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gospel as we continue to work 
our way through this fourth gospel. John chapter 16, we are in the 
upper room discourse of our Lord Jesus, also known as the farewell 
discourse. So there is repetition, and I 
believe the repetition is by design. Repetition fortifies 
the instruction, and it's very interesting. One of the elements 
that we'll see this morning is Jesus' emphasis on answer to 
prayer. So as the disciples will see 
the world, as it were, collapsing around them in the death of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, they are nevertheless to be of good cheer, to take 
heart, and to realize they have access to the throne of grace, 
to be equipped and empowered for the work that God has called 
them to. So our focus this morning will be verses 16 to 24 in John 
16. I'll begin reading in verse 16 
to the end of the chapter. A little while, and you will 
not see me. And again, a little while, and you will see me, because 
I go to the Father. Then some of his disciples said 
among themselves, what is this that he says to us? A little 
while, and you will not see me. And again, a little while, and 
you will see me. and because I go to the Father. 
They said, therefore, what is this that he says, a little while? 
We do not know what he is saying. Now Jesus knew that they desired 
to ask him, and he said to them, are you inquiring among yourselves 
about what I said, a little while, and you will not see me, and 
again a little while, and you will see me. Most assuredly I 
say to you that you will weep and lament, The world will rejoice, 
and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into 
joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her 
hour has come. But as soon as she has given 
birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish for joy 
that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore, you 
now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will 
rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. And in that 
day you will ask me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, 
whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you. Until 
now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, 
that your joy may be full. These things I have spoken to 
you in figurative language, but the time is coming when I will 
no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you 
plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my 
name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father 
for you, for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved 
me and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth 
from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave 
the world and go to the Father. His disciples said to him, see 
now you are speaking plainly and using no figure of speech. 
Now we are sure that you know all things and have no need that 
anyone should question you. By this we believe that you came 
forth from God. Jesus answered them, do you now 
believe? Indeed, the hour is coming. Yes, 
and has now come that you will be scattered each to his own 
and will leave me alone. And yet I am not alone because 
the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to 
you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will 
have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. 
Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, thank you for your word. Thank you for the Lord's 
day and this great privilege to gather together in your house 
with your people and to come to the Father through the Son 
in the Spirit. We pray for the ministry and 
the aid of the Spirit even now that you would guide us and lead 
us into what our Lord is teaching the disciples here. May it be 
an encouragement to us and may it build us up in our most holy 
faith. And may you cause us to shine as lights in a crooked 
and perverse generation and give us that boldness and courage 
to stand fast on the truth of the Old and New Testaments, and 
give us that boldness to set that forth in the midst of opposition, 
even as these early disciples were charged by the Lord. Forgive 
us for all sin and all unrighteousness, we pray as well, that the Spirit 
would bring conviction for sin to any here that are dead in 
their trespasses and sins. We don't appeal to their free 
will to make good decisions, but we appeal to the God of absolute 
unrivaled power and sovereignty to open hearts and to make men 
willing in the day of your power. Be glorified here, be glorified 
throughout this nation and to the uttermost parts of the earth 
as your gospel is preached. May it run swiftly and may it 
be glorified. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, as I said, we are in the 
upper room discourse. The passage that I read concludes 
that. So we're in about the second 
to the last section. I say about because there's a 
lot of verses and it may take us more than two sermons to complete 
the chapter. But notice specifically what 
we have here in verses 16 to 24. Basically, Jesus is highlighting 
the joy that is associated with his departure. He has not been 
hesitant to speak of his own death. He has not been hesitant 
to speak of his own resurrection. The disciples have been somewhat 
hesitant to get their minds wrapped around that, so I think that 
repetition, in terms of that emphasis, is necessary for them. But on the heels of having said 
what the promise of the Spirit will mean for them in terms of 
verses 12 to 15, the Spirit will guide you into all truth. The 
Spirit will glorify me, Jesus says. He goes on to highlight 
the benefit that is associated with his death. Again, it's gotta 
be a tough one. They love Jesus. They've been 
with Jesus for three years now. They've also been in this upper 
room where Jesus has promised them that there's gonna be opposition 
to them. There's gonna be persecution 
for them. There's gonna be likely death and exclusion and all those 
sorts of things. And so it would probably be a 
difficult thing to relate their current situation with joy. But that's precisely what Jesus 
does in verses 16 to 24. So we'll look first at the announcement 
of his departure in verses 16 to 18, and then secondly, the 
benefit of his departure in verses 19 to 24. So note first in verse 
16, he declares this, and then there's confusion about it in 
verses 17 and 18. But note the declaration in verse 
16, "...a little while, and you will not see me, and again a 
little while, and you will see me, because I go to the Father." 
This isn't the first time in John's gospel that we have seen 
this convention. And essentially, at least chronologically, 
it means that Jesus is on the brink of going to the cross. 
