Old Testament Reading: Psalm 110

“A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’ The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.” (Psalm 110, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 17:1-5

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.’” (John 17:1–5, ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8, ESV)

Introduction

All of John 17 really belongs together. If we had more time I would prefer to preach the whole chapter at once. Here in John 17 we have a prayer of Jesus. Some (I being one of them) have called this “the high priestly prayer of Jesus”. Jesus is here praying to the Father for himself and for his people. He is mediating, or making intercession for himself and for his people, as a priest would. Others are hesitant to call this a “high priestly prayer” arguing that Jesus did not serve as our great High Priest until after his resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand. Point taken. Whatever we decide to call it, it is important that we recognized that this is in fact a prayer of Jesus. “he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and [prayed to the] Father”.

Notice a few things about this prayer. First of all, this prayer was uttered by Jesus out loud in the presence of his disciples. This is how we have record of it. John was there with Jesus on this night – the night of his betrayal – the night before his crucifixion. Secondly, notice that this prayer serves as the conclusion to what is commonly called “the farewell discourse”. In John chapters 14-16 Jesus is found offering his disciples a series of teachings which are meant to prepare them for the difficult road ahead. He was saying “farewell”. But more than that he was offering his disciples encouragement and comfort. In particular he comforted them with the news that they would see him again, and that he would come to them by sending the Spirit. How appropriate, then, that this farewell discourse is concluded with prayer. Jesus taught his disciples, and then he prayed for himself and for them, before entering into his suffering. It has been rightly said concerning this farewell discourse that, “the best and fullest sermon ever preached was followed by the best of prayers”. Notice thirdly that this prayer divides nicely into three sections. In verses 1-5 we find Jesus praying for himself. In verses 6-19 he is praying particularly for his disciples who were with him in that moment. And in verses 20-26 Jesus is found praying for all those who would believe upon him from that day onward. In verse 20 he prays, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word…” (John 17:20, ESV)

And so we will follow the natural contours of this passage, dividing it into three parts, dealing with verses 1-5 today, 6-19 next Sunday, and 20-26 the Sunday after that, Lord willing.

I don’t know about you but I find this entire prayer to be deeply encouraging and also fascinating.

It is encouraging to be reminded that Jesus prays for us. He intercedes for those who belong to him. We see this mainly in verses 6-19 and 20-26, and so I will leave that emphasis for the next two sermons.

This passage is fascinating to me in that it gives us a very clear and intimate glimpse into the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. Do you want to know the mind and heart of a person? Then examine their prayers! The prayers that we say to God reveal what is in our mind and on our heart. Our lack of prayer also reveals something, doesn’t it. But the things that we mention in our prayers – the way that we pray, and the things that we pray for – say a lot about how we view ourselves, God, and the world in which we live. The same is true of Jesus. Do you want to know his mind and heart? Do you want to know how he viewed God, himself, and the world? One of the ways to gain an understanding of these things is to examine his prayers.

I have three observations to make concerning the first five verses of Jesus’ farewell prayer.

Jesus Prayed To The Father

First of all, notice that Jesus prayed to the Father.

This may seem like an obvious observation, but some have wondered about this. If it is true that Jesus is God (as the scriptures clearly teach), and if it is true that there is only one God (as the scriptures also clearly teach), then how can it be that Jesus prayed to God the Father?

The solution, of course, is to recognize that there is a distinction between God the Father and Jesus. Jesus is not the Father, and the Father is not Jesus. This can be demonstrated in two ways: First of all, it was the eternal Word of God, or the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, who took on humanity and dwelt among us. The Father did not take on flesh, nor did the Spirit, but the Word only. While it is true that there is only one God, we should not forget that there exists within the Godhead a distinction between Father, Son or Word, and Spirit. Secondly, (and this is probably more to the point) we must also remember the fact of the incarnation. The eternal Word of God, the second person of the Trinity, did, when the fullness of time had come, take on flesh and dwelt among us. When Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and prayed to the Father, he did so as a man. This is not God crying out to God, but the man Jesus crying out to God.  And he, as God’s uniquely begotten Son, addresses God as Father.

We are accustom to referring to God as Father. Jesus taught his followers to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” Many of you have been taught to pray in this way from the time that you were young. But have you considered the significance of this? How can it be that we, lowly creatures as we are, are invited to call God Almighty, our Father?

