Thursday within the Octave of the Feast of the Holy Trinity
Posted on May 30, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. John 15:18-26 (NKJV)
15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 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 keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”
Devotion
When the Lord places His name on us, the world’s contempt for God will come upon us as well. As our Lord Jesus explains, it’s not that they hate us; they hate correction, they hate truth about sin, and they hate being servants. For generations, Satan has been teaching sinners that they are like God, therefore they shouldn’t have to submit to the Lord, His commands, or anything else.
God calls us to be His children, but that also means that we are still subject to our Lord and Master. We are to serve, and love, and obey. He gives us His Spirit, the Helper, and He makes us part of that work of helping His kingdom. Freedom from sin does not mean we are free to do what is right in our own eyes. Freedom from damnation does not mean we are free to disobey His Law and teachings.
If we love Him more than the world, we will gladly serve and obey. If we love His truth, we will love others as He has loved us and do as He commands. The world encourages self-will and dishonesty. It encourages spite and resentment toward God’s truth and commands. But even as the world hates Him, He loves the world and works through us to do what is good and loving to help turn sinners from their rebellion and death!
Collect: Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hast given unto us, Thy servants, grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity: We beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst keep us steadfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities; Who livest and reignest, One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