Jesus' departure is at hand. If you go back to John 7, where 
Jesus is disputing with the religious leadership, he mentions this 
to them as well. In 7.33, then Jesus said to them, 
I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to 
him who sent me. You will seek me and not find 
me, and where I am, you cannot come. And more immediately in 
the upper room discourse itself, if you look at chapter 13, specifically 
at verse 33, little children, I shall be with you a little 
longer. You will seek me. And as I said to the Jews, where 
I am going, you cannot come." Notice again in verse 36, Simon 
Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered, 
where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you shall 
follow afterward. So the little while that Jesus 
refers to in 1616 is simply his death. his resurrection, his 
ascension to the right hand of the Father. And I hope to show 
that in just a moment. Basically, that's what he means. 
A little while and you will not see me. Why? Because he's going 
to die. He's going to go into the grave. 
But then he says, and again, a little while and you will see 
me again. Why? Because he's gonna be raised 
the third day by the power of the Father, the Spirit, inseparable 
operations of God. And then he says, because I go 
to the Father. So basically in short compass 
here in verse 16, he comprehends all of the events associated 
with his coming into the world. Christ came into this world, 
not simply to be a religious teacher, not simply to be an 
example for us, but to live for sinners, to die for sinners, 
and to be raised again for sinners. In other words, what he is highlighting 
in verse 16 with this little while simply refers to the gospel 
of our salvation. All of the elements that are 
necessary, all of the elements that are crucial, death, resurrection, 
and ascension to the right hand of the Father. That's the emphasis, 
and the son emphasizes that. that he is sent by the Father, 
he'll return to the Father upon the completion of his redemptive 
work, and he will send the Holy Spirit from that right hand of 
God Almighty, so that the disciples will always see him again, vis-à-vis 
through the ministry of the Spirit. Remember in 1418, he promised 
not to leave them as orphans, but he would come to them again. 
He comes to them again, yes, in the second coming, when he 
judges the living and the dead, he comes through the power of 
the Holy Spirit. So that's what Christ is talking 
about. I think it corresponds as well 
to the hour. Remember in John's gospel, in 
John 2, 7, 8, 12, 13, 16, and again in 17. In fact, you're 
close to 17. Look at verse one. Jesus spoke 
these words, lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, father, the 
hour has come. Glorify your son that your son 
also may glorify you. That hour is upon him. That's 
why it's a little while. And that's why he says in a little 
while, you're not gonna see me. But then after that, you will 
see me because I go to the father. So he is speaking specifically 
concerning those events connected with his life, death, resurrection, 
and ascension. Now note their confusion in verse 
17. Then some of his disciples said among themselves, what is 
this that he says to us? A little while and you will not 
see me. And again, a little while and you will see me. And because 
I go to the father. Brethren, that's puzzling to 
us because we know the answer. We know the situation. We've 
read through scripture. We've heard this preached. If 
you've been in the church and this particular church in terms 
of the upper room, you'll have heard it a lot. That's why I 
stress repetition fortifies instruction. God knows Christ specifically 
here as a wise teacher knows that we need to get these things 
drummed into our heads. Now the disciples at this point, 
we're not tracking. And I think you'll see why as 
we go through this particular passage, especially understanding 
what we've seen already in terms of the ministry of the Spirit 
according to 14, 15, 26, and 27, and then 16 verses 12 to 
15. Christ is speaking not of a personal 
individual sealing of the Holy Spirit upon belief in Jesus. He is talking about the fulfillment 
of the prophet Joel on the day of Pentecost in the temporal 
mission of the Holy Spirit to come and to bless the church 
and to equip the church for her mission to go into the world 
and make disciples of all the nations. So up until this point, 
yes, as individual believers, they had the Spirit. But up until 
this point, they didn't have what they're going to have in 
Acts 2 in terms of an ability to properly understand what was 
involved in Christ's first coming. So notice, with reference to 
their confusion, verse 18, they said, therefore, what is this 
that he says? A little while, we do not know 
what he is saying. Now, this isn't simply a limitation 
by nature. They're finite and God's infinite, 
so they don't get it. It's not simply a limitation 
by sin. They've got confusion and they've 
got darkness and they've got that sort of thing affecting 
them. I would suggest it's a confusion based on circumstance. With reference 
to the immediate context, they're still probably thinking about 
1518 to 1604, and the fact that unbelieving Jews are going to 
persecute them. They're going to exclude you 
from their synagogues. They're going to kill you, and 
they're going to think that they're doing service to God Almighty. 
