From Sorrowful to Rejoicing

Transcript

GR 402
5/27/1981
From Sorrowful to Rejoicing
John 16:16-33
Gil Rugh

John chapter 16 in your Bibles. John's gospel and the 16th chapter. We've been taking our time in this section of chapters 13 to 16, where Jesus is giving the final parting word to His disciples immediately preceding His betrayal and crucifixion. We've looked at some of the detail of the opening 15 verses of the chapter. Jesus has talked to them about the provision that will be made for them. The person of the Holy Spirit will come and take up residence in them, permanently indwell them. The Spirit will carry on a ministry of conviction in the world, He will carry on a special ministry, and we looked at that in our last study, of ministering to believers. In verse 13 the Spirit of Truth will be the one to „ guide believers into all the truth, to enable us to know the truth, to enable us to understand and grasp the significance of truth as it relates to Jesus Christ. That's the truth that He is talking about here, the truth of the person and work of Jesus Christ, the revelation of the character of God Himself.

The particular ministry of the Spirit in verse 14 will be to glorify Jesus Christ. Because He takes the truth concerning Christ and discloses it, announces and proclaims it. So the particular ministry of the Spirit of God is to exalt Jesus Christ, not to focus attention upon Himself, but to focus attention upon Christ. And when that is done, the Godhead is being revealed because in verse 15 "All things that the Father has are Mine". In other words when Jesus Christ is fully disclosed, the Father is fully disclosed and the Spirit as well, because they are all deity, all of the same essence and nature and being, even though they are distinct as regard to their person.

Now this morning, I'd like to overview the rest of the chapter. So, we spent several weeks doing the first half and we'll just in one week, overview the last half. Because much of what is said here, we have already covered. Jesus pulls together the details of what He has been talking about in these closing remarks and draws some particular special emphasis for the disciples benefit. So, we'll just draw the highlights out of this particular section. It's going to flow around the aspect of sorrow. The sorrow that will confront them, but the joy that is the ultimate outcome of all these events. So, it's sorrow in the context of joy. That has been what He has been talking about for some time now in this discussion.

At the end of chapter 16 you remember Jesus' discussion with the disciples is concluded. Chapter 17 is His prayer on behalf of the disciples and chapter 18 begins with the betrayal in the garden. So these are Christ's closing words before those awesome, tragic events that will throw the disciples into a period of temporary confusion.

He begins in verse 16 by telling them "A little while, and you will no longer behold Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me." Now, we've seen this theme repeated. Now, back in chapter 14, He talked about leaving them, them not seeing Him. Now, He says 'in a little bit you're not going to see Me any longer, then after a little longer you're going to see Me again'. His disciples are confused in verse 17, 'What does this mean?', 'You know a little while you won't see Me, a little while you will see Me.' 'What is He talking about?'.

Verse 18 "And so they were saying, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about." Now, important for us to keep in mind, how much in the dark the disciples still really are. They still do not grasp and comprehend what is about to take place. Throughout the discussion, particularly in chapters 13 down to our present section in chapter 16, there are times when it seems the disciples, 'Oh, yes now they comprehend.’ But they still do not have a picture of what is about to take place. They still don't know what Jesus is talking about.

Jesus knows in verse 19 that they want to question Him, but they are a little hesitant on how to raise the issue. "Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, 'A little while, and you will not behold Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'? Truly, truly". Remember that double "'truly, truly" 'Amen, amen' draws attention to the seriousness and significance of a statement that is about to be made. you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned to joy." An emphasis that Christ is drawn to their attention, now is driven home very strongly. Emphasizing the significance that will be brought about in His departure for them. Short-term impact "you will weep and lament" outward expressions of inward grief. They will have inner sorrow, that word 'sorrow' denoting their inner character, inner situation, the attitude they feel, the situation that is going on within them that expresses itself in weeping and lamenting. That outward expression of their sorrow. Note the contrast here, "you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice". We talked somewhat about the world in a previous study, the world in opposition to God, the people of the world in rebellion against Him. And you note that which causes the child of God the greatest grief, the greatest sorrow is that which causes the world to rejoice and be glad. And that contrast is true, continually. Jesus focusing here on His death, that pattern still continues, those things still cause grief to the heart of the believer, sin rebellion against God, are those things in which the world tries to find it's happiness and satisfaction in the pursuit of sin and those things contrary to the character of God.

