Welcome to Day 2171 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Gospel of John – 34 – Three Key Words That Keep Us Going – Daily Wisdom

The Gospel of John – Part 4 Confirmation of the Word – Three Key Words That Keep Us Going

Today we continue our series on the Good News according to John the Apostle. Last week, Jesus taught us the functions of the Holy Spirit, both within believers and in the World. In John 16:15, Jesus said, “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” Our scripture for today is John 16:16-33. Jesus shows us the Three Key Words That Keep Us Going. Follow along as I read.  Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”  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.” 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’? Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to 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. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, 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. “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.  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.” “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. “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.” Jesus’ last occasion for teaching the disciples was drawing to a close. These final moments of tranquility among friends would soon give way to anguish in Gethsemane, injustice during prosecution, cruel ridicule, and brutal scourging, followed by suffering and death through crucifixion. Yet, despite His desire for comfort and encouragement, Jesus comforted and encouraged His followers. Selfless to the end, Jesus offered three promises to keep His disciples going as the looming shadow of the cross darkened their days. These promises can be reduced to three words that are also helpful for us today:

• Joy (16:19–24)
• Love (16:25–28)
• Peace (16:31–33)

As we examine the promises of Jesus—joy, love, and peace—take note of the central place given to prayer in our claiming them. 16:16 In John 16:16, Jesus offered His disciples a pessimistic prediction followed by a positive promise. “You will no longer see me,” predicts His imminent death on the cross, while “you will see me” promises His appearance through resurrection. The phrase “a little while” prohibits the possibility of His talking about His Second Advent at the end of days. This prediction-promise formula establishes a definable pattern for the remainder of Jesus’s discussion with the remaining eleven disciples. Their dialogue follows this pattern of discussion:

• A prediction and a promise—Resurrection! (16:16)
• The disciples react (16:17–18)
• A prediction and a promise—“Joy” (16:19–24)
• A prediction and a promise—“Love” (16:25–28)
• The disciples react (16:29–30)
• A prediction and a promise—“Peace” (16:31–33)

