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Shall we turn then to John's Gospel, chapter sixteen, please, and we'll read together the chapter. John's Gospel, chapter sixteen, reading from verse one. These things have I spoken unto you that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues, yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.
These things I said not unto you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to him that sent me, and none of you asketh me, whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 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. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Of sin because they believe not on me, of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more, of judgment because the prince of this world is judged.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot hear them now. How be it, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak from himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine. Therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall show it unto you. 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, has sorrow because her hour is come. But as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world. And you now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name, ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be fulfilled.
These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs or allegories, but the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name, and I say unto you that I will pray the Father for you. For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world. Again I leave the world and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly and speakest no proverb.
Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee, by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own home, and shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye have tribulation, but be of good cheer or courage. I have overcome the world. These words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come, glorify thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee.
The Lord will bless to us the reading of this very tender passage together. Before we come to consider briefly tonight this sixteenth chapter of John's gospel, for the sake of the young people who are with us, shall we just pay attention for a few moments to the setting of the chapter in this lovely Gospel according to John? I suppose most of us this evening are aware of the four aspects of the Lord Jesus brought before us by the four gospel writers. Matthew touches his sovereignty, Mark his service, Luke his sympathy, and it's given to John by the Spirit to bring before us the supremacy of our Lord Jesus.
He's none other than the only begotten Son of the Father. Now we find in our reading tonight that this sixteenth chapter concludes the teaching of the Lord Jesus generally in the upper room to his own, and it brings before us the analysis of the gospel, which is very beautiful indeed. From chapters one to twelve, we have the Lord's witness in the world. From chapters thirteen to sixteen, his words to his own. Chapter seventeen, his worship with the Father. Chapters eighteen and nineteen, his work upon the cross. And to include the history, chapters twenty and twenty one, we have his walk in resurrection.
So we find that chapter sixteen comes into the section where the Lord Jesus is primarily addressing himself to his own, and we often refer to it as the upper room ministry. Of course, at the close of chapter fourteen, the Lord Jesus said, even so I do, arise, let us go hence. So from that statement of the Lord Jesus, we can conclude that all the ministry wasn't necessarily given in the upper room, but I would suggest that you would agree with me tonight that it's upper room in character. It's ministry what has alone to do with the Lord's dear people. Now, it has been likened, this upper room ministry, to the tabernacle of old.
Chapter thirteen has been likened to the courtyard, chapters fourteen to sixteen the holy place, and chapter seventeen the holiest of all, where the Lord Jesus has beautiful communion with his Father. Now, when we come to the upper room ministry, we find that the ministry of the Lord Jesus was necessary for the upbuilding of his own, and we realize that from the questions that are asked from time to time. Remember, for instance, Thomas's question, Lord, we know not where thou goest, and how can we know the way? Later on, we find that Philip had difficulties, and he said, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Judas not is carried, he says later again, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us and not unto the world?
And from the context from which we have read tonight, the disciples together had difficulties when they said, what is this that he saith, a little while and ye shall not see me, and again a little while and ye shall see me. And time and again we have questions in our hearts as the Lord's people, as we're passing through this wilderness, drear and wild. And it's lovely just to sit down with his word and to hear his voice and to have fresh ministry to our hearts in order that we might be strengthened for the pilgrim journey, which may yet be ahead of us. So we find that to corout- counteract the difficulties and the questions that were in the disciples' mind.
So in chapter thirteen we have the fitness for the ministry, and there we have the basin and the bosom and the badge of discipleship. If you love one another, so shall you be my disciples. And from the fitness to hear the ministry, we come to chapter fourteen, where he brings before us the fellowship with the Father, and all that chapter has to do with fellowship with the Father. Chapter fifteen, the fruitfulness of his own. These things that we ought to produce from our life, which shows something of the fruits of the Spirit and something of the beauties of our Lord Jesus. Now we come to chapter sixteen, and here we have the features of the Spirit's ministry, and he anticipates the Spirit's ministry following the ministry of the Lord Jesus himself.
Beautiful ministry for the Lord's people, as we have appreciated even tonight in the cusery reading of such a beautiful chapter. Now we find that in the upper room ministry, he introduces them to truths regarding the Father's house. He unfolds things concerning himself. He speaks of the Father, of the attitude to fellow believers, of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, of the position of Israel as a nation, of the opposition from the world, of the movements of the evil one, and then at the close he brings before us the coming blessings and ministry of the presence of the Holy Spirit upon earth.