"You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice", remember in the book of Revelation during the tribulation period, God will send two witnesses to proclaim salvation to the earth and finally the world will not be able to stand their testimony any longer and they will execute them in the city of Jerusalem.
Do you know what the book of Revelation says? "The world makes merry and gives gifts to one another to celebrate their deaths." So here, 'the world will be rejoicing' because of the death of Jesus Christ. "You will be sorrowful, but", now note the contrast here, "your sorrow will be turned to joy." The point we want to pick up on in a moment, but note it here, the sorrow of the believer is always temporary, no matter how deep the grief, no matter how terrible the agony for the child of God it is temporary.

Note the picture He draws for them in verse 21, "Whenever a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she remembers the anguish no more", we better note that word "anguish" at the end of the chapter. That deep agony, affliction and suffering for the joy that a child has been born into the world. An analogy that everyone is familiar with. The intense suffering, related to the birth of a baby and the agony of that period of time. But it is quickly forgotten when they bring that little one there and say 'Wow, that one is ours!', 'My baby!'. The focal point then is it turned into joy, not sorrow. And even intense agony is quickly put in the past, for the joy and rejoicing of having that little one born into the world. Now, that's a obvious analogy and everyone is familiar with it. It always amazes me the power of forgetfulness that a mother has that goes through that agony. You know I'm not very good at the hospital, one thing I could have never been was a doctor. I even had a hard time making hospital visits, as many of you know. But going to be a good father I spent time with my wife in the room, the labor room, and then I even went in for the birth of our second child and there upon that was our last. But you know it always amazed me that how intense the agony of that period of time seemed to be, and how quickly it was forgotten, and the joy there was over the little one that was there. Amazing. Now, Christ says that's the way it is for you as followers of me. No matter how intense the suffering, no matter how deep the sorrow it is guaranteed and assured that the ultimate outcome and result is joy. Your sorrow is going to be turned into joy.

Verse 22, "Therefore you, too, now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you." 'You're sorrowful now, but joy is coming, I will see you again.' I think what Jesus is talking about most immediately is that after His resurrection He will appear to them and no matter what the agony, the sorrow, the difficulty of those days when His body was in the grave, there is a total transformation into joy and excitement and enthusiasm when they have the privilege of seeing Him again. Now their sorrow is turned to joy. Now, also true in a more ultimate sense, that the Scripture repeatedly emphasizes that Christ is coming again and at that point in time for all of us as believers any sorrow, any difficulty, any heartache will be immediately transformed and turned into overwhelming joy. In Acts chapter 1, had that emphasis as Jesus ascends to the Father, what do the angels say? "Men of Galilee, what are you standing here gazing for?" "This same Jesus", is what? "He's coming again!" That's the exciting message, that's for the believer in the ultimate sense, when all grief will be transformed into overwhelming joy. Now you note here, two things, the sorrow of the disciples is real and it's great, we see it again at the end of this chapter, the analogy of the woman in travail, where she remembers the anguish no more, intense words, the depth of the sorrow, but secondly, it is always temporary. We ought to have those two points fixed in our minds, believers may suffer sorrow to an intense degree but it is always temporary.

Now, it doesn't seem of short duration when you're going through it, it can seem long. All of us have been in a period where we've been suffering in one way or another and it seems to go on endlessly even though it has been relatively *' short time wise. I remember thinking in the labor room, 'Won't this ever end?'. But you know it hadn't been a long time as far as we measure time. But, it seems long when you're under pressure of the suffering. That's why Jesus focuses the disciples attention on the fact that joy is following. Joy is following, that enables me to endure the suffering.

Look over in I Peter chapter 1, I Peter chapter 1. Peter's letter is usually said to deal with the subject of suffering. If you want a discussion of suffering in the Bible, read Peter's first letter. And in I Peter chapter 1, we have to read a number of verses here for the context, beginning with verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled which will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this", now note that "In this", in the fact that God has caused us to be born again, in the fact that God has reserved for us an inheritance in heaven which is eternal. "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trails", 'you have been caused sorrow by various trails', always a stress in the New Testament on the fact that our trials are temporary, so it causes sorrow for a little while, but we greatly rejoice. Note the seeming contradiction that believers are going through deep distress and sorrow and are greatly rejoicing. Why? Because of the destiny that it theirs, that ultimately God is going to transform this sorrow, this agony into overwhelming joy.

