The Disciples' Grief Will Turn to Joy

HOOK

How’s your weekend? Ours was great! Met Melissa Villero [from Leyte]— [SHOW PHOTO OF DRIVE IN SERVICE]

Last Monday here at “The Message” we talked about the work of the Holy Spirit where we learned the following:

THROUGH ME, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL TESTIFY ABOUT JESUS

THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GUIDE ME INTO ALL THE TRUTH

THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL TELL ME WHAT IS YET TO COME

And then the days that ensued, since I was on a camping trip with the Agape Boys, we took a break on the verse by verse study of the gospel of John, but instead, we had a random and spontaneous, Holy Spirit led devotionals

Today we will resume with our verse by verse study of the Gospel of John— we are still on the farewell discourse of our Lord Jesus— we will pick it up from where we left off last Monday, and that will be about the Disciples’ grief that was turn into joy

Open your Bible to JOHN 16:16-24, once you get there, type Amen!

CHARACTER, COMMAND, PROMISES, CONVICTIONS, EXAMPLES, CHALLENGES AND ENCOURAGEMENT

Read JOHN 16:16-24

BOOK

John 16:16–24 NIV

16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” 17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” 19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

KEYWORDS found here: GRIEF & JOY

LOOK

IN A LITTLE WHILE YOU WILL SEE ME NO MORE

and then after a little while you will see me— the disciples did not understand that Jesus was already telling them in advance about his death and resurrection

This was not the first time Jesus told them this, but still they don’t get it— John 7:33, John 14:18-20

YOU WILL WEEP AND MOURN WHILE THE WORLD REJOICES

The religious leaders seeking to kill Jesus are equated with the world— because they represent everything that Jesus is opposed to

YOU WILL GRIEVE, BUT YOUR GRIEF WILL TURN TO JOY

Jesus was telling them in advance that they will grieve when He dies— but their grief will turn into joy when they see him after his resurrection

And then Jesus used a pregnant woman [Jaja & Angeline] to illustrate and help them understand what He’s telling them

We grieve over many things, but Jesus turns those grief into joy

NO ONE WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR JOY

The first time he appeared to his disciples after resurrecting from the dead, he showed his hands and they were overjoyed— JOHN 20:20

From that day forward, no one were able to take that joy away from them— and we as Christians, shares that joy

ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, AND YOUR JOY WILL BE COMPLETE

He said this too in — MATTHEW 7:7-8

How many answered prayers have you had?

Aren’t those answered prayers gives you joy?

TOOK

JESUS WILL TURN MY GRIEF INTO JOY

NO ONE WILL TAKE AWAY MY JOY

GOD ANSWERS MY PRAYERS AND IT MAKES MY JOY COMPLETE