Chapter 16
John 16:16–24
Theme: Jesus promises that sorrow is not the end—it is the soil from which deep, lasting joy will grow.
Your Sorrow Will Turn to Joy 16 “Soon you won’t see me anymore, but just a little while after that, you will see me again.” 17 Some of the disciples said to each other, “What does He mean by, ‘Soon you won’t see me,’ and then, ‘You will see me again’? And why did He say, ‘Because I’m going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What is this ‘little while’? We don’t understand.” 19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask Him, so He said, “Are you trying to understand what I meant? 20 Let me be clear—you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices. You’ll grieve, but your grief will turn into joy. 21 It’s like a woman in labor—she has pain, but once her baby is born, she forgets the pain because of her joy. 22 In the same way, you will have sorrow now, but I will see you again. Then your hearts will be filled with joy, and no one will be able to take that joy from you.”
Ask the Father in My Name 23 “When that day comes, you won’t need to ask me for anything. You’ll go directly to the Father and ask in my name—and He will give it to you because of your relationship with me. 24 Until now, you haven’t asked for anything in my name. But now you can ask—and keep asking—and you will receive, so your joy will overflow!
IN THIS LESSON
What’s Really Going On?
Jesus tells His disciples something mysterious: “In a little while you won’t see me, and then you’ll see me again.” The disciples are confused, troubled, and filled with grief. Jesus is pointing to His death and resurrection—a coming separation that will break their hearts, followed by a reunion that will transform them with joy.
He uses the example of a woman in labor—pain that leads to life. The disciples are about to enter a kind of “spiritual labor,” but the outcome will be resurrection joy, and a new way to relate to the Father—directly, in Jesus’s name.
“In a little while you won’t see me… and then you’ll see me again.”
“Until now, you’ve not asked for anything in my name. Ask—and you will receive, and your joy will be full!”
“In that day, you will ask the Father directly in My name.”
What Was Said or Done?
“You will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices. But your grief will turn to joy.”
“A woman giving birth has pain... but forgets it once the child is born.”
“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice—and no one can take your joy away.”
Let’s Talk About It
Let’s Talk About It
Decisions They Faced
The disciples had to choose whether to trust Jesus’s promise in their confusion.
They had to decide if they would cling to hope even when it made no immediate sense.
They were being invited to see sorrow as part of God’s redemptive process, not the end of the story.
What Happened Next?
They moved from confusion to confidence, from grief to joy that no one could take away.
Jesus did leave them—through arrest, suffering, and death.
They did grieve while the world mocked.
But three days later, their weeping turned into uncontainable joy.
Jesus’s resurrection redefined reality—and their relationship with the Father was made personal and permanent.
Living It Out
Living It Out
💬 Let’s Make It Personal
Where in your life are you grieving something God hasn’t fully explained yet?
What “little while” are you living through, waiting to see Jesus again in a new way?
When have you seen God transform pain into joy?
Are you boldly asking the Father in Jesus’s name—or holding back?
Your Next Step
Anchor Verse Meditation
Read John 16:22 aloud:
“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away.”
Say it daily. Declare it over your sorrow.
Reflective Writing Prompt
Journal this sentence: “Lord, here is where I feel sorrow: ______. But I trust that joy is coming.”
Prayer Practice
Boldly ask the Father for something specific in Jesus’s name.
Not as a formula—but as a relational act of trust. Then, write down what you sense He’s doing in response.
Encourage Someone Waiting in Grief
Send a note or message to a friend going through a hard time. Share John 16:20 or 16:22 and remind them that joy is coming.