031 - Peek-a-Boo!

You pick up your Bible and wondered, is there more here than meets the is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right it may look like just print on the page but it's more than a join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our own.

As we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than ever glad that you are joining us as we sit down and just explore away in and out wonder our way through the Scriptures were in the second Abidjan 16 Jesus is having his wonderful, intimate discussion with his apostles. We think he's actually on foot, but this probably they were still walking yeah that they left the upper room, another on the way that to the garden of Gethsemane because we know that in chapter 18 it says that's on the end of the guard's other character walking across town but but Jesus is saying some of the most remarkable things while he's on foot with them.

In these last moments he has before he gets arrest last. This is this is the end of the discussion to Jesus doing and today this last half a 16 is really wrapping up a lot of what he's been trying to warn them about about what's going to happen once he gets arrested and he's going way and there freaked out because you know where you going all that kind of stuff.

But then, but then we are reserving for next week is wonderful prayer the last thing we hear him talk to about this is wonderful. He prays for medicine.

17 but we only for that today we wrap up we wrap up the logistics about all this kind of stuff in inulin. Jesus is telling mom telling you the stuff right now so you this won't really mess up your heads when you see this happen because that's going to happen. We should be listening for that.

Yes, actually.

Through this whole discourse when he says I'm telling you this because we telling you this because it is going to show up about three times in this just the second half of chapter 16.

The ideas he has said it all evening. I'm telling you this now so that right and I love affections John doing is writing this she's probably telling us yeah this did help me see a lot of these things suddenly come out in John's epistle only really for sure and even just hearing the words of Jesus coming up reason writing center. So Jesus drops another little bomb on them as we start off this morning. A little confusing but I was just clear that up really quickly and I tell them I'm going way that's right but starting in verse 16 he says you know from right now. A little while longer, and again a little while, and you will see me so some of his disciples said when I what is this that he is to us a little while, and you will not see me and again a little while you will see me because I'm going to the father so they were saying. Why does he mean what he's talking about Jesus and knew that they wanted to ask him because I didn't ask him talking with 12 there you know, hanging back, whispering to each other so so verse eight verse 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him.

So he said to them, is this what you are asking yourselves of what I meant by saying a little while, and you will not see me while you will see me. Truly I say to you, you will weep and the world will rejoice.

You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy you want to stop their shyness. Is because he's warning them here I'm gone, you'll see me again and it will be a short time not long little while. Right now, like the end of the age and was going to be three days yeah exactly exactly. So this should be one, just assuming the most pragmatic and practical advice to you not see me but you will see me but interestingly enough he felt tells him is not a matter just you not see me as a matter fact that when you won't see me your it's going to be a summer you're going to leave bad I lament it right this deep you're going to go into a deep think you'll be sorrowful, but your sorrow returned and talking to them all evening about the differences between them and the world unite right in the world is going to mistreat you. The world can hate you because it hated me the world is going to rejoice when you die, the world is going to do everything it can to make you forget what I've said and of course his death is his visible death is really is going to deep which is only hours away. It's really going to mess with their heads so so he's just reassuring them, but this will eventually turn into joy well and he says I will read it three times.

He makes reference to joy here in this just almost in a breath as you or your sorrow will be turned into joy.

Let's go on verse 21 is duration. When a woman is birth. She has sorrow because her hour has come about when she's delivered the baby.

She no longer remembers the anguish for showing that a human being has been born into the world, so also you have sorrow now but I will see you again in your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy from you in that day you will ask nothing of me truly, truly, I say to you what ever you ask of the father in my name he will give it to you until now, you've asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be made full wonderful illustration now about the about the birth process well any woman is ever given birth can identify with that halfway through you. Like I don't care for the baby coming at you do this anymore. So the anguish is is real and it's deep and it's hard and stuff like that. But when the joy comes something everybody knows about everybody can find with the sorrow that the joy actually grows out the sorrow. Sorrow is turned into joy and you realize they mean I can attempt to realize at that sorrow is a necessary part getting to the joy in the process. Lancaster process. It has no purpose to it does have purpose and so so the joy is a real thing. And it's not just a come on, you need to buck up and be happy and actually indeed Hebrews 12 the beginning says for the joy set before him right. He endured the cross, sorrow, the endurance was a necessary part of arriving at the joy right and we say many times at this were joy again is just hilarious. It's not just happiness but it is a real profound sense that things are right you know I think things are in order to know if there's elements arrested but it's really can you know everything is going according to plan is deep sense of well-being. The sole right and so you know for sure when they see Jesus die and and he's Denny's in the tomb and stuff like that.

