1. If the world hates you, know that it hated Jesus first (verse 18).
2. If you were of the world, the world would love you (verse 19).
3. If they persecuted Jesus, they will persecute you (verse 20).
4. If they kept Jesus’ word, they will keep yours (verse 20).
5. If Jesus had not spoken to them, they would not have been guilty (verse 22).
6. If Jesus had not done his works, they would not be guilty (verse 24).

Let me tell you about John Rogers. He was born in 1505 and died in 1555. We don’t exactly know the date of his birth, but we do know the date of his death: February 4, 1555. We also know how he died: he was burned at the stake.

Rogers was educated at Cambridge and became a Catholic priest. However, this was at a time when the Reformation was spreading rapidly across Europe. Rogers came to embrace the teachings of the Reformation, that we are saved by grace, not by works, not by the church. So, Rogers left the priesthood, and fled to Antwerp, Holland, where the environment was more friendly to Protestants.

In Holland, he became friends with William Tyndale, whose life mission was to translate the Bible into the vernacular, and put it into the hands of the people for their own reading. When Tyndale was arrested, he gave Rogers an English translation of the books from Joshua to Chronicles, which had not yet made it to the press.

The torch had essentially be passed from Tyndale to John Rogers. So Rogers worked for the next year to see an English translation of the Bible translated and printed. He did a little bit of translation, but he did more of pulling together the translational work of William Tyndale and Myles Coverdale.

When it came time to print, the Bible needed a name. He really couldn’t claim the Bible as his own, nor could he use Tyndale or Coverdale’s names, so, he published it under the name of “Thomas Matthew.” and it became known as “The Matthew Bible.” Through the connection of Thomas Cranmer, King Henry the VIII licensed it at the first authorized version of the Bible in the English Language in 1537.

All was well as long as there was a Protestant upon the throne. But when Mary Tudor became Queen of Engand in 1553, known as “Bloody Mary,” the tide turned. John Rogers became a wanted man. It took about six months of Bloody Mary’s reign until Rogers was arrested in January of 1554 and sent to Newgate Prison, in the city of London, where he lay in prison for a year.

A few days before his execution, he was summoned by the authorities to face the charges against him. Essentially, he was charged with resisting the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and teaching the doctrines of the Reformation, that the Bible is the supreme authority for faith and practice, not the Roman Catholic Church, that you are saved by grace alone through faith alone, apart from works, apart from the priesthood of the church. For these beliefs, he was burned at the stake as a heretic, the first of many Protestants to die at the hands of Bloody Mary.

Now, Rogers wasn’t a political revolutionary. He didn’t call for violence or rebellion against the state. He wasn’t a threat of killing or harming anybody. He simply worked to see the Scriptures into the hands of the common man, so that they could read the Bible for themselves, and come to the same conclusions that he had come to about salvation in Jesus alone.

And for these things he was hated. Hated not because he had wronged anyone, but because he was preaching light, and the darkness could not tolerate it.^[1]

The title of my message this morning is, “Hated Without a Cause.” That’s what happened to John Rogers. He was “Hated Without a Cause.” And that’s what happened to Jesus. He was “Hated Without a Cause.”

We see this in our text this morning: John 15:18-25. These verses come in the context of the last words of Jesus to his disciples. Jesus was soon to be arrested, and soon to be crucified as a criminal, although he, himself, had done no wrong. On this last night before he was betrayed, he was giving the final instructions to his disciples.

These instructions began in chapter 13, where Jesus showed his love to his disciples by washing their feet, and calling them to walk in such an example of sacrificial love. Jesus told his disciples that he would soon be betrayed by one of them. Further, he said, that Peter would deny him that very night.

Rather than panic, Jesus told his disciples, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also [him]" (John 14:1). Such is the theme of all of chapter 14, Yes, Jesus will leave the disciples, but he would come back, and in the meantime, he would send the Holy Spirit to help them in their walk.

In chapter 15, Jesus turned in his teaching to tell his disciples to abide in Jesus, for that’s where they would find the strength to face the trials of their day. And now, in chapter 15, verse 18, Jesus begins to describe some of the trials that they would face.

