GRIEF AND FEAR TURNED TO JOY AND PEACE

JOY AND PEACE

Grief Turns to Joy (16:17–24) Grief turns to joy when believers understand the Lord, actualize the hope of seeing him again, and ask in his name. The result is not just grief followed by joy but the actual transforming of grief into joy.

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.

I. Grief Turns to Joy Because we understand him (16-20)

A. Ascension—v. 16. Christ speaks of His ascension. He spoke earlier of this in John 14:1–6 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;[a] believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”[c] 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

It was fulfilled in Acts 1:9–11 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

B. Asking—vv. 17–18. The disciples didn’t understand His words. They heard Him speak, but didn’t seem to fully understand.

We see here the communication process – says, said, saying, mean, talking

Jesus spoke but they did not understand – what happened to the disciples can happen to us

Last week we saw how confusion can turn to truth and now we look at how grief turns to joy.

Crucifixion—vv. 19–20. Christ speaks of His death. His enemies would rejoice and His friends would weep. The prophet Isaiah speaks of Christ’s death in Isaiah 53.

Grief turns to joy because we understand Him but it also turns to joy because

II. WE SEE HIM AGAIN

A. Comparison—vv. 21–22. A woman suffers much in childbirth. Yet all suffering is forgotten when the child is born. Suffering is converted to Joy. No one can take away that joy. His followers, then and now, would suffer now, but His resurrection brings joy, WHICH NO ONE COULD TAKE AWAY.

Grief turns to joy because we understand and will see Him again, but finally Grief is turned to joy because

III. WE ASK IN HIS NAME

A. Asking—vv. 23–24. Twofold:

1. Person—v. 23. Ask God to meet your needs.

Needs not wants

2. Pleasure—v. 24. Ask that your joy may be full.

Grief turns to Joy and Fear Turns to Peace

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. 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! 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.”

Fear turns to Peace Because

I. The Father loves us —vv. 25–28

A. Proverbs—v. 25. Christ was now speaking in proverbs, or parables. Later they would fully understand. When the Holy Spirit came, He would help them understand. Also, this could mean that after they were in heaven, they would fully understand. See 1 Corinthians 13:12 – For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

B. Prayer—v. 26. We should pray in the name of Jesus. We are saved in His name—Romans 10:13 – For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Compare with John 14:13 – Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Fear turns to Peace Because the Father Loves us but also because

II. The Son claims us

A. Plan—vv. 27–28. God loves the man who loves Christ, because Christ came from the Father. Now He would return to the Father.

III. The Spirit illumines us —vv. 29–30

A. Plainness—vv. 29–30. Now the followers believe. Christ always used simple speech. Simplicity plus the Holy Spirit’s application of the Scripture makes it powerful, and easy to understand.

IV. We learn to trust the Father (16:31–32)

A. Prophecy—vv. 31–32. The disciples would be scattered. They would be left alone. Christ would not be alone, since God would be with Him at all times.

V. We learn to apply the Son’s victory (16:33)

His Victory Brings

1. Peace—“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.” See John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

2. Problems—“In the world ye shall have tribulation.” Often the Christian has more problems than the sinners. However, he has God to help with these problems.

3. Power—“But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” See 1 John 4:4 – Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Christ overcame temptation—Matthew 4:1–11. With Him “living in us” we can overcome all sin and temptation.

The Father loves us – we need to call on Him – pray to Him

My dad -

Hello God, I called tonight to talk a little while

I need a friend who’ll listen to my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can’t quite make it through a day just on my own.

I need your love to guide me so I’ll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep my family safe and sound

Come and fill their lives with confidence for whatever fate they’re bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face each hour throughout the day

And not to worry over things I can’t change in any way.

I thank you God for being home and listening to my call,

For giving me such good advice when I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one that answers every time,

I never get a busy signal, never had to pay a dime.

So, thank you God for listening to my troubles and my sorrow.

Good night, God, I love you too

Hello God, I called tonight to talk a little while

I need a friend who’ll listen to my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can’t quite make it through a day just on my own.

I need your love to guide me so I’ll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep my family safe and sound

Come and fill their lives with confidence for whatever fate they’re bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face each hour throughout the day

And not to worry over things I can’t change in any way.

I thank you God for being home and listening to my call,

For giving me such good advice when I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one that answers every time,

I never get a busy signal, never had to pay a dime.

So, thank you God for listening to my troubles and my sorrow.

Good night, God, I love you too

God is always there for us – in our darkest hour and in the spotlight of triumph

God is Good no matter what the answer is to prayer – He is not Good because He answers Yes or Not Yet.

God is Good because of who He is

God is Good all the time – All the Time God is Good.

What Fear can you hand over to Him and allow Him to turn it to Peace.

Let us Pray!