John 16:16-33
Today's Passage: John 16:16-33
These verses are about the great exchange: sorrow for joy, wrath for redemption.
Yes, the death of Jesus would mean sorrow for his disciples and those who loved him. But it would ultimately bring joy, because of what his death ushers in.
What this passage is telling us is that we can have confidence in joy in any and every situation because of Jesus and what he has done in dying on the cross for our sins.
Verse 33 is the capstone of this train of thought: “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.”
We can have peace during tribulation, not by ignoring the tribulation or sugarcoating the tribulation. Sometimes the brokenness of sin and suffering brings grief with it, and the antidote to grief is not ignorance. The way we deal with suffering is not to bury our emotions but to trust that Christ “overcoming the world” means that there is hope and “good” in every circumstance.
This is true even if we never see surface level “good” on this side of heaven, because we know that God works ALL things for good, even if that “good” is only seen in our growing likeness to Christ (Rom. 8:28-29).
Jesus has overcome. Therefore, you and I can have peace in every circumstance.
Written By: Graham Withers
These verses are about the great exchange: sorrow for joy, wrath for redemption.
Yes, the death of Jesus would mean sorrow for his disciples and those who loved him. But it would ultimately bring joy, because of what his death ushers in.
What this passage is telling us is that we can have confidence in joy in any and every situation because of Jesus and what he has done in dying on the cross for our sins.
Verse 33 is the capstone of this train of thought: “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.”
We can have peace during tribulation, not by ignoring the tribulation or sugarcoating the tribulation. Sometimes the brokenness of sin and suffering brings grief with it, and the antidote to grief is not ignorance. The way we deal with suffering is not to bury our emotions but to trust that Christ “overcoming the world” means that there is hope and “good” in every circumstance.
This is true even if we never see surface level “good” on this side of heaven, because we know that God works ALL things for good, even if that “good” is only seen in our growing likeness to Christ (Rom. 8:28-29).
Jesus has overcome. Therefore, you and I can have peace in every circumstance.
Written By: Graham Withers
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