From Suffering to Joy

Introduction

You know, in Hopkinsville is the old trainstation. To my understanding, correct me if i’m wrong, but it still operated with passenger trains up until the late 60s or early 70s. Well, you may remember this past year, their was great excitement as the old train station was purchased by a scenic passenger rail company whose intent they said was to make it into office and explore long term into this being a stop/depot for scenic passenger rail years down the road. As you would expect, this created a lot of excitement in the community and open discussion and recollection of times past. One story I read about was a woman who remembers sending her “men” off to war or to join the military on that train . I imagine that to be brothers/cousins/and bo’s. She mentioned how for some of those men, when they got on that train, she never saw them again. In those moments, i’m sure her heart and every heart their was filled with great grief and sadness, but also a strange mix of pride and joy, knowing that the loved one they sent off was going to do what his heart had been longing to do. Many of course did not return, but some did, and when they did I imagine the Joy they felt upon that loved ones return outweighed any sadness that they had felt up to before. In today’s text Jesus spoke to His disciples about suffering and sadness turning to joy, which is just another reason to Be reminded of, remember, and apply the truths that God reveals to you.

Prayer

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. I ask these things for your glory and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

Context

In chapter 15, Jesus continued to teach the disciples walking on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane, where ultimately, very soon He will be arrested. In these final lessons and moments, He taught them very serious truths, about fruitfulness of being a disciple. Reminding us and believers always that it is imperative that disciples stay in the vine and it indicates if they were a disciple if they do. He also charged them to love one another with all their might, as very hard times were coming ahead, and the tasks before them would require unity, as Jesus was about to make the ultimate sacrifice for them. He also charged them of a solemn truth. That the world will hate them. Why? Well, not because they were bad people, but because they stood in and for Jesus, and as the world has chosen to reject Jesus by and large, the world will reach out its hand to harm you believer for your faith. In fact, this seems to be a sort of indicator at times of you being on the right track. As Jesus said, they will hate you, because they hate me. But, none the less you will tell the world about me.

These final moments and lessons of Jesus were to a particular small group, but they ring true for you for me, for us today. In Today’s text, Jesus continues to teach as the time draws nearer to them. In Today’s text, Jesus talks about Suffering and Joy, and in that He tells us of the Holy Spirit will show us things, which clearly shows us, Christians of any and all shapes and sizes that we all need to Be reminded of, remember, and apply the truths that God reveals to you. It can be so easy to lose sight sometimes, especially when the enemy roars and shows his teeth like a large and starving lion. But fortunately for us, when Jesus left, He did not leave us alone, He sent us a counselor to show us all kinds of things! So, let’s see what Jesus says about this, let’s jump in and From the text, I want you to see and apply these actions taught by Jesus as you live a life that goes from suffering to joy.

Message

The first action to see and apply to is to: Receive truth from The Holy Spirit 1-15

16 “I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 They will do these things because they haven’t known the Father or me. 4 But I have told you these things so that when their time[a] comes you will remember I told them to you. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you

Look at what our Lord tells them and us here, I have told you all these things, to keep you from stumbling (because what’s about to happen, is definitely going to make you want to). Things are about to get really hard for you. Expect to be cut off, you are going to be kicked out from the religious assemblies and some wicked people will believe that they are doing good for God when they are doing so, and they are not; they have chosen to worship someone or something else!....... They don’t know Me or the Father, so remember these things when doubt, anger, fear, and hurt comes your way and you are lost in every which way. Jesus, being a Master teacher, saw the sadness in their hearts, and spoke directly here too. He continues to press in with the truth through it, because it’s what they needed to hear. Once again, I tell you It is good that I'm going, for the Counselor the Holy Spirit will come to you. He will bring glory to God and declare a great many things to you. I still have many things to teach and tell you that you cannot bear just yet, but He will that God will be glorified through your growth. So, when I’m gone, receive that truth that the Holy Spirit will give you.

The Holy Spirit Himself, in each and every follower of Jesus, has a ministry that is critical. What does He do?.... (wait for answers) His primary role is to point people to the person and work of Jesus, that sinners may be redeemed to God, and believers may grow in Christlikeness so that God can receive greater Glory! That’s what The Holy Spirit is all about, The Holy Spirit Points to Jesus, Jesus points to the Father, The Father sends The Spirit! Praise God and Amen. So, if Jesus told us and them that He is sending a counselor that there is much more to learn, what does that mean to us today? It means that each and every one of us, myself included, need to be reminded of, remember, and apply the truths that God reveals to you. There is no such thing as perfect and got it all their believer. There is no such thing as a perfect pastor. We are all fallen people living in a fallen world seeking after Jesus and His will. To do so, we must continually receive truth from the Holy Spirit, truth that will always be consistent with our scripture and how God reveals it.

The next action to see and apply is to: Have inexhaustible joy from Jesus 16-22

16 “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.”[b]17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They said, “What is this he is saying,[c] ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow[d] now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.

You can just see the emotional roller coaster here. One moment, Jesus is encouraging them of a helper to come, the next, He is reminding them, in a little while you will no longer see. You see it, up and down. These disciples have really felt all kinds of ways this evening. Then, they start talking among themselves, “What is He talking about?..... He just said those things, I don’t understand……. I don’t understand part 1,2, or 3. Jesus, knowing their thoughts got right at what was really important, even if it wasn’t what they were wondering do you see what He does here? He doesn’t answer the question, but He does says, this, “your sorrow will turn to joy,” Just as an expecting mother is dreading the labor to come and experiences the pain, but still she rejoices when she holds her child. So yes, sorrow will happen, but I will see you again, then you will have joy from God that will never EVER be taken from you.

