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The Gospel of John, The Period of Conference, Conference With the Disciples, Part LII, John 16:19-22 - Lesson 160
Read Verses John 16:16-18 for review: A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
John 16:19, Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
The disciples had been discussing their confusion among themselves.
But they did not ask for further light but sought the answer among themselves.
So typical isn't it.
Man getting answers from man!
They had the Word of God in their presence and yet they went to each other for help.
Were they embarrassed to ask for light on a subject that Jesus Christ so often spoke to in the past?
Did pride get in the way of seeking light?
How slow we are to seek light but how quick we are to seek from those who can only supply error.
How quickly we go to man for answers when the answer from God is so available.
Most likely it is because we do not want to know truth.
But the word of God in Psalm 119:18 instructs us to ask: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
And as Job asked in Job 34:32: That which I see not teach thou me:
Do ye inquire among yourselves, Jesus asks. Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened.
John 16:20, Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
Of a truth, of a truth.
Jesus says, "I say unto you."
Come to me for truth.
Stay not in your confusion among yourselves.
You cannot find truth among yourselves!
Listen to me instead of listening to each other and staying in your confusion.
I say unto you!
I tell you that weeping and lamenting are ahead for you A little while, and ye shall not see me.
There is a time ahead when you shall weep while the world celebrates its seeming victory over me.
Witnessing the celebration of the world while you suffer will make your sorrows even more intense.
Am I not the man of sorrows and are you not to suffer with me?
Are you not to be conformed to me as my disciples?
Did I not tell you that you would be hated and despised and those that kill you will think they are doing God's service?
But remember this: Your sorrow shall be turned to joy while the rejoicing of the world will turn to ashes.
Look ahead in John 20:20, And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Look ahead in Luke 24:51,52 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
But your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning with the Christian.
It is what is at the end that counts.
That is what faith is all about.
John 16:21,22 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
He had said in verse 16: A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me,
Sorrow now but joy is cometh!
Christ illustrates this verse by a common human experience where joy issues from sorrow.
If no sorrow would the joy be as intense?
If no pain at childbirth would the joy of the delivery of the child be as alive or as intense?
Is joy made even more joy by the severity of brief sorrow?
Does not God compensate the pain and sorrow of child birth by the joy or a child born into the world? |