Easter 4
Jn
16:16-22
4/22/18
Today, almost one in three babies
are born by Caesarean section - 31.9% of births. That percentage his risen greatly since 1970
when only 5% of births were C-section.
This has caused some concern because studies have indicated that 19% is
about the upper limit for C-sections to be a positive factor for healthy
outcomes. Beyond that, the overuse of
C-sections begins to yield difficulties.
A number of explanations have been
provided for the increase in C-sections.
One is that we have much better fetal monitoring today, and so are far
more aware about changes in the baby’s condition. Yet because doctors have this information,
they may be more sensitive to changes than they need to be, and thus quicker to
decide on a C-section.
Another explanation is the litigious
age in which we live. When the outcome is not good in a natural child birth,
the obvious question becomes: “Why didn’t the doctor do a C-section?” Doctors
may be more inclined to do C-sections because it makes clear that everything
possible was done and protects them against lawsuits.
Finally, C-sections give mothers
more control. Rather than waiting on the
unknown timing of labor, they can schedule a date for a C-section and make all
of their other plans accordingly. For
Amy and me this sounded really good when
she had the twins. She was scheduled for a C-section because Matthew was
breach. We got up thinking that we had a
leisurely day to make final arrangements before the twins were born the next
day. But when Amy’s water broke that
morning it was off to the hospital for the deliver – whether we had planned on it
or not.
This trend toward C-sections means
that fewer women today experience what Jesus uses to describe the time in which
we wait for his return. He talks about
the sorrow a woman has when the hour has come for her to give birth. Amy certainly experienced this when she gave
birth to Timothy. Yet as our Lord says,
when it was done there was joy that a baby – her first – had been born into the
world and the difficulties didn’t matter anymore.
Our text is found in the portion of
John’s Gospel that is usually called the Farewell Discourse. It was the night when Jesus was betrayed and
our Lord and the disciples were on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus began to tell them that he was going
way, but that he would then come back.
He was returning t the Father.
Jesus said, “But
now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you
going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your
heart.”
The
disciples were confused and distressed by what Jesus what was saying. In our text Jesus again says, “A little
while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see
me.” Some of his disciples said to one
another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not
see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am
going to the Father'?’ They were saying,
"What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking
about.”
The
disciples were confused. They didn’t understand, and Jesus knew that they
wanted to ask him about what he had stated.
So he said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and
lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will
turn into joy.” Jesus’ departure would be a source of sadness for the
disciples. By contrast, the world would
rejoice because it would be free continue as its own god, ignoring the Lord who
seemed to be absent.
That’s the
way it is today. Jesus has ascended – he
has withdrawn his visible presence. I don’t
see him. You don’t see him. The world doesn’t see him. The difference is that the world concludes
that because this is so, Jesus is just a myth.
The claims made about him aren’t true. He is not the way, the truth and
the life. He is not the only way to
salvation.
Instead of
believing these claims, the world rejects and attacks those who do. The very
clear message is that polite people don’t talk about religion in public. A person certainly
does not speak if he or she is going to make any absolute truth claims
about Jesus. Do that, and you will experience exactly what Jesus described in
the previous chapter when he said, “If the world hates you, know that it has
hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love
you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of
the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you:
‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will
also persecute you.”
Our response
as we live in the world is often silence. But this is wrong. That is fear, not
faith. Our Lord doesn’t deny the
difficulty of living in a sinful world when we are not of the world – when we
haven born again of water and the Spirit as the children of God. Instead he tells us what the future
hold. He gives us hope.
Jesus says,
“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. So also you have sorrow now,
but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take
your joy from you.”
Jesus tells
us three things. First, you have sorrow now. Suffering and hardships because of
Jesus are simply part of the Christian life. That’s just the way it is. If you
don’t think so, then we need to talk because you are doing something wrong.
Second, you
will see Jesus. We pray, “Come Lord
Jesus!” We do because we want Jesus to
rescue us from sin and all that it has done to this world. We want Jesus to appear in power and might
and glory so that every knee will have to bow and confess that he is Lord and
God. We want Jesus to vindicate us before he world for believing and trusting
in him while the world heaped scorn upon us. Jesus says that he will return and do these things.
And third,
our Lord says your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. His return will bring joy that has no
end. It will bring a joy so great that,
like the woman who has given birth, we no longer remember the pain and
difficulties of the present. This is the hope that we have.
It is a
hope that is grounded in this season of the church year that we are
celebrating. It is grounded in the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. In John’s
Gospel, Jesus’ ascension is part of one big upward movement that begins with
his death. His glorification begins at
the cross, because it doesn’t end at the cross.
Instead, this saving work that Father gave him to do is a work that
leads inevitably to resurrection; then to ascension; and then to return on the
Last Day.
Jesus came
to do the Father’s will. In the next chapter,
he prays: "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may
glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal
life to all whom you have given him.
And
this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ
whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that
you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the
glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
Jesus accomplished his work. He cried out, “It is finished” as he died on
cross as your Passover lamb. Because he shed his blood for you, God’s judgment
passes over you and you suffer no harm.
Now, Jesus has risen from the dead and he gives you the eternal life
that has already started in our Lord.
At the end of this chapter Jesus
says, “I have said these things to you, that in
me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart;
I have overcome the world.” By his death
and resurrection Jesus has overcome the world.
He has given you peace. You have
peace with God. You have the peace of
knowing how all of this turns out.
Its result will be joy. In his resurrection Jesus has already
won! His resurrection is the beginning
of your victory. Jesus has returned to
the Father as the exalted Lord. He
completed the work that Father had given him to do. You already now receive those benefits
because Jesus has overcome the world.
And Jesus assures you that when he
returns in glory you will have nothing
but joy. You will have a joy so
great that it will drive out all memory of the present troubles; a joy that you
will possess forever. As Jesus says in
our text, “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. So also you have sorrow now, but I
will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy
from you.”
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