Season of Resurrection
Fourth
Sunday: John 16:16-24
YOUR SADNESS WILL TURN INTO GLADNESS
INTRODUCTION
In John’s gospel, the long farewell discourse
of Jesus to his disciples revealed many Theological truths and future
events that would happen to him and to his disciples. Jesus gave them
this heads up so they could prepare for the challenges ahead and to keep
up their hope for the eternal reward. Jesus also gave them the privilege
to ask anything to God the Father in his name. He assured them he would
grand their requests in faith for the Kingdom of God’s nourishment.
BIBLE TEXT
(John 16:16)
“A little while and you will see me no more; and then a little
while, and you will see me.” (17) Some of the disciples wondered, “What
does he mean by ‘A little while and you will not see me, and then a
little while, and you will see me’? And why does he say ‘I go to the
Father’?” (18) And they said to one another, “What does he mean by ‘a
little while’? We do not understand.” (19) Jesus knew that they wanted
to question him; so he said to them, “You are puzzled because I told you
that in a little while you will see me no more, and then a little while,
and you will see me. (20) I am telling you the truth, you will weep and
mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will
turn to joy. (21) A woman in childbirth is in distress because her time
is at hand. But after the baby is born, she no longer remembers her
suffering because of such great joy that a child is born into the world.
(22) So it is with you; you feel sorrowful now, but I will see you
again; and your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy from
you. (23) When that day comes you will not ask me anything. Truly, I say
to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.
(24) So far you have not asked anything in my name; so ask and you will
receive that your joy may be full.
INTERPRETATION
In his last discourse
to his disciples, Jesus prepared them for the challenges that he and
they would face. Though Jesus was ready to accept the imminent passion
and death, he had to prepare his disciples. They were lacking clarity on
Jesus’ mission and might get lost in the middle of their master’s most
humiliating “failure” and crucifixion. Jesus, who promised crown through
the cross, was preparing them to understand his cross as a means of his
glory.
(John 16:16) “A little while and you
will see me no more; and then a little while, and you will see me.”
A little while and you will see me no
more.
And then a little while, and you will
see me.
1. Jesus would rise from the dead on the
third day and appear to his disciples who would experience the joy of
his resurrection. He would continue seeing them for 40 days until his
ascension to heaven.
2. Jesus would send his Spirit on the day of
Pentecost. The Holy Spirit would come upon them, and they would
experience Jesus in their lives and ministry as the head of the church.
3. It can be the second coming of Christ,
when the disciples and all the faithful will receive the promised
reward. “Listen to my words: at the renewal of all things, when the Son
of Man sits on his throne in glory, you who have followed me will
yourselves sit on twelve thrones to rule the twelve tribes of Israel.”
(Matthew 19:28).
A little while
(17) Some of the disciples wondered,
“What does he mean by ‘A little while and you will not see me, and then
a little while, and you will see me’? And why does he say ‘I go to the
Father’?”
Only Jesus had a clear picture of what would
happen. Jesus’ statement confused the disciples. They were reluctant to
ask him direct. If Jesus was referring to his death, they could not
imagine how they would see him again. They did not comprehend Jesus’
resurrection. How could they ask of his death when he was only 33 years
of age! Some discussed the issue among themselves.
Why does he say, ‘I go to the Father?’
(18) And they said to one another,
“What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not understand.”
They repeated their lack of understanding on
Jesus’ phrase, “little while.” When was the separation going to take
place? How long would it be? They were trying to understand if any of
them got what Jesus meant.
(19) Jesus knew that they wanted to
question him; so he said to them, “You are puzzled because I told you
that in a little while you will see me no more, and then a little while,
and you will see me.”
Jesus’ teachings were confusing to the
disciples. They were reluctant to ask for clarification. So, they
discussed the topic among themselves. Jesus saw their reaction and
understood that their confusion was on his usage of “a little while.” He
was gracious to clarify their doubt.
(20) I am telling you the truth, you
will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your
grief will turn to joy.
Amen, amen, I say to you.
You will weep and mourn
While the world rejoices
You will grieve, but your grief will
turn to joy.
(21) A woman in childbirth is in
distress because her time is at hand. But after the baby is born, she no
longer remembers her suffering because of such great joy that a child is
born into the world.
The Bible often compares the pain of a
woman in labor to the faithful’s suffering
that would later gain victory. “As a woman with child writhes and moans
in her pain when her time is near, so were we in your presence, O LORD.”
