A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church (very slow to upload; please be patient)
I. PEACE v ANXIETY
A. JESUS’ ANNOUNCEMENT
1. COMMUNICATION
Jn 16:16a “In a little you will not see Me any longer; and again in a little you will see Me”
2. CLARIFICATION
Jn 16:16b “because I am going away to the Father.”
B. DISCIPLES’ AGITATION
1. CONFUSION
Jn 16:17a Some of His disciples asked one another, “What is this He’s telling us?
Jn 16:12 I still have much to say to you, but you can’t handle it just now
2. CONFOUNDED
Jn 16:18b We don’t know what He’s talking about.”
C. JESUS’ ALLEGORY
1. CRYING
Jn 16:20 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will cry and mourn while the world will rejoices You will be distressed, but your distress will turn into joy.
God’s work was not to replace sorrow with joy, but to turn sorrow into joy, as He often does in our lives.
Gal 6:14 “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”
2. CHILDBIRTH
Jn 16:21 When a woman gives birth she has distress because her time has come. But after delivering the baby, she forgets the anguish because of joy that her baby has entered the world.
3. CHEER
Jn 16:22 Similarly, you’re in distress now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice; no one can take that joy from you.
Gal 4:9 “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again?
Ex 2:24-25 “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.”
D. JESUS’ APPLICATION
1. CONFER
Jn 16:23 In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you.
Jn 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth . . and disclose to you things still to come.
2. COMPLETE
Jn 16:24 Prior to this you’ve asked nothing in My Name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be complete.
Phil 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”
II. PEACE v ADVERSITY
A. JESUS’ ASSERTION
1. CLEAR
Jn 16:25 “I have told you these using allegories. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.
Mt 15:16 “Are you still lacking in understanding also?”
Mt 15:10 “How is it that you do not understand?”
Mk 9:9 “What does being raised from the dead mean?”
Mk 9:32 “They did not understand and were afraid to ask.”
2. CARE
Jn 16:26-27 In that day you may ask [Him] in My name (I won’t tell you that I will ask the Father on your behalf); for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God.
Heb 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith”
B. DISCIPLES’ ALLEGIANCE
1. CLAIM
Jn 16:28 I came from the Father into the world, and now I’m leaving the world, returning to the Father.”
Mt 1:21 “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Lk 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save those who are lost.”
John 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins.”
I Jn 4:9,14 “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.”
I Tim 1:15 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
2. CONFIDENCE
Jn 16:29-30 His disciples replied, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that You are omniscient and don’t need anyone to question You; this is why we believe that You came from God.”
C. DISCIPLES’ ABANDONMENT
1. CALL OUT
Jn 16:31 Jesus answered them, “Do you [really] believe?
2. COMPANIONSHIP
Jn 16:32 Behold, the hour is coming (indeed, it has come) when you will be scattered each to his own and will abandon Me. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
II Cor 5:21 “For our sake God made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God”
Mt 27:46 “My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?”
D. JESUS’ ASSURANCE
1. CALM
Jn 16:33a I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace.
Romans 5:1 Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Ephesians 2:14 For Jesus is our peace, who has made the both one and broken down the middle wall of division between us.
2. COURAGE
Jn 16:33b In the world you have tribulation. But have courage; I have overcome the world.
Rom 15:13 “the God of hope”
Col 1:27 “the hope of glory”
Rom 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”