Our final shocking statement in this series, is “the world hates you.” Wow. The world hates me? That’s a lot to handle. I’ve had people tell me that they hate me before, and it hurt at the time, but I got over it. But now you are telling me that the whole world hates me? I don’t understand, I thought people were generally good and that everyone was all about loving each other. Listen, yes, there are things in this world that are beautiful and fun; yes, I’m sure you have friends and family that love you and care for you; yes, your church family loves you and cares for you, but make no mistake, regardless of how it may seem, outside of the family of God; outside of the church, the world hates you because it hates our Lord.  John 15:18-25 makes this abundantly clear.  Why does the world hate us? Because this world is not our home. We are refugees in a foreign land. We long for another home. Why does the world hate us? Because we have rejected their gods for the one true God; a god which they also hate. Why does the world hate us? Because we have rejected their ways for the words and will of our God. And lastly, why does the world hate us? Because it has no other choice. And, I know that no one wants to be hated; and I know that the fact that the world hates us might make you sad, depressed, or even angry, but I assure you it is eternally more important to be loved by God and hated by the world rather than adored by the world and judged by God.