Untitled Sermon (8)

The Giver of Joy?: 16:16-24

(don’t say this →)What brings you joy? What is your hope in?

There are two plaque that hang in the hall of the admin building of the college I went to. It’s a perpetual trophy for a leadership award that they give out every year at graduation to the male and female graduates who have most exemplified servant leadership n’stuff.

From the moment I walked onto campus as a freshman, I knew I wanted my name on that plaque.

I did everything I could to put myself in line for the award. I started small groups on campus. I ran for student government. I applied to serve as an RA as a sophomore, even though they only took Juniors and Seniors. I joined the school security team--not cause I wanted the job--I didn’t--but because the position was invite-only.

By the spring of my Senior year, my craving to win the award was so desperate that I couldn’t even walk down the hall where the plaques hung. I would literally reroute my security patrols so I would spend as little time as possible in that hallway.

I couldn’t even look at the blank spot on the plaque where I wanted my name to be so bad. Probably worse than I had ever wanted anything.

By the time graduation came I had mentally figured out the two most likely other candidates for the award.

So when the Dean started introducing the award and describing the winner. I held my breath. I couldn’t even look at the stage. I just put my head down and stared at the ground.

Now the other guy I had assumed was in the running had a very similar resume to me. In fact the first three accomplishments the dean listed were true of both of us.

We had both been RAs for two years, served on the security team, played on the soccer team.

It wasn’t until the fourth item on the list that I knew.

I had won the award.

The thing I had been salivating over for 4 years was finally, literally, in my grasp.

In addition to getting my name on the wall, I got an engraved plaque to take home. To remember my accomplishment forever.

Do you know where that plaque is now?

Neither do I.

It’s somewhere in my house.

Packed in a box.

I spent 4 years focusing on this stupid thing. And I took some shortcuts along the way to get it.

See to be able to even graduate I had needed to take some online classes, and I had cut some corners to make sure I even got to pass the class on time. They hadn’t bothered me at the time, but the Lord brought those things to my attention about 3 months after graduation, and I ended up needing to confess my violation of our schools academic integrity policies to the very dean who had given me the award. AND the online professor from the non-christian school that I had been taking the classes from.

Talk about humbling.

Look there’s nothing wrong with that award. I had an awesome college experience and got to serve in a lot of cool ways.

But I spent 4 years salivating over this award. And except for sharing this as a cautionary tale, it’s not something that has really brought me 4 minutes of joy since then.

Surprisingly none of my classmates bring up the award when we get together.

None of my employers have said to me “Dang, you have THAT award on your resume? The job is yours!”

I spent 4 years fixing my hope on getting that award. And you know what? If James Mieding--one of the best dudes I’ve ever met--had won it instead of me, it would have ruined graduation for me.

Cause I had put my hope and joy in a piece of faux wood and cheap metal with my name etched into it.

That award was the thing I was tempted to put my hope and joy into.

What is it for you?

Is it a job. A nice car? A relationship? Recognition or fame?

As we continue our time listening on Jesus’s last meal with his disciples before his trial and crucifixion,

He’s addressing them in a time where the things they were putting their hope in are coming into a clear focus.

They were expecting Jesus to come and set his earthly reign, to bring military defeat to Israel’s enemy Rome.

And now God’s plan is unfolding, and their main focus is on the fact that Jesus is leaving, and how they feel that will affect them.

And in our passage tonight, Christ is going to give them a promise of a joy that will never fade. A joy that nothing will ever be able to rob them of.

So go ahead and turn to .

And as we read this, I want you to try to put yourself in the disciple’s shoes, see how we tend to respond similarly to them, and see what Jesus’s words to them here speak to us, 2000 years later.

Read

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.

(Passage overview)

Slide

One of the things you may have noticed about the first half of this passage is the crazy amount of repetition in the first half of it.

Jesus says “a little while and you will see me no longer; and then a little after that, you will see me.”

And then John repeats this 3x over the next 3 verses.

What’s interesting about this is that John tells us in chapter 20, in his purpose statement for this book he writes, tells us that Jesus did lots of things, and that he didn’t come close to telling all of them.

He just included what people need to know in order that they might “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

So why is the guy who explicitly tells us that He wasn’t shy about cutting out unnecessary stuff out of His book

Repeating himself...repeating himself… repeating himself?