So let’s read our text:

John 15:18-25
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 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. 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. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 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. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 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. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’”

I trust that you can see there the title of my message in the very last verse: “They hated me without a cause.” This was true of Jesus. He went about doing good. He loved and served others. His biggest crime was teaching the truth. but, because the truth was against the religious leaders, Jesus was hated and put to death. Much like John Rogers, whose biggest crime was teaching the truth, and he was hated and put to death.

Such will be the experience of everyone who follows Jesus. As Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12, “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Now, that doesn’t mean that everyone will face a martyr’s death like John Rogers, but it does mean that Christians will face hardships because they follow after Jesus. As Jesus said, "'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). ... But we will get to this in due time.

By way of outline this morning, I want to use the “if” statements of the text. I’m not sure if you noticed them when I read through our passage earlier. Consider the text again (with the "if" words in bold and italics for emphasis).

John 15:18-25
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 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. 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. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 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. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 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. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’”

Six times in these verses, Jesus said, "if." So, in seeking to keep the structure of the text, my message will have six points. Here’s the first: 

1. If the world hates you, know that it hated Jesus first (verse 18).

This is almost exactly what Jesus says in verse 18.

John 15:18
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

With these words, Jesus is preparing his disciples to suffer. He is preparing them to be hated by others. The council is simple: “If you are hated by others, at that moment, remember that you are simply experiencing everything that I experienced, because I was hated first.” Jesus said, "[The world] hated me before it hated you.” So don’t be surprised when the world hates you.

So, church family, don’t be surprised if the world hates you as well.

Now, if you have lived any length of time as a Christian, I am sure that you have experienced some of this. To be sure, the hatred today may not be like it was in the time of Bloody Mary, where Protestant leaders were being burned at the stake. I’m thankful that in America today, our faith is (for the most part) tolerated. Nevertheless, we are hated.

The world today sees Christians as narrow minded, and intolerant. The world wants for us to openly embrace and affirm their sins, something that we simply cannot do. So we resist the logical fruit that is now coming of the sexual revolution in the 1960’s, and stand on Biblical principles: marriage is between a man and a woman, and that biological sex is binary and fixed. Because of holding these beliefs, we are hated for it.

We are seen as old fashioned. We are seen as regressive. We are told to “get with the times.” We are seen as being “in the way” of progress in our world. We are hated.

So Rock Valley Bible Church, don’t be surprised if the world hates you . The world hated Jesus. Jesus goes on to explain the dynamic that’s taking place. He says, 

2. If you were of the world, the world would love you (verse 19).

John 15:19
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.

If we all went along with the world’s system and embraced everything that the world wanted, there would be no reason for the world to hate us. We would be one of them! We would love what they love! We would love sin and tolerate sin and embrace sin! We would be united at all of their inclusive events! And we would be loved! And all would be in harmony.

But there’s a problem, we are not of the world. Oh, for sure, we live in this world, but our allegiance is elsewhere.

When we get to chapter 18, we will see Jesus having a conversation with Pontius Pilate, After trying to free Jesus, saying that Jesus had done no wrong, Pilate came back into his headquarters and said to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world” (John 18:33-36).

This is why we are not of this world, because we serve King Jesus, who reigns in another realm. Jesus sits on the throne of heaven, and we serve a heavenly king, not a king of this world. Thus, Jesus can rightly say, that we, as believers in Jesus are not of this world.

Sadly, there are those who call themselves followers of Jesus, who are very much a part of this world. they love the world, and the world loves them. If that is one of you this morning, I have a warning for you. “Don’t love the world.” My warning is John’s warning, found in 1 John 2:15-17, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

The reality is this: You will either love the world and live in the world for the world, or love Jesus, and live for the world to come. Which world are you serving?

Now, I want for you to notice in verse 19, why the world hates those who follow Jesus.

John 15:19
... because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

This goes back to verse 16, when Jesus told his disciples, "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 [or remain]" (John 15:16). Certainly, Jesus chose his earthly disciples when he called them in their fishing boats or in their tax booths to follow him. Yet, this is also the reality of every believer in Jesus.