Then he goes on to complete the sentence down in verses 7,8, and 9. Verse 9, "obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls." That's how believers can endure and follow through in the suffering.

Psalm chapter 30, verse 5, jot it down. Psalm chapter 30, verse 5 "Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning." "Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning." No matter what you're going through, no matter what difficulty, sorrow, and burdens you're bearing, as a child of God, you have the hope and joy of knowing that it is temporary.

Turn back to John chapter 16, we'll pick up that thought as Jesus draws us to a close at the end of the chapter. But note how He goes on, verse 23, "And in that day", He's going to carry their attention now, to the time when they will have joy, after His resurrection when the Spirit has come to indwell them, it will bring about a transformation in the life of His disciples. "In that day you will ask Me no question. Truly, truly, I say to you, If you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, that your joy may be made full." Note here, we've been talking about sorrow, but in the context of joy. 'Now the provision that is being made for you is to be able to come into My Father's presence and ask for whatever you want in My name and get it from Him, to have it.' Now you note the emphasis on His name, in verse 23, at the end of the verse, He will give it to you in My name. "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name", we talked about this earlier in John. "In My name" means on the basis of the person and work of Jesus Christ. It doesn't mean that you close your prayers 'in Jesus name1, you may do that and you may not, but it means you approach God the Father on the basis of the finished work of God the Son. "I come with my requests to God on the basis of the fact that Jesus Christ the Son of God has died for me, has paid the penalty for my sins, that because of faith in Him, I am cleansed and forgiven, and privileged to call God my Father. And you note here the stress, sometimes we put down Christians for saying that they ask too much, we're always asking God in prayer. That's the very emphasis that is given here, if we ask anything in His name, I think we ought to praise Him in prayer and adore Him and thank Him, but Jesus said 'if you ask anything, the Father will give it to you in My name. Again I want to stress here, this is limited to believers. The book of Hebrews develops this theme in detail, only those who have a personal relationship with God through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ can come into the presence of God. Multiply millions of people praying, but they have no access into God's presence. The Old Testament tells us that even the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to God, He hates them. But for the believer, total freedom, total access. Ask anything, He'll give it to you, in order that our joy may be made full, brought to fullness, brought to completion. You know sometimes we're going through difficulties, we're going through sorrows, we're going through pressure that ought to drive us to the Lord. How often has it been in the times of the most intense sorrow and suffering that we've experienced the fullest joy, because it's that pressure that drives us to God in prayer. It's that sorrow that causes us to cast ourselves upon Him, to cry out to Him and to enter into the fullness of joy that He provides for those who seek from Him.

