1. Plain Speech (verse 25)
2. Prayer in My Name (verses 26-27)
3. Returning to the Father (verse 28-30)
4. Do You Believe? (verse 31)
5. Abandonment (verse 32)
6. Victory (verse 33)

Life is filled with “Hello’s” and “Goodbye’s.” If you think about it, for every “Hello” that you give, you give a “Goodbye” as well. Some of these “Hello’s” and “Goodbye’s” are big. And some of them are small. You answer your phone, and you say, “Hello.” And the last words you say at the end of the phone call is “Goodbye.” You have some friends over for dinner in your house, as they enter, you say, “Hello, welcome to our home.” as they leave, you say, “Goodbye. We will see you soon.” Family comes in for the weekend, and you greet them with a “Hello” and a hug. And when they leave, you do the same, you say “Goodbye” with a hug.

The stronger the relationship and the longer the time between visits, these “Hello’s” are filled with greater joy. And these “Goodbye’s” are filled with greater sorrow. Your child is born in your home, and raised for 18 years, every meal together at home, and every night together under the same roof, and then, they leave, to college or to the military or to another state for a job opportunity, And the “Goodbye” is filled with greater emotion, as you won’t see your child again for several months, until the Thanksgiving holiday.

Well, for the past few months at Rock Valley Bible Church, we have been looking at the “Upper Room Discourse” in the gospel of John, that’s the name that has been given to John, chapters 13-17. It begins in the “Upper Room,” but it ends outside with a prayer in chapter 17. These words are essentially a “Goodbye” that Jesus his disciples. But he doesn’t simply say, “Goodbye.” He gives them some final instructions before being crucified and killed upon the cross, to help his disciples when he leaves.

This morning, we come to final words of the final words that Jesus gives to his disciples. These words occur in chapter 16, verses 25-33.

After saying these words to the disciples, Jesus will lift up his eyes to heaven and pray. You can see that in John 17:1, "When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, 'Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.'"

We will look at this wonderful prayer next time we dig into the gospel of John. But this morning, we are looking that the last nine verses of chapter 16. These are the final, “Final Words” of Jesus to his disciples, which began in chapter 13, when Jesus was alone with his disciples for the Passover meal.

He washes their feet as a sign of love and humility, and called his disciples to follow in his example. He then prepares his disciples by telling them what would happen. One of them would betray him (Judas John 13:21). One of them would deny him (Peter John 13:38).

In chapter 14, Jesus sought to calm the hearts of his disciples, by saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). Yes, Jesus was going away, but he would return for them. Jesus told them, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2-3). These words were designed to give comfort to the disciples, just as he said in verse 1, "Believe in God; believe also in me." That is, Jesus was saying, “Trust me with these things. I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).“I will bring you to the Father.” So trust me.”

Jesus then told them that he would send the Helper to them, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16), who would dwell with them and be with them (John 14:18). Then, again, Jesus said (in verse 18), John 14:18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Even while gone from this disciples, Jesus said that he would give them peace, and that they should not be troubled. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27).

Soon after these words, the disciples left the upper room, traveling on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1). We know this because Jesus says in the last words of chapter 14, "Rise, let us go from here" (John 14:31).

So, you can picture them walking into the night, perhaps besides a vineyard. Because, there in chapter 15, Jesus uses the illustration of the vine. He says, in verse 1, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser" (John 15:1). He continues on with the illustration in verse 5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

This is the key as to how the disciples will endure when Jesus is gone. They will endure by “abiding” in Jesus, connected to him, the one who gives life to those who believe. This abiding will also help when persecution comes. because it was coming to these disciples. Jesus warned them, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:18, 20).

The world hated Jesus. And the world persecuted Jesus. and they did so because their deeds were evil. "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed" (John 3:19-20). Rather than being exposed, the world killed Jesus upon the cross. Jesus knew this was coming. And he was trying to prepare his disciples.

You can see this in how chapter 16 begins. “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away" (John 16:1). In other words, all of these final words that Jesus spoke to the disciples had a design to them. They were designed so that the disciples would remain faithful to Jesus, even when he left them, even when their hearts were troubled, even when they faced persecution.

During those moments of hardship, they might remember the words of Jesus, "But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you" (John 16:4). In remembering these words, the disciples would be strengthened to endure the trials that would come their way.

Last week, we looked at verses 16-24, which I entitled, “Sorrow Turned into Joy,” because that’s what we saw Jesus telling his disciples. Yes, they are sorrowful now, as Jesus is leaving them, and their “Goodbye” will be traumatic. They will see Jesus, their leadeer, arrested by a band of soldiers in chapter 18. Their trauma will increase all the more, as they see him stretched out on the cross to die for our sins. Their sorrow could not have been greater.