I gotta say, brethren, if I was in that immediate context, that 
bell would have stayed rung with me. They're also still perplexed 
about the fact that he is going to depart from them. I'm going 
to leave you, he says. They have become very fond of 
him. They love him. They care for 
him. The thought of him being crucified, 
the thought of him going before the Sanhedrin and being condemned 
as a malefactor certainly probably had a lingering effect upon their 
abilities to interpret things. But as well, it's easier for 
us on this side of life-death-resurrection and ascension on high and the 
day of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to understand 
these things than they themselves were. They just weren't tracking. And we can't blame them for that. 
We're not letting them have it for that. But Jesus is leading 
them and preparing them and encouraging them and exhorting them for ministry 
in this present evil world. So that brings us then to the 
benefit of his departure in verses 19 to 24. Remember, in John's 
gospel, in the Bible, the Bible teaches that Jesus is one person 
with two natures. He is truly man. He is truly 
God. In theology, we call that the 
hypostatic union, the union of the two natures in the one person. We don't have two persons. We 
don't have sort of a conglomerate. We have a beautiful mystery of 
our Christian faith revealed for us, understood by us, but 
explainable? No, we're not infinite. We've 
got some shortcomings when it comes to this, but does the Bible 
teach it? Yes. We have an evidence of Him 
acting according to His divinity in verse 19. Now, Jesus knew 
that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them. So Christ, 
according to His divinity, knows what their perplexity is. He 
knows what their confusion is, and He heads it off at the pass. 
He doesn't say, well, you know, they're gonna figure it out. 
No, Jesus presses, and he wants to use this question and confusion 
on their part to give them education or information concerning his 
part. Notice his declaration then in 
verse 20. He says, most assuredly, I say 
to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. And you will be sorrowful, but 
your sorrow will be turned into joy. Now, he notices, or he observes 
there, the sorrow of the disciples. He gets it. That's what I love 
about Jesus. He gets it. He was in all points 
made like us, yet without sin. What's the apostle's implication 
of that? Therefore, he is able to have 
compassion upon us. We have omnipotent compassion 
in our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice Jesus doesn't slap his 
forehead and say, can't believe it guys. How are you not getting 
this? How are you not picking up what 
I'm putting down? He doesn't do that. And he doesn't 
lambast them because they are sorrowful. He understands that. 
The God of Psalm 103, he knows our frame. He pities us. He knows 
that we're but dust. This is our blessed Savior, so 
He recognizes their sorrow. Again, at the first part of verse 
20, most assuredly I say to you that you will weep and lament. 
The departure of Christ was not via airplane. The departure of 
Christ was not via train. The departure of Christ was via 
the cross. The bloodied, brutally battered 
Savior for sinners dying as a criminal upon that cross. Of course they're 
gonna weep. Of course they're gonna lament. 
If they're not connecting the dots at this point, if they're 
not standing at the foot of the cross concluding that, oh yeah, 
he's gonna raise again the third day, which there's no evidence 
that that was true, not that he would raise from the dead, 
but that they got it, they were not to be found. Even after the 
resurrection, we see this perplexity and we see this confusion. So 
the sorrow associated with the death of a friend, the sorrow 
associated with the death of a master, the sorrow associated 
with the death of one that you love. Of course, there's gonna 
be weeping and lamentation when Christ is brutalized by unbelieving 
Israel and the Roman Empire who endorses that wicked behavior. As well, notice he acknowledges 
the joy involved for the world. Look at what he says in verse 
20. Most assuredly I say to you that you will weep and lament, 
but the world will rejoice. Now, who's the world? Well, in 
the context, it's unbelieving Israel. If you look back at 1518, 
if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated 
you. And then notice in verse 25, but this happened that the 
word might be fulfilled, which is written in their law. They 
hated me without a cause. It was written in their law. 
