Sorrow to Joy

1.The Confusion of the Apostles

Walk through section. Use this time to catch up- “last episode”.

John 16:16–20 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.

Johannine Temporal Telescoping:

It’s important to note that Jesus is intentionally vague about what He means by “a little while”.

This is like looking at the Blue Ridge Mountains. The peaks look close together, but walking from peak to peak takes a long time. In John, Jesus speaks of his death and resurrection as his ‘hour’.. when the last-days realities start. The final peak is still ‘the last day,’ but the whole age in between flows out of what began that weekend.”

But, in John 13:31 “31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”

John 12:31–32 “31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.””

2. The Man of Sorrows

John 16:20 ESV

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.

Who should we listen to when it comes to sorrow?

Isaiah 53:1–3 ESV

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Most people don’t know how to deal with sorrow. We say dumb things about grief. We go to funerals and tell the family that heaven needed an angel. Or that there is a good reason for this. Or that this isn’t a big deal.

Jesus deals with suffering with the expertise of being the man of sorrows.

When John the Baptist dies, He goes away to pray by Himself. When Lazarus dies, He weeps at the hopeless scene.

In Luke, when He rides toward Jerusalem, He weeps over the city. Luke 19:41 “41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,”

Romans 12:15 “15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

Hebrews 5:7 ESV

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus was betrayed by His best friends in life. He was stripped of His garments, beaten, made to carry a cross. He was spit on by babies He formed in the womb. He was struck by men He came to save. Finally, though He had no sin of His own, all of our sin was laid upon Him and the Father turned His face from Him. Isaiah 53:4 “4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.”

So, what does the Man of Sorrows tell His dear apostles before they lose Him dies on the Cross?

3. The Labor of Joy

John 16:21 ESV

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.

What words do we give to the woman in labor to make the sorrow (suffering) less awful?

John 16:22 ESV

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.

BLANK: You say, “I am so sorrowful, so broken down;” and the Saviour puts his dear pierced hand on you, and he says, “Yes, you are so now , that is all. It is only now, and it will all soon be ended” - C.H. Spurgeon, Joy in Place of Sorrow

What is the phrase we say to a woman who is in labor? “You’re almost there!”

Think of the Christian life. Soon all of this suffering and sorrow will be over.

Psalm 30:5 ESV

5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

4. Complete Joy

Walk through slowly. Figures of speech made plain etc..

John 16:23–25 ESV

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. 25 “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.

These verses have something to do with the joy from verse 22. John 16:22 “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.” This is something that summarizes the good that replaces their sorrow.

How is this the first thing Jesus uses to help us understand the joy we will have in Christ?

This verse (in context) is in response to their question.

John 16:17–18 ESV

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.”

v23 isn’t primarily about asking for “things”. At first, when Jesus answers, He speaks about a response to their questions of Him. In fact, this is a huge benefit of having faith. Before you have faith, you have no reasons for your stance. But, God is generous to teach us.

James 1:5 ESV

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

5. The Reason for the Gospel

John 16:26–29 ESV

26 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; 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, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech!

A. v26. Two stipulations of asking in Jesus’ name.

Asking my the merit of Jesus. Not “cashing a check” in my name, but in the name of Christ.

Praying prayers in Jesus’ reputation. A shortcut here is “praying what Jesus would pray”.

B. v27 The Father LOVES you!

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

C. Jesus, the better Adam.

Romans 5:12 ESV

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Romans 5:17 ESV

17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

6. Christ the Victor

John 16:30–33 ESV

30 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.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 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. 33 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.”

Romans 8:37 “37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Jeremiah 30:1–6 “1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.” 4 These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5 “Thus says the Lord: We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and no peace. 6 Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale?”

This is the principle of sorrow and anguish- both in returning to Israel, and the ultimate restoration of the Kingdom.

BLANK: Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.