John wasn’t ruthlessly editing stuff out of the story of Jesus, leaving only the essentials in there, and then getting tired of that process and leaving in a bunch of duplicate statements.

John wrote this book through the leading and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. With an intentional purpose.

So if He left this in here, there’s a reason.

So why is he repeating himself, repeating himself?

John is putting up a signpost here for us: all this “in a little while’s” are signposts that he doesn’t want us to miss.

This isn’t the first time this phrase has come up in the Gospel of John

This “A little while” is actually one of the Bible’s favorite time increments. This phrase comes up 30 different times throughout the bible. And over 20 of those instances answer the question “When is this prophecy of God going to come true?”

Jesus uses this phrase addressing the crowd in :

Jesus has spent this whole evening--the last supper-- with the disciples, preparing them for what is to come.

He’s told them he’s going to be betrayed by one in their midst.

Slide

He’s told them that He is going to suffer and die.

So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you.

And again at the beginning of this Last Supper together He says

He’s told them that He’s going back to the Father.

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’

He’s told them that He’s going to send the Holy Spirit to be with them and fill them.

And as Jesus has revealed these things to the disciples, fear and sorrow has been their primary reactions.

This “A little while” is actually one of the Bible’s favorite time increments. This phrase comes up 30 different times throughout the bible. And over 20 of those instances answer the question “When is this prophecy of God going to come true?”

So now John is emphasizing the timeframe that all this is going to happen in.

Jesus has spent this whole evening--the last supper-- with the disciples, preparing them for what is to come.

All of this stuff is going to happen in just “a little while”. All the “bad” stuff Jesus has predicted is about to happen.

He’s told them he’s going to be betrayed by one in their midst.

But just a little while after that they are going to see him again.

He’s told them that He is going to suffer and die.

He’s told them that He’s going back to the Father.

See one of the blessings Jesus is giving them is the knowledge that this time of intense grief and sorrow is going to be short.

One of the things I’ve mentioned throughout this conversation is how the disciples focus and reaction to Jesus is really on how it will affect them. “Jesus it’s going to be terrible for us when you are beaten beyond recognition and nailed to a cross to die by suffocation.”

He’s told them that He’s going to send the Holy Spirit to be with them and fill them.

And I’ve emphasized the fact that Jesus suffering is going to be so much greater.

And as Jesus has revealed these things to the disciples, fear and sorrow has been their primary reactions.

So now John is emphasizing the timeframe that all this is going to happen in.

But we cannot and should not underplay how horrifying the next 72 hours are going to be for the disciples.

They are going to see one of their brothers in arms betray Jesus.

All of this stuff is going to happen in just “a little while”. All the “bad” stuff Jesus has predicted is about to happen.

But just a little while after that they are going to see him again.

They are going to see the Lord they love so much abused and disfigured and then murdered.

It’s going to be horrible for them.

See one of the blessings Jesus is giving them is the knowledge that this time of intense grief and sorrow is going to be short.

But Jesus loves them, and has compassion on them. And even though He’s about to go through the worst of it, He’s preparing them.

One of the things I’ve mentioned throughout this conversation is how the disciples focus and reaction to Jesus is really on how it will affect them. “Jesus it’s going to be terrible for us when you are beaten beyond recognition and nailed to a cross to die by suffocation.”

And I’ve emphasized the fact that Jesus suffering is going to be so much greater.

Giving them the hope that they need.

But we cannot and should not underplay how horrifying the next 72 hours are going to be for the disciples.

They are going to experience the depths of despair and sorrow.

For a little while.

They are going to see one of their brothers in arms betray Jesus.

And then they will see him again.

They are going to see the Lord they love so much abused and disfigured and then murdered.

It’s going to be horrible for them.

See in the mercy of Jesus He tells them what to expect.

But Jesus loves them, and has compassion on them. And even though He’s about to go through the worst of it, He’s preparing them.

But he encourages them by telling them that this climax of suffering will be “a little while”.

Giving them the hope that they need.

So John is pulling out all the stops to make sure we get this picture: the timeframe is “a little while.”

They are going to experience the depths of despair and sorrow.

But the reason it is getting repeated in the conversation between Jesus and the disciples is because they still don’t fully get what’s going on.

Jesus tells them it will be a little while, and they start talking amongst themselves. “What does he mean?”

For a little while.

And then they will see him again.