And then in 16.2, they will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, 
the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he 
offers God's service. So in context, it would be unbelieving 
Israel. But by extension, we know it's 
all sinners. Everybody in opposition to God 
because of their bent nature, because of their Adamic nature, 
But why would the world rejoice at the crucifixion of our Lord 
Jesus Christ? Because they hated him. They 
absolutely despised him. He came to his own, his own received 
him not. John prepares us for that in 
the prologue in John chapter one. What do we find when Jesus 
is standing before the Sanhedrin? They slap him. These are supposed 
to be dignified men, rulers of the political and religious aspect 
of Israel. While subject to the Roman Empire, 
they were the highest authority within Israel. And they're acting 
like fiends, slapping the Savior, spitting on the Savior. It's 
like what we read in Psalm 2. Why do the nations rage and the 
people plot a vain thing? They take their stand against 
Yahweh and against his Christ. Why is that? Because they hate 
God. And when they see Jesus crucified 
on the cross, that's gonna cause them great joy. In fact, two 
passages that we ought to see in relation to this. Go back 
to Matthew's gospel in Matthew chapter 11. Matthew chapter 11, 
a familiar passage, but I don't think we always contemplate why 
Jesus says what he says. Matthew chapter 11 at verse 16, 
but to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children 
sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions and 
saying, we played the flute for you and you did not dance. We 
mourn to you and you did not lament. Kind of odd games for 
children to play, funeral. I don't know that I'd encourage 
my children or my grandchildren to play funeral, but such as 
it was, we played the flute for you. You did not dance. That 
was in the context, perhaps, of a wedding celebration. We 
mourned you, and you did not lament. But then notice, for 
John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say he has 
a demon. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they 
say, look, a glutton and a wine-bibber, a friend of tax collectors and 
sinners, but wisdom is justified by her children." Why do you 
think Jesus used that statement? Well, it was true. They were 
making that claim. Notice, look. Or he says, the 
Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, who's that? The 
opponents of Jesus. And they say, look, a glutton 
and a wine-bibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Brethren, 
this wasn't just an intramural religious debate. Oh, he teaches 
a few things a little bit differently. Go to the book of Deuteronomy, 
Deuteronomy chapter 21. Deuteronomy chapter 21. This is what I believe is the 
background to what Jesus is saying in his statement here. Deuteronomy 
21 at verse 18. If a man has a stubborn and rebellious 
son and will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of 
his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not 
heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of 
him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate 
of his city. And they shall say to the elders 
of his city, this son of ours is notice stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey our voice. He 
is a glutton and a drunkard. Now, against the complaint that, 
wow, that's severe with reference to your son, he's not talking 
about a two-year-old that doesn't eat his peas. He's talking about 
an adult rebel son that's engaged in gluttony and wine-bidding. 
But note what the remedy for such a case is. We call it the 
case of the incorrigible son. Verse 21, then all the men of 
his city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall put 
away the evil from among you and all Israel shall hear in 
fear. So in the upper room, when Jesus tells us that his departure 
will mark sorrow for his disciples, but joy for his haters, absolutely 
positively, that's the case. People are going to rejoice. 
They're going to stand at the foot of the cross and mock him. 
The religious leaders, again, supposed to be exhibiting some 
sort of dignity and refinement and some sort of class, stand 
at the base of the cross and mock a suffering man. And they 
say vile things like, he saved others. Let's see him come down 
from the cross and save himself. Of course, the world rejoices 
when Jesus is crucified on the cross. Of course, the world rejoices 
when what they have sought by way of accusation, he's a winebibber 
and a glutton, and by way of direct confrontation, John 8 
and John 10. How does Jesus' disputes with 
the religious leaders end in John 8 and John 10? They pick 
up stones to throw at him. Why? Because he, being a man, 
made himself equal with God. So if this blasphemous troublemaker 
is hung upon a Roman cross, the world is going to rejoice in 
that. Christ acknowledges that, but 
then notice in verse 20, he says, but your sorrow will be turned 
into joy. How could that be? Because he'll 
be raised again the third day. He doesn't stay in the tomb. 
He is raised by the power of God Almighty. He has fulfilled 
all of the obligation laid upon Him in the covenant of redemption. 
He has lived the life. He has died the death. He is 
raised again. He will ascend on high, victorious 
and triumphant. Look, ye saints, the sight is 
glorious. See the man of sorrows now. Christ 
says to the disciples, you're gonna weep, you're gonna lament 
when I go into that grave. The world's gonna rejoice when 
I go into that grave. But when I come out of that grave, 
your sorrow is gonna be turned into joy. And I think by way 
of implication, the joy of the world will be turned into sorrow. 
And all the stuff they tried to do to sideline the Savior 
in the gospel narratives carry on in the book of Acts with reference 
to the church of the Lord Jesus as she goes forth to do what 
Jesus commanded. Do they meet with reception? 
Are they welcomed into the synagogues? No, that's not it at all. So 
Jesus underscores what is going to happen in terms of the little 
while. Note then that Jesus uses an 
illustration. An illustration is common, that 
of a woman in labor who gives birth to a son. It's seen in 
Isaiah 26, it's used in Isaiah 66, it's used in Micah chapter 
4. But note the curious language 
in verse 21. A woman, when she is in labor, 
has sorrow because her hour has come. I don't think that's accidental. Christ's hour has come. There is sorrow before the joy. There is cross before the crown. There is hardship and difficulty 
before eternal blessing. And that's what he's emphasizing 
with this particular analogy. Now, of course, I don't have 
to preach this to the ladies in the congregation. And the 
men who've had children, you know it's sorrowful. Perhaps 
your wife reminded you of that throughout the ordeal. But what happens after the sorrow 
of labor? The joy of a baby. I've been 
around long enough to know that sometimes ladies compare their 
labor stories. Ladies, if you ever want to rid 
the room of men, start talking about your labor stories. We'll 
all go meet somewhere else. I'm just kidding. Please don't 
blog that. But I've yet to meet the woman 
who has said it wasn't worth it. It's always worth it. However bad, however hard, however 
painful, it's always worth it. Why? for joy that a human being 
has come into the world. See, Jesus assumes something. He assumes that children are 
a blessing. I know that's not an assumption 
shared by our fellows in the world, what with abortion and 
infanticide and all kinds of murder of helpless people, but 
Jesus assumes it's a creaturely natural function of parents to 
love their spawn. And so he uses that analogy. It's just like that. Sorrow, 
travail, hardship, difficulty. Why? Because of the joy that's 
in view. No woman laments the fact that 
she went through labor. She might lament that she went 
through that kind of labor, but not that she went through labor 
in principle. Why? Because she's holding a 
baby. She's nursing a baby. She's playing ball with a baby. 
