Finding Peace in a Troubled World - John 16:29-33

1:40His disciples said, Lo, now you are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech. Now we know that you know all things and have no need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? Behold, an hour is coming and has already come for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage. I have overcome the world.

2:33You know, could you put a little clip up there? Many of you, I know many of you new to Aguiland, probably do not remember what the old Kyle Field looked like, right? That big stadium, Kyle Field, our football stadium, didn't always look like that. In fact, that's what the old one looked like. And that's what it looks like when it was coming down. How many of you were actually there the day they imploded it? Yeah, so you so what happens? Thank you. What happens is that was the old stadium. In order for a new stadium to be built in its place, the old one had to come down. And so the way they brought it down is the stadium is built upon some supports, right? Some key supports. And when you destroy those supports, down comes the whole structure. Destroy those supports, and the structure comes down.

3:38Well, this is a picture of many ways can be compared to the disciples' lives. In order for them to become what Christ wanted them to be, their earthly confidences had to come down and everything that was attached to them. And they needed to have new confidences, eternal confidences that were not subject to being destroyed. So they had to go move from earthly confidences and the life and discipleship that comes out of mere earthly confidences, and they had to put on or build upon eternal confidences.

4:30The tribulation of the cross brought down all of their misplaced confidences. And the same is true with us. The trials of this life, tribulations, the difficulties, the perplexities will challenge who you are at your core. And where you have built confidences, or where you have built your life upon confidences that come out of this world, the circumstantial, temporary confidences of this world, when those are attacked, when those are hit, your life is in trouble. You know, many of us have plans on how life should go, right?

5:29And it often does not. In fact, if you've lived any kind of time, like two days, you realize life doesn't go the way we expect or hope. And we often experience the pain and loss that go with all of that. So, how do we find peace in a world, a fallen world, a troubled world? Well, that's the subject this morning. Look at our text and notice the confidences of the disciples. Notice the confidence. Look at verse 29. His disciples said, Lo, now you are speaking plainly and not using a figure of speech. You remember earlier in chapter 16, Jesus is saying, I am going. I'm going away. You're not going to, in verse 23, or I'm sorry, verse 16, a little while you're not going to see me. Again, a little while, you're going to see me. And in verse 17, the disciples saying, What is he saying? What is he trying to communicate? Then Jesus keeps talking and he says, You know, when a woman is in labor, she has pain because her hour has come. And he uses that whole picture of tribulation, of childbirth, and the joy that comes. And it's like, all that is vague speech, right? Concealed speech. And so they're asking, what does he mean? What does he mean by all this? And so Jesus speaks to them. And so they say, okay, so now you're finally speaking to us in clear language. You're speaking plainly, frankly to us. And that's what he said in verse 8. I came forth from the Father, verse 28, and have come into the world. I am leaving the world again and going to the Father. Okay, we get it. Now you're talking clearly to us. We get it. Now we know. Verse 30. Now we know that you know all things. And that's sufficient for us. We know that you know all things because of the way you're talking to us, and have no need for anyone to question you. So there's no more need for us to question you. We know that you know all things, and that's sufficient for us. And by this, we believe that you came from God. We got it. We believe, okay, you're from God.

7:52That's the confidence of the disciples. And yet, the disciples are confident that they have figured Jesus out, figured out that he came from God, that he knows all things, that there's no need to ask him any more questions. He knows what he's doing, he knows all things, and we believe in you. What does Jesus say? Jesus reveals that their faith is not what they think it is. Look back at verse 31. Jesus answered him, Do you now believe?

8:24Really? Behold, an hour is coming and has already come for you to be scattered. I mean, if you really believed I knew all things, right? Maybe you would not be so scattered. Each of you to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Interesting verb there. Each of you will be scattered, should be scattered. Something is going to happen. That scatters you. The word is actually from scorpizo, which the Latin is scorpio. And the one thing that I learned that can scatter my kids more than anything is a scorpion. Like when we moved into our home back in 2006, I remember Nancy came in, it was night, I was already asleep. She comes in, Tom, Tom, there's a centipede out there in the middle of the living room or whatever. And I said, Well, it's okay, leave it alone.

