 Let's look at John chapter 16. We'll begin at verse 16 of John 16 and we'll look at verses 16 through 18 I'll give you an introduction and we'll move into our study John chapter 16 beginning at verse 16 reading to verse 18 Jesus said 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 and 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's saying Now Jesus is returning to a theme that he's been teaching his men for a good portion of his ministry He says here in verse 16 a little while Well, he says in a little while that would be another way of saying I have a few hours to live So in a little while I have a few hour I have a few hours you will not see me in other words I'm going to be buried so a little while I have a few I have a few hours to live You will not see me. I will be buried and yet again a little while You will see me because I go to the father in other words three days later. I will be resurrected That's what he's saying here in a little while. I have a few hours to live. You will not see me I'll be buried and yet again a little while you will see me because I go to the father Because three days later. I'll be resurrected We know that because those are the events that follow the teachings that he gives and so When you think about this we need to remember that in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ He had been preparing his men for some time for this I'll remind you in my introduction of a few things so that I might provide a foundation for our teaching All you need to do is remember that from the beginning until the end Jesus had made had made references to his death and Resurrection all the way in the beginning of his ministry in John's gospel chapter 2 Verses 19 through 21 all the way into the second chapter at the beginning of his ministry Jesus was speaking and teaching concerning that and Jesus will see in John 2 19 through 21 Answered and said to them destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up the Jews said it's taken 46 years to build this temple and you'll raise it up in three days And then John tells us he was speaking of the temple of his body So from the beginning of his ministry He was speaking concerning the fact that he was going to be buried and yet Resurrected later on in the gospel of John chapter 10 verse 17 He said this he said I'm the good shepherd and the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep When you look at Matthew's gospel in chapter 17 verses 22 and 23 It says while they were staying in Galilee Jesus said to them the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men They will kill him and he said the third day He will be raised up and they were exceedingly sorrowful So Jesus has been telling them from the beginning in the middle to the end of his ministry that he was going to die He clearly taught them that his death was necessary in order that they might obtain salvation when we saw in John chapter 12 Verse 24 he made it clear unless a grain of wheat fall into the the ground and died abides alone But if it dies he said it will bring forth much fruit so he'd already been speaking concerning his death and and the power of the death and and and how that it was Necessary to die to obtain salvation Paul tells us those things a variety of times in his writings He lets us know that it's something that was necessary Jesus's death was necessary when he wrote to the Corinthians in first Corinthians 15 verse 13 Paul said I delivered to you first of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins When he was writing to the Thessalonians in chapter 5 verses 9 and 10 of first Thessalonians He said God did not appoint us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us And so from the beginning of his ministry Jesus had been speaking concerning the fact that he was going to die that he would be buried But that he would also be resurrected and So he gave explanation Concerning why he would do this The explanation is simple. It's that people might receive forgiveness That they might receive eternal life and that they might go to heaven. That's why he did it. That's why he died That's why he laid his life down in John 3 In verses 14 and 15 he'd said as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness Even so must the Son of man be lifted up that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life So Jesus from the beginning was laying that out for the people if you're going to enter into the kingdom of God He must be born again You have to believe on the one whom the Lord has sent He's going to lay his life down in order that he might atone for your sins It's found over and over and over again, and that's how God draws us to himself in John 12 32 He said if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself It was the death of Christ on the cross That draws people to salvation They've been prepared. We've been going through John's gospel and we've seen that they were thoroughly prepared But the teachings that Jesus was giving was very disturbing and even confusing to them They've been especially disturbed by his insistence that he was about to leave them That was something that they just had a very difficult time with remember in chapter 13 Remember how in verse 33 he had said little children. I shall be with you a little while longer You will seek me and as I said to the Jews where I'm going you cannot come so now I say to you You will seek me But where I'm going you cannot come in chapter 14 in verse 28 You've heard me say to you I'm going