Week 17 Storms of the World Joy of the Spirit
“The joy of the Lord is your strength, and the person of Christ is your unassailable joy — and the battle for joy is nothing less than fighting the good fight of faith.”
Ann Voskamp
Passage
29His disciples said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech.
30“Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.”
31Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
32“Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:29–33 (NASB95)
"joyful" by Killian77 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Background
Quote-Ann Voskamp is a Canadian author, blogger, and memoirist on themes of Christian women's spirituality, and the author of multiple books, including the New York Times bestseller, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, as well as The Broken Way: A Daring Path Into the Abundant Life and WayMaker: Finding the Way to the Life You’ve Always Dreamed Of.
Passage-The book of John is a Gospel that contains Narrative History, Sermons, Parables, and a few Prophetic Oracles. It was written by the Disciple/Apostle John around 85-95 A.D. The key personalities of this book are Jesus Christ, His Twelve Disciples, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, Lazarus, his sisters Mary and Martha, Jewish religious leaders, and Pilate.
It was written so that all may believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God who gives eternal life. John’s gospel uses the word “Believe” 98 times and the word “Life” 36 times, in an effort to embed the importance that one must believe in order to live eternally. John is not one of the three synoptic (common view) gospels, but instead was written with a more theological substance, yet equally as inspired and important as the first three gospels.
Biblehub.com summary by Jay Smith
Lesson Notes
Opening Statement
We claim to follow a Risen Lord who knows all things, over came sin and death, and sits at the right hand of God the Father. We have the Holy Spirit to commune with and His instruction manual for life, but sometimes that’s not enough, though it should be.
Ask: Do you agree with the Disciple’s statement in verse thirty that Jesus “knows all things?” Why/Why not?
Point: This is a discussion question to establish the opening of the lesson.
Ask: Does God know all things?
Point: Yes. Please read the following:
18Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
19We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him
20in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
1 John 3:18–20 (NASB95)
Ask: Why is it important to believe that God knows all things?
Point: So we understand that He understands whatever storm we find ourselves in when we pray about that problem.
Ask: How does the above relate to Jesus?
Point: Please read the following:
5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5–8 (NASB95)
Ask: Why is it important to believe that Jesus, as God made flesh knows all things?
Point: Please re-read verse thirty-three of Today’s Passage focusing on the first half:
33“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (NASB95)
Ask: How do we have peace in Jesus when so much turmoil goes on around us that we cannot control?
Point: By not making the same mistake the Pharisees and Sadducees made about Jesus when they crucified him.
Ask: What mistake did the Pharisees and Sadducees make about Jesus?
Point: They thought the Messiah would rule an earthly kingdom but the kingdom of God and Heaven are not earthly, but spiritual. Please read the following:
36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
37Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
John 18:36–37 (NASB95)
Ask: How does Jesus being God knowing everything and His kingdom being not of the world relate to finding peace in Jesus amidst the tribulations and persecutions of the world?
Point: Please re-read verse thirty-three of Today’s passage focusing on the second half this time:
33“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (NASB95)
Ask: What does it mean that Jesus has “overcome the world?”
Point: Please read the following:
11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—
13for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Romans 5:11–14 (NASB95)
Ask: Where is “the world” in that passage?
Point: “the world” is sin.
Ask: How did Jesus “over come the world” and why is that important to us?
Point: Please read the following:
20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
21Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
22But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:20–23 (NASB95)
Ask: How are the red-letter words of Jesus in verse thirty-three of Today’s Passage fulfilled in the Romans scripture above?
Point: Re-read verse twenty-three of the Romans passage:
23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 (NASB95)
Closing Statement
The joy of the spirit is knowing we are a forgiven people through faith in Jesus. We read scripture, hear the stories, and believe them to be true. We carry that faith that what we read is true in our hearts. That faith in Jesus, that He was God made flesh, came to earth for the propitiation of sin, and rose from the dead should give us joy. It should be the joy that allows us to have the strength to do all things through Him who strengthens us.
Questions for the Week
Question 1 Persecutions are things others do to us intentionally, or that we do to someone else. Contemplate what you do everyday and consider what, if anything, you do that might be considered a “persecution” by someone else.
Question 2 Tribulations are things that happen to us by chance rather than on purpose by someone else. Contemplate your life and the things going on right now you consider to be “tribulations.”
Question 3 What changes do you need to make or can you make to either end your persecution of someone else or not be perceived as intentionally affecting them?
Question 4 Pray asking God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit to guide your actions regarding those things you see as tribulations so that your faith is strengthened, you are strengthened, and you are enabled to weather the storm.
Definitions
Persecute
verb
ˈpər-si-ˌkyüt
transitive verb
1: to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict
specifically : to cause to suffer because of belief
2: to annoy with persistent or urgent approaches (such as attacks, pleas, or importunities) : PESTER
Tribulation
trib-yuh-ley-shuhn
noun
1. grievous trouble; severe trial or suffering.
2. an instance of this; an affliction, trouble, etc.
Propitiate
pruh-pish-ee-eyt
verb (used with object), pro·pi·ti·at·ed, pro·pi·ti·at·ing.
1. to make favorably inclined; appease; conciliate.