A listener named Kevin writes in to ask of this, pastor John, what does Jesus mean when

he says in John 161, I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.

Jesus said, just like Kevin pointed out, John 161, I have said these things to you to keep

you from falling away. And in the next verses, he says that suffering is coming.

And really perplexing suffering, verse two, you will be put out of the synagogues. Indeed,

the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he's serving God. Now, in those kind of

situations, we can easily feel like God, where are you? Have you forsaken me? And he's already

said, Jesus already said in verse, I mean chapter 15, remember, this is 1520, remember the word

that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will

persecute you. So what Jesus is saying is that his words, my words, his warnings, his promises

are his means of preserving our faith in these painful situations. For example, he said in verse

13, just before chapter 16 started, 1513, greater love has no one than this than that someone lay

down his life for his friends. You are my friends. If you do what I command you, no longer do I

call you servants for the servant doesn't know what his master's doing, but I have called you

friends for all that I have heard from my father. I've made known to you. So when we enter

persecution, we're supposed to remember his words. I loved you. I gave myself for you. This is

the greatest love I could possibly show for you. I died for you. You are my friend. You are not a slave.

I have taken you into the inner councils of the Godhead. When we're persecuted, we're supposed

to remember these things and in remembering these things, he keeps us from falling away. So it will

not be easy to believe in the midst of persecution that God loves us when we're being tortured for

his name. It won't be easy to feel loved when you languish in prison. It won't be easy to feel

loved when you're abandoned by friends. But Jesus says, I have spoken to you to help you keep

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