away and coming back to you if you loved me You would rejoice because I said I'm going to the father for my father is greater than I He had said in chapter 16 verse 6 because I have said these things to you sorrow has filled your heart And so Jesus has been preparing them. He's going to depart. They're going to take him and violently put him to death They're going to bury him, but three days later. He will be raised from the dead He've made it very clear that was about to take place But all of this has caused confusion and so as he's been sharing these things It they are now very confused amongst themselves and it says that in verse 17 Some of his disciples said among themselves. What is this that he says to us a little while? You'll not see me and again a little while 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 We don't understand it once again, they don't understand and That's why Jesus exhorted them to listen closely to what he would teach them You know, that's a good habit by the way is to listen closely to what the word of God says Listen closely weigh the words thoroughly Because Jesus commands us to do that if you take notes Luke chapter 9 verses 44 and 45 listen to what Jesus said Let these words sink down into your ears For the son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men They didn't understand this saying it was hidden from them so that they could not perceive it And they were afraid to ask him about this saying well, you're seeing something similar here What is he talking about they're saying amongst themselves. They're not addressing him notice that they're speaking amongst themselves And as they speak amongst themselves, they don't understand and that's why it says in verse 18 What is this that he says a little while we do not know what he is saying? Verse 19 now Jesus knew that they desired to ask him and he said to them. Are you inquiring among yourselves? What about what I said a little while and you'll not see me and again a little while and you will see me So Jesus addresses them Now Jesus made the statement in order to once again teach them of what was about to come He had anticipated their their response when he had made that statement and he answers their question Even though it's not being directed to him It's one of the things by the way that a teacher does a teacher can anticipate People's questions by the way that they teach the things that they teach My staff can tell you that when I'm ministering to my staff Concerning leadership principles and things of that nature That very often I will say something to them that is intended to provoke a question It's intended to I want them to ask I want them to say what do you mean by that? I want that because in the question I can see whether or not they're understanding what I'm trying to say and Then by the question I can supply the answer to what they are hearing and wanting to know and that's a teacher's technique Jesus did that quite often Jesus often would use illustrations He would often use stories very often used what are called parables Which was intended to cause people to actually think through what he was saying so that they might come to the point that he Was making and there are things that Jesus would say to his disciples We just saw an example of that when he said something that really was to them very kind of very Confusing a little while this and a little while that but instead of coming to speak to him What did they do they took it to themselves and they asked amongst themselves? What is this that he's saying now? Jesus knows they're doing that he expects that they are and that's why he begins to supply the answer for them That's why he begins to address them He anticipates their response when he makes that statement and he answers the question even though It's not being directed to him and so in verse 20 he said most assuredly I say to you that you will weep and lament But the world will rejoice You will be sorrowful But your sorrow will be turned into joy You will weep and lament There's going to be an open visible expression of sorrow Grief the death of Jesus Christ caused those who loved him and you can imagine Terrible pain Terrible pain. I think that I think that sometimes Because we're familiar with the gospel story guys we almost take his death for granted because Isn't that why he came we know enough scripture that tells us God loved the world he gave his son isn't that why he came He prepared his disciples we see it by going through the gospels and isn't that why he came and Sometimes we might have a an attitude that is actually shallow In terms of how we ought to be responding to those kinds of things that Jesus taught I remember on one occasion as a young Christian I was this Disillusioned and I went to speak to an older Christian whom I loved very much He was one of my professors at the Bible college. I went to and and I was speaking to him Actually, this was a pastor that I went to not my Bible college professor a pastor And I was speaking to him and I told him I was disillusioned with the Lord and I'll never forget how he looked at me And he said you know he said you're disappointed and you're disillusioned. I say yes, I am He says you need to understand how much God loves you David He said God loves you so much and this is what he said basically I'm paraphrasing, but this is what he said He said God loves you so much that he sent his son Jesus to dying across He said Jesus died for you and he said it with passion. He said it with And I