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Book: John
 Print ( PC Only )
John 16:22
I. The main topic to which Jesus turns in the shadow of the cross.
is joy.
A. "Their sorrow will be turned into joy."
B. "Your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man taketh from you."
C. He talks of their fullness of joy.
D. It is like the epistle of Paul to the Phillipians written from
his prison cell. The theme is the joy and rejoicing in Jesus
E. Joy is a quality of the spirit. Happiness is a quality of the
emotions. Happiness is a variable, whereas joy is a constant.
F. Happiness has to do with my relationship with things,
Joy has to do with my relationship with God. Things can and do
change, but God never changes.
II. He then turns to the subject of prayer.
A. "In that day you will ask Me nothing."
1. While He was with them on the earth, they were used to
asking Him for many things.
2. The day is coming when they will no longer ask Him for
things but will ask the Father in His name.
3. In chapter 14 He had said, "And whatsoever thing you
ask the Father in My name, that will I do that the
Father might be glorified in the Son, if you will ask
anything in My name, I will do it.
4. Does this mean that our prayers are to be offered to
God?
5. I believe so, we ask the Father in the name of His Son.
a. In the model prayer Jesus said pray, "Our
Father which art in heaven."
b. In Acts 4 the apostles prayed unto God saying,
"O Lord, thou art God."
c. In Eph. 3:14 Paul speaks of bowing his knees
before the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
d. In Eph. 5:20 He speaks of giving thanks for all
things unto God in the name of Jesus Christ.
e. In Col. 1:3 He said, "We give thanks to God and
the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, praying
always for you."
f. In Col.3:17 he speaks of giving thanks unto God
and the Father by Him.
6. Does that mean that we are not to pray to Jesus, or to
the Holy Spirit?
a. I do not believe that we can be legalistic in
this at all.
b. It would seem that Stephen as he was being
stoned prayed to Jesus, as he said, "Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit."
c. But it must be acknowledged that for the most
part the New Testament follows that pattern
that Jesus set, and that prayers were offered
to the Father.
B. He gives a very broad promise, "Whatsoever you shall ask the
Father, in My name, He will give it you."
1. This is where many people take off in heretical beliefs
about prayer.
a. The purpose of prayer is not to accomplish my
will on earth. It is not to satisfy my every
lust or wish.
b. "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth,
even as it is in heaven." That is the real
thrust of prayer.
2. It should be noted that Jesus is not talking here to
the multitudes, He is talking to a close group who have
as Peter declared, given up all to follow Jesus.
a. Jesus had said, "If any man will come after Me,
let Him deny himself, take up his cross, and
follow Me."
b. That is what they had done, and it is to this
group that Jesus is speaking.
c. If you have truly denied yourself, then you
will not be asking for things to consume upon
your own lusts.
d. Jesus lived a life of simplicity, He did not
wear designer clothes and have so much money in
the purse that Judas could be pilfering from it
without it being noticed, as some heretical
faith evangelists declare to justify their
Rolex watches, and Rolls Royce cars.
3. James declared that there were some that asked and
received not because they asked amiss, that they might
consume it on their own lusts.
C. "Up till now, you have asked nothing in My name, ask (Please
ask) and you shall receive, that your joy may be full."
1. During the Old Testament period the way to God was
through the sacrifices.
2. Sin has always been a barrier separating God from man,
"Gods hand is not short, that He cannot save, neither
is His ear heavy that He cannot hear, but your sins,
have separated you from your God."
3. This separation was manifested by the veil that
separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, that
only the High priest was allowed to enter, and that
only once a year after many washings and sacrifices.
4. When Jesus was crucified we read that the veil of the
Temple was torn from the top to the bottom. Man did not
remove the veil, that would have been from the bottom
to the top, but God removed the veil.
5. Now through Jesus Christ we have access to the Father.
a. No wonder Jesus said that He hated the deeds of
the
Nicolaitanes which seemed to be the establishing of
a mediating priesthood over the laity.
b. This is exactly what was abolished through His
work on the cross.
6. Asking in His name.
a. Peter said to the lame man, "In the name of
Jesus Christ, rise up and walk."
b. Later when asked by what power this man was
walking Peter said, "By the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth does this man stand here
before you whole.
c. Later they prayed that God would stretch forth
His hand to heal and the signs and wonders
would be done in the name of the holy child
Jesus.
d. In Acts 16 when Paul met the girl possessed
with a evil spirit, he commanded the spirit "In
the name of Jesus Christ come out of her."
7. Fullness of joy is related to our keeping His
commandments and abiding in His love. 15:10,11. Here it
is associated with prayer and in I John 1 it is
associated with our fellowship with one another and
with Him.
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