Sermon Tone Analysis

This day marks the exact middle of the season of Easter.

That most joyful of days in which our Lord conquered death was but three weeks ago, and yet, in the little while since, many of us have already attended a funeral.

This day is called Jubilate, which means “Rejoice”, but the theme of this day concerns sorrow.

While it’s true that Jesus says the sorrow will turn to joy, it doesn’t happen as quickly as we would like.

We want an end to all suffering now.

Jesus says it will happen in “a little while.”

He said to His disciples, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me” (Jn 16:16).

Repetition is the mother of learning.

What does Jesus want us to learn today?

Consider how many times “a little while” is found in our Gospel text: seven!

Try counting them if you like.

It must be important.

When Jesus talked about “a little while” the disciples had some questions.

And we probably have some of the same questions: “What exactly does Jesus mean by a little while?”

He says that He is going away, but in a little while we will see Him again.

He says that we will have sorrow now, but only for a little while.

So, how long is a little while?

If a husband tells his wife he’ll be home from work in a little while, she expects to see him within an hour or two at most.

Jesus said that we would see Him in a little while, and it’s been two-thousand years and counting.

Clearly, God has a different way of keeping time than we do.

This time of suffering between Easter and the Return of Christ feels like eternity, but it’s not.

In fact, compared to eternity, even two-thousand years isn’t much more than a snap of the fingers.

But like the disciples, we still have questions.

We want to know when we will see Jesus.

And in the meantime, we want to know what God is up to.

I can’t answer the first question.

No one, not even the Son, knows the hour of our Lord’s return.

But I can answer the second: God is up to your good.

That’s what He is doing in the meantime.

I know you don’t like pain.

Neither do I.

You don’t like heartache, or sickness.

You really don’t like death.

Nobody does.

And so you probably won’t like what I say next, but it will still be true: suffering is good for you.

Right, I don’t like that either, but it doesn’t change the truth: suffering is good for you.

But why?

This is important.

Not because we like pain or are happy about sorrow.

No. Suffering itself is not good.

It’s terrible.

It’s the consequence of sin in our broken world.

We don’t like suffering and God doesn’t like it for us either.

It’s not good of itself.

But suffering is good for you.

Why?

Because God has promised to make it good.

Suffering is a thing.

God works all things together for your good.

So, even suffering is for your good.

Jesus compares the suffering of a Christian to childbirth.

Next to physical death, labor in childbirth is the most pronounced portrait of the curse, the terrible consequence of Adam’s sin.

There should never have been pain associated with childbirth.

What should have been the most joyous and glorious moment of life, where women are permitted to participate in the act of Creation itself, is, because of our sin, painful, bloody, and dangerous.

So is all Christian suffering in this world.

It’s real.

It’s dangerous.

It’s painful.

But, like childbirth, it has purpose.

In spite of the brokenness of life in a sinful world, God uses suffering to accomplish His eternal purpose.

He uses suffering for your good.

Now, while you are suffering, God doesn’t ask you to be happy about it.

We’re not masochists who pretend to like pain.

No, it hurts, and we want it to stop!

Being a Christian is not about enjoying sorrow; it is about enduring sorrow with hope.

It willbe for your good.

Suffering in this world causes you to cling ever more tightly to the promise of the world to come, looking with longing for the fulfillment of Jesus’ words, “A little while and I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (Jn 16:22).

But we are generally impatient.

We don’t want to wait a little while, and this is what makes the devil’s lies so enticing.

He promises you joy now—instant gratification, just like the credit card companies.

“Why wait?

Have everything you desire now!”

But in the fine print at the bottom of the contract is eternal sorrow.

Jesus promises sorrow now, but eternal joy hereafter.

And so, trusting in his promises, we pray with the Psalmist, “Make haste, O God, to deliver me.”

We are always wanting God to hurry up—and that’s ok—even though our sorrow is only for a little while.

Christian suffering is custom made.

Each of us suffers in unique ways, though not different in purpose.

So we must resist the temptation to look around and judge one another according to our suffering.

When Jesus predicted how Peter would suffer and be martyred, Peter couldn’t help saying, “But what about John?”

But that’s not our business.

At times it might seem as though other people are getting a free pass, but they aren’t.

You don’t know what sorrow your neighbor carries, and there is a terrible pride in thinking that your suffering is greater than everyone else’s.

No one is spared, but what we get is what God knows we need.

Evil as it appears to our eyes, God promises that He will use every sorrow for our eternal good.

One final point: When does Jesus speak the words of our gospel text?

When does He tell his disciples, “You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (Jn 16:20)?

He says these words on the night He was betrayed.

And why is this important?

Because this is the night that Jesus institutes His Holy Supper.

He is giving us the food to help us endure the suffering of this world with hope and with faith.

Even as he prepares for His own greatest suffering and death, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, provides His flock with the food we will need during the little while of our suffering.

“A little while and you will see me,” Jesus says, and so we shall.

In a little while, a few moments, in fact, you will see the Body of Christ held up before you.

This is a promise kept.

“You will see me and you will rejoice!”But

this will not be end of all suffering, not yet.

It is again another little while before that Final Day, but on this day the Lord Jesus gives His broken Body into your mouth as a foretaste of the glorious feast that is to come.

And His Body and Blood will sustain you through all the perils and troubles of this life.

Even though you will be sorrowful now, your sorrow will turn into joy, and no one will take your joy from you.