looked at him and I said of course he did that's his job Of course, he did that's his job Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever have you ever minimized the death of Christ in your own mind to think well? Yeah? Yeah, he did I've done that Sure, he died on the cross. That's his job. He came to die. That's what the Bible said. God loved the world gave his son That's his job. I'll never forget my pastor friend's face when I told him that It was like shocked when I said that to him like how could you say something so callous? So unfeeling and he was right in feeling that but you know, there are a lot of Christians who think that Yeah, yeah, he died. Yeah, I know and he died. Okay, he died But you have to put yourself back for just a moment 2,000 years You have to put yourself back to the event that's taking place here take yourself in your own mind for a moment and And say you were part of the group of men who were there that night when Jesus was betrayed by Judas and Judas had left To go and finish his betrayal and Jesus had remained there with the man and began to share even more deep things concerning the power of the Spirit and his return and all of these Wonderful doctrines he began to pour in in his last last night with the men sharing with them things that they needed to know And as he's speaking concerning this more and more it becomes apparent that something's about to take place that is that is that is Deep and very disturbing when he's speaking of these things their hearts begin to be agonizing within themselves They begin to agonize within themselves and their hearts began to to palpitate in their thinking wait a minute What is he what is this he means in a little what is he talking about we don't understand and and that's what's taking place here We don't know what he's saying And he says you're inquiring among yourselves But 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 reap and weep and lament the world will rejoice, but you will be sorrowful Your sorrow will be turned into joy weep and lament In Luke 23 verse 27 Bible says when Jesus was was carrying his cross a large number of people followed him Including women who mourned and wailed for him as Jesus was there carrying the cross through that city street There were women lining the street the women of Jerusalem's daughter women of Jerusalem daughters of Jerusalem And they saw him as he was carrying this cross in the weeping in the lamenting the pouring out of pain as they saw that And as this has taken place on the other hand his enemies the world would rejoice In the Psalms in Psalm 22 verses 7 and 8 it says all those who see me ridicule me They shoot out the lip they shake the head saying he trusted in the Lord let him rescue him Let him deliver him since he did lights in him And so that was the attitude of those who loved him. There was a point the point out of pain. There's the weeping There's the lamenting. There's the sorrow. There's the grief that what's taking place and you can't imagine what it would have been like You can't imagine what it would have felt like to see this taking place To see the one that you love to see the one that you admired to see the one who never lost an argument To see the one who could who could who could heal any sick condition to see the lepers who had been cleansed To see the blind who at one time have their eyes open and now they could see To see people raised from the dead to see, you know, when the apostle Peter walked on water and things like that Can you imagine how many things they saw? They come across the lake and they land in a place called the gatherings and these demon-possessed men come running out and They're screaming and and and wailing and it's dark and scary and and the disciples are going Oh my god, what are you gonna do and Jesus cast the demons up? I mean there was nothing Nothing That Jesus couldn't do No argument that he couldn't win From the time he was 12 years old he was winning arguments He never lost an argument. Do you ever think that you have a question he can't answer? You know Jesus, you know, I just want to ask you a question now. I want to put you on the spot But there's not a question he can't answer It's not a thing he cannot do within his will that is consistent with who he is these men Put yourself in their place for just a minute Had seen things no other man or woman never been able to see They heard words That prophets died wishing they could have heard they were even empowered To do works themselves To cleanse lepers they healed sick They did things because Jesus gave them a portion of this of the spirit in their ministry to do works and now this person That they loved this person that they worshiped this person that When they were with him they were secure Safe there's hardly anything that is as valuable As when you're with people you feel safe with It's a fact a husband Out to be the kind of man that makes his wife feel safe and a woman should be the kind of woman That a man can his heart can safely trust in her and your children How to feel safe When you're around not afraid, but safe As you're in the house. I don't think my daughter would mind me saying this My daughter Corinne went through a very sad divorce many years ago now. I Don't stand up and tell My children's pain to people, but I don't think she'd have a problem with me saying this I pray that she does and it's her testimony not mine, but I want to illustrate it in a way Because at one time her then husband wasn't home She would