No One Can Take Your Joy Away: Why Jesus Had to Leave Earth

As His death approached, Jesus became increasingly focused on strengthening His disciples’ joy in the face of a looming crisis. In John 16:4–24, He addresses two major threats to their joy. First, He is leaving them and going to the Father. Second, He will soon die. Both of these events seem to undermine lasting joy.

In responding to their concern, Jesus speaks in a way that not only reaches his disciples but also strengthens our own faltering joy centuries later. This is no accident. This is exactly what he intended: «I have spoken these things to you so that my joy may remain in you and that your joy may be complete» (John 15:11).

Your grief will be short-lived.

First, He leaves them. This is not good news for them. «But now I am going to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, »Where are You going?’ But because I have said this to you, sorrow has filled your hearts” (John 16:5–6). This sorrow comes from love and ignorance. Love because their joy was in Him. Ignorance because they have no idea how His physical absence can benefit them.

So Jesus seeks to strengthen their joy, not by diminishing love, but by removing ignorance. He says: «Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you» (John 16:7). Among the many reasons why this is beneficial to them, the chief one is that the Spirit will make Jesus« glory more real. Yes, more real than if He were physically present: »When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, that he will speak; and he will declare to you things to come. He will glorify me, for he will receive from me and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will receive from me and declare it to you” (John 16:13–15).

«"Yes, there will be sorrow. But the world that brings us such sorrow will not have the last word.".

This is amazing. Do we realize what this means for the disciples and for us? How many Christians today say, «If only I could have been there and seen Him face to face!» Or, «If only I could have seen Jesus as He was in history—in a tangible way!»

Such desires reveal a profound ignorance of the advantages we have precisely because Jesus died, rose again, and is no longer present in the flesh, but is with us through his Spirit. The Comforter, the Spirit of truth, whom the Father sends, is the Spirit of the risen Christ. «I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you» (John 14:18). When the Spirit comes, Jesus comes also. And this presence, he says, is better than his bodily presence in the days of his earthly life.

To have the Spirit of Christ at work in us, glorifying the risen Christ and making real to us all that the Father is to us in Him and in His victory over death is a miracle far beyond anything the disciples knew in their lifetime. There is no greater glory than the glory of God in the face of the risen Christ (2 Cor. 4:6). The more we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the more clearly we see and rejoice in that glory.

This was the first way in which Jesus sought to strengthen their joy in these last, dark hours before His death. Even though there was a long separation ahead, He would remain with them in a way that would be better than if His presence on earth had lasted forever.

True sadness for a short time

The second way in which Jesus strengthens their joy is no less striking. His disciples seemed to understand when he said, «I am going to [my] Father, and you will see me no more» (John 16:10). They saw this as a long separation, perhaps for the rest of their lives.

But suddenly Jesus utters these unexpected words: «A little while, and you will not see me anymore; and again a little while, and you will see me [because I am going to the Father]» (John 16:16). Now they are confused. He had said that he was going to the Father. He had said that he would send the Spirit of truth in his place. He had not mentioned a quick return. So they began to ask questions: «What does this mean, »A little while,’ that he says, ‘we do not know what he is saying’” (John 16:18).

Every time Jesus tried to explain to his disciples that his way to the Father was through the terrible crucifixion, they either didn’t understand or didn’t understand. «They didn’t understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him» (Mark 9:32). That is what he will explain now. They don’t yet realize how seriously their joy will be threatened in the next three days. If their joy is to be lasting and enduring, he must prepare them for it.

«"Having the Spirit of Christ working within us is a miracle that far exceeds what the disciples knew in their lifetime.".

Jesus is preparing them by warning them of the approaching sorrow. He is not trying to strengthen their joy by promising a life without sorrow. On the contrary, the sorrow will be intense. And it will come very soon—just «a little while.» So He says, «A little while, and you will not see me anymore.» This is the source of their sorrow. He does not say directly, «You will not see me, because I will be dead.» But that is exactly what He means. He calls His indirect words «parables» (John 16:25).

The way He uses this real sorrow to strengthen their joy is evident, first, in the fact that He says that the sorrow will be short («…a little while, and you will see Me»), and second, in the fact that He compares their sorrow to three things: (1) the joy of the world, (2) their future joy, and (3) the joy of a mother after giving birth to a child.

1. Real sadness compared to eternal joy

«Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy» (John 16:20).

Why does Jesus say this in their final hours of sorrow? Because hard things are less likely to upset you if you know they are coming. This is Jesus« way of saying: the world will rub salt into the wound of your sorrow because of My death. Through your sobs you will hear the mocking: »And the people stood by, looking on. And the rulers also mocked [them], saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be the Christ of God, the Chosen One” (Luke 23:35).

The disciples need to know this. It is part of God’s plan for their deliverance. Herod’s mocking game of disguise with Jesus was part of an eternal plan (Acts 4:27–28). The world’s joy at Jesus« death did not take Him by surprise. He knew that the agony of His death would be intensified by the merciless mockery. »The world will rejoice.”.

The disciples need to know this. Knowing this does not make them less vulnerable to sorrow, but it does make them less vulnerable in sorrow. Now they know that even the joy of those who kill is part of God's plan. And Jesus tells them: although this will certainly happen, it will be short-lived.

2. Their future joy

«Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy» (John 16:20).

This is Jesus« interpretation of the words they found incomprehensible: »A little while, and you will not see me; and again a little while, and you will see me [because I am going to the Father]« (John 16:16). In a few hours, He will die and be buried. They will not see Him anymore, and they will be sad. Very sad. And then, in three days, they will see Him. »And again a little while, and you will see me.« And »your sorrow will be turned into joy” (John 16:20).

«"Jesus' pain on the cross didn't just precede a new joy. He created it.".

