The Pain of the Night Became the Joy of the Morning!

Roger L. Fredrickson relates this story: Awhile back the phone rang and when I answered our oldest son greeted me jubilantly, “Good morning, Grandpa.” The weeks of waiting were over, for a seven-pound son had been born to Elaine and Randy. So “Grandma Ruth” came on and we wept and laughed together with the new father, celebrating the coming of Joel Stephen.

But a week earlier when they called, they had reported that, after visiting the doctor, the baby might come a week or two later than expected. So there was a mounting concern, an added “little while.” Elaine is quite a small person and was even then having some difficulty walking. But then the time came, and the pain of the night became the joy of the morning!

Christ Jesus, for the comfort of His sorrowful disciples, promised that He would visit them again. Sure things were going to get bad or at least seem that way. But as with all things God is in control and Christ Jesus was going to bring the joy back into the disciple's lives. So let's start this morning by looking at how sorrow becomes joy. 

John 16:16-17:1
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.

25 "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."

1. Sorrow Becomes Joy (vs. 16-22)

When Christ Jesus spoke of a “little while” and the disciples would not see Him, and a “little while”and they would see Him, there was more than a little confusion among them. What did He mean by this “little while”? 

The “little while,” the time from birth pangs to the coming of life, is like the “leaving” and “returning” of Christ Jesus. The separation and sorrow of His death will “give birth” to the joy of His coming on the morning of His Resurrection. In Christ Jesus' day women often died in childbirth. Because of this the prophets commonly used birth pangs as an image of suffering.

How appropriate then that Christ Jesus likened His own death and resurrection to the pain and joy of childbirth. Once more Christ Jesus reached deep into the imagery of the Old Testament, to paint a word picture that His disciples would be familiar with. In some of the Old Testament texts such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea, these birth pangs signified the coming of a new “messianic era.” (Is. 26:17–21; 66:7–8, 13–14; Jer. 22:23; Hos. 13:13–15). 

Christ Jesus’ Crucifixion, His act of sacrifice, which brought such sorrow to the disciples, has also become the source of a joy for all who will believe; which can never be taken away. And with the coming of the Holy Spirit, Christ Jesus abides with all of us forever.

How different this joy is from that of the world which took savage delight in putting Christ Jesus to death and takes delight in the persecution of Christ followers today. But make no mistake about it, in the end; the world will be judged by the one they tried to put to death – Christ Jesus. Which camp will you be found in that day? Christ Jesus' or the world's?

So we see sorrow become joy in verses 16-22. Now in verses 23-28 we see a revolution in prayer.

2. Revolution in Prayer (vs. 23-28)

Christ Jesus’ atoning death was about to revolutionize the praying of the disciples. All through Christ Jesus’ earthly ministry they had asked all kinds of anxious, earthy questions to satisfy their curiosity or their needs, but they had not asked in His name.

Verse 23 contains two different words rendered by the English word ask. The first is best translated “inquire,” and the second, “request.” These two word obviously are different – inquire means to ask for information. Request on the other hand normally relates to soliciting favor or help in need. Christ Jesus encouraged the disciples to keep on asking, and He encourages you to do the same. As the Father shares all that Christ Jesus can give you, the joy of the Resurrection will fill you. You are now in the Father’s presence.

Asking in Christ Jesus's name was introduced back in chapter 14. “In Jesus' name, Amen” is not a magical or mystical formula. When you truly pray in Christ Jesus' name, it connects you to Him by faith, it honors Him as God, and proclaims His lordship in your life. Praying in Christ Jesus' name means coming to the Father only by His merit, not your own.

So, Christ Jesus says that in coming into the world He has established a bond of union with mankind; leaving the world, He returns to reestablish in its fullness His union with the Father. It is only when His hour is completed, His journey of descent and ascent is finished, that the disciples and you can welcome the Holy Spirit and know complete union and joy with Christ Jesus.

Now Christ Jesus speaks “plainly” about the Father and all who know Him can pray in His name. Are you listening? Are you praying in the name of Jehovah, Saviour, God's anointed?

You have seen in Scripture this morning that sorrow becomes joy and that through Christ Jesus the disciple experienced a Revolution in prayer. Now Christ Jesus tells them plainly they can find peace in tribulation.

3. Peace in Tribulation (vs. 29-33)

The disciples now heard Christ Jesus speaking plainly, or so they said. They no longer needed to ask any more questions, now they insist they understand and believe that He was from God. Of course, their thinking was still clouded. They did not yet have the Holy Spirit's presence and teaching ministry in their lives.

It is no wonder Christ Jesus had earlier called them “little children,” their faith was young and immature. Before we judge the disciples, we need to remember how Christ Jesus must deal with each of us. There is no way the disciples could know all they claimed, after all Christ Jesus’ work was not completed and the Spirit of truth had not yet come. Christ Jesus told them how immature they were and what would take place. Under the impact and fury of the attack of the Jews, which was soon to come, these men would all be scattered, each running to his own place of hiding (v. 32).

Are we any different? When the prince of this world throws up stumbling block, don't we tend to retreat and rely on ourselves? Or throw up our hands and say, “Oh whoa is me.”

Even with His admonishment there was a word of triumphant hope at the conclusion of this discourse, a great sense of encouragement for those weak, needy men, and for all of us who are confronted by the hostile rejection of this world.

In Christ Jesus they could have peace, one of the fruits of salvation, even as they experience hatred and persecution in and from this world. It is the same for you this morning. What a contrast! In Christ Jesus there is peace; in the world, tribulation. That peace is only possible because of a union with Christ Jesus.

The disciples would go on to share in His victory over the world. And so can you this morning, because He has overcome the world. Won't you place your faith in Him, now?