More than Conquerors - John 16:25-34
I think it’d be an understatement to say that everything going on in the world is merely demoralizing. There’s a war raging in Israel which is the big world news right now. Here in America nothing seems to be going particularly well either. Inflation is sky high, political tensions remain unresolved, and people’s general happiness is incredibly low. So it’s really no wonder that depression, anxiety, and suicide are at unprecedented levels.
Interestingly enough, marriage couples consistently report the highest levels of happiness and yet, marriage rates on a national level continue to decline. I read one article that said, “marriage [have] declined by 60% since the 1970s, while the median age for first marriages has increased for both men and women.”
Then you throw in the fact that so many people, but young men in particular are directionless, helpless, and confused. So many people are aimlessly drifting out in the sea of life.
Our world really feels hopeless doesn’t it? Which is of course why the words that we just read are so powerful, “...take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Last week, we looked at verses 1-23, where Jesus promised his disciples that they would experience joy after they would experience sadness. And if you remember, Jesus was making reference to his resurrection. That he’d be raised in glorious power on the third day.
In this particular passage, Jesus gives even more encouragement to his disciples in the middle of the night while the cross looms in the background.
Jesus has overcome the world. What does that mean for all of us here today? In this passage, Jesus makes three promises: first, he promises love (vv. 25-28), second he promises peace (vv. 29-33), and lastly, he promises victory (v. 34). Love, peace, and victory are the three main elements of him overcoming the world.
The Promise of Love (vv. 25-28)
Not going to employ figures of speech, but going to speak plainly (v. 25)
So much of what Jesus has said up to this point has been quite vague and euphemistic. In fact, that’s really been the case for this entire chapter. For nearly all of chapter 16 Jesus has employed vague language.
Last week we looked at where Jesus said, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”
And of course, these passages of Scripture can be studied and understood (and hopefully we were able to do that last week), but my point is that on the surface, what Jesus has said is not entirely clear.
And it’s quite frustrating when someone is trying to tell you something but they won’t tell you directly. They speak in vague euphemisms and so the whole time they’re talking to you, you’re trying to decode a message.
Remember the scene from “A Christmas Story?” Ralphie gets the message decoder and in the mail and rushes into the bathroom to decode the secret message and he’s so disappointed when it simply says “be sure to drink your Ovaltine.”
Now Jesus isn’t telling his disciples everything because they wouldn’t be able to fully comprehend it. It wouldn’t make sense.
And of course Jesus acknowledges that fact in verse 25. “I have said these things to you in figures of speech.” Probably a better translation would be “I have said these things to you in veiled sayings.”
Because the things that Jesus had referred to would actually take place. He was talking about his crucifixion and bodily resurrection. Those events were not figurative, but Jesus is acknowledging the fact that much of what he has said to his disciples hasn’t been clear.
But he’s not always going to communicate to them in “veiled sayings.” Eventually he will communicate to them very clearly. But in the meantime, he wants them to know that they are loved by the Father.
Look at these verses 26-28 with me.
“26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
In many ways, Jesus is restating things that he has said previously. They’re going to have direct access to the Father through him in prayer. And he reminds them again, that he came into the world to accomplish redemption and will soon head back to the Father when he ascends to his right hand.
But notice what Jesus says in these verses: he says that he will not ask the Father on your behalf. Jesus is saying that he won’t need to pray in their place but nevertheless, he will pray for them. That is precisely what Jesus does in the high priestly prayer!
But Jesus says some pretty interesting things about God’s love here in these verses doesn’t he?
The basis of God’s love for us is on the basis of our union or salvation in Jesus Christ. The fact that you’ve been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ is the grounds for God’s love.
Because you might read verse 27 and conclude that God’s love is dependent upon our love for Christ. God only loves you once you’ve done your part and put your faith in Christ.
But that would stand in direct opposition to the clear testimony of God’s Word. Take for example what John plainly says in 1 John 4 “we love because he first loved us.” Or how about the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1 when he says, “In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ…”
I don’t think there is any illustration that adequately captures God’s free love, but the closest thing I can think of is the birth of a child. The illustration that Jesus uses earlier in John 16. You love that little child before he or she can do anything. Your heart is immediately full of love for that little baby.