Jesus says, "I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." It is because of the work that Jesus did in our hearts, to bring us out of the world and to bring us to faith in him, that the world hates us. This means, in some way, that Jesus is the one who brought this upon us. So embrace that! Realize that it comes with the territory of following Jesus.

John 15:20
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’

We, as servants of Jesus, can’t expect better treatment in this life than Jesus himself received. Jesus is the master. We are his servants. The master gets served the fine portions. The servants get the scraps. The master sleeps in the nice room. The servants sleep in their back quarters. We can’t expect better treatment in this life than Jesus himself received.

Jesus then continues by explaining the saying, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you," which is our next point:

3. If they persecuted Jesus, they will persecute you (verse 20).

This is promise from the mouth of Jesus. During the life of Jesus, they persecuted him.

In the gospel of John, it started in earnest when Jesus healed the paralytic in John, chapter 5. They didn’t persecute him because he healed the man. They began to persecute him because of when he did it. "And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath" (John 5:16). They thought that Jesus was a lawbreaker.

But at the story unfolds, it gets worse. Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17). Then John writes, "This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God" (John 5:18). It was the claims of Jesus that was bringing persecution upon him as well. He claimed to be equal with God, and so the Jews were seeking to kill him.

Jesus experienced death threats in his life. "After this Jesus went about in Galilee [that is, in the north]. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him" (John 7:1). Jesus was like those of the wild west who were wanted by the law. For them, posters were posted around town with a mug shot, with a name beneath, and a big, "WANTED" written above their image. Perhaps there were posters around Jerusalem with descriptions of Jesus with a "WANTED" written somewhere on the poster.

In chapter 8, the Jews actually picked up stones to throw at him because of his claims: Near the end of the chapter, Jesus was arguing with the Jews about Abraham. Jesus said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple (John 8:56-59).

This happened again in chapter 10, After Jesus said, “I and the Father are one,” the Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God” (John 10:30-33).

Furthermore, in conjunction with the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the Jewish leaders were fearful of the Jews following Jesus, and the Romans, then overtaking the nation. We read in John 11:53, "From that day on they made plans to put him to death."

Back in our text, Jesus refers to these events by saying, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you."

This is a promise. Yes, they persecuted Jesus. Yes, they will persecute you. Again, I repeat the promise of what Paul said to Timothy, “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

At the times of Jesus and the apostles, this meant death. according to church tradition, all of the apostles died a martyr’s death, with the exception of Judas, who killed himself, and with the exception of John, who wrote this letter. He died of old age. Nevertheless, he still was a political prisoner on the Island of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea.

For the first three hundred years of Christianity, there was high persecution. those in the early church were accused of treason, as they refused to offer incense to the emperor. Many of those in the early church were arrested and killed for their faith in Jesus. The early church was often misunderstood. The early Christians were accused of being "athiests," because they rejected the Roman pantheon of gods. They were accused of being cannibals, eating "the flesh" of another man at the celebration of the Lord's Supper. They were accused of being sexually immoral, as the church often celebrated their "love feasts," meaning a common meal, but interpreted in it's worse light as a sexual love fest. Indeed, they often suffered, "without a cause."

For many in foreign lands today, they experience unjust suffering. For instance, those in Iran and India and China often face persecution. A few months ago, told you all of missionary that we know, who was detained for 8 hours by the authorities at the airport in India. They quizzed him about what he was doing in the country, and why he had come so many times. They took his phone and read much of his communication with those in the country. Finally, he was deported. Now to him, the persecution is little, a mere 8 hours. But you can only imagine what the persecution will be like for the contacts that he had in the country.

I remember traveling to India and Nepal and rubbing with those who experience strong persecution. I remember hearing the story from a man who was beaten on the bottoms of his feet for his faith in Jesus.

I remember meeting a guy who had half of his house burned down because of his faith in Jesus. He was exiled from his village for six months, as it took the elders of the region that long to work through how he and his new religion posed no threat to the village. Yvonne and I were privileged to have a meal in the house that had been rebuilt in that place. Indeed, he was hated without a cause.

