Jesus Has Overcome the World

 

John 16:16-33

Key verse: 16:33

“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.”

In the previous weeks we learned about the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would testify about Jesus and convict the world of guilt because of sin, righteousness and judgment. And we learned that we also must testify about Jesus. However, our testimony is not merely a matter of words. It is a matter of a victorious life—a life that reveals the absolute love and power of God.  

In today’s passage, Jesus had his last Bible study with his disciples before going to the cross.  He was like a general going into battle, and was concerned about the moral of his troops. So he delivered a victory address in advance. And, in his final statement he proclaimed, “I have overcome the world!” As Jesus overcame the world, he wanted his also wanted his disciples to overcome. In today’s passage we would like to consider the ways and means Jesus gave his disciples to overcome the world.  

Prayer: 

Part I. “Your Grief Will Turn to Joy” (16-22)

Jesus said to his disciples in verse 16, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” Jesus was referring to his death and resurrection. But the disciples had no idea what he was talking about. They kept asking, “What does he mean?” “What does he mean?” Especially, the words, “In a little while” bothered them. 

Here, we see that the disciples were still blind to the purpose of Jesus coming. Maybe they were wondering when Jesus would finally overthrow the Roman government and make them prime ministers in his earthly messianic kingdom. Hearing about Jesus going away filled them with feelings of anxiety and suspense. But Jesus promised that the disciples would only have to wait a little while to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

When we don’t know the purpose of Jesus’ coming, we can easily be overcome by worries over temporal issues: “When can I marry?” “When can I buy a house?” or “When can I retire?” But when we know God’s eternal purpose for sending Jesus, we can entrust these things to God, and God will give us the Holy Spirit. 

Of course Jesus understood his disciple’s constant questions. He knew that they wanted to ask him about these things. So in verse 20 he said, “... you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but you’re grief will turn to joy.” Jesus was talking about the principle of the cross. 

Peter would weep bitterly after denying Jesus. All the disciples would grieve, because of Jesus’ death. But Jesus promised that their grief would turn to joy. Jesus compared it to birth pains. Obviously, I have never and will never directly experience birth pains, but I have heard about them. And, I have been in the delivery room with wife three times. I know something about birth pains. At the same time, I know nothing about birth pains. Still, I believe that the pain just before birth is unbearable. But what happens when the baby is born? The pain turns to indescribable joy; as a new life has been brought into the world. 

Going in the way of the cross leads us to experience much pain and grief. We lose relationships with friends and sometimes family members. We are often misunderstood and even hated. We suffer though facing our sins, weaknesses and failures. Sometimes we weep and despair in ourselves. But Jesus knows our suffering. He promises that our grief will turn to joy. And this joy is real joy.     

Look at verse 22. “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.”

After his resurrection, Jesus’ disciples would see him again. And, they would be filled with a joy that no one could take away. 

Part II. “In That Day” (23-28) 

In these verses, Jesus jumps ahead, to a time after his resurrection and ascension, to the day when he would send the Holy Sprit to his disciples. He introduces a new era when his disciples will enjoy a close personal love relationship with God the Father. 

Look at verses 23-25. ²³ In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ²⁴ Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. 

   ²⁵ “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.

After receiving the Holy Spirit, the disciples would bring prayer topics directly to the Father in Jesus’ name, and God promised to be faithful to answer their prayers. 

Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we received a total upgrade in our relationship with God. This upgrade includes cloud service providing a direct line of communication with God the Father. Through this cloud service we can quickly upload any number of prayer topics right into the thrown room of God. And, we can download answers to prayers along with complete joy.     

Look at verse 26-27. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. ²⁷ No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 

Jesus wanted his disciples to trust in God’s love to answer their prayers.      

