Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayerful attention to the Gospel according to John, and reading for our text in John 16 verse 33. John chapter 16 and verse 33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16 verse 33, peace in tribulation.

Now Lord in these chapters from 13 Right through 18, we read in verse 18, when Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the book Kedron. And then we read of Judas, which betrayed him. These things are spoken just before our Lord was taken and crucified. He was preparing his disciples for what they were to go through, telling them clearly of the sorrows of the time that they would forsake him, the father with him, which of course then highlights the sorrows that he had and the burden that he had when he cried, my father, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

But our Lord here is coming for this purpose and we have in our text these things I have spoken unto you. And actually the whole chapter begins with these very same words. These things have I spoken unto you. And then verse one, it is that you should not be offended. Whereas in our text, it is that in me you might have peace. the emphasis being that it is through what the Lord Jesus Christ speaks is where the comfort and where the peace comes from.

And not only that, but when he says that he has many other things to say unto them, but he cannot bear them now, and yet he goes to the Father And so the intimation is this, that even though he has gone to the Father, yet it is through the Spirit. And of course, when our Lord rose from the dead, there was many more things he was going to speak to them then. But just because the Lord is ascended up into heaven doesn't mean to say that he is not still speaking to his people And of course, especially through the ministry of the Apostles, especially through the Holy Spirit applying their ministry, and the Apostle Peter, the Apostle Paul, opening up, explaining all of the way of salvation, all the purposes of God, it is still the Lord Jesus Christ speaking And that's why we have it in Hebrews chapter 1, where we read these words that, God, who at sundry times in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. And so we would not confine the comfort through the word of God, the peace through the word of God, just to what is written and recorded in this chapter, but right through the word of God, the Lord uses that word to bring the peace and these comfort to the people of God.

And of course it is said, over against the tribulation. These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace, in the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. So I want to look at three points. Firstly, peace in Christ through the words he has spoken unto us. Peace in Christ through the words he has spoken unto us. And then secondly, what we must expect in the world, tribulation or great trouble. And thirdly, the reason to be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. He says, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.

But firstly, the peace in Christ through the words that he has spoken. And we could imply this as well a negative. that outside of Christ there is no peace. In fact, the word of God clearly says there is no peace to death, my soul, and to the wicked, but there is in Christ. When our Lord came to this world, when he was born into this world, the message from the angels was on earth, peace, goodwill toward men. There won't be peace on earth. There won't be over all the earth peace. But in this world, there will be peace. There is peace known in the midst of this world, in the midst of tribulation. And that was the message heralded by the angels.

But what kind of peace even is it with the people of God? Well, we know the Lord does give times of peace. The Lord did it to King Solomon in his reign and where there was not the conflicts and not the wars. But Solomon did have many other troubles. We are not looking for a peace in an outward way.

Outward way we have, especially in the contracts here, a tribulation, so we may say it is a spiritual peace, an inward peace, a peace of soul, a peace that comes through the Word of God, that is spoken unto us, applied to us by the Holy Spirit. We may also say that peace is not a universal one but is peculiar or particular to the Lord's people.

There comes with it a token that they are the Lord's when he speaks peace to their souls. So it is a personal peace, that which is known by individuals within. Thou wilt keep him. In perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee. And so it is a peace that actually is given. My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled.

The Lord throughout these chapters, and that quote was from Chapter 14 is, speaking of peace, not something we work up or something that we try to attain to of our own or by our own efforts, but that which is given as a free and sovereign gift and has a token of being one of the Lords within, as well as us receiving the benefit of it in our own hearts and minds.

That the troubles, we think of the picture of the dear disciples in the ship with the waves and the billows and they were so afraid and they called upon him to arise carest thou not that we perish? And he arose and with his word he stilled the winds and stilled the waves and there was a great calm, a real contrast between what was and then what the Lord brought about. And of course with that stilling of the waves also stilled the anxious cries and fears. of the disciples as well. The Lord specifically calls it my peace, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. It is a peace that is so closely associated with his coming to this world, with his sufferings and with his death, what he was to go through at this time, and that peace is centering upon what he is doing, is a peace that is not inconsistent with enduring tribulation.