16:17–18 The disciples were not unlike a six-year-old child asking questions at a funeral; they could only handle so much detail. Therefore, Jesus prepared them as best he could for the problematic hours ahead without revealing too much specific information. But, unfortunately, the disciples had become so agitated by the prospect of His going away that nothing would console them, not even the promise of the indwelling presence of God! Jesus tried to keep the matter as simple as possible: “In a little while, you will see me no more, and then after a little while, you will see me.” Yet even this stirred the disciples’ anxiety. 16:19–24 Joy Jesus predicted that the disciples would experience intense sorrow while the world would celebrate a perceived victory. Of course, this reference is about His imminent suffering, death, and burial; however, His ordeal illustrates an excellent principle for all living between the time of the Lord’s ascension and His return at the end of days. During this interval, during this beautiful in-between time, /which we call the “church age,” or the “age of grace,” Christians experience sorrow. Loved ones die. Bodies contract diseases. Innocent people suffer persecution. Meanwhile, malicious people prosper, and evil appears to enjoy the spoils of victory. Jesus followed His prediction with a promise: The world’s victory celebration would come to an abrupt end. When the Son of God is vindicated through His resurrection, “His own” will be vindicated with Him. The sorrow of believers will be turned to joy (John 16:20, 22, 24). The Lord illustrated His promise with the poignant image of a woman suffering the intense pain of childbirth—not coincidentally one of the curses of the Fall (Gen. 3:16). As the pain grows, the transition from sorrow to joy nears. Then, in an instant, the greatest of human suffering becomes the occasion of our greatest joy. The affliction of the curse yields new life. “In that day” (John 16:23) refers to the era after His resurrection, when the disciples could rejoice. While the reason for joy cannot be taken away, Jesus implied a condition. The means of experiencing this joy is prayer. Once the atoning sacrifice has been made, the barrier between humanity and God is removed. Believers are granted access to the Father because of the Son. Anything we ask that agrees with God’s will (“in My name”) will be given. This intimacy of prayer results in joy—a joy to the fullest measure. 16:25–28 Love Jesus then predicted that the need for His teaching them through “figurative language” would disappear. The Greek term John used to describe Jesus’ obscure manner of speech literally means “a byword.” In this sense, a byword is any term with a complex technical meaning. For instance, I might say to someone, “The annuity of your lifestyle is about to mature.” A financial planner, who is very familiar with the concept of an annuity, will instantly understand the metaphor and the point I would be making—that the results of the person’s choices were about to come to fruition. Jesus needed to be cautious about sharing with the disciples, but it was for their good. His purpose for using technical terms—much like prophecy in general—was to give them hope for future trials and equip them for obedience. The meaning of His words would become clear as events unfolded; the terms and their full meanings would spring to mind at crucial moments, and the disciples would then know how to respond well. “In that day” (16:26) refers to the same era as 16:23. Under the old covenant, people approached God through the priesthood, divinely appointed officials in the temple who mediated the relationship between a worshiper and God. During Jesus’ ministry, He became the physical means of human-divine relations. People approached Jesus for miracles, divine teaching, God’s revelation, and sin forgiveness. Jesus promised that, after His resurrection, He would be the permanent bridge between humanity and God. Through Him, “in His name,” believers could approach the Father directly. He characterized this unrestricted access to the Father and His welcoming response as “love.” Through prayer, believers enjoy a love relationship with the Father that is no longer hindered by unpunished sin. And the means of this free exchange of love is prayer. Jesus has become our intercessor when we pray in His name. 16:29–30 I find the disciples’ response charming, as I am sure the Lord did. Note their use of “now” in response to the Lord’s “in that day.” They gained a small glimpse of the future and thought they fully understood Him. Like a teenager with limited knowledge but who thinks they know it all. Their statements about the deity of Jesus and His exclusive claim to divine truth were spot on … if only they had understood them completely! Later, when the Holy Spirit filled them, the disciples would fully appreciate the mystery and wonder of God’s incarnation. They were like toddlers at a performance of Handel’s Messiah. They heard the sounds and saw the sights, but the breadth and depth of meaning would come only with maturity. 16:31–33 Peace Jesus welcomed the disciples’ breakthrough. Their dialogue had been a long series of fear-reassurance cycles. However, as the disciples decisively stepped away from their fear, Jesus checked their runaway excitement. They did not know nearly as much as they had assumed. Just like the teenager, I mentioned a moment ago. So he responded with another prediction and promise. Jesus predicted the disciples would abandon Him, undoubtedly thinking of this as the fulfillment of Zechariah 13:7 (Matt. 26:31; Mark 14:27). He said, “A time is coming and in fact has come.” Judas and the priest gathered a mob and lit their torches. Soon, they would surround Gethsemane. He followed this gloomy prediction with a promise. While humanity would soon abandon Jesus, including His beloved disciples, the Father would remain faithful. While Jesus later cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matt. 27:46), this was not to implicate the Father for abandoning Him. Instead, Jesus uttered this to call everyone’s attention to David’s prophetic Psalm 22. While the emotional anguish of the cross was accurately reflected in the Lord’s lament, He, like David, knew the Father had not forsaken Him (Ps. 22:24). The