The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lassare Bradley, Jr. Oh, for a thousand times to sing my great Redeemer's praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of His grace. This is Lassare Bradley, Jr., inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. One day when heaven was filled with his praises, one day when sin was as black as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin, dwelt amongst them, my example is he. One day they led him of Calvary's mountain One day they nailed him to die on the tree Suffering anguish, despised and rejected Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He Living He loved me, dying He saved me Married He carried my sins far away Riding He justified freely forever One day He's coming, O glorious day One day they left him alone in the garden One day he rested from suffering free Angels came down on his tomb to keep vigil O Bob the hopeless, my Savior is he One day the grave could conceal him no longer One day the stone rolled away from the door Then he arose, oh, the death he had conquered Now he's ascended, my Lord, evermore Living He loved me, dying He saved me, Mary He carried my sins far away.
Rising He justified freely forever, one day He's coming, O glorious day. One day the trumpet will sound for His coming One day the skies with His glories will shine Wonderful day my beloved one's ringing Glorious Savior this Jesus is mine Living He loved me, dying He saved me, Buried He carried my sins far away. Rising He justified freely forever, One day He's coming, O glorious day. It is important that we hear from our listeners on a regular basis, and if you're able to assist us with the support of this program, we will certainly be grateful for it. Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17-037, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217.
I also encourage you to visit our website at BaptistBibleHour.org. And there you will find articles on a variety of subjects that we believe will be helpful to you in your study of God's Word. Worthy of riches, blessings and honor Worthy of wisdom, glory and power Worthy of earth and heaven's thanksgiving Worthy art thou Worthy art thou Lift up the voice in praise and devotion Saints of all earth before him should bow Angels in heaven worship him saying Worthy art thou, worthy art thou Worthy of riches, blessings and honor. Worthy of wisdom, glory and power. Worthy of earth and heaven's thanksgiving.
Worthy art thou. Worthy art thou. Lord, may we come before Thee with singing Filled with Thy Spirit, wisdom and power May we ascribe Thee glory and honor Worthy art Thou, worthy art Thou Worthy of riches, blessings and honor Worthy of wisdom, glory and power Worthy of earth and heaven's thanksgiving Worthy art thou Worthy art thou As we've been studying the Gospel of John for some time, it been interesting not only to see how our Savior Jesus Christ is exalted but to see his interaction with his disciples We can see ourselves in them to such a large degree. They were often slow to understand. They were often filled with doubts.
They sometimes spoke too quickly, made assumptions.
so many things about their responses and attitudes depict our own situation how weak and frail we are how many times we make the assumption that we understand something fully only to find out that we missed the point altogether as it was with them and so as we come today to John chapter 16 we see one of those times that the disciples were struggling Jesus had given them information previously that should have settled their mind, but they're still deeply concerned about his departure. We read beginning in the 16th verse, John chapter 16, a little while and ye shall not see me. And again, a little while and ye shall see me because I go to the Father. Then said some of His disciples among themselves. What is this that he saith unto us?
A little while and ye shall not see me. And again a little while and ye shall see me. And because I go to the Father. They said therefore what is this that he saith? A little while.
We cannot tell what he saith.
Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him. And said unto them. Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said? A little while, and ye shall not see me. And again, a little while, and ye shall see me.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. And ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come. But as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish for the joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow.
But I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man taketh from you. The disciples were confused. If they had understood what Jesus had said to them previously, they would realize that this was the time upon it when he was going to the cross, die for sinners, and ultimately ascend, then go back to the Father. But in the fear that they were experiencing, the confused state of mind, they were greatly troubled. not knowing what the future held.
And we have a tendency to imagine the worst. You're looking down the way and trying to figure out what may transpire. You see the potential of some terrible event coming about and as you give in to worry, you begin to exaggerate it, make it worse than it ever would be. And so we need to learn from the experience of these men who were given to great worry when their worry was without foundation. That, first of all, worry is a sin to begin with because if you're worrying, you're not trusting.
If they had been trusting what Jesus had already said and what he said to them at the moment, it said back in the first verse of chapter 14, let not your heart be troubled. you believe in God, believe also in me. He says, I'm going to prepare a place for you, and I'll come back in some time, you're going to be with me.
So that should have been sufficient to give them hope and courage. But they were discussing among themselves. They were hesitant to again ask a question.