But, as I mentioned last week, their sorrow would be “turned into” joy. That is, the very event that brought them sorrow, would be the very event that would bring the joy. Jesus crucified upon the cross would prove to be the very event through which they (and we) are made right with God through faith in Jesus.

The picture that Jesus gives is picture of childbirth. "When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world" (John 16:21). Last week I showed you all a picture which perfectly captures the moment after Carissa gave birth to her second child. You can feel the pain of the birth. You can see the unbounding joy! By God’s grace, two more of my children will experience this same reality over the next few months, the sorrow of childbirth, turning into the joy of a child!

What makes this image so good is that the very means of the sorrow and the labor and the toil, is the very means through which parents are filled with joy! as a child comes into the world, much joy comes through the child. So likewise with these disciples, the cross of Christ would bring much sorrow into their hearts, but later, their sorrow would be turned into joy, as they would see his wounds (John 20:20), and realize that it is “by his wounds that we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Well, this morning, as we come to our text, Jesus will leave his disciples with a message of triumph. You can see it there in at the end of verse 33, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). From these words form the title of my message this morning, “I have overcome the world.”

These are the final words of hope that Jesus gives to his disciples. Yes, I am going away. Yes, things will be difficult in my absence. Yes, you have sorrow and will face persecution and be hated by the world. "But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

What an appropriate way to say “Goodbye” to the disciples: “I have overcome the world.” It would bring hope and comfort to their hearts. as I hope and pray, this morning, that it will do so for us as well.

OK, so let’s consider our text:

John 16:25-33
I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 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.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

My first point this morning comes in verse 25, 

1. Plain Speech (verse 25)

This is what Jesus promises in verse 25.

John 16:25
I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.

This takes us back to our text last week, when the disciples were confused by the riddle that he told them in verse 16, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me” (John 16:16). They were confused. They didn’t understand the plan of God, that Jesus would be crucified upon the cross for our sins, but three days later, he would rise from the dead.

Jesus never really explained it to them. Nor does Jesus explain it to them here in verse 25.
He merely promises to explain it in the future, when he would “tell [them] plainly about the Father” (verse 25).

Certainly, much of this took place after his resurrection, before his ascension. Luke tells us in the book of Acts, that Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples, speaking with them about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). I believe that during these forty days, Jesus spoke to his disciples in plain speech about the Father. So John could write the very gospel that we have been working through for the past year and a half. So that Matthew could write his gospel account. So that Peter could write his epistles.

Jesus had promised this clarity when the Holy Spirit would come. "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit would bring clarity to all that they experienced.

Do you remember back in John, chapter 2, when Jesus entered the temple, he "found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the moneychangers sitting there" (John 14:26)? He made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, including the sheep and oxen.

John 2:15-17
And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me” (see Psalm 69:9).

How do you think that they remembered this saying? Jesus either told them plainly, or the Holy Spirit brought these things to remembrance.

Then we read the following:

John 2:18-22
So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

How do you think that they remembered these things? Jesus either told them plainly, or the Holy Spirit brought these things to remembrance.

All of this took place according to the promise of our text this morning, "The hour is coming when I will tell you plainly about the Father" (verse 25).

Jesus said, in verse 26 how in that day, their prayers would change. Look at verse 26,

John 16:26-27
In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

Here’s my second point:

2. Prayer in My Name (verses 26-27)

When we pray today, we often end our prayers with these words, “In Jesus’ name, Amen.” It’s such a natural habit for many of us. And indeed, Jesus told his disciples to pray in his name. "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14). He says the same thing in John 16:16, "... whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

Yet, the disciples, themselves, at this moment, when Jesus was telling them these things, had not yet prayed to the Father “in the name of Jesus.” Jesus says this in verse 24, "Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." But Jesus transformed their prayers, by instructing them to pray in his name.

John 16:26
In that day you will ask in my name,

The prayers of the disciples were transformed. no longer did they pray merely to God, but they began to pray “in the name of Jesus,” not as a formula, but with the backing of Jesus and all that he did on their account.

All of this informs how we are to pray today. We pray “in the name of Jesus,” bringing in the person and work of Jesus on our behalf. When we pray, “in the name of Jesus,” we bring to our remembrance, that we don’t come to God on the basis of our merit, but we come to God, based upon the finished work of Christ, who died for our sins upon the cross. And we come to God “in the name of Jesus,” submitting to his rule and reign in our lives.

What we take for granted was not always so. Because Jesus said to his disciples,

John 16:26
In that day you will ask in my name, a name in which you have never asked before.

Then come some confusing verses to us.

John 16:26-27
and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

These are some confusing verses, at least to us, because we know that Jesus, our great high priest, ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). That is, Jesus is always praying for his people. And we know that "there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). Yet here, Jesus says, "I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf" (verse 26).