At one time, the Apostle John was blind to the love of God. So he used to offer some strange prayer topics. One time, he and his brother James, along with their mother, came and asked Jesus to let one of them sit on his right and the other on his left in his kingdom. They wanted to leave Peter out in the cold; to maybe be their servant. Another time, they went so far as to ask Jesus to reign down fire on their enemies. But later, John became known as the Apostle of Love. He wrote John’s gospel all about God’s love to send Jesus. And he wrote 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd John as love letters the believers. He even learned to love his enemies. When John was persecuted and exiled to the remote island of Patmos, he could have become bitter. But he took refuge in God’s love. And, he wrote the book of Revelation, through which Jesus spoke to him directly and revealed to him the deep things of God.  

When we know that God loves us, we can pray with confidence that God hears our prayers. In the past, when Bible students left, I couldn’t pray. It was because I doubted God’s love. But know I know that God loves me and that such things are an opportunity for me to dig deeper into God’s love.        

Part III. “You Believe at Last!” (28-33)

 

Look at verse 28. “I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” 

Jesus was properly oriented. He knew where he came from and where he was going. As a result, he was able to face the cross with a sense of purpose. 

When the disciples heard Jesus say that he came from the Father and entered the world and now he was leaving the world and going back to the Father, something clicked. They believed that Jesus came from God and was going back to God. Jesus was happy with their faith, but he also knew that they would run away. Look at verse 32. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.”

The disciples’ faith would be tested at the cross and they would be scattered. They would all desert Jesus, and Jesus would be left alone. That would be his loneliest hour. But Jesus that he was not alone, but that his Father was with him.  

The cross is a lonely place. The greater the cross, the more lonely it can be. In our ministry, Missionary Isaac Kim has the greatest cross. God has given him the responsibility to show concern for each member of the church. But who will show him concern? I’m afraid that sometimes he might feel all alone, but he is not alone. Jesus is with him and God the Father is with him. 

The life of mission can feel very lonely. But we must remember that we are not alone. God loves us and will never abandon us. 

Look at verse 33. “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.”

Jesus wanted his disciples to have peace. But he knew that in this world they would have trouble. He wanted them to be prepared. How could they overcome the troubles of this world? First of all, they must learn to see troubles in the right way. From God’s point of view, troubles exist to be overcome. If they are not overcome, we are overcome by them. So troubles are actually the pathway to victory. 

Moreover, troubles are a reflection of God’s love. Jesus told his disciples to take heart; meaning to trust in God’s love in the midst of troubles. When troubles come into our lives, we must accept them as God’s love, by faith. We must say, God must really love me to give me such troubles. 

Finally, we must look to Jesus who overcame the world. Jesus overcame the world through his cross and resurrection. On the cross, he endured unbearable suffering and the pain of death. But he never doubted God’s love. And when God raised Jesus from the dead, he gave him the absolute victory over the power of sin and death. 

A year ago, I took the occupational therapy board exam, but I failed. Then a long time passed and a lot of people kept asking me when I was taking the exam again. One month passed, two months passed, three month four months… A lot of people kept asking me when I was taking the exam again. Five months, six months passed and I couldn’t even pray. Finally, 11 months passed—11 months and 1 day to be exact—before I took the exam again. And, guess what? I passed! It wasn’t even that hard. 

So I began to wonder why I waited so long. The problem was that I didn’t have faith. I doubted God’s love because of one failure. It wasn’t that hard! I could have passed on my own (not to discredit the fact that it was only by God’s grace). But through today’s passage I realized that there was really only one problem that I could never and can never overcome on my own: the problem of sin and death. But thank God, because Jesus overcame that problem for me. Jesus has already given me the complete victory over the power of sin and death. So what is left as far as the remaining troubles of this world? None that I cannot overcome! This means that I can go from victory to victory, overcoming all possible troubles for God’s glory. All I need to do is trust in God’s love and never doubt it, and pray in God’s word.

In conclusion, God sent Jesus to overcome the world through his cross and resurrection. And, through the promise of the Holy Spirit, prayer and absolute faith in God’s love, we too can overcome the world. One word: Jesus has overcome the world. 

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