Out of This World

 

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 16:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 100 ~~~ John 15:18-21 ~~~

 

'...because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.'

 

‘No slave is greater than his master.’
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

It was common for people during the time of Jesus to keep slaves.

A slave would never consider him or herself greater than their master.

The master was the ruler the owner. The master had the final say in all matters.

The slave only performed those tasks dictated by the master.

 

Jesus came to do the will of the Father.

He surrendered himself just as a slave surrenders to their master.

A good, benevolent master took good care of his slaves.

The slaves were valuable.

They performed specific functions to make things run smoothly.

A master could not do everything that needed to get done without his slaves.

 

 

A devoted slave might have the occasion to admire the master.

A sharp slave might even have desired to be like the master...

to have his personality traits.

 

Jesus is telling his disciples that none of them will ever be greater

than he is because it simply cannot happen.

In fact the opposite is what they should expect.

If Jesus is persecuted then they too should expect to be persecuted.

If Jesus is misunderstood then they too will be misunderstood too.

 

We are not of this world we belong with God in heaven.

We believe that there is something more than the life we have here on Earth.

We believe there is something more beyond this physical life.