From Sorrow to Joy - Part 1 of 2

This is Bradley Junior welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible and she will and be in an all in the deed. We are passing through very difficult time. The uncertainties that surround this crisis make it all the more difficult than we know that there people suffer not only from the coronavirus, but from the fallout from having lost jobs and just many many different problems associated with it all. It gives us hope encouraged to remember that although things appear chaotic to us that God is still ruling in writing. He's the shopper of heaven and earth in our trust must be in you. I'd like to send you our publication. The Baptist witness that has articles dealing with some of these issues. I believe it will be a comfort to you just requested when writing us at the Baptist Bible. Our box 17 oh 37th Cincinnati, OH 45217 and she is spreading the gospel of John for some time been interesting to see how her Savior Jesus Christ is exalted, but to seek his interaction with his disciples. We can see ourselves in them to such a large degree, they were often slow to understand.

They were often filled with doubts. They sometimes spoke to quickly make assumptions. So many things about their responses and attitudes to pick our own situation. How weak and frail. We are how many times we make the assumption that we understand something fully, only to find out that we missed the point altogether was with them.

So as we come today to John chapter 16 we see one of those times that the disciples were struggling.

Jesus had given them information previously. That should have settled their mind, but there still deeply concerned about his departure. We read beginning of the 16th verse John chapter 16 a little while, and you shall not see me and again a little while, and you shall see me because I go to the father then said some of his disciples among themselves is this that he saith unto us a little while, and you shall not see me and again a little while, and you challenging me and because I go to the father. They said therefore, what is this that he saith a little while we cannot tell what he saith, not Jesus knew that they were desirous to asking and send them, do ye inquire among yourselves of that. I said a little while, and you shall not see me and again a little while, and you shall see me. Verily, verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice, and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be determined in joy a woman when she is in travail sorrow because her hour is come, but as soon as she is delivered to the child. She remembered no more the anguish for the joy that a man is born into the world and you now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again in your hearts and rejoice in your joy. No man taketh from the disciples were confused if they had understood what Jesus had said to them. Previously they would realize that this is the time opponent when he was going to the cross dive for Sanderson ultimately ascend and go back to the father but in the fear that they were experiencing confused state of mind. They were greatly troubled, not knowing what the future held and we have a tendency to imagine the worst looking down the way trying to figure out what may transpire. You see the potential of some terrible event coming about as you given the worry begin to exaggerated make it worse than it ever would be. So we need to learn from the experience of these men who were given to great worry when the worry was without foundation, that first of all, worry is a sin to begin with, because if you're worrying you're not trusting that they had been trusting what Jesus already said what he said to them at the moment that back in the first verse of chapter 14 let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God believe also in me that I'm going to prepare a place for you and I'll come back in sometime to be with me so that should insufficient to give them hope. Encouraged, but they were discussing among themselves. They were hesitant to again ask the question.

So they began to talk about what does Jesus mean what is all this about see me and you won't see me and you will see me. We don't we don't get appreciate Warren wears his comment that he writes instead of asking Jesus to explain his words, the men began to discuss it among themselves, almost as though they were embarrassed to admit their ignorance. However, we do not get very far. By exchanging your ignorance. It is when we come to the Lord and asked for his help that we learn the important lessons of life" how many times a person may be embarrassed to admit I don't really know the right answer to question but they going to give an opinion anyway and so as to share their ignorance. There obviously is of no benefit generates further confusion well they were human beings with problems and weaknesses just like we have and yet the Lord use them when you look at that struggling little band, you think how on earth could they be the instruments in the hand of God which the church would be established and began to prosper in its early days. But God has chosen the weak and foolish things of this world to confound the wise and the mighty so at those times when you have a deep sense of your own weakness in your lack of understanding whomever you can go to the Lord and find the strength and wisdom in him that you so desperately need.

Seeing something of the condition of the disciples, we know the words of Jesus for a time. You're not going to see me but it was going to go on the grave, but following that following the time of the grave upon his resurrection they would see him again in chapter 15 verse 26 he said what when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the father, even the spirit of truth which proceeded from the father, he shall testify of me. So they would see him again upon his resurrection, and then they would see him further as the Holy Spirit was given to accompany them and empower them. The Holy Spirit would testify of Jesus. And so, as they preached with power as Peter did on the day of Pentecost and 3000 souls were converted the name of Jesus Christ was extolled and they saw him by the presence and power of his Holy Spirit in the 16th chapter verse seven. Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you. In other words, is going to be a great benefit that you will receive a call to my departure.

Not only the work of redemption that will be accomplished at the cross, but the fact that the spirit of God is going to be giving you and you will be empowered to continue the work in spreading the gospel. Verse 14 says he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. This being the work of the spirit and as he would glorify Christ they would see him through the work of the spirit first so as we look at this passage, let's consider the sorrow, the sorrow that these disciples were experiencing because Jesus was going away back in chapter 13 verse 31 therefore, when he was going out. Jesus said now is the Son of Man, glorify, and God is glorified in him. Verse 33 little children, yet a little while I am with you, you shall seek me, and as I said unto the Jews.

Whether I go you cannot come now.

I say so. Jesus was not keeping it a secret that he was going away.

He had been repeatedly bringing it to their attention that he was going to the park that you think about the fact that they had been with him for three years they had heard him teach Matthew chapter 5 verse one at the beginning of the sermon on the Mount.

