Preparing The Apostles For His Departure-Enjoying An Intimate Relationship

What a precious relationship to have-to be intimate friends of Jesus! But to continue to enjoy this relationship, his followers must "keep bearing Kingdom fruit.: If they do, Jesus says, "no matter what you ask the Father in my name he [will] give it to you." Surely, that is a grand reward for bearing Kingdom fruit! After again urging the apostles to "love one another," Jesus explains that the world will hate them. Yet, he comforts them: "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you." Jesus next reveals why the world hates his followers, saying: "Because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you."

Explaining further the reason for the world's hatred, Jesus continues: "They will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know him [Jehovah God] that sent me." Jesus' miraculous works, in effect, convict those who hate him, as he notes: "If I had not done among them the works that no one else did,they would have no sin; but now they have both seen and hated me as well as my Father." Thus, as Jesus says, the scripture is fulfilled: "They hated me without cause."

As he did earlier, Jesus again comforts them by promising to send the helper, the holy spirit, which is God's powerful active force. "That one will bear witness about me; and you, in turn, are to bear witness."

Next time: Continue with Preparing The Apostles For His Departure- Further Departing Admonition

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991