"These things", verse 25, "I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will speak no more to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. In that day", you note that stress, I take it, it ties back to what Jesus says in verse 12, "I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." So, in this verse "that I am speaking to you in figurative language, it's not easy for you to understand it at this point. When the Spirit comes to guide you into all truth He unfolds it and makes it clear." The disciples could not understand the fullness of what it meant to pray in Jesus name. But now we do that Christ's work has been finished and we understand the access that His death and resurrection provided into the presence of the Father. "In that day", verse 26 "you will ask in My name; and I do not say to you that I will request the Father on your behalf;", note this, "for the Father Himself loves you", note this. You know the Roman Catholics have built a whole system of praying to the saints. Jesus says to me, I do not even have to ask Him, the Son of God, to ask the Father on My behalf, but I can come personally, directly into God's presence myself. That is amazing, I don't even have to ask Jesus Christ to ask the Father for me, He says, 'you come yourself, directly to My Father'. Now I come to the Father on the basis of what Jesus Christ has done, in His name, but it's not that God is holding me at arms length. 'I don't want to hear from Gil, but he can ask My Son and if My Son asks Me then I'll grant it.' No, Jesus says you come right into My Father's presence and you ask Him. You talk to Him, direct yourself. That's amazing, I need no one to go into God's presence for me. Now, there's another side to this that Jesus is not dealing with here, such as Romans 8 and Hebrews chapter 7, I John 2. Where Jesus Christ does intercede for us at the right hand of the Father, He is our advocate, He is one there to represent us, when I sin, that He has made provision for that. But in my general prayer I have immediate access to come with boldness into the presence of God. "The Father Himself loves you", now note why the Father loves us, "because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father." Note that, it does not say that God loves everyone in this particular way, that He will answer their prayers. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world", there He uses the word 'agapao' for love. It's a self-sacrificing love, it's a love of the will. God loved the world, by making the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. A different word used here, He uses the word 'phileo' for love here, the word that denotes a family love. The intimacy of family love, it is never used of God's love for the world or for the unbeliever. Only, used for the love that God has for those who have come to believe in His Son Jesus Christ. Because we are the ones who have that family relationship with Him and God loves us with a family love. Therefore, I can come to Him as my Father. I didn't need anyone to go and ask my earthly Father on my behalf. I didn't search out individuals, someone that my Dad worked with, who was a friend of my Father, and said 'Would you go ask my Dad?'. What do you mean? I have the most intimate relationship with him. If I can't ask him, no one can. So, here He loves me with that family love, I am His child, He's my Father. The reason is, because I have loved. Same word for love here, that 'phileo' love, that family love. I have loved Jesus Christ, I have believed in Him. I have loved Him, with the present result, I am in love with Him. I have believed in Him with the present result, I am believing in Him. Those are the ones who are the object of God's special love. All the world has been the recipient of the demonstration of the great love of God, in the provision of His Son, but only those who believe in Jesus Christ know what it means to enter in to the depth of the intimacy of that family love with Jesus Christ.

"I came fore from the Father", verse 28, "and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again, and going to the Father." Repeated emphasis in John on the pre-existence of Jesus Christ, "I came forth from the Father", "I am going back to the Father". We'll pick this up in chapter 17 in detail.

"His disciples said, "Lo, now You are speaking plainly, and are not using a figure of speech. Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God. Jesus answered them, 'Do you now believe?"' Now, you see how we've seen this pattern, the disciples come to the point they say, 'Oh, yes now I understand." Ever explaining something to your children and you go through the details of it and they say, 'Okay, now I understand, good, yeah I see it now.' And you know that they still don't really, really understand and often you just have to break off the conversation because you know at this point, they're not capable of going any further. So they're telling you how clear it all is in their minds, how they've just got it all down pat. And you know, well they've just absorbed as much as they can at this point, and later on we'll continue this discussion then they'll understand a little more fully. Basically that's what's happened, Jesus is explaining to them and they think they understand and pretty soon they say 'What's He talking about, I don't grasp this at all.' and then later on He explains some more, 'Oh, now we understand, now it's all perfectly clear.'

Jesus says in verse 31, "Do you now believe?", in other words, it's not that they haven't believed in Him, they have, Jesus has just said up in verse 27 "that you have believed." But, in other words, they haven't entered into the fullness of understanding in their faith, because their confidence is about to be shaken. Just like if you would take your child some place, you say, 'Wait right here, I will be right back.' Okay, they trust you, but you're gone a little bit longer and what happens, you come back and they're all upset, 'Where were you?' You say, 'Well, you know Dad wouldn't leave you. I told you I'd be back.' They had confidence in you when you said it, but somewhere along the line they got a little bit shaky. That's what Jesus says is going to happen here "Do you now believe?" "Behold", verse 32, "an hour is coming, and has already come", the hour has arrived, "for you to be scatted, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me." Awesome, these who have just proclaimed their faith in Him, that they are unshakably committed to Him as the one who came from the Father, the One who knows all things. Jesus said, ‘Is your faith really unshakable?' 'The hour has arrived that you're going to be scattered.' 'Every single one of you is going to desert Me, run for his own life.' Now would they do that if they had the full confidence that He was the Son of God? No doubt? No wavering? Wouldn't they follow Him anywhere? You see that there's a lack of maturity here yet. Their faith is not as established as they think it is. You know we've all experienced that as believers to one degree or another. 'Oh, yes I would trust the Lord in any situation, my faith in Him is unshakable.' The next morning one tragedy or difficulty confronts us and we're asking questions like 'Doesn't God love me? If He's in control, why would He let this happen? How could God do this if He heard my prayers?' When just shortly before I was proclaiming to Him how unshakable my faith in Him was. Am I really convinced that He does the right thing at the right time? Right now I say yes, you know when the difficulty comes? When the pressure is applied. I say, 'Wait a minute Lord, do you know what you're doing?' 'What do you mean, do I know what I'm doing?' 'Well?' And it's the pressure, it's the difficulty that will drive them away.

