John 16:1-4 ESV
“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.”
These Things (Summary
John 14-15)
What things did Jesus say to his disciples? Basically, he had
just given them his parting remarks, reminders and encouragements. He was about
ready to be put to death by his enemies, and so these were some of his final
words prior to his departure. And, in them he encouraged them that, although he
was leaving them, he was going to prepare a place for them, and one day he
would come back for them and he would take them to himself.
But, then he let them know, too, what they could expect
while they were waiting for him to return. And, too, he shared with them what
he expected of them, as well (See: Tit. 2:11-14).
For one, he let them know that he was God, and that in
seeing him, they had seen the Father also. And, he promised those who love and
obey him that, after he left, he would send them a helper, a comforter, the
Holy Spirit to be with them forever. The Holy Spirit would teach them all
things and he would remind them of all that Jesus had taught them. And, he let
them know that those who love him keep his commands. If they walked in
obedience to the Lord, this was the mark that they truly were in Christ and he
in them.
He spoke, too, about the kind of peace that he was about to
give to them, and that it wasn’t the kind the world gives. For, he did not
promise them absence of conflict, trouble or hardship. But, what he promised
was peace with God, and an inner peace and confidence in the Lord to keep them,
and to carry them through all the hard times which were awaiting them.
Then, he went on to talk with them about his relationship
with them and theirs with him, and to speak with them with regard to his
expectancy that they, as his followers, would bear much spiritual fruit
(results) as the outgrowth of them abiding in him and his words abiding in
them. And, he let them know, too, that they could not bear this fruit apart
from him, i.e. they could not produce it in their own flesh.
He talked, too, about how they needed to love one another
with God-like love which is based in righteousness, holiness, purity and honesty.
So, this kind of love will not do harm to its neighbors.
And, then he let them know of the kinds of things they must
suffer in order to be his followers. Thus, he told them that, as he was hated,
so would they be hated. Yet, if they were of the world, the world would love
them as its own, but because Jesus had called them out of the world, therefore
the world would hate and persecute them.
From Falling Away
Some of the words Jesus spoke to them were comforting to
them, while others may have been hard to hear and hard to accept. For, some of
what he promised them was conditional to their own conduct in the Spirit, and
to their own submission to Christ and to their yielding to him as Lord
(owner-master) and Savior of their lives.
He said that to love him is to practice obedience to his
commands (his Word). And, if we don’t make it our practice to follow him in
obedience, then we don’t love him. But, it is those who love him who are in
Christ and Christ in them, not those who merely profess to love him but who
still walk according to the flesh and in darkness.
And, he said, if any do not bear fruit (spiritual results)
for his kingdom, he removes them from the vine, he throws them away, and they
are thrown in the fire and burned. For, we prove ourselves to be his disciples,
he said, if we bear much fruit (spiritual results) for his kingdom.
So, his words to them were both comforting and they were
cautioning and warning them against what could cause them to fall into a trap and
to fall away. And, to fall away has to do with hindrances to right conduct.
And, it has to do with breaking away from our walks of faith with Jesus Christ,
and to withdraw from our relationships with Jesus, and to drift off course.
And, there is a danger of this happening when we are faced
with enormous persecution, too, which is why Jesus let us know that this will
be part of our life with him, that we will share in the fellowship of his
sufferings. And, this is so that, when persecution comes, we don’t get disheartened
and end up falling into traps and thus falling away.
For, not only will the world hate us, but even those who
profess the name of Jesus, and with whom we purportedly worship the Lord
together, will despise and reject us and will put us out of their gatherings,
and for the same reasons Jesus was hated, too. And, why was he hated? It was
because he told the people the truth about their sins and their eternal destiny,
if they continued in those sins, and if they did not repent.
And, that is happening in our day, but not just in foreign
countries, but it is happening in America, and inside the gatherings of the
church in America, too. For, the message of the cross, and the teachings on
holiness, purity, obedience, submission and repentance are being departed from these
days in favor of a friendlier gospel which does not require death to sin at
all.
John 16:20 ESV
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”
In context, Jesus was describing to his disciples that he
would be leaving them, and they would weep and lament over his departure (via
death). But, the world who put him on that cross would rejoice, because they
would feel as though they won out over Jesus, and that they would hear from him
no more.
But, the disciples’ sorrow would turn to joy at Jesus’
resurrection, and even with the sending of his Holy Spirit to indwell them, and
even with the fruit of their labors, as they saw people turning their hearts to
Jesus Christ.
And, this carries over, too, into our own lives and the
persecutions we face for the sake of Jesus Christ, and for the sake of his
gospel, for they will be painful, and many of them will be cause for much
weeping and lamenting.
And, yet our sorrow is turned to joy when we look to Jesus
for our comfort and for our support to help us in our time of need. And, it is
turned to joy, again, in seeing the results in other people’s lives, as they
turn their hearts to Jesus. And, one day it will turn to joy when our Lord
returns for us.
John 16:33 ESV
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
In this world we do have tribulation. Many people throughout
the world are suffering tremendously for their faith and testimonies for Jesus
Christ. Here in America we have not yet known such severe suffering, but it is
coming to us, too, and so we need to get ourselves ready and prepared for that
eventuality so that we don’t fall into a trap and fall away on account of Jesus
Christ and his gospel.
But, even though “all hell” may be breaking loose all around
us, inwardly we can be at peace if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and if we
don’t let the cares of this world take us out. And, even if we are being
persecuted for our faith, it can be a cause for rejoicing, for we are being
counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus and for carrying his
gospel to others.
And, in our suffering, too, we can be encouraged that the
devil and his evil schemes against us have no power over us, for Jesus overcame
the world. And, he put sin to death on that cross, too, so that we could be
free from our slavery to sin, and so we can walk righteously before him. So, we
never have to cave to the desires of our flesh, for Jesus provided a way out
for us from underneath the temptation to sin against our Lord.
Songs
in the Night
An Original Work / December 18, 2013
“About
midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other
prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84
Lord, I praise You forevermore.
You, my Savior, I now adore.
Hope in heaven awaiting me,
Because You died at Calvary.
I have been forgiven,
And I’m bound for heaven.
Jesus set me free from
All my sin, I say.
I will praise Him always!
Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:
Overcame death, my vict’ry won!
Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!
I rejoice in His love for me.
I will walk in vict’ry!
My sin is but hist’ry!
I am free to please Him
With my life today.
I will love Him always!
Lord, I thank You for giving me
A new life bought at Calvary.
Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.
Tender mercies now flow within.
Lord, I am so thankful;
Through my Lord, I’m able
To sit at His table;
Fellowship with Him.
I will thank Him always!
Monday, December 31, 2018
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