April 26, 2012
TEMPORARY TRIALS VS. EVERLASTING JOY
John 16
Sarah Horan
Central Truth
Temporary trials we face now cannot compare with the joy we will experience in the presence of the Lord.
Key Verse | John 16:22
"Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you."
(John 16:22)
John 16
1 I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
16 A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 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’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 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’? 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
I Have Overcome the World
25 I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 1 16:27 Some manuscripts from the Father 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Dive Deeper | John 16
Personally, I found this passage to be really refreshing. Who doesn't love reading about the hope and joy that can only be found in Christ? We all know it sure isn't found here on the earth, even though we often try to find it here.
Jesus is talking to the disciples and warns them of the trials and pain they will face in this world. The same is true for us. We are told over and over again in the Bible that we will face trials in this world. But we are also promised that there is joy in the midst of those trials when we turn to the Lord, persevering through them. The beauty is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's joy that cannot be taken away.
Verse 21 says, "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world." I think it's fascinating that the author uses this analogy to describe the state of our world in relation to the Second Coming of Christ. The trials that we face in this world, including everything from natural disasters to wars to personal tragedies, are not what God intended for us, but are used to teach us to be more like Him and prepare us for eternity.
I am so excited to see what it will be like to sit in the presence of the Lord and experience complete joy that will never be taken away. Because we are not quite there yet, I am thankful that God has sent us His Holy Spirit to convict us, His Word to guide us, and community to walk alongside us in this life.
Discussion Questions
1. In what ways are you searching for joy and contentment apart from the Lord?
2. How is this working out for you? Are you finding true, long-lasting joy? What's the spiritual trade-off?
3. What are some trials, large or small, that you are facing now?
4. How are you able to see the joy in the midst of these circumstances? How can you lean more in to God's Word and the community that is around you?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
John 13-17 (April 23-27)
Read John 15:1-17.
• What did Jesus say He is?
• What did He say we are?
• What does it mean to prune something?
• Why do you think it helps to prune back a vine? (Check out Wikipedia's answer to this question.)
• What kind of pruning happens in our lives? And what it is the pruning for?
• Take time for each person to talk about a time when they experienced pruning (e.g., experienced the removal of something from your life that caused you to grow in your walk with Christ).
• Talk about how God used this in your life to draw you closer to Him and to bring Him glory (e.g., someone saw your response and wondered why you could respond well, or He took you to another team to share about Him).
Activity: Go outside and cut a branch off a tree or bush (it would be great if it was a flowering tree or bush that had the flower and leaves on it.) Put it in your house where everyone can see what happens to it. Do not put it in water.
Then, watch the branch over the next week and see what happens to it. Why is it dying? Where did it get what it needed to live from? Remember what Jesus said about Himself and us in John 15? What happens when we don't stay connected to Jesus? What are ways that you stay connected to Him?