Outcasts for Jesus

by Hugh DeLong

As Jesus talks to the Apostles, knowing that he is going to ascend back to the throne with the Father, he prepares them for what they will face as they conform themselves to the teaching and example that he himself has set.
Notice the first 4 verses of John 16:

"These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you" (John 16:1-4).

They will make you outcasts. They will kill you, thinking they are serving God. It isn’t hard to see Paul in this, the Paul before his conversion.

But how does this affect me? The question becomes How do I act as an outcast when it seems that the world has turned against me? How do I respond not just to arguments against what I believe, but slander, lies, and even physical harm? Herein is the problem of faithfulness. Will you respond in the same manner as Jesus? There actually is a lot to say about this situation in the New Testament.

Peter:

"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed" (I Peter 2:21-24).

Paul:

"The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will" (II Timothy 2:24-26).

Jesus: Love your enemy and pray for him.

I want to be like Jesus. OK, then this is what it will be like.