John 16:25-33 Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World
“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.”
Jesus knows his time to speak into the disciples’ lives is dwindling. He can practically hear the muttered conversations between Judas and those who hate him. In John 16 and 17 Jesus gives his final advice to his disciples.
“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 has been speaking figuratively, one example being his comparison of his upcoming death and resurrection to the stay of Jonah in the belly of the large fish. Now in the final hours, Jesus is speaking plainly; however, the disciples still aren’t understanding everything he is saying. The disciples are priding themselves on understanding that Jesus has been sent by God; however, even though they have grasped this truth about Jesus, they know little or nothing about themselves.
“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.” Ask any of the disciples right now and they will assure you that they will NEVER desert Jesus. But wait a few hours and watch most of these men take to their heels. Only John and Peter will follow Jesus to the High Priest’s house. So many times, we are certain that we will remain true no matter how severe a trial is. Before criticizing the disciples, ask God to reveal your nature to you. Have you remained silent when you should have spoken out? Have you refused to support friends when they have been accused unjustly? Never mind deserting the cause of Christ, have you deserted those whom you should have supported and defended?
“And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” Throughout his life, Jesus has always enjoyed the unseen Presence of his Heavenly Father. Right now, the Father is still with Jesus; however, when Jesus hangs on the cross, the Father will withdraw His Presence for a brief moment, leaving Jesus to cry out, “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?” Do we feel the Presence of the Heavenly Father? The more we pray and ask God to reveal Himself, the more we shall feel His Presence. But we can only feel that Presence when we are willing to be still enough. Those who think they are achieving something by praying as loudly as they can and as rapidly as they can are missing the need to listen to the Holy Spirit.
“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.” Jesus is both assuring and warning the disciples and all who will believe in him for eternity. Jesus wants us to have his peace in our hearts, realizing that we will always face problems and suffering in the world. For millenia, Christians have comforted themselves with these two statements: yes, there will be tribulation but also, Jesus gives peace because he has overcome the world and the evil in it.
How can Jesus say, “I have overcome the world” when he has yet to go to the cross? Even at this point, Jesus knows what he must do and has already made up his mind to go forward, trusting that God will give him the strength to endure. Victories are not won merely on the battlefield but by those who make up their minds ahead of time that defeat is not an option.
Stepping out of this scene for a moment, what do these verses mean for us? Like the disciples, we are far too certain that we will meet every test and never falter or fail. The strain comes when we refuse to acknowledge our shortcomings and trust too much in our own resources. Only God can bring us through unscathed and victorious.
At the same time, we face our own weaknesses, we can rejoice in God’s power and His ability to transform situations and people. We don’t have to grieve when those we have trusted change their natures or fail us, for God is the One who can change weaklings into heroes and tyrants into compassionate servants. Proverbs 21:1 tells us, “The king’s heart is as a water course in the hand of the Lord, and He turns it where He wills.” Let us pray for all those around us, that God will turn their hearts in the directions He desires.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust where we cannot see. Help us to remember that Your Will for us is peace in our hearts, no matter what the world throws at us. Help us also to trust that when we pray, You will turn hearts of leaders and others in Your directions. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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