I Have Overcome the World

John 16:16–33  – That You May Believe
Trinity Sunday   – June 15, 2025 (am)     

There are times in this world when things get so hard or challenging or out of sorts or confusing that we honestly don’t know how or whether we’ll be able to press on. This kind of feeling can descend on young people as they’re just getting started on their own in this world, and especially if they’re either training for a highly competitive vocation, or a rather low-paying one, or if they’re just not sure what they want to do at all. It’s even worse if some mistake or error in judgment has put them in a place where their integrity seems compromised. Every experience can feel like an enemy targeting their failure and destruction.

I’m personally familiar with this feeling having been a seminary student just after Jean & I married forty-two years ago this past week. There was no high earning potential in our future—she studied music, I philosophy—and we had no net worth; we used the small amount of money we received at our wedding to pay for food and rent that summer. A new location away from all family, no jobs, never having taken a honeymoon, and in our early life together, it seemed like year after year our expenses totaled far more than our income; we just had to pray our way through it, honestly not knowing how, or if, that season would ever come to an end.

But many things other than financial pressure can generate this feeling of being oppressively overwhelmed: physical disability, lack of a particular gifting or proficiency, unexpected turns of events. My grandmother was a strong, assertive woman, but in her later years she became reclusive and paranoid due simply to feeling the vulnerabilities of old age. Struggle, discouragement, even hopelessness can hide under every rock in this quarry of a world, around every corner in the maze of life. How are we supposed to survive, to thrive?

Jesus’ disciples found themselves in just this sort of place as He was finishing His farewell discourse (cc.14-17). They’d gone up and down over and again as He spoke of His departure or their persecution or grief. Then He’d reassure them with promises of peace and provision and reunion. They had to feel like they were suspended from a yo-yo string. But in the end, as we end today, they’re going to receive just what they needed to endure such times not just with joy but with peace and even with a sense of being victorious. And I believe we should as well, regardless of any struggle we face. Let’s jump right in: two affirmations from Jesus.

Your Sorrow Will Turn to Joy – 16-24

In narrative passages like this, repetition is a key indicator of the point being made, the focus emphasized. Look at how John tells the story. 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’…?” 18 … “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? …” 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’?” Three full statements plus a specific allusion in four verses; this is what John wants to emphasize: Jesus’ soon departure, then soon after that His return.

Almost certainly He’s talking about His going to the cross then His resurrection appearances to them afterward, not His ascension and second coming, because what’s right before His disciples in these next few days is what’s going to have them reeling, struggling, discouraged, even hopeless. And I don’t know that any of us has ever gone so deep down the hole as these guys would go with what they saw and heard as compared to what they expected and hoped. Even just talking about it left them confused. You can hear it: 17 … his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us…? 18 … “What does he mean…?” The disciples still have no category to allow them to make sense of a Messiah who would die, rise from the dead, [then] abandon his people in favour of ‘another Counsellor’ (14:16). Their [confusion] provides the justification to the assessment Jesus has just [given]: they cannot yet bear all that [He] wants to say to them (v.12) (Carson 1991 543).

The closest Jesus can get example-wise is the wide-ranging disparity between a woman’s labor-and-delivery pains and her joy in the child she delivers. And that’s a wide disparity! Jesus says: 21 … when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy…. That may be a bit overstated! I believe any husband and father will tell you his wife’s memory of the anguish does remain! I’ve just never met a woman yet who says: It wasn’t worth it. I wish I’d never had a child. And most often that happens when the baby is first put in her arms, even as she’s still breathless after delivery.

There’s the picture Jesus says is going to be true for His disciples. Something indescribably excruciating is waiting for them just around the corner. It’ll involve Jesus going away, and the world rejoicing even while they weep and lament (20) like a woman in labor (21). Wow. Yet, Jesus adds: 22 … but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, like the mother of a new-born infant (21), and no one will take your joy from you.

This is hard to fathom! But it’ll also include some new sort of connection with the Father (23), still through Jesus, but direct communication with the Father much like Jesus has enjoyed. And this will just magnify their joy! (24) We’ll get back to that.

Your Trouble Will Turn to Peace – 25-33

First, let’s look at the explanation Jesus gives. He understands their confusion. And He knows He’s contributed to it. But as He begins to explain, He gets back to this affirmation of their new level of relationship with the Father. 25 I have said these things to you in figures of speech. Aside: I believe this is because it’s been the Father’s plan to delay His revelation of the full implications of the cross until it’s made evident in the church (Eph.3:8-10)—the initiation of the new covenant and the giving of the Spirit and the formation of the church with Jew and Gentile together in one body (Eph.2:14-16), fulfilling His promise to Abraham (Gen.12:1-3)—so, Jesus can’t explain all that to His disciples right now. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; you’ll ask Him yourself, Jesus is saying, 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

Jesus has come into the world from the Father (28) to do the work appointed to Him by the Father, and now I am leaving the world and [returning] to the Father, He says (28). And for some reason this now all seemed to make sense to them. 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” But Jesus wasn’t impressed. 31 [He] answered them, “Do you now believe? This could sound like a gentle enquiry. But in context Jesus is likely just repeating their assertion with heavy exasperation: lit. ‘Now you believe!’ (Carson 1991 548) 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. He adds this so they’ll know the focus is on them, not Him. He knows it’s coming, and why. At this moment, they don’t even believe its possible!

