Introduction: “Joy comes in the morning”! I love that verse (Psa 30:5). Our Lord Jesus reminded His disciples that their SORROW would be turned into JOY! Why would they be sorrowful? Perhaps the same reason that we face grief and sorrow. Jesus was talking about leaving. Check it out, and see if your SORROW will not be turned into JOY.

1. The NOT KNOWING can bring SORROW! (John 16:17,18)

“Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.”

Actually, Jesus was preparing His disciples for what was ahead. Note… He does the same for us today in regards to Bible prophecy. They did not understand “a little while.” Neither do we sometimes understand when Jesus seems to depart (although He does not) for a little while.

2. The REASSURANCE can bring JOY! (John 16:19-22)

“Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.”

Interesting that Jesus used the illustration of a mother in labor eventually giving birth to her baby. Afterwards, she forgets the anguish. Today our world is experiencing “birth pains.” The word “sorrows” is used in Matthew 24:8, which means birth pains. “All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Certainly, we are feeling the birth pains now but they will intensify as we get closer to Jesus Christ’s Second coming (not the rapture). Can you feel them?