CCF: So That You May Know the Joy
John 16:16-33
Pastor Jay Jackson
“Jesus performed many other SIGNS in the presence of his disciples, which are not RECORDED in this book. But these are WRITTEN that you may BELIEVE that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have LIFE in his name.“ -- John 20:30-31
The Gospel of John was written with a purpose. John wanted you to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Promised One, at the same time believe that Jesus appeared on earth as God in human form. The author wants you to have LIFE through Jesus Christ and live it to the fullest.
Pastor Jay Jackson
“Jesus performed many other SIGNS in the presence of his disciples, which are not RECORDED in this book. But these are WRITTEN that you may BELIEVE that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have LIFE in his name.“ -- John 20:30-31
The Gospel of John was written with a purpose. John wanted you to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Promised One, at the same time believe that Jesus appeared on earth as God in human form. The author wants you to have LIFE through Jesus Christ and live it to the fullest.
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| Image courtesy of principlesforlifeministries.com |
Chapters 13 through 17, five full chapters of the book of John were dedicated in the upper room. The upper room represents the last few hours of Jesus spent with His disciples. Jesus is using these last hours they have together to speak powerfully into the lives of His first followers.
John will devote more of his Gospel to these few hours in the Upper Room than any other single event of Jesus. In His last moments with His disciples, Jesus warned them about further persecution, told them where, when and why he was going, and assured them that they would not be left alone but that the Spirit would come.
“A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” – John 16:16
In verse 16, as Jesus was telling His disciples that He is going away for a little while, He was referring to His death which is only a few hours away that time and His resurrection three days later. That even though the world is rejoicing while the disciples go through grieve and difficulties, Jesus is telling them to rejoice and trust in the promises of God. Jesus is talking about a new relationship between every believers and God. While previously, people approached God through priests, His death and resurrection enables believers to approach God personally and directly. Not because of our own merit but because Jesus, our great High Priest, has made us acceptable to the Father. We can boldly ask the Father and have confidence that He will listen to our prayers in the same way that an earthly father listen to his dearly loved child. You have that privilege right now but have you really spend time with Him? You can share with Him the deepest desires of your heart. You can ask Him for wisdom, guidance, protection or help. In fact God is waiting for you to ask Him.
There is power in the name of Jesus, power to meet our deepest needs and fill our deepest longings.
“In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father; I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.” – John 16:26-28
Jesus doesn’t want us to think that our relationship with the Father is second rate or even second tier. Jesus was telling them that although people will nail Him to the cross the next day. He will rise from the dead on the third day. He will once and for all establish an unbreakable relationship between you and the Father. This is the depths of His plan, but He is not telling them everything at the moment not because Jesus don’t want them to know the truth but because the disciples were not ready for it, yet.
Jesus is prompting them to take their eyes off of themselves and focus on Him instead.
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.” – John 16:33
Jesus does not say that He will overcome the world. He says that He has already overcome the world. We don’t have to die to overcome the world, we can overcome the world by the way we live. Jesus have to say ‘No’ to the world, so He can say ‘Yes’ to the Father.
Transcribed by:
John will devote more of his Gospel to these few hours in the Upper Room than any other single event of Jesus. In His last moments with His disciples, Jesus warned them about further persecution, told them where, when and why he was going, and assured them that they would not be left alone but that the Spirit would come.
“A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” – John 16:16
In verse 16, as Jesus was telling His disciples that He is going away for a little while, He was referring to His death which is only a few hours away that time and His resurrection three days later. That even though the world is rejoicing while the disciples go through grieve and difficulties, Jesus is telling them to rejoice and trust in the promises of God. Jesus is talking about a new relationship between every believers and God. While previously, people approached God through priests, His death and resurrection enables believers to approach God personally and directly. Not because of our own merit but because Jesus, our great High Priest, has made us acceptable to the Father. We can boldly ask the Father and have confidence that He will listen to our prayers in the same way that an earthly father listen to his dearly loved child. You have that privilege right now but have you really spend time with Him? You can share with Him the deepest desires of your heart. You can ask Him for wisdom, guidance, protection or help. In fact God is waiting for you to ask Him.
There is power in the name of Jesus, power to meet our deepest needs and fill our deepest longings.
“In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father; I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.” – John 16:26-28
Jesus doesn’t want us to think that our relationship with the Father is second rate or even second tier. Jesus was telling them that although people will nail Him to the cross the next day. He will rise from the dead on the third day. He will once and for all establish an unbreakable relationship between you and the Father. This is the depths of His plan, but He is not telling them everything at the moment not because Jesus don’t want them to know the truth but because the disciples were not ready for it, yet.
Jesus is prompting them to take their eyes off of themselves and focus on Him instead.
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.” – John 16:33
Jesus does not say that He will overcome the world. He says that He has already overcome the world. We don’t have to die to overcome the world, we can overcome the world by the way we live. Jesus have to say ‘No’ to the world, so He can say ‘Yes’ to the Father.
Transcribed by:
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