In the Gospel of John, we'll be in chapter 16, verse 16.
So we've got 18 verses left in this chapter,
and these verses give us the final words of Jesus with his disciples
before he prays his high priestly prayer
and then moves to the Garden of Gethsemane where he'll be arrested.
As usual in John's Gospel, there's a lot in these 18 verses.
I had a difficult time breaking this up into pieces and finding clear divisions here.
There's kind of several themes or topics kind of woven through all of these 18 verses.
So I'm going to focus not on all the verses in the chapter,
but just on the main conversation arc of this passage.
And we'll save some of those other themes perhaps for another message.
So we start here in verse 16 with Jesus making this statement to his disciples.
In a little while you will see me no more.
And then after a little while you will see me.
Now this is a statement that proved confusing to Jesus' disciples,
as we'll see in a minute.
What is Jesus talking about?
All through this evening, Jesus has been telling his disciples about how he is leaving.
And not only his disciples, but actually Jesus has been telling even the crowds this for some time now.
Is this what Jesus is talking about again here?
How he's about to leave them?
Let's just look quickly at some of the previous statements Jesus made.
All the way back in John chapter 7, verse 33.
Jesus said this to the crowds.
He said,
I am with you for only a short time.
And then I'm going to the one who sent me.
You will look for me, but you will not find me.
And where I am, you cannot come.
And then again in John chapter 12, a while later,
Jesus said this to the crowd in Jerusalem.
You are going to have the light just a little while longer.
Walk while you have the light before darkness overtakes you.
And of course, Jesus was referring to himself as the light,
which we see just a little ways down the page in verse 46 of chapter 12.
And then in the upper room, this same night,
where they ate the Passover meal,
right after Judas left to get things ready to betray Jesus,
Jesus said this to the 11 apostles who were with him.
My children, I will be with you only a little longer.
You will look for me.
And just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now,
where I'm going, you cannot come.
And there was this little discussion about where Jesus was going.
Peter asked the question, Lord, where are you going?
And Jesus replied, where I'm going, you cannot follow now,
but you will follow later.
And then Jesus went on to talk about the father's house
and how he was going away to prepare a place for them.
And you know the way to the place where I am going, said Jesus.
And of course, Thomas asked the question,
Lord, we don't know where you're going.
So how can we know the way?
And Jesus answered, I am the way.
No one comes to the father except through me.
And it just goes on from there.
All through this evening, chapter 14, verse 18 and 19,
Jesus says, I will not leave you as orphans.
I will come to you.
Before long, the world will not see me anymore,
but you will see me.
And down in verse 25,
All this I have spoken while still with you, said Jesus.
And verse 27,
Peace I leave with you.
So Jesus has made it abundantly clear that he is going away.
In fact, just minutes ago,
before the passage we're looking at today,
he said,
Very truly I tell you,
it is for your good that I am going away.
So he's made it clear that he is leaving.
But up until this moment,
all of this has been really confusing for the disciples.
They don't understand what he's talking about.
And so Jesus, I think, states it one more time
here in verse 16
to change the subject right to this.
Let's talk about this.
In a little while you will see me no more.
And then after a little while,
you will see me.
And John tells us what he and the other disciples
were thinking about this.
At this, some of his disciples said to one another,
What does he mean?
By saying,
In a little while you will see me no more.
And then after a little while you will see me.
And because I am going to the Father,
they kept asking,
What does he mean?
By a little while.
We don't understand what he is saying.
So picture this.
Jesus is either standing or sitting
with these 11 men all around him.
And he's speaking to the whole group.
And you can imagine them
almost like students in the classroom.
Kind of listening,
but then whispering to each other.
What do you think he means by that?
What is he saying?
They didn't get it.
They knew he was going away,
but where to?
What is this place where we can't follow him?
What does he mean?
I'm going to the Father.
How long is a little while?
When does it start?
When will it end?
Well, it was pretty obvious to Jesus
that they were confused and didn't get it.
