Thoughts from the Sermon, “The Promise of Joy and Peace in Christ” John 16:16-33
by Vermon Pierre, Lead Pastor
1. We all will face and have faced difficult times in our lives. No one is immune from dealing with trial, suffering, and pain. Many times our response to trouble is one of sorrow, fear, despair and even cowardice. We retreat into ourselves. We either fail to do what we should do or we do the things we shouldn’t do, things which aren’t ultimately helpful for us but that we do nonetheless in order to somehow deal with our situation.
2. There can be a different response to our trials. Rather than running away from difficulties we can lean into them, meeting them with joy and peace and confidence.
3. How do we make this transition? By the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus promises his disciples that because they will see him, their sadness will turn to joy. Indeed, because Jesus has conquered sin and death in his resurrection, we who believe him can find peace in him.
4. What believers gain because of the risen Jesus is a transformed life. It means having a joy that no one can take away (John 16:22). It means never being alone because we have a permanent relationship with God as our Father. We can speak to him and know that he will hear us and answer.
5. Being a Christian does not mean life gets easier. Believing in and following Jesus will mean some unique difficulties and hardships. Jesus never promises that we will be saved out of trouble (“In the world you will have tribulation” John 16:33). What he does promise is that in the midst of trouble we will be able to act differently. We can rest in his peace, respond to trouble with joy, and know that ultimately we will overcome all our troubles through him and the victory he has already secured by virtue of his resurrection.
6. “This is the great departure of Christianity from every other religious faith. It does not simply set out an ideal or a moral code; it offers a means of achieving it. Christianity is the offer of God to live in his followers and achieve in them the victory demonstrated in his Son Jesus Christ. And in that indwelling, an indescribable peace will be ours despite the fury and foment of the world around us.” Gary Burge, John: The NIV Application Commentary
7. “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:4
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