Birth pains until He returns

"Every time I shed a tear, every time I'm cold with fear, when I've got a broken heart, every time I fall apart... it matters. It matters."Tim kicks things off with lyrics from 90s Christian ska-punk band The OC Supertones—and summarises his entire sermon in one line: The Father cares for you.But then, like a Christopher Nolan film (Tim's favourite metaphor tonight), we work our way back from the ending to understand how we got there.Jesus is hours away from His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. He tells His disciples a riddle: "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me." The disciples are confused. We, knowing the end of the story, understand exactly what He's talking about.Jesus knows the disciples are about to experience weeping, mourning, and grief while the world rejoices. But He also knows their grief will turn to joy when He comes back from the dead. And He uses this powerful metaphor: "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world."Incredible pain and anguish, toil and hardship, overcome by the triumph and joy of the child being born.Tim pauses here with deep empathy to acknowledge that this isn't always everyone's experience. Sometimes the pain and anguish continues. But all pain, all anguish, all grief is taken up by Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus isn't being flippant, He's identifying with the pain of the world while setting hope before us that joy is to come.But here's what Tim focuses on: You have direct access to God the Father.Jesus says, "Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." The disciples won't need to ask Jesus anymore, they get to talk directly to God. Through that, their joy will be complete.Tim shares a hilarious illustration about trying to get letters from the Prime Minister and Governor General. You don't just call up "Albo" and "Sammy" like mates. You fill in online forms, junior admin assistants get notifications, it gets pushed up to middle management, printed, passed to executive assistants, signed with an auto-pen. You're skeptical their hands ever touched it.Jesus' point is that's exactly NOT how God operates. Jesus isn't God's executive assistant handling things God's too busy for. "In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you" (vv. 26-27).The Father Himself loves you.Whatever your family situation, whatever your experience of fathers or fatherhood or fatherlessness, here's the gospel truth: Those who trust in Jesus, who love Jesus, who believe He comes from God, have this promise: The Father of this created world, the God of the cosmos, knows you, loves you, hears your direct prayers, delights to give you whatever you ask for.You have instant, immediate, direct, valued access to the very presence of the living God. No online forms. No admin assistants. You have access to God the Father right now by virtue of being a Christian.The Father cares for you. Jesus won victory for you. The Holy Spirit is always with you, uniting you to the Father through the Son."I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (v. 33).Christians have peace in this troubled world. Not a trouble-free life, Jesus doesn't promise that. But peace in the midst of a troubled life.And here's the crucial difference: Jesus is NOT saying, "I have overcome the world, so if you try really hard, you too can overcome the world just like I did." That's the message of our influencer age: "I've overcome my addiction, my mental health struggles, my singleness, my lack of fitness. If you follow these 10 steps, buy my course, you too can have victory like me."That is NOT what Jesus is selling.Jesus is not a successful influencer who cracked the code. You can't disciple-maxx your way to overcoming the world. The influencer promise brings hopelessness and despair, not comfort, hope, and peace.Our confidence is in Christ's finished work—His perfect life, His substitutionary death, His firstfruits resurrection. That's what guarantees our safe and secure inclusion in His restored kingdom. We overcome the world by His work, not ours.If you're a Christian, you can have peace in this troubled world. Not because of what you do, but because of what Christ has done.Take heart. The Father cares for you.Series: Revealing Jesus (John 13-17) Speaker: Tim Scripture: John 16:16-33