John 16, 33. These things have I 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. As the Lord would enable us, we hope to take up the text that we have just read. This morning we began looking at it. and we realize that this particular text, of course, is the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it's the words that close out his upper room discourse, his discourse in the upper room. He's been teaching his disciples on the night he was betrayed all the way back from beginning at chapter 13 till now. And this discourse will close in the next chapter with the Lord Jesus's high priestly prayer. So we come again to this verse. We've been working our way through it, as you recall, and we began by looking at how the Lord Jesus had given the congregation these teachings. I shouldn't say congregation, it's given to you, congregation for peace, but to his disciples, those that were near to him, it was given to them so that they might know peace and have peace. peace, but he also told them that in the world they shall have tribulation. And we looked at how the word of God, the word of the Lord Jesus Christ, how Christ himself came to accomplish peace for his people. And we also saw very clearly that the church, that the Lord's people, that Christians will face in this world. And when we left off this morning, we left off at this point of antithesis between the world and the church. And we really have been looking at just why. why there was this antithesis, but also highlighting it and exhorting and thinking through, do we know this antithesis? And we're gonna pick up with that point, and I want to go on slightly. So we're gonna have three points this afternoon. First is we're gonna finish out tribulation. So you can just put as your point one, tribulation. Point two, We're gonna talk about joy in the midst of tribulation. Joy in the midst of tribulation. And then finally, our third point is Christ overcoming. Christ overcoming. So, tribulation, joy in tribulation, and Christ overcoming. Resuming, our point on tribulation, as I mentioned a moment ago, we examined the antithesis. We've seen how the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Savior, had told his disciples that in this teaching, as well as elsewhere in the scriptures, that they would be in the midst of tribulation. And the Lord's people undoubtedly know this. And Jesus has given them this word, obviously, so that they would have peace, that is, they would have solace and comfort in the midst of the tribulation that is to come. But theologically, why, could we ask, are Christians subject to tribulation? Why are the Lord's people subject to the world and the devil attacking them? And we have to first understand union with Christ. You see, in John chapter 15, one of the chapters that is in this upper room discourse, the Lord Jesus Christ opens with that famous line, I am the true vine. And he goes on, and he says something very interesting. He's open, John 15, with the idea that he is the vine and that they must abide in him, that there's a vitality to being in union with the Lord Jesus Christ. And after he's finished out all of that, he forewarns them. beginning in verse 18 of the coming hatred and persecution. Notice what he says in John 15, 18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. And he goes on, he says, if you were of the world, verse 19, the world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. So what is the reason, congregation, that Christians are subject to so much tribulation? Well, in short, it's because God's people with the Lord Jesus Christ, by the gospel, that good news, that proclamation, that Christ Jesus has come and died to save sinners. When sinners believe on that, they're brought into union with Christ, they're begotten, that is, they're born again to a lively hope in Jesus. And all of a sudden, they have a new identity, as Paul says, 2 Corinthians chapter five, that every man in Christ is a new creature. And when you become that new creature and you're brought into union with Christ, you begin to reflect the Lord Jesus. And what does the world hate? The world hates the Lord Jesus Christ because he's the light shining in the midst of the darkness because he's come to reprove the world for sin and to preach the way of salvation. And now he has given his Holy Spirit to do this thing, to reprove and convict the world for sin and to show, to be the spirit of truth and to show forth the truth of who he is. But the world hates it. They love their sin more than they love God. My friend, you know, this afternoon, if you're outside of the Lord Jesus Christ, you're at enmity with God. If you do not know You do not know Christ. There's a tension between you and the Lord, because... And what I'm about to say is so simple, but really it's so profound, because you're a sinner. And sin separates, separates the whole of the human race from God. It separates and alienates the individual from God in the only way for a man to be reconciled, a woman, a child, anyone to be reconciled to God is by the Lord Jesus Christ and putting your trust in him. and then you're, of course, brought into union with him, but he's called his people out of the world, and in doing that, the world begins to hate them because they hated Christ first. You see, my dear friend, if you suffered persecution or tribulation, you must understand that the world hated Christ long before it hated its people. And the Lord Jesus Christ, by the way, he feels this. When Christians are persecuted for righteousness' sake. When we have the situation described