Grief Turned
to Joy - John 16:16-24
James Muldoon -
Many Christians have experienced great joy, even in the most extreme of circumstances. Such joy is the theme of this morning's passage.
In v16, the Lord Jesus foretells his death and resurrection. In a little while, the disciples will see him no more because he will die on the cross and will be buried. But then, after another little while, they will see him again, because he will rise from the dead and appear to them again.
The disciples, however, are confused by what the Lord says. In v17 -18, they discuss amongst themselves the meaning of the words "a little while". The Lord knows what they are discussing, and asks the question they have been longing to ask in v19.
He does not answer the question, though. Instead, he looks right through their question, right through their confusion, to their hearts. He answers their need, not their question.
In the remaining verses of the passage, He tells them three things about joy.
i
Joy's Production (v20-21)
In v20, the Lord speaks the words "I tell you the truth..." (or, more literally, "Amen! Amen! I say to you..."). That's the verbal equivalent of underlining the following words with red ink. He is about to say something crucial.
He points out that the following day, he would die.
The disciples would weep and mourn. But the world - meaning mankind in
rebellion against God - would rejoice. He was right, of course. One of the most
disturbing things about our Lord's death is the joy it gave the chief priests
and the others who were there. In the words of Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond
cure. Who can understand it?"
But the rest of v20 is even more significant. The NIV translates, "You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy". A more literal translation would be "You will grieve, but your grief will become joy". In other words, the very thing which would cause the disciples grief would later become their joy. Jesus is talking, of course, about the cross. The illustration about childbirth in v21 makes the same point.
Joy, then, ultimately comes from the cross of Christ. Paul saw that when he said, in Galatians 6:14, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..." The cross was the focus of his boasting.
Why is the cross the source of the Christian's joy? Because it accomplished our salvation. It defeated Satan. It made reconciliation between man and God. It showed the full extent of the love of God for mankind. Above all, it brought glory to God.
Do you rejoice in the cross of Christ? The moment of our Lord's death was the peak of history. It's right to exult in it. And if you're not a Christian, you need to believe in the Christ who died on the cross. If you do, you'll find that something as grim as a Roman method of torture and execution can actually be the source of the deepest joy!
ii Joy's
Permanence (v22)
We need to ask a fundamental question. What is joy? What is Christian joy?
Basically, it's cheerfulness, happiness, delight, contentment. But there is a difference between the joy which Christ offers and the joy which the world offers. The world's joy is based on outward events or outward circumstances. People might rejoice in a promotion or in a happy marriage. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. But in v22, the Lord offers a deeper, longer-lasting joy. He says, "Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no-one will take away your joy." It's a permanent joy.
The Bible teaches that, living as we do in the aftermath of the Fall, there's something missing from us. We were designed for fellowship with God, but by sinning we've thrown that fellowship away. What we need above all else is for that fellowship to be restored. Only then will we know joy. And it's through the Lord Jesus Christ that that fellowship is restored. Our joy is not, therefore, based on outward circumstances. It's an inward joy based on a totally faithful friend, Jesus Christ.
Do you feel joy? Do you feel joy because you are walking hand-in-hand with Christ? Do you feel joy when you meet with him in private prayer and Bible study? Do you feel joy when you meet with him at church together with his people? If not, you should examine your heart to see just where you're seeking your joy.
iii Joy's
Preservation (v23-24)
As in John 14:14 and 15:16, the Lord speaks about praying in his name in v23. He says, "I tell you the truth [that phrase again], my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."
Praying in Jesus' name means praying for things which are in line with his will and character. The promise he gives here is that if we do that, if we pray for anything which is in line with his purposes, then our prayer will be answered. It's a wonderful promise. We don't always know his will, of course. But we do know that it is his will to fulfil every promise he has made to us. We can pray with total confidence about such things.
In v24,
the Lord makes it clear that praying like this is the way to preserve joy. He
says, "Ask and you will receive,
and your joy will be complete."
Different Christians experience different degrees of joy as they go through life. Is one difference the fact that some pray more than others? If fellowship with Christ through the cross is at the heart of joy, then surely it is.
Jesus gives you himself. Do you want your grief to be turned to joy? Then you must come to him. That's the best thing you could ever do.