Verse 19,
Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this,
so he said to them,
Are you asking one another what I meant
when I said,
In a little while you will see me no more,
and then after a little while,
you will see me?
Let's just talk about it,
says Jesus.
And now Jesus begins to address their confusion
and answer their questions.
Verse 20,
Very truly,
says Jesus,
I tell you,
you will weep
and mourn
while the world rejoices.
You will grieve,
but
your grief
will turn
to joy.
Now this may not be quite the answer
they were expecting.
If I'm one of those 11 disciples,
I'm kind of hoping
that Jesus is going to give me some dates,
some numbers.
Like,
tell me,
in hours or days,
how long will this first little while be?
And when does it start?
And how long
till we see you again?
Jesus doesn't give them numbers
to measure by.
Instead,
he gives them some
emotional signposts.
First,
Jesus says,
you will weep.
You will mourn
while the world
rejoices.
But then,
your grief
will turn
to joy.
This time
that's about to come
during which
you will see me no more,
it will be a time
characterized
by sorrow.
But then,
that sorrow
will lift.
It will break.
And there will be joy.
Jesus gives them
an illustration
of what it will be like.
He says,
it will be like
how things go with a woman
as she gives birth
to a child.
A woman giving birth
to a child
has pain
because her time
has come.
But when her baby
is born,
she forgets the anguish
because of her joy
that a child
is born into the world.
so with you.
Now is your time
of grief.
But I will see you again
and you will rejoice
and no one
will take away
your joy.
So first,
you will weep.
You will mourn.
You will grieve.
There will be pain.
There will be anguish.
But then,
all of that
will melt away
and give way
to joy
and to rejoicing.
Now what is Jesus
referring to
by all this?
I believe Jesus
is referring to
his imminent
suffering
and death
followed by
his resurrection
from the dead
and appearing again
to his disciples.
It's the suffering
and death
of Jesus
that will cause
them to weep
and to mourn
and to grieve,
to feel that anguish
and sorrow.
When will this happen?
In a little while
you will see me no more.
If we follow along
and keep reading the story,
we find out that
this first little while
is less than 24 hours.
In a little while
Jesus will be crucified.
He will be dead.
His body taken down
off the cross,
buried in the tomb.
They won't see him
anymore.
In fact,
this time is so close
that in verse 22
Jesus says,
now is your time
of grief.
It's just,
it's right here.
It's hours away.
It's all this starts.
By this,
by tomorrow afternoon,
the disciples
will be plunged
into the deepest grief
and sorrow
they have ever known
as they watch this
happen to Jesus.
But Jesus wants them
to know in advance
as difficult,
as painful
as that time
will feel,
that pain
and sorrow
and anguish
will break
and it will be
replaced with joy.
Rejoicing.
And I love
the illustration
that Jesus gives.
I'll admit
up front,
being a man,
I will never know
the full extent
of what it's like
to go through labor
and to deliver
a baby,
what that feels like.
But I'll never forget
the birth
of our first child,
Callie.
Nine months
we waited
and the anticipation
just kept building.
What will this child
be like?
Is it a boy?
Is it a girl?
What will she look like?
And then Jen
went into labor
and it was
a long labor.
I forget the exact
number of hours
which proves
Jesus' point.
But something like
20 plus hours
from the time
that the contraction
started
until the time
that it came
for Jen to push.
I was tired.
I was feeling
weary.
It was intense.
And I even got
some sleep
the night before
all this.
But Jen didn't.
She had contractions
through the night
and she was up
through the night.
I can't imagine
how difficult it was
for her
or what it felt like.
But I do remember
those last hours
before Callie was born.
I remember
how long they felt.
I remember
seeing how
worn out
Jen looked.
How tired.
And then eventually
it started to get
really intense.
And the pain
went through the roof
for Jen.
And I just remember
thinking,
this is so grueling.
This is so hard.
How are we going
to get through this?