in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter five, and you see it there in verse 10, blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And in verse 11, blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Why is the church persecuted? It's not because Christians are unlikable people. It's not because Christians bring it on themselves. Why is Christianity so continuously persecuted? It's because their Savior, because Christ dwells in them, because they're being created anew in the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the world despises that. And the Lord Jesus knows it, you can read in Acts. Chapter nine, in the fourth verse, the apostle Paul, on the Damascus road. He's Saul of Tarsus at that point, an unconverted man, and what do we read there? There's a great light, and he falls to the ground. He fell to the earth, and he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? That's Jesus speaking to Saul. He's saying, why are you persecuting me? Now, how does that make sense? Had Saul ever directly persecuted Jesus? No. But because Jesus is in union with his people, because Saul was persecuting Christians because Christ dwelled in them. Right? Because Saul persecuted Christians because Christ dwelled in them. Christ felt that persecution because he reviled the Lord's people. because they were just that, the Lord's people. So theologically, the reason why Christians are persecuted, the reason why all believers struggle with that is because, with persecution I should say, is because they are made in the image. of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ dwells in them. So let's move then to our second point. The Lord Jesus drops this great truth. He says, I've wanted to, I've said these things basically so that you would have peace, and you have peace in me, and in the world you'll have tribulation. And then he says, but be of good cheer. How can we be of good cheer when we face all manner of tribulation, persecution, affliction? Well, it's not that the Lord Jesus knows it's not going to be easy. It's not going to be easy. You see, and this really should be stated, it should be stated more. And I'm giving this, I'm preaching these two sermons in a sense to comfort you, but one of the things that the Lord Jesus is doing and why the Lord Jesus says what he says in this text is the Lord Jesus, he says these things to comfort. His people, He's comforting them by telling them, so He's dealing with them honestly. So the comfort in hearing from the Lord Jesus Christ, you're going to be afflicted, you're going to be persecuted, but be of good cheer, where does that arise from? Where's the comfort in that? Because the Lord Jesus is telling you, it's coming. And He's trying to encourage them that when it comes, they should be ready for it, and they should be of good cheer. They should be They should be joyous. And you think, you think to me, you say, pastor, how, how can, like really? You know, I've been persecuted. I've faced great difficulties. How can I be joyous in the midst of tribulation? How can the Lord Jesus tell his disciples that I've given you these things so that you may have peace in me? But tribulation's gonna come, and by the way, when it comes, be of good cheer. Well, we go back to Matthew chapter five. We read verses 10 and 11, and when you take up, when you read verse 12, he says, rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Jesus, there again, speaking of persecution, he says, rejoice. He says, they're going to speak all manner of evil against you falsely. You will be persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and when it happens, what are you to do? You are to rejoice. In Acts. Verse 41, we find this quite, to put it simply, literally happening. We read in Acts 5 verse 41, and they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. His name there is the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ's disciples were rejoicing of the Lord Jesus Christ. There's promise of a heavenly reward. There's promise of something that is better and greater to come, dear congregation. There's promise of something hopeful. For the Lord's people, there's promise of a glorious heavenly reward, but right now, As the Lord Jesus suffered, as the Lord Jesus was reviled, as He is about to go to the cross and be brought to a low point right now for His disciples, they need to understand it's time to suffer, but there's every reason to be of good cheer, because the world hated Christ, and the world will hate them. And it says, I heard it put once, you know when you're facing persecution, you're doing when the world all of a sudden comes up against Christian conviction, when the world all of a sudden comes and attacks you, when the world congregation all of a sudden comes and you feel the devil stirs up the world, it might be in your workplace, it could be in politics, it could be anywhere, and Christianity is under assault. The true and faithful church seems to have its back against the wall. It can be terrifying, and we are Do we ever think that we rejoice? Do you, my friend, rejoice when you're called to suffer for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you delight that you have been made, as Paul says later in Philippians chapter three, do you delight that you have been made a partaker of the sufferings of Jesus? The Christian life is not an easy life, but when trials come, there is every reason, there's every reason to be joyful. When persecution comes, there's every reason to be hopeful and joyful. because Christ is worthy. And I suppose that's