Pastor Pat Edwards 3/19/2006
Grace Baptist Church in Bountiful, Utah

If you read this and then listen to the sermon you'll see I got a little carried away with some additional illustrations. :)

Most of you have heard the proverb, "Tough times don’t last, tough people do." Are you a tough guy in the best sense of the word? Someone who doesn’t give up, who is able to persist without becoming calloused or uncaring? Who continues on because you are confident of your cause or of the ultimate outcome of your endeavor? If you are and you love Jesus then you qualify as a disciple.

Last week Jesus provided us with everything we need to obey all that he has commanded us. This week he encourages us to obey regardless of the challenges and difficulties, the wounds and pain. He offers us a number of assurances that we will not only come through the trials of life but we will come through them with joy and peace.

In verses 16-22 Jesus again tells the apostles he’s going away for awhile but he’ll be back. During his absence they will weep and mourn and the world will rejoice so obviously it’s not a normal absence. Something strange will be going on. But he compares it to a woman giving birth. There is pain but the fruit of the pain is the birth of her baby and the new mom soon forgets the pain or at least puts it in perspective. If that weren’t true none of us would have brothers and sisters because our moms would have stopped at one baby.

At first they don’t understand him. And we are just like them - there are things Jesus says that are hard for us to understand. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t true. There are lots of reasons we don’t and they didn’t understand. One reason is that we forget there is normally a context to most statements. They don’t just hit us from out of the blue. The context may not be immediate but if we think about it understanding often comes. Remember Jesus spoke previously about his impending death. His present words are only puzzling because they don’t remember all that he’s shared with them on a number of occasions.

Matt 26.1-2: When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, "As you know, the Passover is two days away-and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."

Mark 10.32-34: T hey were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."

So because they don’t remember these earlier warnings they are puzzled and upset. How often do we find ourselves in the same boat because our interaction with the Lord is limited to this present moment rather than remembering all that he’s said? If you’re struggling with something right now and are fretful and worried is it because you’ve forgotten a promise the Lord has given you? Do you need to take a moment right now to recall his words?

Jesus also assures them that in this situation the end justifies the means: but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. But the joy that is waiting for them comes through their weeping and mourning and grieving. In fact it is the only way it can come permanently. His death and resurrection start the cycle of new life for believers that will never end. It is the judgment on sin and the defeat of Satan. It initiates the coming of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment. If Jesus doesn’t leave none of this will happen. But there’s more. Through this they learn true and lasting joy comes not from the things of this world but from the hand of our loving, heavenly Father.

And that’s how we learn about the true source of joy as well - through the tough times that take away the things we’ve mistakenly depended on. It’s back to that cliche you’ve heard me share over the years - "You won’t know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you’ve got." Rarely of course does it ever get to that point; we learn our lesson before we hit bottom and the bottom falls out. But it feels like we’ve hit bottom. Again it’s the grace of God that get’s us to respond before we truly do lose everything. When we’ve walked that desperate path with Jesus we learn that he is there for us all the time and we learn those things we thought we’re absolutely necessary for the good life usually aren’t. And when we learn that we are free to live for the eternal rather than the momentary.

In verses 23-31 Jesus assures them of a new intimacy with the Father himself. Jesus has been their contact person up to this point but now a new connection is about to be permanently established that gives his disciples direct access to the Father. Again Jesus says some stuff I don’t fully understand like, I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. I don’t understand it because there are things I’ve asked for that I’m sure Jesus would want but the Father hasn’t given them. But I’m convinced the problem is with me and not with Jesus or the Father. I’m missing something but I know someday it will all be cleared up.

Jesus lists three direct benefits to the new relationships being established. Because the Spirit is now with his disciples they don’t have to ask Jesus any more questions because he will no longer be their primary source of information plus the fact they will know everything that is truly essential for this new life with God. Next they will ask just like Jesus and the Father will give to them just as he gave to Jesus. As I said earlier I know that’s true because Jesus doesn’t lie; I just haven’t figured out how it works. But one thing I do know is that a good guide for my prayer life is to study how Jesus prayed. If I follow the pattern of his prayers I can’t go wrong. The third benefit is that disciples have direct access to the Father and experience his personal love.

So we have assurance that Jesus gives his disciples a joy in spite of the worst the world may do to us or those we love. And we have assurance of a wonderfully intimate relationship with the Father. Finally Jesus assures his disciples of peace.

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."

We can have peace in the time of war. And the proof of that is Jesus. Even though the disciples all deserted him he was not alone - the Father was with him. He tells us if that’s true for him it is also true for us. Make no mistake in this world we will have trouble but Jesus have overcome the world and God is always with us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That’s blessed assurance that keeps us going. Combine all three: joy that comes despite suffering, peace that is given by the one who has overcome the world and then a special relationship with the Father as his beloved child and we understand where the confidence comes from that keeps us loving and obedient to our living Lord.