In the last year we have rejoiced in the births and baptisms of four babies. In the next six months we will see two more, Lord willing. Those of you who have given birth can testify to the truth of Jesus' words: "When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow, because her hour has come, But when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world." I've had the joy of seeing this three times. But Jesus is talking about something more than childbirth. And to understand what Jesus is saying, we need to go back to a time when this was not true. We need to learn from Phineas's wife in 1 Samuel 4.

Jesus has told us that his hour has come. He is about to endure the suffering of the cross. And he has told the disciples that their hour is coming. And their hour will be like his hour, yet they may take comfort because when their hour comes, so also will the Holy Spirit. Jesus will be with his people in the midst of their suffering by the power of his Spirit.

And that was not true for Phineas's wife. 1 Samuel 4 speaks of the death of Israel. Israel goes up to battle against the Philistines. When they are soundly defeated, the elders of Israel call for the ark of the covenant. And the people bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh Sabaoth- The LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. God himself sits upon this ark. Surely with his presence, Israel will triumph against their enemies! But God has determined to judge Israel for the sins of Hophni and Phineas, the sons of Eli the priest. 1 Samuel 3 tells us how Samuel heard the voice of the LORD, declaring the judgment that would fall on the house of Eli. And that judgment falls in 4:10-11. The Philistines fight bravely, and kill 30,000 Israelites, including Hophni and Phineas, and capture the ark of God. The messenger runs to Shiloh to tell Eli the news. Eli hears the message of the defeat of the Israelites, and mourns. He hears the news of the death of his two sons, and grieves. But when he hears that the ark of the covenant has been captured, he is stricken-falls over backwards and breaks his neck. The death of his sons was bad news- but that was only the justice of God against their wickedness- but the capture of the ark! That signaled the judgment of God against all Israel. God's presence had gone out from his people. The Spirit of God no longer is with them. His daughter-in-law understood this too. She was pregnant, and when she heard that the ark had been captured and the entire priesthood of Israel was dead (her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law), she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. She had sorrow because her hour had come. But not hers alone. Her pains were the birthpains of Israel. She felt in her body the anguish of the nation- an anguish Isaiah would later express over the exile: "We were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind." (26:18) Phineas's wife feels in her body the futility of her labor pains. When the women try to comfort her, "do not be afraid, for you have borne a son!" She understands better than they that even a son brings no comfort. The Comforter has left. It is as though when you gave birth to your child, you heard the news, not only that your husband and father-in-law had died, but that the Holy Spirit had been recalled to heaven, and you were utterly alone. And so she names the child "Ichabod." (No glory) Because the glory had departed from Israel. The ark of God had been captured-her father-in-law and her husband were dead. Any woman would mourn the loss of her family, but Phineas's wife understands that her loss is not hers alone. And so she says: "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured." What hope do I have without my God? What future does my son have without the presence of the LORD?

And so she died.

Without the presence of God, sorrow leads to death.

When we return to John 16 we find ourselves in a different world altogether. Jesus has told his disciples that when he goes to the Father, he will send the Holy Spirit to be with them. Indeed, with Jesus at the right hand of the Father, we know that we have full access to God. We may approach the throne of grace with boldness, because we come in Jesus' name. Never again must we inscribe "Ichabod" over the doors of the church, because the glory will never depart again. But that doesn't mean that we will never have sorrow. The difference between us and Phineas's wife is not that she endured pain and agony, and we will not. No, Jesus makes it clear that we will endure anguish. The difference is that we never need to lose hope.

Jesus starts by saying, "A little while and you will see me no longer; and again a little while and you will see me." This causes no small consternation among the disciples. What does Jesus mean "a little while"? Verses 20-24 explain it as a contrast between the disciples and the world. The world will rejoice, but you will weep and lament. You will think that you are in the place of Phineas's wife. You will think that there is no hope. The great priest will die. The presence of God on earth will be removed. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. Jesus will do battle against the enemies of God, and like Hophni and Phineas, he will be struck down. He will be taken captive, like the ark of the covenant long ago. And you will think that hope has perished from the earth. When your hour comes, you will be like Phineas's wife, thinking that she is giving birth for nothing. And you will declare "Ichabod"-there is no glory. But take heart. There is a new birth coming. "You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." (16:22) Jesus is speaking first to the disciples about what they will experience in the next few days. When he dies, they will endure the anguish and sorrow of being alone. But then he will be raised from the dead, and they will see him again and rejoice. Remember, Jesus is speaking to the eleven about what they most need to understand before the Spirit comes.