a question we all have to put to ourselves this afternoon is, is the Lord Jesus Christ worthy? My friend, is the Lord Jesus Christ worthy to you? Are you willing to bear the shame And there are so often consequences for those that follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul writes to Timothy, he says, everyone that desires to live godly will suffer some form of persecution. The Lord Jesus Christ, throughout his teaching, emphasizes the fact that persecution will come. And congregation, not merely persecution, But the most intimate people in the lives of Christians will come and persecute them. They will be set at variance with those that they're closest to. Lord Jesus tells us, Matthew chapter 10, think not I'm come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his father and daughter against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's foes shall be they of his own household." And you hear that and you shrug back and you say, if that's Christianity, do I want it? If that's real Christianity, you're telling me that in the midst of that, I need to be of good cheer, I need to rejoice. The disciples, they were beaten, they suffered shame, and they rejoiced in it. How can you say that? The book of Acts, chapter 14. We find the apostle Paul, and he's gone and he's confirming the disciples. He's strengthening them. It's interesting. He begins, this is his first missionary journey. It's begun back in chapter 13, and they face persecution of some form or another everywhere they go. In fact, Paul in chapter 14 ends up being stoned, and the only thing that saves him is it seems like he basically passes out, becomes unconscious, and they think they've killed him, and they leave him, and he wakes up a few hours later. And then he goes back to all the places where he has been persecuted. He doesn't say, I can't go back there. Rather, it's his duty to go back there. And he goes back to all these places. And we read in Acts chapter 14, verse 22, confirming the souls of the disciples. So those that had been converted, that had come to be Christ's disciples, he was confirming or strengthening them. and he exhorted them to continue in the faith and that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. You say, well, where's the good cheer? Where's the rejoicing? Creation, my dear friend, it's through much tribulation that one enters the kingdom of God. It's in the midst of much tribulation that there is a heavenly reward. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4, for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So how can you rejoice? How can you be of good cheer? Because the Christian is seeking a heavenly city. Because the Christian knows this world is not their home. Because the Christian knows that as the world hated their master, their savior, their Lord, so the world will hate And therefore, when they are reviled and despised, shamed, he went to the cross, was mocked on the cross. I said he was the king of the Jews, but mockingly said that he was the king of the Jews. Arrayed in a purple robe and a crown of thorns above his cross, there was a sign that read, the king of the Jews. He had two criminals on either side who mocked him. He was mocked and reviled, we read, by those that passed by. And yet in all of this, the Lord Jesus Christ did not revile. He prayed for them. He ultimately died to save his people. But why do I bring this out? Because when the Christian is mocked, scoffed at, and reviled, it is the same treatment that the Savior received. And all of these things, all of this tribulation, where is the rejoicing? The rejoicing is, is this is a light affliction, but for a moment that will be nothing in the face of eternity. 2 Corinthians 4, 17 is the text I read, of course, that reads, for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And there was a church in the Soviet Union, an underground church, where that was actually what they chose, that was a small building, I think it was even in a house, but they chose to write that verse on the wall behind the pulpit as a reminder because of the threat, the risk that Christians had to face. the persecution they endured and the risk that they undertook even to come to church, the threat to their families and to their livelihoods, and yet as the word of God was being preached, as if they had any doubt, just above the head of the preacher was that verse reminding them that the anxiety they were feeling at that very time that the police could bust in and break up that meeting, that that was but a light affliction, there was a promised to them. Is that not something encouraging? Isn't it encouraging that the Lord's people, even in the midst of persecution, can be of good cheer because that is what the world, I should say this, that is the treatment that Christ had at the hands of the world. And the Lord's people can have great hope in it. But this leads us into our third point, which is the Lord Jesus Christ overcoming. So there is tribulation, there of course is reason to find joy and be of good cheer in it, but what is the fundamental basis of all of this? It's in Christ. It's because Christ has overcome. And the Lord Jesus tells us this in our text. He says at the very end of the verse, John, of course, 16.33, he says, for I have overcome the world. There's a question of what exactly does the Lord Jesus mean by this, that he has overcome the world? What does that mean? When we think about it, how could Jesus have overcome the world? I will confess, I was wrestling with this. If you look at this passage in the original