There is Victory in Jesus

Praise and Prayer

This morning we are starting a series titled Journey to the Cross, as the next few weeks leading up to Easter we will look at some different things that Jesus and the disciples went through leading up to the crucifixion.

This morning we will be looking in John chapter 16:29-33 as we look at how Jesus told the disciples that he had conquered the world.

Today’s message is titled there is Victory in Jesus, no matter what we face in this world, we can be assured that there is victory when we have Jesus’ in our life.

In the end of chapter 15 of John Jesus is telling the disciples that they will face persecution and tribulation because they are followers of his.

Then at the very end of chapter 15 and in the very beginning of 16 Jesus tells them of the counselor which is the Holy Spirit, that he will leave and send the Counselor.

Jesus told the disciples that it was for their benefit that he goes back to heaven and that he sends the Holy Spirit to them.

Jesus then tells them about him leaving earth, and the struggles of end times and that he will return, but for now he is returning to the Father.

This brings us to our text, John 16:29-33

John 16:29–33 CSB

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.”

I. Do You Believe? Vs. 29-30

John 16:29–30 CSB

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.”

We know that Jesus generally taught in parables, and would use figurative language to be able to connect with those that He was speaking too.

But here the disciples say, you are speaking clearly, you are not using figurative language.

What are they are referring to here is when Jesus was talking to them about his death and resurrection.

Each time he mentioned it to them, they did not understand what he was talking about.

They did not understand the figurative language that he was using but here they said, you are now speaking clearly.

Now because they understood what Jesus had been talking about they said, we know that you know everything and you do not need anyone to question you.

And because of all of this we believe that you cam from God. See up to this point they were following Jesus as the Messiah, but more as a great teacher, a great Rabbi.

But now they realize that Jesus is more than just a Rabbi, he is from God, he is the Son of God.

See there was still some doubt that remained in them, I think about the story in Mark 9, of the man who brought his son to Jesus.

Jesus, Peter, James and John went up the mount and the three disciples seen Jesus transfigured as he meet with Moses and Elijah.

After coming down from the mountain a man comes to Jesus and says my son has a spirit that makes him unable to speak, and it seizes him and throws him down, he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.

The man states that he asked the other nine disciples to drive out this spirit but they could not, Jesus replies with: You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you?

They brought the boy to Jesus, and Jesus asks the father: How long has this been happening to him?

From childhood, the father states, he continues with, the spirit cause him to be cast into fire and water to destroy the boy.

In Mark 9:23-24

Mark 9:23–24 CSB

23 Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

The disciples had been with Jesus, at the point in our main text of John 16; leading up to the cross, they had been with him roughly 3 to 3 and half years.

But there was still times they dealt with doubt, but doubt can turn to faith when the Holy Spirit illuminates us, but we have to give place to the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Our text is the last week Jesus would spend with the disciples before his crucifixion.

The difference between not understanding and understanding the Bible comes not from years of seminary training, but from the presence and teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Another words a person can have multiple doctorate degrees in biblical study, but not have the illumination of the Holy Spirit, and they will not understand it like the person who has no degrees and yet has the illumination of the Holy Spirit in their life.

John 14:26 CSB

26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

II. Will be Scattered Vs. 31-32

John 16:31–32 CSB

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.

After all the teachings, all the things they have been involved in with Jesus, and all the miracles they have witnessed Jesus do, and now because he spoke clearly for them, now they recognize him, they will Identify that he is from God.

Jesus responds, do you now believe? Jesus was in a sense being sarcastic; like really I change the way I am teaching and now you believe.

Jesus then tells the disciples a time is coming when each of you will be scattered, you will leave me alone, but I will not be alone, because the Father is with me.

We know that when Jesus was arrested in the Garden, that the disciples scattered, they went and hid, Peter followed but at a distance, and then when questioned if he was a follower of Jesus’ he denied it 3 times.

We see other times in Scripture, New Testament that the believers were scattered.

After Stephen was killed for preaching the name of Jesus, and Paul was going around persecuting the believers, they scattered as we see in Acts 8:1-3, but is different from this scattering and when the disciples scattered when Jesus was arrested.

We see what the believers did when they scattered from the persecution in Acts 8:4

Acts 8:4 CSB

4 So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.

These believers went out into the countryside, into other city’s, but as they went they preached the Word of God.

They did not just go hid, they didn’t go home and go back to life as usual but they went out and shared Jesus.

We are see turmoil overseas right now, there are Christians being scattered, and yes its terrible what is happening to those people, but God has a way of turning things to the good.

Romans 8:28 CSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

We are seeing things shaken up here in our own country, are we being bombed, No, do we have war here on our own soil, No.

But we are seeing fuel prices going up, grocery prices going up and that is for the products that you can get. There is a lot of things that are happening that we have no say over, no control over, and we may not be scattered physically, but there are a lot of people spiritually scattered right now.

It is our responsibility to share the love of Jesus Christ with all those we come into contact with, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we are to be the only Bible that some people will see.

Are we being a good ambassador of Jesus Christ, that others may be drawn unto him for salvation.

III. Be Courageous! V. 33

John 16:33 CSB

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 to tell the disciples, I have told you these things, not just the things in our text this morning but the things in the whole chapter, and in back into chapter 15, He has told us these things in order that we may have peace.

But then he tells us, you will have suffering in this world. First, he says so you may have peace, but you will have suffering.

Then he says, Be courageous! He tells them they are going to faces suffering, so he tells them in the face of that suffering, be courageous.

Jesus gives us a reason why we can be courageous when facing the suffering of this world, he says at the end of the verse there, I have conquered the world!

We must remember that we know the end of the story, and if we are a believer, than we are on the winning team.

Jesus has already won the victory, we may face suffering and trials here on this earth, but Jesus has done won the victory.

As a born-again-believer in Jesus Christ, it does not matter what we face in this world, because Jesus has done conquered this world, He has won the victory.

Unfortunately to many Christians walk around as though they are defeated, as though they are on the losing team, and they are afraid of losing/

We have to grab a hold of the victory we have in Jesus Christ, and start living like we have victory, be courageous knowing that no matter what we face in this life, we are on the side that has already won the war, and we will live in paradise for eternity.

The question then is, do you believe you are on the winning team?

Do you believe that there is victory in Jesus as we sang earlier?

Have your received the victory from Jesus, that you get when accepting salvation, and having that personal relationship with him.

Jesus has defeated the enemy, He has won the victory, he wants you on his team, will you accept his invitation?