A Little While

Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

At this, 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’?”  They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

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’?  Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 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.  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. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

“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.  In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.  No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 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.”

 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied.  “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

 “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. John 16:16-33 NIV

In John 13, Jesus was with the twelve disciples celebrating His last Passover. He washed their feet as an example of the grace and love He expects His Church to have for each other. He taught them by this demonstration that born-again believers are wholly clean, except for the daily contamination of our world-walk, which must be cleansed every day. He foretold of His betrayal by one of them and then exposed the traitor: Judas, sending him out to get it over with. Only then, alone with the eleven, did He begin to teach them about the supernatural love of the Church, as an extension of His own love and that of the Father. Only then did He begin to teach them about the baptism, indwelling and teaching ministry of God, the Holy Spirit. This is family business. These are mystery doctrines, intimate and exclusive to the Church.

In John 14, our Lord revealed that He would be going away to prepare a dwellingplace for His own, and would therefore be coming back to accompany us there. He made it clear to the disciples at that time that He is the ONLY way of salvation. He began teaching them to pray in His name, identifying with His authority through the Holy Spirit, petitioning the Father for our needs.

In John 15, He taught His men that only through direct, constant fellowship with Him can we do anything that will build up the Church and bear fruit for eternity. The severed branch can produce nothing. He stressed that we can know and love Him only by abiding in His Word, and that we will have to depend on the Holy Spirit to keep us reminded and grow us up in grace. Throughout these three chapters and chapter 16 leading up to Gethsemane, He was ordering them to love one another (the brethren) for mutual comfort and support through the coming persecutions. This was for their (and our) encouragement, and it is our testimony to the world that we are His. We are a heavenly people. We are not the world.

Now, in the latter half of chapter 16, Jesus repeated more forcefully these truths, warnings and encouragements. He was going away. Soon. They would be terribly grieved, but it would be a sorrow like that of a woman in labor. When the child appears, the sorrow is gone, and joy prevails (What pain? Just look at my beautiful child!). Verse 28 is key:

^“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” The time was short. Jesus laid it on the line for them. This is going to happen. Be prepared.

Then, in verse 33, one of my all-time favorite promises from Jesus, and I love it in the King James version:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

He spoke these things (John chapters 13-16) to us for our comfort and assurance. The troubles of the world are a certainty, as long as we remain here. Some troubles are just incidental to the ebb and flow of politics and nature. Some are specific trials by Satan, attempting to derail our testimony. Some can be divine discipline, for our disobedience to God’s Word; but we believers are IN CHRIST, and He has overcome the world. With that knowledge, we abide IN HIM, relax and wait.

Our life is from Him, our salvation is through Him, our peace is IN HIM. Always. Don't fret. He'll be back soon.