9:35Back to sleep. The next morning, it's like, no, it was a scorpion. Oh, a scorpion. Okay, well, I didn't know we had scorpions. That's a whole different story. But you throw a scorpion around and they will scatter. Well, something is going to happen that's going to cause the disciples to be scattered. And what is it? Well, it's the crucifixion. It's the trial. It's the ruler of this world coming. But even on a layer higher than that, it is the heavenly father striking the shepherd.

10:15And this rocked the disciples to the core, to where they had to turn their head away. Surely God is not against him. How could Messiah be crucified? Where? How does the And they scattered. Well, the disciples are confident in their knowledge about Christ. That's evident. They're confident that they have faith in him. They are confident in themselves, and yet Jesus is confident in what? He's confident in their defection. He knows that's going to come down. You see, he knows what's inside a person. He puts no faith in human confidence. It's what he said in John chapter 2. He knows people were believing because of the works that he was doing, and he knows what's in a man. So he doesn't need anybody to tell him.

11:14Earthly confidences will not stand against the trials and tribulations that the followers of Christ will certainly face in this world. See, and here in this context, the disciples overestimated themselves, and they underestimated the power of the devil. And so several things had to happen in the hearts of the disciples in order for them to become the people of Christ that God wanted them to be. Their overconfidence had to give way to humility. Their superficial knowledge had to give way to Holy Spirit revealed truth. And their shallow confidence must be give way to mature faith. Like you see, this is reminiscent, really, going all the way back to chapter one. You remember in verses 48, Nathanael said to him, How do you know me? Jesus answered and said, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. Nathanael answered, Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the king of Israel. Jesus answered and said, Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see much greater things than these.

12:41And you have this again: that the woman at the well, he told me everything I know. Now I believe. All that was good faith. Small, immature. And the disciples really do believe, but their faith needs to be matured. And so it's a similar situation. Oh, now we believe, because if you look at what's going on in chapter 16, his disciples are asking the question: okay, they're rumbling. What does he mean by all this? Verse 18, so they were saying, What is this that he's saying? In verse 19, Jesus knew they wished to question him, and he said to them, So it's like he knew that this is what. They were deliberating about. He speaks to them, gets to the point where he speaks clearly, and they're like, ah, okay, you knew we were thinking about that. You answered us. Now we know.

13:41And Jesus is saying, Yeah, do you now believe you're going to see greater things? See, there's danger in human pretension, isn't there? And we need to be aware of our own overconfidence in ourselves, our own superficial understanding, our own shallow confidences. I mean, it's like we say this all the time: God, I got this. Don't worry. And then we get in trouble. Lord, how could you let this happen? You know. But there's danger in that pretension and trust and confidence in ourselves. It must come down. Confidence like that will come down, cannot stand because they're not based upon eternal realities, but circumstantial ones. And we need to be a people who are based and build our lives upon eternal realities, not upon circumstantial realities, because they change, don't they? People are not what you think they are. People cannot, people will let you down.

14:46You will let yourself down. But it's clear that Jesus wants his disciples to have peace in this world, right? In this world, you're going to have tribulation, but I want you to have peace. He's going to let them experience the tribulation and the trial of the cross. And it will temporarily overwhelm those disciples. And it will strip them of all of their earthly confidences. And all this really brings us to verse 33. Look at verse 33.

15:31These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world. Now he ends this whole discourse where it began. Look back at chapter 14 and verse 1. That's kind of the beginning of this whole upper room discourse. Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. So he begins with this, don't be troubled. The opposite of trouble, I mean, trouble is being stirred up, anxious. The opposite, peaceful, still, settled.

16:16And so these things, when he says, look back at verse 16, chapter 16 and 33, these things I have spoken to you, these things, certainly it implies, it involves what he has just said about. The Father. The Father loves them. Father is with Him. But it speaks to the whole discourse. These things I have spoken to you so that you may have peace. So that you may have peace. And the question is: how? How can Jesus expect his disciples to find peace in the midst of a trial and crucifixion and all that the world is going to throw at them? How can they find peace going forward? How can Jesus expect us to be at peace when we face trials and tribulations and difficulties?

