When the Advocate Comes

Saturday, March 7, 2015
John 15:18-26 KJV 

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But [this cometh to pass], that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) The Lord tells His disciples to abide in Him and love one another, so why will the world hate us? (v.18-19)
2) Why will we face persecution from the people of the world? (v.20-21)
3) What does the Lord have to say about the people of this world? (v.22-23)
4) Why did the people of the world hate our Lord? (v.24-25)
5) Why has the Lord sent the Comforter to every believer? (v.26)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Has anyone ever expressed hostility toward you or persecuted you because of you are a disciple of Christ? If so, please describe one such instance.
7) How did the Holy Spirit help you to resist the temptation to retaliate against those who hated you without a cause?

LIFE LESSONS
8) Following Christ is costly because it separates us from those who do not know, or understand our faith in Jesus.
9) The life of a Christian is eternally rewarding because the Holy Spirit abides in, directs, empowers, and comforts us.