Just the very context here, if we were to think from these words, that God's people would have an unbroken peace, that they would just go through tribulation with no trouble, with no trial, and no times of no peace, would be inconsistent with the experience of the disciples here, who, as the Lord was crucified, they had sorrow. And the Lord says in verse 22 of this chapter, ye now therefore have sorrow. They didn't have peace. The two on the way to Emmaus did not have peace, not until the Lord came and opened their understanding, preached to them through the scriptures. So we're not to understand this, that we are to look, if we are the Lord's people, for an unbroken peace to go as Stoics through all kinds of tribulation and trouble, with no times of sinking, and being troubled in our hearts.

Those times of peace are given by the Lord. We have an expectation of it and it is through the Word that it shall come. But we do need to think of the experience of God's people to take away the idea that if we are the Lord we shall have an unbroken peace that is never troubled by the tribulation, never tossed by it, but we shall have it, but then into that the Lord then brings a quietness and a peace sovereignly, quietly. It is then a peace that is by faith through the word of God. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord.

So our Lord says here, these things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. And I want to just think of some of the things that the Lord has said, even just in this chapter, but remember we are not to confine it just to this chapter or to the Lord's words before he suffered or when he was risen, but all the word of God, every word of God is pure. And that word is to be our refuge, our help, our comfort, our strength. the Lord emphasises that here. So the first thing that is evident through this chapter and indeed these chapters is that the Lord is telling beforehand what shall come to pass. To have an expectation, if we were told, well you're going to have in the world a nice smooth path and most solemnly With the prosperity ministries, they say, well, if you believe, then you'll have a good job, you'll have wealth, you'll have peace, you'll have health and strength.

And it is a total misrepresentative of the word of God. It is not the peace and comfort, or not what we are to expect in this world. So the words that the Lord is speaking is telling beforehand. He would say to every one of his dear people of what they are to expect in this world and what they are to go through. It's great mercy where we are told beforehand. But very often the details are left out.

We think of Abraham that was told that his seed should be a stranger in a strange land, that they should afflict them 400 years and in the fourth generation that they shall come hither. But God did not tell Abraham how they would go down into Egypt through Joseph and all of what he went through. He did not even tell Jacob the details of how they were to go into Egypt and what was happening to his son. That was hidden. He had to walk those 22 years thinking that his son was dead. Abraham was not told how they would come up out of Egypt, nor was Jacob. They had to walk through that path. They had endured that trouble and tribulation. They were told, Abraham was told, that they shall afflict them.

So again, the very message of tribulation was told to the fathers in Egypt, that it was coming out of Egypt through afflictions, through trial, through bondage, through the Lord appearing for them and bringing them safely out. So sometimes it is like with Elijah or Elisha, when the Shunammite's son died, the Lord had not told him beforehand. When she came to him and fell at his feet, he says, the Lord has hid it from me. So the particular at times are hidden from us, but in this general overall view concerning tribulation, the Lord does not hide it from his people.

He tells them of it. The second thing that is very evident through this chapter is the gift of the Holy Spirit. And again, this is looking forward not just to now, but right through the gospel dispensation. The great truth of the spirit, which in one place is called the comforter, when he The Spirit of Truth is come, or the Comforter, verse 7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you.

The Church of God has always got to remember that there is the power of God, there is the Holy Spirit, there is the Lord's promise, yea, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. And the very evident power of the Spirit when it came, its effect upon Peter, especially he was afraid of man. And you see him bold and clearly preaching and clearly declaring the Word and the Word being blessed to him. A very different Peter than a Peter that denied the Lord those three times. And what made the difference?