Some, when they hear this title applied to God, think that it means nothing more than that God is our Creator. The title, Father, they think, means Creator, or source. If this were the case then all people could rightly call God, Father, for he is the Creator or source of us all. But there is more to the title than this. The title says something about our relationship with God. When we call God, Father, we are saying more than that he is our Creator. We are also communicating that we enjoy an intimate relationship with him. When we refer to God as Father are we not saying that we are in a right and proper relationship with him? We are in his love. We are under his care. God, if he is indeed our Father, and we his sons and daughters, smiles upon us. He is like a Father to us, and we are his children. The title, Father, is metaphorical. Just as an earthly Father loves, protects, encourages, disciplines, and instructs his children, so too God relates to those who are his.

Paul captures this idea when he says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:14–17, ESV)

Notice that it is only those who are led by the Spirit – those who have received adoption as son’s – those who are fellow heirs with Christ – who are able to rightly cry out to God as “Abba! Father!” In John 8:44 Jesus spoke to those who did not believe upon him and said, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires…” (John 8:44, ESV) So apparently, though God is indeed the Creator of us all, he is not the Father of us all. This has been the case from the moment that our first parents – Adam and Eve – fell from the state of perfection. All who came after them were either of God, or of the Evil One.

But the question still remains. How can we, lowly creatures as we are, be invited to call God Almighty, our Father? It becomes even more astonishing when we consider that, not only are we lowly creatures, but we are sinful creatures.

Please hear me. It is not as if some are children of God, and others children of the evil one, because of some inherent goodness or badness within the individual. It is not that some are better than others, and therefore have earned their place as God’s children. The scriptures are clear, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, ESV) “All… are under sin, as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’ There is no fear of God before their eyes.’” (Romans 3:9–18, ESV)

Friends, this is our natural condition. We are fallen creatures. We are sinful creatures. We were born into this world, not at peace with God, but at enmity with him. Paul says that “we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:3, ESV)

If this is true, how then are we able to cry out to God as our “Abba, Father”? How is that we have come to possess the status of sons and daughters of God?

The answer is that we are sons and daughters of God, not by birth, nor on the basis of our own goodness, but only through faith in Jesus Christ who is the Son of God. Our sonship is based upon, and rooted in, our union with Christ, who is the uniquely begotten Son of God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16–18, ESV)

So Jesus, when he prayed, prayed to God as Father. Though it is true that Jesus was God with us – God incarnate – we must also remember that there is a distinction between God the Father and Jesus. It was the eternal Word of God who took on flesh (John 1:1, 14). Jesus was truly man – the uniquely begotten Son of God. We are sons and daughters only if we have faith in Christ. It is only if we are united to him by faith that we are heirs of God. We are adopted as sons only through Christ.  For “[God] predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will…” (Ephesians 1:5, ESV)

The fact that Jesus prayed to God as Father might seem common and basic to us, but it is a fact that is foundational to all true religion.

Application:

May it never grow old to come to God and to call him Father.

Remember what you were by nature.

Remember what it took to bring about your adoption – the decree of God from eternity past, the accomplishment of that plan, the cross, the work of the Spirit in bringing you to faith.

And remember what a privilege is to have God as Father – his love, protection, encouragement, discipline, and instruction, not to mention our inheritance.

Jesus Prayed Being Mindful Of His Mission

Secondly, notice that Jesus prayed being mindful of his mission.

Notice that Jesus prayed to the Father saying, “Father, the hour has come…”

In John 2:4 Jesus spoke to his mother, saying, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” In 4:21 Jesus spoke to the women at the well, saying, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father…But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth…” In 5:25 Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” In 7:30 we read, “So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.” Also in 8:20: “These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.” (John 8:20, ESV) But now we hear Jesus pray to the Father saying, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…”

This proves that Jesus came to this earth to accomplish a very particular mission. There was obviously an “hour” that he had his sights set upon.

In a way, all that Jesus did in his life was in fulfillment to his mission. He was obedient to the Father in an active way. By this I mean that he did everything that the Father called him to do – he spoke the Father’s words; he preformed the Father’s work; he kept God’s law – he was actively obedient. And he was also obedient in a passive way. By this I mean that he submitted to God’s will in every respect – he was God’s faithful servant – God’s obedient Son. In this sense Christ’s mission was carried out from cradle to grave.

