Sorrow will Turn to Joy

Cory Griffith
Discovering Jesus  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Now you see me

This phrase can be interpreted several different ways of you don’t go to the Greek to understand. Jesus is speaking specifically about his death. I have heard this passage interpreted several different ways. Let’s look at what he meant in the moment, according to context.
The word he used for a little while is “mikron,” and it means a short time, a little bit, a little while. Literally it means very short. Something like three days and nights, if I recall. Mikron is also the base word from which we get micro or microscopic.
Now you see him. He is physically there with the disciples. He walks, eats, sleeps, and shares his life with them. They are there with him 24/7. This is typical of what a rabbi did with his disciples. They spent every waking moment with Jesus.
Our idea of discipleship is vastly different than what Jesus used for the original disciples. Please realize there were not just 12 there with him. the 12 were his closest group, but there were others who followed him in his ministry.
While he was with them they could see, hear, smell, touch, and know him. He was about to do something that only he could do. He was about to die on a cross and then they would not see him.

Now you don’t

Why not? or just Why?

Why?

So let’s use a physical example. (Bring up 2 assistants, use blanket, disappear) 1, 2, 3, disappear behind the podium.
Jesus was not in their sight. Much like I just now have disappeared.
Do you know where I am?
I can’t see you to tell, but it’s not a secret, I just waited until the blanket was up and slid behind the table here.
Do you know where I am?
Jesus has been telling the disciples that he is going somewhere. Have they been listening? My guess is, NO!
Why, because they are hard headed like I am, like my children are,…like you are.
Call up assistants to hold the blanket again.
1, 2, 3

Now you see me!

Let’s read the passage.
John 16:16–24 ESV
16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “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 am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Did any of you panic while I was gone?

Why not???

I was gone, not really, for just a short time. You also knew where I was. I didn’t leave the building, but what if I did?
What if I disappeared and there was no explanation for it. I just one moment was gone. Jesus is preparing them for what is coming and they are not getting the message. Knuckle heads, but would I have done any better?
Jesus went to the Father after his death on the cross. He also did a coupe other things we have clues about. Where is the Father. Read this verse with me.

Psalm 68:18 “When you ascended to the heights you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you.

A crowd of captives? Yes, Abraham’s bosom.
Who rebelled against him, God?
The world gets excited when we fail or when one of us, believers, dies.
Why?
Because we carry the person of Christ everywhere we go. We remind the world that they are wrong, living in sin, are doomed for judgement.
People know this instinctively. I have a coworker…fearful, scared, knows something is goin on. He cannot pinpoint what it is and he has no hope.
Why?
I don’t believe he knows Jesus.
These disciples knew Jesus but they didn’t understand everything yet.
Have you ever had a conversation where someone said to you, “I just don’t understand all this Jesus, bible, God stuff.” I have.
Do you know why they need a believer to explain it?
The Holy Spirit.
Remember what I preached on the Holy Spirit a few weeks ago. The disciples didn’t have him yet because Jesus was still there.
They were in the presence of Jesus, but they were still asking what seems like stupid questions to you and I.
We have the revelation of the Bible, they had the Old Testament.
We have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, him living inside us.
They only had Jesus presence but no help in understanding what he was saying. Jesus explained but they still did not get it.
We, believers, have the advantage. The Holy Spirit reveals things to us through the scripture that others cannot understand.
What did the disciples do on the day he was crucified?
They ran and hid. They cried with terrible sorrow. They were afraid and thought their lives were over.
What did the Jews and the world do?
They celebrated. That was not the first time and it won’t be the last. There will be two more who die because the world wants them dead. Have you ever heard of the two witnesses.

Revelation 11:3-4 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

5 And if anyone would harm them, sfire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, tthis is how he is doomed to be killed.

​

6 They have the power uto shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and vto strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.

7 And when they have finished their testimony, wthe beast that rises from xthe bottomless pit1 ywill make war on them and conquer them and kill them,

8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically2 is called zSodom and aEgypt, where their Lord was crucified.

9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and brefuse to let them be placed in a tomb,

10 and cthose who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and dexchange presents, because these two prophets ehad been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.

English Standard Version (Chapter 11)
11 But after the three and a half days fa breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, g“Come up here!” And hthey went up to heaven iin a cloud, and their enemies watched them.

What is the point here?
In every situation there is hope. Jesus says, I am leaving for a little bit, but I will be back. Earlier he told them, I am going to the Father to build you a place, but I am coming back to get you so you can be there too.
John 14:2–4 ESV
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
They argued that last statement then too. “We don’t know where you are going.”
They were not listening. They did not have the Holy Spirit to prompt them.
Are you and I the same?
We are a hard headed people. The difference is we have the Holy Spirit to help us but we often don’t listen.
Ladies, who have children. Was it painful and did you want to stop the pain and have it go away?
When you looked at that baby’s face the first time, did you forget the pain and stare in wonder/amazement? I know I did and I certainly was not the one going through the pain. That child was worth every minute. The pain is temporary, the joy is eternal.

The pain is temporary. The joy is eternal.

Our separation from God physically, is made bearable by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The disciples didn’t get this yet, but they would. Jesus just kept telling them.
We have sorrow and suffering now but our sorrow will turn to joy.

Our sorrow will turn to joy!

One last thing. We pray now. At least I hope you do.
Do you know how to pray?
Do you know why we pray in Jesus name?
We had this conversation two weeks ago in our 7:30 class. So many believers fail to do one thing that Jesus directed us to do in prayer.
Do you know what that is?
Go back to verses 23-24.
There will come a day where we will not have to ask for anything, but for now we do.
How do we ask?

In Jesus name!!!

When you pray, always pray in Jesus name. Not in your name, not in no name, in Jesus name.
What’s my favorite question?

Why?

Because answered prayer comes in Jesus name and not in any other.
Once we are restored we will be free of that but for now we are directed to pray in Jesus name.
Listen to my prayers. Every single one ends by asking in Jesus name. There is a reason.
Summarize…
Close in prayer.
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