For
Thursday, May 21, 2026:
John
15:18 NLT, Jesus speaking: “If the world hates you, remember that
it hated me first.”
That
scripture tells us that the world somehow got turned around, 180º
from where it should have been. After all, Jesus was always kind,
nice and helpful. He would give of his own time to heal anyone who
needed healing, and there seemed to be no end to this gift of
healing. Every word he spoke was the
truth,
and he was religious, teaching from both the
Prophets
and Torah. What’s not to like about this guy?
Those
against Jesus were cursed with greed and the desire for power.
Although Rome ruled the country, the citizens were allowed to
practice their ancestors’ religion, as long as they didn’t
disrupt the Roman government. No riots, no rallies, no protests. Just
follow your ethnic religion – quietly!
This
left the
Pharisees
at the top of the pecking order. They were the ones trying to
maintain power and resources. If worshipers went with this radical
Jesus cult, they were NOT at the Temple! Furthermore, they probably
took their tithes with them! So both influence and shekels going to
Jesus threatened the Pharisees’ way of life. Jesus, you understand,
was just doing what pleased his Father. But Pharisees initiated a
conspiracy to have Jesus killed, to take him out permanently. He was
that much of a threat to them that
they would violate their own religious commandments!
Hatred
for Jesus started as a conspiracy by the Pharisees. Israelites were
accustomed to looking up to Pharisees for direction and advice. They
were the
religious leaders to be followed. When Pharisees
spoke ill of Jesus, there was an implied obligation that people
should follow their thinking. They convinced the surrounding
world to hate the Messiah, which is unfortunate. The
crowds changed their mantra from “Hosanna,” save us now, to,
“Crucify him!, in less than a week.
I’ve
said before that I believe Christianity should have been Judaism, the
next chapter. It should have been a continuation of the life
believers already knew, following God-the-Creator, God who brought
them out of Egypt, God who delivered them to the Promised Land, and
now God who sent them the Messiah as a redeemer for the sins of the
world. Like Paul Harvey would have said, “The r-r-rest of the
story!”
We’re
presently living in the rest of the story. Jesus was here for us and
promised that he’ll be back. Should we die first, he promised to
prepare a place for us in his Father’s eternal heavenly Kingdom!
Secure your spot today! All
it takes is faith!
Pastor
Norton Lawellin
The
Father’s House
Jesus
In the City Fellowship
Truth
& Freedom Church