But as true as this is we should also acknowledge the significance the “hour” that Christ constantly made reference to. The “hour” clearly refers to his glorification through his death, burial, and resurrection. Christ came to die. He was, from the beginning of his life, the Lamb of God who came to atone for the sins of the world. His hour had come. The apex, the heart, the pinnacle of his mission was now at hand. He would go to the cross the next day.

Notice also that Jesus was mindful of the fact that, because of the fulfillment of his mission, the Father had given him authority over all flesh.

Let’s think about this for a moment. It is common, I think, for people to assume that Jesus, when he died and rose again, earned salvation only, and was given authority over the church only. It is indeed true that Christ, by his life, death and resurrection, earned salvation for those given to him by the Father from before the foundation of the earth. And it is indeed true that Christ, by his life, death and resurrection, was given authority over the church. He is indeed Lord of the church! But do not miss the fact the that his Lordship extends beyond the church, to cover all. He is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14).  He is the Sovereign one. To him was given the authority to judge. He was seated at the Fathers right hand until his enemies should be made his footstool.

This is why I read Psalm 110 at the beginning of the sermon. The New Testament makes it clear that this Psalm was ultimately about Jesus. See Matthew 22:24 and 26:64; Mark 12:36, 14:62 and16:19; Luke 20:42 and 22:69; John 12:34; Acts 2:34; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 5:6, 6:20, 7:3ff., 8:1, 10:12, and 12:2. All of these passage either direct quote or strongly allude to Psalm 110 and apply what is said there to Jesus Christ. And what does Psalm 110 speak of? David hears the LORD (YHWH) say to his Lord (Adon), “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” (Psalm 110:1, ESV). And “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’” (Psalm 110:4, ESV) And “The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.” (Psalm 110:5–6, ESV)

Psalm 110 is about Jesus Christ. He has authority, then – not just over Christians, and not just over the church – but over all flesh.  He, through his active and passive obedience, has earned this position.  He humbled himself, did he not? He humbled himself and was obedient even to the point of death. “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11, ESV)

So there is a sense in which all people have Jesus as Lord. I am not saying that all people submit to him, or honor him, as Lord. But he is Lord nonetheless!

It is true, Christ has been given authority over all flesh. But notice here that, more specifically, his mission was to give eternal life to those given to him by the Father. Look again at verse 1: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.” (John 17:1–2, ESV)

Jesus prayed to the Father being mindful of his mission. And what was his mission? To give eternal life to all whom the Father had given to him!

What is Jesus talking about here? Those of you who have been through the study on covenant theology know that Jesus is referring to what theologians now call the Covenant of Redemption. John’s gospel makes it abundantly clear that a covenant, or agreement, was made between the Father and Son before the world was created. And what was the agreement? To say it in a most succinct way, it was that the Son would earn salvation for a particular people given to him by the Father. When was this covenant made? Before creation. Who were the parties involved in this covenant? The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And what were the terms of this covenant? The obedience of the Son (active and passive). And what was the reward? Eternal life for all those found trusting in the only begotten Son of God, who is the Messiah, God’s faithful servant.

This was Christ’s mission, “to give eternal life to all whom [the Father had] given him.” This is the mission that he, in fact, accomplished. He earned eternal life for those given to him by the Father. He made atonement for their sins. And gives eternal life to them in time through the ministry of the promised Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to sinners as he, in conjunction with the preaching of the gospel, draws sinners to faith in Christ and repentance from sins. The mission of Jesus was to “to give eternal life to all whom [the Father had] given him.” This is the work that he has indeed accomplished.

Notice that Jesus also tells us what eternal life is. “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3, ESV)

So what does it mean to have eternal life? At its core, eternal life is this: the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus. To know God and the Christ whom he has sent is to have eternal life.

And you thought eternal life was about streets of gold, pearly gates, and harps. You’ve missed the point, I think. Eternal life is not so much about going to a place as it is about knowing a person. And notice, it is not knowing about a person. No, it is about knowing a person – it is about relationship.

You say, well which is it? Is it about knowing Jesus, or is it about knowing God the Father? Both! To know Jesus is to know the Father, and if we are to know the Father we must know Jesus, for he is the way the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through him. He is the one who has made the Father known.