So much of the world teaches that the purest form of love is demonstrated through reciprocity. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. It is hard to wrap your mind around a love that requires nothing of you and pursues you in spite of your sin.
But even with all of that in mind, Jesus isn’t explaining the order of salvation in verse 27 as much as he’s emphasizing his work of reconciliation as the basis for our love for Christ and God’s love for us. His death on the cross makes us right with God and is the grounds for his love for the disciples and us as well.
But I don’t want us to get lost in the weeds here. There’s a bigger point that I want to draw your attention to: isn’t the mere fact that you’re able to pray directly to God the Father a display of his love for us? We see God’s love for us in the fact that he listens to us. After all, you pay closer attention to the needs of the people that you love. Or at least that’s the way it should be!
Prayer demonstrates God’s love. That really changes things doesn’t it? Prayer isn’t something that you have to do, rather, it’s something that we get to do! We get to commune with the God of our salvation!
But let’s zoom out of this passage again for a moment and reflect on the context for a second. As we sit here 2,000 years later these particular words are still quite veiled aren’t they?
I wouldn’t say that this particular passage is plain as day. No doubt we can study it and understand it, but it’s not straightforward.
Which is why the disciples' response is so ironic!
The Promise of Peace (vv. 29-33a)
In fact, pretty much everything that is said in verses 29 through the first part of verse 33 is dripping with irony. The disciples' ignorance is really on full display. Look at verses 29-30 with me.
“Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”
In a part of Scripture that is so dark and sad because Jesus is on the way to the cross it’s nice to get a brief moment of comic relief! The disciples are totally overconfident aren’t they?
“Now you are speaking to us plainly!” But again, was Jesus speaking to them plainly? No! He wasn’t! He was still speaking in very cryptic, veiled language because they wouldn’t be able to comprehend or understand why he had to go to the cross.
But nevertheless, they assume a high degree of understanding! They’re looking at Jesus thinking, now we get it, and he’s like, no you don’t.
Everything going on in verses 29-30 are dripping with irony. It’s a common feature of John’s gospel that we’ve seen time and time again. Jesus is saying one thing, but everyone is thinking something else.
Because the irony is compounded when they make their profession of faith in verse 30. “Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”
Again, it’s ironic because their confession is true. What they said is theologically accurate, even though it is based upon a complete misunderstanding! They’re confessing the truth because now they “think” they understand what Jesus has said.
But the real kicker is that they’re implying an even deeper, more abiding devotion to Jesus. “We believe that you came from God!” But Jesus quickly brings them back down to earth when he said:
“Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.” God will remain with him even when the disciples abandon him.
I have a friend who struggled with a variety of addictions and by God’s grace was radically converted. He has an amazing testimony. And after he had been converted he told me that sobriety was now easy because the Lord had just removed any desire or temptations for the substances and addictions that had plagued him for so many years. He said he had no interest in it and that the Lord had completely removed even the temptation.
And y’all can probably guess what happened next… He called me one night in tears because he had relapsed. He was overconfident.
That’s an extreme example, but can’t we all relate to that mentality in one way or another? We get overconfident because we think we have mastered whatever pet sin plagues us only to find ourselves right back in its clutches.
It’s tempting to believe that when you win a short battle you’ve won the war! How often have we all experienced a small degree of victory only to quickly find ourselves right where we started! It’s what makes our sin nature so frustrating!
And of course, this is exactly what Jesus is warning the disciples against! Don’t assume that because you love me, understand me, and believe I’m from God that you’re incapable of falling into sin.
Karl Barth is known as being the greatest theologian of the 20th century. No one in the last one hundred years or so has had a similar influence. He wasn’t an orthodox Christian, but he had a tremendous impact on more well-known Christian figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer for example. But I bring up Barth because he was a brilliant theologian, but it’s now a well documented fact that he carried on an affair with his secretary for many years.
It’s shocking that such an influential biblical and theological scholar can simply ignore the clear commands of Scripture. Again, just because you think you have some understanding or knowledge of Jesus doesn’t mean you’re incapable of grievous sin.