be by herself with babies. She was taken care of them. I told her you need to come and live with us I took her back into my house and took my grandchildren back into my home and marine I cared for our babies Because I had a little boy my Josiah who had said and I don't remember he may have been four or five at the time I don't remember the age. He was little But he had said now I'm the man of the house a Little boy shouldn't feel that shitty a little boy shouldn't feel that now. I'm the man of the house now So I told Marie I said I'm gonna bring him to my home Take care of my kids I love them and One day I had my little guy in his little room Sitting down in my house, but gave him a room And I sat with him on the bed and I looked at him sigh. I said When you're home and your daddy's not there are you afraid Because I knew he was Because he's now the man of the house And he said yes I've been afraid Papa And I looked at him and I said, you know in my home. I Said in Jesus is with us here. He's with us here and he'll be with you, baby. I Said in Papa's here, too And I'll be here for you safe We need that sense of security and safety We need it we need it and When Jesus was Jesus was around There was safety and there was security Who could defeat Jesus? Who could defeat Jesus? You could almost have a pride about hanging around with the heavyweight champion of the universe You could feel that the demons would flee The enemies would be silenced and diseases would be taken care of but now This superhero Is saying I'm going to leave you What is this he's talking about they're saying amongst themselves. What does he mean by this? You're not gonna see me then you're gonna see me and That confusion in that grief and that's why Jesus addresses it again He said you will weep and lament. Yes, they did when Jesus was placed on that on that cross When his body was taken lifeless from the cross was placed in a tomb They wept they sorrowed they grieved But what did the world do the world the world rejoiced? I mean when Jesus was on the cross It's recorded how that in in mark 15 29 through 31 those who passed by blasphemed him wagging their heads and saying Ah, you destroyed the temple and build it in three days save yourself come down from the cross Likewise the chief priests also mocking among themselves with the scribe said he saved others himself. He cannot save That's what they did They mocked him They ridiculed him his disciples were broken His mother's there at the at the cross someplace close enough to see him with John and others And she's watching what they're doing to her son She didn't smile She didn't laugh She didn't mock she was mother She wept she's broken And that's what Jesus is referring to he's speaking concerning what is going to take place and The pain and everything that's involved in this but he goes on to say in verse 21 a woman when she She's 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 You know there was a Jewish prayer. Thank God that I'm not a Gentile nor a woman Listen if it was up to us men There would be no overpopulation No, you have one kid That's enough You know I was that was amazed I was amazed that that my wife was willing to do that four times Four times Once is enough You know and I went through it with her you know I felt her pain. No, I went through it with her I Had my own kind of pain and still going on called kids, you know when when I've said this before but I my mind races back to that when she was giving birth to Corinne and We had gone through what they call a ma's classes. I don't even know if they have those anymore perhaps they do I don't know Where you have to learn the different breathing how many of you went through in the ma's just so I know So you remember ha ha he who remember that? Yeah, ha ha he who And you know and it cost at that time it cost like $20 or something to go through it And I spent my money and I became a black belt In the ma's and I was ready and so I I knew about watching that little monitor and I knew about the breathing and all that they taught I still remember as we're there and I was Sitting in a chair and Marie was on her side and she went through labor 33 hours, and so she's laying on her side and And I'm just like yeah, you know, it's time to put my training in you know Go for it and and I still her face is about eight inches from mine, and I was there close to her She's looking at me and she's and I'm watching that monitor monitor going up, and I said okay, honey It's time to he he that's that's as much as I got to say That was it. That was it. She gritted her teeth my little angel my precious my blessing from God My virtuous woman and everything else she grits her teeth shut up sit down and Be quiet And I'm sit there man. I blew 20 bucks for this And and I watched the drama of that And and and the pain and the nurse approaches and says mr. Rosales Your your wife is going through an awful lot of pain right now. She just won't admit it She won't admit it Marie will not admit it to this day She just She'll not admit it, but we're monitoring her body and her body is in a lot of pain I'm asking for permission to give her something to relieve the pain Because my wife wouldn't admit the pain she was going through and so I said of course hit her up Give her a double dose. Give me some too Give me a to-go order. I'll do it at home for myself, you know, and you know the funny thing about all of that Is she wanted another one And then she wanted another one and then she wanted another one We had