Joy in Jesus 耶稣里喜乐
Dexu Xia
Your grief will turn to joy . . . and no one will take away your joy. John 16:20, 22
Today's Scripture John 16:16-24
Today's Insights The Upper Room Discourse (John 14-16) is the main teaching focus of John’s gospel. The night before Jesus went to the cross, He was preparing His disciples for His crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and return. He told them that their “grief [would] turn to joy” (John 16:20). One of the main features of Jesus’ teaching in these chapters is the promise of the coming Holy Spirit—Christ’s provision for His people after His departure. This promise was eventually fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2), some ten days after Jesus’ ascension to heaven when the Spirit came to indwell believers in Christ.
Today's Devotional “I have the right to be happy,” said a teenager as she spoke before a legislature. Yet she could have been anyone, anywhere, speaking for everybody. It’s our human cry. One self-help guru even said, “God wants you to be happy.” Is that true? It’s not wrong to pursue happiness. That desirable state of mind, however, ebbs and flows with our moment-by-moment circumstances, and the fulfillment of one person’s desires can crush the happiness of another.
Jesus points us to something better. He knew He was about to be nailed to a Roman cross, where He would bear the weight of the world’s sin. Yet His concern was for His disciples. He told them, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.” But He also said, “Your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20). Then He promised, “No one will take away your joy” (v. 22).
This kind of joy is more than a good feeling based on desirable things happening to us. It grows out of doing the will of our Father in heaven. Jesus also said, “Seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).
Your happiness can slip away with the next unpleasant circumstance. The joy that comes from following Jesus can thrive despite those circumstances.
Reflect & Pray How does chasing what you want ultimately leave you unhappy? What’s the difference between happiness and joy?
Dear Father, please teach me to learn the difference between temporary happiness and lasting joy. By Tim Gustafson
“我实实在在地告诉你们，你们将要痛哭，哀号，世人倒要喜乐。你们将要忧愁，然而你们的忧愁，要变为喜乐。妇人生产的时候，就忧愁，因为她的时候到了。既生了孩子，就不再记念那苦楚，因为欢喜世上生了一个人。你们现在也是忧愁。但我要再见你们，你们的心就喜乐了。这喜乐，也没有人能夺去。”约翰福音 16:20, 22
今日经文 约翰福音 16章16-24 节
今日心得 上房的讲道（约翰福音 14-16）是约翰福音的主要教导重点。耶稣上十字架的前夜，祂正在准备祂的门徒来经历祂的受难、复活、升天和再来。祂说，他们的“悲伤将化为喜乐”（约翰福音 16:20）。
耶稣在这些章节中教导中的一个主要特征，应许门徒圣灵的即将来临，这是基督离开后为祂子民预备的保障。这个承诺最终在五旬节那天，大约在耶稣升天十天后实现了（见使徒行传 2），圣灵降临到基督的信徒心中。
今日灵修 “我有权快乐”，一位青少年在立法机关前发言时说道。然而，她可以是任何人，任何地方，代表所有人发言。这是我们人类的呼声。一位自助大师甚至说：“上帝希望你快乐。”这是真的吗？追求快乐并没有错。然而，这种理想的心态会随着我们每时每刻的情况而起伏不定，而且，一个人快乐愿望的实现，可能会压垮另一个人的快乐。
耶稣向我们指出了更好的东西。他知道他即将被钉在罗马的十字架上，在那里他将承担世界罪恶的重担。然而，他关心的是他的门徒。他告诉他们，“你们将要痛哭，哀号，世人倒要喜乐。”但是他也说，“你们的悲伤将变成喜乐”（约翰福音 16:20）。然后他承诺，“这喜乐，也没有人能夺去”（22节）。 这种喜乐不仅仅是基于发生在我们身上的令人向往的事情而产生的美好感觉。它源于遵行天父的旨意。耶稣还说：“你们要先求他的国和他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。”（马太福音 6章33）你的快乐可能会随着下一次不愉快的情况而消失。但跟随耶稣所带来的喜乐，却可以在这些情况下蓬勃发展。
反思与祈祷 为什么追逐你想要的东西最终会让你不快乐？快乐和喜乐有什么区别？
亲爱的天父，请教我如何区分暂时的快乐和持久的喜乐。
作者：蒂姆·古斯塔夫森