Advent: Christ's Gift of Joy
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Welcome
Welcome
Welcome to church! Whether you’re joining us online or in person, we’re glad you’re here with us today.
We’re continuing a sermon series on the Advent (or coming) of Christ. In the last couple of weeks, we looked at Hope and Peace and this week we look at Joy. These are all themes of Advent, because they are gifts that Jesus gave us at our salvation, the point we accept him to be our Lord and Savior.
We’re focusing this morning on a passage from the end of the Upper Room Discourse, speech by Jesus that happened just before his death as the disciples gathered to celebrate the Passover meal, the same meal that we call the Last Supper.
We’re not going to look at the entire discourse passage, only a section of it, where Jesus works toward preparing his disciples for his departure—for his death.
You might be asking, “Pastor, why would you preach a message like this? We’re celebrating Christmas, not Easter!”
Well, bear with me this morning. I want you to notice how Jesus addresses his disciples on the night before his death. Jesus has something to tell us about joy in this passage...
16 “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.”
17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”
19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.
23 “In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
25 “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
29 His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30 Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
[pray]
What we’re really looking at today is “joy”—which is...
Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. One of the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22–23). Having joy is part of the experience of being a Christian.
We were talking about joy and happiness in our Wednesday night Bible study class. Somebody said it this way. Happiness is found in the moment, but Joy is a lifestyle—it is a completely different way of living. I think that’s a great way of looking at it.
How joy-filled is your life? Does it define your life?
I. Do You Understand?
I. Do You Understand?
So the scenario of this passage is that Jesus knows he is going away. He understands that he will be tortured and murdered and this is his last chance to say what he needs to say to his disciples. He’s trying to get them to understand a few very important things. He begins by telling them...
In a little while...
In a little while...
16 “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.”
Jesus used this phrase, “in a little while” and says they won’t see him, but then later (again “in a little while”) they will see him.
This was a puzzling statement for the disciples and they immediately began arguing about what he said.
As we look back we can see that Jesus was talking about his death and resurrection. But he was also likely talking about his return to heaven. Look at end of verse 17...
17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
We know that all of those disciples that were with him that day died. They did not witness his return as they were expecting. While we might think, “that doesn’t sound like a little while” but in the light of eternity, the time that has passed is very little. God operates outside of time and space. He does things to accomplish his will in his own timing, no matter how long it takes.
This is the same sense that we see in Hebrews...
37 For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.
Paul explained it this way to the Corinthian church...
17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Everything that we see in this world is temporary—it is fleeting.
Only the spiritual world, that which is unseen is eternal—it will last forever.
All these years later, we are still waiting and expectant for Jesus’ return to us.
So, verse 18, the disciples were arguing about Jesus’ meaning...
18 They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”
How many times do we do that when we don’t understand something? We get to arguing about possibilities of the meaning. Especially so, when we are confused or feeling strong emotions about what we’ve heard or when we’re really anticipating something really important or life changing. That’s what this was for the disciples. Ready or not, they were about to be thrust into something bigger than themselves.
This phrase “in a little while” was also used by the prophets with respect to the coming judgment of Israel. We see it used in Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.
There is one interesting reference to the end time in Isaiah...
17 Isn’t it true that in just a little while Lebanon will become an orchard, and the orchard will seem like a forest? 18 On that day the deaf will hear the words of a document, and out of a deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
It very well may have been that Jesus was using figurative language here in the same way as the prophets.
Jesus uses it here in regards to his death, his resurrection, and his ascension into heaven, but also we get that there is a connection with his return and the coming judgment of the world in his statements.
Jesus Explains
Jesus Explains
Jesus responded to their discussion. He certainly understood their confusion and emotions about his statement.
19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’?
Jesus had told his followers all along that he would only be with them for a short time...
33 Then Jesus said, “I am only with you for a short time. Then I’m going to the one who sent me.
33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
This was not new to the disciples, but they were still confused. And doesn’t that make sense? If I stood up here and said, “you’re not going to see me, then you’re going to see me, then you’re not going to see me again.” Some of you would be like, “Sounds like a normal week to me.”
