"Your Grief Will Turn To Joy!”

“In a little while you can go out and play.” “After a little while we’ll be going to the pool.” “After a little while I am going to be serving pie and ice cream.” “In a little while we’ll your mom and dad will be home.” “In a little while you can take a break.” “The doctor says that after a little while you’ll feel better.” “Just think about it. In a little while you’ll be graduating!” “In a little while you’ll be able to retire.”

“In a little while,” or “After a little while,” are statements that we all use. But wouldn’t you agree that almost every time we use them, they mean something slightly different. In all of the “little while” statements that I just shared with you the length of time implied was different. Also consider the fact that sometimes the words “a little while” hold out the promise of good things to come. Other times the words “a little while” call for patience and endurance. We are implying that we have to put up with some discomfort or difficulty for a time. But things will get better.

“In a little while.” We heard Jesus use those words in our Gospel Lesson for today from John 16. The disciples asked Jesus to explain what he meant by “a little while” as he used those words in two different ways. The disciples recognized that this was important because Jesus was talking about not seeing him anymore and then seeing him again.

Jesus’ explanation to his disciples is meant for us as well. Like the disciples we must wait “a little while” to receive everything Jesus has promised us. And like the disciples there will be a time of grief while we wait. Life in a sinful world can at times bring pain to our body and soul. Because we follow Jesus, we may even get an extra dose of suffering during our lives. But Jesus promises that our grief will turn to joy. Let’s take that thought from our Gospel Lesson as the theme of our sermon together. Today we hear Jesus say to each of us:

“YOUR GRIEF WILL TURN TO JOY!”

I. Jesus predicted a “little while” of grief

II. Jesus promised a “long while” of joy

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples during Holy Week, on the day Christians call Maundy Thursday. That evening our Savior gave the command for his disciples to love one another. He illustrated that by washing their feet. We also recall that he told his disciples to remember his death through the Lord’s Supper. Since this was less than twenty-fours before his suffering and death, we could say that Jesus was giving his “final” lesson to his disciples.

Jesus told them that he wouldn’t be with them much longer. Before the words of our Gospel Lesson Jesus told the disicples he was going back to his Father in heaven to prepare a place for them. All of this talk led to some panicked thoughts from the disciples. Yes, Jesus would rise from the dead and prove to them that he was alive. But he would only spend a short amount of time with them. There would be little time for him to do more teaching. Forty days after Easter he would ascend into heaven and not be seen by them again in this life. That context helps us understand Jesus’ words about how “in a little while” his disciples wouldn’t seem him again and then “after a little while” they would see him again. It also helps us understand how Jesus could assure his disciples that their grief would turn to joy.

I.

Let’s go back to our Gospel Lesson. “Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” 17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” We know from the Gospels that several times before this Jesus had told his disciples that he was going to suffer and die and rise from the dead. But the disciples either didn’t understand what he meant or didn’t want to believe what he was saying. But at this point Jesus’ crucifixion was less then twenty-four hours away. The disciples really needed to come to grips with what Jesus had been predicting. They would experience grief like they had never experienced it before. Their teacher, their Lord, their friend would be horrifically taken from them through death by crucifixion. By that time the next day Jesus’ body would be resting in a borrowed tomb.