Sorrow Will Give Way To Joy – John 16:16-24

A STATEMENT

“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.” (John 16:16 NLT)

A QUESTION

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10)

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8)

THE ANSWER(S)

“So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.” (John 11:53)

“…the disciples, who after his death will have a “time of grief” that will turn in to you that “no one will take away” when they see the resurrected Jesus. Nothing the world can do in the way of persecution can rob them of the joy of resurrection, beginning with that of Jesus himself and then resulting from his resurrection as a “firstfruits” (1 Cor. 15:20,23), guaranteeing their own future rising from the dead.” (Grant Osborne)

“yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14)

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;” (Hebrews 10:35-37)

“…Surely I am coming soon….” (Revelation 22:20)

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)

THE APPLICATION(S)

1. For the believer…

“To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.” (Genesis 3:16a)

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:6-10)

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

2. We can now pray…

A. Asking the Father based not on…

“Much modern prayer, even by serious Christian people, is useless and ineffective because the people involved approach God thinking that he is obliged to grant their requests because of something they have themselves done for him.” (James M. Boice)

B. Asking the Father…

C. Asking in…

“In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” (John 14:20)

“But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28)