So they began to talk about, what does Jesus mean? What is all of this about? You'll see me, and then you won't see me, and then you will see me. We don't get it. I appreciate Warren Wiersbe's comment on that.
He writes, Instead of asking Jesus to explain his words, the men began to discuss it among themselves, almost as though they were embarrassed to admit their ignorance.
However, we do not get very far by exchanging your ignorance. It is when we come to the Lord and ask for his help that we learn the important lessons of life. how many times a person may be embarrassed to admit they don't really know the right answer to a question but they're going to give an opinion anyway and so as people begin to share their ignorance there obviously is of no benefit but it generates further confusion well they were human beings with problems and weaknesses just like we have, and yet the Lord used them. When you look at that struggling little band, you think, how on earth could they be the instruments in the hand of God by which the church would be established and begin to prosper in its early days? But God hath chosen the weak and foolish things of this world to confound the wise and the mighty.
so at those times when you have a deep sense of your own weakness and your lack of understanding remember you can go to the lord and find the strength and wisdom in him that you so desperately need seeing something of the condition of the disciples we note the words of jesus for a time you're not going to see me because he was going to go in the grave but following that following the time in the grave upon his resurrection they would see him again in chapter 15 verse 26 he said but when the comforter is come whom i will send unto you from the father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the father he shall testify of me so they would see him again upon his resurrection and then they would see him further as the holy spirit was given to accompany them and empower them. The Holy Spirit would testify of Jesus. And so as they preached with power, as Peter did on the day of Pentecost, and 3,000 souls were converted, the name of Jesus Christ was extolled. And they saw him by the presence and power of his Holy Spirit. In the 16th chapter verse 7 nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you But if I depart I will send him unto you In other words, there's going to be a great benefit that you will receive because of my departure.
Not only the work of redemption that will be accomplished at the cross, but the fact that the Spirit of God is going to be given you, and you will be empowered to continue the work in spreading the gospel. Verse 14 says, He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. This being the work of the Spirit. And as he would glorify Christ, they would see him through the work of the Spirit. First though, as we look at this passage, let's consider the sorrow.
The sorrow that these disciples were experiencing because Jesus was going away. Back in chapter 13, verse 31. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. Verse 33. Little children, yet a little while I am with you.
Ye shall seek me, and as I said unto the Jews, Whether I go, ye cannot come.
So now I say to you.
So Jesus was not keeping it a secret that he was going away. He had been repeatedly bringing it to their attention, that he was going to depart.
Now you think about the fact that they had been with him for three years. They had heard him teach. In Matthew chapter 5 verse 1, at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, it said that his disciples came unto him and he taught them saying. And then the discourse begins. To be under the teaching of Jesus Christ for three years was a unique privilege.
While there were many things that they had failed to grasp, they certainly had been edified and blessed. and learned many things under the greatest of all teachers. They had seen his miracles. They had seen the lame walk, the blind see, the dead raised. They had seen him feed the 5,000 and the 4,000.
And what a remarkable thing when they were on the sea and the great storm was raging and they feared for their lives and Jesus says, peace be still and the wind ceased to blow and the waves were calm they were in awe of his power of his word that was so effective they had had those special moments with him as Peter, James and John were with him when he was transfigured the cloud descended upon them and they heard the voice of the father from heaven saying, this is my beloved son, hear ye him. Those were precious, special memories, no doubt. As they thought back in the days following of what it was to be there. What a happy time. Peter said, let's build three tabernacles.
As Moses and Elijah had also put in their appearance. And then they had sat with him at the last supper. He had said in advance that he desired to eat the Passover with them. And they gathered with him. And he said, this is my blood, the cup of the new covenant.
And they had all of these things to treasure because of the times that they had had with him. But it's always a time of sorrow if Jesus is going away. You might say, well, what on earth can that mean for us? We understand he was going away from them because he was going to die. He was going to be in the grave and they would not have his company, although there would be a revelation of him following the resurrection, but would not have his continued company in person, but by the presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit at a later time.
But in our own experience, there are seasons when the Lord goes away. The psalmist prayed in Psalm 69 verse 17, And hide not thy face from thy servant. Hide not thy face. Had it not been times in your experience when you feel you have suffered from the hidings of God's face? You have gone to his word and were not able to find comfort.