Can you really imagine inexhaustible joy? It seems impossible to wrap your minds around, doesn't it? Just this week, as some of you already know, I had a moment like this, where I had dread and it was turned to joy very quickly. This was from the increased loss of vision of that i’ve been experiencing (for quite some time, but in recent months it had gotten so bad noticed colors were no longer appearing right to me, I knew I was becoming an unsafe driver (almost taking out many a mail box , often I had double and sometimes triple vision and blurry vision (which gave me frequent headaches), and a noticed my spacial awareness was decreasing (aka, I kept running/bumping into things or dropping things when I thought I was perfectly fine), and my eyes felt like they were always so dry or hard something in it to the point that it was often painful. Quietly, I thought I was going blind and it only seemed to be getting worse. So this week, I had an appointment with a specialist,I dreaded this appointment. I was afraid of what was to come, so much so that I didn’t want to face it. I was scared. Then, within seconds of seeing the actual doctor, his comment, “oh yeah, I see, and then in seconds He described everything I was going through and offered me a solution that had real and lasting (perhaps lifetime) effects. I went from from sadness to joy like that *snap*. Now, though I may go through this for a little while longer while I wait for operations, joy is ahead.

Do you see what I did there, did you see how I robbed myself of joy? How I made my situation worse and worse for myself, something that probably should have gotten my attention even a few years ago when I noticed something wasn’t right? I ignored the signs, reclused in, ignored them, delayed or didn’t have conversations that needed to happen, and all it accomplished was was much more pain and much grief than was needed. Jesus tells us to have and seek joy in all things in wisdom and understanding, this is something to Be reminded of, remember, and apply that God has revealed. Church family, let us all ask each other, is their somewhere or with something, that we are robbing ourselves of joy over? It could be big, it could be small, but Jesus makes it clear that to hold onto anything but Him and His righteousness is a sin, so then, let us all dig deep and lean hard into the Savior's warm embrace and so receive inexhaustible joy from Jesus.

Another action to see and apply is to: Have courage from Jesus’ victory 23-31

23 “In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.25 “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name, and I am not telling 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.[e] 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Look, now you’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30 Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Jesus goes on and teaches them about prayer here. He tells them things are changing, now you (and this is for us as well) will ask things from the Gather in My name, and He will give it to you. Ask for things in my name, and your joy will be complete, you will see what you have been seeking in The Father’s will! All along, I have been speaking to you in figures of speech, but soon I will tell you plainly about The Father. When that day comes, when you ask in my Name, He will grant not just because He loves, but because He loves you too because you have loved Me (and Him) and believed God. The disciples, listening here, essentially go, “Aha, look, finally, a plain answer!” Now we know that you came from God, Jesus then with a gentle rebuke, says to them, oh, now you believe…… Well, it is time to have a strong faith, for the time has now come when you will all be scattered and leave me alone. I will not be alone though, The Father will be with me. So, when you do this, when you leave me, have peace about it and know that their will be suffering in this world. So, take heart, be courageous, have no fear, for I have conquered the world/Satan/Sin.

There is perhaps no better tale of courage in Jesus’ victory than the story of Stephen, the first Christian Myrter, the first person to die for his faith in Jesus. We read His tail in the Book of Acts. Do you remember him? He was one of the men chosen to serve the church in a new way, what many consider to be the precursor or start of the deacon ministry. Stephen it seemed, was a brave evangelist, and it lead Him to being drug forcibly outside the city of Jerusalem where He was stoned to death for His fath, His belief in Jesus’ Lordship, that He was the and is the Messiah, He had supreme confidence and courage in Jesus’ victory, even up to the point of death.

It’s all to easy to be frozen in place from fear isn’t it? Even better yet, to dig your heal in out of fear of the the unknown. I can say for myself, and i’m sure every person in this room can say the same, we have all done the same. This mean, there is something to Be reminded of, remember, and apply, a truth that God has revealed. This is that we are to have courage from Jesus’ victory. Do not respond of out fear. Do not respond out of the want to hurt or distract. Instead, keep your eyes on Jesus, who died on the cross that we can be a wonderful church, a beautiful bride, a mighty warrior, all at the same time for Him; that God would be glorified through our changed hearts and minds as we turn our attention away from the sins that distract and focus our attention towards the cross and the salvation therein.

Conclusion

Beloved, this is the time to ask yourself, do you work at, do you really make an effort at being reminded of, remembering and applying the truths of God that He reveals to you? How often do you find yourself in God’s Word, not just in but lingering in it as something sweet that you don’t want to end? What are your prayers like and do you believe they would be pleasing to God? Do you receive truth from The Holy Spirit, do you tune Him out? Do you find yourself in Joy in Jesus or embittered? And where is your courage from Jesus’ victory? I’m not just speaking about one or a few of us, but all of us and me as well. Are you prepared to go from a life of suffering in yourself, to Joy? And if not, what is keeping you?

With all of that being said, I would be remiss if I didn’t share the Gospel (or the Good News) of Jesus Christ with you today, for the benefit of both believer and non-believer in the room. This begins all the way back at the beginning, God created everything, and he created all things good. He gave His most treasured creation (us, mankind) the ability of free will, the ability to choose Him or rebellion. Man was deceived by Satan and desired to be like God and sinned (or rebelled against God). This brought the curse of sin and death into the world and it remains with us to this day; which separates us from God. God, though, loved His creation (mankind) so much that He worked through history to redeem all mankind that would turn to Him from sin so that we can experience a full and perfect relationship with Him again. This was through the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the pay for sins. Accepting this free gift from God, makes you new and forgiven. All you have to do is accept this free gift by repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus and you will get to experience the good side of God’s justice forever. So, now that you know this, you can no longer plead ignorance. I invite and urge you to respond today non-believer and apply this to every part of your life believers in the audience today.

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.