John 16:29-33

John 16:29-33 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” “You believe at last!” Jesus answered. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. “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.”

Ironically, the disciples retained doubts concerning Jesus after sitting at his feet, hearing him teach wondrous truths, perform marvelous miracles, and seeing a great crowd as they took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” (John 12:12) These same men had seen others believe from the beginning. They had witnessed while he [Jesus] was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, [and] many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. Later, after Jesus' amazing interaction with the woman at the well, Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony. . .And because of his words many more became believers. (John 4:39 &41) Jesus touched people in the highest places: Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue. (John 12:42) Regardless of his disciples' persistent unbelief, Jesus still felt compassion for his chosen ones. Not only did He prepare them for his departure, He spoke honestly and convincingly of the realities of human existence: In this world you will have trouble. Every person who has ever existed experiences difficulties, trials, and problems in this world. Christians as well as unbelievers face hardships and troubles no matter how much they pray or how closely they walk with God. Jesus, the Son of God, clearly said: YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE. Peter wrote: Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. (1 Peter 4:12) Through faith in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul declared, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35)

The question for every believer remains not whether trials will come but how we will face these storms of life? Are we going to remain strong in our faith, praising God for his presence and strength or will we weaken and fall away as Jesus predicted for his disciples: You will leave me all alone? A strong commitment to Christ requires an informed belief in who we are and intentionality: we cannot wait until the floods comes to build our houses upon the rock Christ Jesus. We can't wait until gale force winds batter our ships of life to have Christ as the anchor for our souls. When we halt between two opinions, we are double-minded, inconsistent, lacking power in our lives. We all need to come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ. (Ephesians 4:13-15) On the cross, Jesus cried out: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) On the cross with the weight of the sin of all mankind, Jesus felt forsaken; yet we know God never left his side. Hear David's prophecy concerning Christ recounted: I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. . .Seeing what was ahead, he (David) spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. (Acts 2:25-28 & 31) We who are IN CHRIST experience doubts and fears, but we are not orphans: God is always with us no matter of the depth of our problems or the intensity of our doubts or fears.

Hardships and difficulties can drain a person. We sometimes look for support and do not find it from people we thought would help us: they let us down or fail to keep their promises. Unsaved friends and relatives might chose a rough time in our lives to point out that our Christianity does not seem to pay off: "Where is that God you serve: why isn't He coming to your aid? You cannot even save yourself from trouble: why tell us about your close relationship with God? How has He benefitted you? You claim God's presence, but you are mired in the same vicissitudes and trials of life that I am. When it floods, your house floods just as ours does. Where's the special benefit of serving your God?" The world deserves an answer. The Bible says we must always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (1 Peter 3:15) And our hope is a blessed and glorious hope in a risen Savior who promised never to leave us or to forsake us. If you read all of the New Testament, you will find many scriptures on suffering and trials, and many scriptures on faith, hope, peace, and joy in the Lord. As Christ felt He was alone at the cross, we sometimes feel abandoned or alienated; however, when we stop to listen to the Holy Spirit, we know we are not alone. We know Christ paid the price so we would never have to be alone in the universe. Yet Jesus did have to experience the pain of separation, the pain of death for us HE WAS ALONE IN THE GRAVE, DEPENDENT UPON THE SPIRIT TO LIFT HIM UP IN VICTORY OVER SIN AND DEATH! But by faith, Jesus put his hope and trust in his Father God, Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. REGARDLESS OF HIS EMOTIONS, HIS STRESS, HIS TROUBLE; HE KNEW THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS WITH HIM AND WOULD NOT FORSAKE HIM. We have good news to share!

When Jesus was baptized in water by John as a sign to unbelievers, the Holy Spirit came upon him and was always with him, never left him. The same Holy Spirit never leaves us. The Spirit, the earnest of our inheritance, is the still small voice that leads us through every trial, every dark hour. In our greatest moment of despair, when our hearts are most desperate, He says, "My daughter, my son, listen to me, I am here. I am with you always: you are not alone. I will see you through to the end. Rejoice! The battle is over: rest in me." When the prospect of death faces us, his voice will lead us as we rise on eagle's wings, headed home to the father, never again to know pain, suffering or sorrow; no more tears, hurt, confusion, rejection, or anything else Satan throws our way. The Spirit will remind us our trip over Jordan is only the shadow of death, not death itself. Right now, we are pilgrims and strangers on a journey, rejoicing with great joy because we are bound for a heavenly city made by God for those who have their minds set upon arriving there. He will lead us where our flesh could never have gone without him, for we are clothed in his righteousness. This was the promise to Jesus and this is HIS PROMISE TO EACH OF US. The answer to serving God is that the resurrection morning is ours: some golden daybreak we will be filled with his presence, taken to the place prepared for us. Therefore, whether we struggle or not in this world, our hope is in Jesus Christ and his resurrection power, not in ourselves. Because He lives, we live also, now and forever. For sure, we know that we are never alone in our times of trouble, for He does not forsake his own. Even when we take our last breath on this earth, He will be there, for we are IN HIM AND HE IS IN US. GOD HIMSELF IS OUR PORTION, AND WE WILL NEVER BE ALONE. Amen!