John 16:20-24 - Sorrow, Joy, and Answered Prayer

John 16:20-24

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.

John 15:14-17 - Friends of the Savior

John 15:14-17

14 You are my friends, if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another. 

Message: Friends of the Savior

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 continues this long discourse with his disciples. I am taking these words slow, breaking them apart, and yet this is a discourse that is not lasting long in time, though Jesus is speaking a lot. A lot of what I have read and see in these words are words of comfort and encouragement that Jesus is sharing with His disciples. But there are also words of responsibilities we have as believers and followers. 

I use the devotional Tabletalk, a ministry of Ligonier, to guide me through these lessons. It is interesting because I have seen recently in the lessons that speak of commands and appear to give these conditional statements like today in verse 14, "If you do what I command you" and verse 7, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you" and verse 4-6, "Abide in Me, and I in you" to bear fruit or Jesus will cast us out -- as those conditional statements are made, Tabletalk makes a point to say - now don't think these statements are conditional. I don't necessarily disagree with this, though I find it interesting that these statements must be made because it tells me there is potential for misunderstanding. 

And yet on a high level, Jesus is communicating a responsibility that believers have living in Christ. There is a responsibility they have with themselves towards Christ, with how they relate to others, and even the world at large which I will get to later. 

In this passage, Jesus says we are His friends, but says we are to do what He commands as He has previously mentioned the importance of keeping His commandments (v.10) and that the commandment is to love one another (v.12).  We are friends, not slaves any longer. And Jesus speaks of the special-ness or the intimacy that we now have with Him as His friends knowing what He is doing. Jesus receives from the Father and has shared with us. We are close to Him. 

Then in verse 16 and 17 is another summary that Jesus gives and these words do make us think those previous words that appear to be conditional are not. He says, "I chose you." We did not choose Him. This is correct. He called the disciples, the followers of Him and they responded, but Jesus did the choosing. And with that choosing is a task to go and bear fruit. I've been remembering the words of God in Genesis 1:28 when God says to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth." God created and God called. He says He chose us to bear fruit. That we are to ask of Him so that He will provide. He wants to provide. Again He says, "Love one another." Here it is again - (1) Believe, (2) Ask, (3) Obey, (4) The Helper helps and maybe I could add to love one another but I think that is part of obedience. 

Summary: We are Jesus' friend, no longer slaves. He chose us to bear fruit, and we can ask Him in His name and He will give it. We are to love one another. 

Promise: Though we are friends with Jesus, we still receive commands from Him that we are to obey. 

Prayer: Lord, you have called me your friend, choosing me, being transparent with me by telling me what You have done and done for me and will do. Thank you God for your honesty toward me and helping me throughout my days and my life. You keep me close to You always. Give me that strength to love one another and encourage them always to live for You. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 14:11-14 - The Works We Will Do

John 14:11-14

11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Message: The Works We Will Do

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: The words of Jesus continue in this passage. Jesus has been speaking to the disciples - namely taking questions from Peter, Thomas and Philip and continuing to give them a full picture or a full understanding of who He is. They know Him as Savior and Messiah and their Lord, but they continue to understand Him or are growing to understand Him as not only sent by God but containing the same essence of God. John, our writer in this passage gets this and understands this. And how great it is that I am understanding this as well. 

Jesus confirms in verse 11 the truth, "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me." They are not the same person; distinct but they have the same attributes and essence. So, seeing Jesus is seeing the Father. All that the Father is can be had in Jesus. And Jesus must return to the Father as well. 

This idea of believing in Jesus has been a big idea for Jesus and one that He continually conveys. I remember in John 10:25-27 Jesus spoke of the Sheep that believe in Him and hear His voice. But Jesus also conveys to not only to believe in what He is saying, but believe also in what He has done: "otherwise believe because of the works themselves." Jesus has shown clearly in His gospels His work and what He has done. And yet the idea seems to have been clear in the gospels that seeing His miracles, while helpful, gave the people and disciples confirmation. It was His words and believng in Him and what He was saying that was perhaps most important. 

Now, the rest of this passage will speak of a further idea - from believing to working; from believing to doing. This seems to be the central idea of verse 12. But then in verse 13 and 14 it appears to go back to the work that Jesus will do when we ask - "believing." 

