JOHN 16:32, 33

Have you ever been alone? Not so much separated from the crowd as along within the crowd? Probably you have! You have experienced that loneliness that inundates the soul at the death of a loved on; you've known that loneliness of rejection and betrayal at the hand of a trusted friend; you've experienced that loneliness when a comrade moves away. You have felt alone. Jesus felt it, too. Jesus knows all about that. He experienced loneliness at every level. He knew the hostile rejection of His enemies; He knew the fickleness of so-called friends; He knew the spiritual darkness of being abandoned by God Himself. This is significant because it helps us realize that He is qualified to sympathize with us in our loneliness. Where do we see Jesus experiencing this isolation? Where do we see Him alone?

1. HE WAS ALONE IN GETHSEMANE:
1. Mark puts it like this: Mark 14:32-38 "And they came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, 'Sit here until I have prayed.' And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. And He said to them, 'My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.' And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. And He was saying, 'Abba! Father! All things are possible for Thee; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt.' And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, 'Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Keep watching and praying, that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.'"
2. Alone. Others were present physically but they had their own agenda.
1. He wept, they slept.
2. He prayed, they dozed.
3. He was in the Spirit, they were in the flesh.
4. And Jesus felt alone.
3. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever felt that no one knows what's happening to you, or knowing, they just don't care? Have you ever felt that nobody understands? Have you ever felt that no one bears your burden or gives a rip how you feel? I have good news for you!
1. When you are burdened and weary, Jesus knows all about it and offers rest: Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."
2. When you are anxious, worried and fretful, Jesus knows all about it and offers peace: John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
3. When you are in sorrow and grief, Jesus knows all about it and offers His comfort: John 16:22 "Therefore you too now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you."
4. When you are in pain or agony of mind, body, or spirit, Jesus knows all about it and offers help: John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
4. Jesus was alone in Gethsemane; but we don't have to be alone in our hours of anguish! Chalmers was right when he said, "when I walk by the wayside, He is along with me. When I enter into company amid all my forgetfulness of Him, He never forgets me. In the silent watches of the night, when my eyelids are closed, my spirit has sunk into unconsciousness, the observant eye of Him Who never slumbers is upon me. I cannot flee from His presence. Go where I will, He leads me, and watches me, and cares for me. The same Being Who is now at work in the remotest domains of nature and of providence is also at my hand to make more full every moment of my being, and to uphold me in the exercise of all my feelings."

2. HE WAS ALONE ON TRIAL:
1. Mark says,
1. Mark 14:50 "And they all left Him and fled." He was left alone.
2. Mark 14:53 "And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes gathered together." Many gathered against Him, giving perjured testimony. Jesus was left alone.
3. Mark 15:1 "And early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate." There, too He was alone.
2. Betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, forsaken by the other disciples, surrounded by hostile, venomous enemies, Jesus was alone on trial.
3. Maybe you've experienced that. Have you ever been
1. Maliciously and falsely accused?
2. Betrayed and deserted by those who you thought would defend you?
3. Set up for a fall by those who sought your ruin?
4. I have! So have you! But we are not alone when accused and maligned. Neither were a couple of children who were part of a group being persecuted for their faith in Scotland. The soldiers were ready to execute them, when a girl about 8 said, "Sodger man will ye let me take my wee brother by the hand and die that way?" He consented, saying, "Bonnie Whigs ye are to die without a prayer." The little girl replied, "Me and Alec canna pray, but we can sing 'The Lord's My Shepherd!'" and from the lips of the children rose the words, "The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want." Trooper after trooper turned away with tears streaming down their faces until there was not one left to carry out the persecution of these little ones who knew that the Lord was their shepherd. Seemingly alone in their trial, Jesus was there.

3. HE WAS ALONE ON THE CROSS:
1. Hear Mark's account again: Mark 15:33-34 "And when the sixth hour had come, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which is translated, 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?'"
2. Betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, deserted by the rest, condemned in a kangaroo court, and  forsaken by God, Jesus is on the cross - alone.
1. Hanging between two thieves, but alone
2. Surrounded by a crowd, but alone.
3. John the disciple was there, but Jesus was alone
4. Mary, His mother was there, but Jesus was alone.
5. Worst of all, God turned His face away and Jesus was alone.
3. Have you ever felt hung out to dry? Have you ever felt crucified and abandoned? Have you ever felt that in life's most crushing hour, you were alone? Jesus knows all about that, and cares.
4. Let me tell you about an old man, a farmer who scrimped and saved and denied himself to put his only son through college. Finally the boy went away to school; he seldom wrote or phoned or visited home and his father's loneliness increased daily. Finally at the end of the boy's senior year, the father thought he'd surprise his son by attending graduation. He arrived on campus wearing his old faded bib overalls and worn plaid shirt. After a while, he spotted his son and hurried to him. "Son! Son! How I've missed you! I had to come see you graduate!" The son, ashamed of his father's simple appearance, looked at him icily and said, "Son? I'm sorry, sir, you are mistaken. I am not your son. I don't even know you!" Walking away, he left the old man standing there by himself.  He went home to die heartbroken and alone.

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