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Pictures
of Jesus. John |
1. Brokenness and Joy - John 16:17-22
Have you ever entered a new
experience and said ‘nothing could have prepared me for that!?’ Some of us have
recently been through personal changes - leaving school /uni,
looking for work, loss of one of your family. And nothing could prepare
you for that. However much they say it still hits you with a bang!
For 3 years Jesus had been
preparing his followers for the time he’d leave them. And on their final night,
he warns them again. First they wouldn’t see him - then they would. (
Jesus warns them again ‘You will
grieve.’ You’re heading into a difficult time - possibly one of the most
difficult times you’ve ever gone through! It would be traumatic, painful,
threatening, loss in a big way. You’ll loose your master, your future and
security in one fell swoop. It
will feel as though you have been broken into little pieces.
But, says Jesus, your grief will
not be the end of the road. ‘You will grieve but your grief will turn to
joy.
He tells them it would be like a
woman giving birth. Men can say some pretty daft things about the experience of
birth. I did after our first was born ‘There, it wasn’t so bad after all.’ -
She and the midwife nearly clocked me one! Jesus doesn’t say that that it won’t
be so bad, but he does tell us that the pain and brokenness would not be the end, it would give birth to joy at the resurrection. vv21 - 22
No-one will take away your
joy! All sorts of other things may be taken from you (possessions, health,
wealth, abilities and faculties) - but not your joy! That’s yours for ever! The
joy of being a child of God!
Isaiah 53 tells us of the way
Jesus was broken, taking our brokenness, how he was afflicted to take our
punishment, how he was wounded to take our wounds and bring healing.
This bread we’ll eat soon is broken
as Jesus was – receive the broken Christ and be made whole through Him.
When I receive the
bread and wine at communion is there any more significance it has to me
than a faint memory of Him? How may it become a ‘means of grace’ to me? Have there been
times recently when I have felt ‘broken’ and Christ has ministered to me? What
joy have I been able to find through the pain? What experiences
have I had of a painful experience leading to a ‘birth’?
2. The Father’s love poured out - John 16:27-28
There was much that the disciples
couldn’t understand. Life seemed to be full of pain, grief and loss. It’s
difficult to see love when you’re going through a time like that.
Jesus wants his followers to get
to grips - not only with the idea that the pain would end in eternal joy, but
that God would love them throughout the broken time.
1 John 3:1 is a verse worth
learning - and leading us to worship and adore, leading us to meditate on the
relationship that we enjoy between us and God through Jesus.
How great is the love the
Father has lavished on us, that we should be called
children of God - and that is what we are!
I wonder whether he had in mind
Jesus’ words he’d penned - The Father Himself loves you - my Father will
give you whatever you ask in my name!
Do we hide from God, thinking He’s
always got a downer on us!? Do we feel ashamed of ourselves, guilt is the
prevailing emotion and God couldn’t possibly be interested in me or hear me or
love me!? These words dismiss these ideas! The Father loves you so much he sent
his son to die for you, his love poured out with every drop of his son’s blood
at
In our communion service as you
take this cup from the tray can I suggest you may like to hold it - don’t pop
it straight away into the holder. Think of the wine poured out into the
cup, think of the love of God poured out into you. Hold the cup, and
think of God’s holding love keeping you, guarding you, sustaining you. And as
we drink together remember God’s love is no academic matter for mere debate, Christ
himself becomes part of us - we participate, we meet with Jesus here
at the table.
What pictures of
God, other than aspects of God’s love, do we find in the Bible? Why does
God’s love – e.g. as of a loving father or mother, or a shepherd – often
feature low in our ‘emotional list’? Use John
3. Prayer in Jesus’ name - John 16:23-26, 33
Jesus makes some pretty big
promises to his followers here. Despite their losses and grief they’ll have his
joy, despite their need they can be reassured that the Father will always love
them! And despite the total change in appearances - Jesus eventually
disappearing from their sight - they will be heard and their needs and
prayers answered.
So far they had asked Jesus
questions. They hadn’t actually asked Jesus for anything in particular - when
5000 men were on the hillside with their hungry wives and children they hadn’t
asked Jesus to feed these people, all they asked was the academic question ‘how
can just the loaves and fish feed all these?’
In days to come they wouldn’t ask
questions like that - the how won’t matter so much, rather they would
ask for His grace and mercy to help in all times of need.
‘Until now you have not asked
for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be
complete.’
Have we been reticent to ask
anything of the Father in Christ’s Name? We’ve never really stretched our
faith, or we’ve interpreted a ‘no’ or ‘not yet’ as the sign that God is
unhearing and not interested. Jesus
tells us to talk with him - tell Him what’s on your heart and mind.
He finished this time with his
followers saying -
He’s overcome it! And His
children are part of His triumph!
When have I
stretched my faith in prayer? When did I last ask
someone to pray with me? When did I last
offer to pray with someone about their need? Have there been
times when I might have asked for the special ministry of my brothers and
sisters – or been a means of blessing to them in praying for them? Is there a situation
I – or someone I know – face at present, in which I can sensitively put
this sermon into practice?
With that confidence we can
come to Him and ask for prayer, ministry and the Lord’s blessing.