And we find that he refers to a little while, and they shall see him partially fulfilled in resurrection ground and fully fulfilled when the Lord Jesus comes to take his waiting people home. Now, as we peruse the upper room ministry, we find that the Lord Jesus, five times over, gives us the purpose for all Christian ministry. Shall we just look at it? Because two of them appear in the chapter that we have have under consideration tonight. First of all, we notice in chapter fourteen at verse twenty nine, the Lord Jesus says, these things have I spoken unto you, that when it come to pass, you might believe.
So the first purpose of Christian ministry is the strengthening of faith. So we find that the Lord Jesus gives this as a reason why he is ministering to them, that when it come to pass, that you might believe. So tonight, around the word of God, it is for the strengthening of faith. We come to chapter fifteen and verse eleven, and the Lord Jesus says, these things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full. So secondly, is for the sustaining of joy, that spiritual joy, an awareness of the presence and person and work of the Lord Jesus, and it brings spiritual joy into our hearts.
We move on to the beginning of the chapter that we're considering tonight, and here the Lord Jesus says, these things have I spoken that you should not be offended or stumbled. It's for the sweetening of our character, that there may not be the results in our life through the stumbling that the evil one would wish to have, but that we might look off unto the Lord Jesus and get our eyes fixed upon him. Then again, in the fourth verse of our chapter tonight, the Lord Jesus says, these things have I spoken unto you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. This is for the stirring of the mind. Now, if our mind is not taken up with spiritual things, and we haven't stored in our mind certain passages of scriptures and certain aspects of the Lord Jesus, and our gardener is not full, then in some sense this cannot be fulfilled.
For the stirring of our mind is in order that we might bring to remembrance in days of sickness and sadness the things that we've learned through the Holy Spirit, especially concerning the person of our Lord Jesus. And then at the close of our chapter, in verse thirty three, these things have I spoken that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer or courage. I have overcome the world. Here is for the sanctifying of our spirits. And so we see something of the purpose for which all Christian ministry should be given. Now, hastily, we come to chapter sixteen. And as we look at this chapter, I'm going to suggest tonight that perhaps helpfully we could divide it into four sections.
Now, I know generally it is accepted at verse one to eleven forms the first portion, and then from chapter twelve onwards, verse twelve onwards, we have the counteraction to the things that are handled in the first eleven verses. But I'm going to suggest tonight, to keep fresh in the things of God, that from verses one to five we have the opposition from the nation of Israel. From verses six to fifteen we have the outline of the Spirit's ministry. From verses sixteen to twenty two we have the order of coming events. And then in a beautiful, eh, epilogue in verses twenty three to thirty three, we have the opportunity for prayer and progress in the things of God.
So then, for the sake of the young people tonight, in chapter sixteen concluding the upper room ministry, his ministry to his own heartwarming ministry from the lips of the Lord Jesus himself. He's now concluding the ministry by bringing before them again the opposition that they're going to experience, especially from the nation of Israel. Secondly, to counteract that, he's going to outline to them the outline of the Spirit's ministry when he comes, the Lord Jesus, having been raised and seated at God's right hand. From verses sixteen to twenty two, he's going to touch the order of coming events.
In a little while you shall not see me, and a little while you shall see me. And then eventually at the end, to conclude the ministry, he's going to speak of opportunities for prayer and progress in spiritual things. This is the kind of epilogue we would expect from such glorious ministry from the Prince of Preachers. And so all godly men wish that this would be the results of their ministry to the Lord's people, that there may be opportunities privately to have communion with God and to progress in the things of God and to appreciate God's ways and purposes in the person and through the work of our Lord Jesus.
So then now, we'll just look at the first section very briefly. From verses one to five, we have the opposition from the nation of Israel, and the Lord Jesus says, these things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended or stumbled. Now, the idea for stumbling here is not so much the shock at the stumbling, but the effects that the stumbling might have in later years. He's wanted to counteract the evil results in the heart which has been stumbled for the time being. So then the Lord Jesus says, these things have I spoken unto you. Now he's referring, of course, to the closing section of the previous chapter, where he's been speaking about the opposition that they're going to have when he is raised to be with the Father.