But I'll never forget
the moment
that Callie was born
and we laid eyes
on her
for the first time
and she was brought
right up
into our arms.
All of that
just melted away.
And we were
so happy.
It was one of the
happiest moments
of my life.
There she was
with all her
sweet little
baby features.
and all that
stuff before
was just gone.
This is the
illustration
Jesus uses
for how it's
going to be
for these men.
It's going to be
hard.
It's going to be
painful.
There will be
anguish
but all of that
will melt away
rather quickly.
In an instant.
You'll forget
the anguish.
It'll be gone.
You will rejoice.
And notice
the quality
of this joy
that will come.
Verse 22.
You will rejoice
and no one
will take away
your joy.
Says Jesus.
This isn't
going to be
a brief glimmer
of happiness
in the midst
of an ever
sorrowful life.
It's going to be
a deep
lasting joy
that doesn't
fade
and that
nobody
can steal
from them
or take
away from
them.
And what
will be
the cause
of this
joy?
Jesus
tells them
there in
verse 22.
Now is
your time
of grief
but I
will see
you
again
and you
will
rejoice.
It is
seeing
Jesus
again
alive
after
his death
that will
bring this
flood of
joy
and push
away
all the
sorrow.
So we
know from
the story
which follows
here in
John and
the other
gospels
that this
second
little while
is the
three days
between
Jesus'
death
and
resurrection
on Sunday
morning.
So what
is Jesus
doing?
He's
preparing
these men
for what's
about to
happen in
less than
24 hours.
He will
be taken
from them.
He will
suffer and
die.
And how
will they
get through
this?
By clinging
to Jesus'
words of
promise
that in
just a
little while
they will
see him
again.
and all
that grief
will give
way to
joy.
To deep
abiding
joy.
Now at
this point
Jesus has
answered their
question.
The first
one anyway.
And it's
easy for us
to see that
because we
kind of can
look back
and we
know how
the story
goes.
But remember
the disciples
I mean
Jesus has
already told
them a few
times he's
going to
die,
he's going
to rise
from the
dead three
days later.
They probably
still aren't
connecting the
dots between
Jesus'
death and
their grief
and Jesus
rising from
the dead
and their
joy,
their rejoicing.
We know
this because
even after
Jesus rises
from the
dead and
the women
see the
empty tomb
and the
angels and
Jesus and
then go tell
the disciples
they don't
believe the
women at
first.
And then
there's this
bit about
Jesus going
to the
father.
When will
that happen?
Does
Jesus go
to the
father when
he dies?
Or is
that later?
So now
Jesus is
going to
answer that
second question.
We're going
to skip over
verses 23 to
27 because
in the midst
there Jesus
weaves in
some stuff
about prayer
and about
asking and
about their
relationship with
the father.
We're going
to go right
down to
verse 28.
28.
Jesus makes
another
statement
very direct
similar to
the one he
just made
and he
answers that
second question
of what he
means when
he says
because I
am going
to the
father.
What does
that mean?
I am going
to the
father.
Verse 28
Jesus says
I came
from the
father and
entered the
world.
Now I
am leaving
the world
and going
back to
the father.
father.
Jesus just
says it
point blank
as direct
as can
be.
He answers
that question
of where
he is going
again and
we could
have probably
come to
this if we
were listening
closely and
following closely
all along
through everything
Jesus has
said.
Notice the
difference
though between
this statement
and the
previous
statement.
The first
one was
explaining how
he would
leave for a
short time
and they
wouldn't see
him referring
to his
death but
then after
a little
while they
would see
him referring
to his
rising from
the dead
and appearing
to them.
But with
this statement
Jesus is
explaining how
things will
go in the
longer term.
He's telling
him the
time has
come for
me to
leave this
world and
go back
to heaven
to the
father.
just as
I came
down from
heaven and
entered the
world the
same way I'm
going out of
the world
now back
to the
father.
