Christian Joy Comes Out Of Sorrow
Notes
Transcript
Mom No. 1: How do you get your sleepy-head son up in the morning?
Mom No. 2: I just put the cat on the bed.
Mom No. 1: How does that help?
Mom No. 2: The dog’s already there.
Son: Dad, do you know the difference between a pack of cookies and a pack of elephants?
Dad: No.
Son: Then it’s a good thing Mom does the grocery shopping!
Every mom wants their children to live in joy and peace and so today we are going to explore what that looks like and how to obtain it.
Historical/Cultural Context -
Historical/Cultural Context -
The Gospel of John was written between 90 AD and 100 AD. Scholars also believe that John wrote the three Epistles and the book of Revelation around the same time-frame as he wrote this Gospel. The Gospel of John was written after Matthew, Mark, & Luke had been written and circulated. John has been dubbed by most scholars as “The Spiritual Gospel.”
Biblical Text -
Biblical Text -
“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
“These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.
In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;
for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”
His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!
Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
-[Prayer]-
-[Prayer]-
Life Principle - Because He Went To The Cross We Can Have Joy & Peace In This Life
Life Principle - Because He Went To The Cross We Can Have Joy & Peace In This Life
Life Point- We Can Walk In God’S Joy
Life Point- We Can Walk In God’S Joy
Exegetical -
Exegetical -
“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”
Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’?
And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”
Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again.
I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.
It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world.
So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.
At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.
You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
Homiletical -
Homiletical -
In a little while you won’t see me, but after that you will see me again.
Hindsight is 20/20 we look at things through our modern eyes through the lenses of history. So we know what is coming in the following chapters. We know that Jesus will be crucified and He will rise again. This is not new to us. It is new to them.
No matter how many times Jesus has hinted about it, told them about it; they just don’t seem to get that He is going to the cross and will rise again.
Would you as a 21st century Christian expect that someone who has been lethally injected or put in the electric chair to be declared dead, buried and 3 days later rise again like it didn’t even happen? I mean Jesus was verified dead. Then He rose again on the third day.
Jesus assures them that there is going to be some sorrow that is going to come because of all that is about to happen, but then, due to His resurrection, the disciples will be joyful.
You see on that cross the devil and the people of the world rejoiced that Jesus was dead. While the disciples were sorrowful the world was happy. However, He didn’t stay dead. He rose from that grave and when He did, He not only declared war on the devil but He won the war against the devil and against sin and against Hell.
If that thought doesn’t stir something inside of you then you are dead in your sins and you need Jesus to save you.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Without the subsitutionary atonement whereby Christ takes our place on the cross for our sin, then we would still be dead in our sin.
So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.
If you are a true believer no one can rob you of the joy that is in Christ which is our salvation.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So what is a good Biblical definition of joy. I found the following one that I think is all encompassing:
Joy. A fruit of the Spirit. Comforting, content and full of peace. An enduring attitude of the heart and spirit, and a natural part of the Christian faith. It’s often connected with, but not limited to, following Jesus and pursuing a Christian life.
Happiness, however, is an outward expression of emotion connected to a moment. Fleeting in comparison to joy. Carried along like a scent on a breeze.
We pursue happiness, but choose joy.
Joy is rejoicing in God.
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.
Joy is rooted in God’s Joy:
I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!
Honor and majesty surround him; strength and joy fill his dwelling.
O nations of the world, recognize the Lord, recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
Joy is seen in our lives:
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
Joy that comes from God is shown in our relationships:
Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Joy that comes from God is lasting joy:
The hope of the righteous is joy,
but the expectations of the wicked will perish.
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
This scripture is used wildly out of context. No if you ask God for jet, more than likely He will tell you no. The point is, that after the resurrection with receiving of the Holy Spirit that we become conformed to the image of the son and because we are conformed to His image we will ask for the things that God wants and because we ask for those things, He will give it.
So what does God want?
He wanted you to be conformed to the image of His son.
For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
He wants the kingdom to grow
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
He wants the great commission fulfilled
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
So pray along those lines and pray scripture and you will find that your prayers are answered in the affirmative. Remember though that all prayer is answered 3 ways: Yes, No, and Not Yet.
Life Point - Joy & Peace Go Hand-In-Hand
Life Point - Joy & Peace Go Hand-In-Hand
Exegetical -
Exegetical -
“I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father.
Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf,
for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.
Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”
Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively.
Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe?
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Homiletical -
Homiletical -
Did you know that because of the sacrifice of Jesus you can go to the Father directly? You can go to throne room and ask, what is in His will, in Jesus name directly to the Father?
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
This is an amazing privilege. One that should fill us with a sense of awe. One in which we can find the joy of the Lord.
Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively.
Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe?
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.
All of the disciples finally believe. They have come to an understanding of the purpose of Christ. However, Jesus warns them that they will be scattered, but assures them that He will not be left alone.
What do we find happened? Yes the disciples were scattered once Jesus was arrested. One even denied Him 3 times before all was said and done.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Notice what Jesus is doing. He tells them these things so that they may have peace. But not just any peace. The peace that is found in Him. A peace that surpasses all understanding and when things look bad, know that Jesus has overcome the world.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Not just joy but peace is a promise of God, so long as we cast our worries on God and pray about everything. You have the promise of walking in peace. Have you been walking in joy and peace today?
Life Principle– Because He Went To The Cross We Can Have Joy & Peace In This Life
Life Principle– Because He Went To The Cross We Can Have Joy & Peace In This Life
Call to Action – altar call….
Call to Action – altar call….