I Still Got Joy

16 “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.” 17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.” 19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you. 23 “In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

Introduction:

FOCUS TEXT: John 16:20

John 16:20 CSB

20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.

Jesus promises them weeping, mourning, and sorrow. He also states that that sorrow will turn to joy. (the world will have joy at the cost of their suffering)

Their grief was heavy (they went back to doing what they were doing after Jesus death).

Their joy was exceeding (they were willing to die for their faith after seeing the resurrected Christ).

Joy is reasonable when we take into account the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Philippians 3:1 CSB

1 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.

Paul is in jail but he encourages them to rejoice

our perspective of Christ will dictate our perspective of life (He has conquered sin and death....... life aint been the same since death died)

our interpretation of the good and bad in life is filtered through the lens of the gospel and not solely our experiences.

Acts 5:40–42 CSB

40 After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. 41 Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name. 42 Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Our Hope is Built on Christ

Romans 5:1–5 CSB

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

“Joy is the natural reaction to the work of God, whether promised or fulfilled” (got questions.com)

The Greek chara is closely related to charis, which means “grace” or “a gift.” Chara is the normal response to charis

This does not mean that we act like pain and suffering doesn’t exist. (suppress)

2 Corinthians 6:4–10 CSB

4 Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties, 5 by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, 6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; 9 as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; 10 as grieving, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.