The Light of Life (16)

Turning Terrible Times To ________

In Eccle it says

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 CSB

1 There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; 3 a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; 5 a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; 6 a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; 7 a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; 8 a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

In other words no one is promised a life of only blessing

in fact the opposite..... Christians are promised troubling times:

turn your Bibles to John 16 ( that is where we will be today

John 16:33 (CSB)

33 ...You will have suffering in this world. .....”

What we suffer varies....

and we cant understand other peoples suffering unless you lived it.

in fact many times we dont understand our own suffering.

In Chapter 16 Jesus explains 4 reasons for our suffering

and each reason has to do with all 4 universal personalities

the 4 univeral personailites are:

World

Satan

God

Believers

So when Suffering happens it effects: the world, , Satan,God and the Believers

LEts pray

as we read through chapter 16 in our 4 sections based on the 4 reasons for our suffering that have to do with all 4 universal personalities I will point out each form of suffering Jesus mentions (there is 8)

1. Suffering by the WORLD

John 16:1–3 NKJV

1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

The world doesn't know the Father or Jesus so they will cause suffering.

there is 3 forms of suffering (out of 8) we see in this section:

Stumbling (v.1)

the Gk word here is σκανδαλίζω (to cause to sin)

so based on our section the world will seek to cause you to sin.

(pornography, drugs. alcohol, comparisons (pride, envy, covet), lazyness (entertainment), (idolatry)

2. Put out of Synagogues (v.2)

so based on our section the world will seek to get you out of fellowship

maybe its believe lies like I dont need church,

maybe its to cause you to commit a sin to get you kick out of the church

3. Kill you (v.3)

So based on our section the world will seek to destroy you

So we saw the first our of the 4 reasons why we suffer (which is because of the world)

lets look at the second reason to why we suffer.

2. Suffering by Satan

John 16:11 NLT

11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

Here we see Satan will is judged for what He has done:

what has Satan done?

lemme share ___ verses

1 Peter 5:8 CSB

8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

John 10:10 (NKJV)

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

Satan causes suffering by stealing, killing, and destroying

So we saw the first and second of the 4 reasons why we suffer (which is because of the world, and Satan)

lets look at the third reason to why we suffer:

This is the biggest reason and we will just read the whole chapter except for the last verse

3.Suffering For Power of God

Just note that Jesus briefly talks about the evils of our suffering but focuses onto the good of our suffering

John 16:4–32 NKJV

4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. “And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. 16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” 17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “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 go to the Father’?” 18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.” 19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.” 29 His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

In this section we read of the 4th -8th ways we suffer

4. Suffer from Jesus not physically present with us (v.5-6; 16-18; 20; 22)

5. Suffer lack of belief (v.8-10, 24)

6.Suffer lack of unity (v.32)

7. Suffer our own abandoning of Jesus (v.32)

IHere we read that suffering is to bring us to the power of God

The power of God is the HS and we read that the Holy Spirit does 5 things:

Convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment

2. guide into all truth (v.13)

3. tell you things to come (v.13)

4. Glorify Jesus (v.14)

5 To take from Jesus and declare it to you (v.14)

all things are His (v.15)

Galatians 5:22–23(CSB)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, and self-control.

Here we can see that we can receive Gods presence in the midst of our suffering

So we saw the first second, and 3rd of the 4 reasons why we suffer (which is because of the world, and Satan, and for the power of God )

lets look at the 4 reason to why we suffer:

4. Suffering for your own peace

John 16:33 NKJV

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

In this section we read of the last for of our suffering:

8. Tribulations (v.33)

gk: θλῖψις (theepsiss) - an oppressive state of physical, mental, social, or economic adversity

you are promised ^^^^^

but this suffering is for your peace.

because

Jesus has overcome the World

thaqt we saw early is a cause to our suffering, because it ran by the Satan.

If Jesus conquered the World

He can conquer your problems

When the Holy Spirit empowers us through our suffering

Sorrow is turned into joy (v.20)

we will see Jesus again (v.22)

We will remember what Jesus says (v.4)

Note the Holy Spirit cant remind you of something you never read or heard. So it is important to know and read scripture… so the HS can remind you when you are suffering

4. Receive a joy no one can steal (v.22)

5. Ask and receive from God (v.23)

6. We no longer need Jesus to pray on our behalf because we believe in Jesus and because the Father loves us for loving Jesus so we can pray to God directly (v.26-27)