five pregnancies in six years We lost one of ours in a miscarriage. We had five pregnancies in six years one after another after another after another and Marie finally with on them our last In between her he he ha ha whoo She said this is it This is the last one and she was her beautiful self once again and I said it's done It's done and that was our last one But as I read this that Jesus says it verse 21 again a woman when she's in labor has sorrow 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 And so that's what takes place You see their depth of sorrow is contrasted with the depth of joy that results Their heart will be filled with grief, but their sorrow will be turned to joy You're gonna weep at my crucifixion You will weep at my death But like a mother's first look at her newborn baby your sorrow will turn to joy and Those of us fathers who were there in the room when the base babies were born I'm supposing some of you were There's just something about that isn't it when they when the baby parts the womb and then you look at it and you say This is ugly. I Want of my kids one of my kids I will not tell you the name of the child But their head looked like a like it was oblong it was like it looked like a space an alien child and I looked at the doctor and I said I Mean it'll be good for darts, but I looked at him. I said He says don't worry about it. He said it's gonna it'll round. Well, I was really nervous I thought oh my goodness when an ugly little dart head this one is and You have those babies and you raise them and there's the joy that you have a human being has been born into the world And then you they hand you the baby they they they wrap it up and after cleaning it up and dropping those Drops in their eyes. I'm supposing they continue to do that to this day And then they put it in this little blanket and then they bring the baby to me They brought the baby first to me and they hand this baby into your your hands and you you're looking and you're just it's a wonderful thing It's an amazing thing. It really is to look and and then I walk the baby over and and I place the baby in my wife's arms She holds on to her child and there's that that moment that you're capturing in your heart for the rest of your life There's that joy that a human being has been born into the world and it is the joy and it's an exciting thing And so Jesus is making that very clear and he's saying it's it's something that that's gonna cause joy Even though now you have sorrow notice verse 22 he says you now have sorrow But I will see you again and your heart will rejoice His resurrection will produce a joy that far surpasses the grief The certain knowledge of his resurrection will produce a sense of joy. That's a continuing sense of joy Psalm 30 verse 5 says it like this weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning So his resurrection produces a joy that will far surpass a temporary sorrow He says in verse 23 in that day you will ask me nothing most assuredly I say to you whatever you ask father in my name He will give you You were just wrestling with what I've been teaching your questions will be resolved My resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit will answer any questions that you may have and The Spirit will fully reveal But at first you did not understand You now know in part But then you will know completely That reminds me of first Corinthians chapter 13 verses 9 through 12 When Paul said we know in part we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes the imperfect disappears When I was a child I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I reasoned like a child And I became a man. I put childish ways behind me Now we see but a poor reflection is in a mirror, but then we shall see face to face Now I know in part, but then I Shall know fully Even as I am fully known You don't understand completely, but you will and then he said again He said I say to you whatever you ask the father in my name. He will give you Verse 24 until now you have asked nothing in my name ask and you will receive that your joy may be full now Earlier in chapter 14 in verse 13 he had taught them that prayer in his name would bring glory To the father, but here he's teaching that prayer through him produces joy This kind of prayer is a a change. It's a new state of affairs between Jesus and his disciples you see and until now they had spoken directly to him or Had addressed their prayers To the father so they would speak to him, but they prayed to the father But now they are going to learn to come to the father through him and In asking in his name They're realizing that he's the mediator the intermediary with the father and you're going to be praying Again notice in verse 24. He said in my name In my name is another way of speaking of in my authority You see Jesus is about to leave them and They must relate to God through all that he has shown them and in coming to the father through Jesus the doors of heaven will be open to their prayer and The result is going to be joy a joy that overflows your life And Jesus had given them insight concerning the way to joy He had said in chapter 15 verse 11 that joy is the result of remaining in his word He had said these things I've spoken to you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full But here he's saying your joy will come through prayer so obviously the word of God and prayer results in joy and Their joy is made full in this way and no other One of the things and I'm going to close