John 16:16-24 “True Spiritual Joy”

1:04The good news is that we will move to Friday of Passion Week sometime in the latter part of January. In John's Gospel, as the time of our Lord's death draws near, he seeks to prepare the disciples for the future. As we read these things, which Jesus is the same, Jesus told his disciples, his crucifixion, his death, his resurrection, and his ascension. It all makes sense to us. But what is somewhat clear to us in retrospect was not at all clear to the disciples in prospect.

1:55The disciples simply have no category to allow them to make sense of a Messiah who would die, rise from the dead, and abandon his people in favor of another counselor. So, what we're going to do today is we're going to break our text into two parts: the disciples' perplexity, verses 16 through 18, and the disciples' joy, verses 19 through 24. And along the way, we are going to learn about three aspects of true spiritual joy. So, starting in verse 16, Jesus made a comment about the future, which his disciples find very impossible to understand. A little while, and you will see me no longer. And again, a little while. And you will see me.

3:02Some 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'm 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. Young people, when you are on a long trip, what is the most frequent question you have for your parents?

3:35Are we there yet? And the parents inevitably say something like, In a little while. So, parents, if you do say something in a little while, you may have a text here that has some biblical precedent for your answer. So, there you go. Jesus knows what these troubled disciples are thinking, and he wants them to have hope. So, starting in verse 16, he repeats the Greek word mi over and over again, a little while, over and over again, to reassure the disciples that their separation from him will be short-lived. Yet, even this reassurance raises questions, speaking amongst themselves because they were afraid to speak to Jesus.

4:30The disciples ask, how and why they would not see Jesus? To what period of time was Jesus referring to by the expression a little while? How and when would they see Jesus after a little while? And what did he mean that he was going to the Father? It is rather obvious that the disciples are totally confused. So, before we move on to Jesus' response to the disciples' perplexity, allow me to answer a theological question and offer a practical application.

5:10For those of you who are budding theologians, when Jesus is speaking that they will see him in a little while, is Jesus speaking of his post-resurrection appearance, his appearance in the person and work of the Holy Spirit, or of his return at his second coming? I agree with most evangelical commentators, Leon Morris, D.A. Carson, as examples, and lean towards a little while being a reference to Jesus' death and his post-resurrection appearances. So, what does this mean?

5:58If you read verse 16, A little while, and you will see me no longer. That is, I'm going to die and be buried. And again, a little while, and you will see me. I will rise from the dead in three days. So that's my answer to the theological question. But now, let me offer a practical application. In many ways, our circumstances today are very similar to those that the disciples faced so many years ago. They were concerned about the Lord's departure.

6:37We are concerned about our Lord's return. They, much of what they heard about his departure, was unclear. Much of what we hear about Christ's return is somewhat unclear to us. Even with the Holy Spirit's presence, our understanding of spiritual things is partial and imperfect. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:12, for now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, then I will fully know. Just as the Old Testament saints awaited the coming of the Messiah, and the disciples looked forward to the departure of our Lord.

7:30So we wait for the return of his final return and the consummation of all things. And each group has imperfect knowledge or understanding. So that is the disciples' perplexity. Let us now consider the disciples' joy and learn about three aspects of true spiritual joy. The first aspect of true spiritual joy can be found in verses 19 through 21. Jesus has overheard the perplexity of his disciples. But notice, instead of directly answering their questions, Jesus knew that he could wait to answer their perplexity because what the disciples did not understand now, they would grasp later.

8:31But the pressing need of the moment was to dispel their gloom. Thus, Jesus replies more to their need than directly to their questions. Verse 19. 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. 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.

9:17Let's unpack Jesus' statement about the disciples' perplexity in verse 20. Soon the disciples will weep and wail, while the world will rejoice. This term weep is frequently used for the mourning that occurs due to the death of someone. You would see that in Mark 5, Luke 7, Luke 8, John 11. And indeed, it is used in Mark 16, 10 for the disciples who wept over the death of Jesus. Jesus is in effect telling his disciples that they are getting ready to momentarily experience great sorrow over his death. They're going to weep. They're going to wail.

10:06At the same time, the world, think of that as the unbelievers, who have crucified Jesus are going to rejoice over his death. It will seem like their hour of triumph. At last, they are rid of Jesus. Or so they think. This is because the disciples' time of sorrow. Of weeping and wailing will be short, and then their sorrow will be turned into joy. Notice something very important. Jesus does not tell his disciples that their sorrow will be replaced by joy, but that their sorrow will be turned into joy. There's a big difference. Many wish to have joy, but they want it without sorrow.

11:05But if you want to have true joy, then you have to endure sorrow to really experience joy. This highlights the first aspect of true spiritual joy. God will bring joy into your life not by substitution, but by transformation. Let me say that again. Joy will not come by substitution, but by transformation. And if you want me to give you a good example, look at verse 21. 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.

