A Little While Longer
Or
From Sorrow To Joy
Sunday March 19, 2023
Scripture To Consider:
“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. 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 is saying.’”
“Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, ‘Are you inquiring among yourselves about what 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 weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour is come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for the joy that a human being has been born into the world.’”
“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no man will take from you. And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16.16-24
Something To Consider:
The disciples did not understand what Jesus was asking when He said, “A Little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” But after Jesus was raised from the dead this saying and many others became as clear as the noon day sun.
Jesus may well say to us, “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” The question should be; are we spiritually ready to see Jesus at any moment? Have we made the necessary spiritual arrangements required according to the Word of God?
Jesus proclaimed in John 3.3; “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he [or she] cannot see [experience] the kingdom of God.” Being born again spiritually through true repentance of our sin, opens the gateway to our being spiritually born again of God’s Spirit, and not man’s fleshly coercion.
In a little while longer we will as true born again believers, experience the changed in a moment eternal life transformation that is according to the Word of God. For Paul describes that moment in time with these words found in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning in verse 51; “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” Paul finishes by stating of that very moment in time, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Something Else To Consider:
While the world rejoiced at the death of Jesus, His disciples wept bitterly. For it appeared to them that their hopes of the coming kingdom of God had been killed along with their Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth. But, it would be just three short days later and their sudden and surprising sorrow was turned into exceeding joy. Though their lives would be taken from them in death, this great joy could never be taken away from them.
And as we approach the end of this age, the end time hatred and persecution of the church will be on the advance. Are we spiritually prepared to remain faithful to Christ and to His commandments? Will we endure to the end of the abounding lawlessness and increasing darkness that seeks to envelop the earth?
Also in John’s gospel chapter 3 and verse 19, Jesus instructed; “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world [by way of Jesus and the Word of God], and men [women and young people] loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were [and are today] evil.”
Jesus continued in verse 20, by declaring; “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his [or her] deeds should be exposed. But he [or she] who does the truth comes to the light [of God’s Word], that his [or her] deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Something More To Consider:
Isaiah proclaimed prophetically that the Messiah would be a man of sorrows. And yet, the writer of Hebrews 12.2, speaking of Jesus, revealed; “Who for the joy that was set before Him [Jesus] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The joy that is spoken of here is the joy Jesus traded for sorrow, which satisfied His heart in that the sin of the world had been adequately atoned for. Therefore, in a little while Jesus will present all true believers in Him faultless before the presence of His Father, our Almighty God.
And in that very moment any remaining sorrow will be turned into exceeding great and unspeakable eternal joy. Will we be the recipients of that unspeakable joy? Will we have successfully waited a little while longer looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith that comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God? I certainly hope so!
A Few Final Words:
According to Jesus, “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.” We are at present, in the not seeing Jesus physically stage. But as His coming again approaches, every eye will see Him, and every tongue shall confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God! Are we ready, willing, and able to truthfully confess Jesus as Lord over our lives? Or are we still in the driver’s seat of our runaway life?
Sorrow may strike us all unexpectedly, from time to time. But, the promise of Jesus is that in His time our hearts will not be able to contain the joy that is just around the corner. But until then, let us be prepared to endure to the end of our lives or to the end of these lawlessness filled end times!
According to Jesus, speaking of His death; “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” If we are to suffer, and it is biblically likely that many shall; eternal rejoicing is on the other side of suffering and sorrow! We have been warned! Let us therefore be prepared and ready to endure whatever.
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, our hearts are spiritually satisfied in Jesus. Even in the midst of sorrow we can experience the true joy of the Lord. Help us Father in overcoming any and all doubt and concern for the future here on earth. Allow us to be more concerned about our eternal future in the presence of You and our faithful Lord and Savior Jesus. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 