NOTES for Joh 16:28

This may be the shortest description of Christ's mission: He came - and He went away. But between these two moments something very important was accomplished, something that changed the world forever. The world into which Jesus came and the world He leaves behind Him are, in a certain sense, different worlds.

The world 2,000 years ago is like a room with one door, from behind which a foul stench comes; the coming of Christ cuts a new door through it, giving another way out, and as He goes to the Father, He leaves that door wide open. On the day of Pentecost, through this open door a fresh wind bursts into the room, carrying away all the stench and mustiness in a draft. Life changes qualitatively - a positive perspective appears in it.

When we look at our everyday life, we sometimes lose this perspective. The dirt creeping into our life from behind that first door - through gossip, abuse, rumors - keeps us from breathing freely. But the door to God remains open: we can both push our way toward it ourselves and bring other people there.