The Gospel According to John: "Overcoming Sorrow"

Series Introduction:

The theme verse for our series is John 20:31

John 20:31 – “…these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

The “these” John is referring to are the seven recorded SIGNS/miracles and the seven recoded “I Am” STATEMENTS of Jesus. John focused on those 14 key SIGNS and STATEMENTS in order to show us that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the World because He’s God’s only begotten Son. God had John write these things so that we would believe and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ so that by the grace of God we would be FREED from the penalty of our sin and given life to the FULL here on earth and life FOREVER in heaven.

Recap/review/summary:

Sign 1: Water into wine (John 2)

Sign 2: Royal officer’s won healed (John 2)

Sing 3: Lame man healed on Sabbath (John 5)

Sign 4: Feeding the 5 thousand (John 6)

Sign 5: Man born blind given sight (John 9)

Sign 6: Lazarus raised from the dead (John 11)

Sign 7: *(John 20)

I Am Statement 1: The Bread of Life (John 6)

I Am Statement 2: The Light of the World (John 8 & John 9)

I Am Statement 3: The Door (John 10)

I Am Statement 4: The Good Shepherd (John 10)

I Am Statement 5: The Resurrection and the Life (John 11)

I Am Statement 6: The Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14)

I Am Statement 7: The Vine (John 15)

Today is the start of a two part mini series within this mega series. We are going to be talking this week about overcoming sorrow. Next week we will talk about overcoming stress.

[Read Main Text]:

John 16:16–33 (NASB)

16 “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” 17 Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling 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 So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘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, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 21 “Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. 25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26 “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. 28 “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech. 30 “Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Theme verse for the mini series:

(v. 33) “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

What is sorrow?

Dictionary.com says, “a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others.”

Grief is similar… “deep sorrow, especially when caused by someone's death.”

(I’d expand grief to include the death of a meaningful relationship or of heart felt hope and dreams)

Overcoming Sorrow (grief)

(v. 22) 22 “Therefore you too have grief now...

John 16:6 (NASB)

6 “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

John 16:1 (NASB)

1 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 (ESV)

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

(v. 33) “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

[Story John 13-16]

Jesus would be betrayed by one of His own

Jesus would be leaving them soon

People will hate them

People will hurt them

People will have them killed

BUT

From what we’ve seen in John 13-16, it is abundantly clear that in Christ we can have a joy and a peace that overcomes both sorrow and stress. Today I want to show you how God wants to help you overcome sorrow...

They could have increased faith

The could have overflowing joy

They could have unending peace

All in the midst of their sorrows and grief.

How?

The certainty we have in Christ overcomes the doubt we feel in our sorrows.

(v. 17-19, 23) 17 Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling 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 So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’?

John 14:29 (NASB)

29 “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.

Life is certain in Christ.

(v. 20-22a) 20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 21 “Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again...

John 14:1–4 (NASB)

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 “And you know the way where I am going.”

John 14:5–6 (NASB)

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do 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 but through Me.

John 14:19 (NASB)

19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.

Love is certain in Christ.

(v. 27) 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.

John 13:34 (NASB)

34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 15:9 (NASB)

9 “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

John 15:13 (NASB)

13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:14 (NASB)

14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you.

John 14:15 (NASB)

15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 15:10 (NASB)

10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

The joy we have in Christ overcomes the discouragement we feel in our sorrows.

(v. 20, 22) 20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy…

22 “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

John 14:28 (NASB)

28 “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

John 15:11 (NASB)

11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

John 16:23–24 (NASB)

23 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

The peace we have in Christ overcomes the distress we feel in our sorrows.

(v. 33) 33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Philippians 4:7 (NASB)

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 14:27 (NASB)

27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

In Closing:

Psalm 42:5 (ESV)

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation

Revelation 21:4 (ESV)

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

[Pray]

Send everyone out with this last verse:

2 John 3 (NASB)

3 Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Memory Verse of the Week:

2 John 3 (NASB)

3 Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Discussion Questions: (John 16:16-33)

What do you think the “little while” was that Jesus was talking about? (v. 16-18) Why do you think the disciples were confused about this?

If Jesus knew the disciples were confused about the “little while” phrase, why do you think He asked them if they were thinking about it? (v. 19)

Why do you think Jesus used childbirth to illustrate His death and resurrection? (v. 20-21)

According to Jesus, what is the source of joy and why can no one take it away from us? (v. 22) If no one can take it away, why do we sometimes struggle with a lack of joy?

What does it mean to pray in the name of Jesus? (v. 23)

Why does God answer prayer? (v. 24-27)

How can we know the love of the Father? (v. 27)

Why did where Jesus came from and where He was going matter? (v. 28)

What was it that caused the disciples to believe they believed? (v. 29-30)

Why do you think Jesus pushed back on the disciple’s deceleration of faith? (v. 31-32)

What is it that can give us “peace” in the midst of “tribulation”? Are there any specific things that Jesus spoke in John chapters 13-16 that personally give you peace?

Did anything else in John 16:16-33 stick out to you?

How do you believe God is leading you to respond to His word?