‘Remember The Word’

‘Remember The Word’

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

John 15:20

Christ is an excellent teacher.  Part of good teaching is review.  As Christ was preparing His disciples for the harrowing experiences which were coming to them shortly, He reviewed with them a statement which He had made to them earlier.  He says, ‘Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.’ Christ already spoke to the matter of the world’s hatred of those who are His.  He now broaches the subject of that hatred spewing into active persecution.  He associates that persecution with Himself first.  We will consider this subject for the next little while.  When Christ says, ‘A servant is not greater than His master,’ He is preparing His disciples to come to terms with the fact that the enemies of Christ would treat His disciples as they had treated Him.  This has a valuable application for us.  Because we are Christ’s, we identify with Him.  We need not be belligerent, or pugnacious.  We may not be loudly proclaiming this association in every context yet it will be apparent to those who are paying attention.  As the servants of Christ, we are not greater than our Master.  Christ, Who is Our Head, is not here. We, who are His Body, are here.  Therefore, we accept that those who oppose Christ, will also oppose us.  As Christ prepared His disciples, so by this record, He is preparing us.  ‘A servant is not greater than His master.’

Our Gracious Savior,
we rejoice that You are our Master and that we are Your servants.
We praise You that You have granted unto us the high privilege,
of receiving the same treatment that You did,
because of our relationship with You.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning