WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.259 Great, thanks very much, Albie. Good evening, everyone. It's really good to have you with us, whether you're here in the building or watching on Zoom at home. 00:00:09.740 --> 00:00:15.140 I think for many people, the most difficult part of the last year has been loneliness. 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:23.940 Now, some of us are blessed with loving families around about us, and we perhaps haven't experienced that to the extent of others. 00:00:23.940 --> 00:00:34.780 But particularly during the first lockdown, when there was no bubbling, but even after that, many people who were on their own have found things really, really difficult. 00:00:34.980 --> 00:00:49.700 And perhaps particularly so if they were suffering, people suffering from physical illness or from mental illness, or perhaps in hospital or a nursing home, and not able to see family and friends for very long periods. 00:00:49.700 --> 00:00:57.660 And if you've been in that position, you might say to someone like me, well, you can't really understand what it's been like for me. 00:00:57.680 --> 00:01:00.040 And there's some truth in that we can understand to some extent. 00:01:00.400 --> 00:01:05.600 We probably can't fully understand what those who have been on their own are going through. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:12.740 But one thing we can be sure of, whatever circumstance we're in, is that Jesus understands. 00:01:12.739 --> 00:01:24.299 And as I've been thinking about the events of Easter over recent weeks, I've been really struck by the way in which Jesus went through them largely alone. 00:01:25.079 --> 00:01:31.679 That he was suffering alone as he took our place on the cross. 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:42.020 And I want just very simply and briefly this evening to go through at a very high level the key events leading up to the death of the Lord Jesus and his cross. 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:46.560 And to think about how he faced them alone. 00:01:47.160 --> 00:01:56.780 We'll also take some time to think about what the gospel writers, what the spirit through the gospel writers is teaching us from each of them. 00:01:57.960 --> 00:01:59.560 So let's start in the upper room. 00:01:59.560 --> 00:02:03.240 Jesus is in the upper room with his disciples. 00:02:03.379 --> 00:02:05.140 Now you might say, he's not alone, is he? 00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:07.960 He's with his closest group of friends. 00:02:08.780 --> 00:02:16.360 But although he was physically with his disciples, although his friends were there physically with him, 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:25.219 yet in terms of understanding what was happening and what he was going to suffer, he was very much alone. 00:02:25.219 --> 00:02:32.439 As we read the gospels, it seems that the disciples spent some of the time squabbling about which of them was the greatest. 00:02:33.139 --> 00:02:44.219 But a lot of time asking questions which, from our viewpoint, knowing the answers from scripture, seem a bit naive and insensitive. 00:02:44.219 --> 00:02:53.919 And rather than receiving support and help from his disciples, Jesus was giving support to them. 00:02:54.500 --> 00:03:00.060 And he was bearing the burden of what was about to happen to him alone. 00:03:01.099 --> 00:03:04.120 They were no help to him. 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:09.980 Now we might ask, why was it that Jesus put himself through that? 00:03:10.060 --> 00:03:13.039 That evening, in some ways, you might think was unnecessary. 00:03:13.819 --> 00:03:17.740 He could have spent time perhaps by himself or in prayer to God. 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:26.580 Why did he choose to spend the evening with the disciples, knowing that there were going to be no help at all to him in his troubles? 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:29.500 Well, it was partly because he was obeying the law. 00:03:29.580 --> 00:03:38.500 It was Passover time, and as a Jew and in obedience to God, Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:47.060 But I think as we read the accounts in the gospels, and we're a little bit from Matthew, but in the other gospels as well, 00:03:47.580 --> 00:03:54.820 what we see is that in the upper room, Jesus was preparing his disciples for what was to come. 00:03:54.819 --> 00:04:03.120 Preparing for the 72 hours before they would again be in an upper room and would see the risen Lord Jesus. 00:04:04.340 --> 00:04:14.400 But preparing them and us for the next 2,000 or so years, who knows how long, until the Lord comes back again. 00:04:15.019 --> 00:04:19.120 Being very honest about the difficulties that they and we would face, 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:32.160 but also explaining the great resources that we've been given, particularly the gift of the Holy Spirit to be our friend and our counselor and our guide and the very presence of Jesus with us. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:38.519 And of course, he gave us what we will be celebrating later. 00:04:39.180 --> 00:04:47.660 The cup and the bread, bread and wine, reminding us of the Lord's body and blood. 