The disciples confess that Jesus is from the Lord only to abandon him a few hours later. Of course, Peter and John followed at a distance, but Peter denied Christ three times.
And you might even think, John was at the crucifixion. But if John had really gone out of his way to identify himself with Jesus he would have ended up on a cross right next to him!
Don’t get too overconfident! Sin is always crouching at your door.
If anything, this is a call to humility isn’t it? Christians should never act like they have everything figured out or that you're spiritually superior and untouchable, because the minute you think that is the minute diminish your need for Christ.
If you can do it all on your own, what do you need him for? You see, your reliance on Jesus Christ must remain in both the spiritual highs when things are going well and in the spiritual lows, when things are going poorly. Your dependence upon the Lord Jesus shouldn’t ebb and flow depending upon the circumstances of your life. It should remain constant because Jesus is going to give you peace.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus promises to be his disciples' peace even though he knows they’re going to abandon him? What is Jesus talking about?
Well he’s talking about his work on the cross. Through his blood mingled down on the cross - that cross is going to be their peace.
Paul makes this point to the Colossians in chapter 1 verses 19-21:
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
But it’s not just reconciliation that Jesus is referring to. He’s also referring to the fact that through the ministry of the Holy Spirit there will be a restoration. They’re going to be restored to the Lord as well.
The truth is, a humble reliance upon Christ will be your peace even in the midst of uncertainty. He will be your shalom.
You see even in the midst of impending chaos, he promises peace. There’s an inner peace that we all long for especially when we feel like our lives are out of control.
The Promise of Victory (v. 33b)
I have a friend who recently told me that he’s such a fan of his college football team that he rewatches previous games in preparation for the game their going to play that weekend. I understand why coaches watch game tape, but that’s just another level of fandom. I like football as much as the next guy, but not enough to rewatch old games to familiar myself with this week’s opponent.
But I imagine if that’s what you’re into it’s much less stressful than watching it live because there’s a certain level of peace that comes from knowing the outcome.
And isn’t the exact same thing true for the Christian life? Jesus tells his disciples that he’s going to be their peace and then proceeds to explain exactly why: he’s overcome the world.
And that’s in spite of all the tribulations that they will face. Notice that Jesus promises tribulation. Essentially all the disciples will be martyred for their faith.
The disciples were going to face all sorts of hardships, just read the book of Acts. But the same is true for us as well. We’ve all experienced various kinds of tribulations to one degree or another.
And on top of all the personal hardships we deal with on a regular basis, there’s geopolitical strife, economic uncertainty and the list goes on.
But Jesus tells his disciples and us as well: “Take heart. I have overcome the world.” In other words, it’s already been done. He’s already won. We know the outcome. We know the end of the story. We don’t necessarily know all the details that get us there, but we know how it all ends.
Much in the same way my friend certainly doesn’t remember every down of the football games he rewatches, but I’m sure he remembers the outcome.
You and I may suffer in unexpected ways, but even in the midst of tremendous suffering we can still have peace knowing that Jesus has overcome the world.
Jesus reminds us all not to assume that the way things are right now is the way things will always be!
So often, we assume the suffering, pain, and heartache of this world is eternal. We assume the sin struggles, and challenges we face living in a fallen world will last forever. We often resign ourselves to it.
What makes this passage so gloriously optimistic isn’t merely the fact that Jesus wins. Which of course is true, he does win. But the beauty of this passage is what he is implying! He’s implying to his disciples that because he has overcome the world they will too. And that’s true for all of us! Since Jesus has overcome sin, this fallen world, and Satan himself, if your faith is in him his victory is your victory.
I like the way William Hendricksen in his commentary on John put it: ““In the world you have tribulation, but be of good courage, I have conquered the world.” [Which implies]: “You most certainly will also conquer.””
It’s what Paul tells us in Romans 8:37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
That’s why this passage is so incredibly encouraging! If Jesus has overcome the world, you will too!
Isn’t this the news that the world so desperately needs? They need to experience the love, peace, and victory that can only be found in Jesus Christ. Let’s pray together.