languages, It's very clear that he says, I have overcome, in the sense that it's sort of definitively accomplished. And you're thinking about it, this is the night before he was betrayed, the night before he went to the cross, and yet you have him there saying, I have overcome. Well, on one hand, you could say he's overcome, in the sense that he has endured temptation in the sense, dear congregation, that he has endured much of the reviling of the world. Yes, he's going to go to the cross. It's going to be difficult. He's going to be reviled and mocked, but he knew that he would overcome. Of course, Satan had fired many darts at him, He's innocent. You can almost think about this drawing as disciples to the reality that the time has nearly come that redemption will surely be accomplished for the Lord's people. You might say, well, okay. What do you mean? Am I saved? You might say, well, yes, I believe I'm saved. You might be thinking, what are you getting at? Are you asking, am I a Christian? But really, it's in how you think. Many people profess Christianity and many of those professions are true, but really what the Lord Jesus Christ is trying to tell his disciples is there's every reason to find comfort because Christ has overcome, because Christ has conquered. When you, dear Christian, are in your weakest moments, when you're in your greatest struggles, when you find yourself really battling with temptation. What is it that you can look to? Who is it that you can call upon? What's the one who has gone before you, overcome. We read, of course, in Colossians 3, if ye then, being risen with Christ, if ye then are raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Now think about this. Christ has overcome. He is seated at God's right hand, and his people's desire is to be with him in heaven. Their heart, their lifestyle is to be a heavenly lifestyle, and so if Christ has overcome, my dear friend, you can always look to Jesus Christ sitting at God's right hand, and that should be where your heart is. And Paul goes on, and he says, you know, if you've been raised with Christ, set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. If Christ has overcome, for you. It should have changed your life. If Christ has overcome for you, your mind should be set on heavenly things. You should be seated with Christ in glory. If Christ, dear congregation, has overcome, then there is every wonderful And that is good news. Now you might think about that for a moment and say it's all well and good. The theological reality is true. Christ went to the cross, he overcame, he died, and the wrath of God was poured out on him. He died to save sinners. He laid in the grave and on the third day he was resurrected again. He sits at God's right hand and there's all of that theological reality and all of that richness and it's all true. But on the other hand, when I'm really tempted, when I'm really low, Pastor, how does that help me? What does that get me? John in 1 John 4.4, he of course says, what he says is, he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Right, the one that is dwelling, the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling within his people has overcome the world and he is greater than the world. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Do you see this? Not only is this an abstract theological reality, not only is it Christ is there at the right hand of God, yes, He is. Not only have all these events happened in the past, but Christ, by His Holy Spirit, is dwelling in His people and he is greater than the world, and so his people, by the indwelling of his spirit, by Christ's ministry in his people, by the ministry of the spirit, God's people are overcoming. When you say to yourself, I'm tempted, my dear Christian friend, when you're tempted, greater is he that is in you than he who is in the world. when you're struggling, when you lack comfort, when the troubles of this life seem to come in and they weigh on you and you feel. I don't know if you've ever been by it. I saw quite a few of these in Nova Scotia, these little shrubby trees. And you'll see them further inland as well. And when they're further inland, they grow massive. But if they're right on the coast, they're just like little shrubs and the waves as they grow up through the craggy rocks of Nova Scotia, and that's sometimes how it feels for the Lord's people. You feel like every day there's the battering of the wind, there's the banging on of the waves, that the root, the seed of the word, that it's gone in, there's good ground, but it's gone in on good ground between crags of rock constantly assaulted by salt water, constantly blown about by the wind, and you wonder, in your own life, is it going to take fruit? And between the constant banging and thrashing, you wonder, is it really going to bear on? And yet somehow those trees carry on and they're fruitful. And so it is with the Christians. That's the hope of the Lord's people. That's the good news. That Christ, he's saying, I have overcome the world, and because I have overcome the world, if you are my disciple, you should have every expectation that that will be a reality. not merely suggestive, but it points to a great reality, of course, that the world is not the Christian's home. And this has to be highlighted. Yes, we talked this morning about the tribulation and sort of the antithesis between the world and the Christian, the world and the church, but you, my dear friend, must see the world as something that needed to be overcome by Christ Well, if you're at ease with the world, if