She's watching her baby drive. She's watching her baby get married. 
I'm showing my age here, brethren, sorry. She's watching her baby 
walk down the aisle. The joy that a baby brings. The 
sorrow was worth it. The sorrow of the cross is worth 
it. The sorrow of a life as a man 
of sorrows is worth it. All of that is what Christ is 
saying to affirm the reality that for the moment, you're gonna 
have weeping and lamentation. For the moment, it's gonna be 
a time of distress. For a moment, your enemies are 
gonna rejoice and they're gonna wave their flags of victory. 
But know this, the time is coming when that will no longer be the 
case. So note what he recognizes or affirms rather in verse 22 
after the illustration. He recognizes their present sorrow 
over his departure generally. over his words generally, probably 
over the fact that they're going to be persecuted generally, but 
then he confirms his resurrection. Notice in verse 21, I'm sorry, 
verse 22, therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again. That's the resurrection from 
the dead. They didn't always get it. In 
Matthew 16, 17, and 20, Jesus said, I must go to Jerusalem. 
I must be tried at the hands of wicked men. I must be crucified, 
and I must be raised again. I mean, after the first announcement 
in Matthew chapter 16, when Jesus says that, Peter says, may it 
never be, Lord. God forbid it, Lord. And Jesus 
rebukes him severely and says, get behind me, Satan. You're 
not thinking God's thoughts here. You need to think properly concerning 
the messianic mission. As our brother pointed out, when 
he comes on the back of that donkey into Jerusalem, that wasn't 
the expectation. Zechariah prophesied the coming 
of Messiah in just that fashion. Their prejudice was such against 
Jesus that they wouldn't see it. They couldn't see it. That's 
the God-hating world that would rejoice in his crucifixion. But 
even the disciples had trouble puzzling it all together. So 
Jesus confirms the resurrection there in verse 22. And then notice, 
he says, and your heart will rejoice. And then look at this 
last bit, and your joy, no one will take from you. That's an 
interesting, beautiful illustration or beautiful statement. The promise 
is the presence of lasting joy. Look at what he says there. So 
therefore you now have sorrow, he acknowledges that, but I will 
see you again, he confirms his resurrection. And he says, your 
heart will rejoice and your joy no one will take from you. What's 
one of the benefits associated with the departure of Christ? 
Lasting joy, lasting joy. Now, brethren, the promise is 
the presence of lasting joy, not the absence of any suffering. The promise is a promise of lasting 
joy, not the promise of the absence of any suffering. Jesus is not 
Benny Hinn. Jesus is not Kenneth Copeland. 
Jesus is not teaching health, wealth, and prosperity. Jesus 
is not saying, oh, it's just gonna be constant, nonstop, joy-filled 
living for you, the way those heretics do. We need to get this. We can both be sorrowful and 
afflicted in the circumstances that we find ourselves in, and 
yet have a lasting joy that nobody can strip from us. I know it 
sounds odd, sounds crazy, but lots of us call it the Christian 
life. So when Jesus says what Jesus 
says here, he is not discounting what he has said in 1518 to 1604. He is not saying, oh yeah, I 
was just kidding. You're going to have such lasting 
joy. They're going to include you in their synagogues, and 
they're not going to kill you and think they're doing service 
to God. We need to get our minds wrapped around this reality. 