Now you'll notice at verse eighteen he says, if the world hate you, ye know that it hated me. So that's consolation point number one, the fact that they hated him first of all, before they would hate his followers. The second consolation in chapter fifteen, verse, um, um nineteen, is the fact that they are not of the world, but they have been chosen by the Lord Jesus out of the world. How do we expect then, in our Christian position, not to have opposition from that quarter? Again, thirdly, in verse twenty, he says, if they persecuted me and I'm your Lord, then of course the servant is not above his Lord, they will also persecute you.
Again, fourthly, in verse twenty one, he's been reminded them, but all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. Then in the next verse, he takes it further, and he says they have no cloak for their sin because of the fact he has come and has spoken to them. Then again, we find in verse twenty four, he says they are both seen and hated, both me and my father. And in a beautiful way, continuing the argument in the next verse, he says, of course, it's a fulfillment of Old Testament scriptures. They hated me without a cause, but when the comforter has come.
So in that section, he's largely been warning them about the opposition that they're going to receive from the world at large. And he brings in the ministry of the Holy Spirit as a little consolation at the end. Now, in chapter sixteen, he's going to reverse it. He's going to speak in a little way about the opposition, especially from the nation of Israel apostatizing from the Lord, and he's going to expand the consolation, and he's going to bring before them in a large chapter something of the ministry and work of our blessed Holy Spirit. So then, these things have I spoken unto you. He has already been talking about opposition from the world.
Now we find in this section he talks about the reason for their cruelty. We have a tremendous paradox here. They shall put you out of the synagogue, yea, and time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. That's religious service. That's the situation that the Saul of Tarsus found themselves in, and he communicated it in the castle steps when he spoke about the fact of the zeal that he had towards God, and he persecuted those of the way even unto death. So then we find that before the Lord met Saul of Tarsus, he was doing the self same thing. The religious opposition to those who had come into beautiful living relationship with the Son and with the Father.
And the reason was this, that they thought they were doing God's service. And we can find that today from religious quarters, thinking that they're doing God's service, and they're the greatest opponents to the truth which is alone to be found in the person of the Lord Jesus. And so the Lord Jesus, with respect to opposition from Judaism, he says, here's the reasons for the cruelty, because they think that they're doing God religious service. But the next verse is tremendous. Here we have the reversal of their claims, and these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me.
Isn't that tremendous and arresting? They thought they were doing God's service, but now there was a further revelation. Judaism was about to be laid aside, and the Lord Jesus, as it were, before the time, is introducing the disciples into this new relationship with the Father, and the realization of their cruelty and opposition of Judaism particularly was because of the fact that they had not known the Father nor known me. You see, this gives a third dimension to the ministry of God's word to his people tonight. There are many religious bigots in the world, and many of them living reasonably good lives, and they think that they're doing God religious service.
But at the same time, we feel from our discernment that most of them know not the Lord Jesus, nor have they been brought in to the intimacy of fellowship with the Father. So it comes as a consolation to us tonight in this little section dealing with the opposition from Judaism to the Lord's disciples. The reasons for the cruelty, they thought they were doing God religious service. The reversal of the claims, it was simply because they knew not the Son nor the Father. Then in verse four, we have the reminder of his communication. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, that ye may remember that I told you of them.
And these things I have said not at the beginning, that's Matthew ten— but from the beginning in his ministry upon earth, I said these things because I was with you. So here we have the ministry of the Lord Jesus. This was their hour, but the Lord Jesus is showing some consolation with respect to the opposition from Judaism. First of all, their reasons for it, but the reversal of their claims, the remembrance of the words of the Lord Jesus, and then in verse five, to conclude the section, we have a rebuke from the Lord himself. But now I go my way to him that sent me, and none of you asketh me, whither goest thou?
It needs tender ministry for this, and the tender ministry of the Lord Jesus met the need in the disciples as he takes them step by step in their appreciation of himself and of the Father. He says, I go away, but none of you asketh whither goest thou? They were taken up with their difficulties and their sorrows and their questions, instead of being taken up with the Lord. And this might be the antidote to difficulties in many assemblies today, that we are taken up with many things, when perhaps the solution to the problem would be that together we might be taken up with him. Hebrews chapter twelve, looking off unto Jesus, the originator and completer of the complete pathway of faith.
So, brethren and sisters, in this wintry night tonight, the antidote, the counteraction to difficulties and problems and wondering where we are, and they didn't, as it were, ask the Lord Jesus whether he was going, and the Lord Jesus gently rebukes them. He wanted them to be aware of where he was going and the results of him going there and the blessings of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, which is yet future. So then, at the opening of the chapter, we have the idea of the opposition that they're going to experience from the nation, and the Lord Jesus reverses matters, and he gently rebukes his people, and instead of being taken up with their difficulties and with their questions and problems, they should have paid attention to what he was saying and be led into further truth concerning himself and the Father that he desired now to reveal to them.
