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That's connectwithskip.com. Now let's get started with today's message from Pastor Skip Heitzig. If life were a Winnie the Pooh episode, which character would you be? Would you be like Pooh Bear himself, the main character?
Friendly, love to eat honey? Would you be like Piglet? That was Pooh's best friend. The shy one, the timid one, who would often say, oh, de-deer to a lot of things in life. Some would be like Tigger, that bouncy, flexible, always having fun character. Or would you be like Rabbit?
Now he was small, but he was pushy. He thought he was the cleverest one in the woods. Of course, so did Owl. Maybe you'd be like Owl. Owl thought he was the cleverest because he could spell the word Tuesday.
But he also was boring to a lot of the other characters in the story. Or could it be that you would be like the mopey, pessimistic Eeyore the donkey? You know Eeyore, he always had a cloud follow him wherever he went.
Life was always a downer. In one episode when Pooh Bear said, good morning, Eeyore. Eeyore said, good morning, Pooh.
If it is a good morning, which I doubt. That's how he lived his life. Did you know that there's people like all of those characters in Winnie the Pooh in the church? There's people who like to eat and have fun.
There's people who are pushy and think they know it all. On a downer, always negative, always sorrowful. I read something that jumped out to me from Christianity Today magazine. The author said, some people think it's difficult to be a Christian and to laugh. I think it's the other way around. God writes a lot of comedy.
It's just that he has so many bad actors. There's so much joy that will result from the sorrow. In fact, the joy will eclipse any of the sorrow that they had so that joy would mark their lives. There are a few things that are more attractive than a Christian who has authentic joy.
Not fake, not sappy, real joy. Nothing more attractive. It's infectious. On the other hand, conversely, those who are pessimistic and mopey, et cetera, et cetera, those are poor advertisements for the gospel.
There's nothing attractive in that. An unbeliever doesn't say, I want to be like that. But genuine joy is hard to beat. I'm generally a joyful person for the most part, but I've had some pretty dark times in life.
Very low moments. Where the Lord has had to come in and really do a work of changing and transforming an outlook I had, a behavior I had, and transform that period of sorrow into joy. And that's really the theme of this, how sorrow is turned into, converted into joy. Verse 16, we begin, a little while and you will not see me. And again, a little while and you will see me because I go to the Father.
Then some of His disciples said among themselves, 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 go to the Father. They said, therefore, what is this that He says, a little while, we do not know what He is saying.
Now, Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him and He said to them, are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, a little while and you will not see me? And again, a little while and you will see me. Most assuredly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman when she is in labor has sorrow because her hour has come.
But as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish for the joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore, you now have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and your joy, no one will take from you. As I read that paragraph, there's a few things that stand out to me in terms of contrast. Now, throughout the Gospel of John, it's something that I have noticed that there's a lot of contrast that Jesus brings up and John records. There's the contrast of death versus life. There's the contrast of light versus darkness. And here are some more contrasts. There's a contrast between the disciples and the world. There's the contrast between something that is temporarily enjoyed or felt and something that is permanently enjoyed and felt. There's also the contrast of a pregnancy versus a live birth. But the most significant contrast in this paragraph by far is the contrast between sorrow and joy.
In fact, deep sorrow, the kind that would cause somebody to mourn and wail and lament versus the joy that is relational and that is permanent and that can never go away. When I read this, when I read portions of Scripture like this, I think of a man's experience, a man who wrote a song you're familiar with. He was a lawyer who wrote a Christian song.
So please understand, even lawyers can write Christian songs. And it was a very profound experience that he had and a very profound song that he wrote. His family died at sea.
He went from America to England after the event to see a surviving member, but the others had all died in the ocean. And when he was aboard the ship going over the exact spot where his family was killed and the captain told him this was the spot, he wrote a song. When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.
Can you imagine the depth of sorrow he must have felt, especially at that moment going over that spot? And to come up with those words as if to say yes, but there is a transformational joy that is now my experience to say it is well, it is well with my soul. As we go through this paragraph again, this time a little more carefully, there's three stages I want you to see of how sorrow gets transformed into joy. And I'll make three statements about that.
And these are the three stages. First of all, confusion can challenge joy. Confusion can challenge joy. Now, Jesus makes a statement and we see immediately the disciples are confused and they say so. Look at the statement, then look at their reaction. Jesus says, a little while and you will not see me.
And again, a little while and you will see me because I go to the Father. Okay, now for us, that's not difficult to understand, but that's because we have hindsight. We're 2,000 years removed, we look back, we know what happened, we know the predictions, how they were fulfilled, we get it. But understand something, they didn't get it.
They're confused and they say as much. Verse 17, some of the disciples said among themselves, and this is probably how they said it to each other. What is this that he says to us? A little while and you will not see me. And again, a little while and you see me and because I go to the Father. Can you hear the tone that was probably in their voice?