17:16Well, certainly the discourse, he's already said there's peace in knowing that Jesus is going to return, that this isn't all there is. He is going to return. There's peace for that. Jesus will come back. The Holy Spirit has been given to his people to instruct, to convict, to guide them. There's the promise of answered prayer that comes in Jesus' name. There is the promise of direct access. There is the promise of the Father's love. All this should quiet the soul and does.

17:52But then he goes on. And starting at the end of verse 32, Jesus shows us. The simple way to true peace. He wants his disciples to know how to have true peace in a world of tribulation. And so that's what we're going to focus our attention on in this last, from the second part of 32 and the rest of 33. And I want you to understand how to find true peace in this world so that you will let it characterize you, no matter what you experience in this life.

18:34And true peace comes out really of three realities. You will find peace by having confidence in three realities, and I just want to walk through each one of those. So, first, true peace comes out of confidence. It comes out of confidence in the right things. Confidence in the right things. And we all need to have our earthly confidences changed to eternal confidences if we're going to be the kind of people that God wants us to be. True peace comes out of confidence. First of all, it comes out of confidence that the Father is with Jesus. Heavenly Father is with Jesus. Look at what verse 32. Jesus said, Well, I'll just read the whole thing: Behold, an hour is coming, and Already come for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave me alone. Now, if it was up to the disciples, there would be no church today.

19:41If it was up, left, that's like Jesus, and that's kind of what Jesus is saying here: left up to y'all, I'd be alone. So much for the church, so much for the future, right? But he says, and yet I am not alone. I am not alone because the Father is with me. See, true peace comes out of the understanding that the Father, our heavenly Father, is with Jesus, specifically with Jesus of Nazareth, the one that was revealed in Scripture. This one is whom God placed his seal.

20:21And you need to let that settle in your mind. This is God's chosen one. This is God Himself among us. Settle that. Every realm of this life bowed to Him, whether it was nature, whether it was the spiritual realm, whether it was the human body, whatever it was, it bowed to Him. The Father was with Him. It's important for you to dial in where Jesus's confidence rested. Jesus rested in his father's presence. And this was a troubled time for he was troubled. And yet his trouble did not cause him to depart and run away from the cross as the other disciples ran.

21:16There was a settled peace, a settled rest in his father's presence. And even though he was going through a very troubled time that we can't even imagine, yet he was confident in his father's presence. Now, there's two interpretive issues that people, that skeptics like to point to and try to point out things that don't line up with the scripture. And I don't want to spend hardly any time upon them. But I do want to say that I'll just bring them to your attention. Number one, were all the disciples really scattered?

21:58If you get to John chapter 19, there's John right there, the disciple whom Jesus loves, standing right by his mother, and Jesus says, behold your son. So some people would point to, certainly critics, and there's nothing really to it. Yes, John, even John was scattered. Yes, the fact that he shows up here at this moment doesn't mean he didn't defect and scatter. Even John did not so identify with Jesus as to share in his suffering. So yeah, it's clear. Second issue is: well, what about Jesus' cry in agony on the cross? Didn't God abandon Jesus there? And yet, here's Jesus saying that Father is with me, I'm not alone, and yet we have this cry recorded in Mark 15:34, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Those words from Psalm 22:1 that Jesus uttered?

22:56Well, no. Jesus used Psalm 22:1, that words, only those words, God, my God, why have you forsaken me? expressed the different situation, but it's still like in John 16:32, what Jesus is doing is he's comparing the unreliability, the fickleness of his followers to the faithfulness of God. That's what's really happening there in verse 16. But the fact that Jesus yelled out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? expresses something so deep that we can't really get our minds around. It's certainly, there are no better words in the English language to express, or in whatever he used there, you can say it's Greek, or you can, whatever. Point being, Aramaic, those words could not even begin to express the agony of the cross, the horror that the Father saw when that moment that the sin was placed upon him, that even the father said, I have to look away.

