Joy in Knowing the Risen Jesus

PRAY & INTRO: Does the Christian really know a joy and peace that the world does not know? Is there a deep-seated fullness of joy available to us even when the situation necessarily stirs suffering and sadness? Is there a deep-seated certainty of peace that we possess even when the circumstances create chaos and confusion around us and in us?

If so, how and why? These themes are taken up elsewhere in the NT as well, but in the departure discourse in John’s gospel (specifically in ch. 16:16-33)…

Jesus connects our joy and peace directly to knowing God through him, a right relationship to God accomplished by the cross and resurrection, assuring God’s victory. (Jn 16:16-33)

And that relationship to the victorious God offers a confidence and closeness that breeds joy and peace in Him.

-The joy and peace promised do not mean that we have joy and peace because sadness and suffering will cease, or that there will be no persecution and tribulation. The context is quite literally these two things: 1. The sorrow over Christ’s impending suffering and over his departure soon thereafter. 2. The expectation of tribulation in the world and of persecution from the worldly. (See Jn 16:33)

-Rather, it means that we can experience joy and peace because we will know that we know God—that he has made us his own. (Jn 17:3)

In John 16, Jesus is drawing this departure discourse to a close, in which he has been preparing the disciples for his impending death and resurrection, for his departure to glory, and for the coming of the Spirit to be present with his people. As he concludes, Jesus ends on a note of triumph and certainty for his people, of joy in spite of sorry, and of peace even through ongoing tribulation in and from the world.

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.

What’s coming “in a little while” that the disciples won’t see Jesus but then will see him again?

I’m convinced that the most obvious and simplest answer is the correct one. Jesus refers here to His death and resurrection. And for them then, it will be intense sorrow because of his crucifixion (perceived as defeat), followed by great joy (when he rises from the grave and appears to them).

In fairness to those who think this might be Christ’s ascension, followed by ‘coming to them’ in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, his departure to the Father is certainly part of the context of this discourse, and Jesus was recently referring again to sending them the Spirit. However, Jesus has been clear to differentiate himself from the Spirit in terms of personhood in every other reference of sending him and of his coming, so why would he confuse that issue now?

Some even think this refers to Christ’s prolonged physical absence until his second coming, the parousia. But that seems extremely unlikely given the assurances made by the presence and help and comfort of the Paraclete (the Holy Spirit). To be sure, there will then be a consummation of our joy (when Christ returns), but do we presently mourn and grieve? No, our suffering King has already proven himself victorious and provided restoration to God.

To me it seems apparent that here Jesus is referring to the nearest and shortest of these absences, his impending suffering.

Why are the disciples confused?

Because this paradigm-shifting event has not yet taken place. Despite numerous references to it, they have remained continually perplexed (and understandably so). Jesus has said therefore that they cannot “bear them now” (other things he might tell them, v. 12) without the context of his sacrificial death and vindicating resurrection. - After these things have taken place, then the coming Spirit of truth he has promised will teach them and bring to their remembrance all that Jesus said (Jn 14:26), guiding them into all the truth (Jn 16:13).

What does the repetition of the saying in question serve to accomplish (like four times!)? It does reinforce their perplexity, but by it John also emphasizes the central importance of the event which answers this question!

Jesus is of course aware of their conversation and confusion (v. 19 “Jesus knew”), and so he offers an answer beginning at v. 20.

How does Jesus answer?

Instead of repeating the facts of his death and resurrection, which he had told them before, at least three times, recorded in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke)… Instead, Jesus compassionately focuses on what they will experience as a result of these events—the anguish of sorrow, followed by joy.

If I had to surmise WHY Jesus answers this way, I think it’s because he knew what they needed for support and strength to endure what was coming more than the bare facts. And Jesus knows that we, disciples to come after these disciples, need to hear this as well.

After beginning with the emphatic, “I tell you the truth” (v. 20) Jesus uses three words to describe their grief/sorrow, the first two of which are often associated with mourning a death (weep and lament). Again, this reinforces that he is speaking of his sacrificial death on a cross. And the world, that system which is opposed to God (and all those caught up in it), rejoice that Jesus was crucified and silenced.

But that victory of Satan and sin and death proved fleeting, because Jesus paid the debt of our sin by his sacrificial death and then rose, permanently victorious. These disciples would indeed see Jesus again, beginning on the Sunday after his crucifixion on Friday. Just so, “your sorrow will turn into joy.”

Joy and rejoicing are repeated in these verses numerous times, so we ought to make sure we know what they mean.

- What is joy?

Joy is a state of gladness in God. It can be expressed in our emotions and actions, but joy is fundamentally a state of gladness in God (an attitude and posture of the soul which knows and rests in the worth and trustworthiness of God).

Rejoice is an expression of glad exultation in God. - Rejoicing is especially connected to knowing that God is victorious. So although rejoicing may result from a turn of favorable circumstances, joy does not depend on favorable circumstances. Joy is a happiness based on God, of knowing his unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual truth.

When Jesus rose from the dead, imagine not only their happy exultation, but also their earth-shattering, all-sustaining conviction that everything they hoped about Jesus was true… even better than they could have hoped for!

Just so, at vv. 21-22, the heart of the passage, Jesus gives them a relatable picture from human experience to help their understanding of necessary sorrow that leads to indelible joy.

