Before we begin to dive into the text that is in front of us today, I want to set the scene for you a little bit just in case it has gotten a tad-bit foggy. You see, we are within 24 hours of Christ’s crucifixion. All of the works and the teaching and the preaching have all lead up to the moments that we are about to experience. These words are also somewhat of the final instructions that Jesus will give to his disciples. Yes, he does give them some instruction after his resurrection, but this is the last of his teaching prior to his death, resurrection, and ascension. Immediately after the final words of our text, Jesus will begin the great High Priestly Prayer, a prayer that we will look at over the next several weeks. Immediately after that, comes the accounts of the betrayal, his arrest, and you know the chain of events from there. So as we look at our text today, keep in mind what comes next, keep in mind where we are in the progression of events leading up to Christ’s crucifixion, keep in mind the numerous things that have already happened over the past three plus years of ministry.
Christ begins by telling the disciples that “a little while, and you will see me no longer, and again a little while, and you will see me.” Now, this is a confusing statement to the disciples and deservedly so. We understand it because we live on this side of the cross. We know that Jesus is telling them that in a short while (less than 24 hours) he will be gone, but after a little bit (3 days) he will return to them. We see the confusion of the disciples as they ask each other, not Christ himself, what Jesus is talking about. They don’t understand what he means. Jesus knows they are confused and answers before they even ask him. “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.” This adds to the notion that we looked at a few weeks ago about the world being against Christ and hating those who follow him. Christ is reinforcing a principle that he has been teaching them for some time, an understanding that they must have as they move forward without him.
Furthermore, the disciples are puzzled as to what Jesus means by “a little while.” When we see this phrase used in Scripture, it most often denotes a period of time spent in suffering. However, I’m not sure that there is such a thing as a little while when it comes to suffering. Our evaluation or perception of time depends on what we are doing. A week spent vacationing at the beach seems much shorter than a week spent dealing with a family tragedy. I know that just recently when Amy and I were told that little Robert had a cyst on his brain while he was still inside of his mother’s womb, a few months felt like an eternity. I know that five or six years really isn’t that long of a time, but it feels like it when I think about or visit my grandmother who has been completely decimated by Alzheimer’s for nearly six years. I’m sure that you have had events in your life that have felt like they went on for much longer than they actually did. Three days isn’t very long, but to the disciples it will feel like an eternity. After all, the hardest days of dealing with a loss are those that come immediately after. Three days will seemingly last much longer than 72 hours for these men. However, Jesus also gives them a taste of what it will be like when he returns to them. He uses an analogy of a woman giving birth and how all of the pain, the discomfort, none of it matters when she sees her newborn child. I can remember that before Ashby was born, that a friend of mine told me that decisions made within 48 hours of a child being born weren’t binding due to parents lacking any rational thought. That is the sense of feeling, the rejoicing, the euphoria that the disciples will feel when Christ returns to them.
Jesus then goes on to recap most of what he has previously said to them, but he does so in a manner that is clearer to them. He does not continue to talk in figures of speech, but tells them directly what is to come. What seems a little odd is that the words of Christ here don’t really seem to be any clearer than those that he has previously said, but once again, we cannot accurately judge the feelings and understanding of the disciples because we live on this side of the cross. But, it almost seems as if it is confusing to Jesus as well when he responds to the disciple understanding by saying, “Do you now believe?” It’s as if he’s saying, “Oh, now you believe me? Have you not been paying attention for the last three plus years? I’ve been telling you about myself and my ministry the entire time and it somehow only now makes sense?” Then, he gives them these words about what will happen even with their newfound clear understanding. He tells them that his hour has come and that each of them “will be scattered, each to his own home.” You see, the disciples may be full of trust at this particular moment, but it’s not going to last. They’re going to leave. When the guards come, guided by Judas, and arrest Jesus, the disciples will turn and run. Now, we know that Peter does try to defend Jesus, but shortly after that, he too will turn and leave just as the other disciples do, and then he will go and deny Jesus three times.
Jesus is soon to be left alone by his closest friends. It will soon seem as if he has been completely abandoned in this world, but he’s not really alone “for the Father is with [him].” The Father will never leave him alone, just as He will never leave any of Christ’s followers alone. One of the hardest things to get people to understand and believe is that God never abandons us, He never forgets about us, He never sends us down a path without being there with us. So often people think that their times of hardship are a result of God’s either punishing them or forgetting about them. In Paul’s second letter to his friend, colleague, and pupil Timothy, he describes how everyone who was laboring with him deserted him, but that “the Lord stood with [him] and strengthened [him].” This situation is the same one that Jesus is facing in our text. It’s the same situation that many of us have faced before in our lives, maybe even multiple times. And each and every time the response and actions of God are the same. God is there with us, He is there for us, and He is leading us down the path to where we need to go. There has never, nor will there ever be, a time in which we are ever truly alone if we are among God’s children. Dark times and troubled waters are not indicators of God’s forgetting and forsaking us. The writer of the book of Hebrews states multiple times that we are given those times in our lives in order to test our faith, and as a result, have our faith strengthen. We’re told that we should rejoice in our suffering because it lets us know that God has called us His own. The true time to worry is when there is no testing, no suffering, and in turn, no growth.
That’s exactly what Christ is saying to the disciples here in his parting words. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Notice that it’s not I can or I will overcome the world, but that I have overcome the world. It’s a done deal. As we’ve said the past two Sundays, if God is on our side, then we cannot lose. We’re told that there’s pain, suffering, trials and tribulations. We know going into it that those things are going to happen. We also know that during those moments that a very critical decision is usually made. For some, this is a time of great tragedy. A painful situation is made even worse when they turn from God. During a moment of weakness caused by the world around them, some turn from their Creator. Unfortunately, I have seen this occur fare too often. I have seen family and friends blame God and see Him as the problem and not the answer. And every time I see this happen it hurts. It never gets any easier to accept, nor do I ever become any more tolerant of such choices. But for some, their faith is strengthened. They take heed to the words of Christ here and they have peace and they take heart knowing that he has already overcome the world. Those who look to Christ and anchor themselves within him are the ones whose faith is strengthened in the midst of tragedy.
I have a two volume work in my office that I hold very dear. They are two of my favorite Christian books and very possibly the two that I have had for the longest time, aside from my Bible. They’re not written by great theologians and they don’t contain any theology within them at all. The two book volume is titled Jesus Freaks. Now, I know that this term has had many different meanings over the years, but this particular work is made up of nothing but stories about Christian martyrs. Men, women, and even children who gave up all they had to give for the sake of the Gospel. During the midst of beatings, killings, torture, and a whole list of unspeakable acts, all of them looked to Christ and their faiths were strengthen during their most trying times. As we stand here today, I want to challenge each of your to be the person whose faith is grown during trials. But not just that, I want each of you to allow God to us you to help someone else’s faith be strengthened during a time of suffering. The greatest Christian witness that we can have to someone is showing them how to deal with hardships and helping them get through their own difficulties. I can tell you without a doubt that it is not a worthless venture, because as we’re told in our text, Christ has already overcome the world. And not only has he overcome it, but all that he has done has been given to us. Therefore, through Jesus Christ, we all have the ability to overcome this world when we anchor ourselves within the One True God. Remember during times of self-suffering and the suffering of others, look to God an allow Him to glorify Himself through your perseverance and your remaining strong in the faith. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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