TAKE HEART

John 16:25-33
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Sadness Will Be Turned to Joy

25 “I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26 Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. 28 Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”

29 Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. 30 Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”

31 Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? 32 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”


When Jesus spoke to His disciples, He often used stories or parables to convey the message He was trying to get over to them. In the parables, Jesus would use circumstances they could easily understand and also remember for future reference. It would appear that some, if not all of the disciples did not make the connection between these “…figures of speech…” and what they were observing before their eyes. Jesus had to give them some ‘plain talk’.

“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” You don’t get much plainer than that. You only have to live awhile to know the truth of that statement.

I praise God that was not the end of the lesson … the closing statement … the final Word. Jesus ends this session with words of encouragement.

“But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

There is nothing this world can throw at us that God can’t handle. That’s why I place my trust, not in myself, but in the One who has overcome.