Misunderstandings
 sermon by Manfred Schreyer

John 16:16 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me." :17 Some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and' Because I am going to the Father'?" :18 They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying." :19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? :20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan:

      I would like you to tell you about General John Hunt Morgan of the Civil War. Morgan fought for the South.

      One of the stories that circulate about Morgan is that he received a message from his spy in the North that an ammunition train from the North was going to the South to the troops. Morgan and his men got prepared to attack the train. Morgan’s army was always ready. They were fighting for their cause and this coup to take of the ammunition train would bring more glory to them and in essence to the South. As they were approaching the train, stopping the train and taking over the train, they were amazed that they found no resistance to their effort. Hardly any shots were fired and all stayed calm.

As the dust had settled, Morgan’s army came to realize that they had misunderstood their spy: The train was not full of ‘ammunition’, but of Union ‘musician’.

      This world is full of misunderstandings. Many misunderstandings are often felt by those who are grounded into a story. Morgan in a way wanted to hear ammunition instead of musician.

      We often build up a world inside of us and try to make the world outside conform to our understanding.

      As if Jesus was not clear about His saying. He said that he would leave in a little while, but then he said He’ll be back. And the disciples responded back in a question. The question of "What does it mean in a little while" is rather irrelevant to the whole ordeal which is about to happen. What is important is that Jesus will leave, because He is going to be with the Father.

      Maybe in modern terms the disciples would have asked: Exactly what time and date will you be back, so we can mark it in our Palm Pilot and mark it on our date book on the computer?

      I wonder how Jesus must have felt when the disciples asked him the question about "a little while." Was that all they were worried about? A time line? Be honest with me. . . .how would have you responded at this moment?

      I believe that at this point in the Word of God the whole character of Jesus truly surfaced. Jesus answers calmly, He is as always understanding, and he answers in love.

      He does not answer the question directly, what his answer is, is a philosophical answer to a philosophical statement.

      In His sayings He is saying to them that they will recognize the difference between the world and them, because they will not feel as one of them.

      The bible in all is clear and very concise for us. All of the content are the experiences of God with us and God’s will for us as His creation.

      Jesus was the revelation of God to us. And Jesus demands an understanding from us . . . not in an interpretative way, but in a way in which we are meant to understand it.

      What does that mean? In order for the disciples to understand and for them to give the story to others they had to be with Christ. They had to listen to His teachings, they certainly discussed scriptures and they had to experience Jesus and Jesus’ relationship with God.

      All of the components are important. Never, ever will you understand God if you do not understand what God is saying. Never ever will we experience God if we don’t know what God demands from us.

      Take the issue of prayer. Psalm 28:9 says that " One who turns away his ears from hearing the law, even his prayers shall be an abomination."

      Now that is a tough statement. You may intervene and say . . . Christ substituted the law, because we are unable to follow the law. And I pose the question; "What about the Sermon on the mount? . . .What about when Jesus answered the question bout the most important commandment . . . ?

      Nothing, but nothing will work in our faith if we do not follow the path God provides for us. We can’t build the roof, then the wall and then the foundation. We must start with the foundation and build the house upon it.

      God goes as far as to say: "If you regard iniquities in my heart, the Lord will not hear."

      Can you imagine that our words  are (possibly) in vain?

      Allow me to explain in modern terms: When you go on the internet, some sites do not allow you to connect to them. Although you can log onto the general part of the site . . . but the deep content of the site is for people who seek it and you must fulfill certain parameters. You must sign up, and you must subscribe . . . or whatever. If you do not, you will not be able to take advantage of the whole site and its richness.

      Maybe sometimes in our understanding of the Word of God we are like Gen. Morgan. Maybe we also misunderstand. Maybe want to misunderstand. Maybe we just assume . . . and then we make the discovery that it is not the way God explained how it would happen.

      The Word of God says that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. Did you get the words "His will" in the saying fo Christ?

      Maybe we are praying for things that are not His will. And how would we know if we do not seek His will by studying the Word of God. Do we assume ammunition instead of musician?

      Sometimes our intentions are selfish. Is what we desire for our own reason rather then to please our God? In my ministry I encounter many who have prayed for their salvation of their unsaved spouse. And the comments are always the same: If my spouse would just be saved it would be so much easier in our relationship. Although this may hold true, but the reason itself is selfish . . . and not for the glory of God.

And finally God makes it clear when we understand: From the moment that we do not belong to the world . . . when the world will hate us . . . but His promise is that in the end we will rejoice . . .