Whether it is the time for the test, time for the wedding, or time for the big game, there is something exhilarating and terrifying about these two words:

It’s time!

When the time comes, all pretense, all preparation, all patience is over, and now the event—however important or trivial—is here. This is true in life, in death, and everywhere in between.

God made his world to run on time. And that means, when he spun the planets around the sun and turned the earth on it axis, he created time and a world filled with hours and days. Time is not something that confines God, nor defines God, for he is outside of the time he created. Still, in his world, there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. And in these moments of time, God has worked a plan of redemption.

Not surprisingly, in making everything in his world to glorify his name, God centered his son in the middle of time. In a sense, all time turns around the cross of Christ and this climactic moment in history. And in John’s Gospel, the “hour” for which Christ came is now here.

On Sunday, we come to the moment when Jesus says, “It’s time.” In John 16:16–33, the references to time are intense. In fact, when you look at the verses, it looks like looking at the wall of a clock store—imagining that a such store still exists. it seems, the time for clock stores seem to have passed. But imagining what a clock store might look like, John 16 gives us the literary equivalent. And on Sunday it will be time to look at how Jesus prepares for his time on the cross.

To prepare for Sunday, please read John 16. We will finish this chapter on Sunday as contemplate the sacrifice of Christ, which gave birth to his church. Please pray for our time and for our hearts to not take our time for granted.

As the Lord allows, I will look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,

Pastor David

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Discussion & Response Questions for John 16:16 – 33

How does Jesus interact with the disciples questions, and how does their understanding grow in this text?

What examples does Jesus give to illustrate the “little while” of sorrow, which will be replaced by joy? What do these figures of speech reveal?

Consider the movement of the disciples from sorrow to joy, in contrast to the world’s joy (vv. 20-24).

How does Jesus characterize the joy that is coming?

How would you explain what Jesus is about prayer?

What is “that day” that Jesus speaks of? What characterizes it?

What are the hours that Jesus describes? Are they identical or different? Do they apply to the apostles only, or also to the saints today?

How does Jesus bring the disciples from bad news (v. 32) to peace (v. 33)?

How does Jesus intend for his disciples to “take heart”? What does it look like for us to “take heart” today?

How ought we to respond to these truths?