the world is your home, then you don't see Jesus as a necessity. Jesus overcoming the world to you is not really of any consequence. And you yourself, by the ministry of Christ in you, by his spirit overcoming all temptation, overcoming and ultimately inheriting a heavenly reward, when you hear that, You think, wow, a heavenly reward, that sounds nice, but I really like this life. I don't really see the need of the Spirit aiding me, of Christ overcoming when the world is something, frankly, I don't wanna overcome, but I want to embrace and enjoy and delight in. And you've met people like that. And you know, I know this is a very common phrase, When you think about somebody, you'll meet people and they'll say, well, I just love life. We should love life in the sense of thou shalt not murder. We wanna preserve and protect our own life and our neighbor's lives, but at the same time, we realize that everyone's life is going to end. and there's an eternity that is forever, and that's really where the Christian's desire should be. The Christian's desire should be on overcoming the world, not loving life, not embracing the world, and not trying to get as much pleasure, enjoyment, and fulfillment out of the world as we can, because rather for the true Christian, their pleasure, their enjoyment, and their fulfillment is seated Do you see the world? Do you look to the Lord Jesus Christ as the one that has overcome the world on your behalf and now he indwells you and ensures that you will overcome the world and is that a great source of comfort for you? Or rather, do you see the world as hardly a threat and are you at peace with it? Are you at peace with yourself in this life? The Lord Jesus Creation, He said, He said these words so that they might have peace, so that they might have consolation and comfort in the midst of coming tribulation. He told them that in the coming tribulation, they must be of good cheer, that even though they don't know how it's all going to turn out, how it's all going to go, there's great occasion to rejoice And the reason that all of this can be true is because Christ has overcome the world. And he's overcoming it in his people by indwelling them and conforming them to his image. There's something comforting and something hopeful in it. Because they are at peace with God. Because Christ has overcome for them. Now, the real question is to you this afternoon. Do you know this Christ? Do you have this peace? I don't wanna say at ease with tribulation, but I don't wanna use the word peace again, to be honest, but do you have peace in the midst of tribulation? And what I mean is, can you accept it and understand that this is part of the Christian life? And even in the midst of it, can you be of good cheer? And can you be of good cheer? Because Christ has promised, this is what Christ has called his people to, and when you are doing what Christ has called you to, there's great joy in that. And can you rejoice that Christ has overcome it all for the sake of his people, to save them? So how, then, does the Lord Jesus Christ provide comfort to his people in this morning's sermon and tonight's sermon? Of course, they are entitled Christ's Words of Comfort. How does Christ comfort his people? Well, he does them by teaching them so that they may have peace. He reminds them of the realities of the tribulation that will come in this world, but he also tells them that even though tribulation is to be expected and it's not going to be easy, he tells them they're to be of good cheer because if the world hated him, so will the world hate his people. And ultimately, they can be of good cheer because Christ has overcome. The Lord Jesus, at the close, right before he's about to pray, at the close of this most wonderful discourse in the upper room, that's gone back over the last several chapters, he closes it by comforting his people. So may I close with a word of comfort for you, dear Christian. If you are struggling, May I just remind you that the Lord Jesus Christ has given his word that you may have peace, that in this world you are to expect tribulation. That's just me being honest, but you're to be of good cheer because ultimately Christ has overcome. And if Christ is your all in all, you can find great delight, comfort in him. this peace in the midst of tribulation, this good cheer, this Christ having overcome the world. These things are not natively yours if you're outside of Christ. In fact, they don't natively belong to anyone. As a professor of mine used to say, Christianity does not grow naturally or natively in the soil of our heart. So if you want these things, If you desire these things, if you want Christ Jesus, if you fear for your soul, I can offer Him to you in the Gospel. I can say, come to Him with your burdens that you are laden with, and He will give you rest. And He, He is a glorious Word. O glorious, most high and triune God, we rejoice in that glorious salvation that Christ Jesus merited for his people and that he did overcome the world, that in temptation he did not give in. that in reviling he, or that in being reviled, he did not revile, that Lord, enduring persecution, he did not sin. And even on the cross, he withstood thy eternal wrath for the sake of saving his people. And we pray, oh Lord, that we remember the afflictions that we endure. are but a light momentary affliction, and there's the promise of eternal glory afterwards. O God, may we know Christ for ourselves. May we delight in Him and may we be comforted by His words. It's in His name we pray and ask forgiveness of our many sins. Amen.