Learn more about the John Purpose…

Still under the full moon, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus continues to comfort His disciples preparing them for the hard moments to come. After all the disciples had left everything to follow Jesus: jobs, family, friends… Their hope was that the Messiah would triumph victoriously over the enemies of God, and save Israel from Roman hands.

Instead of this they would see their Master imprisoned, mistreated, condemned and crucified as though He were powerless. All the while, their names would soon be written on a black list of the Jews and Romans because they would be hated and persecuted as their Master. So, they had to understand once in for all that the kingdom that Jesus came to establish was not political, but spiritual. So, they really needed encouraging.

How did Jesus offer this encouragement? Showing the contrary. Let me explain.

The words in this chapter are full of contrasts in order to show how something painful, sad and bad, would have to happen so that something better would come.

• If I don’t go, the Helper (Holy Spirit) will not come to you
• A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me
• You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy
• In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world

In order to illustrate this great lesson, Jesus uses the example of a pregnant woman:

 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. (v.21)

Here is the great secret to faith and success.  It’s resumed in one word: sacrifice. There is no way to achieve something good, (true happiness,) without having to let go of something in order to pay the price. Jesus was about to go through this process: being sacrificed to acquire salvation for all those who believe. Not even the Lord Jesus could get out of the established law of success.

That’s why in this chapter He tries to sear the truth into the hearts of His disciples. “You will go through hard moments, hard days, but if you persevere and don’t lose faith in Me, the Holy Spirit will guide you to victory.”

These words apply to us today just as they did to them in the Garden. Perhaps you’re enjoying the success you paid for through sacrifice. Or you’re in the middle of sacrificing, and fighting to be successful. Be courageous. Be strong. Don’t give up in the midst of pain.

After all, pain is inevitable. The difference is what you do with it: make it your tomb or your resurrection.

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