It said that his disciples came unto him, and he talked them, saying, and then the discourse began to be under the teaching of Jesus Christ for three years was a unique privilege.

Other many things that they had failed to grasp.

They certainly had been edified and blessed and learn many things under the greatest of all teachers they'd seen his miracles and seen the lame walk, the blind see the dead raised they'd seen him feed the 5000 of the 4000. What a remarkable thing when there were only see in the great storm was raging and they feared for their lives in Jesus as peace be still, and the wind ceased to blow and the waves were calm. They were in all of his power of his word. That was so effective that had those special moments with him as Peter, James and John were with him when he was transfigured, the cloud descended upon them and they heard the voice of the father from heaven saying this is my beloved son. Him. Those were precious special memories as they thought back in the days following of what it wants to be there what's up. What a happy time with Peter said let's build three tabernacles, Moses and Elijah had also put in their appearance and then they had sat with him at the Last Supper. It said in advance that he desired to eat the Passover with them and they gathered within and he said this is my blood of the cup of the new covenant and they had all of these things to treasure because the times that they had had with him but it's always a time of sorrow. If Jesus is going away my civil what on earth cannot mean for us to understand he was going away from them because he was going to die was going to be in the grave, and they would not have his company although there would be a revelation of him following the resurrection that would not have his continued company in person, but by the presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit at a later time, but in our own experience. There are seasons when the Lord goes away. The psalmist prayed in Psalm 69 verse 17 and hide not thy face from bias or high not thy face has not been tied in your experience when you feel you have suffered from the high things of God's face you've gone to his word were not able to find comfort. You've attempted to pray and you felt like your prayer went nowhere.

You lost joy and you prayed as the psalmist did in Psalm 51. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation uphold within me got free spirit their times of darkness. The Lord hides his face but when he does there's a reason for it. Sometimes of course he hides his face because of our disobedience in RCM to bring us to repentance. Sometimes he hides his face simply to humble us and make us aware of our weakness and of the necessity of complete dependence upon him. So there would be sadness, sorrow because Jesus was going away and their sorrow would be intensified because he said the world will be rejoicing, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament the world shall rejoice now if there inside with their hearts are broken at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the world is rejoicing. They feel like we have conquered this land that we deem to be an enemy. We are successful in putting in Gaddafi to be out of the way. You know how painful that would be the sorrow of itself seems to be enough, but when others are saying we have triumphed over him.

We rattle in the fact that this man that we consider to be a blasphemer is now suffering such excruciating pain as he hangs up on the cross that sorrow was deeply increased by the fact that the world is rejoicing and then their sorrow was great because they witnessed his suffering. In John chapter 19 verse 25 says now there stood with the cross of Jesus, his mother and his mother, sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing behind whom the love he saith unto his mother, woman the whole life son describes his mother and John and other women who were there at the cross and they saw him as he suffered what great sorrow must have penetrated their hearts. Command that we love is a man that's our leader's land as our Lord's demand that our Savior the nails in his hands the crown of thorns press down upon his brow, suffering even put to shame him being mocked is being ridiculed. His enemies are triumphing over him. Yes, it was indeed a time of sorrow. It was a time of sorrow because they felt great disappointment in the confusion of the hour. They were not able to see what was going to transpire at the cross and what was going to be accomplished by his resurrection, we see that clearly revealed in the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke verse 13 and two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlong and they talk together of all these things which it happened and it came to pass that while they commute together and reason Jesus himself drew near and went with them� Following the resurrection.

Of course, but their eyes were holding that they should not knowing, although he joined the company and walks along with it. They did not recognize who he was and he said in the manner of communication, RVs that he have one to another edgy walk and are sad and one of them whose name was Cleophas answering 70 him or about only a stranger in Jerusalem, and is not know the things which come to pass there in these days and you send them things and they 70 him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death crucified that. Here's the note of disappointment, but we trusted that it had been, he which should have redeemed Israel, and beside all this. Today is the third day since these things were done we had trust we had thought we had expected. This was, I hope that he was the one that would redeem Israel.

Of course they were still thinking in terms of a visible kingdom being set up and obviously had expressed interest at various times to know what position they would occupy in that kingdom. So with that thought in mind they are dejected walking on the road to hearts heavy, their heads hanging down.

But Jesus comes to walk with them. When the center talk about the joy the same event which brought sorrow would bring them joy and illustrated in the 21st verse of the 16th chapter old woman when she is in travail half sorrow that course was brought upon the human race as a result of the sin in the Garden of Eden and a woman would bring forth children with great pain that pain can be so excruciating, so difficult to bear such a horrendous time such anguish when she's in travail, to have sorrow but because her hour is come and assume that she is delivered of a child. She remembers no more than anguish for the joy that a man is born into the world.

So when the child is born into. Here's that child cry and she's able to hold that little one in her arms. Now she's not thinking about the pain, the suffering is soon forgotten and she's overwhelmed with joy that the child is born, the same child that caused the pain as it was delivered, the one that brings the joy Jesus is saying, then the very event, my departure might dance at the college that is bringing so much stock in that very occurrence that you're going to find the greatest joy you could ever experience hope you will take time to write in the snow that you listen to the program today. Remember if you requested, we will send you the current issue of our publication.

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