[2026. 8. 30.] No One Will Take Away Your Joy (John 16:16–24)

[2026. 8. 30.] No One Will Take Away Your Joy (John 16:16–24) 

Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn (Hope of Heaven Baptist Chuch) 

 

2026. 8. 30. 주일예배 설교- 요한복음 강해 46
본문: 요한복음 16:16–24
제목: 너희 기쁨을 빼앗을 자가 없으리라

설교자: 손진국 목사 (하늘소망교회)

 

Beloved saints, today’s passage contains words Jesus spoke to His disciples right before the cross. As the time drew near for Jesus to bear the cross, He spoke more frequently about the suffering and death He would undergo. Of course, He also spoke about His resurrection.

But what the disciples heard more clearly was not the message of resurrection but the message of suffering and death. Therefore, their hearts were filled with an indescribable anxiety and sorrow. To such disciples, Jesus speaks about joy in today’s passage.

Through today’s text, I want us to share together the message the Lord gives us.

 

1. “In a little while”

The first repeated expression in today’s passage is “in a little while.” It appears seven times.

[Verse 16] Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.” We see that the disciples did not understand what Jesus meant. In verses 17 and 18, they say they do not know what Jesus means by “in a little while.”

[Verse 18] They kept asking, “What does He mean by ‘in a little while’? We don’t understand what He is saying.”

The words “in a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me” refer to His death and resurrection, but the disciples did not know this.

Here we see the difference between Jesus and the disciples. What difference? Jesus knows what will happen “in a little while,” but the disciples do not. And is this only the disciples’ problem? Is it not also our problem? Jesus sees what will happen after the problem, but we only see the problem right in front of us. Why did the disciples not understand what would happen “in a little while”? Because what they expected and thought was different from what Jesus expected and thought.

What did Jesus expect to happen “in a little while”? He expected that by His death on the cross, the atonement for humanity’s sin would be accomplished, and after His death, God would raise Him from the dead—the first resurrection in human history. But the disciples did not think of Jesus’ death and resurrection at all. They only expected Jesus to seize earthly power through the miracles and authority He had shown. Now they sensed that this expectation would not be fulfilled, and on top of that, Jesus said He was leaving them. Their hearts were full of anxiety and sorrow.

The disciples’ expectation was that by believing in Jesus, everything would go well, their circumstances would improve, and they would live in peace. Is this perhaps our expectation as well?

But Jesus’ expectation for us is very different. What does Jesus expect?

(1) Jesus expects transformation.

Not the transformation of our circumstances or problems, but the transformation of ourselves. He desires our values and worldview to change. The problem I am facing or the person next to me does not need to change first—Jesus expects me to change first. When I am changed, everything changes.

(2) Jesus came to solve our spiritual problem.

But we often want material, environmental, and physical problems (children’s blessing, business success, family peace) to be solved. Jesus does solve those things, but He teaches that the spiritual problem must be solved first. If that is not solved, nothing else can be fundamentally solved. [3 John 1:2] Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. There is an order here: the spirit must prosper first. This is the most fundamental and essential matter. If the spirit’s problem is not solved, then earthly success and health have little meaning in our lives.

Beloved saints, do not be people of the flesh but people of the Spirit. Do not belong to the flesh but belong to the Spirit.

[Romans 8:5–6] Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Become people of the Spirit who, through God’s Word, hold God’s heart and will.

People of the Spirit know what God will do “in a little while” in their lives, in their families, in the church, and in human history. Therefore, may all of you understand what God desires and what He will do, and change your lifestyle and attitude to live for the eternal kingdom of God.

[Application] Are the expectations I hold right now the same as what Jesus expects? In the problem I face today, do I have spiritual sight to see “what God will accomplish in a little while”?

 

2. Sorrow turned into joy

Another repeated word in today’s passage is “sorrow” and “joy.” The word “sorrow” appears four times, and when combined with similar words such as mourning, lament, labor pains, and anguish, it appears eight times. This shows how many sorrowful things exist in our lives.

Even now, many of us have reasons for sorrow—health issues, financial struggles, relational conflicts. Does having faith mean we have no sorrow? Does believing in Jesus mean we have no problems? No. In reality, we have problems and sorrow. Christians can cry. Christians can be wounded. Christians can lose loved ones. Christians can fail.

But what does Jesus tell us through today’s passage? That our sorrow will not be eternal.