For them, it’s different than for us. Nevertheless, the promise remains: “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Have you ever faced any measure of persecution? The gospel is offensive. It will cause a reaction in others, if you are bold enough to speak. Have you ever spoken with people about Jesus, only to have them turn against you in anger? I have.

Only a few weeks ago, I was speaking with a man, who was not happy with me and with the free offer of the grace of God in Christ. As the conversation progressed, he ended up swearing at me, and growing angrier by the moment. So, I just left the conversation.

I told you a few months ago of my high school reunion, when the woman I was speaking with, the wife of one of my classmates, said to me that we are fractals of God. When I told her of what Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” she strongly disagree with me, was visibly angry, and left the conversation.

Now, in our context, this is about as bad as it gets. But such anger could lead to a loss of a job. It could lead to a loss of a promotion. In the greater context of our country, it could lead to multi-million dollar lawsuits, as you decline the opportunity to make a cake for someone living in sin.

But, I guess the question is this: Have you ever faced any persecution for following after Jesus? Has anyone been angry with you because of your faith? Has anyone laughed at you and called you foolish or gullible because of your faith? Are there tensions in your relationships because of your faith in Jesus?

Now, you have to be careful here, because sometimes, people claim that they are being persecuted for Jesus, when in fact, they are simply being rude and obnoxious jerks, who are begging for a reaction. Sometimes, people claim that they are being persecuted for Jesus, when, in fact, they are breaking the law, and experiencing what every other citizen in our country experiences when they transgress the law.

But, if you are a follower of Jesus, you should feel a measure of opposition from others simply because you are being bold to tell others about Jesus.

Our next "if," occurs gain in verse 20.

4. If they kept Jesus’ word, they will keep yours (verse 20).

John 15:20
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

What a great promise this is, especially to the disciples who heard Jesus say these things.

During the days of Jesus, not everyone was against Jesus. There were those who believed. Mary, Martha, Lazarus. I’m sure that some of those who Jesus healed were believing in him as well, the paralytic, the blind man. Even Nicodemus, who was an early skeptic, appears to have believed in Jesus, as he brought some spices to anoint the body of Jesus at his death (John 19:38-42).

But I think that the important point here is that Jesus attaches his word to the words of the disciples, giving them equal weight in influencing others. If they keep the words of Jesus, they will keep the words of the disciples.

You can be encouraged by this as well. If people will listen to Jesus, they will listen to you as well. Take heart in that. That as you share the hope that we have in the gospel, that faith in Jesus will bring us everlasting life, that those who listen to Jesus will hear what you say when they tell them about Jesus.

The converse is true. If they reject you, they are really rejecting Jesus.

For those of you who have been reading along with us in our Bible reading, we have been reading this week in 1 Samuel. In chapter 8 the people of Israel came to Samuel and said, "Appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations. At these words, Samuel was displeased, so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD appeared to Samuel and said, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them" (1 Samuel 8:5-7).

The same is true for you. When you speak with people and offer life to them in the gospel, if they reject you, they are not rejecting you, they are rejecting Jesus. Hopefully, this will embolden you, knowing that you are an ambassador, representing Jesus. You simply need to come to others with his message, and trust the words of Jesus, "If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."

In verse 21, Jesus explains the big picture,

John 15:21
But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

Any persecution or hardship or rejection that you face on account of Jesus, all comes because people don’t know God.

Do you remember when Saul of Tarsus was traveling to Damascus to persecute the Christians there? On the way, he saw a great light that blinded him. And he heard the voice of Jesus saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:-34). Saul didn't know God. And he didn't realize the connection between the church and Jesus. In persecuting the church, in effect, Saul was persecuting Jesus.

There is a connection with us and Jesus. We are his body. We are a part of his vine. When people touch us, they touch him. When people persecute or ridicule us, it’s because they don’t know him!

Jesus, then transitions to speak about his own ministry and the guilt that people in his day incurred because of him.

John 15:22
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.

5. If Jesus had not spoken to them, they would not have been guilty (verse 22).

This is the reality of Jesus coming into the world. Yes, some were saved through his ministry. Some came to faith in him. But everyone who rejected him, was guilty in their sin, and will pay the punishment for their sins.

