O gracious Heavenly Father, who knows our needs even before we come to Your Throne of Grace, You know better than we ourselves how hard it is for us to look beyond present circumstances – especially when we are facing trials, pains, hardship and grief. Thus, we humbly ask that our great Helper, the Holy Spirit, will ever keep before us a sure and living hope based upon our Savior’s victory and Your sure promises. To that end bless now our meditations upon Your holy Word, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our victorious Savior and ever-loving Redeemer, dear friends:

The latter part of the blessed words of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ, in today’s Gospel reading can be very well summarized by the words inspired by the Holy Spirit in Psalm 126: 5, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." As some of us know from firsthand experience, when everything seems to be going awry, a promise like this at first may well seem to be utter foolishness. That certainly was true of Jesus’ disciples.

When Jesus told His followers that they were about to be torn by grief, but in a little while their heartache would turn to joy, it was near the end of the third year of our Savior’s public ministry. More and more of the folks who had sought out Jesus were turning away after hearing some of Christ’s hard statements. There was also increasing opposition to their Master by the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem. That was troubling enough. But now their hearts and minds were troubled and confused by Jesus’ telling them that they would not see Him for a little while because He was going to His Father. What led to their pain and confusion?

It certainly was not due to our Savior’s failed attempts to prepare them for what lay ahead. On a number of previous occasions reported in the Gospels, Christ told His disciples that He – the Son of Man – would be taken captive, grossly mistreated, and be put to death, but on the 3^rd day He would come back alive. He stated that plainly and clearly. In today’s text our Savior once again lays out what is ahead both for Him and for them. Recall His words: "In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me." [John 16:16] Obviously Jesus was referring to His impending death and resurrection, but the disciples had put those prior revelations of Jesus out of their minds. That was one of the factors leading to their confusion and the depth of their grief when their Lord was taken captive and killed on the cross. Likewise when we fail to remember God’s promises, we can get confused and our distress increases in the day of trouble.

What else may have led to their bewilderment and anguish? The clear answer from Scripture is their sinful and corrupt hearts and minds. But let me make that sinful failing more concrete. What is it that causes agony and pain and grief when things don’t go our way? A number of individuals through the years have delved deeply into what’s behind their distress in very difficult times besides their physical and/or emotional pain. They courageously shared with me their self-discovery. I have to confess that their self-revelations were very painful to me because their discovery also unmasked my own sinful and fallible self. What "stirs up the pot" so often is that we rebel against not being in control. The fact is that we are deeply distressed when we cannot ourselves set the course of events and dictate how and when what we desire will take place. This need for control has its roots all the way back in Adam and Eve in the Garden, who fell into temptation when they wanted to be "be like God." [Cf. Genesis 3:5] They passed on this original sin, this mindset, to all their descendents. That includes you and me.

Beloved, it takes not only a great deal of courage, but also the gift of none other than the Holy Spirit to hear and personally take to heart what I am now about to say to you. This frame of mind that we should have control in our lives is nothing less than idolatry. It’s another attempt by the old sinful nature to be equal with God, who alone has the rule and final word in all things. For this and all other sins each of us deserves nothing but everlasting separation from God and eternal agony in hell. From that, dear Father in heaven, mercifully deliver us!

We also thank God that we have this sure and living hope: The "little while" of our earthly pilgrimage compared to eternity may well have other "little whiles" of grief and testing for us, but the day is coming for us who trust Jesus as Savior and His forgiveness that we will see Him with our own eyes on the Last Day. Then our grief will be turned to joy that never ends. As we heard in today’s Epistle, in heaven "He [i.e., JESUS] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." [Revelation 21:4]

In the meantime as we struggle here on earth to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the victory He has won for us, we are not alone! Did what Jesus promised in our text register in your mind and hearts? He assured His disciples and us, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all 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. He will bring glory to Me by taking what is Mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take what is Mine and make it known to you." [John 16:13-15]

Some of you I know are in the midst of one of earth’s dreadful "little whiles" of varying degrees of anguish, pain and testing. At such times we need to remember that God has not promised us that life in this fallen earth will always be "sunshine and roses." In fact, Jesus plainly told us, "The disciple is not above His master." True, our blessed Savior had moments of joy here on earth, but also many painful trials. He faced torment that the trusting children of God will never have to face. His Heavenly Father’s forsook Him on the cross that our Savior and His love may under gird us both in good times and bad. Because of Christ’s suffering in our place, our Heavenly Father will not forsake us.

By God’s grace and extraordinary intervention, with the Spirit’s help it might be that we may serve as an example to others in affliction, as did St. Paul. Nevertheless our hope lies not in our being more trusting than the disciples in their confusion and grief in the hour of trial. We all to a degree will fail, just like the inner circle of the Twelve Apostles. Our only hope lies in our faithful Savior, who willingly went through the ignominy and pain of the cross to save us from our sin and rose again to share with us His victory. It is He, our triumphant Redeemer, who stands before us today and invites us, "Come unto Me, all you who are wearied and burdened, and I will give you rest." {Matthew 11:28] Until the "little while" of all our trials are passed, Christ will graciously keep His faithful promise, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." [2 Corinthians 12:9] You may not realize that Christ is in the process of keeping that gracious promise in your present "little while." However, when it is passed and your tears have turned to joy, with the light of the Holy Spirit you will then see how underneath you in any dreadful hour were the everlasting arms of our compassionate, faithful and loving Savior, who assures us, "... do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous hand." [Isaiah 41: 10] Amen.

Dear Savior, forgive our sin and smallness of our faith. Fill us with Your Spirit and guide us with Your Word of truth. Amen.

© The Rev. Frederick A. Stiemke, DD

Vacancy Pastor