You've attempted to pray and you felt like your prayer went nowhere. You had lost joy. and you prayed as the psalmist did in Psalm 51 restore to me the joy of thy salvation uphold within me thy free spirit there are times of darkness when the Lord hides his face but when he does there's a reason for it sometimes of course he hides his face because of our disobedience and our sin to bring us to repentance sometimes he hides his face simply to humble us and make us aware of our weakness and of the necessity of complete dependence upon him. And so there would be sadness, sorrow, because Jesus was going away. And their sorrow would be intensified because he said, the world will be rejoicing.
I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice.
now if they're in sorrow if their hearts are broken at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the world is rejoicing they feel like we have conquered this man that we deem to be an enemy we are successful in putting him to death he's going to be out of the way you know how painful that would be the sorrow of itself seems to be enough. But when others are saying we have triumphed over him, we revel in the fact that this man that we consider to be a blasphemer is now suffering such excruciating pain as he hangs upon the cross. That sorrow was deeply increased by the fact that the world was rejoicing. And then their sorrow was great because they witnessed his suffering. In John chapter 19, verse 25, it says, Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciples standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son. Here it describes his mother and John and other women who were there at the cross and they saw him as he suffered What great sorrow must have penetrated their hearts Here the man that we love Here the man that our leader Here the man that our Lord Here's the man that's our Savior. The nails are in his hands. The crown of thorns pressed down upon his brow. He's suffering.
He's been put to shame. He's being mocked. He's being ridiculed. His enemies are triumphing over him. Yes, it was indeed.
A time of sorrow. It was a time of sorrow because they felt great disappointment. In their confusion of the hour, they were not able to see what was going to transpire at the cross and what was going to be accomplished by his resurrection. We see that clearly revealed in the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Verse 13.
and behold two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs and they talked together of all these things which had happened and it came to pass that while they communed together in reason Jesus himself drew near and went with them now this is following the resurrection of course but their eyes were holding that they should not know him Although he joins their company and walks along with him, they did not recognize who he was. And he said unto them, What manner of communication are these, that ye have one to another as ye walk and are sad? And one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified him.
Now here's the note of disappointment. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this today is the third day since these things were done. We had trusted, we had thought, we had expected, this was our hope, that he was the one that would redeem Israel. Of course, they were still thinking in terms of a visible kingdom being set up and obviously had expressed interest at various times to know what position they would occupy in that kingdom.
So with that thought in mind, they are dejected. walking on the road, their hearts heavy, their heads hanging down, but Jesus comes to walk with them. That brings us in to talk about the joy. The same event which brought sorrow would bring them joy. And he illustrates it in the 21st verse of the 16th chapter.
A woman, when she is in travail, hath sorrow. that curse was brought upon the human race as a result of the sin in the Garden of Eden that a woman would bring forth children with great pain that pain can be so excruciating so difficult to bear such a horrendous time such anguish when she's in travail she has sorrow but because her hour has come and as soon as she is delivered of a child she remembereth no more the anguish for the joy that a man is born into the world.
So when the child is born and she hears that child cry and she's able to hold that little one in her arms now she's not thinking about the pain. The suffering is soon forgotten and she's overwhelmed with joy that the child is born.
So the same child that caused the pain as he was delivered is the one that brings the joy. Jesus is saying then, the very event, my departure, my death at the cross that is bringing you so much sorrow is going to bring you joy. It's in that very occurrence that you're going to find the greatest joy you could ever experience. Man of sorrows, what a name. For the Son of God who came Ruined sinners to reclaim Hallelujah, what a Savior As the time drew near for Jesus to go to the cross, it was a time of great sorrow for the disciples.
They did not understand a lot of the details that were transpiring. Their hearts were heavy. But what good news it was when Jesus said, Your sorrow shall be turned into joy. And so it was that after his crucifixion and after being in the grave for three days and three nights, he arose victorious over sin, Satan, and death. and they had great joy to see him once again.
Surely we can rejoice today to know that Jesus Christ lives, that he was victorious, and that he accomplished that which was given him to do in the salvation of sinners. I hope you will write us and until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. Wounded up was he to die. It is finished was his cry.
Now in heaven exalted high. Alleluia was the Savior. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder Lissaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217.
When He comes, our glorious King, All his ransomed home to bring Then anew this song we'll sing Alleluia, what a Savior Thank you.
