John 16:33- Christ's Words of Comfort (Part 2)

In this first article, we saw Christ comfort His Disciples by instructing them all that had been told them that night was for their peace. All doctrine indeed comforts the Christian, but as Christ continues to speak in verse 33, He suddenly moves from peace to war. Christ said His Word is for Comfort, but in the world, they will endure much "tribulation"- there is comfort here as well!

Christ comforts His disciples in this by telling them the truth. Have you found yourself in a difficult situation, unaware of the intensity and problems that would arise? Have you thought after the fact? I wish I had known this was going to be so hard; I wish I had known what to expect. The Lord Jesus is teaching His disciples that there will be tribulation in this world- he is telling them what to expect before it arrives.

Now, dear Christian, you must expect tribulation in this world. Christ said in John 15:18-20 "If the World hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the Word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." In His closing words, He was reminding them of what he already said. The world was not a friendly place to Christ, and neither will it be to His Disciples, and this tough truth can be extrapolated to all Christians. All those who are Christ's people will suffer great tribulation in this world.

Yet, this is not the place for despair. Instead, when the Christian finds themselves at odds with the world, they must recall that they are walking the well-trodden path of their Saviour. They must realise what Jesus teaches in Matthew 10:34- "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Christ here confirmed a hard truth, that He will divide men, and His Gospel will be deiceivise. Christ went from what he stated in verse 34 to talking about how His Gospel will divide even families in verses 35-37. The Christian should well remember that being united to Christ by Faith means being separated from the world and that the Good News on which they have believed is seen as divisive by unbelievers.

Jesus went on to tell them to be of "good-cheer" in the midst of this. Why can Jesus say this? Because He has "overcome the world", and the Christian in Christ likewise overcomes the world. Christ was able to say that because He overcame the temptations of Satan, he overcame the struggles of this world. In doing so, He was also a sympathetic Saviour to His people and now is a sympathetic High Priest (Hebrews 4:16). Christ was tempted, yet remained sinless. Christ was about to go to the cross and offer Himself up as a Sacrifice to take away the wrath of God; He would be raised again on the third day, conquering death. Christ has overcome, where for you, dear Christian, all is undone; Christ Overcame. As John would later write in his first epistle, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

So, in conclusion, the Christian must be ready for tribulation but should remain of "good cheer," for Christ has overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. He dwells in His people and has given them a complete Salvation. He has overcome, and His people will overcome in Him. These were comforting words to His disciples in the upper room and are comforting to all true disciples today.