The thing that makes eternal life, eternal – the thing that makes paradise, paradise, is God! He is the source of all life. Apart from him there is no life at all. And thing that makes life good, and pleasant, and to be desired, is God! He is what makes heaven, heaven. Friends, we were made to know him. We were made to worship him. We were made to have communion with him. Augustine was right when he said to God, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless, until they can find rest in you.”

From the beginning Christ had his sights set upon the cross. He, through his active and passive obedience, was given authority over all flesh. In particular he came “to give eternal life to all whom [the Father had] given him”. “And this is eternal life, that [we] know… the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom [he has] sent.” Jesus prayed being mindful of his mission.

Application:

To the Christian: Look at what Christ has done for you! Look at what he has earned!

Also, pray like him, being ever mindful of your mission. Your mission is not the same as Christ’s, but it is certainly connected to it. “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’” (Matthew 6:9–10, ESV)

For the non-christian: Repent and believe upon Christ for the forgiveness of sins! Life eternal is found in him, and in him alone.

Jesus Prayed For His Own Glory And For The Glory Of  The Father

Notice thirdly, that Jesus prayed for his own glory, and for the glory of the Father.

His prayer begins and ends with this request. Verse 1: “…he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…” (John 17:1, ESV) Verse 5: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:5, ESV)

When we speak of the glory of God we are talking about his splendor. He is holy and righteous and pure. He is radiant, full of splendid light – he is glorious beyond compare. In the song of Moses the prophet asked, “Who is like you, O Lord…? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11, ESV) God is glorious.

And notice in verse 5 that Jesus Christ claims to have shared in the glory of God before the world existed. How so? Not in his humanity, but in his divinity. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, ESV)

And he is now praying that the Father would glorify him. How will this happen?

One, through the cross. It is ironic, I know, but it was upon the cross that Christ was glorified, and God through him. His suffering was his glory for the simple reason that it was there on the cross that the extreme love and the pure righteousness of God was displayed.

Two, Christ would be glorified through his ascension to the Fathers right hand.

I’ll let Paul wrap this up for us. Philippians 2:5:

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5–11, ESV)

Application:

Brothers and sisters, may we, like Christ, live for the glory of God? Jesus Christ, from the cradle to the grace, was bent on bringing glory, honor, and praise to the Father. So too should we!

Never would it be right for us to pray, “Father, glorify me”. Jesus Christ is unique in this regard. It was right for him to say, “Father glorify your Son”, given his unique position as the only begotten Son – we should not ask to be glorified. But perhaps we should pray, Lord refine me. Purify me, grow me, use me. Bear fruit through me, all to the glory of your most holy name. 

Conclusion

Father in heaven, you are worthy all praise. You have been gracious to us indeed. Thank you for sending the Son to earn for us eternal life, which is the knowledge of you. Thank you for sending the Spirit to apply it to us. Lord, be highly exalted through your people as we live in obedience to you in this world, pointing always to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 66:1-14

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations; I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.’ Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: ‘Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame. ‘The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies! Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?’ says the Lord; ‘shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?’ says your God. ‘Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.” (Isaiah 66:1–14, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 16:16-33

“‘A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.’ So some 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 am 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.’ 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’? 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. 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. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 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. I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.’ His disciples said, ‘Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’” (John 16:16–33, ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8, ESV)

Introduction

As we read the scriptures I think it is important to try our best to identify with the people originally involved. I’m thinking of the author and the original audience, or the characters in a particular narrative. In John 16 it is important that we identify with Christ and his disciples. We should, if we hope to understand the meaning of a particular passage, put ourselves there to the best of our ability.

Context matters. In fact, context matters in two ways: One, we are to pay attention to the literary context – how one particular passage of scripture fits into the rest of a book, and that book to the rest of scripture – that is the literary context, and we must pay attention to it. But there is also a historical context. There is a setting. Here I am thinking of the life situation of the author and his audience, or the life situation of the characters in a particular story. Context matters both in a literary and historical sense.

And so it is good for us to try, to the best of our ability, to put ourselves in the shoes of the author or audience, or the people in a particular story. Here in John 16 we should try to identify with the disciples of Christ on the night before the crucifixion. When did they live? What had their experience with Christ been like up to this point? What were their hopes and fears? What did they know, and not know? Of course we are limited in our understanding of these things, but the scriptures do give us insights. And so we should try,  to the best of our ability, to identify with these disciples of Christ.