But also, He’s not rebuking them in advance for their coming failure. In the midst of their overwhelming confusion, insecurity, and fear, He’s just trying to get them ready for what’s coming, and to let them know it’s all going to work together for good (cf. Rom.8:28). 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

You got it: before they even knew there was going to be a problem, and before they even got a glimpse of just how big that problem was actually going to be, Jesus is promising them peace (33) and joy (24) and loving connection with the Father as their faithful Provider (26-27) as the undeniable outcome!

That’s the life we live in this world once we’ve trusted Christ as Savior. There’s going to be plenty of [trouble] as we seek to live a life that’s pleasing to Him—the very sort of [trouble] Jesus experienced while He was here; tribulation is the word (33), just like in the last days (cf. Rev.1:9)—and as with the disciples, that [trouble] may find us at times running away and hiding from any association with Jesus, afraid of what it may cost us. It may find us overwhelmed and discouraged and hopeless, as though He’s going to forget about us, or not be faithful to us. But Jesus is saying, not only can we find joy and peace on those days but, in the end, we’ll find victory as well!

Now, let’s be clear, it may be that this tribulation we face actually ends up producing hardship in our lives—failure from this world’s perspective, or suffering or persecution. It may even require our life, as it has for so many of our brothers and sisters through the centuries. But if that is our calling, it’s no more than was required of Jesus. And by following Him along this way, we’ll know an even deeper fellowship with Him, becoming like him in his death (Phi.3:8-11). We’ll learn by experience, as did those brothers and sisters, not [to] love [our] lives so much as to shrink from death (Rev.12 11 tniv). We’ll discover with Paul that to live is Christ, and to die truly is gain (Phi.1:21), and then, in the end, that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Rom.8:18), that this light momentary affliction [has prepared] for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2Co.4:17).

Conclusion

All this is ours because Jesus [has] overcome the world (33) and shared that victory with us. All this is ours, along with fullness of joy (24) that comes from being in right relationship with God—intimacy with Him (27), full confidence in His provision of all we need (23). Genuine peace (33) is ours—enduring, abiding shalom (cf. 14:27) that swallows up any and all expression of tribulation. This isn’t a pipedream, a delusion of grandeur; this is the promise of Jesus to His followers before He departed for the cross to assure us that every bit of it is true.

Are you living in this joy and peace today? Are you finding the victory Jesus won for you at the cross to be truer than the trials of whatever tribulation you’re facing—whether it’s brought on by the evil in this world on by your own failure of faith? Recognizing your own sin and need, can you take heart, by faith in Jesus, recognizing that the salvation He’s provided is greater than any tribulation you can face?

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Resources

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Barclay, William. 1975. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Gospel of John, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. John, by Andreas J. Köstenberger, 415-512. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Bruce, F. F. 1983. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  , Gordon D. Fee, & Ned B. Stonehouse, gen. eds. 1995. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Gospel According to John, Revised Edition, by Leon Morris. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Calvin, John. 1553. Commentary on the Gospel According to John, trans. by, William Pringle. Logos.

Carson, D. A., gen. ed. 1991. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. The Gospel According to John, by D. A. Carson. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  , R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. John, by Donald Guthrie, 1021-1065. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

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Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 4, The Message of John: Jesus, the Son of God, 101-122. Wheaton: Crossway.

Grudem, Wayne, ed. 2008. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on John, 2015-2072, by Andreas J. Köstenberger. Wheaton: Crossway.

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Martin, Ralph P., & Lynn Allan Losie, NT eds. 1999. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 36, John, Second Edition, by George R. Beasley-Murray. Dallas: Word.

Morris, Leon, gen. ed. 2003. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 4, John, by Colin G. Kruse. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Osborne, Grant, ed. 1993. Life Application Bible Commentary. John, by Bruce B. Barton, Philip W. Comfort, David R. Veerman, & Neil Wilson. Wheaton: Tyndale.

Tasker, R. V. G. 2000. Tyndale New Testament Commentary. Vol. 4, John. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Tenney, Merrill C. 1976. John: The Gospel of Belief. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

NEXT SUNDAY: John 17:1–26, Dave Patty