Every chance Nathan (our six year old) gets to ask someone if they know Jesus, he does it. It doesn’t matter if it’s his piano teacher, the neighbor selling lemonade at the garage sale or the stylist at Great Clips. This has challenged me in many ways as a parent. It’s led to some really cool moments and has always left me feeling like this could be reeeeally awkward.

But as far as Nathan knows, everyone needs to know about the amazing love Jesus has for them. I don’t want to tame that or suppress that at all. It’s evidence to me that God is doing something in his heart and I welcome that.

HATED BY THE WORLD

But one day, someone will hate my son for sharing the gospel. Hate is a strong word, but that’s what it says in John 15.

“Because you are not of the world...therefore the world hates you.” - John 15:19

When we love the world like Jesus, the world will hate you back. Hate, in our culture, can take many forms with different amounts of intensity, but it is coming. It’s already here. There is a distinct difference between people that truly follow Jesus and those that are in the world. It’s what got Jesus killed.

WHY LOVE WHEN HATE IS COMING?

I love John 15. If you follow the flow of thought, it’s truly amazing and will cause us all to lay down our lives for the very ones that would hate us. We would (and do) do that because we are first connected to the true vine (verse 1). With a true connection to Jesus, we can’t help but bear fruit. The fruit of obedience keeps getting pruned so that we can bear more and more (verse 2). We bear fruit because we abide in Jesus (verse 3), and God, the Father, is glorified by our fruit and the love we show the world (verse 8).

Once we understand God’s love for us, defined by Jesus laying down his life for us, we cannot help but love others. It will come. We will share the gospel, we will be on mission, we will give our money to fund God’s work in the world, and we will ultimately lay down our lives for God’s kingdom (it happens every day).  But we love because we can’t do otherwise.

THE HELPER: LEAD WITH CONFIDENCE

I’m praying for my son that, as he grows, God keeps pruning away the things that prevent the good fruit of obedience. And when he opens his mouth to the share the good news of Jesus, he knows where the joy comes from when he is hated for it.

These are the types of people we are raising. This is the reason you are leading your family spiritually and opening the Bible around the dinner table this week. And this we will do, only, if God permits and helps us. But good news...he has given us the Helper, the Holy Spirit (verse 26), so lead with confidence knowing it’s not you but God working in you.

Josh Walker (@joshdwalker) is the co-founder and owner of One Fifty Media House, a Houston, TX based Audio and Video Design Team. He is the writer and author of music products such as Family Devo, Grammar Time and Hymns For Selena. He is married to Angela and has two beautiful children: Nathan and Charity Joy.

Day 1: John 15:1-4

Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)

• Q21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
• A: One who is truly human and also truly God.

READ:

[1] “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. [2] Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [3] Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. - John 15:1-4 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

• Suggested Question: What kinds of things does ‘bear fruit’ mean? Talk about that with your family.

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

• Suggested Prayer: Thank God for producing the fruit of obedience in your life. Ask him for a deeper connection to the true vine so that more true fruit will come out of your life.

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.

Day 2:  John 15:5-11

Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)

• Q21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
• A: One who is truly human and also truly God.

READ:

[5] I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. [7] If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. [9] As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. [10] If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. [11] These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. - John 15:5-11 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

• Suggested Question: What is the key to bearing ‘much’ fruit in your life?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

Suggested Prayer: Thank God that he hears our prayers. Ask him to answer all of your prayers according to his will. (possibly end by praying the Lord’s Prayer)

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.

DAY 3: John 15:12-17

Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)

• Q21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
• A: One who is truly human and also truly God.

READ:

[12] “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command you. [15] No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. [16] You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. [17] These things I command you, so that you will love one another. - John 15:12-17 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

• Suggested Question: If there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friend, what does that mean about God’s love for you?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

• Suggested Prayer: Thank God for showing you the deepest love possible for dying on the cross for your sins. Ask him to help you love others like that.

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.

Day 4: John 15:18-19

Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)

• Q21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
• A: One who is truly human and also truly God.

READ:

[18] “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you   - John 15:18-19 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

• Suggested Question: Why did the world hate Jesus, and therefore will hate you?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

• Suggested Prayer: Ask God to give you love for those that would hate you because you love and follow Jesus.

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
 

Day 5: John 15:20-27

Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)

• Q21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
• A: One who is truly human and also truly God.

READ:

[20] Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. [21] But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. [22] If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. [23] Whoever hates me hates my Father also. [24] If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. [25] But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

[26] “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. [27] And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. - John 15:20-27 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

• Suggested Question: Why does the world have no excuse for their sin?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

• Suggested Prayer: Thank God that despite being hated by the world we have the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to help us. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide every part of your life, especially when the world turns against you.

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.

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