Jubilate 2008 - John 20:19-31
Vicar Christopher Gillespie
Immanuel Lutheran Church of Frankentrost
Saginaw, Michigan
Jubilate - Easter 4 (April 13, 2008)
Text: John 16:16-22; Isaiah 40:25-31; 1 Peter 2:11-20
Grace and peace be to you from our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
In the Gospel just read from the evangelist St. John; Jesus speaks with His disciples in cryptic language. “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” Both He and His disciples repeat the phrase twice in an attempt to come to an understanding. But, Jesus doesn’t leave them confused. He clearly explains that this Word should not cause them grief but is given for their comfort. It is a Gospel Word of unending joy not just for the disciples but also for you, most fitting for this blessed Eastertide. Let us pray:
Gracious Father, the Apostles grieved the death of Your Son Jesus but you turned their sorrow into joy in His resurrection. In the midst of the travails of this life, You have given us new life in our baptism that we may be born into Your promised joy of heaven. Amen.
Jesus is in the midst of his farewell discourse on the night in which He was betrayed. The disciples know something is up. Jesus broke bread and instituted His supper. He speaks of betrayal. He predicts Peter’s denial. He gives them a New Commandment. He promises to send them His Spirit. Despite Jesus’ talk of the future and His past predictions of His death and resurrection, their vision is clouded by the darkness of that night. They cannot see past the coming gloom of Good Friday to the glorious light of the resurrection on Easter morn.
We can imagine this lack of comfort in the departure of your master and mentor. All this talk of Jesus leaving and returning to the Father has the disciples spooked. They rightly fear the coming days when their rock and fortress is gone in the flesh. Who will preach to the multitudes? Who will heal the sick? Who will raise the dead?
He has brought many into fellowship with Him when He preached on the Mount, in the Temple, and upon the Plain. He brought sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and tongues to the mute. He called dead Lazarus from the grave. Their limited vision sees these miracles as an end unto themselves. They see Him restoring life only on earth.
“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.” (John 16:16) The disciples remain confused. They still expect Him to remain and triumph over their earthly enemies. Jesus, perceiving their confusion says “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” (John 16:20)
He offers these words to comfort them, preparing them for the future. They should know what to expect. In a little while they will not see Him. They will weep and lament. But, this time will be short, for they will see Him again as He comes on the Spirit’s wings.
Yet, they remain confused simply because they do not know the end of the story. Jesus speaks of future events in figurative language. They lack the interpretive tool to know what He truly means. They don’t know about Easter but are stuck on Maundy Thursday. But after Easter, all things will be revealed to them as they walk with him on the Emmaus Road. No longer will His speech be clouded in mystery but will be understood only in light of the true key of Biblical interpretation, His death, and resurrection.
Jesus is not the disciples’ earthly Messiah but the heavenly Messiah. He is not here but has risen and has gone to the right hand of the Father. To His disciples, His absence mean the absence of His gifts. They trust in what they see and not what they hear.
To help the weak of faith, the Father sends the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. He has promised them a Helper, the Spirit of truth. He will not leave them orphans but will come to them and dwell with them forever. (John 14:18) He will teach them all things and bring to remembrance all things that He said to them. By the Spirit, Jesus, and His gifts of Word, healing, and restoration continue even into our day.
“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 joy that a human being has been born into the world.” (John 16:21)
As you know, we are expecting the birth of our fifth child in a couple of weeks. Jesus’ comforting words resonate. The words of Jesus speak even more to the mother who has never before given birth. For, she cannot see or know what lies ahead. When she is in labor, she hopes that her child will be delivered safely and her life will be preserved. But she does not know. She has never labored before.
Even for a new mother, she can labor with confidence, knowing that she was delivered as was her mother before her. Generations have been born through the sorrow and pain of the woman in labor. There may be some fear of the unknown pain of labor, but she is reassured by the mothers who surround her in delivery.
We saints on earth have the benefit of a later perspective with the evangelists who witnessed the resurrection. Unlike the disciples, we know what Jesus meant by “a little while.” We know that Jesus will shortly leave this world by death on Good Friday. But, it will be only a little while, three days, and he will return from the grave in His resurrection on Easter Morning. That time too will be short, only fifty days, and He will leave again and return to the Father on Ascension day.
Without our faithful perspective, we might consider these events the end. But “a little while” is given to the disciples and to us for our comfort. Mark Christ’s words, “and again, a little while and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” We know Christ is raised from the dead “according to the Scriptures.” We know He “ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.” When will we see Him? In but a little while, we too will die and be resurrected by Him to dwell with our Heavenly Father, “the life of the world to come.”
For our comfort, Christ rephrases the sweet words as an illustration: “[A woman], as soon as she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the anguish…” Our heavenly bliss, basking in the Light of the World will swallow up the darkness of this life. Our grief is but for a little while. You now have sorrow; but Christ will see you through this labor until you are delivered safely into His heavenly kingdom. There, our heart will rejoice. There, no one will take your joy from you; it will be forever.
Hear the word of the LORD, You who tremble at His word:
Your God says, “Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory.”
For thus says the LORD:
“ Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:5-13)
One mother’s sorrow turned to joy when her child was born. For of the child of that mother, many exclaimed: “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts which nursed You!” (Luke 11:27) For by one birth, the one male child born unto Zion, both the mother and her children are redeemed. The Word incarnate was born of Mary in flesh so that all may hear and keep the Word of God… that Word which grants forgiveness… that bespeaks us righteous… that casts away all doubts and fears of this present labor with promise of our resurrection, our new birth.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Therefore, He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel.
And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth; And this One shall be peace. (Micah 5:2-5)
The one born of Zion, out of Bethlehem is the Good Shepherd of the flock. In Him is peace. By His bride, we are born into the Christian faith. Nicodemus asked, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:3-6)
We are children of faith, the child within the womb of the church, our mother. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, a new Adam was made within us. Our flesh was recreated, not for carnal desires but to live in loving service to God and our neighbor. We were conceived in the waters of her womb, the basin of the font, and will be delivered into new life with God. This gestation will be but for a little while until the day we pass through from this present darkness to the light of heavens. The trial of this life is but for a little while and the glory eternal.
St. Paul writes:
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But, if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans 8:18-25)
You do not see our Lord for He has gone to the Father. But, you have His Spirit and the Word of His testimony is truth. In faith, you persevere in this pregnant labor, knowing the end is near. You will have sorrow for a little while, but you are born of the Spirit and are being made ready by your baptism for life eternal. Christ will see you again, delivered safely into His house. Your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. May it be as you have promised! + In the name of Jesus. + Amen.
May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.
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