But for whatever reason, they are hesitant to ask Jesus.

See in the mercy of Jesus He tells them what to expect.

And Jesus knows them. He knows what’s going on.

So He explains: this is what I mean: verse 20

But he encourages them by telling them that this climax of suffering will be “a little while”.

So John is pulling out all the stops to make sure we get this picture: the timeframe is “a little while.”

You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.

But the reason it is getting repeated in the conversation between Jesus and the disciples is because they still don’t fully get what’s going on.

You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy

And then Jesus gives this amazing word picture to help us understand:

Jesus tells them it will be a little while, and they start talking amongst themselves. “What does he mean?”

He shows the picture of a woman in the midst of the pains of labor. It’s one of the most intense pains possible for a human to experience. But the moment that baby is placed in the Mother’s arms, it’s all worth it. And as time goes one, the joy of that new life only grows, and the memory of the intense pain begins to fade.

But for whatever reason, they are hesitant to ask Jesus.

In verse 22 he continues:

And Jesus knows them. He knows what’s going on.

So He explains: this is what I mean: verse 20

You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,

You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.

The pain they are experiencing and will continue to experience for this “little while” will be overwhelming.

But Joy is coming.

You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy

And then Jesus gives this amazing word picture to help us understand:

When they see him again,

They will have joy and “no one will take your joy from you.”

He shows the picture of a woman in the midst of the pains of labor. It’s one of the most intense pains possible for a human to experience. But the moment that baby is placed in the Mother’s arms, it’s all worth it. And as time goes one, the joy of that new life only grows, and the memory of the intense pain begins to fade.

There is a before and after here.

In verse 22 he continues:

Slide

You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,

The pain they are experiencing and will continue to experience for this “little while” will be overwhelming.

The disciples are in the middle of the story.

But Joy is coming.

They are in the darkest part of the night before the sunrise breaks over the horizon.

And right now they have sorrow.

When they see him again,

That’s the before.

They will have joy and no one will take your joy from you.

But Christ is about to go defeat death.

New section:

Here Jesus captures the before and after for the disciples: before his death and resurrection they are afraid and dismayed. But when they see him again, resurrected, having defeated death itself, their sorrow will be replaced by Joy that no one can take from them.

And he’s going to rise from the dead, winning righteousness and eternal life for all who put their trust in him.

And after He rises again, they are going to see Him.

We are in a place where we are experiencing both the before and after.

We can identify with the disciples because we continue to feel the effects of a broken world, the crying out of the world in the midst of brokenness and suffering.

And they will be filled with His joy from that moment forward.

The before is filled with sorrow, but the After is life filled with joy that can only be compared to the joy a mother finds in the birth of her child.

The world will continue to break our hearts to the extent that we put our hope and joy in earthly things.

The world rejoices in the wrong things. And the Joy worldly things bring to us is only temporary.

And this is a joy that no one and no circumstance can take from them.

Right now the disciples are dismayed at the thought of Jesus being ripped away from them.

True joy comes from recognizing that Jesus has already won the victory, recognizing what He has given us, and recognizing how God is at work in our lives.

But once God’s glorious plan of redemption is completed. They will have immense joy in that victory.

But we also get to live in the “After” Jesus is talking about. He has already defeated death. He has already won our freedom and guaranteed our inheritance. He has already sent His Spirit. He has already ascended to the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us. He has won us the right to ask the Father anything “in His name.”

[Joy is intended to carry them through everything they’ll face]

[importance of joy]

What does joy look like?

Contentment ?

?

Do you have that joy?

If not, why not?

Is it because you don’t know Christ?

Or is it because we have put our hope and joy in lesser things?

New section:

We are in a place where we are experiencing both the before and after.

We can identify with the disciples because we continue to feel the effects of a broken world, the crying out of the world in the midst of brokenness and suffering.

The world will continue to break our hearts to the extent that we put our hope and joy in earthly things. (?)

The world rejoices in the wrong things. And the Joy worldly things bring to us is only temporary.

True joy comes from recognizing that Jesus has already won the victory, recognizing what He has given us, and recognizing how God is at work in our lives.

But we also get to live in the “After” Jesus is talking about. He has already defeated death. He has already won our freedom and guaranteed our inheritance. He has already sent His Spirit. He has already ascended to the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us. He has won us the right to ask the Father anything “in His name.”