SORROW TO JOY Jesus Said 9/9/2023 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “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 am going to the Father’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 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. 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. 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. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:16–24 ESV Sorrow (lupeó) - deep grief - to experience deep, emotional pain, i.e. severe sorrow (grief). is very intense and hence even used of the pain of childbirth A moment of absolute powerlessness - what is done cannot be undone Sorrow is: Life absent Jesus Life absent relationship with the Father Life absent the Holy Spirit in you Joy (xará) - properly, the awareness (of God's) grace, favor; joy ("grace recognized") Joy is: Experienced in Jesus’ resurrection Experienced in adoption into God’s (Father) family Experienced in walking in the Holy Spirit All sorrow is transformed as I become aware of God’s grace by drawing near to Him