Upon the first reading of this text it can be hard to understand why the disciples were so confused about Jesus’ teaching. To you and I the teaching might seem rather straightforward, but the disciples were utterly baffled by these words of Jesus: “‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” (John 16:17, ESV)

When you hear of their confusion are you not tempted to say, brothers, what is hard to understand about this? Clearly when Jesus says, “A little while, and you will not see me” he is referring to his death and burial! And when he says, “and again a little while, and you will see me”, he is speaking of his resurrection – he will rise from the grave and you will see him again, brothers! And clearly the words, “because I am going to the Father” refer to the ascension. Didn’t you know that Jesus would die, and rise, and then ascend to the Father? This is what we are tempted to say.

But we should remember that hindsight is indeed 20/20. You and I see this teaching as basic and clear, but only because we live after the death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord.  The original disciples had not yet experienced these things. And for this reason the words of our Lord seemed mysterious to them. Clearly, the work that Jesus would accomplish through his death, burial and resurrection, so exceeded their expectations that they struggled to comprehend what it was that he spoke about as he predicted these things. They did not even have the proper categories to interpret what Jesus was saying to them.

And so considering the historical context – the life situation of the disciples on this dark and gloomy night – helps us to understand their confusion.

Not only should we attempt to undersigned their confusion, but also their fear and sorrow.  These brothers were confused by the words of Jesus because they lived before the cross of Christ, and before the resurrection. And they were also overrun by fear and sorrow, and for much the same reason. Why did they fear? Why were they sorrowful? Well, they were human. The future was uncertain to them. The words of Christ were rather disturbing to them.  The circumstances of life were dark and gloomy.  And as a result they were overrun by fear and given to despair.

This you can certainly identify with, I’m quite sure. You know what it is to be fearful concerning the future, and to have sorrow in the heart. You say, how do you know this, Joe? Well, for one, I am your Pastor. I have the privilege of knowing you well, and I know something about your struggles. Two, I know that you have battled with fear and sorrow due to the simple fact that you are human. We are all touched by sorrow. We’re all affected by fear. We present ourselves to others as if it were not so, but this is only posture and pretense. In reality, we know what it is to fear and to be given to despair, and so it is not hard to relate to the disciples of Christ in this regard. They were human and so are we.

We are given to fear for a number of reasons. First of all, we are frail, and we know it. We like to think of ourselves as big and strong and indestructible, but deep down we know this not to be the case. We are quite frail. Secondly, we live, not in the garden paradise of God, but in a fallen world which continually threatens us.  The truth of he matter is that there are reasons to fear. Thirdly, we fear because we do not know what the future holds. We can remember the past, and we can act in the present, but the future is a mystery to us. These things combined lead us to fear.

God does not fear, mind you. He is not frail. He is not threatened by anyone nor anything. And the future is no mystery to him. He sees the future as clearly as the past and the present. God does not fear. He is not human, but divine.

Sorrow also comes upon us for the same reasons mentioned above, but it sets in when we loose hope. A person is consumed by sorrow and despair when they begin to see and believe that the future is only dark and gloomy. There is no light – no glimmer of hope.

The disciples of Christ were beginning to give in to fear and sorrow. They were being swallowed by it. Darkness was pressing in and had begun to envelop them as they they thought  about their frailty, the threats which threatened, and the uncertainty of the future. Sorrow filled their hearts as the fear set in and hope began to flee.

Of course, I say all of this, not so that we might merely understand the disciples in order to sympathize with them, but so that we might see ourselves in them. That is the point of it all. I want you to see yourselves represented by these men. And I want for you to see that their struggles were common struggles. More than that I want for you to notice Christ’s words to them. And now that you have identified with them in their struggle, I want for you to also be encouraged by the words of Christ, just as they were.

Jesus provides a remedy to our fear and sorrow. He opens the way so that we might live with joy and peace and courage in this world.

Christ desires that his people live with joy, peace, and courage in this world. 

Notice, first of all, that Christ desires for his people live with joy, peace, and courage in this world.

