Jesus said, “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.” (John 16:33) Aside from the “trouble” part, that verse is comforting, don’t you think? I grew up in church and heard that scripture many times. I suppose in my heart I always said “Amen!” when I heard it. But as an adult when I read those words, I replaced my silent “Amen” for a bewildered, “Jesus, what were you thinking?” 

What changed? Realization had dawned as to the context of that verse! If you do a quick skim through chapters 13-19 of John, you will see Jesus’ “I have overcome the world” quote sandwiched in between some pretty disturbing things. He began by telling His disciples about His upcoming betrayal, Peter’s denial, His departure, and their unavoidable persecution. Then came “Take heart! I’ve overcome” followed by His actual betrayal and crucifixion. Does all of that sound like a description of someone who has overcome to you? 

But later I realized that Jesus declared He had conquered the world when as yet He hadn’t died or been buried in a tomb, let alone risen from the dead. Since Jesus didn’t say, “I will overcome the world”, I’m thinking His death and resurrection were not what was in His mind when he thought about what He’d conquered.

Could it be that He meant the world didn’t have even a speck of a hold on Him since not once had He given in to temptation? I’m sure that, just like us, there wasn’t a day in His life when satan hadn’t tempted him to sin. But He died as the spotless Lamb of God. We know that when He fasted and prayed for 40 days that Satan tempted Him in 3 specific areas, one of which was offering him the kingdoms of the world!  We know Jesus won those battles by the sword of the spirit, quoting scripture. But why did He choose to resist? Certainly being given all the kingdoms of the world had to have been a tempting idea.

I have to think He chose to resist because He loved His Father more than Himself. Jesus was humble. He chose His Father over Himself and over the world’s attractiveness. The result was that he walked closely with God, constantly aware of His Father’s love, His care, His heart, and His presence. That was worth everything. Their mutual love was so deep that Jesus would do nothing to betray it. Why would He trade anything satan could ever tempt him with for what He already had with his Father? (When you have a million dollars, why would you set it aside to make a dive for a shiny nickel?) He told His disciples, “Look, a time is coming – and has come – when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, and I will be left alone. Yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me.” John 16:32

Soon after telling His disciples that He had conquered the world, He prayed His priestly prayer, in which He asked His Father to make us one—living in unity with each other. “…that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.” (John 17:21 ) I believe He knew His followers would only overcome the world through one thing: their own life of humility, choosing Jesus over the world and over self time after time. Without this there could never be unity. But with the “oneness” that humility offers, Jesus’ church would experience being one not only with each other, but with Jesus and with the Father!

Yes, Jesus said we would have trouble, but He also said that peace was ours and would be found in Him. Had He not been humble before His Father, He would not have known peace. It’s the same for us. His peace isn’t like the world’s peace. It’s peace that is beyond our understanding, and it’s worth more than anything the world could offer.

Jesus, thank You for overcoming the world! Thank You for showing us the peace-filled life we can live as we humbly choose to live together in You! Lord, humility isn’t my first inclination. Choosing myself over most other things, even You, is so much more “natural.” I want to have a heart like Jesus has. And I need You for that to occur in my life. I pray for grace to choose You over me, over my selfish desires, over my prideful inclinations. For Your church to reap the harvest of Your dreams, we need to reflect Your heart. Father, teach us to be humble and give us grace to live lives like Jesus did, in humility. Thank You. Amen