Faith Family,
I will not start this message by discussing how July is almost over. I will not do that…
We’ve been spending much time in John 15 this summer. We’re so grateful that you’ve joined us in these rich conversations about what it means to abide in Christ, the true vine. We have a few more weeks in John 15 that continue to show the abundance of God’s word.
At the same time, we have to be honest… it’s not always easy. Remaining and abiding in Christ is what sustains us in this challenging world. At the same time, it presents unique challenges. If we are connected to the vine, the world… will hate us.
Cheerful, right? Just look at John 15:19:
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.”
Sign me up, right?
Persecution is a reality in the life of Christians. There’s no point in denying it. Jesus tells us that it’s coming. When we accept that, we can look to Jesus to know how to respond in a Christlike way to that persecution. It’s a challenging passage that still offers us hope!
Find the message notes here.
We hope you join us on Sunday, whether in-person or online. See you soon!
In Christ,
Kavan Rogness
Discipleship Director