31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
I was raised in a small town, where everyone knew everyone. If someone died, half of the town would be at the funeral. If someone “important” died, everyone would be. Today, my hometown is saying good-bye to their sheriff, who died unexpectedly early this week. No, it wasn’t in the line of duty, it was at home. He was only 44 years old. He was known as the “good cop” to many. Roads will close for the processional and people will line the street to show their respect.
So why do I share this with all of you, who really aren’t affected by this story? Well, because each of us go through something at some point in our lives were we just can’t understand why. It might be the death of a loved one, the mass shootings, or something like a divorce.
It’s important to note here that Jesus told us ahead of time, we would face trouble. He was very clear when he said, “In this world you will have trouble.” But he didn’t stop there. The rest of that verse is so important not to miss. Yes, we will have trouble, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We already know that we are going to live through some tough things. Let’s not forget that even through all of that, we have Christ, the Savior of the world, who has already overcome the world.
Today, my friends, take heart!