The Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 21, 2024
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 21, 2024
This passage repeats itself as it recounts Jesus giving these words to his disciples, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” Jesus says them to the disciples; the disciples say them to one another; and Jesus says them again. In that ancient middle eastern culture, to say something three times made it a reality. Jesus’ going away and his coming again are a reality his disciples will experience and endure. To cement this reality into the minds of his disciples, Jesus gives them the concrete example of a woman giving birth. The anguish of the delivery does not compare to the joy of having the child. The Apostle Paul uses the same analogy as he writes, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Ro. 8:27). The author of Hebrews delivers a similar pronouncement, “Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…” (He. 12:2). The pattern is obvious: sorrow now, joy later… anguish now, rejoicing later… faith now, sight later… cross now, glory later…
In the immediate context of this passage from John 16, Jesus’ “see me no longer” refers to his death and entombment while his “you will see me” refers to his resurrection and subsequent appearances. In the larger context, Jesus’ not being seen and his being seen once again can be applied to his ascension where he was “taken from their sight” (Acts 1:9) and then to his coming again “with great power and glory” (Mk. 13:26). This larger context includes us. You and I live as the disciples did on Holy Saturday. Jesus is gone from their sight; they are in sorrow and anguish. The cross is their immediate reality. Yet… they have the promise of the resurrection. You and I live out the days of our baptism as one long Holy Saturday. We endure its sorrow, anguish, and cross because the joy of the resurrection has been set before us. So that you and I would have faith to sustain us until that day of “great power and glory,” the Holy Spirit comes in the words of our preacher.
Table Talk: Discuss how being a “Holy Saturday” people is different from being an “Easter People.”
Pray: Heavenly Father, sustain me in faith that I would endure the cross and its shame until that great day. Amen
John 16:16-22
16 A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me. 17 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? 18 So they were saying, What does he mean by a little while? We do not know what he is talking about. 19 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? 20 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. 21 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. 22 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.