They're going to think everything is over. So, what changes that when you see them you realize he's alive so that changes everything. And actually it says later in John that when he showed them the wounds they joy in that moment, they were beside themselves with joy. This is the real. This is really yeah so what they thought was the plan coming to an abrupt and horrible and is actually not the case at all. It's it's a new beginning. In a way that is the necessary passage necessary to have happened. It wasn't just an accident. So that this help I thinking when you encounter sorrow when we are in Christ. When we encounter sorrowful experiences show me how this sorrow is necessary. Passage to understanding and experiencing the joy of well elevation and God may never really reveal all of the aspects of the investment of sorrow, and all that stuff but II always come back to this many times because even the guys I can explain to explain himself to me, what he has intended in terms of the old is not required to do that, I was required to throttle himself before he tells her was going on but I can always come back to this and say you know yeah I remember when the apostles saw him everything changes only to second right. Everything must be going according to plan.

And that's the D sense of joy that know things are still on track and God still in control. All these things that are about the sovereignty of God, and nothing is beyond them in every everything is going according to plan, so when you when you come up against these crises in life you can stop yourself and say what you know things are going according to plan God's in charge and hasn't stopped really. Just a few weeks ago we talked about Lazarus. Right now there is looks Mary and Mary. Mary know that my sister said right in the eyeball and Eve on the resurrection and the life EN if a man dies he'll live again. And if he lives and dies he'll live again and he'll have eternal life. Do you believe me right right that's the question he's asking righties. He's giving the words here. In fact, do you believe what I'm saying. I really love the fact that he says no one can take your joy from you because that's exactly how they will felt when Jesus died, right. The joy of walking with Jesus and the king went in and they took my joy from me right when they kill Jesus.

And when Jesus reappears at that point known as the joy that I'm going to obtain for you and give you cannot be robbed right right circumstance, right if death itself isn't working.

The plan right right. Joy will never be sort of map. I think that just don't that's a wonderful thing because because we often think the circumstances are robbing us of our best joy in it. It is sorrowful and it can be really tough. In fact, it often is really tough point is where you're going is a joy that can't be changed, and we actually many of us through 2020 and on into 2021. We have been seasoning deep sorrow and loss and lots of us have lost all but our joy has not been robbed because we know that fundamentally we are well in Christ as God's plan unfolds. But that doesn't stop us from weeping, it doesn't stop us from the losses real. The loss is real but it is necessary passage to understanding Jesus is broken. The gates of death, right that has no power, right, and for those for those who don't have Christ they don't have a reason to hold right you know they live with those that the two had do not have hope. And so we do have hope because Jesus promised, and that joy is there.

That's all in control. So I guess I'll see you and I'll see you again see you again right right and although you feel that your joy is been robbed at that point you realize what you make of this thing and 23 in that day you asked me nothing but right here in ways he put a writer yeah he's a whole bunch of times throughout the evening.

Yet even right here as he brings up in my name thing over and over every last father in my name to you right well that ability was going to come about because he was going to the cross because he was going to accomplish the cleansing for our sin, to give us access to the father direct access direct access.

I think that's the clue right here because because up until this point they haven't had to ask and haven't had to ask the father's name because why is there.

It could just as Jesus and is good as the far right when he physically is out of the way. Now you can pray directly before you talk to the father to you know I'm praying as though I was Jesus in his feet right here I'm praying in his name. And so it it really it really clues you in the fact that he's physically not going to be there. I mean he's there in the spirit. But the deal is you never had ask in my name, because you just asked me straight to my face right now you make and drop my name well because the father and I are going to come and make our abode in writing, and Holy Spirit will come and lead you into all truth.

See, this is this being in his name asking his name connects the dots for all those things that if we are indwelt by this Holy Spirit of God guides us into all truth and glorifies Jesus, then the core desire of our hearts will also be truth in the glory of Jesus. Right. So when we pray the father to say absolutely you get it.

I delight to give to you and you says you can receive, that your joy may be full buildup complete yet so you'll realize that you're right in the center of God's plan. God is moving forward with you. Nothing is changed yet so this is a wonderful introduction to the school next section coming up or is basically trying to get them the idea that in his physical going. They have now a new relationship directly with the father. He's been saying this in different ways but now that's gone because of the closing comments are before guest was. The next chapter. You have now and access to God that you don't realize you ever have before you saw me as your intermediary and there's nothing wrong with that but now directly directly can relate to God and you can ask in your joy will be full. As a result of that, this is a remarkable thing this is something that is really usually only reserved in Jewish culture to priests who have access in the temple to God, but now you saying you have that access.

