Your Sorrow Turned To Joy

John 16:16–33 ESV

“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 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’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 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’? 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. 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. 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. 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. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. “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. 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; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 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.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 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. 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.”

The Sorrow is temporary

John 16:16–20 ESV

“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 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’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 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’? 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.

He knows The cross is coming in the morning

Disciples will flee in mere hours and mourn for days

The world will rejoice that the “blasphemer” is dead

Satan will think he has overcome God’s son

Yet all this is temporary 3 days

Then they will see Christ

We can take heart that our sorrow in this world is temporary also

Soon we will see Christ rather in death or in the rapture.

The Reward is worth it

John 16:20–22 ESV

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. 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. 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.

All the pain all the heartache all the sorrow will be nothing besides the Joy

Compares it to childbirth

It’s funny how a woman can spend months in pain endure weight gain tiredness back pains etc for months then hours in labor only to deliver a child and then smile down at it.

Jesus says their joy is the the same except for one thing

It is Permanent!

So also is our Joy when we see Christ.

How wonderful it will be to see our Lord face to face

As the song says I can only imagine that day and what I will do

But I know this it will be marvelous just to be in the presense of my Redeemer.

Victory comes through Christ

John 16:25–33 ESV

“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. 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; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 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.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 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. 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.”

Finally I want you to notice thew tense of the text that the Joy comes to the disciples while they are still upon the earth

Indeed Jesus says in me you will have peace.

Yes in this world you will have tribulations - troubles heartaches

But because of Christ you will have peace and joy

Why?

Because Jesus has overcome the world

Victory is not something we will get one day in the sweet by and by

Salvation is not yet a far off

The new life The changed man/woman whom is remade in the image of God is not yet to come but is now

We will not one day have victory we will not one day have peace we will not one day have joy We are victorious we posses peace and Joy For all who believe in Christ and have given their hearts to God already possess these things.

The New life has begun Let us take heart for Jesus has overcome death hell and the Grave and has granted us forgiveness and eternal life forever with him. Our Sorrow is no more Let us be filled with His Joy. May we tell all we meet of the joy in our hearts we are the friends of God our Redeemer lives. God is not Dead I Say again GOd is not dead He is Alive!!!

Invitation

Christians Are you filled with the Joy of the Lord this morning? Do you Have his peace? Are you living the new Life of victory over sin. Or have you fallen prey to the lies of Satan that you are powerless over your sin so why bother trying. Brothers and Sisters it is true we once were bound by our sin but now in Christ we have been set free we have the choice to do wrong or to do right Do not be bound again but live free. Rejoice again I say Rejoice for we are made free by the blood of Christ, Therefore repent and ask that you may be filled with Joy and peace from Him who gives freely.

Yet maybe there are those here who have never given their lives to Christ, you are still living among the world bound by your sin I ask you Do you desire freedom to do what is Good. Is not the past long enough to do evil will you not choose to live now for God. Will you repent and choose to give your life to him. Simply admit your sin before the Perfect God and ask him to cleanse you of your sin and make Him Lord of your life and you too can be saved from Sin and have peace with God and Joy forevermore. Will you repent today