with the thought one of the things that the church needs to Become more aware of is the power of prayer the power of prayer We have a tendency. I think of doing everything and then when nothing happens that we want then we pray That's the opposite of how it ought to be How it ought to be is take everything to the father and prayer first and foremost And Sometimes you might find this interesting but you'll agree with me because I know you've experienced this to be true This is biblically solid when I'm sharing it When you pray then that's when the Lord by his spirit very often leads you to do the things that you didn't know what to do Before and now you know and you take a step in faith and then you see God move and then you say so that's what I Had to die to myself and rely on you first and foremost so that I could see What you wanted to give to me all along that I wasn't ready to receive and a long time ago I began to learn that lesson. I continued to learn that lesson by the way haven't learned it completely But take things to the Lord in prayer first and foremost first and foremost and and learned to pray without ceasing the way Paul Shares with us That we're to pray without ceasing in other words our lives are to be a habit of prayer a Constant prayer and and I think sometimes especially when we're new in our faith We think that prayer can only be made in a certain place or a certain posture And so I will I will go to a church and I will get on my knees and I will pray or when I go to bed at Night I will get on my knees by and we get into the posture, but I discovered a long time ago That that prayer is the posture of the heart It's an attitude of the mind and the will and so you're driving and you're praying. Hopefully you're keeping your eyes Open while you're doing that, but you're praying, you know Lord that guy went through a red light in Jesus name. Please bring a cop. You know, you're praying constantly and Have you discovered that in your prayer life that yes, there are times there are formal prayers Yes, there are times when we gather in groups and people and we pray with one another and all of that and then that's a good thing But I've discovered that That prayer is instant prayer prayer is something that's a habit of the life It's it's it's not just restricted to me coming up opening the Bible opening with prayer closing with prayer But it's a habit of life. It's it's putting your head on your pillow at night Just before you go to sleep and it's saying Lord, thank you for the day It's waking up in the morning and looking around and and you're not quite awake yet But your first thing you're doing is you're saying God help me today and you're speaking to him. It's a constant conversation Sometimes you're praying for somebody Lord. I'm concerned with this person. This is what's going on I'll be seeing him today. I need wisdom because I don't know how to help Sometimes I'll be speaking to somebody who's got a problem and and as I'm looking at them and they see me looking at them What in reality? I'm actually doing as they I'm saying God in Jesus name. Give me wisdom Give me scripture. Give me give me something that can help this person who has a need. You're praying constantly That's where your heart is. It's conversation. I've and I'll make that in a human kind of You know something everybody knows and and one way or another I've been asked many times How is it that you're you and your wife have have a good and we do how how is it that your wife? And you have such a good marriage I can tell you from the very first date that we ever had the very first date before she was even my girlfriend She was my first date with her We I picked her up at 11 o'clock and I went home after a day 11 in the morning We spent the whole day and I went and dropped her off at her place and and sat around with her She had some roommates. You know, we were chaperoned. She had some roommates and I went home at one o'clock 13 hours in our first date And for almost all of those hours we were talking That's how we began our dating relationship. My wife and I do this day every day Talk talk talk with one another every day constantly it is a constant conversation constantly Because I made up my mind I want to know her And she made up her mind She's worth doing I guess So we had a conversation That is ongoing A conversation that at night never really ends because all we do is close our eyes in the next morning We pick up the conversation That's how I have a good marriage conversation I know her I want to know about her I want to know what she likes I want to know what she doesn't like I want to know her what are her dreams? What are her plans? What are her wishes? What does she need from me? That's marriage I've been that way with the lord What am I to do? What would you have me to do? This book in front of me tells me So we talk prayer is me speaking to him Reading his word is him speaking back to me It's a conversation Up to this time you've asked you haven't asked anything in my name Ask that you may receive That your joy may be full Up to this point you haven't understood the authority That you have through me But you need to know jesus is teaching him There's only one way to god and that's through the sun So go through me I am the one That mediates between you and my father And now you ask in my name All that I've taught you up to this point Is coming to this Ask god Whatever pleases him Ask him through me Because that's why I came So you might have a relationship With him