This is what's been open for you is a great new thing so that's why that's a break in the 25. Let me let me start real County fire so I've said these things to you and figures of speech for the hours, and what I will no longer speak to and figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the father wait cool, tell us plainly about the father Jesus as he just said is the Holy Spirit who will will ventilators the Bible is inconsistent know it's it's yes and yes.

It's the same he speaking is you think it's fascinating affect one thing of always point out people the very last breath of Matthew's gospel. Jesus is I'll be with you always, to the end of the agents is a great number turned ask him to see were Jesus right up well it goes away. I'm in the Holy Spirit so well you know he shows up with Paul on the Damascus Road and east, and Stephen season one is Marta, but beyond that, he's just you don't physically sign quite like he was in the limited physical body so you could you could claim that he's overstating the end of Matthew is be with you until the end of the age well. The Holy Spirit is clearly what he's talking about through the rest of acts so is he wrong about it being himself will know because you know that Scott anyway directed you so so and 26 or back to this asking my name in that day you will ask in my name and do not say to you that I will and I and I do not say to you that I will ask the father on your behalf for the father himself loves you because you have loved me and believe that I came from God. I came from the father and have come into the world and now I am leaving the world and going to the father.

So there's that wonderful reiteration again about you have direct access to God you guys realize this is one of those advantages is talking about because I came yet because I came ask in my name. Ask, like hello know I'm part of the body of Christ am asking on behalf of Jesus, who was physically know I'm physically here asking my name and you go directly to the father wow because the father himself loves you so that is not our typical New Testament word agape that will think of love that's that sort for layout that is there that is a fellowship common interest good friends right brotherly love you Helen where açai God is your friend. You are God's friend now because you're in my name. What are marketable transplant now of remarkable. You have direct access to God because years friend because he loves you asking in my name and not you know and I don't I don't say you that I will list the father thought father loves you US the father remarkable access when the 1 to 29 sure and his disciples said now you're speaking plainly not using speech. Now that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you. This is why we believe you came from God.

Jesus answered them do believe that is that it's an interesting you'll come back in the cycle here now again I now we get it, you're up there. You came down here. No going back up there okay thanks because earlier in the evening they walking through the vineyards he's talking about buying red grapes and fruit and like, okay, let's talk about something real exactly. So that was really quite plainly like that and they affirmed him for that. For that plain speech. Read my lips. I came, I did my thing going. However I will I will add when he says that there's going be a clarity and reckoning. Using figures of speech. He is still actually speaking past just the now my speaking, even in the future when the Holy Spirit will bring them inside the Holy Spirit will do well to declare he will make clear yes alas yeah it'll be a what got me. It will not be in bigger similar in it. For instance, Jesus just talking parables a lot and that tailored who listen to a woman who would grab it when you grab it and give you more insight with something you understand. But no long. You don't need that.

You know, for the Holy Spirit you get you get direct understanding. This is such a great promise of clarity that that we have for the Holy Spirit so they you know from you know what we don't.

We don't need to question you anymore to see if you know what you're talking about. You are clearly from God. Well, so that in 31 Jesus answered them, do you believe, behold, the hours, coming indeed, it has come when you'll be scattered each to his own home and will leave me alone yet. I am not alone, but the father is with me. I've said these things to you that in me you may have peace in the world you will have Revelation heart I have overcome the world. It's a nice rhetorical comeback from Jesus and 31 so do you think you know and what he saying to them, you don't really understand quite. We don't always get right because in just a couple of minutes. I mean literally measured in minutes or hours you are all going to be scattering and would you do that if you fully understood what I've been talking to is a good walk across to me. Would you really so you still have a little used always to go. You know, but it it but you all the way will scatter in a come back and you'll get it in your drill before but do you really you scatter. But listen, don't feel sorry for me that I've been abandoned by you guys, because I'm not abandoned the fathers with me was fellowship. Even they are even want to loved him and followed him scattering that last panicked moment.

That's a start.

It's a wonderfully reassuring word before they do it in the father is with me. When the soldiers come to arrest him when he goes through that unjust trumped up trial.

The father is with me. The father is with me. I they probably didn't remember that, but it tried it jumps out at me now yeah yeah so so I think it's really great because as they were cowering in their homes. You know, as Jesus did in their and their and their in their homes and stuff like in Jesus. You probably think we ended him and we loved him and you know we all of us. Let him go through this entire thing alone.