I don't get this, now you see me, now you don't stuff. They said therefore, what is this that he says a little while? We do not know what he is saying.
Boy, am I glad that that is written down. Because this tells me that even disciples get confused from time to time. Even disciples go, huh? I don't get it. We do not know what he is saying.
How many times have you read the scriptures and said the same thing, huh? I don't get it. I don't know what it says. I don't understand what it means. Boy, that happens to me a lot. In fact, this is what I do every week. I'll read through the scripture, I'll pause and I'll ask and answer a series of questions.
This is the job of the interpreter, of the Bible teacher. What does this mean? When did it happen? What is the context? What event was going on that precipitated this?
What is the reaction? What's the language? What's the grammar? I ask all of these questions to determine the meaning. But what is paramount to understand and what is to be underscored is simply this. These were the closest people to Jesus on earth and they're still confused. Whew, I'm glad it says that.
I honestly am. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig Weekend Edition. Before we get back to Skip's teaching, Nate Heitzig has written a children's book just in time for Christmas. And this month we're offering it to you as thanks for your support of Connect with Skip Heitzig. Christmas Under the Tree follows the timeless story of Jesus Christ from the cradle to the cross through the eyes of an unlikely character, a humble tree. This beautifully illustrated book, which includes a companion audio experience, is a wonderful way to tell the Christmas story and the story of Christ to the children in your life. This resource is our thanks for your gift of just $25 or more today to help share biblical teaching with more people around the world through Connect with Skip Heitzig.
Go to connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888 and request your copy when you give $25 or more today to reach people all around the world through Connect with Skip Heitzig. Let's continue with today's teaching with Pastor Skip. You know, I think that we have been given a disservice by the art community with all due respect when it comes to the apostles of Christ. I've had the privilege to look at a lot of museums and see a lot of artwork from some of the greatest artists in the world about biblical scenes and many of them about the apostles with Christ. And I noticed most of those paintings portray the apostles as older, sometimes balding, gray-headed, wise men wearing big halos. Like these guys had answers when the truth is most of the time they didn't have a clue what was happening.
I take comfort in that personally. I'll give you just a sampling of a biblical portrait of the apostles. In John chapter 12, you don't have to turn there. In John chapter 12, Jesus gets on a donkey, rides into Jerusalem.
We remember the story. He's fulfilling Zechariah chapter 9 verse 9. The Pharisees understood it.
The scribes understood it. The disciples didn't get it. And we read in that very chapter, the disciples did not understand these things.
Here's another instance. John chapter 14, Jesus says to his disciples, And where I'm going, you know, and the way you know. And Thomas pipes up and says, ah, we don't know where you're going, so how can we know the way? Another example is Mark chapter 9. This is after the transfiguration where Jesus is transfigured with Moses and Elijah on that high mountain. And Jesus tells his disciples, now what you've seen, don't tell anybody until I have risen from the dead. And the Bible says they kept it to themselves questioning what the rising from the dead meant. Also in Mark chapter 9, but they did not understand what he meant and they were afraid to ask him about it. And then when Jesus gave those stories, the parables of the kingdom, the sower and the seed, the weed and the tares, the weeds, et cetera, we're told this. The disciples came to Jesus and said, now explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.
Like those were cool stories. We have no clue what that means. We don't get it. Well, here they're confused.
Again, these apostles, the closest ones to Jesus, they don't get it. And frankly, I'm glad it is recorded that they were confused because I am from time to time. Now confusion challenges our joy.
That's the larger point. You see, as long as you know where things are going in life and you understand there's a plan, you can see the plan, there's a confidence that is built into that. But when things aren't going the way you think they should be going, when your expectations have not been met, confusion sets in and that will mitigate against your joy. Confusion challenges our joy. Usually joy is the result of something. Now I know a lot of people like to make a big deal between the difference of happiness and joy, but I think for our purposes we can lump it all together.
People generally get happy or joyful because something happens to them. I got a raise. I'm really happy. Or I got engaged. I'm really happy.
Or I got disengaged. I'm really happy, whatever the case might be. That's because life is flowing according to expectation. It fits. You're happy.
If it doesn't fit, if it doesn't work, you're not. Now imagine what the disciples were thinking. Okay, he says he loves us, but he says he's leaving. I'm confused. Or he keeps talking about his kingdom, his kingdom, his kingdom, but he's gonna die on a cross?
How does that work? Now can you relate to any of that? How many times have you said, okay, the Bible says God loves me, but with my circumstances it just doesn't look that way.
I know Jesus talks about abundant life, but with what I'm going through, I'm not experiencing it. I'm confused. I was going around the internet looking at different blogs this week, went across a few psychological blogs, and dealing with this whole issue of confusion and state of mind. There was all these psych students kind of weighing in, and one person decided to be very honest in this forum and talk about his confusion.
