John 16: 1 - 4.
These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
This was spoken by Jesus on the night He was to be betrayed to His disciples in the upper room. Why is Jesus so worried about the disciples stumbling? Jesus knew very well that the disciples were not totally committed to Him yet. They were far form being united in their beliefs and understandings of Jesus. We tend to believe that following Jesus is a simple thing, and once you have started, you will never waiver. This is far from the teaching of Jesus, and His disciples. Look at the predictions Jesus is making concerning His followers. Jesus says that the people will put you out of the synagogues, and will kill you for your belief; and think they are acting in God's service. It seems Jesus was thinking of a man named Saul, that would later become Paul. Saul was a persecutor of the Disciples, and became a very outspoken leader of the same group, he was trying to eliminate. He also tells us not to fail to finish the race, it was very important for him to finish.
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