In verse 20 Jesus speaks to his troubled men, saying,  “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.” (John 16:20, ESV)

In verse 22 he says it again: “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” (John 16:22, ESV)

In verse 24 Jesus says, “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24, ESV)

And in verse 33 hear Jesus say, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, ESV)

It is understandable that the disciples of Christ were tempted to fear. And it is understandable, given their human frailty, that they wrestled with hopelessness and despair. But notice that Christ is not willing to leave them there. He spoke to them. He gave them his word. He revealed truth to them so that they might have joy and peace and courage in this world.

Notice three things:

One, Jesus did not say that they would have joy and peace and courage because things would go well for them in the world. Quite the opposite! “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”, he says.

How often I have heard people say, if only my circumstances would change, then I would have joy and peace! Two things need to be said in response to this: One, you will find that “better circumstances” will not bring true joy and lasting peace. Two, why wait for joy and peace? You can have it now, brother; you can have it now, sister, if you would only learn that joy and peace come, not from favorable circumstances, but from a heart that trusts in God, and a mind that knows his truth. Joy and peace are not connected to circumstances in the way that you might think. There are some who “have it all” and yet do not have true joy and lasting peace. And there are some who “have nothing” and yet their hearts are alive –  their souls full – with the joy of the Lord. It’s not about the circumstances. It about the heart and the mind. Jesus’ words here make that abundantly clear:  “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”

Two, notice that Jesus did not rebuke his disciples for their fear and sorrow. This is probably a pastoral, or a methodological observation more than anything. But notice how patient Jesus is with his disciples. I’m sure that after walking with them for over three years Jesus would have hoped that his disciples would have been stronger in the end. But they were not strong. They were quite weak, in fact. And yet Jesus was patient with them. He instructed and encouraged them in their weakness. And he is the same way with you and I. Were our faith in God strong, we would never fear. If our hearts and minds were fixed squarely upon God and his truth, we would never be given to despair. But our faith is not always strong. And we do not alway set our gaze squarely upon God, fixing our minds upon his truth. We are frail creatures – prone to wander and prone to leave the God we love. Our Lord is patient with us.

But notice, thirdly, that Jesus is not willing to leave us in our fear and in our sorrow. He calls us out of it.  If we are indeed children of the King then we ought to have joy. There ought to reside within the heart of Christians a deep and true and lasting happiness. And there ought to be peace too! The soul of a Christian should have a quietness to it. The Christian should walk with courage and confidence and firmness in this world – like a bold lion, and not like skittish lamb.

Brothers and sisters, I am not saying that this joy and peace and courage is an automatic thing. Far from it! It must be cultivated. But it is ours in Christ Jesus! We are to fight for joy and peace and courage. This is why Christ commands his disciples to “take heart” (16:33). It is something that they must decide to do.

Christ encourages us towards this end with the reminder that suffering will lead to life. 

But notice that Christ does not command his disciples to do something without first providing them with the resources necessary to accomplish it. He commands them to “take heart” – that we have seen – but he first of all gives them the information that they need to, in fact, take heart. This is how our God works. His commands are always based upon truth. The imperatives of scripture are based upon indicatives. It is never do this… period, or just because. But do this, because, or for, or given that. And the same is true here. The command is to take heart. The expectation is that there would be joy and peace in the heart of the believer. But notice that the reason for it is also given, and it centers upon the reality of the resurrection. The resurrection of Christ is the hinge upon which it all turns. It is the resurrection that turns sorrow into joy, and fear into courage.

Notice how Jesus encourages us towards joy and peace and courage by reminding us that suffering will indeed lead to life.

I do not mean to say that all suffering will lead to life (suffering is not redemptive, or life-producing, in and of itself). But Christ’s suffering certainly lead to life.

Remember that Jesus said “a little while, and you will see me no longer”. This was a reference to his death. It was his death that caused the world to rejoice and the disciples to weep and lament. Christ would suffer. His disciples would suffer. The world would rejoice.

But remember also Christ’s words, “again a little while, and you will see me.” When they saw him again their “sorrow [would] turn into joy.“

Notice that the resurrection is not mentioned explicitly in this passage, but it is the hidden event – it is the unstated phenomenon which changes everything. The disciples would not see him, but after the resurrection they would see him. They would be filled with sorrow because of the his suffering and death, but they would soon rejoice and have courage and peace.

