Your Sorrow Will Turn to Joy

Well, turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 16. That's page 848 in the Pew Bible,

John 16 · chapter mention

if you want to turn there. John chapter 16, we're going to look at verses 16 through 24

John 16 · chapter mention

this morning as we continue our series in this portion of John's Gospel, the Farewell Discourse.

So let me pray for us as we turn to God's Word. God, thank you for the clarity and the sufficiency

of your written Word. Thank you, most of all, how you continue to reveal yourself to us

through your written Word so that we might see and that we might savor and we might praise

the incarnate Word, Jesus, all the more. God, we pray for this time now when we meditate on this

passage that it would honor you and that it would edify us. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

All right, John 16, verses 16 through 24. Jesus says this, he says, a little while and you will

John 16:16–24

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's 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.

How can we find joy in a world full of inevitable sorrow? How can we find joy in a world full of

inevitable sorrow? That's the theme of our passage today. And I'm guessing I don't need to say much

to convince us that that's a worthwhile topic to consider. After all, who isn't looking for lasting

joy? But then again, often we are like the apostles in this passage. We can be a bit confused.

Remember, Jesus here is with his closest followers near the very end of his earthly ministry,

and he's preparing them for his imminent departure and for their upcoming mission. And Jesus says

something here that really confuses them at first. He says, in a little while, you're not going to see

me. But then in a little while, you will see me. And the disciples are asking, what on earth does Jesus

mean? They all believe that Jesus was Israel's long-awaited king, the Messiah. They all believe that he

would triumph over evil and re-establish God's people. That's what the Messiah was supposed to do

according to the scriptures. So all this talk about a little while, them not seeing and then seeing

Jesus, it didn't really make much sense. The game plan, as far as the apostles were concerned, for the

Messiah, who they believed was Jesus, was unmitigated, uninterrupted conquest. Defeat the Romans, cleanse the

temple, rule the nations, done deal. That's how it's supposed to happen. But Jesus here is telling them

and telling us that being his follower isn't that simple. The true Messiah's mission wasn't one of

simple triumph. No, he says first there would be sorrow. And through sorrow, then there would come

lasting joy. A little while, and they would not see him. There will be sorrow. And then a little while,

they would see him. And there will be joy. A joy that no one can take away. So what I want to do is I

want to look a little more closely at those two ideas, sorrow and then joy. And let's see if we can learn

where this lasting joy in a world of sorrow can be found, according to Jesus. So first, let's look at

sorrow. Jesus says, in a little while, you will not see me. And that confuses the disciples,

understandably, as we just said. And you know what? It has confused many interpreters of John's

gospel too, down through the ages. What is Jesus referring to here? Is he referring maybe to his

ascension to the Father, to his return to the Father? Is that what he means when he says in a

little while, I'm going to go away and you won't see me anymore? Well, that's maybe a good guess.

Jesus often talks about returning to the Father in John's gospel. And in the book of Acts,

we read Luke's account of the ascension. And Jesus is indeed taken from our sight, taken from their

sight. But here's the thing. In the account of Jesus's ascension in Luke 24 and then again in Acts 1,

the disciples are not in that moment filled with grief. In fact, Luke writes at the end of his gospel,

when he's talking about the ascension, he says they were filled with great joy.

And then they go back to the city and worship and praise. So Jesus must be referring to something

else when he says in a little while, you will see me no longer. So what is it?

Well, it's what Jesus has slowly been preparing his disciples for throughout his ministry.

He's been slowly preparing them for the fact that the climax of his earthly work would not be a deed of

obvious triumph, but an act that from the outside looked like utter defeat.

In a little while, Jesus says, probably less than 24 hours, Jesus would be arrested, condemned,

shamefully crucified, and buried. The one with whom the disciples had spent nearly every day for the last

three years eating together, traveling, learning, ministering, they would see him no more. He would

be killed and buried, no more to be seen. And in a little while because of that, they would experience

excruciating sorrow. The one they loved would be taken from them. The one in whom they had placed all

their hopes, the one in whom they had begun to dream these most soul-thrilling, vivid dreams.

But look again at verse 20. Jesus says, truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament,

but the world will rejoice.

Here would be perhaps the most bitter part of the pill to swallow. While the apostles grieved their dead

teacher, friend, and Lord, the world around them would be rejoicing.

The secular Roman authority and the religious Jewish authorities would both rejoice that they

had finally gotten rid of Jesus, the troublemaker from Galilee, the would-be king of the Jews.