24:20We just read in Isaiah 52 and 53 how men saw they had to turn. Even the father, you get this sense that he turned. And the abandonment that Jesus felt was real. And yet it's very clear that though we can't totally fathom that moment when all that sin was put upon him and he became and he knew that sin and suffered the penalty for that sin, it's very clear that the resurrection itself is proof that the Father did not abandon Jesus.

25:04The Father didn't become sin. Psalm 16:10 says, For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will you allow your holy one to undergo decay. Peter picks that up, cites it in Acts chapter 2 and verse 27. No, the resurrection was proof that God was with him. And that Jesus' source of peace was his Father's presence. And this is very important because if we're going to be followers of Christ, his source of peace has to be our source of peace, right?

25:45And what was his source of peace? The Father's presence. He was beloved by his Father. And that's exactly why Jesus had just got through, and I think is a high point in this whole Discord, is this whole talk about answered prayer and what Jesus specifically says in verse 26: In that day you will ask in my name, as you will ask the Father. I do not say that I will request of the Father on your behalf. In other words, you have no need for me to be asking on your behalf. Why? In verse 27, for the Father Himself loves you, and because you have loved me. That's why you have a relationship with the same heavenly Father.

26:37And so the same Father that was with Jesus is also with Jesus' followers. Let this confidence, the Father was with Jesus. We are with Jesus. We are in Jesus. And that confidence, when it takes hold, you'll begin to see peace. Show up in your life. Well, true peace comes out of confidence that the Father is with Jesus. Second, true peace comes out of confidence that it can only be found in Jesus. It can only be found in Jesus. Look back at verse 33. These things I've spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation. Notice the phrases, in me and in the world. They point to two totally different destinations, two totally different systems. There is the system of the world, there is the system in Christ. Notice, in me. And Jesus is pointing, let me tell you where peace is. Peace is in me.

27:56Many people today want peace, but they seek it in the wrong place. The peace that the world offers is circumstantial, constantly changing. The peace that Jesus gives is eternal. See, peace is found in the person and work of Christ. The fact that the peace that the world offers, and there are many who seek some kind of temporary Temporary peace. Oh, I'll do this. I'll go this route. I'll get on this kind of drug. Get on this kind of whatever. I will spend my time doing this. I will go seek this. I will investigate this. I will play around with this, et cetera, et cetera, and thinking that somehow this is going to bring some kind of lasting, meaning lasting satisfaction, but it doesn't. And what is followed by such pursuits of peace is guilt, emptiness, and loneliness, and anything but a satisfied soul. But the peace that Jesus gives is forever.

29:15Look at what, if you're a follower of Christ, and I hope that you are, and if you are not, I hope today you will become one. He is worth following with every day that you have. But Christ, look back, Christ promised his disciples, his followers, they will have tribulation, not peace in this world. In the world, you will have tribulation. When you give yourself to worldly pursuits, you can expect a worldly reward of tribulation. It's not going to give you what you want. Certainly, the followers of Christ are going to experience tribulation. There is no peace in the world. There is no peace in the worldly system. There is no peace for the true believer. Why? Well, look at what Jesus said. He just told them this in John 15, verse 18.

30:20If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. You're not going to find peace in a worldly system that is absolutely opposed to the Christ you follow. Don't expect it. Now, you can have peace while in this world because you can be in Christ. Just because you're in the world doesn't mean you have to be of this world. But the worldly system cannot possibly be an avenue of peace for the true disciple of Jesus.

30:59But Jesus wants us to know, he wants them to know how to calm, how to satisfy our soul. He knows how to do that. And so, being identified in Christ, who you are in Christ, becomes absolutely critical to who you are. And to have peace in this world, meditating upon who he is, what he has said, and what he has done, and finding your identity, and finding your association with him, that is. The only place you will find peace.

31:34There is no other place where you can find satisfaction and forgiveness for your sins. There is no other right-standing place. And no one higher can love you more deeply than him. So you don't have to, it excels anything that can be given to you in the world, in Christ. We are so rich, and nothing can shake that. Look, no power of earth could shake him, dissuade him, and he has promised to hold on to his people. He knows how to deliver.