Now, hastily, we come to the second section from verses six to fifteen, and here the Lord Jesus now expands the outline of the Spirit's ministry and a day which is yet to come. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away, for I go not away, the comforter or the paraclete will not come unto you, and if I depart, I will send him unto you. Now we agree with the equality of the Godhead, but there's a certain order, especially in Revelation. The Son reveals the Father, and the Spirit of God takes the things which are Christ's and reveals them unto us.
The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Now the Son is talking about sending the blessed Holy Spirit, this beautiful order of revelation within the Godhead. And so we notice that he's speaking now in consolation to the opposition that they were going to receive, that he that was going to be in them was far greater than he would be against them. And he's talking now about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. My dear brethren and sisters in the meeting tonight, when last did you hear ministry on the person and work of the Holy Spirit? That's the third person of the Godhead who makes Christ real unto us and comes within us and seeks to unfold to us the spiritual things that we desire to learn.
We sing and sing truthfully, Spirit of God, my teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me. And young people in the meeting tonight, take time to be holy. Speak oft with your Lord. Take time in things which are essentially spiritual. Allow the Spirit of God room in your life to bring before you the glories of the Christ. So then, in the outline of the Spirit's ministry, we find that he tells us, first of all, that it's in two parts. First of all, there's a ministry to the world, and secondly, there's a ministry to God's people. And we find that the Word of God in John sixteen tells us this, that the Spirit of God, when he comes, first of all, he's going to minister to the world and then for the believer.
The first part is going to be conviction, the second is going to be comfort. In the first, it's exposing their sin, in the second, it's the expounding of the scriptures. In the first, it's to stir up to conviction, in the second, it's to build up to character like Christ. In the first, it's restricted, in the second, there's no restrictions. And so we find a beautiful balance of the Spirit's ministry. So first of all, then, we have the ministry to the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. And the Lord Jesus expounds what that means, so we don't require to bring anything into it of our own reasoning.
He says, first of all, of sin, because they believe not in me. Now that's very beautiful, isn't it? So then we find that the sin that he lays to their charge is this, the particular sin of their refusal to believe in the only begotten Son of God. This is John's language. The, the order in John's writings is very beautiful. His style is peculiar, it's very spiritual. It takes a spiritual man to have fellowship with John because he's essentially taken up with the fellowship that we have with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ. So talking about the Spirit's ministry to the world, it's convicting, and it's bringing a demonstration of the true position of men in unbelief before God.
And first of all, he says, it's of sin because they believe not in me. He's bringing before them their unbelief with respect to the person and work of the Lord Jesus. This is the greatest sin of all, unbelief with respect to the person of the Lord Jesus. Now time is going. We would like to say more about that. We might be able to touch it at the question time. Then secondly, he talks about righteousness, because I go to my Father and you see me no more. So the world at large, Judaism in particular, came to wrong decisions about the Lord Jesus. They, as it were, judged him with respect to treason, and secondly, blasphemy.
First of all, because he made himself a king, and secondly, because he claimed himself to be the Son of God. And so the righteous standing of Christ, his very character, was in view, and it says that he was numbered with the transgressors, transgressors, and he made his grave with the wicked, but he was with the rich man in his death. And the resurrection proved that they were wrong in their attitude towards the Lord Jesus. It's the righteousness of Christ that was at stake, and God vindicated his son when he raised him from the dead and seated him in priestly glory at his own right hand, and he brings it before the unsaved with power of righteousness, because I go back to the Father.
It's the righteousness, the holiness, the peculiar beauties, the perfections of Christ that are at stake, and he brings it before the world in all the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. And thirdly, of judgment, because the prince of this age is judged. The Lord Jesus said already in the upper room ministry, the prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in me. John in his first letter brings before us one of two tremendous identities in Holy Scripture. The first one is this, the believer is in Christ. The second one, the world is in the wicked one.
