21 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. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
Jesus now turned to an illustration of how believers are transformed from grief to joy.
16:21
A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come;
Jesus illustrated pain turned to joy by a woman giving birth to a child.
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.
The event of childbirth immediately turns the anguish of the woman’s pain in giving birth to joy when the baby arrives.
16:22
Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
When the apostles would Jesus after His resurrection, their grief would turn to great joy. This joy would be permanent because it was a joy that “no one will take from you.”
PRINCIPLE:
The resurrection of Jesus is a source of great and permanent joy for believers.
APPLICATION:
Often the very issue that gives us grief also provides joy to our soul. The cross of Christ was the occasion for His resurrection. Calvary has no meaning apart from the resurrection.
Christians do not sorrow like those without Christ, who have no hope (1 Th 4:13). Our hope rests on the resurrection of Christ and His coming again (1 Th 4:14f). Hope does not come from self, by operation bootstraps, but from the Lord.