Verse 13 and 14 I think have always been somewhat puzzling verses to people. They represent verses that basically give a blank check it appears to God's provision. "Whatever you ask....I will do...ask me anything...I will do it." This is an interesting passage because it speaks of works we will do and works Jesus will do. Maybe what is clear is that works will be needed. But still this is a hard passage because people are people of need, people of want. And people of faith are dependent on God to provide. They recognize that things come from God. They find comfort in these words to ask whatever and yet people of need have asked God and have not received. And this remains a hard part of faith and not getting always what we ask. 

These words from Chapter 14 start off with the heading in my Open Bible as "Christ Comforts His Disciples." Amazing how much we need comfort. I was going through some books the other day, trying to figure out what I could get rid of and clear space in the garage I guess for other things. I saw a book that my mom had given Pamela and I at one time and written inside of it was words about my mom going through a difficult time and finding comfort with the words of that book and so passing it along to us. 

The disciples at this time are a little nervous. They want Jesus to stay close. They don't want to see him leave. They want to follow Him if He is leaving. They want to stay with Him. Jesus knows this can't happen immediately. Later, but not now. So Jesus speaks to them, offering them words of encouragement and comfort. Jesus wants His words to bring them comfort. There is comfort in knowing that while the disciples can't go with Jesus, Jesus is preparing a place for them. There is comfort in believing in Jesus that He is the only way to God. There is comfort in believing in Jesus that good works will follow. Maybe this won't always happen to us. But still there is comfort in these words, in the possibility and so we believe in Him, in Faith, we trust in Him. We have hope and it seems to be more and more that this is what we need in life, hope. And when we reach a place of no more hope, we move or change places. I had a worker yesterday leave to take a different job. His remark to me was there was no more hope in staying. 

I think of Mr. Talbot and seeing him on Sunday and visiting with him and in that time maybe he gets comfort and I can share with him and know him through that time. 

Summary: Jesus tells his disciples once again the importance of believing in Him and through His words He brings them comfort, letting them know he will work as they ask Him.  

Promise: Jesus continues to work in and through us. 

Prayer: O God, these words that I read, they are hard to digest at times. Maybe because I want the words to mean something that frees me from all trouble. I am normal. I want to be free from all bad and only for there to be good. But in You I find comfort and peace. Comfort from this hard world. And hope for tomorrow. I need those things. Lord, continue to help me show others this. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

John 4:10-15 - Eternally Satisfying Water

John 4:10-15

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." She said to Him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water than I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty, nor come all the way here to draw." 

Message: Eternally Satisfying Water

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: Yesterday, I started Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well in Samaria, after he left Judea, possibly due to the concern that he was gaining popularity and that the Jewish leaders of the day might expose him. As he goes to Samaria, he encounters a woman who we would typecast as an outcast and yet he interacts with her like he would with anyone else. 

Jesus has asked her for a drink and her response is not in providing him the drink but rather is wondering why a Jew would be speaking to a Samarian woman. Jesus follows this up by giving an answer that I think says, either you provide me a drink or you should realize that I am different from your average Jew and can provide you something way better than water. 

His response is somewhat revealing a mystery. "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." If only she knew. If only she knew who she was addressing. And that He provides a gift of God which is the living water. Jesus gives living water. 

And then, like Nicodemus who wonders how he could be born again, this woman does not understand and thinks living water is better water than what she is drinking, but still water. But Jesus clarifies the water that He is offering -- "but whoever drinks of the water than I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

This water is something that will cause her to not thirst again. I think this is an important note about the water because he is denoting the water will spring up to eternal life but also that the water will produce in her a need to never thirst again. All she had to do was ask and He would give. But one does need to ask. Jesus shows that a person needs to ask. A person needs to know they have a need and yet in receiving it is a gift. Jesus wants to give gifts and again, all that he wants is a request. Eternal life is given for asking. It is bestowed for asking. I do not see how from these verses, even the verses in chapter 3 that any thing more could be stated needing to be done to receive this eternal life. Now I do believe we do see that obedience follows receiving the gift. But that is later, right now it is simply asking. 

Summary: Jesus lets the Samaritan woman know that living water is eternal life and for her to receive she must ask. 

Promise: Take what He is offering and we will never thirst again.

