20 Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 21 Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.23 In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
Message: Sorrow, Joy, and Answered Prayer
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: Jesus knew His departure from the disciples would illicit grief and He addresses this today. He has already spoken of the persecution and the hatred by those in the world they would receive. I believe most of what Jesus has been speaking since the end of John 13 in this Farewell Discourse has actually been words of comfort and today's verses are consistent with this idea.
In verse 20, He remarks that the disciples "will weep and lament." Departures of people that we love bring this about. It is a normal emotion. But after that weeping and lamenting often there is joy. I experienced this with my mom. I was definitely sad to see her pass, but then happy to know that she is with our Father in heaven and that she has escaped the hardship of this world.
Jesus remarks that "the world will rejoice." The unbelieving Jews and others would be glad that Jesus had left. Perhaps at this moment Jesus did know that He would be dying or that He would at least be leaving this world. Jesus remarks that the world rejoices, not simply the Jews, but the World. The reality is many are happy to have Jesus out of the picture. I've always noticed that it seems easier to mention the name of God than the name of Jesus when sharing one's faith with those in the world. There is something penetrating about mentioning the name of Jesus.
In verses 21 and 22 Jesus describes the difficulty that will occur and draws a comparison to a woman in labor. A woman goes through anguish and difficulty and pain in delivering a baby but afterwards there is rejoicing. And once the baby comes, the anguish that she did experience is remembered no more. I love this comparison. I think of this for a woman and labor and how they all go through it, maybe not looking forward to it, but they do it, to get to that baby. Impressive. Great reminder of the pain that people go through sometimes in life to get to something better. Verse 22 sort of wraps up the idea of verse 21 with Jesus confirming that they do have grief now, but He will see them again and then they will rejoice.
Here now I look at a sermon by Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910) called, "In That Day." He remarks that there is nothing new in these verses but Jesus is taking ideas previously mentioned and tying them now all together. He states the 2 asking's are different Greek words. Our word for "ask" has two meanings - to question to get information or to request, in order to get gifts. In the passage today the first meaning "In that day you will not question Me" is the first ask, to get information. And then the next ask is in order to get something, "if you ask the Father for anything in My name."
I. Note then, first, the end of questionings. Jesus has been telling the disciples that they gain something by losing him. Hard words for them to hear. Are we not always wishing that Jesus was beside us, walking with us? But it is better actually that He is not here beside us seems to be Jesus' point. "We gain by losing the visible Christ." With him gone we tease out issues among ourselves. Jesus has been getting a lot of questions by the disciples in the last several chapters and Jesus has been giving answers and the disciples have been slowly learning but not learning as well. We have the life of Jesus before us and 4 gospels testify him and so now, it is better for us that we can tease out and study and contemplate and make his truth our own. It is better that Jesus is not here with us. Jesus has been telling us 2 things we now have: a completed revelation and an inner teacher. We don't need to ask Jesus anything further because we have the words of Jesus recorded. In Jesus dying we have more than what He had told us while on the earth. He eluded to His death but by His death we now have a more fuller meaning to Him and His life.
The death of Christ has told us things that Christ before His death could not tell. The resurrection of Christ has cast light upon all the darkest places of man’s destiny which Christ, before His resurrection, could not by any words so illuminate. The ascension of Christ has opened doors for thought, for faith, for hope, which were fast closed, notwithstanding all His teachings, until He had burst them asunder and passed to His throne. And the facts which are substituted for the bodily presence of Jesus with His disciples tell us a great deal more than they could ever have drawn from Him by questionings, however persistent and however wisely directed.
And we have a divine Spirit. We implore this Spirit by our will to move us beyond the revelation into the apprehension and possession of His power in our lives, with the truth to mold our character and raise us to the likeness of Himself. No longer do we go to Him, but He now comes to us. No longer do we ask Him questions, but He rather meets us where we are at now. He is right where we are. Questions will remain though and we will struggle through understandings, but we press on. We don't give up. We continue to seek Him and press towards Him.
II. Secondly, satisfied desires. "I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name." Jesus has in this gospel now mentioned "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do (John 14:13)" and now here asking the Father anything "in My name, He will give it to you (16:23)." With these alternating words, we have the conclusion of Jesus and the Father exacting the same outcomes as supported by, "whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner (John 5:19)." But does this mean all desires will be satisfied? Does simply invoking the words, "in My Name" produce any requests from our own self-will? Or rather does this represent asking with a request synonymous with the whole character of Christ? By asking according to Him, it is is according to His will, so that what I am asking is consistent with how Jesus would act on this earth. So it is not to ask anything that my will desires, but rather asking gathering that the character of Christ would do. "Only desires which are in harmony with the divine will are sure of being satisfied." "Now my will, but Thine be done. (Luke 22:42)"
III. Lastly, the perfect joy which follows upon these two. The conclusion of our asking is, "that your joy may be made full." When we bring our desires in harmony with God's, we will have complete satisfaction, and our joy will be utterly full. Let sorrow and sighing flee, so that we can encounter the fullness of joy in our lives.
Summary: Jesus states that the best thing for us is Him leaving. While grief hits, the heart will rejoice and no one can take this joy. We will ask according to God's will and also receive a full joy.
Promise: Approach the Father in prayer, in the full name of will of Jesus, and our joy will be full.
Prayer: O God, I come to You as Your vessel and ambassador and continue to proclaim You. It is not easy. As I have conversations with people, those that do not get it, seem blinded by the truth of who You are. Thank you for the confirmation of this truth and the blessedness of knowing You and having all things I need by Your name. The richness and vastness of Your word is transforming my lives and others. Lord, I admit at times, questioning things as arguments are made and yet I see no other answer towards the meaning of life and continue to see the darkness that covers our earth and the results of not choosing you. Help me Lord to understand You more fully so that my prayers are according to Your will and my Joy will be made full.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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