Transforming Sorrow into Joy

John 16:16-33

The totality of the Upper Room Discourse has been one of Jesus preparing the Disciples:

Judas’ Betrayal

Jesus’ pending arrest, trial and Crucifixion

Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension

And, finally the Coming of the Holy Spirit as their constant guide, comforter and support.

Outside of Judas leaving the meal to begin the betrayal sequence- None of the rest of the events have happened yet.

Leading to much confusion, debate and sorrow over what Jesus has been telling them.

They simply cannot comprehend whats about to happen- Mainly because it has never happened before...

And will never be needed again.

In todays passage, Jesus fore-warns the Disciples of the grief they will experience from the coming events.

he also reassures them that all that deep pain and agony will be replace with Eternal joy with His Resurrection and the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

What we can gain from this , is that Sorrow and disappointments are a part of our lives here on Earth.

The Joy of the Lord is what gives us the strength and endurance to work through those times.

Holding to Faith in Christ and His eternal promise to never leave us or forsake us, especially in the worst of times.

This Joy is not found in or affected by our day to day circumstances.

It is rooted deeply in our personal relationship with God.

While pain, hurts, sorrows and disappointments are all real, and cannot be ignored- They are only temporary situations.

God’s over-arching plan is for us to live, daily, in the Peace and Joy found only in Jesus Christ.

Most of the religious world of the 1st century took their grieving seriously.

Even the Prophet Jeremiah writes about who to grieve for in Jer 22:10

Jeremiah 22:10 ESV

Weep not for him who is dead, nor grieve for him, but weep bitterly for him who goes away, for he shall return no more to see his native land.

Elsewhere in John’s Gospel we have 11:31-33, & 20:11, 13, 15

So lets look how the presence of the Holy Spirit change the dynamic of Sorrow and grief.

Sorrow Transformed

John 16:16–20 ESV

“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 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’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 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’? 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.

Although their grief and sorrow will be great- How much greater will their joy be when they realize that Jesus has, indeed, overcome the grip of death and the Grave.

What an amazing transformation, then, from looking at the ultimate loss- of Friendship- Leadership- Your very foundation that your Hope and Faith are built on- To that moment when their “Sorrow is turned to Joy”

Applying that same sense into today’s grim and dark world...

What a Blessed Assurance, we can hold to, knowing that this world- In all of it’s filth, depravity and immorality-

Cannot rob us of our Eternal Joy.

Since our Faith in Christ is not based on anything of this world...

This world cannot do anything to disrupt our Eternal Joy and Peace in our Souls- Thanks to that eternal presence of the Holy Spirit

BIRTHED IN JOY

John 16:21–24 ESV

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. 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. 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. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

The analogy of childbirth is used often in the OT to show the difficult situations Israel has to suffer through before God intervenes in miraculous ways.

There is also several references to the woman’s suffering, alluding to the suffering of the followers of God, prior to the Messiahs Ultimate deliverance in both the OT and NT.

Having been present for the birth of 3 of my 5 children, this analogy should connect with anyone, both Moms and Dads who has witnessed this miracle of life first hand.

My wife’s pregnancies were not easy and her labor pains long and intense.

The absolute joy that comes from the delivery of the child and the first glimpse by the parents of their new baby cannot be explained adequately.

There are simply no words that can describe that level of Love and Joy

A level of Joy, love and Peace that causes all the months of discomfort and the recent pains of labor to simply disappear- It is a miracle in itself.

So, as Jesus tells the Disciples, Soon you will be filled with grief, sorrow and doubts about the future.

But the promise of, “I will see you again...” brings an unbreakable joy to His followers, because of the power of the Resurrection and promised eternal presence with Jesus in Heaven.

To the follower of Christ, this unspeakable joy is available to us, even in our darkest moments...

Because this Joy is not based on any temporal setting, but rooted in our eternal relationship with our Lord and Saviour.

The story of Joseph in the Old Testament is a remarkable account of turning sorrow into joy. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and imprisoned, Joseph faced deep despair.

Yet, through God’s providence, he rose to a position of power in Egypt and ultimately reconciled with his brothers, stating, 'You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good' (Genesis 50:20). His journey shows how God can transform our darkest moments into sources of joy and blessing.

So far, in our Sorrow transformed and the Birthing of Joy, we have examined how Jesus’ promise to the Disciples of temporary Sorrow will be completely overridden by great and exceeding Joy...

Now let’s take a look at how applying this new joy to our daily lives, changes everything.

NEVER ENDING JOY

John 16:25–28 ESV

“I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but 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 will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

Up to this point, Jesus has used parables and obscure sayings that often left, not only the crowd at large, but even His closest Disciples confused, bewildered and frustrated.

John uses these misunderstandings as his pattern for showing us the worlds total disconnect and inability to grasp the totality of Jesus as their Messiah.

What Jesus is doing is not just giving a timestamp to a set of events,

But, rather, He is expanding an entirely new era of Communion with God the Father, through direct revelation of God’s will for mankind.

This shift from parables to direct access is a key reference point in Jesus’ Earthly ministry.

With the Glorification of God through the Death, Resurrection, and ascension to Heaven of Jesus...

The coming and indwelling of the Holy Spirit now enables the Disciples to pick up their mantles of Apostleship and continue the Mission of spreading the Gospel.

This never ending Joy has propelled Believers through the Ages to our current time frame.

NO matter the trial or persecution- The message has been carried along by the sacrifice of countless Saints-

Undaunted by circumstances, or sorrows or turmoil...

Believers have kept that eternal link with eternal Joy and the Comfort of peace in our lives.

And with this Never ending peace and Joy, we realize...

The peace of Blessed Assurance

Blessed Assurance

John 16:29–33 ESV

His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In 1848, Fanny Crosby, who was blind from infancy, faced a life filled with sorrow and challenges. Yet, she chose to write thousands of hymns that communicated joy, including 'Blessed Assurance.'

Fanny was once asked if she regretted being blind; her reply was that she felt blessed, imagining how joyful it would be to see the beauty of heaven. Her life exemplifies how sorrow can lead to a deeper faith and ultimately joy, echoing the beatitude in Matthew 5:4, 'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.'

Although the Disciples now declare their belief that Jesus has been sent from God- Because He speaks in plain language to them- They still do not grasp the real truth.

Jesus then tells them that despite their assumed new revelation, they will very quickly be scattered about and will abandon Jesus in His hour of need.

Yet, once again, Jesus does not leave them in despair.

in verses 32-33, Jesus comforts them, again:

“Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

The Apostle Paul, imprisoned for his faith, wrote letters filled with joy despite his circumstances. In Philippians 4:4, he exhorted believers to 'Rejoice in the Lord always.'

Paul’s ability to find joy even in chains inspires us to see that sorrow does not define our circumstances; it’s our response to God’s presence that brings true joy amidst trials.

His life reminds us that joy often emerges from the most heartbreaking of sorrows through our faith in Christ.

The promise of Joy in the trying times of life is directly connected to Jesus’ assurance of Peace and Victory

We need not fear anything the world may throw our way- For He has already overcome the world.

So, a few questions to consider:

What does the analogy of childbirth reveal about the relationship between suffering and joy in the Christian faith?

How can we apply the assurance of joy in Christ to our daily struggles and disappointments?

What does it mean for us to live in the 'peace and joy' that comes from our relationship with God according to this passage?

We will close todays episode with the words of our Lord and Saviour:

“In the world you will have tribulation.

But take heart; I have overcome the world.”