(Isaiah 26:17). “Before being in labor, she gives birth; before birth
pangs came upon her, she delivers a son.” (Isaiah 66:7). The woman had
been foreseeing both the hours of her anguish and its joyful outcome.
Jesus also expected such hours of suffering and joy for him and his
disciples. That example was giving hope to the disciples, though they
could not grasp fully what would happen.
The mother rejoices also because she could
contribute a child to the world. The child is hers and that of the
world. So also, the victory of Jesus and his disciples would be
meritorious for the entire world.
The mother ignores the pangs of childbirth
when she sees the child she gave birth. The victorious outcome helps us
to forget the hardships endured to achieve it. Such was the experience
of the disciples and their successors by the end of their lives. When we
are working for Jesus and his church, we too might also face
tribulations. However, let us be hopeful of the victory to follow.
(22) So it is with you; you feel
sorrowful now, but I will see you again; and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy from you.
I will see you again; and your hearts
will rejoice
Everything happened as Jesus prophesied. The
disciples saw the Risen Lord on and off for forty days. Then he ascended
to heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father. As promised, he sent
the Holy Spirit to guide the disciples. Jesus continues to lead the
church as its head. Though he ascended to heaven, and spiritually
present among the disciples, the church is awaiting his second coming to
reward his righteous with eternal joy. That would be the end of the evil
in this world.
No one will take your joy from you
(23) When that day comes you will not
ask me anything. Truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my
name, he will give you.
When that day comes you will not ask me
anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you
Whatever you ask
This reminds us of King Solomon’s prayer in a
dream at Gibeon after he offered thousand burnt offerings to God. God
gave Solomon the freedom to ask anything he wanted. Solomon asked only
an understanding mind to govern the Lord’s people with ability to
distinguish between good and evil. His prayer pleased the Lord who gave
him wisdom that “no one has had before you nor anyone after you shall
ever have.” Besides, God gave him what he did not ask, including wealth,
fame, and long life. (1 Kings 3:4-15). So, our prayers should not be for
material prosperity but for God’s praise and for the growth of the
church through our lives. Then God will provide whatever we need.
Ask the Father in my name he will give
you.
When we pray in Jesus’s name, we are
acknowledging our faith in him as our mediator and recognizing our
unworthiness to receive favors from God on our own behalf. As sinners,
we are like the prodigal son who was unworthy to claim the lost sonship.
We regained it through the meritorious work of Jesus. “Whatever you do
or say, do it in the name of Jesus the Lord, giving thanks to God the
Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17). “He is the one who made us
acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to
purchase our freedom.” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Jesus gave his disciples
the assurance that because of his meritorious work pleasing to the
Father on our behalf, we are eligible to make the request to the Father
in Jesus’ name. So, the Christian prayers conclude by saying, “we ask
this in the name of Jesus the Lord.”
We are eligible to seek Jesus’ mediation only
if we believe in him and obey his commands. Our prayers should be
consistent with the will of God. “Through him we are fully confident
that whatever we ask according to his will, he will grant us.” (1 John
5:14-15).
(24) So far you have not asked anything
in my name; so ask and you will receive that your
joy may be full.
So far you have not asked anything in
my name.
Ask and you will receive
That your joy may be full
MESSAGE
1. Hardships in our lives, especially during
our service for the church, are not permanent. The Lord will give a
timely solution to our problems, as happened in the church’s history and
many faithful Christians’ lives.
2. The agony we experience when we work for
righteousness’ sake would be temporary, and that would seem less, once
we receive victory with the Lord’s help.
3. We should take failures in our ministry
favorably. Jesus accepted failures, humiliation, torture, and martyrdom
for us. However, the victory was waiting for him and his faithful
servants. So also, will be our case when we follow Jesus and work
according to his precepts.
4. Let us not be jealous on the prosperity or
rejoicing of the worldly people. Our goal should be far beyond temporal
happiness. Let us remember the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
There can be a reversal of rejoicing at the last judgement when the Lord
will come again to judge the living and the dead.
5. With their limited and mundane knowledge,
the disciples could not understand all the truth that Jesus shared. They
got clarity only when they received the Holy Spirit on the day of
Pentecost. Let us also rely on the divine revelation through the Holy
Bible and the teachings of the Church.
6. Christ’s disciples have the privilege to ask anything for the Kingdom of God in Jesus’ name. Since Jesus removed the barrier the original sin created, we became children of God. So, we have the freedom to ask favors from the Father in Jesus’ name.