Edward Klink says, the definitive and permanent nature of the disciples' 
joy is not based upon the absence of any future grief and affliction, 
but by the placement of all grief and suffering into the larger 
context of the death and resurrection of Jesus. you're still gonna 
have problems. In fact, brethren, that's the 
way Jesus ends the upper room discourse. In this world, you 
will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome 
the world. So the presence of lasting joy 
does not mean the absence of suffering, affliction, and hardship. As well, the promise is the presence 
of lasting joy, not success in temporal matters. Have you ever 
heard anybody invoke Philippians 4.13? I can do all things through 
Christ who strengthens me. That doesn't mean you're going 
to grow a foot overnight and be a star NBA player. That doesn't mean you're going 
to be able to stand in the ring against the latest powerhouse 
in MMA and best them. Just like when we move down to 
Jesus' emphasis on asking from God, he mentions it in John 14. He's going to mention it again 
in John 16. When Christians debate about the nature of the whatever 
we ask, and some suggest, well, whatever we ask, new cars, new 
homes, great job promotions, because after all, Jesus says, 
whatever we ask, when we go to the text like that, it tells 
us more about us than it does about the text. The whatever 
we ask-ness, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens 
me-ness does not eliminate the reality that we live in a sin-cursed 
world that is still in opposition to God Most High and the Christ 
who's enthroned at his right hand. This again is just reviewing 
John 15, 18. What's Jesus say? If they hate 
the master, aren't they gonna hate the servant? So we can't 
take this reference to lasting joy as to mean no problems. And one other passage in the 
Old Testament that we should turn to, I apologize to the people 
that were here Wednesday night, but I think it needs repetition. 
Numbers 20. Numbers chapter 20. Just trying to clear away the 
misconception that the promise of lasting joy must always mean 
present prosperity. No, it doesn't. Now, brethren, I'm 
not suggesting if your car breaks on the road on the way home today, 
you can pray, God, grant us wisdom, grant us grace, we need to get 
another car. I can't run to work, I live 20 
miles away. I think we should all be able 
to get 10 if we had to. There's nothing wrong with asking 
God. There's everything wrong with expecting God to put a Porsche 
in your driveway. Expecting God to prosper everything 
that you do because he said you're gonna have lasting joy. Notice 
in Numbers chapter 20, specifically at verse two, the people of Israel 
do what the people of Israel do, they sin. Now there was no 
water for the congregation, so they gathered together against 
Moses and Darren. And as we saw on Wednesday night, 
that's a necessary element for life is water. that they recognize 
the problem of no water isn't the problem. It's the means they 
employ to address the problem. They immediately turn against 
Moses and Aaron. Verse three, the people contended 
with Moses and spoke saying, if only we had died when our 
brethren died before the Lord. That's a reference to Korah and 
his rebellion and Dathan and his rebellion. We'd rather fire 
come down out of heaven or the earth open up and swallow us 
whole. It'd be much better than organ failure and complete shutdown 
after three days because we don't have water. Again, a sentiment 
that I quite share. All things being equal, would 
I rather dehydrate and die because of organ failure and confusion 
and all the lot that goes with it or quick zap of the fire? The opening up of the ground 
and me falling in. As long as it's an immediate 
death, I'll opt for that. But if there's a moment or 10 
or 20 that I just don't think I can handle that. But notice 
what they go on to say in verse four. Why have you, Moses, not 
God, They're not men and women enough to blame God, but that's 
who they're blaming. Why have you brought up the assembly 
of the Lord into this wilderness that we and our animals should 
die here? Moses, you're a killer. You're 
a murderer. This isn't the first rodeo either. 
They have done this before up until this point. Notice in verse 
five, and why have you made us come up out of Egypt, again, 
that was Yahweh's deliverance, to bring us to this evil place? 
It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, 
nor is there any water to drink. The point I tried to point out 
with that last Wednesday night was that the promised land was 
the land wherein the promise of milk and honey flowed. Wasn't 
nothing about the journey getting there. The journey may be rough. The journey's gonna be rough. 
It's gonna be a whole lot rougher because you compounded every 
step of the way by your whining, but that's another argument. 
Same with us. There's a new covenant parallel 
there. We're promised everlasting joy 
in the presence of God. I believe we have that down payment 
now. I believe every blood-bought 
child of God in this place rejoices in their Lord Jesus Christ, wanting 
that communion that the triune God blesses his people with. 
But we've not fully entered into what it will be. When we get 
to heaven, what does the book of Revelation teach us? There's 
no sorrow there, there's no pain there, there's no hunger there. 
I don't think we get that one in North America the way our 
brothers in Myanmar get that one. Longing for a place where 
there's no more hunger, where there's no more thirst, and where 
that chief enemy itself is gone, there's no more death there. 
That's promise to us in what we call the eschaton or the final 
stage. There ain't no promise like that 
for now. There's sorrow. There's death, there's hunger, 
there's thirst, but even so, guess what they can never strip 
from us? The lasting joy associated with 
Christ's life, his death, his resurrection, which means the 
forgiveness of sins for all those who believe in him and a righteousness 
given to them by which they may now enter into the presence of 
God. Christ says in John 10, I came 
that they might have life, and they might have it abundantly. 
So the Lord Jesus affirms their sorrow, confirms his resurrection, 
and then underscores the reality that once you've seen these things, 
you've been privy to them, and the Spirit has flipped the light 
on for the full significance to make its impact in your heart, 
there's going to be lasting joy. How do you do Acts 5.31 if Jesus 
is lying? Remember Acts 5.31? How's unbelieving 
Israel deal with the Christian church? Well, they put them in 
jail. They then scourge the apostles. Again, you know, there's conventions 
or things or concepts in Scripture that we're just not privy to. 