Now why is Jesus saying this? Note verse 33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." Awesome. "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace." Note where the peace is focal, focalized, centered, in Jesus Christ, that's where we have peace. In contrast, "In the world you have tribulation", there's that word, translated 'anguish' back in verse 21. You have tribulation, you have anguish "in the world but in Me you have peace". Now you see the conflict that is going to be there, I am living in a world, not part of the world, but in the world, where I have tribulation, anguish, but in Jesus Christ I have peace. And what happens is even though I am going through this world and the pressures of this world, the conflicts of this world, the opposition of this world, the sorrow of this world besets me, in the inner man I have peace, tranquility, security. Because the peace of God which passes all understanding stands guard at my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. That makes the difference, even unbelievers have tribulation in the world. You know the tragedy of their tribulation? They have no peace to go with it. The tragedy of the world, the unbeliever is that the tribulation of the world stabs them in the heart. But for us as believers, the world's tribulation is an external thing, beating on this shell but in the inner man I can have the tranquility and the peace of God in every situation. Now note that's God's intention for me, not that my peace would ever be removed, my peace is to be permanent, all the time, even though I have tribulation. Now I realize I am becoming redundant, but it's important that we see that He's not talking about peace externally but peace internally. "In the world you have tribulation", that's a fact but take courage. I almost decided to do a whole message on the courage of a believer but we'll pick that up at a later time. "Take courage; I have overcome the world." We've seen this emphasis already in this discussion. Christ has overcome the world, so He has gained the victory, so I am being assaulted by a defeated foe. The world has been conquered by the Son of God, He is the victor. I John chapter 5 says, verses 4 and 5, "Who is He that overcomes, but he who believes that Jesus Christ, Jesus is the Christ?" That's it, we have overcome with Him, because He has overcome, and I have believed in Him I have overcome. I have the victory, the conflict is still on externally, but within I have peace.

Look up a couple of verses with me. Over in Roman's chapter 5, with this word tribulation, Greek word 'philipsis' is used, anguish, tribulation. There's an intensity and by the very fact that you and I still live in this world we cannot avoid the tribulation, the anguish, the distress that is applied. In Romans chapter 5, verse 3 "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulation", there's our word "tribulations", "anguish", "knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given us." Note the connection of the joy and tribulation, we exalt in tribulation, why? Even as I am going through these tremendous periods of difficulty I see God's hand molding and shaping me, conforming me to the character of Jesus Christ, to make me the person that God intends me to be. And the ultimate outcome is the realization of our hope, it is a hope which does not disappoint. The realization of glory in the presence of God, so I must look through every difficulty, every tragedy, every situation of sorrow to the ultimate end, the glory of God's presence. God is bringing about proven character that necessitates the heat of the fire.

Look over in Romans chapter 8. To realize that no tribulation of any kind can separate us from Jesus Christ. Verse 35 of Romans 8, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Where does He start, "Shall tribulation", there's our word, "distress, or persecution, or famine". Isn't it interesting, it talks about all these external difficulties because as human beings we without saying it expect a road paved with feathers to heaven. And the difficulties come in and the intensity of our difficulties, our tribulations, our trials and I wonder, 'Does God love me anymore? 'Have you forgotten about me Lord?' 'Don't you love me Lord?' 'Yes, I love you, tribulation can't separate you from My love.' 'Intense anguish cannot separate you from My love.' Nothing, as Romans 8 makes clear can separate us from the love of God. So that sustains me through tribulation, through trials, through difficulties, through sorrow, I know no matter what I'm going through I have not been separated from the love of God, and God's purposes for me.