How does Jesus’ childbirth illustration drive home the point?

The very source of such sorrow is the suffering necessary to secure the victory leading to unassailable joy.

To be sure we don’t miss something crucial in the point, we must be attentive to more than the change from sorrow to joy, even such great joy at the birth of her child that she forgets the anguish, the affliction. By the way, it isn’t that she literally remembers it no more, but that by comparison the anguish now pails when measured against the joy of beholding her child, and holding her child.

But don’t miss the necessity of the labor pains to get to this juncture of great joy. I believe that to be the main thrust, as Jesus uses this to illustrate what he is about to do.

The very source of such sorrow is the suffering necessary to secure the victory leading to unassailable joy. We cannot have the victorious resurrection without the atoning cross. We cannot have the forgiveness and restoration without the payment for sin. The ultimate joy is contingent upon Jesus traveling this path of a suffering servant, of the self-sacrificing King to ransom the people of his possession.

It is even necessary then that they experience this sorrow with him, the suffering that leads to their joy through the cross of Christ. “So also you have sorrow now…” - Although such is quite natural because they were present at the time with Jesus, still this makes me eager to make a gospel application for all of us: We must truly understand our sin and its consequences, and sorrow over the consequence that our sin has lead to God’s wrath and the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf.

And if we are those who truly sorrow over our sin against a holy God, and over Christ’s necessary sacrifice, then we will also be those who rejoice greatly in the result of what he accomplished, vindicated by his resurrection. [read v. 22]

These disciples were the eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ! How true the depth of their sorrow at feeling they had lost him and all they hoped for, to the immense joy that reverses their sorrow in the realization that this is what was meant to take place in order to fulfill all righteousness.

And because Jesus rose again victorious, there isn’t anyone or any source or even any situation outside of us that can “take away” that joy. And not for lack of trying: There will be further persecution and suffering, but nothing can just carry off true joy because it is rooted in the permanence of the cross and resurrection, and the resulting change of relationship to God.

What is the resulting change in relationship to God that leads to still further joy?

Now that’s what I believe vv. 23-24 are really about: a change in relationship to God that leads to still further joy in him. A relational nearness to God (because of Christ’s work on our behalf) means that we can approach & petition God directly. Through Christ we have a confidence and trust in God’s blessing that further enhances our joy in Him.

So what does Jesus mean when he says “in that day you will ask nothing of me”? Although he might mean they won’t be asking him to meet their needs, most likely he means you won’t have to ask me questions anymore like the ones you are asking me now. Instead, having Jesus as Lord, God as Father, and Holy Spirit as guide to teach them, they won’t be confused and unclear about all the Jesus is saying and doing.

“In that day” probably has eschatological overtones, where the last days begin with the day that the Lord rises from the grave victorious. From that time forward, and especially when Christ ascends and later sends the Spirit, because they are in Christ by faith, they will begin to approach the Father directly to ask for help. So the contrast is approaching God through Christ, which they hadn’t done until now. Asking in Jesus name means all that the Lord is and stands for—what he has accomplished on our behalf.

And if we seek God truly through Jesus, then we will be asking God according to the Lord’s will, which means we need not fear rejection from God. God wants to bless us with what is best, even when what is best is better than what we know to ask for. No wonder Jesus says the result of this kind of relational closeness and assurance will result in a joy that is full/complete!

- Why then, even as a believer, do I sometimes lack joy?

Surely the answer must be the ongoing existence of a sin nature. Joy is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), but my flesh battles for self-exaltation and a self-focus that takes my eyes off of the risen Lord’s accomplishment and worth, and off of habitually striving for a nearness to God that makes me know him better and experience the joy of his immeasurable goodness. - Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Ps. 34:8)

I lack joy when I’m not abiding rightly and asking accordingly. I lack joy when I forget that the purpose of prayer is not to get more from God but to gain more of God.

So…

- Where do I turn when I lack joy?

First, you must be in Christ to experience this joy. Because Jesus died for our sin and rose victorious, we can have his spiritual life in us (Jn 14:19). Through him we are offered unassailable joy and peace, provided that we know God through faith in Him, and therefore we abide in him (Jn 15:1-11) and cling to his truth through the Spirit (Jn 16:1-15).

For the believer, there is a secure reality of communion with Christ by the Spirit He has given us that is unbreakable and (somewhat) inexpressible. But our experience (our understanding, our assurance, our certainty, our appreciation) of the love, joy, and peace of Christ in us correlates to our focused attention on God and practical obedience to his will. -Notice Jn 15:10,12 on either side of Jn 15:11.

In fact, even the ordinance of partaking regularly in the Lord’s Table is an example of obedience to his command that leads us to further joy and peace in Christ.

Where do I turn when I lack joy? Turn inward? Search for it in your situation? Search for it as if arising from yourself? No. When joy is waning, resurrect joy by setting your eyes on the resurrected and victorious Christ. Restore joy by meditating on being restored to God. Meditate on God’s grace to bring you into relationship with him. Meditate on God’s eternal goodness, his assured perfect plan, and his pervasive providence.

There is joy beyond suffering because we know the Risen Lord. - What do you know that you know, which can sustain you through the greatest suffering? God is God, and God has emerged victorious in Christ, and he will emerge victorious again.

PRAY

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Communion: