John 16:25-33 Courage
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
“Now you believe” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus often spoke in parables, partly to disguise his message from those who didn’t have ears to hear. But now, the time for telling the crowd stories to puzzle over has come to an end. From now on Jesus’ words are plain to everyone whose ears have been quickened by the Holy Spirit.
We have access to the Father through Jesus’ redeeming work. As we pray with our hearts quickened by the Holy Spirit to the Father in Jesus’ name we pray to God, through God, by God. In prayer we participate in the eternal flow of divine love that was before God said “Let there be light.”
As we love Jesus we find that God loves us. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 defines love this way, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” It is wonderful to think that this is the way God is towards us.
Where did I come from and where am I going? The world has so far given up on these questions that they now say we came from nowhere and go nowhere, not very hopeful. But, in Christ, we, like him, now have life that comes from God and goes to God. That Jesus knew exactly where he came from and where he was going is reason enough to follow him.
The disciples have an ‘aha’ moment here where they get a glimpse behind the curtain. Even as Jesus acknowledges their faith he warns them about trials that will descend upon them in just a few hours as Jesus is arrested and they all scatter. It is good to have faith and moments when we see God more clearly are precious but we can’t ever be off our guard against the buffets and trials that are part of being in the world but not of it.
What is the point of all this? Just that, while we are in the storm, we are in the boat with Jesus and so are perfectly safe until we get to the other side. In Romans 8:35-37 Paul says,” Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
We are secure in the love of God. That is a good reason for courage.
brotherpayne 