However, the disciples were used to seeing Jesus every day and learning from him. They became a very close knit group.
The disciples had apparently discussed this between themselves before and they had some concern about Jesus not being around.
Jesus went on to provide a cryptic explanation...
20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.
The language that Jesus uses here is the mourning for the death of a loved one. He contrasts their mourning with the world’s rejoicing.
Jesus knew that the world would rejoice over his death, because he knew that the enemy, Satan, has authority in the world.
The word that Jesus used for mourning here is verse 20, is the same word used in Luke 23:27, where the women followed Jesus to his death, beating their breasts in lament.
Surely at this point the disciples knew that Jesus was talking about his own death. But then he flips it and begins to speaking about the joy of birth...
21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.
Of course, Jesus is speaking in parable form here. I love what Pastor Warren Weirsbe said, that “The same baby that caused the pain also caused the joy.” Any of you who have children here today completely understand the two-sided coin of suffering and joy.
Jesus knew that he and the disciples would go through some clearly difficult times, but he was promising them that the difficulty would prove to be for a good reason.
22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.
Jesus knew that the disciples would be sorrowful after the coming events of that night. As they heard rumours of his treatment and witnessed his public flogging and his death on the cross, his predictions would come true.
But, Jesus also predicted that their sorrow would turn to joy.
II. Have You Asked?
II. Have You Asked?
Jesus goes on to this section talking about asking and receiving from God. Now it probably goes without saying, but this isn’t just some blanket promise that God will give us whatever we ask for. I mean, if I ask for pie for Christmas, I might get it because I’m going to get pie for myself, but if I ask God to give me 300 pies, it’s probably not going to happen, right? That’s because it wouldn’t be good for me, right?
23 “In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
You might be thinking to yourself, “But he says if I ask for anything, “he will give [it to me]!” Right?
But let me tell you, God is not just going to give you whatever nonsense fool thing you ask for!
Let’s look to Matthew at the words of Jesus for his answer to this...
8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
Just like we won’t give our little children everything they ask for, neither will God. But when our requests align with God’s will and work together with his plan, the gifts are everlasting.
John 14:14 tells us that we should ask in the name of Jesus. This means that we are to submit our requests to the authority of Jesus and within the will of God.
14 This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
What I mean to say is that God is not some cosmic DoorDash, that is just standing there waiting for our order so that he can deliver it.
This is the core problem with the teachings of the prosperity gospel and the word of faith movements, that are so prevalent in our culture today. These teachings are based on what we want to hear. They are designed to tickle our ears and open our wallets and our checkbooks. They are not based on sound doctrine that comes from the word of God.
Jesus continued saying...
25 “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
God wants for us to experience his joy and his fullness. We can see here that God loves us and he sent Jesus to us because of that love.
I think I said it last week and maybe the week before, so I’ll say it again this week...
16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
God wants nothing more than for us to believe in his son and take up his Spirit—his characteristics and to live them out in this world.
III. Have You Believed?
III. Have You Believed?
I’m going to wrap up with this. I don’t have time to fully expound on this whole passage. But know from verses 29-30 that the disciples were beginning to understand what Jesus was telling them.
His very next question to them was...
31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe?
That is my question for you today, Have you Believed in Jesus Christ?
Jesus promised the disciples that they would need belief in order to get them through the tough times.
Jesus is promising you that you will need belief in him and his joy to get you through the rough times that we experience in this world.
I love verse 33...
33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
In the face of tough times, we can count on Christ, we can count on his joy, and we can count on his peace, because we know that he loves us.
But here’s the thing, friends. We have do more than just know that he loves us. We have to believe what Jesus did for us and we have to take him as our Lord and begin to make the changes that he asked of us. It’s not enough just to believe, we have to act on what we believe.
Is that something that you are willing to do today?