32:22Well, third, true peace comes out of confidence that the Father is with Jesus, that it can only be found in Jesus. And number three, true peace comes out of confidence in Jesus' victory. Confidence in Jesus' victory. Look back, verse 33. These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage. I have overcome the world. With these words, really, the upper room discourse. Comes to an end. I have overcome the world.

33:06It's a command. Have courage. Be cheerful, even. Lift up your head. I have overcome the world. And you think about this here, the moment. And Jesus saying, have courage. Be cheerful. How could you do that at a time like this? They're about to face the severest of tests. Crucifixion. It's a troubling time for the disciples. And certainly by this time, they know it's coming. One of them would betray him. Jesus has already announced. Their chief leader would deny even knowing him. And then now Jesus says, They all, you all are going to be scattered. You're all going to abandon me. You all are going to experience your world coming down. You're not who you think you are. Your faith isn't what you think it is. It's all going to come down.

34:13Tribulation at the crucifixion was certainly the devil's doing on one level, but on the higher level, it was the Father striking the shepherd. Crucified by enemy by his enemies, given over to be crucified. I mean, how can God let that happen? He was betrayed, he was denied, he was abandoned by friends, and yet it is in these troubled times that Jesus called his disciples to take courage. Cheer up. I have overcome the world. That's why you can cheer up. And this word for overcome is a rich word.

34:59I have overcome the world. I have prevailed. I have vanquished. I am victorious. That's the idea. And when he says he has overcome the world, Jesus is making a comprehensive statement. Jesus conquered everything external that was thrown against him. He prevailed over everything internal that would cause him to defect. And he defeated every accusation that was thrown against him. Remember in 14:30, he says, the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me.

35:40He defeated every accusation and every lie about him. And what's really interesting is that he says this before the resurrection, doesn't he? And the verb is a perfect tense: I have overcome the world. He hadn't gone to the cross yet. He hadn't gone through the resurrection. Here he is. Be of good cheer. I have overcome. And that's going to be evident in a few days. It's already happened, but you're going to realize it when I come forward out of the grave.

36:23You see, Jesus conquered the world. You know, by his death, he has made the world's opposition. We still see opposition. We see many things gathered against Christ and systems of thought that would like to bring him down and rid him. But all of these residual attacks are superficial and pointless. The main battle has been waged. It's already been won. Mankind has passed through the curse of death and has come out on the other side. There is a future for humanity.

37:21You know, several restaurants in town that tend to attract flies. I won't mention. Some of the ones I've experienced flies at. Maybe you've experienced, you've sat down at a restaurant and enjoying your meal, and fly lands on your cheeseburger. When that fly lands on your cheeseburger, are you afraid that that fly is going to eat your lunch? Does that thought ever interest? If I don't do something, this burger is going to be gone because there's a fly right there and he's about to consume the whole thing. In fact, I've been another fly, then another fly. You know what? That's kind of like the attacks of the devil right now. Yeah, they're coming against Christ. Yes, we see them all around, but they are pointless and greatly lacking. Like a fly trying to steal my cheeseburger.

38:32The main battle has been won. And those who are in Christ share in his victory. Do you have confidence in Christ's victory? And we face circumstances every day. That calls for us to exercise faith in God and in Jesus. And some of those circumstances come about because we are identified with Christ, like the disciples. They had been identified with Christ, and because of this, they were ostracized, marginalized, cast out. Some of the issues that we face today are because, well, we live in a fallen world.

39:26And difficulties and pains and sorrows are part of this world. And simply by living in this world, we feel those. And some are more severe than others. And I realize it's been a rough month for this church and for those that we are close to. And so when I'm talking about finding peace in a troubled world, I'm talking about real peace in real trouble. Confidence in Jesus' victory is where you're going to find your peace. What's interesting is he tells the disciples this right before probably one of their greatest regrets, right before their personal failure, one of the deepest troubles that your soul may feel is that of personal failure. All of the disciples abandoned him. How shameful. They've got to face him again.