Prayer: Father, thank you for providing this message and the promise of eternal life. Thank you that you want to provide us gifts and all that we must do is ask. It is amazing that it is this easy. It is this simple and yet this profound. It is amazing that so many are too proud to ask. How easy is the gospel message. Lord, direct me to the living water that brings eternal life. Lord provide it to me. I am asking. I want it and I want You. Thank you for this free gift. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

My Utmost for His Highest - June 10th - The Next Best Thing To Do

Seek if you have not Found.  And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. - Luke 11:9

    “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss. (James 4:3)” If you ask for things from life instead of from God, you ask amiss, i.e., you ask from a desire for self-realization. The more you realize yourself the less will you seek God. “Seek, and ye shall find.” Get to work, narrow your interests to this one. Have you ever sought God with your whole heart, or have you only given a languid cry to Him after a twinge of moral neuralgia? Seek, concentrate, and you will find.

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. (Isaiah 55:1)” Are you thirsty, or smugly indifferent — so satisfied with your experience that you want nothing more of God? Experience is a gateway, not an end. Beware of building your faith on experience, the metallic note will come in at once, the censorious note. You can never give another person that which you have found, but you can make him homesick for what you have.

“Knock and it shall be opened unto you. (Luke 11:9) ” * “Draw nigh unto God. (James 4:8)” Knock — the door is closed, and you suffer from palpitation as you knock. * “Cleanse your hands (4:8)” — knock a bit louder, you begin to find you are dirty. * “Purify your heart (4:8)” — this is more personal still, you are desperately in earnest now — you will do anything. * “Be afflicted (4:9)” — have you ever been afflicted before God at the state of your inner life? There is no strand of self-pity left, but a heartbreaking affliction of amazement to find you are the kind of person that you are. * “Humble yourself (4:10)” — it is a humbling business to knock at God’s door — you have to knock with the crucified thief. “To him that knocketh, it shall be opened. (Luke 11:10)”

 - From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition

My Utmost for His Highest - June 9th - The Next Best Thing To Do

Ask if you have not Received. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. - Luke 11:10

    There is nothing more difficult than to ask. We will long and desire and crave and suffer, but not until we are at the extreme limit will we ask. A sense of unreality makes us ask. Have you ever asked out of the depths of moral poverty? “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God….” — but be sure that you do lack wisdom. You cannot bring yourself up against Reality when you like. The next best thing to do if you are not spiritually real, is to ask God for the Holy Spirit on the word of Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:13). The Holy Spirit is the One Who makes real in you all that Jesus did for you.

    “For every one that asketh receiveth.” This does not mean you will not get if you do not ask (cf. Matt. 5:45), but until you get to the point of asking you won’t receive from God. To receive means you have come into the relationship of a child of God, and now you perceive with intelligent and moral appreciation and spiritual understanding that these things come from God.

    “If any of you lack wisdom… (James 1:5)” If you realize you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality; do not put your reasonable blinkers on again. People say — Preach us the simple gospel: don’t tell us we have to be holy, because that produces a sense of abject poverty, and it is not nice to feel abjectly poor. “Ask” means beg. Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are like that spiritually. We will never receive if we ask with an end in view; if we ask, not out of our poverty but out of our lust. A pauper does not ask from any other reason than the abject panging condition of his poverty, he is not ashamed to beg. Blessed are the paupers in spirit.

 - From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition

My Utmost for His Highest - June 7th - Don't Slack Off

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. - John 14:13

    Am I fulfilling this ministry of the interior? There is no snare of any danger of infatuation or pride in intercession, it is a hidden ministry that brings forth fruit whereby the Father is glorified. Am I allowing my spiritual life to be frittered away, or am I bringing it all to one centre--the Atonement of my Lord? Is Jesus Christ more and more dominating every interest of my life? If the one central point, the great exerting influence in my life is the Atonement of the Lord, then every phase (?) of my life will bear fruit for Him. 

    I must take time to realize what is the central point of power. Do I give one minute out of sixty to concentrate upon it? "If ye abide in Me"--continue to act and think and work from that centre--"ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)" Am I abiding? Am I taking time to abide? What is the greatest factor of power in my life? Is it work, service, sacrifice for others, or trying to work for God? The thing that ought to exert the greatest power in my life is the Atonement of the Lord. It is not the thing we spend the most time on that molds us most; the greatest element is the thing that exerts most power. We must determine to be limited and concentrate our affinities. 

    "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do." The disciple who abides in Jesus is the will of God, and his apparently free choices are God's fore-ordained decrees. Mysterious? Logically contradictory and absurd? Yes, but a glorious truth to a saint. 

- From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition

My thoughts

Frittered - waste little by little.