Joy in a failing world

Jn 16:16–24.

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”

18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’?

20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.

22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011),

Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, former minister of Westminster Chapel in London, wrote a book called Spiritual Depression. In it he says: “The devil’s one object is so to depress God’s people that he can go to the man of the world and say: There are God’s people. Do you want to be like that?” Lloyd-Jones goes on to say: In a sense a depressed Christian is a contradiction in terms, and he is a very poor recommendation of the gospel. We are living in a pragmatic age. People today are not primarily interested in truth, what they are interested in is results. The one question they ask is: Does it work? They are frantically seeking and searching for something that can help them. (…) Nothing is more important, therefore, than that we should be delivered from a condition which gives other people, looking at us, the impression that to be a Christian means to be unhappy, to be sad, to be morbid, and that the Christian is one who scorns delights and lives laborious days. (…) Satan can’t rob us of our salvation, but he can definitely rob us of our joy. His great concern is to prevent anyone becoming a Christian, but when that fails, his one object then is to make them miserable Christians so that he can point men who are under conviction of sin to them and say: ‘That is Christianity; look at him or her. There is a picture of Christianity! Look at that miserable creature. Do you want to be like that?’

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, 1965, Spiritual Depression, Michigan: Eerdmans, p.19-20, p.69)

Try singing this song and see if you can stay in a bad mood.

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart to stay

16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”

18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’?

Point 1 What is meant by “in a little while.

In verses 16-19 the phrase in a little while is used 7 times.

What did Jesus mean?

Possibly He was talking about the soon-to-occur events in connection with His death and resurrection.

After His burial, they would not see Him for a little while; but then He would rise from the dead and they would see Him again.

He had told them on previous occasions that He would rise from the dead after three days, but His words did not sink into their minds and hearts.

20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

To the mother experiencing birth pains, every minute may seem an hour.

Our concept of time changes with our feelings. Thirty minutes in the dentist chair may seem like hours, while hours fishing or dining with friends may seem like a very short time.

The mother feels as though the birth is taking a long time, when really it may be only “a little while.”

When the baby has been born, pain is forgotten as joy fills her heart.

The world today does not want Jesus Christ or His church.

The world is rejoicing while we are suffering, longing for our Lord to return.

In fact, all of creation is suffering “birth pangs” because of sin, awaiting His return (Rom. 8:22).

Rom 8:22

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time

NIV

When the Bridegroom is away, the bride mourns (Matt. 9:15).

Matt 9:15

15 Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

NIV

But, in “a little while” He shall return and we shall go with Him to heaven to enjoy the Father’s house.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 364.

21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.

The principle is simply this:

God brings joy to our lives, not by substitution, but by transformation.

His illustration of the woman giving birth makes this clear.

The same baby that caused the pain also caused the joy.

In birth, God does not substitute something else to relieve the mother’s pain. Instead, He uses what is there already but transforms it.

Jesus did not say that the mother’s sorrow (pain) was replaced by joy, but that the sorrow was transformed into joy.

The same baby that caused the pain also caused the joy!

And so it is in the Christian life: God takes seemingly impossible situations, adds the miracle of His grace, and transforms trial into triumph and sorrow into joy.

“The Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing” (Deut. 23:5; see Neh. 13:2).

Deut 23:5

5 However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.

NIV

Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave, and Potiphar put him into prison as a criminal; but God transformed that hopeless situation of defeat into victory.

Egypt’s persecution of Israel only caused them to multiply and prosper the more.

King Saul’s murderous pursuit of David only made him more a man of God and helped produce the psalms that encourage our hearts today.

Even Jesus took the cross, a symbol of defeat and shame, and transformed it into a symbol of victory and glory.

22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Warren Wiersbe says: There is joy in prayer, and there is joy in realizing the principle of transformation. Jesus shared a third kind of joy, the joy of sharing His victory over the world.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 365.

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart to stay

I've got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart

I've got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart to stay

I've got the peace that passes understanding

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart

I've got the peace that passes understanding

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart to stay

I've got the wonderful love of my blessed Redeemer

Way down in the depths of my heart (where?)

Down in the depths of my heart (where?)

Down in the depths of my heart

I've got the wonderful love of my blessed Redeemer

Way down in the depths of my heart (where?)

Down in the depths of my heart to stay

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy

Down in my heart (where?)

Down in my heart to stay

Down in my heart to stay

Down in my heart to stay.

Conclusion:

How do we get this joy?

You start by asking Christ into your heart Rev.2:20 says:

Rev 3:20

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

NIV

Jesus is knocking will you answer?

Romans 10:9-10 says that:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

If you will bow your heads with me and if you have never received Christ all you need is to just repeat after me

Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life. I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking. By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation. I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth. I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day. Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life. I believe your words are true. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior. Amen.men.