Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.
“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.”
When we take on a cause we do so focused on that cause and we align ourselves with that effort. If anyone asks us what we are doing we tell them the reason. We assume anyone who believes in the cause will support us and may even join us.
But it may very well be we find others that think they are the ones fighting the good fight for the same cause. And it is especially difficult then.
That’s what would happened to the disciples. There would be those who saw it a matter of faith to kill then. These disciples who follow the one true God would face others who say the believe in the same Father while rejecting Jesus Christ.
We can see how frustrating that would be and discouraging. The disciples lived for nothing else but proclaiming the truth of God and Jesus is telling them others who say they speak the truth will kill them.
Hasn’t it always been that way?
Wars are not fought by dissimilar people usually. Many times, it is people of the same faith attacking others of their faith and general beliefs. Both sides pray to the same God for success.
But it would not be inaccurate to say anyone who attacks another is not truly following the will of God.
Whether it is in the street or on the battlefield. The different side have a different idea of what God’s will is.
And if we are honest, we know that countries do not as a corporate being ever put God first. Only people can do that.
But it requires people to lead and make up a country, and the problem is still the same.
They place themselves first and God second or third. Their idea of God can be completely distorted by their demand that he be like them and be a God who caters to their needs. Rather than God being the one worshiped, they worship themselves.
The religious leaders at the time of Christ disciples would not allow a God that did not align with their position and power. So Jesus Christ was too much for them to bear. They would try to eradicate his followers to protect what they put as first in their life. Themselves and their power and beliefs.
So the disciples would face accusers that killed them in worship to their God.
But their true God was themselves.
We will find similar conflicts too. For not all follow Jesus Christ and many cannot support their position or ambitions if Christianity prevails.
We may not be in a battlefield, but the conflict can be at home or work or in the marketplace.
We like the disciples are called to remember Jesus told us our way isn’t an easy way. But it is the only path to eternal life.
We are urged to stay the course. And remember they killed him first and he defeated death. He was resurrected and he will resurrect us. He loved us first and gave himself for us first.
There is only one way to follow Jesus Christ who has sent us the Spirit of Truth to help us. Ask the Holy Spirit into your life and heart to guide you.
For no one comes to theater except through Jesus Christ.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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