40:35I think many of us struggle. Maybe I'm not the parent I wanted to be. Maybe I'm not the, I failed in this relationship. I failed there. I didn't, did not show up. I didn't, I wasn't all that I could have been. Blah, blah, blah, blah, right? We hear that, right? And sometimes it's the personal failure that becomes some of the most troubling to our souls. But look, he's specifically speaking to them. These things I have spoken to you. What did he just speak to him? You're all going to abandon me. You're all going to experience great personal failure. But I've told you this. So cheer up. I have overcome the world. Even your defection.

41:18Listen, the beauty of the church is that it's not a work of mankind. That's what's so beautiful about it. The church cannot be attributed to the reputation of the disciples, to the strength of the disciples, to the courage of the disciples, to the great virtues of the disciples, or even to the faith of the disciples. None of that. The church that we hear 2,000 years later are still here, still gathered in his name, talking about these things. Is evident of what God had done with those disciples and what He does with His people. The church is the result of what Christ has done and what He continues to do through those who trust in His name.

42:15The church is the story of Christ and what He has done. So, when you were called into the church, you were called into something much greater than the world. You were called into something much greater than yourself. You were called into the victory of Christ. If you belong to the church, you have been called into the victory of Christ. And the very fact that you are here today is testimony that you stand now in the victory of Christ, not in yourself.

42:52Now, that can give you peace. You were called into the victory of Christ. And you can share his peace because you share his victory. Listen, if you don't do Christ today, if you've never put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, I want to tell you to, I'm going to call upon you. I'm going to call you right now, step out of this world and step in to the victory of Christ. That's The gospel message. How do you step into the victory of Christ? Confess your sins before him.

43:38Ask him to come into your life. Ask Him to be Lord over your life. Step out of the loss in the world and step into the victory of Christ. Second, if you are a believer and you've been walking for Him with many years, you know what my call to you is? Step into the victory of Christ. Let us keep stepping into the victory of Christ. He took everything that the world threw at Him, He rose victoriously over all of them, and we are in Him.

44:17And His peace is sufficient for every trial you will face. Let your confidence be in these eternal realities. Earthly confidences had to come down. The disciples were talking about how great they were just before this conversation, and their earthly confidences had to come down before they could be what Christ wanted them to be. Overconfidence must give way to humility. Superficial knowledge must give way to Holy Spirit regenerated and illumined, revelation. Shallow confidence has to give way to mature faith.

45:06So, true peace comes out of confidence, confidence that the Father is with Jesus, that it can only be found in Jesus, and confidence in Jesus' victory. You know, it was only after the old football stadium we call Kyle Field was reduced to rubble that a new Kyle Field could take its place. This is what you see today. Same is true for the disciples. What Satan meant for evil, God used for good. Listen, fallen man does not think rightly about God. Adam didn't think rightly about God. How does God change something so deeply within man?

45:57He had to crucify him and then raise him up. And you are crucified with Christ if you are in him. The old is gone. Your earthly confidences, when you come to Christ, your earthly confidences are shattered and must give way to the eternal confidences. Well, the discourse ends. Look back at 14:1. Jesus said. Do not let your heart be troubled. That is, do not be letting something on the outside be troubling your soul. Be believing in God and be believing in me. That's what he says in verse 1. Get to verse 33 of chapter 16: These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage. I have overcome the world.

47:00So those who build their lives upon the eternal confidences will experience true peace. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for the truth of your word. Thank you how you use this ragtag failing disciples. Thank you that you used them. Thank you that you showed your power to us by what you did through them and how you transformed them. We ask for the same transforming power be upon us, that you transform us. Father, that you would strip us by whatever means necessary. We ask gently, but we know we can't remain building our lives upon earthly confidences.

48:00And temporary realities that certainly pass away. But we need to be built upon that which is eternal: eternal reality that, God, you are in Christ, that you did send Him for our well-being, and that in Him is pure victory. He won, He conquered, and that we are in Him. Father, settle our souls in these truths and let them shape us.