I've never seen anybody scourged. I can read about it. I read the 
gruesome descriptions in history books or in scripture itself. 
The apostles were scourged, beaten, whipped when they leave there. Do you know what they didn't 
do? They didn't say, oh, call the lawyer. Get them on the phone 
immediately. I'm going to sue the government. I'm not saying it's always wrong 
to call your lawyer and sue the government. But they left there 
rejoicing, why? Because they were counted worthy 
to suffer shame for his name. So they deprive them of physical 
health and strength. They deprive them of liberty. They deprive them, but they really 
didn't, of the privilege to preach Christ's name crucified. And 
in that, they rejoice. What about Paul? Barnabas in 
Acts 16, when they're in the stocks after having been beaten 
by the Roman rod. What are they doing there at 
midnight? They're singing songs of praise to God. That's what 
Jesus is talking about. You're gonna have a lasting joy 
based on what happened. Life, death, resurrection, ascension 
on high. That is the buoy in the midst 
of the troubled seas. That's the anchor to keep you 
stable. Whatever they do to you, however they treat you, this 
one thing they can't do. They cannot strip from you faith 
in the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that you have in 
Him. That is where your joy lie. And then Jesus goes on, and we'll 
end this quickly. It is a bit repetitious here 
in this particular section. Again, I think for fortification. 
But notice that Jesus encourages them in verses 23 and 24. He encourages them in verses 
23 and 24. He encourages them first with 
the illumination by the Holy Spirit in 23a, and with an invitation 
to pray in 23b and 24. If you look with me at verse 
23, he uses two different words for our word ask. 23a, and in that day, you will 
ask me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, 
whatever you ask the Father. Two different words, two different 
things going on. In the first instance, He is 
telling them what He has already told them. The Spirit, according 
to 14.26, is gonna teach you about Jesus. The Spirit, according 
to 15.26 and seven, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, 
Spirit of truth, is gonna teach you. John 16, verses 12 to 15. The spirit of truth is going 
to guide you into all truth. When Jesus says in 23a, and in 
that day you will ask me nothing, I think it refers to Pentecost. When Jesus pours the spirit out 
upon the church, what do we find? We find Peter get up. And we 
find Peter preach. That sermon in Acts 2 is glorious. It is Christocentric. It is crystal 
clear. And what's the emphasis? The 
true humanity of our Lord. the death of our Lord, the resurrection 
and ascension of our Lord. In other words, the Spirit made 
these things clear such that they no longer have to ask Him, 
what's the significance about your life, death and resurrection? 
It's all been illuminated. Oh, yes. A couple of weeks ago, 
we baptized and we looked at Acts chapter 9. The apostle Paul, 
Saul of Tarsus, knew the Old Testament. He knew it up, down, 
back, and around. And yet, the vital key to interpret 
it was lacking. So on that road to Damascus, 
when Jesus comes and explains, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 
The light shone. Paul's humbled. Paul says, I 
see it now. Everything is yay and amen in 
our Lord Jesus. That's the experience of the 
apostles on the day of Pentecost. The Spirit makes clear why Jesus 
came, why Jesus lived, why Jesus died, and why Jesus rose again. This is the advantage that Jesus 
speaks of in 16.7. It is to your advantage that 
I go away, so that the Spirit comes and the Spirit illumines 
and guides you into all truth. It's kind of like 1 John 2.27, 
but the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, 
and you do not need that anyone teach you. Now, this is not suggesting 
there's no need for training ministers, there's no need for 
a ministry, there's no need for any sort of seeking God for further 
acquisition of truth. That's not what it means. It 
means the events connected with the gospel will become crystal 
clear to its chief proponents, namely the apostles, who are 
going to be tasked to go into the world and turn it upside 
down for the Lord Jesus. So that's what he means there. 
You're not going to ask me why. Because you're going to know 
by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit that I promised 
to send for that very reason. And we know from 1616 that the 
Spirit's task is to glorify Jesus. Well, how does He glorify Jesus? 