Look over in II Corinthians. I think somebody set up a system so that I would know that it's time. That's all right, I've missed bigger hints than that.
II Corinthians, chapter 1, II Corinthians chapter 1, verse 3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction". There's our word again, sometimes translated "tribulation", sometimes translated "anguish", sometimes translated "affliction", same word. "He comforts us in all our affliction", you know sometimes we get so taken up with the affliction that we don't allow Him to comfort us. "He comforts us", so my affliction doesn't separate me from His love, doesn't affect the peace He gives me, and He provides the comfort. Now that doesn't mean that the tribulation is easy, it wouldn't be a tribulation if it was, and if it was easy I wouldn't need comfort. But it's when I'm going through this time of agony and anguish that God provides comfort that sustains me in the inner man. You know why? So that He may be able to comfort those that are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. You know, it's important to know, we as believers become vessels through whom God carries on a comforting ministry to other believers going through affliction. Those believers who have suffered the most intensely are usually the most effective in providing comfort to believers going through similar situations. They have experienced it, they have experienced the hand of God in their life and that brings a maturity in that realm that cannot be developed in any other way. So, I hate the affliction,
I hate the suffering with passion but I love the outcome, the work of God being accomplished in my life.

Look over in II Corinthians, chapter 4, verse 17 again you see the balance here, "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." You see the contrast, the outer man and the inner man, this body is being assaulted, it's in the process of dying, but the inner man is getting stronger. "For momentary, light affliction", there's our word, "momentary, light", now note that's because of what he measures it by. "Is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison". Affliction only looks momentary, only looks light when you measure it in light of the glory that is ours for eternity. That does not mean that you may not suffer tremendous affliction for a life time. You say, 'I've been enduring this for two years.' Put that on the scale of eternal glory, glory for eternity. You say, 'Well I can't make a dot small enough to put it on a time line, it doesn't measure.' That's why you read II Corinthians 11 and you say, 'How did Paul endure all of that suffering.' We read here and it says it's momentary, it's light. Light for him, that would be heavy for me. But it would be light for me too if I had his perspective. I'm putting it on a scale of eternal glory and no matter if I suffer from day one and live to be a hundred, it's going to pail into nothing. So I've suffered a hundred years, I have glory for hundreds of billions of trillions of years. What can I say? I'm convinced that when we're in the glory of God's presence we're going to look back and say, 'Boy, I can't believe what a little speck of time that was and I had the nerve to complain.' 'I spent so much time bemoaning my sorrow and I didn't measure it in 1ight of glory.'

"While we look not at the things which are seen, ...for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Do you know what makes the difference? What you're looking at. If you're looking at this life, if you're absorbed in this life, then the tragedies of this life will overwhelm you and you won't be able to handle it. If you've got your eyes on those things you can't see, the glory of God's presence, then there is no tragedy in this life which can unsettle you, affect your stability because your eyes are fixed on that which is eternal.

Chapter 7 of II Corinthians, verse 4 "Great is my confidence in you, great is my boasting on your behalf; I am filled with comfort. I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction." "All our affliction", there's our word, "all of this anguish", "this distress", "this tribulation", let me tell you what it's like, I've got an overflowing joy. He's some kind of a nut, he's a believer, a child of God living like a child of God should in experiencing the privilege that is ours as a child of God. Be buffeted by the world, be afflicted by the world, have the anguish and tribulation that comes, and have an overflowing joy.

Some other verses we can't take time to look at. Go back to I John 5, a verse that I quoted for you, but I want you to look at it. I John 5, verse 4 "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" There's the victory, Jesus said "I have said these things that you might have peace, in the world you have tribulation, take courage, I have overcome the world." So the stress in His closing remarks, isn't it interesting that the last remarks that He has before the crucifixion for the disciples is on joy and peace and victory. That your sorrow will be great, but it will be temporary and you have the privilege of access into My Father's presence to receive whatever you need. So take courage the victory has been accomplished.

Are you here this morning as a victor? Have you come to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died for your sins? Are you trusting Him? If not the exciting thing is, you can. That won't remove the afflictions, that won't remove the difficulties, that won't remove the trials but in the midst of trials and difficulties it will provide a peace and a strength and a comfort which is supernatural in every way because it comes from God Himself. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, does this characterize you at all times. Perhaps you're going through trials now, sorrows now, afflictions, anguish now. Do you have your eyes fixed on that which is eternal? That eternal weight of glory which will be yours in God's presence, which will put your afflictions and trials in perspective, in the perspective of eternity? What a privilege to be a child of God and live in light of a destiny that is glorious, not only glorious but eternal. Let's pray together.