I believe that Jesus is simply saying that bringing up his name, is sufficient in our prayers to God. In other words, we don’t need Jesus to make every petition to the Father on our behalf, as if we need Jesus, personally, to utter the very words of our prayers to God. In our prayers, we can approach God, based upon our relationship with him. We know that he loves us and cares for us, and desires us to come to him, through our faith in Jesus.

John 16:27
for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

Then, Jesus speaks about his return to the Father. Look at verse 28,

John 16:28
I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

Here’s my third point:

3. Returning to the Father (verse 28-30)

With these words, Jesus gives a summary of his life and mission. He came from the Father. He came into the world. Now he is leaving and returning to the Father. These statements address the incarnation, his humanity, the resurrection, and the ascension.

In many ways, the ancient confessions of faith, follow this same pattern that Jesus put forth in verse 28. Consider what the Apostles Creed says about Jesus.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hades;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Jesus, the Son, was with the Father before he came into the world. He came into the world through the virgin Mary, which we celebrate at Christmas time. He will leave the world through his death on the cross. Then, he will ascend into heaven, back from where he came. This is the core of the Christian faith.

The pre-existent of Jesus. Before time with the Father. Come to earth to die for our sins. Raised from the dead, as seen by many. Returning again to the Father, where he is now seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. The disciples embraced everything that Jesus said.

Look at verse 29,

John 16:29-30
His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 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.”

The question of application for us this morning comes in verse 31.

4. Do You Believe? (verse 31)

This is what Jesus asked his disciples. Verse 31,

John 16:31
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?

Notice the emphasis upon the word, “Now.” In verse 30, the disciples say, “Now we know. . this is why we believe.” Jesus picks up on this in verse 31, “Do you now believe? In other words, Jesus is saying, “Is there something that I just said that brought you to believe in me? I have been with you for several years now. I am now, just as I’m saying ‘Goodbye’ to all of you. And now, finally, now that I’m going to the Father, do you believe?”

To be sure, later is better than never. There is always a time to believe. So, do you believe?

Perhaps you have been here for the last year and a half and have been listening to all that the gospel of John says, but haven’t really believed in Jesus. Maybe today is the day that you will finally believe in Jesus, and give yourself entirely to him! John wrote these words that you would believe.

Do you remember the purpose of John in writing his epistle?

John 20:30-31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus came from God, lived as a perfect man on the earth, died a cruel death on the cross, but raised from the dead, and ascended back to God the Father. Oh, may you believe in him, that you might have life in his name.

Jesus responded with their affirmation of faith with a sad reality. Look at verse 32,

John 16:32
Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.

I’m calling this, 

5. Abandonment (verse 32)

I use this word because this is what Jesus says will take place. All of the disciples will abandon Jesus.

The phrase that he uses is that “you will be scattered.” We don’t read about this in the gospel of John, it is assumed, as nothing much more is said about the disciples after the arrest of Jesus.

The only disciple that is even remotely close to Jesus is Peter, who follows Jesus, and tries to watch the trial from a distance. But, three times, Peter was confronted about how he was a follower of Jesus. And three times, Peter denied it (John 18:17, 25, 27). Right after his third denial, the rooster crowed, just as Jesus had said would take place (John 13:38).

The gospel of Mark does tell us explicitly what happened after the arrest of Jesus. "And they all left him and fled" (Mark 14:50).

Jesus knew where they would go. Each would go to his own home (verse 32). It’s natural to go home, when you are frightened. when you are looking for a safe place to be.

But the point is this: When Jesus suffered upon the cross, he was all alone. Nobody was helping him. Nobody was propping him up. Nobody was cheering him on. Nobody was there to hold up his arms, as Aaron and Hur did for Moses (Exodus 17:12).

The crowd that had once hailed him as the king (John 12:12-19), now mocked him and delighted in his crucifixion. Jesus knew that this would happen, "You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice" (John 16:20). The disciples who had followed him so closely for several years were scattered in fear, all seeking safety in their own homes.

Jesus found comfort that his heavenly Father didn't scatter. Jesus said,

John 16:32
Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.

The Father was with Jesus through his trial and many of his sufferings leading up to his death. But even the Father forsook Jesus. One of his final words upon the cross was “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46).

The simple point is this: Jesus accomplished all of our salvation for us. Nobody helped him in any way. He took the full weight of sin upon himself, so that we could be brought near.

So, also is our salvation. It is all of him. We don’t help him in any way. We don’t come to him with our good deeds. We come to Jesus empty. He accomplished our salvation all for him. OK, our final point comes in verse 33, I’m calling it 

6. Victory (verse 33)

This is what Jesus has brought for us. He has brought us victory. We see this in verse 33,

John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

This verse is really a good summary of all of the final words that Jesus shares with his disciples. He desperately wants his disciples to have peace. Over and over he says, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (14:1, 27). He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (14:27). This is the whole purpose of why he is telling his disciples all of these things.