Then Jesus'
disciples said
now you're
speaking clearly
and without
figures of
speech.
Now we can
see that you
know all
things and
that you do
not even need
to have anyone
ask you
questions.
This makes
us believe
that you
came from
God.
So the
quarter finally
drops.
The disciples
finally get
it.
At least
this part
of it.
They understand
Jesus is not
leaving them to
go some other
place here on
earth.
This is why
they cannot
follow him.
He came
from heaven
from the
father down
to earth and
now he's going
back to the
father.
back to
heaven.
And he will
be with them
no longer.
This is what
we call
Jesus'
ascension.
Jesus is
foretelling the
day when he
will be taken
up to heaven
and as the
story goes you
can read about
it in Acts
chapter 1.
These same
men are there
and right
before their
eyes Jesus
starts lifting
off the ground
and goes
right up
into the
sky
through the
clouds
and disappears
into heaven.
Now we
understand
they say
we know
what you
mean
when you
say that
you're going
and I love
this little
other part
that they
say
now we
can see
that you
know
all things
will
be crucified.
I think
that's worth
some meditation
and some
thought there.
That's quite
the statement.
But let's
reflect back
on this whole
conversation
this evening.
Jesus has
been telling
these 11
men about
how things
are going
to go
in the next
several months.
All of it.
He's been
telling them
about how
he will
be crucified.
How they
won't see
him anymore.
How he
will rise
from the
dead and
they will
see him
again and
rejoice.
How he
will leave
them and
go to the
father.
How the
spirit will
come down
to them
and guide
them into
all truth
and speak
to them.
And on
and on.
All of it
will happen
exactly like
Jesus is
telling them
it will
happen.
Disciples
haven't even
lived through
all of this
yet and
they're already
realizing
now we
get it.
you know
all things.
I mean
you're the
one who
has come
from heaven
down to
earth and
now you're
going back
to heaven.
You don't
even need
us to
ask you
questions
or anybody
to question
you.
It's like
they're
acknowledging
you're the
ultimate
authority here
on everything.
You know
all things.
peace.
Well now
Jesus says
a little
bit more.
We're
going to
skip past
some of
it and
we're
going to
go to
the very
end and
hear Jesus
closing
words of
comfort.
Verse 33
Jesus says
I have
told you
these things
so that
in me
you may
have
peace.
In this
world
you will
have
trouble
but take
heart
I have
overcome
the world.
I love
these words.
This is
the purpose
of this
whole
conversation
that Jesus
has been
having
with them.
Everything
he's been
saying and
telling them
it's for
this.
It's to
put their
hearts at
ease.
It's to
still the
fears.
It's to
take away
the anxious
thoughts and
feelings and
replace them
with peace.
That peace
that comes
from trusting
in him.
In this
world
he says
you will
have
trouble.
These
words we
should
consider
carefully.
First we
zero in
on that
word
trouble.
Most
translations
say in
this world
you will
have
tribulation.
A little
bit of an
older less
used word.
Others
render it
suffering.
In this
world you
will have
suffering.
The word
used there
in the
original
language it
doesn't
usually mean
trouble like
I had
trouble starting
my car this
morning.
It usually
refers to
more serious
trouble.
Some synonyms
would be
distress,
oppression,
affliction,
tribulation,
suffering.
And of
course these
words point
back to
what Jesus
has been
saying earlier
in this
chapter about
how they'll
be hated
by the
world and
persecuted.
excommunicated
from the
synagogue and
even killed.
That's the
kind of
trouble that
this
conversation
has been
focused on.
Jesus
says mark
my words
while you
live in
this world
you will
have this
kind of
trouble.
But then
the sweetest
words
take heart
I have
overcome
the world.
I have
overcome
the world
says Jesus.
The world's
going to
hate you
persecute you
treat you
badly
because of
me says
Jesus.
They will
put you
out of
the
synagogue
they will
rejoice
at my
death
while you
weep.
But take
heart
I have
overcome
the world.
