The Gospel of John | A Future Glory – John 16:16-24
Our future hope in glory is in Jesus Christ for all eternity even though we may face difficulties now.
Jesus told them, in no uncertain terms, the events that would befall Him in the coming days. He would be walking to the cross. Though He would go willfully, the journey would be a painful journey and, for a brief moment, it would appear as if all hope would be lost. The disciples though, they would face difficult times as well, having been associated with this troublesome teacher who claimed to be the representation of God in the world. Those who followed Jesus would be persecute, ostracized, and even killed. Yet, from the pain of the temporary moment, would come the newness of life.
Jesus uses the metaphor of child birth to explain what is about to occur. During the process of child birth, there is pain to endure but, on the other end of the child birthing process is the newness of life born in this moment. For our culture, we do many things to damped the pain of child birth with various drugs, systems, and professionals seeking to make the process easier. The process still is a painful process regardless of the manner in which the child is born. Yet, if you were to ask most mothers who have given birth, the joy felt as they hold their child for first time persists long after the moment and is entirely worth the pain. Jesus tells the disciples that what they are about to experience will be similar to this. There is coming pain for those who follow Jesus Christ, just as Jesus Himself endured pain. Yet, on the other end of that momentary suffering is the eternal glory of being with the Father.
Enduring Now For A Little While
From what we know of the lives of the disciples, they would endure persecution and each of them, with the exception of John, would die as martyrs. Furthermore, even though John did not die a martyr but of old age, his life had not been one marked by a lack of suffering. From the torture and pain he experienced, likely his body showed the signs of being scourged, boiled, and various others things. Even after Jesus had been crucified and died on the cross, the disciples scattered in fear of the repercussions. The teacher they had followed for years had died calling in to question everything they held to be true. Jesus knew this would happen and prepared the disciples that they would experience grief but this would not be the end. The disciples would face challenges and pain as a result of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, but they should remain faithful to the Lord, even in His crucifixion. Death would not be the end of the story for Jesus Christ and the disciples could endure the grief and as they looked to Jesus Christ for their eternal hope.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel for anyone who claims to be in Jesus Christ. We cannot look at the world and become dismayed at the state of our culture, even if that culture seeks to ostracize, persecute, and even kill those who follow Jesus. The call for the Christian is to endure during these times of persecution for the sake of the Gospel. Our witness and testimony to the power of Jesus Christ will only strengthen during times when the church is persecuted. Showing the Gospel to the world by what we willfully endure so that others can come to know Him speaks to the power of Jesus Christ to save. He is worthy of the pain we face, whether it be from because we know that the suffering we endure now is momentary and following Jesus Christ is worth everything. Our willingness to enduring the suffering shows the worth of following Christ. Understanding that Jesus Christ is everything, we can endure anything for a time knowing that our future hope is secured in the work of Jesus Christ, who stands before the Father. Thus, as Jesus tells the disciples they can ask for anything in His name, it comes with the submission to His Lordship in their lives.
- How did Jesus Christ encourage the disciples in the face of the coming sadness and grief they would experience?
The Hope of Future Life
There is a present and future hope that Christian experience in the face of the surrounding world’s opposition to the faith. Occasionally you hear people talk of the Now/Not Yet. When we refer to this, we mean that the promises of God begin in our current day as we experience a taste of the future glory. Jesus had spent the previous part of the farewell discourse explaining that the Spirit of God would reside within them. While the world would persecute, ostracize, and kill them, the Spirit within them would be their constant guide and companion as someone who would guide them but also endure alongside them. The grief would turn to joy as Jesus ascends into heaven to send the Spirit on the day of pentecost. Furthermore, this presence of God would be a taste of the future and persistent glory that is to come. Eternity starts the moment we come to Christ and not the moment we pass from this life to the next. Jesus did not intend for mankind to endure nothing but grief for the 80 years on this earth but rather to experience the joy of being with God and the hope that we would be with God even more in eternity.
The future that Christ establishes for those in Him in one of eternal love and glory in the presence of a perfect and true King over all creation. This promises of God are presented as realities that will absolutely come to pass, not as conditional options or possibilities. Christ’s work on the cross secured the salvation for mankind and our return to the presence of God for all eternity. Nothing holds the power or strength to overthrow the promises of God. We stand on the firm promises of God knowing that He is able to do anything, that He is weaker than nothing, and that He is our everything. This life, in whatever we experience, good or bad, cannot compare ot the immeasurably goodness that will come in the finals days in all eternity. The goodness and presence of God we experience now, will be nothing compared to the final joy we experience in the fullness of God’s presence. Our grief today will turn to joy, having endured all the pain this world brings and, in the final days, still standing firm in the victory of Jesus Christ.
- What reasons does Jesus give the disciples for their grief turning to joy?
Discussion Questions
- Why does Jesus say the disciples will experience grief? How do trials and persecution relate to the believer?
- How does our future hope of glory help us to endure the trials we face today?
- What do we face that we need the hope of a future promise to endure fully? What are some of the things that tend to distract us from the future glory of God’s eternal presence?
- How does our willingness to endure difficulties communicate the depth and power of the Gospel in our lives?
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