The Holy Spirit. The power of God. Paul says of the Thessalonians, the Word did not come unto them in word only, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. So this is one word that the Lord has spoken that his people might have peace. We have the power of God. We have the Holy Spirit that is with us and he is the comforter.

The next one I'd mention is in verse 20, those sorrows that are turned into joy. The truth again, that ye shall weep and lament. It doesn't say that we shall be exempt of that. There shall be those times that that shall be the case. And even that the world then shall rejoice. And we be perplexed it may be of that. Ye shall be sorrowful.

But then, that turning of a sorrow into joy, and he gives that illustration of a woman that is with travail, a simple illustration but understood by all those that have born children. Yet as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembered no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world. Ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, your heart shall rejoice. The visits of the Lord to his people And so may this be remembered in every sorrow, in every trial. The Lord is saying these sorrows shall be turned, turned into joy.

And in one aspect they are relatively short. Here with the disciples, of course, it was to be some three days before the Lord then appeared to them. But sometimes those trials, like we said with Jacob, 22 years, they're long trials. But compared with eternity, compared with when time shall be no more, they are short. They can't be really compared with eternity.

Then in verse 24, we have the real encouragement to ask in his name. In the midst of tribulation and what should be a real comfort to us, the Lord says, my throne is open. There is a throne of grace. You have been brought to know the path of prayer. Ask in my name and you shall receive that your joy may be full. What an encouragement to us.

You might feel no peace but trouble and toss to and fro and to have that expectation. Here is the Lord saying you come in this time You come without peace, you come feeling all turmoil and trouble, but you come to my throne and you ask. And I, who have power to give peace, will give it in my time away. Verily, verily, I say to you, whatsoever you ask in the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Let me have a beautiful word in verse 27. The Father himself loveth you. The unity between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The assurance that the Lord had the authority of his Father. We've not got a picture of an angry Father and the Son pacifying the anger of the Father. But we have the Father loving, and the Son loving, and the Holy Spirit loving, and it be the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost. And a Father's love is to be known by the people of God, the Father himself, love of you. Then we have another word that the Lord says concerning the Father.

In verse 28, I came forth from the Father and am coming to the world. Again, I leave the world and go unto the Father. A real very short overview of the whole work of the Lord. When he came forth from the Father, made flesh, and dwelt among us, dwelt in the worlds, and then was to lay down his life, and then take it again, accomplishing salvation, all the way through his life in tribulation. But here he is saying of the overview that he shall come go back to the Father. Again I leave the world and go to the Father."

And when we view the Lord as our pattern, as our example, what a comfort that that is. We may look at this a bit more in our last point, but the Lord is setting forth His own path through this world, through tribulation, and accomplished salvation. The words that the Lord speak. Many of the Lord's people, many of us, have words that have been blessed through the ministry, that have been impressed upon us, the Holy Spirit has brought to our remembrance, and those words have been a very comfort to us. Sometimes the peace has been given first, And we've had to go to the Lord and ask, why this peace? And we lay before the Lord all that has been happening, what has been going on, and couldn't understand why we had such peace at that time. And then the Lord has interpreted and brought to remembrance powerfully, thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee because he trusteth in thee. And if someone had asked me, Is your mind really staying on Christ? Do you really trust in Him? I would say, I hope I was. I hope I did. But the Lord gave the peace and then said, why? And if He gives peace, who then can make trouble?

If Peter can be lying asleep when he's guarded and chained expecting to be brought forth and slain with the sword the next day, then those that are walking through tribulation, when the Lord gives peace, can sleep like him too. But without it being given, then there is trouble.

We need it given by the Lord. Blessed thing to know Here below are little touches of that peace, that secret of the Lord which is with them that fear him. Those times when he gives a quiet resting upon him, a trusting upon his word, a resting upon his love, upon his ordering of providence. When there is a real faith that is given by the Lord and trust in the Lord, then there is quietness, then there is peace. And we know because of those times we haven't had the peace, we know those times that it is given.