12:02The same baby that causes great anguish also causes great joy. But instead of eliminating the mother's pain, what does God do? He transforms it. The mother's pain is not substituted by joy, it is transformed into joy. In other words, the mother must first endure the pains of childbirth before she can enjoy the pleasure of holding the child in her arms. The birth of a child comes only through the pain of childbirth. For the adults in the room, what is the ultimate example of joy by transformation rather than substitution?

12:58Is it not the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? That's why it says in Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus, because of the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame. He did not look at the sorrow of the cross as something to be avoided, but as a means to a greater end. Jesus did not. Seek to avoid the sorrow. No, he endured great sorrow, knowing that it would transform, that is, result into something of inestimable joy.

13:46Young people, allow me to try and make this more understandable for you. If your mom and dad always get you a new toy each time your toy is broken, what's going to happen to you? You will expect that your parents will replace your toy, your iPhone, your baseball glove, your stuffed animal, or your drone every time you break that precious item. You will grow up expecting every problem to be solved by substitution. Hello, I need a new one.

14:21There are two problems with substitution. Number one, substitution doesn't result in true joy. What do I mean by that? Substitution says, oh, I lost my toy today. No big deal. I get a new one tomorrow. There's no joy in that because it was substituted. Second, God does not solve your problems by way of substitution. He intentionally allows you to suffer loss so that he can transform it into joy. Okay, this is not a perfect analogy, young people, but I'm going to ask you this question. How many of you, young people, would endure giving up your favorite stuffed animal for nine months?

15:17How many would you endure giving it up for nine months in exchange for a brand new puppy of your choice? Your sorrow at the loss of your favorite stuffed animal is not substituted by another stuffed animal. Your sorrow is transformed into joy because you get something infinitely better than that which you gave up. Brothers and sisters, you cannot mature emotionally or spiritually if God is always replacing your broken toys. The way of substitution is the way of immaturity. The way of transformation is the way of faith that leads to maturity. The first aspect of true spiritual joy is that it transforms. The second aspect of true spiritual joy is found in verse 22. So, also, you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice.

16:30And no one will take your joy from you. As it was for the woman in childbirth, so now it will be for the disciples. The disciples were experiencing great sorrow because of the death of Jesus. They were horrified, they were in grief, they were depressed. But when they see him again raised from the dead, it will turn their sorrow into joy. And that's a joy that no one will ever be able to take away from them.

17:08So, what does it mean that no one can take away true joy from them or true joy from us? Jesus is saying something of immense significance. He's saying that as a consequence of his resurrection, the disciples are going to understand true joy, not some fleeting, emotional, passing joy, but the type of solid joy that no one and nothing can take away. They will understand that Jesus is who he says he is. They will understand that death has no power over Jesus. They will understand that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. They will understand that God provides a deep-seated joy that is. Independent of the world. That is, the world does not give joy, and the world can't take away joy. They will understand that joy is not found in that which goes away: fame, health, children, dreams, but in that which endures.

18:23Young people, do you know what it means to endure? How many of you, young people, have seen a tall mountain? It experiences torrential rains, blinding snowstorms, destructive avalanches, raging floods, and devastating fires. Yet, despite these events, when the sun comes up, the mountain remains. It has not moved. It has not shrunk. The mountain has endured. Brothers and sisters, troubles will come. Disease may strike. Disappointments will unfold. Sorrow will inevitably occur. But nobody can take away true spiritual joy in Christ away from us.

19:30The second aspect of true spiritual joy is it endures. The third aspect is found in verses 23 and 24. Jesus speaking, 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. These two verses mark a change of dispensations. The disciples had asked Jesus many questions, but the disciples had not yet prayed to Jesus.

20:16Though Jesus had from the beginning pointed out that the disciples, the way to the Father, but until now, Jesus has been with them on the earth, the place from where their prayers went and went up. Jesus has not yet been in heaven, the place from which prayers are answered. So accordingly, asking in my name, in the sense of making an appeal to Jesus' power and authority as the one glorified by the Father in heaven, marks the difference between until now.

21:00And then words that we'll add to the text, from now on. In other words, the events about to take place are going to alter anything, everything. From now on, the disciples will direct their prayers to the Father, who will give them whatever they ask in the name of the Son. From now on, they are to pray in order that their joy may be made full or complete, which then leads to the third aspect of true spiritual joy. True spiritual joy satiates. Now, what do I mean by satiate? I mean satisfied to the full. So let me provide an illustration for the young people about what I mean. It is Thanksgiving Day. You know that there is turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, well, maybe not so much about that, corn casserole, hot rolls and butter, and three types of pie waiting for you at 4 o'clock. So you intentionally eat breakfast but kind of skip lunch to prepare for the feast at 4 o'clock. If at 4 o'clock your parents give you a small serving of turkey and a small dollop of mashed potatoes and a little bit of green beans and no pie, will you be satisfied? Satisfied to the full?

