Today's Devotion
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 = John 16:17-33
In the name of + Jesus. Amen.
“What does He mean by ‘a little while,’ ask the disciples in response to our Lord telling them that there will be a “little while” that they will not see Him, but then they will see Him again. Our Lord often teaches through parables and “figurative speech,” so the disciples are trying to interpret what He is saying here. Of course, it’s easier for us looking back to the past rather than from their perspective thinking about the future. They are puzzled about the saying.
Often, Jesus is content to let the disciples interpret His teaching for themselves. And in most of His parables, He does this to this day: teaching the church without explicitly spelling out what the parable means. We depend on the Holy Spirit to instruct us, mainly as Scripture (inspired by the Holy Spirit, 2 Tim 3:16) interprets Scripture, and the Holy Spirit “guides [us] into all the truth” (John 16:13).
But concerning His return to the Father, our Lord is beginning to do as He promised: “The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.” And indeed, two of the Twelve, Peter and John, (along with the apostle Paul and other inspired writers) will go on to write epistles for the church, not speaking figuratively, not using parables – but writing to Christians of all times (including us) plainly. And through these men, our Lord teaches us about the Father, about the Son, about the Holy Spirit, about the kingdom, about grace and faith and good works and everlasting life. And this is the glorious work of the Holy Spirit, as is our confession of these truths.
The coming of the Holy Spirit draws closer each day along with the coming passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord. The veiled mystery will be revealed on that Good and Terrible Friday when the Lamb is sacrificed, when mankind is reconciled to God, when Satan is defeated, and when Jesus takes up the glory that He had laid aside in His mission to redeem us.
And in response to this plain-speaking of our omniscient God in the flesh, the disciples confess: “Now we know that You know all things and do not need anyone to question You: this is why we believe that You came from God.” But, of course, the victory is still on the other side of the cross. Jesus warns them that they will be “scattered,” and will “leave [Him] alone.”
Our Lord said “these things,” and the Spirit caused them to be recorded, so that in Him, we “may have peace.” For Jesus reveals to them and to us, speaking plainly, that we “will have tribulation.” But, “take heart,” says Jesus, for “I have overcome the world.”
Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.