John 16
Devotional by Jeff Young
Read John 16
John 16
“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.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “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 am going to the Father’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 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. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
I Have Overcome the World
“I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but 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 will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 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.”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
Devotional
This is the final passage in John’s Gospel where we find Jesus teaching His disciples. Jesus reveals that while His time on earth will be ending soon, the disciples will not be left to navigate life’s concerns without His support. He tells them that He is sending a Helper. A Helper who will guide them into all truth (13).
I imagine that Jesus’ words were confusing, surprising, and eventually, deeply encouraging. While the gift of the Spirit’s help in our lives is the chief focus of this chapter, Jesus mentions three other ‘gifts’:
- Joy: Jesus said our sorrows will turn to joy (vv. 20-24)
- Love: Jesus said that our Heavenly Father loves us (vv. 26-28)
- Peace: Jesus said our troubles can be faced with peace (vv. 32-33)
Aren’t you grateful? Reading those three promises is like a cool drink of water on a hot, humid day. Jesus’ final lessons focused on the reality that while life has sorrowful and troublesome seasons, through prayer, His joy, His love, and His peace can flourish in our lives.
Jesus states (16:13) that the Spirit will guide us ‘into all truth’. How does He do that in your life?
Thank you God for Jesus, thank you for the Love, Joy and peace you give me in troublesome season . Amen
In my intimacy with the Lord through daily prayer and reading his word, the holy spirit leads us to truth. The lord has revealed himself in many different ways in his word. He is our strength our fortress, our deliverer, our prince of peace, wonderful counselor, Emmanuel.
Its been a year that my mom rests in the Lord’s presence after being diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer, and although for many this was no happy ending… i had peace and rest knowing that our sovereign all knowing God had my mom in his hands. Giving her the healing she needed. Jesus indeed turned my sorrows into joy. I am no orphan because my father is with me. He loves me, renews me and transforms me.
Amen
Thank you God for Jesus. Thank you Jesus for coming to save us. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that has come to remind us, to teach us, to guide us to you. Your joy, peace and strength is what we need all the time. Especially in troubled, low and difficult times. Thank you Lord. 🙏🏾
Comfort your saints, Father. Lord Jesus, replace sadness with joy; replace bitterness and anger with love; replace anxiety and turmoil with peace.
Though I am troubled and perplexed, I am not defeated for my hope is in Jesus Christ.
Let’s be quick to share the hope we have in Christ Jesus.
The clearest and most consistent way He guides me into all truth is leading me through His Word, helping me to BEGIN to understand His heart and gospel. He also does that through conversations I have with people that I know live by this truth. But my favorite are the surprising ways he gives reminders throughout my day by using nature or life’s circumstances to display and encourage me with His truth!
I’m right there with you, Durell!
Me, too!
I totally agree with you Durell. PRAISE THE LORD AND GIVE HIM GLORY.📖🕊✝🙏
Thank you lord for the Holy Spirit that you sent to help the disciples. That same Holy Spirit lives in us, believers, to bring joy, hope and love to overcome the struggles of this world. Praise the lord.
Thank you Jesus for guiding me in Your truth. Your live never fails me.
The only one who can truly reveal God’s perfect plan for the world and our lives is the Holy Spirit—the same Spirit Jesus spoke about in this passage. His work is an ongoing process in the life of every believer. Jesus’ words are profound and sometimes hard to comprehend, but the Holy Spirit works perfectly in our hearts, giving us the assurance of who Jesus is and the confidence that He dwells within us.
Thank you Jesus for the new falling snow. Your blood has washed me white as snow. No other fountain I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus! Amen.
Thank you for sending your Son to die for our sins, so that we may have life! Thank you for sending the Helper to guide us and reveal your plan to us. We must activate the Holy Spirit inside of us. The Holy Spirit not only guides and instructs us, it produces in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
As I get up today, I get all bundled up to go see the beauty and blessings of our father. As I walk out to my front yard I lift my head up and thank God for the snow ❄️
Thank you for keeping us safe and warm. I know I am not alone because my Father is with me. Thank you Lord for all your blessings, your eternal love and grace you have for us each and every day. You indeed are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen!
Though times are often confusing, stressful and uncertain in our own day to day, this passage reminds us that His Spirit is always among us to guide, direct and comfort us. I pray we each can have the presence of mind to consciously slow His Spirit in so that He can replace sadness and despair with joy, anger and hate with love, and anxiety and strife with peace that passes all understanding. Amen
‘I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit within you … I will place my Spirit within you.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27
In this passage I see Jesus preparing his disciples for his death. Among other things he told them that they would weep and lament.
My mother died at the age of 55, and I was only 35. I had been with her as she experienced 2 years of suffering with cancer and with her at her death. I had plenty of “warnimg” that this was coming. It was such a relief to know that she was no longer in pain. However, nothing could have prepared me for the immense emotional pain that would follow.
This was my first experience with losing an intimate loved one. I expected that grief would be over quickly. After 2 weeks, I couldn’t understand why the sadness lingered. I couldnt understand what was “wrong with me.” Did I not have faith? Was I sinning? I felt such shame that I couldnt trust God to carry me through this sad time.
I was in a Bible study group where we were studying the book of John. We came to John 16 where I saw that Jesus told his disciples that they would weep and lament. I realized then that I also had permission to weep and lament.
“In a little while” seemed like a very long time, but eventually joy returned. Even through my “long little while” I knew I could count on God to carry me through.
God knows our lives and knows what we need to face what is coming. He loves us enough to prepare us and provide for us.
When I am in a quiet place in my mind I block out the noises and hear Him speaking. When I am in prayer meditation or just focused on Him, I hear His voice. When I am submitted to His guidance it is them when I hear Him. When I am doing anything and have a nudge or thought that I should change direction whether it’s literal or do something different because I may drop something or lose something leave something somewhere I know it’s Him because it comes from love. I believe He is always speaking, I/we just have to listen.
Thank you Lord for your Joy, Love and Peace Even though I am walking through some tough times I have a peace and know that you Love me and that You know what is best. I know your plan is always the right way even in times of trouble!!!
I think of the song as similar to how God shows us the way and the truth and the light like John 14:1-6 Jeff, because of the fact that of the fact that it is almost how I would see from The Matrix of the main point of view is that it can be taken in a Christian context of how we should see the fact that Morpheus is just like God in the Christian context because God is willing to show us the path where he wants us to go.
I think that it is the best way on how this has caught my attention
In Jesus = PEACE
In the world = Tribulation
But the world/tribulation have been overcome by Jesus. His peace passes all understanding.
Thank You, Lord.