Jesus knows what they will have. They will have tribulation. They will experience hatred from the world (John 15:18-19). They will experience persecution (15:20). They will experience betrayal (Matthew 10:21). They will face imprisonment (Acts 12:1-4). They will experience martyrdom (Matthew 10:28; Acts 7:59-60). They will be falsely accused and slandered (Matthew 5:11).

This is the reality of life. It is difficult and filled with hardship. We may not face all that the disciples experienced, but there is plenty that we will face that is difficult.

We may face antagonism from our family because of our faith. We may face health issues. We may face pain and illness and chronic health problems that are difficult to bear. We will experience loss of love ones at some point in our lives. The suffering of grief is real. This is what life is about. We may face financial hardship or poverty or job loss or financial instability. All of these things test our faith as we feel squeezed from every side. This is what tribulation is. It's a squeezing of us.

We may face doubts. This is a part of human experience. Read the Psalms. The Psalmists faced doubts. The Psalmist asked himself, "Why are you cast down, O my soul?" (Psalm 42:5). There may be tensions in your families and misunderstandings. There may be anger or conflicts at work. There may be conflicts and moral struggles. There may be battles with sin and temptation to compromise. You may experience mental struggles and anxieties and emotional turmoil.

All of these things are the sorts of tribulations that we face. Jesus said, "In the world, you will have tribulation" (verse 33). This is the reality of life. We will experience hardship in this fallen world of ours. You will suffer. All is not easy in this life.

Jesus affirmed the hardships of life. He also affirmed his care for his disciples. He told them,

John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.

In the tribulations that we face, Jesus wants us to have peace in him! We will have peace in him when we abide in him, trusting his words.

The best part of what Jesus says comes at the very end of this verse:

John 16:33
But take heart; I have overcome the world.

So, take heart church family because Jesus has overcome the world.

The interesting thing here to note is Jesus spoke these things in the past tense. "I have overcome the world."^[1]

So think about this. Jesus is with the disciples on this last night with them. And he says, "I have overcome the world." When we think about Jesus overcoming the world, we think about him doing so on the cross. But the cross was future to the disciples at this moment.

So, how had Jesus overcome the world at this point? Was it by arguing successfully against the Jews? Was it through his healing activities that he overcame? He overcame sin and weakness and even death? To be sure, all of these are true. Jesus did overcome the world in these ways.

But I do believe here that Jesus is primarily thinking about what he overcame through the cross. Yes, Jesus spoke in a past tense, but his actions are almost as good as done when he said, "I have overcome the world." How did he overcome the world? Ultimately, he did so through the cross.

The world rejoiced at the death of Jesus, thinking that they had defeated him (John 16:20). But Jesus gave himself willingly to these sufferings, knowing what it would ultimately accomplish: victory. This victory came through the cross when Jesus said, "It is finished" (John 19:30).

Jesus didn't say, "I will overcome the world," but "I have overcome the world." I believe that he spoke in the past tense because he considered it already a done deal. A good parallel to this occurs in Romans 8:28-30. In these verses, Paul describes how all things work together for good to those who love God and are called. In these words, Paul puts forth the great chain of salvation:

Romans 8:29-30
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Note how these five actions of God are all in the past tense, beginning with the things that took place before the foundation of the world (foreknowledge and predestination). Paul also speaks about those things that happened in time (calling and justification). He finishes up with a future action (glorification). But all of these are in the past tense, including the glorification. I think that the point is that these things are so absolutely certain to take place, that he speaks of them as done.

I believe that this is similar to the statement, "I have overcome the world." So, church family, take heart in these final words of Jesus to his disciples.

In coming months, we will be working our way through John 18-19, which tell of his victory on the cross. He will be betrayed and will face trial and unjust accusations upon him, eventually being crucified.

He will say, "It is finished" (John 19:30), just before bowing his head and giving up his spirit. At that point, his work is finished. Yet, there is still more for him to do. He will rise from the dead. He will appear to his disciples as victorious over death.

Jesus foreknew and foresaw and anticipated that all of this would take place. He says, "I have overcome the world." This can be our hope and our joy and our trust. All answers are found at the cross.

So, as Jesus says "Goodbye" to his disciples here, he will soon lift up his eyes to pray (John 17:1). He ends his words to his disciples,

John 16:33
But take heart; I have overcome the world.

May we take heart! Jesus has overcome the world!

This sermon was delivered to Rock Valley Bible Church on November 9, 2025 by Steve Brandon.
For more information see www.rockvalleybiblechurch.org.

[1] After my message, two people came up to me independently asking about the exact tense of these words. One was asking whether this is in the aorist tense or in the perfect tense. The aorist test would indicate a one-time action. That Jesus at one time overcame the world. The perfect for would mean that Jesus overcame in the past, carrying with it present results. This is, indeed, the perfect form. The English translation, "I have overcome the world" is exactly correct. Jesus did something in the past that has current results.