John Macalmon in early days tells a story that he used to minister, that he was in the arms of the wicked one, and the late John Ma- eh, McDonald of Elam Hall, Glasgow said, thank you for the ministry, but remember the perfection of scriptures. The world is in the wicked one. It's an identity. So we see something of the satanic move behind the rejection of the Lord Jesus and of judgment because the prince of this age is judged. Hebrews chapter two verse fourteen brings before us the fact that he was judged at Calvary, and he was, as it were, annulled. His power was annulled, very much alive, but at the same time he has had his power annulled because of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
And the Lord is teaching the disciples that he was behind the rejection by the world of the Savior, of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. Tremendous ministry. Oh, that we might see it in effect in our gospel meetings these days. Of sin because you believe not in me. Of righteousness because I go back to the Father and you see me no more. Of judgment because the prince of this world is already judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot hear them now. So here is the first part of the Spirit's ministry, this convicting ministry, this demonstration as to that error in refusing and rejecting the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How be it when he, the Spirit of truth, has come? Surely there's no one in the meeting tonight upset about the fact of the possibility of the Holy Spirit not being a divine person. In chapter sixteen, when he, and one of his many titles here is the Spirit of truth, the one who's going to unfold to us the truth concerning particularly the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then we come as a counteraction to the second part of his ministry. This time it's not a demonstration into the world as to their error in rejecting the Lord Jesus, but here now it's beautiful ministry to those who have accepted him, and you'll find a fourfold aspect of the Spirit's ministry.
First of all, it's soundness. He will guide you into all truth. That's the soundness of his ministry. The Spirit of God never teaches two different things. He only teaches one thing, giving beautiful unity to the Holy Scriptures. So then he's only going to touch truth. You see, truth and error is one thing, but the truth and the lie is another. So he's unfolding things which are associated with the truth concerning the person of God. So then he says, first of all, as to the soundness of his teaching, he shall lead you into all truth.
Oh, young men in a meeting tonight, give time for the Spirit of God to guide you into all truth. I've got books in the house, and I love to look at them from time to time, but any little that I've learned over the years is because of time taken at the book. And remember the translations that you use. Keep to the good translations that go back more to the original scriptures and rightly divide them and enhance them and show you the truth in a most wonderful way. So then we find that the Spirit's ministry, first of all, as to its soundness, he'll guide you into all truth. And then secondly, what about its source? Well, he says, for he shall not speak from himself.
Now, some take that as of himself and would teach the inferiority of the Holy Spirit. Now, he's not speaking of himself, he's speaking from himself. In other words, the things that he sees in the Godhead, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. And so we see the source of his teaching is from God himself. The source is God. He's taking it from the unity of the Godhead, and he's revealing it to us. That's the only source that I'm happy about. The source from which the Spirit gets his teaching. And then secondly, he will show you things to come. Now that's what the Lord Jesus was trying to bring the disciples into, to appreciate the things that are about to come as a result of his burial and resurrection and ascension to the Father.
It's preparatory ministry. It's with a view to them getting ready for the next move. That was his further teaching through the Spirit by the apostles. And so he says he'll show you things to come. There's no restriction with respect to the Spirit's ministry. And here's the scope of his ministry. He'll bring you into and show you and demonstrate, announce, report to you things to come. And last of all, what about his subject? It's none other than the person of the Lord Jesus. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and he shall show it unto you, all things that the Father hath of mine.
Therefore, said I, he shall take of mine, and he shall show them unto you. Here's the subject of his teaching. It's the person of the Lord Jesus. It's the second stage of the revelation. The Lord Jesus said with respect to the first stage, he that has seen me has seen the Father. No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Now it's the second stage of his ministry in the progress of doctrine in the New Testament, and the spirit's now coming because Jesus is. This is the great mark of the present day. God's Son is at right hand, and the Spirit of God is here in the believer and guiding us into all truth.
As to the soundness, it's truth. As to the source, the things that he sees and hears, that shall he teach us. As to the scope, things which are yet to come. As to its subject, twice over, he'll take of the things which are mine, and he shall reveal them unto you. And so, concluding this lovely section of the outline of the Spirit's ministry, first of all to the world, and then in a beautiful way to the believer, we find that the Lord Jesus says as in, in conclusion, all things that the Father hath are mine. Therefore says I that he shall take of mine, and he shall report, or he shall announce it unto you. Isn't this most beautiful for the present day in which we live?
May the Lord give us the grace to pray and to wait the time for the Spirit of God to unfold to us Christ in all the scriptures. Now we come to the third section, time is going, verses sixteen to twenty two. And here we have the Lord Jesus bringing before them directly the order of events, the fact that in a little time they shall not see him, and then a little while and they shall see him. Now, first of all, we find from verses sixteen to nineteen, three times over there is repeated the fact, a little while and ye shall not see me, and a little while and ye shall see me.