00:04:47.660 --> 00:04:55.320 He was thinking, how could we, 2,000 years later, how could Christians right down through the ages, 00:04:55.900 --> 00:05:02.840 be supported in their remembrance of him and their celebration of all that he has done? 00:05:03.760 --> 00:05:14.140 And so he chose to spend that evening with his disciples and to teach them and to encourage them and to teach and encourage us as well. 00:05:14.139 --> 00:05:24.180 But in a real sense, he was doing it alone because the disciples didn't understand and there really weren't any help to him. 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:29.779 We move then to the garden, the garden of Gethsemane. 00:05:29.779 --> 00:05:35.579 Jesus goes there with 11 disciples, Judas having left by this time. 00:05:36.099 --> 00:05:42.199 He leaves eight of them behind sitting in the garden, takes three with him, and then he leaves them as well. 00:05:42.479 --> 00:05:50.519 He leaves them to pray, but they go to sleep and he goes a little bit further and he engages in prayer to his father. 00:05:50.519 --> 00:06:00.259 And what we see here is a really unique insight into the relationship of Jesus with his father. 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:05.579 As he is alone physically for the only time during his sufferings, 00:06:05.899 --> 00:06:09.539 all other times there were lots of people round about him. 00:06:09.539 --> 00:06:12.719 The only time he was physically alone. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:20.920 We see his heart and we see the dread with which he looked forward to the cross. 00:06:21.460 --> 00:06:31.740 As he prays to his father, if it's possible, let this cup pass from me, but not my will, but yours be done. 00:06:32.640 --> 00:06:38.360 And as he is alone with his father, we see the very heart of the Lord Jesus. 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:44.939 A heart that at one hand looks forward and recognizes all that he's going to suffer. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:48.080 And it's not the physical suffering that was the worst part for him. 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:50.540 It was taking our sins on himself. 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:55.199 He sees that and he shrinks away from it. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:58.300 But at the same time, he says, 00:06:58.439 --> 00:07:02.960 Father, it's your will, not mine, that needs to be done. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:13.500 And I suppose that these verses are in our Bibles so that we realize that Jesus fully understood what was about to happen. 00:07:14.579 --> 00:07:20.439 He didn't go to the trial and then to the cross with some kind of idea that he might get off 00:07:20.439 --> 00:07:24.179 or it might not be as bad as he might think it would be. 00:07:24.779 --> 00:07:28.659 He fully understood what was about to happen to him. 00:07:28.660 --> 00:07:33.260 And he chose to go through with it. 00:07:33.840 --> 00:07:37.060 He chose to be obedient to his father, God. 00:07:37.660 --> 00:07:44.280 He chose out of love for us to go to the cross and to take our sins. 00:07:45.100 --> 00:07:52.320 And there alone in the garden is the moment when Jesus finally makes that decision. 00:07:52.440 --> 00:07:55.140 I am going to do my father's will. 00:07:55.139 --> 00:08:00.759 Now I am going to go through with what I came into this world to do. 00:08:01.500 --> 00:08:03.519 Alone in the garden. 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:07.379 And then we see Jesus alone in the courtroom. 00:08:07.500 --> 00:08:09.759 Actually, we see Jesus alone in a number of courtrooms. 00:08:10.159 --> 00:08:12.779 Because if we piece together the four Gospels, 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:19.879 he's in a courtroom before Annas and then before Caiaphas and then before Pilate and then Herod and back to Pilate again. 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:29.519 And in each of these courtrooms, we see Jesus facing mockery, lies, physical abuse, 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:33.679 flogging a crown of thorns forced onto his head. 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:37.340 And he does it alone. 00:08:38.500 --> 00:08:39.879 Do the disciples follow him? 00:08:40.259 --> 00:08:42.580 But one of them, Peter, disowns him. 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:46.820 No help at all in the moment of crisis. 00:08:46.820 --> 00:08:50.580 He has no defence solicitor. 00:08:51.100 --> 00:08:52.720 No one to stand up for him. 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:57.360 He is absolutely alone in these trials. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:03.640 And the Gospel writers, all of them, talk at some length about the trial of Jesus. 00:09:03.760 --> 00:09:07.040 As I've said, they focus on different things. 00:09:07.400 --> 00:09:13.180 But all of them see this as something that is really significant and important to record. 00:09:13.179 --> 00:09:18.000 And what in particular do we learn from it? 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:26.399 I think we learn that Jesus went through these trials with great dignity and with grace. 