Rossville Christian Church
Sunday, Oct 9th
- Raise A Hallelujah
- Holy Holy Holy (Nicaea)
- Intro:Ask for a volunteer to come up and stand, then have them sit down. Then have them wait.You even have to wait for something? You think you might know what’s going to happen or at least have a vague idea based upon past experiences. And so you go with what you know. You know it wasn’t much different for the disciples here in John 16, where Jesus is trying to explain these last things to them before He goes to suffer. And so like my friend up here Jesus says in John 16:16
John 16:16 NASB95 “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.”And they think they know what He means, but they really don’t and are operating off from the things of the past. But if they would but wait and listen, to be still as Jesus instructs they truly would know. And by the way, you can go have a seat now. It sure is pretty uncomfortable when you have to just sit and wait isn’t it?PrayJesus RevealsJohn 16:16–19 NIV 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’?A. They Didn’t Understand1. Jesus Knewa. Its like talking to childreni. They are immatureii. They know everything is greatb. Something big is comingi. Never experienced beforeii. Hard to explainLook at John trying to explain what He sees in the future in the book of revelation. We are marvel at what he is trying to explain. Let me get another volunteer. Explain this to me as if I have never seen one, never used one and never made a phone call before.2. He understood their strugglea. Infants trying to walkb. Trying to do the best they can with what they havec. God has called us to do the samei. He knows our weakness and limitationsii. Uses us in spite of thatIsaiah 41:10 NASB95 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’3. Who understands now?a. Holy Spiritb. Jesus stillB. Like ChildbirthJohn 16:20–21 NIV 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.1. Pain is temporarya. Jesus is forever2. Suffer for a little whilea. Repeated throughout Scriptureb. Things are going to happeni. We must endureReminds me of training, it wasn’t about failing it was about enduring to the end. Sometimes you had to stop and take a breath and continue on, but you never quit.C. Joy is EternalJohn 16:22 NIV 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.1. Can never be taken away2. For them they willa. Die for itb. Also will live for iti. in the harshest of conditionsii. That joy is amazingc. Focus on the unseen thingsi. That is where Joy is foundii. Rememberingiii. Why Jesus was telling them/why we do what we doNo More DoubtJohn 16:23–24 NIV 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.A. Ask in My Name1. As if Jesus were askinga. Standing in His placeb. Using His namec. Jesus never asked for frivolity2. Not about Invoking a namea. About invoking a purposeb. They would know what to aski. They had walked with Himii. They had seen His prayersc. Joy made fulli. In knowing we can be loved like ChristJohn 16:27 NIV No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.B. Now We KnowJohn 16:25–27 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. 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.1. Speaking Figurativelya. Was trying to prepare themb. Wanted them to thinkWhen I taught I didn’t teach them everything, I made them think to understand. I made them contemplate what was next. Why do we do the sermon the way we do here, so the Word can get you to think.2. Yet a time is coming and has come for Jesus to be plainJohn 16:29–30 NIV 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.”a. They see the Truth nowb. God is not there to trick them or usc. He has revealed and made plain to us His intentionHebrews 1:2–3 NIV but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.i. We know the Truthii. We can believe the Truth because it is trustworthyiii. Same as the DisciplesOvercomes the WorldJohn 16:31 NASB95 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?A. Jesus Questions Them1. He knows they are sincerea. Still don’t understand fullyb. There is more hardship to comeMatthew 16:23 NIV Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”Reminder of Peter when is told to get behind Jesusc. Peter has a great heart but doesn’t fully understand2. Doesn’t ask in Jesus name like we just talked abouta. Only has his selfish intentionsb. Seem good but they are in conflict with Godc. Just like David and counting Israel, it isn’t a bad thing, it just isn’t God’s thingB. He knows they are trying their bestJohn 16:32 NIV “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.1. Warneda. Fear will grip themb. They will not be able to stand as they think they willc. While they say they get it, they won’t until its all over and Jesus has wonExodus 14:14 NIV The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”i. Sometimes it is our best courseii. When God says He is doing something He is and doesn’t need our help2. But encouragedJohn 16:33 NASB95 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”a. Have peacei. Even in the worst of thingsii. Know the Joy is comingb. There is going to be troublei. Jesus has overcome the worldii. That’s why it isn’t our home2 Peter 2:11 NASB95 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.(Read Cowboy Version)c. Don’t worry about the worldi. Its got nothing for usii. Follow the path of Christ and you will have peace and joyConclusion: John 16:16NIV2011
John 16:16–19NIV2011
Isaiah 41:10NIV2011
John 16:20–21NIV2011
John 16:22NIV2011
John 16:23–24NIV2011
John 16:27NIV2011
John 16:25–27NIV2011
John 16:29–30NIV2011
Hebrews 1:2–3NIV2011
John 16:31NIV2011
Matthew 16:23NIV2011
John 16:32NIV2011
Exodus 14:14NIV2011
John 16:33NIV2011
2 Peter 2:11NIV2011
- All The Poor And Powerless
- Living Hope