Now, friends, pause with me here for a moment.

Jesus is telling his disciples that sorrow is soon to be inevitable for them.

I wonder, do you and I live under the illusion that somehow we can be immune from sorrow in this

world? Can we be immune from weeping and lamenting, as verse 20 says?

Where are you placing your hopes for joy? Many of us are placing our hopes in a good career.

Many of us are placing our hopes in a healthy family. Many of us are placing our hopes for joy

in cultural pursuits or an intellectual growth. But can any of these things really last?

They're all good things in their own right, in their own place, but will they keep you

immune from the inevitable sorrow that will come?

Beth and I recently watched a movie about the American author Thomas Wolfe

and his editor named Maxwell something or other, played by Colin Firth. It's actually kind of a cool

movie. But Thomas Wolfe was from Asheville, North Carolina, and he published his first book in 1929,

before he had even turned 30. He was 29 years old and wrote a novel. And then he would go on to

publish another novel in 1935. And soon, Thomas Wolfe was being lauded as one of the greatest writers of

his generation. And he was even being compared with some of the greatest novelists of all time.

Can you imagine being in your mid-30s and having reached the pinnacle of artistic success,

that people are mentioning your name in the same breath as Dickens and Dostoevsky and James Joyce

and Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald? Can you imagine joining the pantheon of these great

novelists and you haven't even turned 40? Now, maybe you don't care a snap about novelists and writing,

but whatever it is, imagine what it would be like. Whatever your field or whatever your pursuit or

whatever your desire might be, that you're one of the greats and you haven't even gotten started yet.

And yet in a little while, it would all slip away for Wolfe. He fell sick with pneumonia while visiting

a sister in Seattle, was diagnosed with miliary tuberculosis, which is sort of lesions that just

begin to spread throughout your whole body. They feared that these things had gotten worse and

worse and worse. So he traveled to Baltimore to get the best treatment in the country from the

world's most renowned, the country's most renowned neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins. But despite it all,

18 days before his 38th birthday, Wolfe tragically dies at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Life is so unbelievably frail. And sorrow, friends, is inevitable.

Are you and I under the illusion that it will not come for us? But it will.

So what hope is there for us? Where can we find lasting joy when every hope seems to slip through

our fingers in the end? And when eventually death will steal it all away?

Well, Jesus here points the way. He tells his disciples first about that sorrow that is coming

and coming soon. But then he says, and again in a little while, you will see me.

And that brings us to the second big idea of our passage, joy. Look again at verse 20,

which is really the center of this whole passage. 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.

Your sorrow will turn into joy. What is Jesus referring to here? If they were going to see him

no longer, how could they possibly see him again? What could possibly turn sorrow into joy?

Well, friends, Jesus can only be referring to one thing. There's only one way that the apostles could

truly see him again. There's only one way that seeing him again would take all their sorrow and

turn it into joy. Only one thing. And it's the proclamation of the church from the very beginning.

The very thing that makes Christianity what it is from now until the end of time and into eternity.

The fact that Jesus, the crucified Messiah, has been raised from the dead. The resurrection of

Jesus Christ is the one and only thing that can give lasting joy. Why?

Well, in verse 21, Jesus gives the analogy of a pregnant mother. Picture Jesus as a mother writhing

in the pain of childbirth. Now, I don't need to tell you that I have not given birth, but I have

watched it happen three times. And what I have learned from observation is that birth pains are incredibly

intense. They're all consuming and they get worse as time goes on. But then Jesus says,

even though birth pains are some of the worst a human will ever experience, the pains of birth give

way to indescribable joy. A joy so great that the pains are almost forgotten. Why? Because a human

being has come into the world. And not just any human being, a son, a daughter, a beloved child.

And when you see that beloved, Jesus says, the pain and sorrow melt away and you are awash in joy.

Jesus says to his disciples, it's going to be like that. When you see me again, your sorrow will give way

to joy. Because then, because then you'll know that your hopes and your labors and your sacrifices

and your dreams, Jesus says to his apostles, above all, you'll know that your love for me, it wasn't in vain.

Because I'm alive forevermore and nothing, nothing will take me away from you.

That's why the joy is everlasting. That's why Jesus can say, no one will take your joy away from you.

Because if your joy is Christ and Christ has conquered even death, what could possibly take it away now?

The world tried ridiculing Jesus. The world tried condemning Jesus. The world even tried killing Jesus

once and for all. And yet none of it worked. Not even death could hold him back.