00:09:27.339 --> 00:09:33.599 But more than that, he went through it in full control of the situation. 00:09:34.479 --> 00:09:37.359 He wasn't there just as a helpless victim. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:43.240 He was there as someone who had decided that he would be obedient to God, 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:46.740 that he would take the punishment that was due to us. 00:09:47.860 --> 00:09:52.259 And at no point in the trial do we find him pleading for his life 00:09:52.259 --> 00:09:57.580 or desperate to be let off or to have his sentence reduced or anything like that. 00:09:57.580 --> 00:10:03.980 He knows what is going to happen and with dignity he goes towards it. 00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:07.560 And what a contrast that is with those who were judging him. 00:10:08.180 --> 00:10:12.780 The high priests who couldn't even find witnesses who could agree among themselves 00:10:12.780 --> 00:10:16.379 what it was that Jesus had done that was wrong. 00:10:16.379 --> 00:10:20.259 Pilate, who was so vacillating and weak, 00:10:20.659 --> 00:10:24.580 knew that Jesus was innocent and yet gave in to the crowd. 00:10:25.539 --> 00:10:28.139 They weren't in control of the situation. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:34.379 But Jesus, standing there alone, was in full control. 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:39.820 And he was going resolutely to do his father's will 00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:43.600 and to take our place on the cross. 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:46.259 And so we come to Calvary. 00:10:47.019 --> 00:10:50.060 And again, Jesus is alone. 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:55.580 Now we saw in the readings that there were some friendly faces around. 00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:58.240 There were women who stood at a distance. 00:10:58.360 --> 00:10:59.540 His mother was there too. 00:10:59.879 --> 00:11:01.899 And John, his disciple. 00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:05.639 But massively outnumbered by the crowd, 00:11:05.779 --> 00:11:06.920 who were some of them hostile, 00:11:07.540 --> 00:11:11.899 some of them just probably curious and watching the spectacle that was happening. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:15.259 But at the key moment, 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:21.000 in the key hours when Jesus took our sins on himself, 00:11:21.580 --> 00:11:24.519 he was utterly alone. 00:11:25.480 --> 00:11:27.240 It was dark round about. 00:11:27.379 --> 00:11:32.259 There was no one could see him or see what was happening. 00:11:32.259 --> 00:11:37.299 And even his father had forsaken him. 00:11:38.220 --> 00:11:40.080 That gut-wrenching cry, 00:11:40.220 --> 00:11:44.299 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:11:44.299 --> 00:11:47.620 And some people think that maybe he went on to quote the whole of Psalm 22 00:11:47.620 --> 00:11:49.379 that that verse comes from, 00:11:49.439 --> 00:11:53.879 which is such a graphic depiction of the Lord's suffering. 00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:57.240 At that moment, in these hours, 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:01.539 even his father God wasn't with him. 00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:04.639 For the only time in eternity, 00:12:05.299 --> 00:12:08.620 Jesus was separated from the father. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:10.759 Why was that? 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:15.240 Well, I think we get a clue from a verse in 2 Corinthians 5, 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:22.419 which says that God made him who had no sin to be sin for us. 00:12:23.100 --> 00:12:26.899 Christ became sin for us. 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:35.039 I don't know if that goes beyond saying that Christ took our sins in his body on the cross. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:42.480 But it does bring out to us the awfulness of what Jesus bore at Calvary. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:45.419 And because he became sin, 00:12:45.839 --> 00:12:48.000 God, who couldn't even look on sin, 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:49.579 had to leave him. 00:12:49.959 --> 00:12:52.819 And he was utterly on his own. 00:12:53.839 --> 00:12:54.980 Forsaken by men. 00:12:55.819 --> 00:12:59.059 Forsaken too by God, his father. 00:13:00.059 --> 00:13:04.419 Bearing our sins on the cross alone. 00:13:05.899 --> 00:13:10.360 Taking that burden, that punishment that should be ours, 00:13:11.099 --> 00:13:15.500 and taking it without anyone there to support him. 00:13:16.819 --> 00:13:19.779 And then, and then, the Lord Jesus dies. 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:20.439 He's buried. 00:13:20.959 --> 00:13:24.379 And he rises gloriously on the third day. 00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:28.740 And of course, we'll be thinking about that as we come together on Sunday. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:34.819 And there are two great consequences of what the Lord Jesus did. 