Reading the Bible Everyday – John 16

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #84.  Today we’ll read John chapter 16 together:  Jesus tells His disciples that He is going away; that the Counselor will come; and that their sorrow will turn to joy.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

I listened to Episode 133 of The Next Right Thing podcast this morning and Emily challenged her listeners to do the most interesting – and for me, challenging – thing.  She acknowledged that the first half of the year had just ended and it seemed appropriate to reflect.  She challenged me to think back over the last 30 days and answer four questions.  Now, you’ll need to listen to that episode yourself to learn the questions.  But for me, I was surprised to realize how difficult it is for me to even remember the details of the last month.  It’s not that much time!  Do I run so fast – skipping from obligation to obligation – never stopping to ask whether what I’m doing is important?  Life-giving?  Do I live my life according to the love of Christ?  I need to reflect on that.

John Chapter 16:  1 “I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 They will do these things because they haven’t known the Father or Me. 4 But I have told you these things so that when their time comes you may remember I told them to you. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 “But now I am going away to Him who sent Me, and not one of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you. 8 When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me; 11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me, because He will take from what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is Mine. This is why I told you that He takes from what is Mine and will declare it to you. 16 “A little while and you will no longer see Me; again a little while and you will see Me.” 17 Therefore some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this He tells us: ‘A little while and you will not see Me; again a little while and you will see Me’ ; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’ ?” 18 They said, “What is this He is saying, ‘A little while’ ? We don’t know what He’s talking about!” 19 Jesus knew they wanted to question Him, so He said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see Me; again a little while and you will see Me’? 20 “I assure you: You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy. 23 In that day you will not ask Me anything. “I assure you: Anything you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be complete. 25 “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name. I am not telling you that I will make requests to the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 “Ah!” His disciples said. “Now You’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30 Now we know that You know everything and don’t need anyone to question You. By this we believe that You came from God.” 31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Look: An hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

It’s a little easier for us to understand this chapter than it was for the disciples to live it.  We know now that Jesus was going to ascend to the right hand of the Father.  We know that Jesus was not sent to be a military savior of Israel, but a spiritual Savior of the whole world.  We know that on Pentecost after Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit came and gave the disciples the power they needed to start and nurture Jesus’ Church.  We also know that the Holy Spirit resides in us today if we believe in Jesus.  And finally, we know that when Jesus was crucified, the disciples were indeed scattered and full of sorrow.  However, when it became all too clear that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to many, the disciples’ sorrow was turned into joy.  But, as they say…hindsight is 20/20.  On that night, a group of eleven men tried desperately to understand what Jesus was telling them was about to happen.  They had no idea they were being prepared – groomed – to change the course of the human race through faith in Christ.  Let’s pray.  Dear Jesus, what that night must have been like we can only imagine.  That You chose twelve common men to carry out Your plan for the hope of the world is mind-boggling to me.  We thank You, though.  Give us courage to accept the challenge to carry on.  Use us so that others might be saved.  In Your name we pray, Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.