LEARNING DAILY

John 16:1-4, These things I have spoken to you, that you should not stumble. They will put you out of the synagogue; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor me. But these things I have told you, that you remember, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you.  Jesus

These words spoken in the Upper Room by Jesus to His disciples were His final instructions to them before His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. Just before the words above He told them they could expect persecution because they followed Him. He told them that people would even kill them because they were “offering God service”. They were living an unbelieving world – just like Believers do today. He did not want them, nor Believers today to stumble because they were surprised.

Fear can be real or imagined. Both can be very paralyzing and cause the strongest to stumble. Jesus did not want them or Believers today to be unaware of what might come. It seems easier to prepare for and go through something when we know it is coming. Perhaps, the reason for that is because there is a thought, a possibility that whenever that something comes, we can have some control over it. Jesus told His disciples what He thought they needed to prepare for when He was gone. Even though they did not understand what He meant, He said they would remember at some time.

For Believers today, the Bible tells us that there are difficult times they will face because they believe in Him, because they follow Him. It is not difficult to see what many in the world think about Christians and their beliefs. Try to speak up about God and His Word in public, in the workplace, and in schools (and look out if you’re in college or the universities). But knowing the difficulty now and in the future helps Believers know it is part of His plan, and he has all things under His control. When experiencing these sorts of things, remember! Remember that our Father in heaven is never caught off guard about anything; trust that He will be with you.

There is another aspect of what Jesus said in these verses I want to explore. His Word has told us the need for placing our faith in Jesus Christ – to be saved and changed by Him. It tells us over and over that to ignore Him, to continue to live in sinful, evil ways will have consequences. To fail to place one’s life in His hands and fail to walk the narrow way will bring judgement and God’s wrath upon you. The Word tells us about the future and Jesus wants us to study and anticipate the future. It is so important for Believers to read and study God’s Word in order to grasp what it teaches about not only living for Him each day, but to know what it teaches about the future, his return, the Believer’s life in His kingdom and eternity as their home.

Knowing about these events coming will keep Believers from being deceived or panicking (or stumbling) over events that occur. This will help Believers to stand, to trust Him, to know they can have peace in Him when the world around them is in panic mode, not understanding what is happening around them. By being in God’s Word each day, you will be led by truth and encouraged; God wants every Believer to know about those things coming, place their faith and trust in Him.