#DailyDevotion What Jesus Says Will Happens, Happens
Joh 16:16-22 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” (17) 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’?” (18) So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” (19) 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’? (20) 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. (21) 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. (22) 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.
Jesus here is predicting his upcoming death and resurrection. In the other Gospels, Jesus tells his disciples from just before the mount of Transfiguration until he gets to Jerusalem that he is going to be betrayed into the hands of sinners, that they will crucify him and on the third day rise again. So here in John, Jesus is letting his disciples know what is about to happen. It is not so much for their comfort now, they still don’t understand him though he is speaking clearly, but for when he is risen from the dead, they many know Jesus had predicted it.
Jesus is betrayed. Jesus is crucified, dead and buried. Jesus does rise from the dead never to die again. He showed himself to the apostles, the women, and five hundred other disciples. He ascended to the right hand of the Father. Psa 47:5 “God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.” Psa 110:1 “The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Psa 2:6-7 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (7) I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” Even after his ascension to the right hand of God, Jesus shows himself risen from the dead to the apostle Paul. So the apostles do rejoice when they see Jesus again. Their joy can never be taken from them.
It is also for us who are reading this. John is a witness to these things. He witnessed Jesus prophesying these things. When they came to pass, it shows us Jesus is indeed a true prophet. What he taught is true because what he said plainly what was to come to pass also showed to be true. You can believe and trust that his words are not his own but the Father’s words, even as Jesus has told us numerous times in the Gospel of John.
Because Jesus is risen from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father, his sacrifice for our sins has been accepted. The debt we incurred upon our souls because of our transgression of God’s laws has redeemed by Jesus. He sits at the right hand of God interceding for us, that we might persevere in the faith and to put away sin in our lives. He puts forth his blood as our advocate before the Father so he is at peace with us and we can live at peace with him. In this, like the apostles, we can rejoice and this joy cannot be taken from us.
Heavenly Father, grant that we may always rejoice in the work of your Son Jesus Christ for our salvation and live out this joy in our everyday lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.