Take Heart! I Have Overcome the World!

In the Gospel of John, we'll be in chapter 16, verse 16.

So we've got 18 verses left in this chapter,

and these verses give us the final words of Jesus with his disciples

before he prays his high priestly prayer

and then moves to the Garden of Gethsemane where he'll be arrested.

As usual in John's Gospel, there's a lot in these 18 verses.

I had a difficult time breaking this up into pieces and finding clear divisions here.

There's kind of several themes or topics kind of woven through all of these 18 verses.

So I'm going to focus not on all the verses in the chapter,

but just on the main conversation arc of this passage.

And we'll save some of those other themes perhaps for another message.

So we start here in verse 16 with Jesus making this statement to his disciples.

In a little while you will see me no more.

And then after a little while you will see me.

Now this is a statement that proved confusing to Jesus' disciples,

as we'll see in a minute.

What is Jesus talking about?

All through this evening, Jesus has been telling his disciples about how he is leaving.

And not only his disciples, but actually Jesus has been telling even the crowds this for some time now.

Is this what Jesus is talking about again here?

How he's about to leave them?

Let's just look quickly at some of the previous statements Jesus made.

All the way back in John chapter 7, verse 33.

John 7:33

Jesus said this to the crowds.

He said,

I am with you for only a short time.

And then I'm going to the one who sent me.

You will look for me, but you will not find me.

And where I am, you cannot come.

And then again in John chapter 12, a while later,

John 12 · chapter mention

Jesus said this to the crowd in Jerusalem.

You are going to have the light just a little while longer.

Walk while you have the light before darkness overtakes you.

And of course, Jesus was referring to himself as the light,

which we see just a little ways down the page in verse 46 of chapter 12.

And then in the upper room, this same night,

where they ate the Passover meal,

right after Judas left to get things ready to betray Jesus,

Jesus said this to the 11 apostles who were with him.

My children, I will be with you only a little longer.

You will look for me.

And just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now,

where I'm going, you cannot come.

And there was this little discussion about where Jesus was going.

Peter asked the question, Lord, where are you going?

And Jesus replied, where I'm going, you cannot follow now,

but you will follow later.

And then Jesus went on to talk about the father's house

and how he was going away to prepare a place for them.

And you know the way to the place where I am going, said Jesus.

And of course, Thomas asked the question,

Lord, we don't know where you're going.

So how can we know the way?

And Jesus answered, I am the way.

No one comes to the father except through me.

And it just goes on from there.

All through this evening, chapter 14, verse 18 and 19,

Jesus says, I will not leave you as orphans.

I will come to you.

Before long, the world will not see me anymore,

but you will see me.

And down in verse 25,

All this I have spoken while still with you, said Jesus.

And verse 27,

Peace I leave with you.

So Jesus has made it abundantly clear that he is going away.

In fact, just minutes ago,

before the passage we're looking at today,

he said,

Very truly I tell you,

it is for your good that I am going away.

So he's made it clear that he is leaving.

But up until this moment,

all of this has been really confusing for the disciples.

They don't understand what he's talking about.

And so Jesus, I think, states it one more time

here in verse 16

to change the subject right to this.

Let's talk about this.

In a little while you will see me no more.

And then after a little while,

you will see me.

And John tells us what he and the other disciples

were thinking about this.

At this, some of his disciples said to one another,

What does he mean?

By saying,

In a little while you will see me no more.

And then after a little while you will see me.

And because I am going to the Father,

they kept asking,

What does he mean?

By a little while.

We don't understand what he is saying.

So picture this.

Jesus is either standing or sitting

with these 11 men all around him.

And he's speaking to the whole group.

And you can imagine them

almost like students in the classroom.

Kind of listening,

but then whispering to each other.

What do you think he means by that?

What is he saying?

They didn't get it.

They knew he was going away,

but where to?

What is this place where we can't follow him?

What does he mean?

I'm going to the Father.

How long is a little while?

When does it start?

When will it end?

Well, it was pretty obvious to Jesus

that they were confused and didn't get it.

Verse 19,

Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this,

so he said to them,

Are you asking one another what I meant

when I said,

In a little while you will see me no more,

and then after a little while,

you will see me?

Let's just talk about it,

says Jesus.

And now Jesus begins to address their confusion

and answer their questions.

Verse 20,

Very truly,

says Jesus,

I tell you,

you will weep

and mourn

while the world rejoices.

You will grieve,

but

your grief

will turn

to joy.

Now this may not be quite the answer

they were expecting.

If I'm one of those 11 disciples,

I'm kind of hoping

that Jesus is going to give me some dates,

some numbers.

