John: The Overcomer
Notes
Transcript
Exegetical Point: Jesus is going to the Father. It will initially bring sorrow, however, joy will follow in Jesus overcoming the world.
Homiletic Point:
Intro
Intro
What sorrow or difficulty are you facing today? What trial, or frustration, or suffering is on your mind? Is it all consuming? Is it robbing you of sleep as it percolates in your mind?
Your trials beloved, are not without God’s love and care. He has not abandoned you to the suffering you face, but instead he leads you through that difficulty, like a loving father who leads an child through the bumps and scrapes that precede riding a bike.
He is a like loving father who encourages through the squeaks and squeals before you can play music.
He is a loving father who often says NO to your selfish desires and holds them back from you, like holding back ice cream from an infant.
God’s plans for us, in trial and tribulation, are always a prequel to greater Joy.
Even if you are experiencing painful consequences because of stupid mistakes you have made, this is discipline to bring you into greater faithfulness and obedience. The hard times lead to better times in Jesus Christ.
Sorrow leads to Joy.
For the 12 Disciples of Jesus, they were about to face a great sorrow. A sorrow that they could not foresee. In our passage for today, Jesus is preparing them to face the difficulty to come with comfort. There will be sorrow, yes, but that sorrow will turn to joy!
Jesus has been giving these guys (minus Judas Iscariot) a discipleship intensive. A Last minute download of all they needed to know about how to live as disciples of Jesus, even when Jesus has gone away. And this isn’t going to be an accident; Jesus going away it is part of the plan.
But there are upsides. When Jesus goes away, he will send the HS to help Disciples of Jesus. One of the main things the HS will come to do is to help the disciples know truth, to understand and remember the teaching of Jesus.
Although Jesus has been repeatedly warning the disciples that he has to go away from them, it seems it is only now starting to sink in. So Jesus speaks to encourage them that that although his departure will be a sad thing, it is actually a prequel to great joy. This joy is not a consolation prize, as if they were getting second best, it is full joy brought by the one who can take on the world and win!
There are three parts to this message, dividing the passage into three sections. The first is:
Joy through Sorrow (v16-22)
Joy through Sorrow (v16-22)
If you’ve spent much time reading the Gospels (the 4 records of Jesus Life, Death & Resurrection), you would see that Jesus is notoriously hard to nail down. He will not be backed into a rhetorical corner, and he will often side-step direct questioning and answer the issue behind the question. Sometimes Jesus just told parables, without any explanation.
The 12 closest disciples were familiar with this pattern, and often had to ask Jesus to explain himself for their benefit. On this night of Jesus betrayal, the disciples are once again wondering about the meaning of Jesus words, this time in relation to him “going away”. Lets look:
“In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” 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 Jesus is clear: He is leaving the disciples - “you will see me no more”. Yet he also says, “a little while later and you’ll see me again.”
The disciples are trying to figure this out. Does this mean Jesus is going on a short journey alone? And then he’ll come back and things will go back to normal? How long is a “little while”? And how does this fit with Jesus going away to the Father? Is this happening at the same time or is going to the Father something different?
Jesus knows their minds, so he responds:
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’? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
Once again, Jesus doesn’t directly answer the question, but he equips them to face what’s coming. He tells them what to expect, and that there’s a good outcome on the other end.
In that moment, the mission of Jesus was still shrouded in mystery. Key tid-bits of information had been revealed, but not enough to put all the pieces together. You don’t tell everyone your game plan, otherwise your opponents might get a hold of it and undermine you. Jesus keeps the details under wraps for now.
But the time would soon come when Jesus would be arrested by the Jewish authorities - the Elders and Chief Priests. They would take him away, and the disciples will be scattered. Jesus was hastily put on trial in a kangaroo court, with false witnesses. Then when he was falsely found guilty of blasphemy, he was chuffed off to the Roman governors house.
Under the roman occupation, the Jews weren’t allowed to give the death penalty, so they had to convince Pilate the governor to carry out their sentence. While he is there Jesus is flogged and mocked.
After a little to and fro with King Herod, Pilate gives in to the demands of the Jewish leaders. Pilate thinks Jesus is innocent, but he wants to keep the peace, and so hands Jesus over to be executed by crucifixion.
Then, Jesus is crucified - nailed to a cross in his hands and feet, and lifted up so that he hung there, held up by nails in his wounds.
There Jesus died.
He gave up his spirit and died.
His disciples saw him no more. He was gone, and all that was left was a lifeless body.
So they took the body and put it in a tomb.
The disciples were devastated. They had lost their mentor, teacher and friend. They had lost the one who taught them the words of God. The one who they hoped would restore Israel to it’s former glory.
So there was sorrow, and mourning and tears.
There was grief for life lost, and dreams crushed.
Yet it was not to last!
On the 3rd day of death, Jesus returned! He took up his body and walk among them! He came back to life!
Over the course of 40 days Jesus came and went among his disciples, teaching them more!
Their sorrow at Jesus departure turned to Joy! And not just a happiness because Jesus had come back to them, but a joy in what Jesus had done through His death and resurrection!
He had won salvation for His people.
He had redeemed the captives bound under sin.
He had atoned for the sin of his people!
Jesus going away was the best thing that had happened to the disciples, because it meant that they were now united with God. They had salvation, not from their Roman overlords, but from the greater tyrants Satan, Sin & Death.
The sorrow was short lived, because it gave way to a greater joy. And back in our passage, Jesus describes these future events that they were about to face like childbirth. A hard and painful event that gives way to great joy:
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.