But you know, there's a deeper layer here. When Jesus talks about the woman in labor, he's picking up

actually an Old Testament theme that runs throughout many of the prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures.

In fact, our reading from Isaiah 26 earlier was, is one of those passages.

The prophets saw a time when God's people would undergo great distress before his final victory

and salvation came. In Jesus' day, picking up on these Old Testament themes, they would often speak

of the birth pains of the Messiah to refer to a period of trouble and terrible travail that would

precede the kind of coming and consummation of God's salvation. So there's this theme running through

Scripture running about in Jesus' day that birth pains are coming before God does his victorious act.

But friends, don't you see? Who's the real mother in this story?

Is not joy? Who's the one who lives in this story?

Who is the one who admired it? Who is the one who endured unspeakable sorrow

so that another might be given life?

Is not Jesus the true mother in the story of salvation?

the prophets saw that the people would suffer before salvation would come but Jesus

our king stepped into that suffering on our behalf he endured the pain so that all who

believe in him could be born into everlasting life and he rose again so that we might know

it can never be taken from us how is it that our sorrows can turn into joy friends if God

gave us what we deserve we would only get sorrow but Jesus like a mother in childbirth suffered so

that we might have life and joy he writhed and cried out on a cross so that you and I could be

born anew because at the cross there was an exchange that happened your sin for his righteousness

he took your sin and sorrow that your sins deserved so that you could have the joy of the

righteousness that his life deserved and that's the promise for all who turn and place their trust

in Jesus forgiveness of sins now righteousness before God an unshakable joy to come

friends does what you believe include anything like what I just described what the bible talks about

does your worldview include anything like a God who loves you so much that he would suffer bleed and

die for you many world religions many spiritualities speak about God as a great mother but only

Christianity speaks of a God who actually took flesh and who actually suffered like a mother in pains

even more excruciating than childbirth for you though you did not deserve it so that you might live

why would you not believe and trust in a God like that why would you not put your trust in the God of

the Bible the God of Jesus Christ

and notice as well Jesus doesn't say that your sorrow will be replaced by joy could have easily said that

right the day is coming when your sorrow is going to be replaced by joy he says this he says your sorrow

is going to turn into joy

well that's a funny expression isn't it

but do you see what that means

it means that the church that those who trust in Christ can always be hopeful and never despairing

because no matter how bad it gets

Jesus is able to turn sorrow into joy

how do we know this

well when Christ rose on the third day the apostles saw that the cross was actually our salvation

they saw and understood and proclaimed that God was able to use one of the cruelest inventions of human evil