Like,

tell me,

in hours or days,

how long will this first little while be?

And when does it start?

And how long

till we see you again?

Jesus doesn't give them numbers

to measure by.

Instead,

he gives them some

emotional signposts.

First,

Jesus says,

you will weep.

You will mourn

while the world

rejoices.

But then,

your grief

will turn

to joy.

This time

that's about to come

during which

you will see me no more,

it will be a time

characterized

by sorrow.

But then,

that sorrow

will lift.

It will break.

And there will be joy.

Jesus gives them

an illustration

of what it will be like.

He says,

it will be like

how things go with a woman

as she gives birth

to a child.

A woman giving birth

to a child

has pain

because her time

has come.

But when her baby

is born,

she forgets the anguish

because of her joy

that a child

is born into the world.

so with you.

Now is your time

of grief.

But I will see you again

and you will rejoice

and no one

will take away

your joy.

So first,

you will weep.

You will mourn.

You will grieve.

There will be pain.

There will be anguish.

But then,

all of that

will melt away

and give way

to joy

and to rejoicing.

Now what is Jesus

referring to

by all this?

I believe Jesus

is referring to

his imminent

suffering

and death

followed by

his resurrection

from the dead

and appearing again

to his disciples.

It's the suffering

and death

of Jesus

that will cause

them to weep

and to mourn

and to grieve,

to feel that anguish

and sorrow.

When will this happen?

In a little while

you will see me no more.

If we follow along

and keep reading the story,

we find out that

this first little while

is less than 24 hours.

In a little while

Jesus will be crucified.

He will be dead.

His body taken down

off the cross,

buried in the tomb.

They won't see him

anymore.

In fact,

this time is so close

that in verse 22

Jesus says,

now is your time

of grief.

It's just,

it's right here.

It's hours away.

It's all this starts.

By this,

by tomorrow afternoon,

the disciples

will be plunged

into the deepest grief

and sorrow

they have ever known

as they watch this

happen to Jesus.

But Jesus wants them

to know in advance

as difficult,

as painful

as that time

will feel,

that pain

and sorrow

and anguish

will break

and it will be

replaced with joy.

Rejoicing.

And I love

the illustration

that Jesus gives.

I'll admit

up front,

being a man,

I will never know

the full extent

of what it's like

to go through labor

and to deliver

a baby,

what that feels like.

But I'll never forget

the birth

of our first child,

Callie.

Nine months

we waited

and the anticipation

just kept building.

What will this child

be like?

Is it a boy?

Is it a girl?

What will she look like?

And then Jen

went into labor

and it was

a long labor.

I forget the exact

number of hours

which proves

Jesus' point.

But something like

20 plus hours

from the time

that the contraction

started

until the time

that it came

for Jen to push.

I was tired.

I was feeling

weary.

It was intense.

And I even got

some sleep

the night before

all this.

But Jen didn't.

She had contractions

through the night

and she was up

through the night.

I can't imagine

how difficult it was

for her

or what it felt like.

But I do remember

those last hours

before Callie was born.

I remember

how long they felt.

I remember

seeing how

worn out

Jen looked.

How tired.

And then eventually

it started to get

really intense.

And the pain

went through the roof

for Jen.

And I just remember

thinking,

this is so grueling.

This is so hard.

How are we going

to get through this?

But I'll never forget

the moment

that Callie was born

and we laid eyes

on her

for the first time

and she was brought

right up

into our arms.

All of that

just melted away.

And we were

so happy.

It was one of the

happiest moments

of my life.

There she was

with all her

sweet little

baby features.

and all that

stuff before

was just gone.

This is the

illustration

Jesus uses

for how it's

going to be

for these men.

It's going to be

hard.

It's going to be

painful.

There will be

anguish

but all of that

will melt away

rather quickly.

In an instant.

You'll forget

the anguish.

It'll be gone.

You will rejoice.

And notice

the quality

of this joy

that will come.

Verse 22.

You will rejoice

and no one

will take away

your joy.

Says Jesus.

This isn't

going to be

a brief glimmer

of happiness

in the midst

of an ever

sorrowful life.

It's going to be

a deep

lasting joy

that doesn't

fade

and that

nobody

can steal

from them

or take

away from

them.

And what

will be

the cause

of this

joy?

Jesus

tells them

there in

verse 22.

Now is

your time

of grief

but I

will see

you

again

and you

will

rejoice.

It is

seeing

Jesus

again

alive

after

his death

that will

bring this

flood of

joy

and push

away

all the

sorrow.