And so we find that he says, now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, that is to inquire, to, to request. But later on in prayer, the word is changed, and it means to make a petition. In fact, I do trust that someone will be touching the differentiation of the Greek words in the chapter. Time forbids us to touch them here in the ministry of the word. In fact, there are some words in the New Testament that are only found in John sixteen, and there's a play in John sixteen on certain words, which is a feature of John's writings. I say we may be able to touch that in the consideration in the later part of the meeting. And so we find that the fact of the matter is this, that a little while you shall not see me, and a little while you shall.
Now, first of all, as I indicated already, he's talking about his revelation on resurrection ground, but at the same time, I think the Lord has in view his final return, when you shall finally see him and be with him. He's guiding them now, step by step, in their appreciation, first of all, of his person, and now as to coming events, but they were still taken up with their present difficulties, and they couldn't appreciate the words of the Lord Jesus at the time. So then we'd expect, if we have the facts of coming events brought before us, which characterize this age, the Son has ascended and the Spirit of God has descended.
That's the mark of the present age of which we live. Now, in verse twenty, following the facts, we have the feelings. Verily, verily, I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. And ye in fatigue shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. So here is a different attitude and aspect in the believer's life. Because of the fact that the Lord is absent, there should be a sense of sorrow about us and yet anticipation, as we've been singing so heartily tonight together. Our Lord is absent, and we should be as those who are waiting for the bridegroom's voice. And so the Lord Jesus said, here's the feelings, and he talks about the fact that they would have sorrow while the world rejoiced.
In spite of his difficulties as it's in tonight, the world is still in a measure rejoicing, and the Lord's people in many places are burdened and were just waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus. First of all, in the rapture, to take his waiting people out of this godless scene, and then in the advent to come and put things right upon earth. We're waiting for a man. The man of sin will come first, but we are waiting for the Son of Man. The harlot will be brought in first, but we are meeting the, eh, wonderful revelation of the bride. And so it's beautiful, the consolations of scriptures. The feelings were right. You will be sorrow and you'll be sad when the world rejoices, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
There's always consolations in the pilgrim pathway. This is the way the Savior trod. Shall not the servant tread it still? So in verse twenty, we have the feelings. Now in verse twenty one, the Lord Jesus brings in the figure, the woman in travail. Isn't this very beautiful? There are many saints feeling like this today, spiritually. An old sister was lifted up for the meetings in Dunfermline by her dear brother Jim Burnett. She's in her nineties, and going to the meeting, she said, James, I'm glad I'm about to go out of this scene rather than come into it. And you know, I think many of the Lord's people are feeling at that today. Here's the figure.
He has already used the figure of the temple, and he's already used the figure of the vine and the figure of a house, but now he's using the figure of a woman in travail, the great sorrow until the man child is born, and then she forgets her anguish because a man child has been born into the world. What a beautiful illustration. We are perhaps going through the birth pangs today. The Apostle Paul did it again with respect to the Galatians, and many of us know what it is to go through these, eh, movements, spiritually speaking, but there's a day coming when, when the Son is revealed, there'll be great consolation of heart. The figure is very beautiful. And to conclude the section at verse twenty two, the Lord Jesus says, and you know, and ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
Is this a word for some dear saint in the meeting tonight? I will see you again. The Lord Jesus is coming. Sweet consolation for that days. The Lord is coming. Beautiful conclusion to this third section of the order of events following the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Five minutes left, we come hastily to the final section. The opportunity for prayer and progress from verses twenty three to the end of the chapter. Now, first of all, in verses twenty three and twenty four, he talks about the request in prayer. In that day you shall ask me nothing. Verily I say unto you, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Now he's talking about prayers in the present age, and they were going to ask in his name, and he doesn't necessarily need to request the Father for the answers, although in his priestly ministry he can do that, but he's trying to guide them into the idea of a relationship with the Father. And there's going to be a time when they're going to say, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Young men, in addressing God, give him his rightful place, be reverent in your approach, in your prayers and your thanksgivings. As far as priesthood is concerned, we approach our God in prayers and supplications. We come to the Father.
