A Little While

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Easter - Jubilate

John 16:16-22

April 26th, 2026

Jesus is preparing the disciples for His crucifixion. In only a few short hours Jesus would be arrested. He knew the disciples would be confused and scared. They would deny Him. They would see Him tortured and brutally killed. It wouldn’t make sense. They would be sad and afraid. But it would be short lived. A little while, only three days and they would see Jesus again. He would rise from the grave. He would bring them peace. They would rejoice because Jesus lives.

Jesus wasn’t only talking to the disciples that night. He was also talking to you and me. He was assuring us that in a little while we will see Him. The little while is this life, and it will be over soon. But we will endure into eternity with Jesus. In that place our joy will be eternal. But until that day, the “little while” will be difficult.

Jesus compares our life of faith to a woman in labor. When a woman is in labor she has intense pain and suffering. But it doesn’t last. It quickly ends. The baby is born. The mother rejoices. The anguish quickly forgotten. The mother holds the tiny bundle of life, and her joy is perfect.

The life of faith is one of pain and suffering. It’s a battle against the corrupt and dying flesh as we await the full redemption of our bodies at the resurrection. We long to finish our race so we can depart this veil of tears and move into paradise with Jesus. In that place there will be no more anguish; no sorrow; no more tears. No temptation and sin. No death.

Only joy that never ends. Until then we must endure the little while which is filled with crosses that we must bear. Crosses that bring sorrow.

You know the crosses. You could all tell your own stories. If we could choose our own crosses, that would be helpful, but we don’t get to choose. God does the choosing. God is the one who allows the anguish, the affliction, the sorrow in this “little while.” We’ve all murmured silently or not so silently at God for allowing such trouble in our lives.

You know the anguish and sorrow you face. Some is public and you talk freely about it. Often it’s the physical suffering of the flesh. The injuries, the sickness, the terminal disease. This body of flesh is dying. It is God’s creation and it is good, but it must suffer and die before it is raised in glory. So we suffer the effects of the corruption. Some of you suffer much greater than others. And where there is physical suffering there is always mental anguish. Depression and darkness that consume your thoughts. The fear of the unknown. How does it end?

The anxiety of God’s hidden will, things only God knows and you must trust that God will work what is best for you in the end. Whether you find relief for a bit on this side of glory or not, in the end God will deliver you and heal you eternally. Jesus Christ crucified and risen is your assurance. Because He lives, so will you. You will leap and run and shout for joy in the new heaven and the new earth. Your physical and mental sorrow forgotten, never to return.

Although, I imagine that much of the sorrow and anguish we deal with is probably hidden. Kept secret. A heavy cross you don’t share because you don’t want to burden your family and friends or because of guilt and shame. It lies heavy on your mind; you feel it in your gut. It’s physical, it’s mental, it spiritual. It attacks from all angles. You hear Jesus talk about the “little while” and you will see Him - but you aren’t convinced. It often feels like an eternity waiting for the birth pains of this flesh and dying creation to end and the new life in eternity to begin.

Most often the hidden affliction and sorrow is the struggle against sin. Past sins that haunt. Current sins that want to control you. Satan is tempting you to despair. Be like Judas and give up the fight. Your sin is too great for Jesus. Succumb to worldly sorrow. Satan is a liar. Satan wants you to embrace worldly sorrow which only produces eternal death.

But Godly sorrow is different. It’s heavenly sorrow. It’s end is joy and eternal life. It believes that satan is a liar. It believes that Jesus died for you, and then Jesus rose and lives for you. It believes that Jesus is coming soon to take you home. Godly sorrow clings to God’s Word for hope and comfort. Godly sorrow recognizes your wicked desires and shameful behavior, your sin and failure. Godly sorrow desires to change. Godly sorrow believes that Jesus is greater than your sin and suffering. You have been crucified with Christ and raised to new life. He now lives in you with His Spirit and the life you live is one of faith intimately connected to Jesus who is your life.

Jesus knows the burden is too great for you to bear. He’s already taken it into Himself on the Tree. Your sin has been dealt with eternally. Your death consumed into His life.

Whatever the cross you’ve been given to bear, you don’t bear it to make atonement for your sin. Jesus atoned for your sin on His Cross. You bear the cross because that is God’s will for you.

No, you don’t want the cross, but take heart, Jesus has already taken your cross upon Himself. The debt is paid, atonement made. Now God uses your cross to shape you and form you back into the image of Christ as He speaks His Words of life into you. He fills you with His Spirit so you can walk in faith through all suffering and sorrow. He is making you stronger no matter how weak you may feel at the moment. His way is good and right and just. His way ends in life.

Therefore fight the good fight of faith. Take up the Sword of the Spirit and let God work. Let Him slay your sinful flesh with His Law and raise you to new life with the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified and risen. It is the Holy rhythm of abiding in God’s Word that gives you endurance and strength to embrace your cross and fight the battle.

God isn’t responsible for your suffering, whatever it is, physical, mental, or spiritual, but He did give you the cross to bear, therefore He gave you the battle to fight. So fight the good fight. Embrace the cross and believe that it will not last forever. It is only a little while and you will see Jesus face to face and your joy will never end.

Until that day He has given you a place to flee in the midst of the anguish and the Godly sorrow you experience. It is the Tree of Life. For those who wait for the Lord its shade is a refuge from every illness and sorrow of body and mind. It’s fruit is medicine for the soul. It subdues the flesh and lifts the spirit of the faint. The tired and weary are renewed and lifted up. The weak are given strength to keep walking in the Spirit and finish the race.

There is no other place to go to endure the sorrow of the little while than the Tree of Life. It is Jesus and His Word. It delivers the fruit of the Tree. It is the food of heaven that we must eat on this short journey from the font to the grave and into paradise with Jesus. If we eat this food often - then the bitter suffering and affliction is lightened and made sweet, and we will be strengthened to continue the good fight, trusting that Jesus is beside us and with us and in us. He shoulders our cross and burden. What is impossible for us, is not impossible for God. For God all things are possible. And He is the one working all things for our eternal good.

And finally, remember that those whom God loves He chastens; He disciplines. At the time it is painful and yet it is for your eternal good that you have a cross and Godly sorrow for a little while. God is saving you. The suffering, the affliction and anguish, the sorrow that is yours is not in vain. We know that only through many tribulations must we enter the Kingdom of God.

This light momentary affliction has a purpose. It is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. In this short life we experience the birth pains of faith as the Spirit battles the flesh slowly conforming us back into the image of Jesus. Our rebirth into Christ will be complete at the resurrection. What is mortal will be raised to immortality. Eternal perfection. And no one will ever take your joy away from you. Thanks be to Jesus. In Jesus name. Amen.