And these words come back to them. Jesus is basically saying well okay it's not talk about what you did wrong but you know I was a real eye.

The father and that is sufficient fellowship to go through what he went through that which is why brings a great it brings a great emphasis when when Jesus on the cross is why have you forsaken me because Jesus thing right here is fellowship with the father.

You know it's getting them through this.

But then there's that moment on the cross were that goes went well and he feels profoundly forsaken exactly so that's that's poignant so this focus on these last couple of less couple sentences finish off here I've said these things to you, so that in me you may have, whose so that means you may have peace. Because what's going to happen pretty soon is not going to bring them peace is going to bring them turmoil and and fear in trouble all just sorrow all yeah just so much but I've said these things to so you can have peace and rip pieces that sense of well-being and wholeness that comes around. Things are going.

It's very closely connected to the word joy. Many responses. Some say these things so that in the face of this stuff it's going to go down, you'll have peace and it's bigger than just what's going to happen over the next three days in the world you will have tribulation selling to give them any exception you will. That's the way work. But take heart, because check out the tent again. I have overcome the world overcome the will. So when a looks like the world is more powerful than you are even more powerful than the word you're supposed to speak on behalf of no, I've overcome the world.

I'm 41.

This battle 41.

This battle even though threatened you in so many ways and will for the rest of your lives and cause the deaths of many of you and I've overcome the world. And this is you know when John in his epistle later first letter says greater is he losing you and he is old yeah right… Read these couple of John five and actually that part comes later. But John says for whatever is born of God is overcome, has overcome the world.

And this is the victory that is overcome the world. Our faith, our understanding our ability to see the reality like that is accomplishing and who is the one who overcomes the world. But he believes that Jesus is the son of God.

So that's what Jesus was making sure not do you do you really now believe that I am the son of God because watch what's going to happen now that may shake your belief sure God would die if the son of God can die then it seems like he's not the son of God.

That's the clear logic of it but not God's love. That's right but that's a little threatened so it will look like it.

On the surface, it will look like the world has overcome the Messiah right what he saying is know it may look like that, but I have overcome the world have already done completed past tense. He had gone across yeah and so you know we talk about Jesus being the king of kings will how much is he the King of Kings is Lord of lords is really all that.

I mean, do we rewire it is that we take circumstances and think that somehow those circumstances have overtaken him and overtaken his ability to love us is his lovingkindness everlasting are not coming so really calls into question so many things about what we believe in it and embrace about who God is and who God is reflected in Jesus to me really calls and all that. Do you really believe he is the King of Kings and Lord of lords. Well then why are you acting the way you are in your circumstances right now.

I'm really just simply believe what he told you right so that study skill you can apply here.

If you go back through not just through chapter 16 x 15 and 14 and look at all the times he says now I'm telling you this now so that poor so that you will so you know, so they'll be able to do or act or believe something. I'm telling you this so go back through those 34 chapters and list those things and then just isolate them and look at them. Yeah, Jesus told us this so we can have peace. Jesus told us this to keep us from stumbling.

He told us this so that we would know the reality. He told us this so we remember when it happens. He told us this about the world. So just even running through those things that just stabilizes me. Yeah.

Jesus said it was good to be this way. If you're in the depth of a crisis right now this is not a bad section of Scripture to go to find yourself that as they were getting ready to going to the probably jump most gigantic rights of the lives Jesus, I'm telling these things to you so that you will peace that you understand what's going listen. We got about a minute left want you intrigue us about what's coming in chapter 17 oh now I love John 17 and actually I I love it so much. I wrote a Bible study a six-week trial setting Frank use with women and so what we could certainly make that available to you have Artie sent it to several people and I tested it on the website. How we could more than.org and so will talk about that, but as we see Jesus move so smoothly from this conversation just suddenly turned his eyes to heaven and begins to talk to the father in the presence of the disciples about them yet about their relationship. World precious about his love for the world and his purposes want them to be with me where it's at me for some prayer unbelievable unbelieving. Yeah.

So we are going to slow down and take our time working our way through that, who knows how many weeks will take this gigantic mysterious prayer is know so much more accessible than perhaps you been like to believe we really take the time to walk with Jesus through it. So read it for yourself for next week like we always say before you really need to do at this time businesses. This is a crown jewel with these these earlier chapters in mind because everything Jesus talked about all evening pull together so hold onto your hats next week. John 17 so I'm Jim and I will lead you with us here on my C