Jesus spoke with His disciples about His soon death, but they didn’t fully understand what He was saying. “Some of His disciples said to one another, ‘What does He mean when He says-In a little while you will not see Me, and again in a little while you will see Me because I am going to the Father?’”
Jesus knew they were confused so He said to them, “You are asking what I mean by, ‘A little while’ you won’t see Me: and then, in ‘a little while’ you will? Truly, truly, I say to you: You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” (John 16:16-20)
Jesus was preparing His disciples for tragedy ahead. They would be forced to watch the Healer, the Counselor, their Teacher and Friend, be put through a mock trial, be falsely accused, mocked, spat upon, laughed at, whipped and crucified. Their Messiah would hang upon the cross - willingly! He would submit to this cruel death of a thief without calling 10,000 angels to destroy the world and set Him free. He would be our Passover Lamb, the One who would carry our sins, in His body, for us.
Their sorrow would be unbearable - while the world rejoiced (sounds a lot like today, doesn’t it?) BUT… His precious final words hit home… “You will see Me again!” And they did! On the third day He rose in victory over death and sin, and the gate to Heaven was now wide open to all who would receive His free gift of salvation.
Dear weary travelers, Jesus warned us that, “In the end, perilous times would come,” and they are here. He told us that we would feel “weary and burdened” and to “cast our cares upon Him.” Just as He prepared His disciples for His death, burial and resurrection, He is also preparing us - “In the world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”
How do we take heart? We cling to His promises. “I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there you will be also.” And we trust Him when He says, “In a little while, He that shall come WILL come, and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37). Let us, “Comfort one another with these precious words,” because joy - bountiful, endless joy - will soon be ours, never to be taken from us again.
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