Isn't this
something?
Before Jesus
is even
arrested he
declares his
own victory
over his
opponents.
They will
not defeat
me says
Jesus.
I have
overcome
them.
He states
it like
it's in the
past tense
like it's a
thing of the
past.
it's so
certain that
it's like a
done deal.
I have
overcome
the world.
In this
showdown
with the
world that
Jesus is
coming to
the climax
of he
wins.
He will
not be
beaten.
He's
staring at
the next
hours of
his life
looking them
right in
the face
knowing full
well what
will happen
to him
that he
will be
arrested
falsely
accused
slandered
beaten
handed
over
and at
the end
of it
all put
to death.
He's
staring all
that in
the face
and he
says
take
heart
I have
overcome
the world.
I've
won this
battle.
There's
no doubt
in the
mind of
Jesus
that
whatever
is about
to unfold
three days
later
he will
rise up
from the
dead
from that
tomb
in glory
and triumph
over his
enemies.
Look now
at how
Jesus comes
to say
this.
The flow
of logic
here is
awesome.
I have
overcome
the world
so you
my
disciples
take heart.
don't
despair.
Don't
let your
hearts
be
troubled
when this
great
trouble
and sorrow
and grief
come.
What does
Jesus want
his disciples
to do
in the
midst
of their
trouble?
He wants
them to
trust in
the fact
that he
has
that he
will
overcome
the world.
Even
though in
the next
hours
it's going
to look
like
everything's
going off
the rails
and like
the world
is winning
Jesus
says
trust me
believe
no
they
aren't
winning
I
have
won
already
so
what does
God have
for us
in these
words
today?
I hope
that your
heart
has been
able to
enter
into
the story
with the
disciples
and Jesus
in this
conversation
but let's
now draw
some lines
of application
to our
lives
this was
a unique
time
and situation
for the
disciples
and for
Jesus
mainly
these words
are there
to prepare
them so
that they
can endure
Jesus'
death
and make
it through
to that
moment
when he
rises
again
the trouble
that they
will face
has already
been specifically
defined by
Jesus
as that
hatred
that
persecution
at the
hands of
the world
because of
their
association
with
Jesus
and I
can't help
but think
there
isn't it
wonderful
how Jesus
offers them
such timely
and relevant
comfort
he prepares
them for
exactly
what they're
about to
go through
and he
gives them
exactly
what they
need
to face
this
to suffer
through it
this is the
kind of good
shepherd
that Jesus
is to his
sheep
he is so
deeply in
tune with
us
he knows
what's going
to happen
in our
lives
he knows
just what
we need
and when
we need
it
and he
provides
it
and while
Jesus speaks
first and
foremost of
the days
that are just
ahead for
the disciples
there does
seem to be
a sort of
principle
here
let me
say it
this way
in this
world
you will
have
trouble
but take
heart
I have
overcome
the world
is Jesus
only saying
this to help
the disciples
make it
through to
Sunday
morning
when he
rises
or
are these
words of
Jesus
meant to
carry
the disciples
through all
the trouble
they will
face in
the days
ahead
and for
the rest
of their
lives
there is
a sort
of timelessness
to these
words
in this
world
you will
have
trouble
but take
heart
I have
overcome
the world
I think
Jesus
is setting
their
expectations
this is
how it
will go
not just
in the next
couple days
but for the
rest of
your lives
there will
be trouble
difficulty
even
suffering
and he's
giving them
something solid
and sure
to anchor
themselves
by in the
midst of
all that
the fact
the truth
that he
has overcome
the world
so
what would
he have
us do
Jesus
what would
he have
us do
today
in the
midst
of our
unique
trials
the challenges
that we
face
the difficulties
what would
Jesus say
to us
if he were
here today
and this
was us
he was
with
I can't
help but
think
wouldn't he
point us
to the
same
things
these
same
wonderful
abiding
realities
calling us
like he did
to the
disciples
to trust
in him
would he
