1. A Strained Relationship
John 15:17-25

2. We know how important relationships in life are…
Family relationships
Neighborhood relationships
Work relationships
Casual relationships
Close friend relationships
Undesirable relationships

3. Relationships are the great defining factors of life
We get our greatest joys from relationships
We get our greatest frustrations out of relationships
As Christians we know how critical it is to be rightly related to God through faith in Christ
We also know how many relationships are the defining matter of basic associations

4. As Christians we are directly identified by our associations
Christians are commonly viewed as exclusivist bigots with deficient intellectual capacity
We are now more and more identified as being morally deficient due to our stands on social matters
That essentially leaves us with a strained relationship with the world

5. I. Separation from the World
“These things I command you, that you love one another. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 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.” (John 15:17–19, NKJV)

6. A. Our association with Christ alienates us from the world
The summary command to love one another introduces the contrast of the world’s response
The basis of our love for one another is Christ’s love for us
Our relationship with Christ alienates us from the world

7. B. Our associations with the world may alienate us from Christ
This is a matter of mindset and affiliations
The more of the world we embrace, the more it embraces us
The less of the world we embrace, the less it embraces us

8. II. Identification with the Master
“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. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.” (John 15:20–21, NKJV)

9. A. The principle: The servant is identified with his master
A servant is a representative of his master
A servant is a representation of his master

10. B. The practice: The servant will be treated like the master
There is a carry over of mistreatment
There is a carry over of responsiveness
The root of response is one’s relationship with God

11. III. Accountability for the Sinner
“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. 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. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” (Jn 15:22–25, NKJV)

12. A. The problem of knowledge/truth and rejection
A specific standard is necessary to define deviation
Christ is the only standard for truth and righteousness

13. B. The problem of relational integration
The nature of the Trinity broadens the infraction
The unity in the Godhead has broad implications

14. C. The breadth of personal accountability
“But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” (Jn 15:25, NKJV)
There is accountability by knowledge
There is accountability by design

15. Truth can cause one to respond in faith or to harden in unbelief
We can accept Christ and align ourselves with Him
We can reject Christ and align ourselves with the world
We can accept Christ and still align ourselves with the world

16. The bottom line…
We will either have a strained relationship with the world
Or we will have a strained relationship with Christ
Which do you have?