John 16, Hard times will come in the Christian life, but they don't have to destroy us if we prepare a foundation ahead of time

John 16:1-4 (NIV) "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.

5 "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

• Why is Jesus afraid that they will go astray?
• Because the pressure on them will increase
• Their faith will be challenged to the point of death
• People who attack them will see themselves as the righteous one
• Why do you think Jesus gives them this warning at this time?
• Because Jesus will not be around to protect them
• Numerous times, Jesus stopped an attack in some supernatural or unexplained reason (walking away, reasoning, etc)
• Is the warning still true today or was this only true for the first century church?
• While all but one (the author) apostle dies a horrific death, actually the second and third century are far more difficult
• While it is not true (per se) in America, in many countries (mostly Muslim) it is still happening today and has happened all throughout time. The key is that it is a warning -- some will face it and some will not (to the same degree)
• Both Peter and Thomas ask Jesus where he is going, so why does Jesus say that no one asks him where he is going?
• This is hard to understand. Actually shows the veracity of the scriptures because it would seem like a contradiction, except that it is written by one author by one (less than 24 hour) experience
• Maybe they did not ask the question Jesus was expecting (the depth)
• Maybe they are not asking the question now and should be. If so why are they not asking the question?
• They are full of grief
• When you are emotional, you are seldom logical
• Arguments do not work to help a person through an emotional time. Sometimes, we just have to let them work through it
• The argument here is that it is better that Jesus leave, because a helper / counselor will replace him
• What is the role of the Holy Spirit and why is it important?
• Convict the world of guilt in regard to sin:
• "Because men do not believe in (him)"
• It is our sin which keeps us from believing in Jesus
• Convict the world of guilt in regard to righteousness:
• "(Jesus) is going to the Father, where you can see (him) no longer"
• The only person who ever lived perfect righteousness is Jesus Christ. Jesus' life convicted people of the huge gap between them and God. Now the HS will have to do that work
• Convict the world of guilt in regard to judgment:
• "Because the prince of this world now stands condemned"
• For those who continue to follow Satan's evil ways, they will be judged and condemned as he now is (actually this is somewhat future because it is finished with Jesus' death and resurrection)
• APPLICATION: The Christian life will have hard times and times of grief, but we have a counselor to help us through those times and to help us continue the mission

John 16:12-24 (NIV) "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

16 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."

17 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'?" 18 They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."

19 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'? 20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

• Jesus encourages them with another fact. What is it and why is it important?
• There is more he wants to tell them (though they can't bear it)
• The Spirit of Truth will reveal it at the appropriate time
• The Spirit will take "from what is mine" (Jesus wisdom) and make it known to us
• So, now the disciple are confused by the sentence "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me," and the phrase "in a little while," why?
• If he is going to heaven, then how could he come back?
• Is he going to heaven and then we see him in heaven? Does that mean we are going to do in a little while?
• Is "a little while" like 50 years so that we can see him after we have lived a full life?
• How does Jesus explain it to them?
• You are going to grieve (probably means he is dead)
• But then something so good will happen, that you will forget your grief
• I will see you again (disciples are probably not sure when or how though)
• The phrase "in that day" refers to when they will see him again and then they can ask for anything in (Jesus') name and he will give it to them
• We already discussed from the previous mention of this same thought (in the upper room) that this had to be in the will of God
• The promise is that we will receive and our joy will be complete
• APPLICATION: The real problem is that few of us pray and ever fewer of us pray for things according to God's will. Consequently, most of us miss out on the complete joy that Jesus offers

John 16:25-33 (NIV) "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. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

29 Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 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."

31 "You believe at last!" Jesus answered. 32 "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.

33 "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."

• Why does Jesus need to speak figuratively? At all?
• Interesting question. God uses language to hide details. He does not make everything obvious. Some things require work, study, and research
• God wants us to use our brains
• What is clear?
• Jesus is going to heaven, that is he is going to die
• He is leaving the world
• It seems unusual that Jesus' words have such an effect on the disciples
• What is the promise for the future?
• Scattered
• Trouble
• Peace in the midst of trouble
• APPLICATION: Jesus discourse is near an end. While there are encouraging statements, most of it is sad. The Christian life will not always be roses and cream, and in the NT, those things are almost never promised. Most of the promises talk about persecution, opposition, and trouble. And the promises revolve around prayer, the Holy Spirit, joy, peace, and love among the body. Question for us is this -- do we have the right expectations?