We don’t like being left alone Cristiano Ronaldo: “I don’t like being alone.” Anne Hathaway: “Loneliness is my least favorite thing about life. The thing that I’m most worried about is just being alone without anybody to care for or someone who will care for me.” Jennifer Lopez: “I’ve always had a huge fear of dying or becoming ill. The thing I’m most afraid of, though, is being alone, which I think a lot of performers fear. It’s why we seek the limelight – so we’re not alone, were adored. We’re loved, so people want to be around us. The fear of being alone drives my life.” People don’t like being alone. Although some prefer being alone, because of the hurt that sometimes comes from relating to others, it is still far better to be with others in a safe, supportive and encouraging context. We don’t like being left leaderless Despite the moans we make about poor leadership, life would be a lot worse if we had no leadership. Imagine Man. Utd. without Fergie? Or a school without a principal? Or work with no management? After initially enjoying the freedom, what would result would soon be either anarchy or others, probably less able, stepping in to lead. We all need leadership, whether it is good or poor, and whether we like it or hate it. The Church needs leadership Much could be said about how church leaders in different denominations could have led their people better, not only in recent years, but throughout the centuries. By far the best leader was Jesus himself. He led his small band of disciples over a short three year period. But soon, Jesus would no longer be with his disciples. He was going to leave them. Yet, he reassures them that this would only be temporary. He is not forsaking them, but only leaving them for a while, before returning to them afterwards. It may be difficult for them, but Jesus explains that just like a woman giving birth to a child, the pain of childbirth is quickly forgotten (relatively speaking) when she is overjoyed by the birth of a new baby. Jesus promises that he will come again ‘“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”’ (John 16:16, NLT) Jesus does not simply explain that he is going to the cross and that he will rise on the third day. Although his trial, crucifixion and resurrection are imminent, his wording is deliberately(?) less specific, and can be understood in a wider sense, or in three such senses. You will see me – The Resurrection In a little while, Jesus will die on the cross and be buried. But a little while after that, they will see him resurrected, after conquering death. You will see me – The Holy Spirit In a relatively little while, Jesus will not only have died on the cross, but he will soon ascend to the Father in heaven. Yet, he promises that he will come back. Jesus speaks about the role of the Holy Spirit in a few places in John 14 and John 15, but he speaks mostly about him in John 16:4-33. Luke writes in Acts 16:7 about the Holy Spirit but describes him as “the Spirit of Jesus.” Paul writes similarly in Philippians 1:19 that “the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps us.” Jesus can be understood to teach that when the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost, to lead, guide, comfort, and direct the New Testament Church, that it is himself who is coming back to lead the Church. Referring to seeing God, he has used the same words in John 14:9 previously to teach that “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” It is quite natural, then, to understand him to mean also that when the disciples receive the Spirit to lead and guide the Church, that it is Jesus who comes to them. This may be reading too much into the text, but then again it may not. You will see me – The Second Coming In a relatively little while, Jesus will not only have died on the cross, but he will soon ascend to the Father in heaven. Yet, he promises that he will come back finally when he returns to judge everyone. Jesus teaches in John 16:28 that, in the widest sense, he has come into the world from the Father, but he is soon to return to the Father at the ascension. If this is what Jesus means by ‘“In a little while you won’t see me anymore”, then it is only natural to conclude that “But a little while after that, you will see me again” he must be referring to the second coming. Jesus has not left his followers alone Whether it is the immediate resurrection from the dead, the intermediate coming of the Spirit of Jesus at Pentecost to empower and lead the Church on earth, or his future coming in glory to judge the world, Jesus has not left his followers alone: ‘I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.’ (John 14:18–19, NLT) Even if believers are abandoned by others, Jesus is always with us. Praise God for such love and grace, for his presence and leadership, both now and into the future. ‘And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”’ (Matthew 28:20, NLT)