Temple Baptist Church - 5-22-2024
John 16:15-22
Introduction:
A. Staying within the context of chapters 14-16, we find the sorrow that has filled the hearts of the disciples because of the impending departure of the Lord Jesus, their Friend, Mentor, Guide, Provider, Protector, and constant Companion.
B. We know a little about what they were feeling when we sit at the deathbed of a loved one knowing that shortly we will never seen them again in this life. I thank God for pictures of these departed loved ones that bring back the pain of loss, the joy of remembrance, and in the case of the believer an assured hope.
C. “A little while.” This phrase is used 7 times in our text for tonight. The Lord used “a little while” 4 times and the disciples used it 3 times.
1. The phrase “a little while” refers to a short but indefinite time period.
2. The “times” are in the Father’s hand. Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
1 Timothy 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
3. To some degree, we can understand the times. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
D. Our Lord was going away for “a little while” which means a “small space” or time. The disciples wanted to know what “a little while” was.
1. When Bro. Harold Smith was in the Nursing Home, we would always tell him that we would be back shortly or after a little while because he would want to go home with us. “Shortly” or “after while” he would be good with, but he got wise to us. One day, I told him that I would be back in “a little while” and he asked, “Preacher, how long is little while?”
2. The disciples wanted a definite period of time! No one likes “open ended waiting!”
E. Verse 20, the Lord said that the “a little while” would be a time of weeping, lamenting, and sorrow while the world rejoiced. BUT the disciples’ sorrow would be turned into joy!
F. Life is hard at best for all people, but for the child of God, sorrow is increased. The worldly belong in this sinful world but the children of God, though sojourning here on earth, are a heavenly people.
This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through,
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
Refrain:
O Lord, You know I have no friend like You,
If heaven’s not my home, then, Lord, what will I do?
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore. (Anonymous)
1 Peter 2:9-11 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (10) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (11) Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (Strangers – foreigner, not belonging to; Pilgrims – resident foreigner)
G. Our Lord knew sorrows and wept. If Christ sorrowed and wept, we will not be exempted!
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
H. Verse 21. The Lord gave the disciples an analogy of suffering that turns into joy. A woman who carries a child in her womb for 9 months and then faces the travail of childbirth. After childbirth, the travail of delivery is forgotten because of the joy of a son or daughter being born into this world.
J. Using Biblical Hermeneutics is one of the most beneficial ways to study your Bible. I want to look at the First and Last Mentions of sorrow. In the Bible, the First Mention and the Last Mention will always be consistent and will show you God’s mind on the subject.
1. The First Mention of Sorrow is followed by Joy. Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
John 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
2. The Last Mention of Sorrow is followed by Joy. Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
K. There is much sorrow in life. “Life is hard.” Job 14:1-2 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. (2) He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
1. The sorrow of sin. So many people ruin their lives with sin. Proverbs 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Ecclesiastes 1:16-18 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. (17) And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. (18) For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
2. The sorrow of youth. So many young people make bad choices in life. Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (10) Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
3. The sorrow of the times. “Change and decay in all around I see.” A world gone mad because of rejection of the one true and living God. Matthew 24:4-8 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (8) All these are the beginning of sorrows.
4. The sorrow of the lost. Family, friends, acquaintances, and the world. Romans 9:1-3 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, (2) That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. (3) For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
5. The sorrow of fainting and failure. Jeremiah 8:18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
Job 17:7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.
6. The list could go on, but I believe that we all get the point: sorrow is a part of life.
L. The Bible gives the problem of sorrow. 2 Corinthians 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
1. “Overmuch sorrow” is a combination word expressing two things. Much sorrow is a terrible state of mind and heart. Overmuch means “over the top” or an unrealistic sorrow that discourages the heart to the point of spiritual desolation.
2. “Overmuch sorrow” is the lack of acceptance of the promised consolation and comfort of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (4) Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (5) For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
M. The Bible gives the promise of sorrow. Psalms 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Joy follows weeping.)
1. The Joy of Repentance unto Life. 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2. The Joy of Trials and Tribulations.
a. The Old Testament. Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
b. The New Testament. 1 Peter 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
3. The Joy of Death. At life’s end, we “fly away!” “One glad morning, when this life is over, I’ll Fly Away. I’ll fly away, O Glory, I’ll fly away. When I die, Hallelujah, I’ll fly away!” Though sorrow is a part of life, there will be joy for the child of God in the end of life.
Psalms 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
4. The Joy of the saints gone on before us. We sorrow but we sorrow in hope. You cannot lose that which is not lost. They cannot come to us, but we can certainly go to where they are.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
5. The Joy of “no mores!” Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
No more broken bones No more Dr. Kevorkians
No more incurable diseases No more heat by day
No more suffering No more cold by night
No sightless eyes No more hunger
No cripples No fat bodies
No retarded children No crazy diets
No more jails to build No more poverty
No law officers No more storms
No more guns No more division
No more wars No more thorns
No more devil to annoy No more chiggers
No more funeral homes No more mosquitos, ticks, fleas,
No more headaches No more heartaches
No more death No more filth to see
No more nursing homes No more temptation to sin
No more disappointments No more fighting
No more Discouragements to hinder No more inflation
No more dismal failures No more hurt feelings
No more wicked thoughts No more confusion
No more strife and contention
No more broken families
6. The Joy of Eternity. WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE
Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
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