What I am trying to communicate here is that the disciples of Christ would have joy and peace and courage, in the world, not simply because they would be reunited to an old friend whom they had been separated from for two days, but because their friend – through his suffering and death and resurrection – had laid ahold of life – resurrection life! This is why they would rejoice. Death was defeated when Christ rose! This is why no one would be able to take their joy from them. They, through Christ’s resurrection, had access to resurrection life and hope that transcends the grave. It is the resurrection that enables all who have faith in Christ to say, “‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55–57, ESV)

The illustration that Jesus provides of a woman in labor is helpful, isn’t it? I’ll give it to you ladies – the whole childbirth thing is rather impressive. What’s more impressive is that you’re actually interested in going though the experience more than once! But why is that? It is because all of the pain and suffering leads to life. The suffering produces life. It’s amazing how a woman can experience agonizing labor for hours, but when the child is born, and is lain upon the chest of the mother, the memory of the pain and suffering fades away. Sorrow turns to joy because suffering has given way to life.

Jesus says, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” It is so important to see that this joy is not the result of a simple reunion of friends, but it is an ever abiding joy which springs from the reality of the resurrection. Christ defeated sin and death and Satan through the cross and by his resurrection from the dead. This is the reason why the disciples of Christ have joy in the world despite the trouble that we experience in it.

We have hope. We have hope in Christ. We have hope in the resurrection of Christ. Gloom and darkness, desperation and despair may press in upon us, but the hope remains. Like a beam of light cutting through the darkness, the reality of the resurrection cuts through all of the troubles of this life leading us, not to sorrow, but to peace and joy and courage in the Lord.

Suffering leads to life. It was through Christ’s suffering that life was earned. And for those who are united to him by faith, the suffering that we experience in this world is not the final word – we have hope in him which can never be taken away. Here is one reason for our joy and peace and courage.

Christ encourages us towards this end with the reminder that suffering will lead to the Father.

Also, see that Christ encourages us to have joy, peace and courage with the reminder that suffering will lead to the Father.

Again, not all suffering leads to the Father (suffering is not redemptive in and of itself). But Christ’s suffering certainty did! It was through his death and resurrection that a way to God was made. He is the door. He is the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him. Christ’s suffering provided a way to the Father.  And also our suffering, if we are united to Christ by faith, also leads to the Father. We have access to him now, in Jesus name. And we will be with him for all eternity if we have been cleansed by Christ’s atoning blood. This certainly is a reason to have joy and peace and courage in the world.

It is this reality – our love for God, and the love of the Father for us in Christ – which lead Paul to reason in this way:

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31–39, ESV)

Listen to Jesus’ words:

16:23: “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.” (John 16:23–24, ESV)

The meaning is this: In that day – in the age after the resurrection, which is the the age in which we live now – we will not ask Jesus for things (as the disciples did when Jesus was with them on earth), but we will the Father! We will have direct access to the Father in Christ’s name.  Jesus Christ is our mediator. We go through him to the Father.

16:25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.” (John 16:25, ESV)

Things were still mysterious to the disciples as they lived in the hours leading up to the crucifixion, and in the days before the resurrection. But after the resurrection Jesus would speak plainly about the Father. Things would become clear. I think here of the road to Emmaus passage in Luke 24 where the Jesus, after his resurrection, teaches the scriptures to his disciples, and shows how the law and prophets and Psalms point to him – and they got it! Things became clear in light of the resurrection. They could not see it before, but in the light the resurrection things became vivid.

16:26 “In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” (John 16:26–27, ESV)

Notice again that Christ is our mediator. He is the middleman between God and man. But that does not mean that we go to him, and he goes to the Father for us. Instead it means that he has opened up for us access to the Father. If you are trusting in Christ – if you have true faith in Christ – “the Father himself loves you”.

16:28: “I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”” (John 16:28, ESV)

“His disciples said, ‘Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’” (John 16:29–33, ESV)

Conclusion 

“Take heart; I have overcome the world”, Jesus says. This is a command. The fact that it is a command tells me two things. First of all, we will probably struggle from time to time, lacking joy and peace and courage. But if we are in Christ, we are not to remain there. We are take heart. And we are to take heart by fixing our minds and hearts upon the truths of God. In Christ Jesus there is life eternal. The resurrection proves it. And in Christ Jesus – through faith in him – there is the love of God the Father. Lay ahold of it if you do not have it. Repent and believe. And if you do have it, then cling to it. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’”