So we

know from

the story

which follows

here in

John and

the other

gospels

that this

second

little while

is the

three days

between

Jesus'

death

and

resurrection

on Sunday

morning.

So what

is Jesus

doing?

He's

preparing

these men

for what's

about to

happen in

less than

24 hours.

He will

be taken

from them.

He will

suffer and

die.

And how

will they

get through

this?

By clinging

to Jesus'

words of

promise

that in

just a

little while

they will

see him

again.

and all

that grief

will give

way to

joy.

To deep

abiding

joy.

Now at

this point

Jesus has

answered their

question.

The first

one anyway.

And it's

easy for us

to see that

because we

kind of can

look back

and we

know how

the story

goes.

But remember

the disciples

I mean

Jesus has

already told

them a few

times he's

going to

die,

he's going

to rise

from the

dead three

days later.

They probably

still aren't

connecting the

dots between

Jesus'

death and

their grief

and Jesus

rising from

the dead

and their

joy,

their rejoicing.

We know

this because

even after

Jesus rises

from the

dead and

the women

see the

empty tomb

and the

angels and

Jesus and

then go tell

the disciples

they don't

believe the

women at

first.

And then

there's this

bit about

Jesus going

to the

father.

When will

that happen?

Does

Jesus go

to the

father when

he dies?

Or is

that later?

So now

Jesus is

going to

answer that

second question.

We're going

to skip over

verses 23 to

27 because

in the midst

there Jesus

weaves in

some stuff

about prayer

and about

asking and

about their

relationship with

the father.

We're going

to go right

down to

verse 28.

28.

Jesus makes

another

statement

very direct

similar to

the one he

just made

and he

answers that

second question

of what he

means when

he says

because I

am going

to the

father.

What does

that mean?

I am going

to the

father.

Verse 28

Jesus says

I came

from the

father and

entered the

world.

Now I

am leaving

the world

and going

back to

the father.

father.

Jesus just

says it

point blank

as direct

as can

be.

He answers

that question

of where

he is going

again and

we could

have probably

come to

this if we

were listening

closely and

following closely

all along

through everything

Jesus has

said.

Notice the

difference

though between

this statement

and the

previous

statement.

The first

one was

explaining how

he would

leave for a

short time

and they

wouldn't see

him referring

to his

death but

then after

a little

while they

would see

him referring

to his

rising from

the dead

and appearing

to them.

But with

this statement

Jesus is

explaining how

things will

go in the

longer term.

He's telling

him the

time has

come for

me to

leave this

world and

go back

to heaven

to the

father.

just as

I came

down from

heaven and

entered the

world the

same way I'm

going out of

the world

now back

to the

father.

Then Jesus'

disciples said

now you're

speaking clearly

and without

figures of

speech.

speech.

Now we can

see that you

know all

things and

that you do

not even need

to have anyone

ask you

questions.

This makes

us believe

that you

came from

God.

So the

quarter finally

drops.

The disciples

finally get

it.

At least

this part

of it.

They understand

Jesus is not

leaving them to

go some other

place here on

earth.

This is why

they cannot

follow him.

He came

from heaven

from the

father down

to earth and

now he's going

back to the

father.

back to

heaven.

And he will

be with them

no longer.

This is what

we call

Jesus'

ascension.

Jesus is

foretelling the

day when he

will be taken

up to heaven

and as the

story goes you

can read about

it in Acts

Acts 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1.

These same

men are there

and right

before their

eyes Jesus

starts lifting

off the ground

and goes

right up

into the

sky

through the

clouds

and disappears

into heaven.

Now we

understand

they say

we know

what you

mean

when you

say that

you're going

and I love

this little

other part

that they

say

now we

can see

that you

know

all things

will

be crucified.

I think

that's worth

some meditation

and some

thought there.

That's quite

the statement.

But let's

reflect back

on this whole

conversation

this evening.

Jesus has

been telling

these 11

men about

how things

are going

to go

in the next

several months.

All of it.

He's been

telling them

about how

he will

be crucified.

How they

won't see

him anymore.

How he

will rise

from the

dead and

they will

see him

again and

rejoice.

How he

will leave

them and

go to the

father.

How the

spirit will

come down

to them

and guide

them into

all truth

and speak

to them.

And on

and on.

All of it

will happen

exactly like

Jesus is

telling them

it will

happen.

Disciples

haven't even

lived through

all of this

yet and

they're already

realizing

now we

get it.

you know

all things.

I mean

you're the

one who

has come

from heaven

down to

earth and

now you're

going back

to heaven.

You don't

even need

us to

ask you

questions

or anybody

to question

you.