It is not made up by us. It is given by the Lord. Sometimes the devil can be very cruel. You say to those you've known, those times of peace was just emotion. It was just the circumstances. It was just you that brought it about. It's not the Lord. It's not his work. You can't take that for a token for good.

And often the Lord answers that by taking that peace away for a while and maybe bringing it into the very same circumstances, but it doesn't have the same effect and the peace is not there. And then you realise it didn't come from ourselves, it didn't come from the minister, it didn't come from man, it was given by Him. And the Lord has a way to assure his people where that peace has come from, where that help has come from.

I want to look secondly, though, at what we must expect in the world. We might say, well, the word is very clear here, in the world you shall have tribulation. But do we really believe it? Do we really think of what this means? Tribulation is great trouble. One of the almost automatic reactions even of the Lord's people when trouble come is the Lord is against me. Or what have I done wrong? This is chastening. Or I'm not one of God's people. some of these reactions will come about. And yet the Lord does not say, you won't have tribulation, he says you shall. And yes, part of that tribulation will be when the Lord lovingly chastens and corrects his people.

But we think of the history, we think of God's people, we think of Jacob, the trouble he had with his brother, the fear, the fleeing to Laban, Laban dealing deceitfully in the most tenderest thing concerning Rachel and Leah, and then changing his wages 10 times while he worked for him. Then when he comes back, he has Levi and Simeon do what they did at Sheehan, And he says, you made my name to stink and all nations shall follow after me. And then what his sons did with Joseph, and it was kept from him, and then thinking he was going to lose Benjamin as well. Dear Jacob's life, Israel, the beginning of the nation of Israel. and of the tribes of Israel, his life, you might say, is stamped upon it with great trouble from beginning to end, ebbs and flows, sometimes quiet and other times great troubles. Of course, we think of Joseph and the troubles and the things that he went through until his time came, the word of the Lord tried him. Then David, he must have the sword. Although he was forgiven, the sword shall not depart from thine house.

And these things that he went through all his days. The Apostle Paul enumerates how many times, three times in the deep, those times he was smitten by rants, 40 stripes save One received three times in perils by countrymen, perils in false brethren, perils in the sea, perils on the land. He enumerates all those things that he went through. You think of the book of Job, an upright man who feared God, one that God gave testimony to. and yet the great trouble and great trial in his life that he had. But of course, the greatest is our Lord Jesus Christ, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. All that he went through, even his brethren didn't understand him. And when he came to the crucifixion, they all forsook him and fled.

How long shall I suffer you? How long shall I be with you? coming to be part of His own creation and to be with sinners and to dwell with them, to see them, to hear them and to be persecuted by them, blasphemed by them. What a certainty it is that we are not to Think, why do these things come? What have I done wrong to deserve this? Yes, it is good to search and try our ways. It is good, especially if the Lord has been reproving us for a thing and then brings the rod. We'll very clearly remember this thing is something I've been warned about. I've not listened. I'm not hearkened.

And now the Lord has laid on the rod, just like an earthly father would. wouldn't just lay on the rod before warning and telling and explaining first. And so where there is chastening, which is a token of being a child of God, it will always be known before the tribulation as to why it comes.

And so we're not to be thinking, well, if we're the Lord's people, we shall escape tribulation. And we can perhaps in our minds say, well, if it was this kind of great trouble, I could bear it. But not this. As if we would sift out between the great troubles and say, well, we can have troubles from unbelievers, but not believers. We can have troubles in our bodies with afflictions. but not from outside. And there's many ways we could perhaps sift it out.

When we think of Eli and he had his two sons and though he reproved them, he didn't reprove them from office. We think of Samuel, they came to Samuel at the end of his life and wanted a king. And they said, thy sons, they don't follow thee, not in thy ways. Godly Samuel.