So, know this, as you have opportunity to share the gospel with others, their rejection will only incur for them guilt before the Lord in the world to come. This is because your message is his message. As Jesus said in verse 23,

John 15:23
Whoever hates me hates my Father also.

So, when people say, “I believe in God, it’s just Jesus I have a problem with,” please know that they don’t know what they are saying. Because the one who believe in God will also believe in Jesus. And the one who hates God will also hate Jesus. And the one who hates the message also hates the message of God.

There is a connection between Jesus and God. And there is a connection between us and Jesus. Jesus was hated without a cause. We will be hated without a cause. Jesus was persecuted first, so we will be persecuted. We are simply joining with Jesus. When we speak to others about Jesus and the gospel, we speak as from God. If they reject us, they are really rejecting God, and will have to answer to him. This should come as an encouragement, because when people are hating us, they are really hating Jesus.

So, when the gospel is presented to others by promising them an abundant life, know that this is only half of the truth. Yes, when you believe in Jesus, there will be much benefit to your life. But it will also come with some difficulty.

Jesus essentially says the same thing in verse 24,

John 15:24
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.

Here's my final point:

6. If Jesus had not done his works, they would not be guilty (verse 24).

But they are guilty. Why? Because they have seen Jesus. And in seeing Jesus and in hating Jesus, they hated both Jesus and the Father. So know that there is this war going on among us. Paul said, "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

So know that as people hate us for the message of grace that we offer to them, that simply through faith in Jesus, you can have forgiveness of sins and life in his name, they hate the message of exclusivity. As we tell them of Jesus and they reject it, they are even more guilty for their sins.

Jesus then says, to his disciples how being hated without a cause is the plan of discipleship. This is how it has has always been. This is how it will be.

John 15:25
But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

When Jesus says that it was written in the law, it was actually written in the Psalms. It was written in Psalm 35. In this Psalm, David is in trouble with people. People are going after him. David is struggling with this. Psalm 35 entrusts their judgment to God. David knows that he has done nothing wrong. He is entrusting the judgment to God.

This is the message at the beginning of the Psalm:

Psalm 35:1-3
Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me!
Take hold of shield and buckler
    and rise for my help!
Draw the spear and javelin
    against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
    “I am your salvation!”

David is calling the LORD to fight for him. He knows that

Psalm 35:7
Without cause they hid their net for me;
    without cause they dug a pit for my life.

David is saying that he has walked rightly and has trusted in the LORD. But without any cause, his enemies have been against him. In this way, David, being a model of the greater David, prefigured Jesus, who was hated without a cause in the greatest way.

Psalm 35:19-20
Let not those rejoice over me
    who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye
    who hate me without cause.
For they do not speak peace,
    but against those who are quiet in the land
    they devise words of deceit.

It's those who appear peaceful in the land who are the ones stirring up hatred against David. They may appear to be blameless to others, but they are actually hating David without a cause.

So I encourage you, if you are hated without a cause, it's to be expected as a follower of Jesus. But please, make sure that any hatred stirred against you is truly "without a cause." Let it not be because you are simply an agitating jerk. Live in such a way that people hate you without a cause.

Live in such a way that others will see your blameless life. This was the case with David. At one point, Saul was trying to kill him. But Jonathan intervened, trying to justify David's blamelessness. Oh, that such words would be spoken by others on our behalf.

1 Samuel 19:4-5
And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?”

As the story unfolds, Saul still pursued David, hunting him down. Yet through it all, David would say, "I won't touch the LORD's anointed" (1 Samuel 24:6, 10; 26:9,11; 26:23).

This is how our Savior walked. Let us follow in his steps. Such is the calling of the life of a believer in Jesus. It's difficult. Nobody likes being accused unjustly. But we will be, if we are following faithfully after Jesus.

This sermon was delivered to Rock Valley Bible Church on October 12, 2025 by Steve Brandon.
For more information see www.rockvalleybiblechurch.org.

[1] Almost all of my information about John Rogers came from these two websites: https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/john-rogers-1st-of-many-martyrs-11629985.html and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Bible.