22:33I really doubt it. You won't be satisfied, you won't be satiated until you've had seconds of some of the things you love and at least two pieces of pie. Then you will push back from the table and you'll say, Man, I'm full. I can't eat anymore. That's what it means to be satiated, satisfied to the full. It is the same with true spiritual joy. Christian joy is not to be found in having everything you've ever wanted.

23:08Joy is not the lack of want, but rather joy comes from abiding in Christ. What pleases Him pleases us. What gives Him great joy gives us great joy. You will not be satisfied to the full. That is satiated unless you put your trust in Jesus, who can put a joy into your heart that is completely satisfying. So this morning we've learned that there are three aspects of true spiritual joy. True spiritual joy endures, transforms, and satiates.

23:51But how does that apply to us? What if I am in great pain? What if I have a terminal illness? What if I am single? What if I'm in a difficult marriage? What if I am unsure of what career to pursue? What if I simply have anxiety issues? Am I never to be unhappy? Am I just to grin and bear it? Am I expected to be joyful? So, in closing, allow me to note three additional practical applications related to joy. First, joy is not the same as happiness.

24:51Happiness depends upon circumstances. Joy transcends circumstances. There's a big difference. We can't be happy in the midst of adversity. We can be joyful in the midst of adversity. That's why James 1:2 says, count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds. Not because you're happy, not because you're happy. Because you enjoy the process, but because you know the outcome. You know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. God uses adversity to mature you, to develop you, and to enable you to be joyful.

25:52Why is it then that we find so many joyless Christians? I would suggest it may be that we look for joy in all of the wrong places. The world seeks for a joy that is rooted in the absence of trials and suffering, that delights in the promotion of what I want, when I want, how I want. The world looks for joy and finds joy in the delight of seeing those that I are my rivals fail. True joy is knowing for certain that Jesus is alive, risen from the dead, and is in heaven interceding on our behalf. True joy is in the abasement of self, in the exaltation of Jesus Christ, and in sacrificial service.

26:53True joy is in the Lord, in his salvation, and his working in the lives of others. Joy is not the same as happiness. Second, why did Jesus tell the disciples things that they could not understand at the moment? Why do the scriptures contain so many prophecies which we do not understand at this time? One reason is to remind us that we fully don't understand. Not understanding is what it means to be a disciple. We are learners who learn at his feet as we abide in him.

27:42We know that what yet is to happen is not only for his glory, but for our own good. We know that he will sustain us through our times of trial and tribulation, just as we know that he will bring us to glory. Brothers and sisters, if we know that he is in control and that his plans are for our good and that he will bring us to glory, why should we worry? We don't need the details of what he has for us in the future. We need only to trust in him who is in control of the past, the present, and the future. Knowledge is more important. Important than understanding.

28:33Finally, we sometimes fail to grasp the purposes of God in our lives. His activity seems utterly incomprehensible to us. In those dark moments, we should remember that God cares and that He knows perfectly the beginning and from the end. We say, Lord, what does all this mean and has come upon me? And He answers, Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. We say, Why me? Why this? He says, I am always with you.

29:18We say, Why so much pain, so much anguish? He says, You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. In some cases, the explanation comes quickly. In some cases, the explanation comes at a later time. While we may not think so, it is nevertheless true that his promises are of far greater value than explanations. His promises are more important than explanations. Brother and sisters, this was a difficult message because we. Don't really want to be joyful in the midst of trial. We want relief.

30:09But just as with the birth of a child, just as the disciples who had to endure horrible sorrow to experience real joy, we can only experience true spiritual joy if we embrace the fact that it will transform, that it will endure, and that it will satisfy us to the full. Let us pray. Father, we are caught up in the same trap that the inhabitants of this world are caught in. We want to always have what we want, when we want, and how we want. We want to be happy all the time.

31:16We don't want to suffer loss. We don't want to suffer absence. We don't want to suffer pain. And yet, you clearly taught us this morning that true spiritual joy will only come through tremendous sorrow, because it is in the midst of that sorrow that it can be transformed into joy. I pray for every single person who is struggling this morning. They're struggling because they have anxiety. They're struggling because they feel poorly. They're struggling because they are single, or they are childless, or they have a mixed-up family for those who are struggling in a marriage where they can't see the end from the beginning.

32:31How, as believers, can we have joy in the midst of these trials? It is only when we place our faith in your promises and recognize that you are wanting us to have joy, but we must endure sorrow to be able to experience that joy. When we experience that joy, it can endure forever and it can satisfy us to the full if we but seek what you have promised us in your word. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

33:22Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.