God’s Guiding Word: Spiritual Renewal
May 15
Introduction
John 15:18—16:4a: Jesus tells his disciples that they will suffer persecution because they have chosen to believe in and follow him. He promises to send the “Helper”—the Spirit who will come from God the Father and who will reveal the truth about God.
Today’s Key Verse: John 15:26a
[Jesus said:] “The Helper will come—the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God and who comes from the Father.”
Reading
18 “If the world hates you, just remember that it has hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, then the world would love you as its own. But I chose you from this world, and you do not belong to it; that is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘Slaves are not greater than their master.’ If people persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too. 21 But they will do all this to you because you are mine; for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not come and spoken to them; as it is, they no longer have any excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not done among them the things that no one else ever did; as it is, they have seen what I did, and they hate both me and my Father. 25 This, however, was bound to happen so that what is written in their Law may come true: ‘They hated me for no reason at all.’
26 “The Helper will come—the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God and who comes from the Father. I will send him to you from the Father, and he will speak about me. 27 And you, too, will speak about me, because you have been with me from the very beginning.
16 “I have told you this, so that you will not give up your faith. 2 You will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time will come when those who kill you will think that by doing this they are serving God. 3 People will do these things to you because they have not known either the Father or me. 4a But I have told you this, so that when the time comes for them to do these things, you will remember what I told you.
Reflect
What are your thoughts concerning Jesus’s words to his disciples? Are these words hard to hear? Why or why not? Does today’s reading contain any words of reassurance? What does today’s reading teach about the cost of being Jesus’s disciples? Are you aware of anyone who has been persecuted for his or her faith?
Pray
Dear Jesus, keep me close to you and strong in faith. You are my Lord and Savior, and I am your disciple. May I never stray from your teachings. Give me a spirit of boldness to proclaim the good news of your love and salvation. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
John 16:4b–15: Jesus tells his disciples that the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth about God.