And he said, I am fuzzy. That's how my mind is much of the time. There are distracting thoughts that are constantly pulling me all over the place, which leaves me feeling frustrated and confused. But then he said there are times of clarity where my mind is sharp and clear, and I understand where I'm going, and he says, I'm happy. I'm not happy when I'm confused.
I am happy when I'm clear in my thoughts. And many students weighed in on what that meant. No real conclusion to it all.
But that sort of serves the point here. There's a confusion, and when that confusion comes, the joy is very hard to get a grip on. So what did the disciples do about it? Look at verse 17. They said among themselves, stop.
Huh. What did they do with their confusion? They talked their confusion out loud. They weren't afraid to say to each other, hey, Peter, John, James, I don't get it. Do you understand what he said?
Because I don't see it. They were not too proud to ask the question and admit their confusion. Now, I have met some people who are too proud to ask questions. Thus, they never get answers. I've met people who are too busy to discuss spiritual matters so they never grow to maturity. There's an old Chinese proverb that says, he who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. But he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. These disciples didn't get it.
They're confused, and they talk their confusion out loud to one another. That's healthy. That's good. Confusion can challenge joy. Here's the second. Promises can anchor joy. Now, I want you to watch this.
To me, it's quite stunning, actually. Verse 19. Jesus knew that they desired to ask him. And he said to them, Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said a little while, and you will not see me again a little while, and you will see me? Most assuredly, any time you read that or if you have the old King Jimmy, verily, verily, it's a profound statement of importance. What I'm about to say, boys, is important. Now, he makes a promise.
Most assuredly, I say to you, You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice, and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. What is stunning to me is that Jesus does not explain in detail what he had just said that they don't understand. He didn't say, Okay, here's what I meant by a little while and a little while. So here's the deal. Here's the eschatology. He didn't do that.
No real explanation. Instead, he gives them a promise. In fact, the first part of the promise is not very good. The second part of the promise is great, but the first part is, Okay, I know you're sorrowful now, and you're confused.
It's going to get a lot worse. You're going to get so sorrowful that you're going to want to weep and lament while the world rejoices, but here's the second part. Your sorrow will be transformed, changed, converted, turned into joy.
I've discovered something throughout the few years I've been alive. Promises are more important than explanations. We Americans want everything explained to us. We're not happy until it's explained. We want an explanation. Pastor, explain to me why God would allow this.
Okay, well, that's not good enough. I want a real explanation. One of the best books I ever read by Warren Wiersbe and his son David about how to minister to people with broken hearts, bereaved hearts. They've lost children or parents or spouses. Cautions the minister in this book not to try to offer long explanations of why God would allow this to happen.
At least don't do that, he says, at first. You can do it later on when they're ready for it, but at first, in the crisis, give them a promise, don't give them an explanation. Wiersbe writes, even if the minister can give a rational explanation for this tragedy, explanations do not heal a broken heart. People live on promises, not on explanations.
We don't need reasons, rather we need resources. So here's Jesus, and he gives them a promise of future joy. It's bad now, boys, it's gonna get worse, but it's gonna get really good after that. Now he gives them a promise of future joy, and it all hinges on a little phrase, and what is that little phrase that is repeated eight times in this one paragraph? It's the phrase, a little while. He keeps using that, and they keep using that, and then Jesus used it eight times, the phrase, a little while. You're gonna be happy in a little while. It's gonna get really bad, but in a little while, it's gonna get really good. So what does that mean?
When is a little while gonna happen? Well, I'm glad you asked. Indulge me, let me explain that there are three options.
You can pick which ones you think suit you the best or suit the text in the context the best. I'll tell you what I think. Number one, that this was going to be fulfilled immediately. Immediately, Jesus in a few hours would be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. They would become very sorrowful.
If Jesus would die on the cross, they would be extremely, lamentably sorrowful. Three days later, he's gonna rise from the dead, and when they see him alive from the dead, they're gonna go from sorrow to joy in an instant. Thanks for listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. We hope you've been strengthened in your walk with Jesus by today's program. Before we let you go, we want to remind you about this month's resource that will help you and the children in your life see the timeless story of Christ with fresh eyes.
Nate Heitzig's book, Christmas Under the Tree, with Foreword by Levi Lusko, is our thanks for your support of Connect with Skip Heitzig today. Request your copy when you give $25 or more. Call 800-922-1888.
That's 800-922-1888. Or visit connectwithskip.com slash donate. Did you know that you can find full message series and libraries of content from Skip Heitzig on YouTube? Simply visit the Connect with Skip Heitzig channel on YouTube, and be sure to subscribe to the channel so you never miss any new content. Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Skip Heitzig, weekend edition. Make a connection, make a connection at the foot of the cross and cast your burdens on His Word. Make a connection, connection. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