But Jesus' language suggests that he is also speaking to us as well. Because he speaks of their joy in terms of communion with the Father. (23-24) Because Jesus has been raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Father, we may ask the Father for whatever we wish, in Jesus' name.

"In that day" in what day? In the day that "I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." For the disciples, "that day" was Resurrection Sunday. That was the day in which their joy was made full. From that day on, no one could take away their joy. That is the day in which we will not ask anything of Jesus. Why will we ask nothing of Jesus? Because we can ask the Father. Jesus explains that so far they have asked nothing of the Father. What? The disciples have never prayed? No. That's not the point. They have asked nothing of the Father "in my name." There is something unique about prayer in the name of Jesus. "Whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." "Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full." That is a remarkable promise. What does it mean? Is it some special promise limited to the apostles? Only they got whatever they asked? But what about Paul- who asked three times for God to remove his thorn in the flesh, and yet the only response was 'my grace is sufficient for you'! (2 C 12:9) No, this promise is for you. But you may not separate the "whatever you ask" from the "in my name." God is not an idol that you can manipulate. It's not a matter of "getting on his good side" so you can get whatever you want. Rather, you must ask in Jesus' name. And to ask in Jesus' name is to ask for that which gives honor to Jesus. To pray in the name of Jesus is to pray that his kingdom would expand. To pray for your own selfish gain in the name of Jesus is a contradiction in terms, and a mockery of prayer. James seems to be dealing with the same misunderstanding in James 4, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions." (James 4:3) If you want to understand how to pray, learn from the disciples. In the book of Acts we hear of what it means to pray in the name of Jesus. Acts 1:14 tells us that the disciples devoted themselves to prayer after the ascension of Christ. Acts 2:42 tells us that those who repented and were baptized devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers. What did those prayers look like? (Read Acts 4:24-30) Prayer in the name of Jesus asks for wisdom and boldness for the servants of Christ who proclaim his message. The apostles determine in Acts 6:4 that they must devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word Cornelius' prayers in Acts 10:4 result in the coming of the gospel to the Gentiles. And all throughout Acts, the apostles declare that they speak in the name of Jesus. They heal in the name of Jesus. They cast out demons in the name of Jesus. They baptize in the name of Jesus. And so they pray in the name of Jesus. Paul goes so far as to say in Colossians 3:17, that whatever you do-whether in word or in deed- do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. This ought to give us boldness in prayer. This is why I am confident to pray for the day when all Christians will be reunited in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. That would honor the name of Jesus. And so I pray-and so I preach. This is also why I pray that Michiana Covenant Church would become Michiana Pby. Because I firmly believe that it would honor Christ to have a faithful church in every neighborhood. And this is why "I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God!" (Eph. 3:14-19) Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

While this is indeed good news, remember the context. Jesus is going away. He is leaving the world and going to the Father. Finally the disciples understand. (29-30) There is a certain sadness in Jesus' reply. After all this time, do you now believe? Here, on the last night, just before my death-do you only now believe? But Jesus understands that even this is in God's perfect timing: (32-33)

The hour has come. Jesus will speak no more to his disciples until all things have been accomplished. They will flee and be scattered-like the dispersion of the Exiles. Jesus alone will face the cross-the hordes of the evil one. Alone-and yet not alone-because the Father is with him.

For now.

There will come the terror of that hour when even the Father abandons him. Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani Jesus will endure the anguish of the cross for the joy set before him.

And then Jesus speaks his final words to them before he goes to the cross (v 33)

Your hour will come. In the world you will have tribulation. You will suffer. But your sorrow will be turned to joy, first because the Holy Spirit will remain with you, and second, because Jesus will return.

Take heart; I have overcome the world.

In your trials and temptations, take heart, I have overcome the world. When you do not think that you have the strength to endure, you are right. You don't. Therefore flee to Christ. Call upon the Father in the name of Jesus, Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Copyright © 2004 Peter J. Wallace