“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Jesus had revealed several facts that could trouble the heart. However, the troubles about to come would not create despair if the disciples held on to what Jesus said to them that very night. The pressures or tribulation that would be true of the world could not overcome the peace that Jesus would provide in the coming days. His resurrection from the dead would be the fact of all facts to turn cowardly disciples into courageous ones. Nevertheless, they would need his words to sink deep into their memories for the crisis at hand. Consider some of the encouraging words that were given to give courage in the middle of crisis.
- Faith in Deity. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). The foundation of virtue or moral courage is faith. Peter wrote, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; . . .” (2 Peter 1:5). John wrote in one of his letters, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5). Paul wrote of faith, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16). Too many in the world find themselves trying to deal with personal crisis with little or no faith in God. Such does not have to be the case where the Bible is read and respected.
- Faithfulness to the Word. Jesus said, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:19-21). The love of God (cf. John 3:16) and the love of Christ (cf. John 15:13) were about to be fully shown in the death of Christ. The love of the disciples is highly dependent upon their love for the word Christ gave and their keeping it. How one treats the word has everything to do with dealing with crisis. Jesus again stated, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10).
- Focus Together on Their Love for One Another. Jesus stated, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come: so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:33-34). After the death of Christ, they are going to need to stick together like never before. Judas Iscariot will hang himself (cf. Matt. 27:5). Peter will go out and weep bitterly having denied knowing Jesus (cf. Matt. 26:75). All of the disciples will forsake him (cf. Mark 14:50) as Jesus foretold (cf. Mark 14:27). However, the record shows that they stayed together through the hardest of times (cf. Luke 24:9). The church is truly a remarkable group of people who band together in times of crisis due to the love of Christ within.
Jimmy Clark