Warning – Difficulties Ahead

Zach Wallace – Pastoral Intern

John 16:1-4

I have been fortunate enough to do some traveling in my life, which has required some flying. For the most part, I enjoy flying, but by far, the worst thing about flying is the turbulence! Seeing those seatbelt signs pop on above your head, warning you to buckle up for a bumpy ride 30,000 feet in the air, always gets my heart going. Yet, in those moments of fear, I find comfort when I look at the faces of the plane stewards. They are calm, their faces aren’t creased with worry, their confidence is infectious.

Jesus in our passage today pops on the seatbelt sign for his disciples, “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them.” John 16:1-4.

It is clear, that the road ahead of the disciples will be hard because they are Jesus’ disciples. For us too, it can be scary when we think about being a Christian in a world hostile to Jesus. So what is our comfort? When we look to Jesus, rejection, and persecution are not surprising to him, He went through it, and the disciples went through it, it’s just a part of following Jesus in this sinful world.

Amid the potential for turbulence that we face, Jesus isn’t worried, He is in control, and He knows how the story ends. To those who don’t fall away and persevere, there is a glorious hope with Jesus. So let’s look to Jesus’ face, He is not surprised and He is not daunted, He will bring us into the great hope we have in Him.

Lord Jesus thank you that you have led the way before us, suffering yourself, yet you did not fall away. You pressed on and as a result, we have salvation and a great hope for our eternal future.

Lord Jesus we confess we want life to be safe and comfortable even sometimes at the cost of being faithful to You. Forgive us, Lord Jesus.

Lord Jesus, when we face difficulty for being your disciples, keep us from falling away. May we look to your face and be comforted in the hope we have in you.