By taking what is Jesus, who takes it from the Father and 
gives it to the disciples. That's why you're not going to 
ask. So what Jesus is saying practically is, you've got confusion. I get it. I understand it. But 
wait a little while and everything will be crystal clear. And then 
you'll go out and you'll proclaim this glorious gospel to the then 
known world and the power of God will be manifest. And then 
he invites them to pray. He invites them, verse 23 and 
24. Most assuredly, I say to you, 
whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. Again, 
the whatever you ask has to be conditioned first and foremost 
by the context. 14.12 tells us that they are 
tasked to go do greater works. 1518 to 1604 tells us that they're 
going to suffer persecution. I doubt they're thinking about 
new cars. I doubt they're thinking about summer homes. I doubt they're 
thinking about better fishing boats. They're thinking, how 
do I navigate and how do I continue to go forward to do these greater 
works that he has tasked me with, all the while the world is trying 
to kill me? So that whatever we ask is conditioned by that 
context. And whatever we ask is always 
conditioned by the revealed will of God. It isn't God's revealed 
will for all of us to drive Porsches. I don't even know why I picked 
Porsche. That's not even, I don't think, a great car anymore, is 
it? Says the Volkswagen driver. It's an amazing thing. We come 
to these passages, whatever we ask, whoa! and completely neglect 
the context, the man to whom the promise is given. Now there 
is an extension to be sure we can go to God and bring our petitions 
large or small. We can go to the throne of grace 
through our Lord Jesus Christ, and in that we have his ear. 
And I think that's the next significant emphasis. Notice, whatever you 
ask the Father in my name, I think what Jesus is doing here 
is showing us something of what John does in the prologue. The 
law was revealed through Moses, but grace and truth has come 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. There's a covenantal shift, a 
covenantal transition. Christ fulfills the old covenant 
as the true Israel of God, and he brings to pass the new covenant. In the New Covenant, we come 
to the Father through the Son in the Spirit. The Old Covenant, 
they didn't. Not that the Father, Son, and 
Spirit are not present in the Old Covenant, but the revelation 
of the Father, Son, and Spirit comes to full blaze in the New 
Covenant. So it's like when Jesus teaches 
that Samaritan woman in John 4, 24, the hour is coming and is now, that 
the true worshipers of God will worship in spirit and truth. I don't think that means the 
mind and the heart, the thoughts and the feelings. I think it 
means God, the spirit, God, the son. You come through the Son 
to the Father in the Spirit. That's what he's highlighting 
in terms of their praying now. From here on out, the way that 
you're to pray is to the Father through the mediator, the Lord 
Jesus Christ. He's underscoring, once again, 
Trinitarian theology in the upper room discourse. In the last verse, 
verse 24, until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask 
and you will receive that your joy may be full. That joy may 
be full. That is what he calls these disciples 
to pray for in light of the greater works in 1412 and in light of 
the persecution that is coming to them according to 1518 to 
1604. So brethren, hopefully there's 
something in here for us to be encouraged by. And I would suggest 
the chief boon of this passage is the life, death, and resurrection 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fact that He comes down from 
heaven for us men and for our salvation, the fact that He takes 
on our humanity with all of the essential properties and all 
the common infirmities thereof, and yet without sin, so that 
He can live for us, die for us, and be raised again for us, that 
ought to promote joy. We have everything in the Savior. We have every spiritual blessing 
in the heavenly places, in Christ, according to Paul, in Ephesians 
1-3. We have, after the resurrection 
and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, not the absence of affliction, 
not the absence of trial, not the absence of hardship, but 
we always have the presence of lasting joy. And we have that 
Holy Spirit that Christ promises here in the passage to give to 
us, to teach us, to illumine us, to guide us, primarily in 
the context for these apostles and their assault, spiritually 
speaking, of course, on the then known world. But the Spirit is 
given by Christ so that we're not orphans in this present world. What Jesus encourages the disciples 
with here is most excellent. Their sorrow would be turned 
to joy. If you thought at any moment of Psalm 30, you wouldn't 
have been wrong. For as anger is but for a moment, 
as favor is for life, weeping may endure for a night, but joy 
comes in the morning. As well, their joy could never 
be stripped from them. I gotta think that was particularly 
calculated to encourage them upon advising them of their mistreatment 
when they go out and they preach and teach. Whatever happens, 
if you're in a jail cell, your back is opened by the Roman rod 
or by the Jewish whip. If you're destitute, if you're 
exiled, look at Paul in 2 Corinthians 11. He suffered. He suffered greatly, 
but he had that lasting joy. We'll see something of that tonight 
when we turn to Philippians chapter one. Whether in prison, whether 
about to die, whether continuing life, what's he say? For to me 
to live is Christ and to die is gain. That's what we as God's 
disciples, Christ's disciples, have. May this passage encourage 
us, and I want to encourage any and all who are not believers, 
to look unto the Lord Jesus Christ in faith, and you will be saved. That's the promise that God gives. God so loved the world that he 
gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should 
not perish, but have everlasting life. So please do not tarry, 
do not resist, but rather look unto the Lord Jesus Christ and 
be saved. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, thank you for our Lord's teaching. Thank you for 
the gracious instruction that we have here in the upper room 
discourse, and as well for the theological instruction concerning 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the nature of the living and 
the true God. We praise you for your goodness and for your mercy. 
We pray for your continued blessing upon us. We pray for your blessing 
upon that word as it's preached today, and we pray in Jesus' 
name. Amen. Well, please stand