Father, Son, and Spirit are one; nothing can divide the triune God. Jesus further promised, “so that in me you may have peace.” This is not only peace with God (Rom. 5:1), but also the subjective kind. Despite the chaos of living in a hostile world, we may experience tranquility. However, this, too, is conditional. Like joy, peace is available, but we must choose it. We choose peace when we believe Christ has “overcome” the world. You may recall John’s statement in the prologue: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:5). The Greek term for “extinguish” is deliberately ambiguous and can also mean “overpower” (see note on 1:4–8). In this context, however, John chose the unambiguous verb nikaō, “to conquer.” John opened his narrative to summarize Jesus’ earthly ministry: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish (conquer) it,” John 1:5). He concluded the Lord’s teaching ministry with, “I have overcome the world.” Jesus challenged His disciples, and us, by extension, “But take heart!” The Greek term means “to dare,” “to be bold,” “to be of good courage,” and “to be cheerful or confident.” The definition includes two other nuanced meanings. First, “to trust in,” “rely on,” and, second, “to be bold against someone or something,” “to go out bravely to.” Or as a Star Trek enthusiast my mind thinks, “to boldly go where no man has gone before.” The entire range of meanings is appropriate to the Lord’s exhortation. His victory over the world—sin, evil, Satan, death, and the world's twisted manner—gives us reason to throw ourselves headlong into the conflict. We have nothing to fear. For even if we die, we live. Joy, love, and peace are ours; if only we believe in Him. Do you? Application: John 16:16–33 Three Key Words to Keep Us Going If I could somehow put myself inside the skin of those disciples and relive what it must have been like to get up from the table and have the Lord lead in prayer as He did in John 17 and then walk down those steps and find my way to Gethsemane, I believe two thoughts would have settled over me. First, His life may not have been long, but His death is not a mistake. Second, my life may be difficult, but I can continue. By the end of His dialogue, Jesus had said, in effect, “I promise you, life in this world is going to be difficult, but I’ve overcome the world. Nevertheless, you can be more than conquerors because of my power.” He showed them how to persevere with joy, triumph in love, and live in peace. Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Do you have a joy that cannot be taken away? Do you have confidence in God’s love? Are you confident in the truth that He is for you? Can you rest confidently in His wisdom and say to Him, “Lord, You know everything, so I’m not questioning You any longer”? When life comes crashing down, the qualities of joy, love, and peace are God’s gift to keep us going. But like a full bank account, they do us no good if we fail to draw upon them. The gifts of joy, love, and peace require faith. Failing to trust in the promise of God leads to a lack of joy, failing love, and unsteady peace. Let’s briefly learn what to do when that happens. Lack of Joy We lack joy when evil gains the upper hand, and we worry it will become permanent. But what if we knew for sure each trial would become the means of receiving a great blessing? Suppose you lived in a world where each lost job led to a better, higher-paying job; each illness led to increased health and longer life; each financial setback eventually resulted in more prosperity. How would you regard each affliction? With dread/ or anticipation? With gloom/ or joy? How would your belief affect your ability to persevere? While the world I just imagined does not exist—the Lord has not promised to make us healthy and wealthy in this life—God has promised that He has overcome evil, and we will receive a far greater blessing than we can imagine in the life to come. Affliction here on earth will eventually give way to eternal life. In the meantime, the blessing we gain from affliction is healing for our souls, and increased spiritual health. We persevere joyfully when we trust that we will ultimately prevail over suffering. The difference is faith. 1 Corinthians 2:9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” Failing Love The kind of love Jesus taught is selfless love. We cannot obey His command to love one another if we are primarily concerned with our needs and wants. When the Sadducees sought to trap Jesus with a silly question concerning marriage in heaven, He stunned them with His answer. Marriage will be obsolete “in the resurrection” (Matt. 22:29–40; Mark 12:24–31). In heaven, intimate, selfless, caring love will be shared. Here on earth, however, we struggle to maintain that kind of love relationship with just one person! How many marriages are strained by individuals manipulating one another to meet their needs? They resort to manipulation, control, sulking, yelling, blame, and other imaginable means because they don’t trust their mate to care for them. Let’s face it; we don’t love others /because we don’t trust them to return our love. We live under the false notion that if we don’t care for ourselves, no one will…not even God. Consequently, most of our energies go to taking care of ourselves rather than trusting the Lord as we give priority to the needs of others. It all comes back to faith. When we fail to trust the Lord to care for us, we fail to obey His most basic command: “love one another” (John 15:17). Unsteady Peace Jesus contrasted His peace with the world’s tribulation (16:33). Christ’s peace is to have the ultimate fulfillment of Hebrew shalom—life and fulfillment in abundance. This peace with Christ will undoubtedly result in estrangement and, therefore, persecution from the world; nevertheless, tribulation will ultimately give way to overwhelming blessing. While we have this peace as a byproduct of God’s grace, our ability to experience inner peace depends entirely upon our trust in His sovereign care and steadfast goodness. He has promised tribulation; however, He also promised that the victories of the world are short-lived. He has overcome the world; therefore, we may peacefully endure short-term suffering with the confident expectation of His ultimate triumph. Philippians 4:6-7