It's like

they're

acknowledging

you're the

ultimate

authority here

on everything.

You know

all things.

peace.

Well now

Jesus says

a little

bit more.

We're

going to

skip past

some of

it and

we're

going to

go to

the very

end and

hear Jesus

closing

words of

comfort.

Verse 33

Jesus says

I have

told you

these things

so that

in me

you may

have

peace.

In this

world

you will

have

trouble

but take

heart

I have

overcome

the world.

I love

these words.

This is

the purpose

of this

whole

conversation

that Jesus

has been

having

with them.

Everything

he's been

saying and

telling them

it's for

this.

It's to

put their

hearts at

ease.

It's to

still the

fears.

It's to

take away

the anxious

thoughts and

feelings and

replace them

with peace.

That peace

that comes

from trusting

in him.

In this

world

he says

you will

have

trouble.

These

words we

should

consider

carefully.

First we

zero in

on that

word

trouble.

Most

translations

say in

this world

you will

have

tribulation.

A little

bit of an

older less

used word.

Others

render it

suffering.

In this

world you

will have

suffering.

The word

used there

in the

original

language it

doesn't

usually mean

trouble like

I had

trouble starting

my car this

morning.

It usually

refers to

more serious

trouble.

Some synonyms

would be

distress,

oppression,

affliction,

tribulation,

suffering.

And of

course these

words point

back to

what Jesus

has been

saying earlier

in this

chapter about

how they'll

be hated

by the

world and

persecuted.

excommunicated

from the

synagogue and

even killed.

That's the

kind of

trouble that

this

conversation

has been

focused on.

Jesus

says mark

my words

while you

live in

this world

you will

have this

kind of

trouble.

But then

the sweetest

words

take heart

I have

overcome

the world.

I have

overcome

the world

says Jesus.

The world's

going to

hate you

persecute you

treat you

badly

because of

me says

Jesus.

They will

put you

out of

the

synagogue

they will

rejoice

at my

death

while you

weep.

But take

heart

I have

overcome

the world.

Isn't this

something?

Before Jesus

is even

arrested he

declares his

own victory

over his

opponents.

They will

not defeat

me says

Jesus.

I have

overcome

them.

He states

it like

it's in the

past tense

like it's a

thing of the

past.

it's so

certain that

it's like a

done deal.

I have

overcome

the world.

In this

showdown

with the

world that

Jesus is

coming to

the climax

of he

wins.

He will

not be

beaten.

He's

staring at

the next

hours of

his life

looking them

right in

the face

knowing full

well what

will happen

to him

that he

will be

arrested

falsely

accused

slandered

beaten

handed

over

and at

the end

of it

all put

to death.

He's

staring all

that in

the face

and he

says

take

heart

I have

overcome

the world.

I've

won this

battle.

There's

no doubt

in the

mind of

Jesus

that

whatever

is about

to unfold

three days

later

he will

rise up

from the

dead

from that

tomb

in glory

and triumph

over his

enemies.

Look now

at how

Jesus comes

to say

this.

The flow

of logic

here is

awesome.

I have

overcome

the world

so you

my

disciples

take heart.

don't

despair.

Don't

let your

hearts

be

troubled

when this

great

trouble

and sorrow

and grief

come.

What does

Jesus want

his disciples

to do

in the

midst

of their

trouble?

He wants

them to

trust in

the fact

that he

has

that he

will

overcome

the world.

Even

though in

the next

hours

it's going

to look

like

everything's

going off

the rails

and like

the world

is winning

Jesus

says

trust me

believe

no

they

aren't

winning

I

have

won

already

so

what does

God have

for us

in these

words

today?

I hope

that your

heart

has been

able to

enter

into

the story

with the

disciples

and Jesus

in this

conversation

but let's

now draw

some lines

of application

to our

lives

this was

a unique

time

and situation

for the

disciples

and for

Jesus

mainly

these words

are there

to prepare

them so

that they

can endure

Jesus'

