The Hope of the Gospel

Dolly Oliech – Missions Pastor

John 15:20

Sharing the gospel with someone is never easy. In fact, you may have been scoffed at for doing so. When that happens, we often just want to give up.

But being maligned for the gospel shouldn’t surprise us. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:20, “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”

This is not the first time Jesus told them that “a servant is not greater than his master.” He used these same words when He washed their feet, encouraging them to serve one another (John 13:16). But now He was saying why they would experience persecution. Servants could not be expected to be treated better than their master.

In the same way, as believers, we cannot expect to be too good to serve, nor can we expect to be too good to receive persecution. It happened to our Master; we should expect it as well.

But just like some rejected Jesus, others received Him. Maybe you have had the privilege of seeing that. I will never forget the moment a woman sought me out while I was eating lunch in a mall food court.

I had not seen her in many years as we had lost touch, but she came eagerly to tell me that because I had shared the gospel with her ten years earlier, she had given her life to Christ. Wow.

We don’t know what the result will be when we share the gospel. Do not let your apprehension take away the opportunity to share. Allow the Spirit, who lives in you, to use you in this way. Remember that Jesus, our Master, has not left us on our own. We have a great hope in our kingdom citizenship and future reward (Matthew. 5:10-12).

Jesus, we praise you as Savior and our Master, who has shown us the way. We thank you that you never leave us nor forsake us.

We confess our lack of telling the Good News. We allow fear of persecution to override our decision to share instead of leaning on the power of your Spirit that dwells within us.

Lord, we have a great HOPE in You, one that is beyond what we are experiencing today. Help us to hold on to You and may your Spirit give us the courage to speak boldly.