The pain of the betrayal, trial and death of Christ would give way to rejoicing! And a rejoicing that cannot be taken away!
You can have this joy too, In Jesus Christ.
You must trust him, believe in Him, become loyal to Him, and he will save you from your sins.
Your sorrows of being separated from God, and alone in the world, can turn to joy at being welcomed into God’s family.
It is an awful sorrow that Jesus needed to die - yet it is the most joyful of deaths because it brings life.
No one can take that away!
Joy through Prayer (v23-27)
Joy through Prayer (v23-27)
So Joy comes after sorrow, through the grief and loss of death came the great joy of death defeated!
Yet Jesus has more joy for his people. Our joy is not only anchored in salvation won for us guaranteeing future joy, but Jesus provides joy in the here and now. How does this joy come? Through prayer!
Read with me...
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
With the coming of the HS, the disciples will not need to ask Jesus the questions that they have been asking him up to this point. The HS will guide them into all truth. Their eyes will be opened and they will be able to see how the Bible all fits together.
Even so, they can ask, and should ask, God the Father to supply their needs - in Jesus Name!
We are used to praying in Jesus name, but before this time, Jesus disciples had never used such language. This is an invitation to seek God in prayer with Jesus as mediator.
Asking in Jesus Name is not a magic formula that guarantees God will give you what you want. Have you ever had to go pick something up from the shop on behalf of another person? Like picking up an order waiting at the counter? You have to come in and say I’m collecting an order for so-and-so. By invoking their name, you are showing that you’re there with the other person’s provision. But, you can’t just walk into the shop and ask for anything. If Laura asks me to pick up some photos printed for her down at Hardly Normal, I can’t just walk in and ask for anything in Laura’s name, I have to ask for what is provided.
So too in our prayers, we ask in Jesus name for what is provided for us! And if we come in Jesus name, we are not locked out.
If we ask for what He has given, we will receive, and our joy will be complete!
So what things has Jesus provided?
Joy!
HS!
Life!
Forgiveness, salvation, redemption.
Scour to scriptures and look for the Promises for God’s people, then ask and you will receive!
Jesus goes on...
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
Soon enough all would become plain for the disciples, through Jesus post-resurrection teaching, through the HS and reading the OT. Once they understood, it was proclaimed to the world, and recorded down to this day.
In that day, we will pray in Jesus name, because it will be abundantly clear that he is God incarnate, and our mediator.
But, he is not a mediator that is trying to get on God’s good side. Like if you go to your local federal rep. and ask them for something, then they need to wait for an opening in parliament before they can speak....
Or like when you ask mum for something, and she says, we’ll have to wait for Dad to get home. And then she can pass your request on to Dad.
No! Asking in Jesus name is not a two step process of passing prayers up the chain to God the Father - To ask in Jesus name is to have the ear of God the father - He will hear! He loves the people who belong to Jesus, because the God the Son & God the Father are united in purpose and mission. To have the one is to have the other. There is no disunity or discontinuity in God.
The Father himself loves those who love Jesus and believe in Him.
The love loop - We love because God loved, God loved because we loved. It is ultimately from God, but it is reciprocal.
Because The Father loves us in Jesus Christ - we can have confidence to ask, receive and have full joy.
Peace through Christ (v28-33)
Peace through Christ (v28-33)
Despite Jesus plans to be unseen then seen again, Jesus is indeed still going away for a longer time to go to the Father. He is the eternal Son of God, through whom the world was made. He came to earth from the Father, and he was going back again. He says it straight:
I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of 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.”
The disciples feel like they finally got a moment of clarity - Jesus is definitely from God, but now he is going back. The fact that he answered their questions before they asked them is also a good signal.
God knows all things, and although Jesus has limited himself in his humanity, he is nonetheless God and knows all things. He is above reproach and above questioning.
They fully believe that Jesus comes from God! They obviously thought this was the case, but there was probably some sneaking doubt. Now they have no doubt! They are fully convinced!
“You believe at last!” Jesus answered. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
At this crucial moment, when the faith of the disciples is secured, Jesus warns them - they will be scattered.
At his arrest, all the disciples flee. They leave him alone. And not only that, the likes of Peter will outright reject any association with Jesus.
Yet Jesus was not alone, he and the Father are one. They are together even when deserted by his closest friends. Even in the critical moments of Jesus sacrifice of His life, it was not apart from the will and presence of the Father.
Now Jesus tells them why he has been talking about this stuff:
“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.”
Ultimately Jesus want his disciples to have peace. The Peace even in the face of their greif and sorrow. Peace despite what will happen to them.
The world is full of trouble, as we have discussed previously, but take heart, because disciples are not left on the chaotic waves of the world to be tossed to and fro like flotsam. Instead the disciples of Christ are secured in God, with great peace. Peace like this:
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
You can have this peace!
Jesus has overcome the world. How?
So What?
So What?
It was an awful sorrow that Jesus died, but it is our greatest Joy!
Your joy should be made full through prayer - ask and you will receive!
Jesus has overcome the world, so now you can have peace. Even if an army surronds you, have no fear.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
References:
Carson’s Pillar Commentary on John.
Hutcheson’s commentary on John
Hendrickson’s commentary on John
Sermons by Richard D. Philips,
Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version. Orlando, FL; Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.
Phillips, Richard D. John. Edited by Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani. 1st ed. Vol. 1 & 2 of Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014.