not encourage
us
to hold
fast
to the
truth
of everything
that he
has told
us in
advance
about how
things will
go
think about
it
just as
Jesus is
telling his
disciples
right now
what's
about to
come
in a
similar
way
Jesus
has told
all his
people
about how
things will
go
at the
very
end
just as
the
disciples
would have
to trust
during those
days when
they would
not see
Jesus
looking forward
to the
day when
he would
rise
when they
would see
him again
aren't we
in a
similar
sort of
situation
today
we don't
see Jesus
because he
has gone
back to
the father
but he
has promised
that he
will return
and we
will see
him
again
just as
Jesus
encouraged
his
disciples
to
trust
in his
triumph
over the
world
even before
it happened
is the
Lord not
calling us
to trust
the same
as we
live in
our world
today
I believe
these words
were for
them that
day but
also for
us today
to show
us how
to persevere
in a
world
full of
trouble that
causes us
trouble
and this is
how we do
it
we trust
we hold
firmly to
the promise
that Jesus
made
he is
coming
back
I am
coming soon
said Jesus
we will
see him
even though
now we
do not
we are to
trust that
there is
coming a
day when
all our
grief
all our
sorrow
all our
pain
all our
anguish
will break
and melt
away
and be
replaced
with
joy
deep
lasting
permanent
joy
when we
see Jesus
the risen
king
at his
coming
I don't
know whatever
you are going
through in
your life
today
even if
it is
really hard
trusting
this
will carry
you through
finally
Jesus
pointed
them
to the
day
when he
would
rise
as the
proof
that he
has
overcome
the
world
we live
on this
side of
that
and so
we look
back
at the
resurrection
of Jesus
and we
take heart
it is there
in that
moment
that we
see most
clearly
that yes
Jesus
has
overcome
the
world
and all
the
trouble
that it
caused
him
and since
it was so
certain and
solid the
day that he
rose can
we not
trust that
he will
overcome
what remains
of the
world
and the
troubles
that it
will cause
to us
in our
day to
day
he will
do it
when he
comes again
in glory
and in
power
the
apostles
later went
on to
speak
to write
letters
John
himself
the one
who captured
this story
went on
to write
a letter
and this
is what
he had
to say
in his
letter
1st John
chapter 4
verse 4
a wonderful
word of
encouragement
he said
you dear
children
are from
God
and have
overcome
them
because
the one
who is
in you
is greater
than the
one
who is
in the
world
just a few
verses after
that
in 5
verse 4
he wrote
for everyone
born of
God
overcomes
the world
this is
the victory
that has
overcome
the world
even
our faith
who is
who is it
that
overcomes
the world
only the
one
who believes
that Jesus
is the
son
of God
this is a
tremendous
encouragement
to those
of us
who believe
that
and so
with my
last words
this morning
I just
want to
I want to
speak to
any of you
who may not
be settled
about that
in your own
heart
whether or
not
you
believe
in Jesus
do you
hear these
words from
Christ
who else
claims these
things
he says
I have
overcome
the world
and then
he dies
rises
from the
dead
do you
believe
that
Jesus
is the
son of
God
do you
know
that
you
can
have
a
personal
relationship
with this
conquering
king
and that
you can
be brought
into this
victory
and triumph
that Jesus
has
and be
one
who
overcomes
the world
this is
the good
news
and so
I want to
encourage
you
believe
in Jesus
the son
of God
let's
pray
father in
heaven
thank you
so much
for your
word
thank you
that you
speak again
and again
into our
lives
through it
and you
know the
challenges
that face
each one
of us
this week
and we
want to
just commit
ourselves
and our
challenges
for this
week ahead
to you
and we
ask that
you would
help us
to fix
our eyes
and our
attention
on you
the one
who has
overcome
and to
be able
to meet
those
challenges
and difficulties
with joy
and hope
and peace
we ask
this in
Christ's
name
amen