FOCUS Day Thirty-Four | John 16:16-33
DAY THIRTY-FOUR | John 16:16-33
“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
“These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”
His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
The Father Loves
The Bible is such a beautiful, holy, powerful book. From cover to cover, it is all good. It contains stories, letters, songs, legal records, laws and lists. It is full of good news and truth. It is the living, breathing Word of God, revealing His love and liberty to us.
There are certain places in Scripture where there are several chapters that really stand out to me as especially important. They are no more inspired than other passages, but the way that they go together help provide a foundation for our faith. I feel this way about John 13-17. In these chapters that cover the night before Jesus was crucified, so much is revealed about the character of the Christ as He shares His heart for His friends, His relationship with the Father, and the Person of the Holy Spirit.
In this passage we witness a pivotal moment taking place in the conversation that Jesus is having with His disciples. As He is telling them that He will soon be leaving this world to return to His Father, Jesus also reveals a significant change that will be taking place for His friends.
And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
This is an interesting exchange as Jesus is establishing that the disciples will have their own relationship with the Father. He is assuring them, that even as He is leaving and returning to heaven, that when they pray to the Father in His name, that the He will answer them, and their joy will be full.
This kind of direct access is special, and something that Jesus wants His friends to fully understand. All evening long, He had been explaining about His relationship with the Father, and how the Holy Spirit was going to come and be with them, but now, Jesus wants those who have walked this earth with Him to grasp that they will be able to commune directly with the Father.
But I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
The Father Himself loves you.
Wow!
Have you ever been surprised when someone that you thought highly of took the time to talk with you? Maybe it was when you were a child, and someone that you looked up to took time to say hello to you. Or it could have been a conversation with an influential leader, boss or someone that you admired.
I usually don’t get weird about meeting famous people. Over the course of my life, I have had the chance to get to know authors, high profile speakers, professional athletes, famous musicians and movies stars, and you know what? They are all pretty normal people.
But one time, I remember feeling a little awe struck when a leader that I had looked up to asked if we would go out for a meal. His name was Floyd McClung, and he had influenced so many people for Jesus from all over the planet. My friend and mentor, Guy, had offered to introduce us to Floyd, but I thought it would just be a quick handshake and hello. I was really surprised when he asked to spend time together.
I remember squirming in my chair as we had brunch together. Every time Floyd would ask me a question, I found myself fumbling over my thoughts and was sure that whatever words that I was saying did not make sense. But Floyd sat there attentively, nodding his head and affirming me as I tried to describe the ways that we were trying to follow Jesus.
Towards the end of the meal, Floyd looked up and said, “Well, I think that what God is doing in your life seems a lot like what He seems to be doing in mine. What do you think it would look like for us to grow in a relationship together and encourage each other in following Jesus?”
I looked at Adriane, and then over at Guy, and then finally back to Floyd.
“I don’t know, maybe we could see if you are speaking at any conferences in our area. Or maybe we could come the next time you are spending time with Guy?”
Floyd shook his head, “No, I asked what it would look like for us to grow in a relationship with each other… I want to get to know you guys.”
Here was a hero of the faith, expressing desire for a relationship with me. He wasn’t asking me to join his mailing list, or telling me to show up at his event. He was giving me his phone number, direct access to him.
As much as I love and respect Floyd, direct access to him does not come close to what Jesus was explaining to the disciples that day. He was telling them that they would directly relate to the God of heaven and earth, and that the Father Himself loved them.
He then emphasizes that they can access this relationship by praying in His name. I think this is such a beautiful fulfillment to what Jesus had told them earlier that night. It is recorded in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Light. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus gave His friends access to the Father through prayer so that their joy may be full. At the end of this passage, Jesus tells them that He had this conversation with them so that they would have peace. He told them that even when they faced the trials of this world, they could be of good cheer because He had overcome the world and was going home to their Father.
As we focus our eyes on Jesus, He will lead us to know the Father more. I pray that you would have a fresh sense of confidence in knowing that you have a direct line of access to the Father as you pray to Him in Jesus’s name. I pray that you would know that He wants you to be filled with joy, peace and good cheer in this world, because He has overcome it. And finally, I pray that you would know in the deepest places of your being that the Father Himself loves you.
