteousness' sake. Not for idiocy's sake or something like that, right? Second way the devil will hit us is through pride. So first he'll try to stop you. That's what happened to the apostles. But what happened then? Oh, the people said, you're like a God. So the devil would say, God would never use you. …
… system like a diamond in a coal mine, like a gardenia in a garbage can. We are different. Different. Again, put this verse down, John 15 VERSE 19, JESUS said, if you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Quit trying to win popularity contests with the world. A dear sweet lady said to me the other day, oh, brother Rogers, you're so wonderful, everybody loves you." I thought, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. She ought to read my mail back. Everybody loves you. No, they don't. Now, I don't want to unnecessarily make enemies, but friend, I don't want to betray Jesus. I don't want to betray the word of God. Now Jesus said, uh, uh, don't be surprised if the world hates you. I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." And so, ah, we hear a lot today about the separation of church and state. Do you know what the message the church needs to hear is, is a message on the separation of church and world. I mean, we need to be separate, we need to be different. This is why the apostle John warned us, first John two verse 15, PUT THIS down, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, now here's what the …
III. 1. One would imagine such a person as has been above described, so full of genuine humility, so unaffectedly serious, so mild and gentle, so free from all selfish design, so devoted to God, and such an active lover of men, should be the darling of mankind. But our Lord was better acquainted with human nature in its present state. He therefore closes the character of this man of God with showing him the treatment he is to expect in the world. “Blessed,” saith he, “are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 2. In order to understand this throughly, let us, First, inquire, Who are they that are persecuted? And this we may easily learn from St. Paul: “As of old, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.”(Gal. 4:29.) “Yea,” saith the Apostle, “and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim. 3:12.) The same we are taught by St. John: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” (1 John 3:13–14.) As if he had said, The brethren, the Christians, cannot be loved, but by them who have passed from death unto life. And most expressly by our Lord: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth 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.” (John 15:18.) …
4. Is it strange that it should decrease, if those words are really found in the oracles of God: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?” What is the meaning of these words? Let us seriously consider. And may God open the eyes of our understanding; that, in spite of all the mist wherewith the wisdom of the world would cover us, we may discern what is the good and acceptable will of God! 5. Let us, First, consider, what it is which the Apostle here means by the world. He does not here refer to this outward frame of things, termed in Scripture, heaven and earth; but to the inhabitants of the earth, the children of men, or at least, the greater part of them. But what part? This is fully determined both by our Lord himself, and by his beloved disciple. First, by our Lord himself. His words are, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. And all these things will they do unto you, because they know not him that sent me.” (John 15:18.) You see here “the world” is placed on one side, and those who “are not of the world” on the other. They whom God has “chosen out of the world,” namely, by “sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth,” are set in direct opposition to those whom he hath not so chosen. Yet again: Those “who know not him that sent me,” saith our Lord, who know not God, they are “the world.” …
[I.] Let us consider, First, how the “wicked” here “trouble” good men. And this is a spacious field. Look round the world; take a view of all the troubles therein: How few are there whereof the wicked are not the occasion! “From whence come wars and fightings among you?” Whence all the ills that embitter society; that often turn that highest of blessings into a curse, and make it “good for man to be alone?” “Come they not hence,” from self-will, pride, inordinate affection? in one word, from wickedness? And can it be otherwise, so long as it remains upon earth? As well may “the Ethiopian change his skin,” as a wicked man cease to trouble both himself and his neighbour, but especially good men: Inasmuch as, while he is wicked he is continually injuring either them, or himself, or God. First. Wicked men trouble those who serve God, by the injuries they do them. As at first, “he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.” And so it must be, till all things are fulfilled; “till heaven and earth pass away,” “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” For there is an irreconcilable enmity between the Spirit of Christ, and the spirit of the world. If the followers of Christ “were of the world, the world would love its own: But because they are not of the world, therefore the world hateth them.” And this hatred they will not fail to show by their words: They will “say all manner of evil against them falsely;” “they will find out many inventions” whereby even “the good that is in them may be evil spoken of,” and in a thousand instances lay to their charge the ill that they know not. From words in due time they proceed to deeds; treating the servants as their forefathers did their Master; wronging and despitefully using them in as many ways as fraud can invent and force accomplish. …
We may add to these, those who have got tired with the trials of the way. It is a weary thing to be lame. It saddens my heart to often see the sheep go through the London streets. They go limping along, poor things, so spent and spiritless. There are many Christians who are like they are—they seem to have been so long in trouble that they do not know how to bear up any longer. What with the loss of the husband and the loss of the child. What with poverty and many struggles and no apparent hope of deliverance. What with one sickness and then another in their own bodies. What with one temptation and then another temptation, and then a third, they feel very wearied by the way. They are like Jacob when he limped on his thigh. The blessing is that the Lord says, "I will assemble the lame." Lay hold on that, you limping ones! I daresay you suppose you are the last one of the flock. You have got so tired and lame that you think that though all the others are close by the Shepherd's hand, you are forgotten. You remember that the Amalekites in the wilderness fell upon the children of Israel and smote some of the hindmost of them and, perhaps, you are afraid that you will get smitten in that way. Let me remind you of a text—"The Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rereward." Those that lead the way can rejoice that God goes before them, but you can rejoice that God is behind you, as we read again, "The glory of the Lord shall be your rereward." He will take care that you shall not be destroyed. …
And crown Him Lord of all!" Right well does He deserve all the homage we can ever ascribe to Him! But our Lord, though anointed of God, and meriting the distinction which He gained, was, nevertheless, like David, rejected of men. Poor David! Saul thirsted for his blood and put him upon dangerous missions, in the hope that he might die. And when he saw that God was with him, he hated him yet more—till he hunted him like a partridge upon the mountains! He could find shelter nowhere. If he went to the priests of Nob, the king sent and slew all the inhabitants of the city. Or if he went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and saved the inhabitants of Keilah, yet by-and-by they were willing to give him up to his enemies! He was safe nowhere. Now, our Lord Jesus Christ here upon earth was in the same manner despised and rejected of men—nor has the offense of His Cross ceased to this day. You may be a nominal Christian and have the good esteem of all men, but if you are a true disciple of Jesus, obeying Him from the heart, openly avowing His cause and diligently testifying His Truth, you will meet with bitter hostility in all sorts of places and among all sorts of people! Rest assured that until Christ comes again, it will be true that if you were of the world, the world would love its own, but because you are not of the world, but Christ has chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. …