And many of the people of God, the Lord chooses our difficulties, sorrows, thorns in the nest, those messengers of Satan, a thorn in the flesh like Paul had. Our Lord says, He shall have tribulation. Why? Because we're in a sinful world, a sin-cursed world. The whole creation groaneth in travail until now because of sin. Everything, the animal kingdom, all feels the effects of sin. The plants, they all feel it as well. Disease, troubles in everything. It's a wonder we see the wonder and glory of God in his creation, but we also see the effect of sin. The wrath of man shall praise thee, the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

And so it does need to be impressed upon us. Our faith is not an insurance. It is not a guarantee that we'll go through this world and will have no troubles and no trials and nothing go wrong. And not to all the time be looking at perhaps a cause in us or cause in others why a specific thing comes to us. In the world ye shall have tribulation. So may we be settled on that. and trust that it is the Lord that chooses out for us what their tribulation is and hasn't said to us, you choose it and you decide what you shall have.

With the last point here, the reason to be of good cheer. Our Lord says, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. I have overcome the world." We said before of our Lord giving this short overview of Him coming forth from the Father and then going back to the Father. And the thing is, He came into this world, into His own creation. The eternal counsels and purposes of God that He should die for His people, that He should work out a righteousness for them, that he should do this in the world, being part of it, suffering everything that his creation does, heat and cold, hunger and thirst, weariness and sorrows, all of these things, and with men trying to cast him down from the brow of the hill, those trying to destroy him with words, or take him? Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from heaven.

Our Lord did overcome the world. Is not that true of the people of God? How many of those that we know? And we've esteemed them, we've loved them in the truth. We've seen their faith, we've seen their weaknesses too, their trials, but they have got through this world. I always remember the testimony that was told me of the deacon, late deacon at Geelong in Australia when his mother died.

And she strengthened herself in the bed. She took hold of the covers and moving them in a circular fashion three times, she said, victory, victory, victory, and then laid down and died. And it so struck me at the time, and I've never forgotten it, That dear lady must have felt she almost had had one foot one side and one foot the other of the grave. And this side of the grave realized that she had obtained the victory. Many a time a child of God will fear that they won't endure unto the end, fear that something will come, they'll make shipwreck, they won't be safely landed, But can I bear the piercing thought that my name should be left out when thou for them shalt call? And yet with her, to realise she'd obtained the victory.

And this is what our Lord had done. He'd come into the world, accomplished the Father's will, laid down his life. He was to lay it down here, take it again. bring about all the purposes of God and the world could not touch it. They hadn't changed one little part of it. He'd accomplished what he came to do.

And so our Lord also fulfilled that which was said in the very first promise, the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. The accuser of the brethren cast down That which was accomplished at Calvary. Satan is the god and prince of this world. And he was cast out, destroyed. He could not stop that payment being done. All his malice, all his hatred, it couldn't stop it, couldn't change it. Our captain stood the fiery test. We shall stand through him. He says, I have overcome the world. What a picture of this.

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We think at this time of the rulers of this world, rulers of great nations, the wars that are taking place, the conflicts here and there. But our Lord stands above it all. Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not? He hath put into their hearts to fulfil His will. He is in control, not man, not the world, not events, not nature. God is in control. And the world shall continue as long as the Lord decrees it will. When the Lord shall say, time shall be no more, He will come again.

He will gather His people and He will bring them safely home. It is as we believe these words, as we rest in these words, as we see the Lord Jesus Christ in control, as we see Him going through this world before us, that then we shall have that peace, the peace that He gives and the peace that comes through what He has spoken Maybe we gather in the Lord's house.

You say, this is what I want, this is what I seek, that peace of God that passes all understanding, that peace which is an eternal one, a peace in my soul. You might say, I have tribulation, I have trouble, I know that part of it. But is I that peace? And it may be. You can say for a few moments, I've known that peace. I've known that quietness.

I've known that gift of God. I have this token for good. I have what the Lord has given me. This is now what I seek for and ask for, knowing that the Lord can give it and does give it. And I have known it before. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. The Lord add his blessing. Amen.