Day 4

Scripture to Read: John 15:23–24

Jesus made it perfectly clear in John 15:23, “He who hates Me hates My Father also.” Jesus left no doubt with His disciples that to hate Him was to hate God the Father too. God led the Apostle John to write it like this in 1 John 2:22–23, "Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also." Then, God led John to write this in 1 John 5:1, "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him." Finally, God had John write this in 2 John 1:9, "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." As we can see, Jesus is God, and to love Jesus and follow Him as Lord is to love God the Father and follow Him, but to hate Jesus is to hate God the Father and to deny all that the Father sent Jesus to do. Jesus went on to say in John 15:24, "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well." Even Jesus’ miracles declared Him God.

Challenge & Application

• How does God’s Word prove Jesus to be God and that He and the Father are One? • From what you learned today, how would you declare the Gospel to someone doubting Jesus as God?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

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Day 1

In John 15:12–17, Jesus really focused on how all of His followers are to love as He loves us. But then, Jesus shifted and began to discuss the hatred of the world toward His followers. Jesus said in John 15:18, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.” No one wants to be hated by anyone, but Jesus’ warning ...

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Day 2

Jesus gave the disciples further explanation for the hatred the world would have for them, and this is the reason the world hates all Christians. Jesus said in John 15:19–20, “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. 20 ...

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Day 3

Jesus knew His eleven disciples would face some incredibly difficult days once He ascended into heaven. Over the last two thousand years, there have been many followers of Christ who have faced incredibly difficult persecution for their walk with Him. The persecution in the USA is light compared to other parts of the world. Therefore, we must...

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Day 4

Jesus made it perfectly clear in John 15:23, “He who hates Me hates My Father also.” Jesus left no doubt with His disciples that to hate Him was to hate God the Father too. God led the Apostle John to write it like this in 1 John 2:22–23, "Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who den...

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Day 5

Jesus finished His talk about the people who hated Him and who would hate Him by quoting from two Messianic prophecies in Psalm 35:19, "Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously," and in Psalm 69:4 "Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my he...

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Day 6

Jesus laid the foundation for the disciples (and for all believers since that time) to understand the hatred of the world. But then, Jesus shared the encouraging words about His Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 15:26–27, “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, H...

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Day 7

Jesus knew the time of His arrest was drawing near, so He continued to share with the disciples to prepare them for what was coming. Jesus said in John 16:1–4, “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think t...

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