death

and make

it through

to that

moment

when he

rises

again

the trouble

that they

will face

has already

been specifically

defined by

Jesus

as that

hatred

that

persecution

at the

hands of

the world

because of

their

association

with

Jesus

and I

can't help

but think

there

isn't it

wonderful

how Jesus

offers them

such timely

and relevant

comfort

he prepares

them for

exactly

what they're

about to

go through

and he

gives them

exactly

what they

need

to face

this

to suffer

through it

this is the

kind of good

shepherd

that Jesus

is to his

sheep

he is so

deeply in

tune with

us

he knows

what's going

to happen

in our

lives

he knows

just what

we need

and when

we need

it

and he

provides

it

and while

Jesus speaks

first and

foremost of

the days

that are just

ahead for

the disciples

there does

seem to be

a sort of

principle

here

let me

say it

this way

in this

world

you will

have

trouble

but take

heart

I have

overcome

the world

is Jesus

only saying

this to help

the disciples

make it

through to

Sunday

morning

when he

rises

or

are these

words of

Jesus

meant to

carry

the disciples

through all

the trouble

they will

face in

the days

ahead

and for

the rest

of their

lives

there is

a sort

of timelessness

to these

words

in this

world

you will

have

trouble

but take

heart

I have

overcome

the world

I think

Jesus

is setting

their

expectations

this is

how it

will go

not just

in the next

couple days

but for the

rest of

your lives

there will

be trouble

difficulty

even

suffering

and he's

giving them

something solid

and sure

to anchor

themselves

by in the

midst of

all that

the fact

the truth

that he

has overcome

the world

so

so

so

what would

he have

us do

Jesus

what would

he have

us do

today

in the

midst

of our

unique

trials

the challenges

that we

face

the difficulties

what would

Jesus say

to us

if he were

here today

and this

was us

he was

with

I can't

help but

think

wouldn't he

point us

to the

same

things

these

same

wonderful

abiding

realities

calling us

like he did

to the

disciples

to trust

in him

would he

not encourage

us

to hold

fast

to the

truth

of everything

that he

has told

us in

advance

about how

things will

go

think about

it

just as

Jesus is

telling his

disciples

right now

what's

about to

come

in a

similar

way

Jesus

has told

all his

people

about how

things will

go

at the

very

end

just as

the

disciples

would have

to trust

during those

days when

they would

not see

Jesus

looking forward

to the

day when

he would

rise

when they

would see

him again

aren't we

in a

similar

sort of

situation

today

we don't

see Jesus

because he

has gone

back to

the father

but he

has promised

that he

will return

and we

will see

him

again

just as

Jesus

encouraged

his

disciples

to

trust

in his

triumph

over the

world

even before

it happened

is the

Lord not

calling us

to trust

the same

as we

live in

our world

today

I believe

these words

were for

them that

day but

also for

us today

to show

us how

to persevere

in a

world

full of

trouble that

causes us

trouble

and this is

how we do

it

we trust

we hold

firmly to

the promise

that Jesus

made

he is

coming

back

I am

coming soon

said Jesus

we will

see him

even though

now we

do not

we are to

trust that

there is

coming a

day when

all our

grief

all our

sorrow

all our

pain

all our

anguish

will break

and melt

away

and be

replaced

with

joy

deep

lasting

permanent

joy

when we

see Jesus

the risen

king

at his

coming

I don't

know whatever

you are going

through in

your life

today

even if

it is

really hard

trusting

this

will carry

you through

finally

Jesus

pointed

them

to the

day

when he

would

rise

as the

proof

that he

has

overcome

the

world

we live

on this

side of

that

and so

we look

back

at the

resurrection

of Jesus

and we

take heart

it is there

in that

moment

that we

see most

clearly

that yes

Jesus

has

overcome

the

world

and all

the

trouble

that it

caused

him

and since

it was so

certain and

solid the

day that he

rose can

we not

trust that

he will

overcome

what remains

of the

world

and the

troubles

that it

will cause

to us

in our

day to

day

he will

do it

when he

comes again

in glory

and in

power

the

apostles

later went

on to

speak

to write

letters

John

himself

the one

who captured

this story

went on

to write

a letter

and this

is what

he had

to say

in his

letter

1st John

John 4:4

chapter 4

verse 4

a wonderful

word of

encouragement

he said

you dear

children

are from

God

and have

overcome

them

because

the one

who is

in you

is greater

than the

one

who is

in the

world

just a few

verses after

that

in 5

verse 4

he wrote

for everyone

born of

God

overcomes

the world

this is

the victory

that has

overcome

the world

even

our faith

who is

who is it

that

overcomes

the world

only the

one

who believes

that Jesus

is the

son

of God

this is a

tremendous

encouragement

to those

of us

who believe

that

and so

with my

last words

this morning

I just

want to

I want to

speak to

any of you

who may not

be settled

about that

in your own

heart

whether or

not

you

believe

in Jesus

do you

hear these

words from

Christ

who else

claims these

things

he says

I have

overcome

the world

and then

he dies

rises

from the

dead

do you

believe

that

Jesus

is the

son of

God

do you

know

that

you

can

have

a

personal

relationship

with this

conquering

king

and that

you can

be brought

into this

victory

and triumph