March 27, 2016: Day 84 – John 16

He is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Happy Easter to all of you.  We had two glorious services and in each the promises of Jesus came true loud and clear.  We are so able to see how God has blessed us in powerful ways.  After church in the afternoon we went over to the Frackman’s house and it was filled with little kids.  I can’t help but think of this chapter and how Jesus says that a mother will forget all about the birthing pains when time passes and will only rejoice over time.  But I’m wondering, how would a male writer know about that feeling?  How would John possibly know whether this happens or not?  Wait, it was Jesus who said this.  Okay, how would Jesus know if this were true or not?

Jesus understood what it means when he says that pain turns to joy.  Jesus knows what it means when he says that grief will soon transition to joy.  He is speaking to his disciples the evening when he will be betrayed, so he knows exactly what he is talking about.  The type of grief that they will feel when he is put on the cross cannot compare to the joy that they will feel when they see him in the resurrection.  That is the comparison that Jesus wants to draw.  

But Jesus’ point in these Scriptures is to tell his disciples to be ready for when he will not be around.  He harps on this point throughout these chapters.  At vs. 31 and following Jesus once again tells them that they will desert him.  He reminds them that the purpose of him coming to earth was not only to provide salvation for all of humanity, but also peace.  It is not just a metaphorical peace that comes from a relationship with Jesus, but a literal peace that come on this earth when his disciples love each other. Even if we were to do that, we will still have trouble.  This harkens back to chapter 15.