[Verse 20] Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

Jesus says our sorrow will eventually turn into joy. How does that make you feel? Does it not make you breathe a sigh of relief? What if the sorrow we have now never changed and lasted forever? That would be hell—complete despair. But for those of us in Christ Jesus, that will never happen. Why? Because Jesus said so.

He did not say, “As long as you live on earth, you who believe in Me will have no sorrow, no mourning, no grief.” Instead, He said, “You will have sorrow, mourning, and grief—but they will turn into joy.”

I often say this: What is a truly successful life? A life whose ending is successful before God. A life whose ending is beautiful. We live each day by faith so that the ending of our life will be successful before God. Even if the middle of our life is beautiful and successful, if the ending is ugly, evil, and pitiful, that is not a successful life.

Beloved saints, even believers may have sorrow. But that sorrow is not our final state. We may shed tears, but those tears are not our final state. Death is not our final state. Failure and suffering are not our final state. Our final state is resurrection, and our hearts will overflow with resurrection joy. For those in Christ, today’s sorrow will turn into joy.

But Jesus does not stop at saying sorrow will turn into joy—He gives an even greater promise:

[Verse 22] So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

Your sorrow will turn into joy—and no one will take away your joy. Why? Because that joy does not come from circumstances, problem-solving, or people. It is joy given by the God of heaven. And the Lord Himself protects that joy.

Beloved saints, even in this moment when we are sorrowful because of what we see, remember that the unseen God is still working and His plan is still unfolding.

To human eyes, the cross looked like failure. What did the disciples think when Jesus was crucified? “Did we misunderstand Jesus?” “If He is truly the Son of God, how could He die on a cross?” “It’s all over.”

But the cross was not the end. What looked like Jesus’ failure was used by God as the completion of salvation. People killed Jesus, but God raised Him again.

Therefore, beloved saints, just because you cannot see God working does not mean He is not working. Just because you do not understand does not mean God’s plan is wrong. Even when everything seems finished, God is still working. Our sorrow will turn into joy. Our discouragement and despair will turn into hope. Our hatred and anger will turn into love and peace. Why? Because the unseen God continues to work.

[Application] What sorrow is weighing down my heart today? In my suffering and tears, am I trusting the unseen work of God?

 

3. Ask and be filled

Another repeated word in today’s passage is “ask.”

[Verse 23] In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Very truly I tell you, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.

Jesus says the Father will give what the disciples ask in Jesus’ name.

[Verse 24] Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Jesus says their sorrow will turn into joy—but not only that. He says their joy will be complete.

What must they do for their joy to be complete? They must ask God. They must pray. Jesus connects joy with prayer. Why? Because our joy does not come from circumstances. It does not come from problem-solving. It does not come from improved relationships. It comes from God. Therefore, we must ask God.

But Jesus says we must ask the Father “in His name”—in Jesus’ name. What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?

When we finish prayer, we say, “In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.” This is not a magical formula.

Praying in Jesus’ name means “I ask according to Jesus’ will.” Prayer is not packaging my greed with God’s name. It is not using Jesus’ name to force my will. Praying in Jesus’ name means praying with Jesus’ heart.

When we continue praying with Jesus’ heart, a miracle happens. What miracle? Our heart changes. How? From self-centered to God-centered and neighbor-centered.

At first, we pray, “God, give me this. Give me that.” But as prayer deepens, we pray, “God, more than what I want, may Your will be done.”

Then something amazing happens—we let go of our greed. Letting go of greed is very difficult. But as we pray in Jesus’ name and let go of our selfish desires, we learn God’s heart and understand His will. Then we receive something the world can never give—true peace and joy from God.

Each time we pray with Jesus’ heart, our greed is laid down one by one, and that empty space is filled and overflowing with the joy God gives.

Beloved saints, remember this: The joy the world gives can be taken away. Money can be lost. Health can change. People’s love can change. Jobs can be lost.

But the joy that comes from our relationship with God is different. Even when circumstances shake, we can hold onto God. Because the source of our joy is not circumstances—it is God.

[Application] Recently, have my prayers been focused on changing my circumstances, or on changing my heart and values to reflect Jesus’ heart?

Beloved saints, remember this: You and I have a joy that no person can take away, no circumstance can take away, no suffering or death can take away—a true joy given only in the risen Jesus Christ. Today, may all of you seek that joy, receive it, and be filled with it in the Lord. I bless you in the name of Jesus.

 

 

하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.

Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.