John 16

This devotional is written by Bek Taylor-Blackford.

'All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, "Where are you going?" 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12 'I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.'

The disciples' grief will turn to joy
16 Jesus went on to say, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.'

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, 'What does he mean by saying, "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me," and "Because I am going to the Father"?' 18 They kept asking, 'What does he mean by "a little while"? We don't understand what he is saying.'

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, 'Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me"? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

25 'Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, 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 entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.'

29 Then Jesus' disciples said, 'Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.'

31 'Do you now believe?' Jesus replied. 32 'A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33 'I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.'

I take great comfort in Bible passages where the disciples seem confused, largely because I, too, find lots of things in life and faith confusing. This passage is one of those where the disciples and I are left asking 'what does he mean?' In the text, Jesus speaks about a time when he 'will return to the one who sent him' and wider Church doctrine speaks of a time when Jesus will return to us. For now, though, we live in the in-between: the liminal space between Jesus' ascension and his return (another thing I find confusing). But we're not alone. Jesus promises the disciples and, by extension, us, that one will come who will advocate for us and guide us in truth - the Holy Spirit (who I also happen to find confusing).

Looking at the world around us can be overwhelming; it seems a far cry from the kingdom values we read about in Scripture. I long for a world characterized not by division, power and hate but one defined by peace, justice, joy and love. Though Jesus tells us to 'take heart for [he] has overcome the world' it is sometimes difficult not to feel despair.

Perhaps we need to remind ourselves again that we are not alone. We don't need to understand everything in the Bible - what the ascension means or how the Holy Spirit works - to trust God's word. Faith doesn't need to show its working. So, in the midst of all my confusion, I pray: Holy Spirit, come.