Text: John 16:12-22
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20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
The President claimed that it was his prerogative to determine whether to provide military and diplomatic information to Congress. When Congress sought military information, he ultimately provided it because he determined that doing so was in the public interest. When Congress demanded information about a treaty, he provided it to the Senate but not the House because only the Senate had treaty approval authority. [George Washington]
The President also claimed that he had the power to choose whether or not to comply with a subpoena. When the Chief Justice issued him a subpoena for testimony and documents [in the criminal trial of Aaron Burr,] he ultimately provided some information but refused to testify. [Thomas Jefferson]
And the President repeatedly asserted executive privilege in the face of demands for members of his administration to testify in connection with the [McCarthy] hearings, depriving the Senate committee of substantial information. [Dwight Eisenhower]- edited
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-vs-nadler-congress-isnt-constitutional-crisis-its-how-constitution-is-designed-to-work
No, these are not the current battles with President Trump, Congress, or the Supreme Court. These were past battles for authority by President’s George Washington – in refusing to provide some information to congress, Thomas Jefferson – in refusing to testify in the trial of Aaron Burr, and Dwight D. Eisenhower – in asserting executive privilege and refusing to testify at the McCarthy hearings.
In our constitutional republic we have three equal branches of Government with different powers all wrestling for authority?
Jesus says,
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
God’s economy of Father, Son and Holy Spirit unlike our three branches of government always work together in unity and perfect harmony. There are no checks and balances, no conflict in the Godhead and though they are distinct persons, they work together in unity of purpose for all that God desires.
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
In the Godhead there is no conflict! Trinity in unity and unity in Trinity!
What had the disciples heard from Jesus?
16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again, a little while, and you will see me.”
Jesus is talking about his death and resurrection.
The focus of not seeing a loved one comes to mind.
When I was a little boy and I was leaving my grandparent’s home in Pennsylvania to return home to Michigan. There was sorrow. I loved them and didn’t want to leave them or have them leave me and wondered when I would see them again.
But for the disciples … they didn’t understand what Jesus was saying.
“What is this that he says to us?”
“What does he mean by ‘a little while’?
“We don’t know what he is talking about.”
We too, when it comes to the word of truth at times find ourselves in conflict. As those who have been brought to faith in Christ, we wrestle in tension … in thought, word, and deed with the word of God and at times not understanding.
Jesus knew the disciple’s problem and ours.
He says to them:
20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. John 16:20a
For the disciples, Jesus was pointing to his death on the cross. The Lord of life would be killed and they, his followers, would morn.
The world though, those who were in authority, the Jewish leaders, the Roman government, the soldiers and the people – the world then and now – would rejoice.
Sorrow and Joy in tension
But by the working of the Holy Spirit this tension is made new.
You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. John 16:20b
They will be sorrowful at Jesus’ death but rejoice at his resurrection.
Jesus gives an illustration of sorrow, joy and truth to his disciples.
21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
The world today has confused and flipped the narrative. They joy in death and deny the gift of life.
When a woman is pregnant, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has aborted the pregnancy, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that an unwanted pregnancy has been terminated in the world.
Birth, delivered the baby, human being and born – all words used by Jesus have been changed to pregnant, aborted the pregnancy, unwanted pregnancy and terminated.
Joy here in the word of man is found not in life but in death.
Jesus is the author of life and we know this by his Holy Spirit. When we hear the word of the Lord it is by that same Spirit that we know truth. When we deny the truth, we deny him and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:10
The Spirit declares the unified authority He shares with the Father and the Son. He glorifies Christ and declares that truth to you and me. The word of God is truth and not falsehood.
The world hates Jesus.
It hates truth.
It rejoiced in his death.
It denied his resurrection and it still does.
Its authority is temporal and condemned.
The Spirit illumines your hidden savior! For apart from his work, you cannot know Jesus nor have faith in him!
But by the Holy Spirit you love Jesus.
By his death he showed his love for you in taking your sins to the cross.
By his bodily resurrection he shows that you too will rise.
His authority is eternal, and all will see his coming.
We who believe will be raised to eternal glory.
Those who reject Christ are condemned to eternal punishment.
22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Life and death, sorrow and joy, by the Spirit’s work, Jesus is made known to you dear friends and that truth is yours just as you are his.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
But by the working of the Holy Spirit this tension is made new.
You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. John 16:20b
They will be sorrowful at Jesus’ death but rejoice at his resurrection.
Jesus gives an illustration of sorrow, joy and truth to his disciples.
21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
The world today has confused and flipped the narrative. They joy in death and deny the gift of life.
When a woman is pregnant, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has aborted the pregnancy, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that an unwanted pregnancy has been terminated in the world.
Birth, delivered the baby, human being and born – all words used by Jesus have been changed to pregnant, aborted the pregnancy, unwanted pregnancy and terminated.
Joy here in the word of man is found not in life but in death.
Jesus is the author of life and we know this by his Holy Spirit. When we hear the word of the Lord it is by that same Spirit that we know truth. When we deny the truth, we deny him and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:10
The Spirit declares the unified authority He shares with the Father and the Son. He glorifies Christ and declares that truth to you and me. The word of God is truth and not falsehood.
The world hates Jesus.
It hates truth.
It rejoiced in his death.
It denied his resurrection and it still does.
Its authority is temporal and condemned.
The Spirit illumines your hidden savior! For apart from his work, you cannot know Jesus nor have faith in him!
But by the Holy Spirit you love Jesus.
By his death he showed his love for you in taking your sins to the cross.
By his bodily resurrection he shows that you too will rise.
His authority is eternal, and all will see his coming.
We who believe will be raised to eternal glory.
Those who reject Christ are condemned to eternal punishment.
22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Life and death, sorrow and joy, by the Spirit’s work, Jesus is made known to you dear friends and that truth is yours just as you are his.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
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