Jubilate

“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” (Jn 16:20). In these words of Jesus we find the pearl of Christian comfort, the true and lasting joy which our Lord promises to all who believe in him: “You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.” These verses contain the whole of the Christian faith, the chief articles of salvation. “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.” This tells of the crucifixion and death of our Lord. The disciples wept while the world mocked and rejoiced. The believers in Christ languished in sheer sorrow, bereft of all comfort, while Satan and his minions celebrated their victory. But it was short-lived. “You will be sorrowful,” Jesus said, “but your sorrow will turn into joy.” Here is the Resurrection. The mourning of the disciples gave way to indescribable joy as they saw their resurrected Lord standing before them. Jesus also speaks of his Ascension to the Father: “A little while, and you will see me no longer,” and finally, he foretells his glorious return, “and again a little while, and you will see me” (Jn 16:16–22). We are living in this final “little while,” yet while we live it, it seems anything but “little.”

“You will be sorrowful,” Jesus promises, “but your sorrow will turn into joy.” The whole of the Christian life is lived within this promise. Christianity is not a get-out-of-jail free card. It is not a miracle pill to cure all suffering, or a rabbit’s foot to ward off misfortune. God does not promise to shelter you from all pain and heartache. Instead, he promises that the sorrows of life will be turned into joy. Even though the night seems long, joy comes in the morning. Even though Satan and his host appear to be celebrating, Christ is the Victor.

There are many false teachers who will tell you that you do not need to live in the hope of Jesus’ promise. Rather than waiting for him to turn your sorrow into joy, you can live Your Best Life Now. “God wants you to have perfect success in every area of life now. He wants you to maximize your full potential. Do you believe that you can live in health, abundance, and victory today? If you believe it, then you will. Do you have a cold this week? It’s because you lack faith. Do you have money troubles? It’s because you didn’t give more abundantly to church last year. Do you have relational problems? It’s because you don’t have enough self esteem. You can be tomorrow whatever you believe about yourself today.”

The trouble with this false teaching is that no matter what you believe about yourself, you cannot escape suffering. And instead of putting your trust and hope in Christ’s promise, this false teaching will tell you that if you had more faith, you would not be suffering at all. So not only will you still suffer, but now you must feel guilty even as you suffer. The devil tries to teach Christians that the mark of the Christian life is the lack of all suffering. Do you have good health, a happy marriage, and financial stability? If so, then you are living the victorious Christian life, and God is pleased with you. Do you lack any of these things? Then you must be under the judgment of God. There is sin in your life, and you are being punished. For this reason, many Christians spend their lives pretending that everything is wonderful. What a terrible trap, because, of course, it’s not. Yet they put on a brave face: “Happy, happy, happy! Everything is awesome! My relationships are perfect. My job is perfect. Even my teeth are perfect. I am living in total victory in every way. I have the joy of the Lord.”

This is a big reason that my wife and I left the church we grew up in and become Lutherans. As many of you may know, Lena has health problems that cause her great physical pain every day. For years she was told, “If you had more love for other people, your pain would go away.” What a terrible burden to place on someone who is already suffering. But Lena’s Lutheran friend told her, “Your sickness does not mean God is punishing. He is not mad at you. Jesus has already born the wrath of God for you. You don’t have to pretend that your life is perfect. It’s not for any of us. We live in a broken world. Everyone hurts. Everyone suffers. But Christ is with you in your suffering, and he has promised that your suffering will turn to joy.”

Here is an actual answer to the problem of pain. Here is true hope and comfort, found in the words of Jesus. Suffering is not a mark of God’s displeasure. Instead, suffering can serve to remind us that everything is going according to God’s plan, just as he said it would, “You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.” How is it that sorrow is turned into joy? Are these empty words? Indeed, not. Martin Luther answers, “How does this come to pass? Surely because Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has by his most holy touch consecrated and hallowed all sufferings, even death itself, has blessed the curse, and has glorified shame and enriched poverty so that death is now a door to life, the curse a fount of blessing, and shame the mother of glory. Suffering has been touched and bathed by Christ’s pure and holy flesh and blood and thus has become holy, harmless, and wholesome, blessed, and full of joy for you. There is nothing, not even death, that his passion cannot sweeten.” “Yes,” Jesus says to you, “You will have sorrow, but your sorrow will be turned to joy.” As surely as our Lord suffered and died on his cross, these words are real and true, and they are for you.

Finally, what does that joy look like? Once I went to a presentation about joy. The speaker said that joy is a feeling. He said that joy is the mark of successful ministry. If that’s true, then the ministry of the Apostle Paul must have not been successful. Do you think Paul was filled with a joyful feeling when he was shipwrecked three times, given thirty-nine lashes five times, beaten with rods, stoned, in danger from Gentiles, in danger from his own people, in danger from false brothers, in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure, imprisoned with countless beatings, often near death (2 Cor 10:23–27). Jesus didn’t promise you or the Apostle Paul that there would be a feeling of joy in your heart. No, you will have sorrow, but your sorrow will be turned to joy.

What does that joy look like? One of our Lutheran fathers answers this way, “Christ means the inner joy of heart, and the peace of the conscience, namely, that you know and believe that for Christ’s sake God will be gracious and merciful to you, forgive all your sin, uphold you in your cross, and finally bring you to everlasting life.” True joy is not based on a feeling that comes and goes. It is based on the unchanging Word of God, on the unbreakable promise of Christ. He has suffered for all sin in your place. His death has satisfied the wrath of God. His Resurrection announces that your peace with God has been won. So when suffering finds you in this life, you may be sure that is not punishment from God. It is not a mark of God’s displeasure. Instead, it is but the leftover effects of sin in our broken world. And in the midst of your suffering, you may be certain that Christ is with you, your sins are forgiven, and the doors of heaven stand open to receive you. To all who believe his words, Jesus says, “You will have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” We bear our crosses in this fallen world for but a little while. But the time of Christ’s return is approaching. The night is far spent; the day is close at hand. Then you will see your Lord with your own eyes, and no one will take you joy from you. Amen.

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