And so, in a sense tonight, we are brought into this beautiful relationship, as the Lord Jesus did in the pattern prayer. Our Father, which art in heaven. That is the idea of relationship. Hallowed be thy name. That's reverence. Thy kingdom come, that's readiness. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, and so on. These are the characteristics of our prayers. And so he's talking about requesting in prayer, in that day you shall ask me nothing. Verily I say unto you, whether you should ask the Father, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name. Ask and ye shall receive.
And then in verse twenty five, not only have we the idea of our requests and our prayers, but we have a revelation of the Father. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs, but the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, I will show you plainly of the Father. Isn't that beautiful? This is the beautiful results of the Christian era. We've been brought into the good of relationship with the Father. What a counteraction to a difficult day in the ob- office or in the workshop, just to go home at night and to address the Father, and to realize that you're in the family of God, and all the blessings and privileges that come through fellowship with the Father is very beautiful.
And then we have the relationship with the Father. Look at verse twenty six and seven: uh At that day you shall ask in my name, and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me and have believed that I come out from being with the Father. Here's the Father's love for those who love the Son. Here's the believer being brought into the beautiful, a sphere of lovely fellowship. The fellowship of love is tremendous. The Father's love for the Son, and at the end of John fourteen, the Son's love for the Father, and God's love for the world, and the Lord Jesus' love for the assembly, and our individual love for him.
What cycles of love. And so he brings us into this beautiful relationship with the Father. For the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God. Here is the Father at one with those who have right thoughts concerning his Son. Isn't that beautiful? And then we move on because time is beating us. We come to a realization amongst the disciples. I came forth from the Father, and I have come unto the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. He's speaking plainly. He's talking about the significance of the little while. He came out from the Father into the world.
He's now about to leave the world and go back to the Father. And then the disciples say in a measure, now are we sure that thou knowest all things? It's almost the words of Martha in chapter eleven. And needest not that any man should ask thee, but this we believe, that thou camest out from God. They need a little further teaching, don't they? They're so slow to appreciate the wonderful privileges that they're going to be brought into by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit. And Jesus makes a beautiful exclamation. Do you now believe? There's a sense in which he's aware of their unwillingness to be taken along in the teaching.
Many a time I have to confess that at night, that we're so dull that we cannot, as it were, find ourselves in the position to be taken into new truth. We want to hold on to what we've already got and almost legalize it. The Lord Jesus says, don't legalize what you've already got. Allow the Spirit to teach you something fresh in the things of God. Isn't that a beautiful conclusion to the passage? It's an anticipation of the Spirit's ministry. And so the Lord Jesus ends again with a very slight, mild rebuke. Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come that ye shall be scattered, every one to his own home, and ye shall leave me alone. There's always failure in behalf of the believer.
There's always failure in behalf of those who would take up the yoke of discipleship, but the close of the beautiful ministry, there's never any failure in the Lord. And so the Lord Jesus says beautifully, yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. And you know, on the cross he offered himself without spot to God. He was always in fellowship with the Father. The union of the Father and Son could never be broken, but as a representative man, his God turned his back from him. So we see something of the, eh, distinguishing things that differ. And although the Lord Jesus was left alone, he was not alone. The Father was with him, and the Father always delighted in his fellowship with the Son.
And then the Lord Jesus gives the fifth and the final reason why he's been teaching them in the upper room. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good courage. I have overcome the world. My dear brother and sister, there's never a time in our history when we needed a ministry like this. Did you ever think you would be spared to see the world in the mess in which it's in, both nationally and internationally, with respect to every facet of government, we are wondering where the world is going. Of course, it's getting ready for the Antichrist and the man of sin.
And we have tribulation in the world, I trust we have, by witnessing well to the Lord Jesus. And those of us are, are, are still in business know something about that. And you see, if we witness well and we allow the world to give us our proper place because we're separated from it, then we know something of the consolation from all the difficulties in the world, by just knowing the presence of the Lord Jesus and following his ministry and realizing that in an awareness of our union with him, bringing from our prayers and consideration of the world sweet peace and consolation and love and all the counteracting blessings in a wicked scene, just to walk with him and to hear his voice and to keep close to him until he comes to take us home.
Harry Bell didn't often quote a, a verse of a hymn, but he often said, he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own, and the joys we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known. That's the counteraction to the world in which we live, just to hear the Lord's voice, to take and embrace his teaching, to find ourselves near with the Father and the Son, and to enjoy sweet spiritual consolation as a foretaste of the time when he'll come and usher us into his presence forever. May the Lord bless our short consideration of the closing words of the Lord Jesus in the Upper Room Ministry.