Roman crucifixion to bring about the greatest of heavenly good

and likewise when Christ returns in glory

all of us will see

how even the deepest sorrows of the church age

will be swallowed up in victory

healed

restored

redeemed

these momentary afflictions Paul says

are preparing for us

an eternal weight of glory

your sorrows will turn into joy

but what will be the crowning moment of it all

what was the crowning moment for the first disciples on Easter Sunday

what will it be for all the church on the last day

what will be the sort of pinnacle of the joy

look at verse 22

Jesus says

quite simply

I will see you again

beholding Christ face to face

that will be glory

when the mother sees the face of her child

she knows it was all worth it

and when we see Christ face to face

not just when we see him

notice what Jesus says

when he sees us

I will see you

when we see him

seeing us

with eyes of eternal love

and endless beauty

with eyes that know our deepest flaws

and yet love us

with unmistakable

and unrelenting passion

when he sees us

we'll know it was all worth it

just like the first disciples on Easter Sunday

all our hopes

all our labors

all our sacrifice

all our dreams

yes even all our sorrows

will know

that they were not

in

vain

I will see you again

and your hearts will rejoice

so you see the resurrection of Jesus Christ

the conquering of death

the conquering of sin

holds forth

indestructible

joy

but if we're living only for this life

if our joys are grounded

only in the things of this life

then all of our joys

will turn to sorrow in the end

just like the warmest fire

only turns into ash

if you wait long enough

so if we put our hopes

in earthly joys

it's only going to eventually

turn into ash

in the end

but

in the gospel friends

this good news

rings forth

for all who hear

and receive

the truth of the resurrection

of Jesus Christ

the sorrows of this life

will turn into joy

in the gospel

even our sorrows

will turn into joy

and the joys of this life

will only get fuller

listen to how our passage ends

in verse 23 and 24

just look at those verses with me

as we walk through

and as we finish up

in that day

Jesus says

that is when Jesus is risen from the dead

and his work is complete

in that day

you'll ask nothing of me

you see up to this point

the disciples have gone to Jesus

with all their questions

and all their needs

but on the basis of his finished work

post-resurrection

there's a new reality

that's opened up

you'll no longer need to ask anything of me

what's the reality

truly truly I say to you

whatever you ask of the father in my name

he will give it to you

until now you've asked nothing in my name

Jesus says

ask and you will receive

that your joy may be full

because Jesus has dealt with our sin

finally and fully at the cross

because he's been raised as our Lord

and heavenly mediator

now he's saying

we have free

and open access

to the heart of God the father

that's what Jesus says

that's what Jesus means

when he says

you won't need to ask anything of me anymore

now you can go straight to the father

and ask anything in my name

now to ask

to ask in Jesus' name

isn't some sort of empty phrase

that we tack on

to the end of our prayers

for good measure

you know

like when you're using a CB

and you say

over and out

you know

this isn't

Jesus' name isn't sort of like

over and out God

I'm done now

no

it means something

to pray in Jesus' name

means to pray

to the father

on the basis of

all that Jesus has accomplished

we don't go in our name

or in someone else's name

we go in Jesus' name

on the basis of what he's done

and it also means

to pray

not just on the basis

of what Jesus has accomplished

but it also means

to pray to the father

in line with

all that Jesus

has instructed

we pray to the father

in Jesus' name

in line with

all that Jesus

has taught us

and when we pray

like that

Jesus says

the father hears

and answers

our prayers

of course

God is much wiser

than us

so he won't always

answer prayer

the way

we think we want

and God is a very patient

and long-suffering God

so we won't always

answer prayer

when we think we want

but God is a faithful God

and his story

of redemption

is heading

to a magnificent conclusion

and he has promised

to include us

in that story

and bring us

all the way home

you see

in prayer

in genuine prayer

prayer to the father

in the name of Jesus

we can take

all of our life

every sorrow

every joy

and we can bring it

before him

and then

we can do something

revolutionary

we can ask

do you ask

it's pretty vulnerable

to ask for something

isn't it

it's pretty risky

to ask for something

so often we don't ask

because we're afraid

to open ourselves up

to weakness

to disappointment

to rejection

in short

one of the reasons

we don't ask God

anything

is because we're afraid

it's just going to lead

to more sorrow

underneath so much

of our prayerlessness

is a hidden fear

that our prayers

won't be answered

and we're just going

to increase

our sorrow

so unconsciously

it seems better

just to stick it out

on our own

but here again

the words of Jesus

in this passage

friends

he says

beloved

don't give in

to your fears

I've died for you

I've risen again

so that you might go

to my father

who is now

your father

and ask

ask that you might

receive

ask that your joy

might be full

so here's where

our passage ends

all this

unshakable

lasting joy

that Jesus

has won for us

in the resurrection

a joy that cannot

be taken away

where do we

experience it

here and now

well

everywhere

and in everything

yes

but the highest

and deepest

and most fundamental

place of all

where we experience

the joy that Jesus

has won for us

is in prayer

the heart

in simple faith

speaking to God

and asking our father

for all that our

needs and fears

and sorrows

and joys require

Jesus promises

there

your joy will be full

so this joy

that can't be taken away

this lasting joy

in the midst

of the world's sorrow

the joy of the resurrection

it's a bit like

a cup of water

on a hot summer day

Christ has risen

from the dead

he has given you life

he's opened your hand

and granted you faith

and united you

to the father

he's placed a cup

of cold water

in your hands

and it is yours forever

and nothing can take it away

and prayer

prayer is like

taking that cup of water

and drinking it

taking deep

long

drinks of cold water

day

by day

by day

by day

a joy

that cannot be taken away

a joy

that you can go on

enjoying

so brothers and sisters

pray

drink

drink the cup

of joy

that's been granted

to you

and let your joy

be full

so church

let us be a joyful

people

even in the midst

of sorrow

because our Lord

is risen

and let us be

a prayerful

people

because it is there

that our joy

will be full

amen

let's pray together

our Father in heaven

we pray that by your spirit

you would take these words

of our Savior

that we've read

and that we've spoken about

and we've meditated on

and you'd work them

into our hearts

Lord many of us today

are sorrowful

would you help us

to grasp again

the resurrection of Jesus

in the midst of our sorrow

and rekindle joy

in our hearts

God

rekindle hope

and Lord

many of us

have become stale

in our prayers to you

Lord

open up for us again

the joy of prayer

that our joy may be full

we pray this in Jesus name

amen

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