As Jesus continued His final teaching to His disciples, called the Farewell Discourse, He had just finished a powerful metaphor of the Vine and the Branches, and He called His disciples His friends. Now, in John 15:18-16:4, Jesus makes it clear that following Him is not going to be easy. In fact, after His departure from them, the disciples’ lives are going to be much more difficult. He warns them with the explicit purpose that they won’t fall away. This is a good and timely passage for us. Deconstruction is a major issue right now. If you feel weak, or you’re wrestling with doubts and fear, my hope is that God will speak to your heart directly as we spend time together on Sunday.