On the other side of My death is My resurrection. On the other side of your sorrow is your joy. When you see the horrors of the next morning, do not forget that I told you this. Let your love for Me break your hearts with sorrow. But do not let your unbelieving ignorance destroy your hope.

The joy of the world will suddenly change. That which brought joy to the world and sorrow to you will no longer exist. I will live. They will be defeated. You will rejoice, not they. Your sorrow must come, just as My death must come. But you will not remain in sorrow, just as I will not remain in the grave.

3. Mother after childbirth

«A woman, when she is in labor, has pain because her hour has come. But when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish for joy that a child has been born into the world» (John 16:21).

There is more going on in this metaphor than the obvious fact that the joy of birth follows the pain of labor. This is true and important. First the pain, then the joy. This will be true for both Jesus and the disciples over the next three days.

But childbirth doesn't just precede the birth of a child; it gives birth to it. You can't say there's pain and then, as scheduled, a stork arrives at the window with a baby. A child doesn't just appear after childbirth. It appears because of the pain.

So it is with the new joy on the other side of Jesus« death. The mother’s labor in this metaphor refers not only to Jesus» disappearance (“you will see me no more”) but also to Jesus’ suffering. Not only to his separation, but also to his pain. So the joy on the other side does not simply come after that pain; it comes because of it. Jesus’ pain on the cross did not simply precede the new joy; it created it.

Jesus emphasizes this in the words he uses in verse 20. He says, «but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.» He does not say that your sorrow «shall be turned into joy,» but there will literally be a process of transformation «turned into joy.» Henry Alford puts it this way: «Not merely changed into joy, but transformed into itself—so that the very essence of sorrow shall become the essence of joy; as the Cross of Christ’s reproach has become the glory of Christians.»​—The Greek New Testament, vol. 1, 870.

«"A child doesn't just appear after birth. A child appears through suffering.".

From our perspective, from the perspective of the cross and resurrection, it becomes clearer how the suffering of the cross actually becomes our joy. Christ’s suffering takes away our sin and the wrath of God, and leads us to God and joy. «For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit» (1 Pet. 3:18), and «in your presence is fullness of joy» (Ps. 16:11). «through whom we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God» (Rom. 5:2).

So when Jesus says that after the birth of a child, the mother «remembers the anguish no more for joy that a child has been born into the world,» he means that the suffering has been transformed from unforgettable suffering into messengers of joy. In the same way, Jesus« suffering had an effect on the disciples. Jesus wanted them to know this in advance, in order to stabilize their joy: all this sorrow »will be turned into joy” (John 16:20).

There is another striking thing that Jesus says about their joy that should make them strong enough to weather the coming storm of Good Friday. The child born to this woman in this «figure of speech» symbolizes Jesus after the resurrection. And Jesus, after the resurrection, can never die. «Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has dominion over him» (Rom. 6:9). When the pains of death give birth to life, that life is immortal.

This means that the joy that Jesus promises is an everlasting joy. «So you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you» (John 16:22). This everlasting joy is because «I will see you again.» I will rise from the dead. I will confirm this by looking into your face. Then I will go to the Father. Then I will pour out My Spirit upon you. And until I come again, My Spirit will make My glory so real to you that no one will take your joy from you.

No one can take away this joy.

We can hardly hear too often that it would be better for us if Jesus left us and went to the Father. «Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you» (John 16:7).

Of course, the Holy Spirit—the Comforter—was active in the world before Jesus went to the Father. But there is one thing He never did before Jesus« resurrection: He never glorified the resurrected Lord of the universe! Now this is His primary work in the world. »He will glorify Me!« (John 16:14). He does this every day, and He does it sovereignly, in all of God’s children. When we see the glory of Christ, this is why: »We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). Without this, we would all be shipwrecked in our faith.

Through this Christ-glorifying work, the Spirit fulfills Jesus’ promise that no one will take our joy from us (John 16:22). Think about it! Skeptics and scoffers cannot take your joy. A doctor with biopsy results cannot take your joy. Your marriage that is crumbling because of infidelity cannot take your joy. Your wayward children cannot take your joy. Political situations, global terror, school shootings, racial injustice, financial disasters, unemployment, theological controversies, unfulfilled dreams, and memories of your own failures—they cannot take your joy. No one can.

«So you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you» (John 16:22).

This means: I will rise from the dead. I will confirm this by looking at you face to face. Then I will go to the Father. Then We will pour out My Spirit upon you. And until I come again, My Spirit will make My glory so real to you that no one will take your joy from you.

Not only joy

Jesus does not promise only joy. «I have spoken these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world!» (John 16:33). Take heart! How could it be otherwise? He has not only overcome the world—hell, the devil, and death—but He remains with us and in us as a Mighty Warrior against all our enemies. «You, little children, are from God, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world» (1 John 4:4).

«"You see more of Him now through His Spirit in His word than the disciples saw during His earthly life.".

So, yes, there will be sorrows. Sorrows of such a variety in this fallen world that they cannot be counted. But the world that makes us so sad will not have the last word. Therefore, the motto of the Christian in this world is «as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing» (2 Cor. 6:10). Through every sorrow we are kept by the power of the Comforter. Therefore, «In this you rejoice, though now for a little while ye have been grieved by various trials» (1 Pet. 1:6).

You may be tempted to cry out, «Oh, that I could go back and see Him as He was in the flesh!» But remember that you see more of Him now through His Spirit in His word than the disciples saw during His earthly life. And you will see Him again. But not as He was. His face will be «as the sun shines in its strength» (Revelation 1:16). Take comfort in Peter’s words: «Though you have not seen Him, you love Him and, though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls» (1 Pet. 1:8–9). This is a joy that cannot be taken from you.