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:37.599 When he suffered alone. 00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:43.639 The first is that we need never be alone. 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:49.099 Jesus can always be with us as our helper, 00:13:49.099 --> 00:13:50.000 as our guide, 00:13:50.259 --> 00:13:54.599 as the one who is with us through life and through eternity. 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:57.620 And if our trust is in him, 00:13:57.960 --> 00:14:01.860 if we've recognized our sin and committed our lives to him, 00:14:01.920 --> 00:14:04.779 believing that he took the punishment for us, 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:07.759 then when the judgment day comes, 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:10.460 he will be there to stand for us 00:14:10.460 --> 00:14:12.279 and to be able to say, 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:17.399 I took the punishment that was due to Ian or whoever you are. 00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:21.220 I took that punishment when I suffered alone. 00:14:21.319 --> 00:14:24.039 And we will never, if we're trusting in the Lord Jesus, 00:14:24.179 --> 00:14:26.620 we'll never be separated from him. 00:14:26.939 --> 00:14:30.120 We'll be with him for eternity. 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:38.259 And the second great consequence is that the Lord Jesus too is never alone now. 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:41.539 He's at the right hand of his father. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:46.340 The father who had to leave him as he took the punishment for sin 00:14:46.340 --> 00:14:50.840 has exalted him to the highest place in heaven. 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:54.320 As John sees in the vision and revelation, 00:14:55.060 --> 00:15:02.200 there is a great multitude who are singing the praises of the lamb who died for them. 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:05.800 And one day, every knee will bow 00:15:05.800 --> 00:15:13.860 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:15:14.580 --> 00:15:17.460 The one who suffered alone, 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:20.259 alone in the upper room, 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:22.940 alone in the garden, 00:15:23.879 --> 00:15:25.580 alone in the courtroom, 00:15:25.780 --> 00:15:27.620 alone on the cross. 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:31.360 Now as a great multitude surrounding him, 00:15:31.920 --> 00:15:33.120 singing his praises 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:34.879 and for eternity, 00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:37.940 those of us who know him and go to be with them 00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:39.420 will worship him 00:15:39.420 --> 00:15:44.639 and rejoice at being in his presence. 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:49.300 Hope all of us today have our faith in the Lord Jesus. 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:54.779 I put our trust in him as the one who took our punishment on the cross 00:15:54.779 --> 00:15:58.039 and is our only hope for eternity. 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:03.439 And if we do, there's a sadness as we think about his death, 00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:07.839 a sadness as we think about our sin that took him there, 00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:10.279 that he had to bear on the cross. 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:14.980 But a rejoicing to today that his work is now done 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:18.580 and he is in the place that he deserves. 00:16:18.580 --> 00:16:23.039 He is getting the honour that is due to him. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:27.399 Gazing on the Lord in glory, 00:16:28.079 --> 00:16:30.099 while our hearts in worship bow, 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:33.299 there we read the wondrous story 00:16:33.299 --> 00:16:35.120 of the cross, 00:16:36.079 --> 00:16:37.199 its shame and woe. 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:41.080 On that cross alone forsaken, 00:16:41.940 --> 00:16:44.000 where no pitying I was found, 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:47.300 now to God's right hand exalted, 00:16:48.400 --> 00:16:51.340 with thy praise the heavens resound. 00:16:51.460 --> 00:16:53.720 Did thy God even then forsake thee, 00:16:54.560 --> 00:16:56.660 hide his face from thy deep need? 00:16:57.800 --> 00:17:00.220 In thy face once marred and smitten, 00:17:01.160 --> 00:17:04.039 all his glory now we read. 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:07.420 Gazing on it, we adore thee. 00:17:08.220 --> 00:17:11.420 Blessed, precious, holy Lord, 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:14.619 thou the Lamb art ever worthy. 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:19.379 This be earth's and heaven's accord. 00:17:19.879 --> 00:17:20.680 Let's pray together. 00:17:24.599 --> 00:17:28.319 Lord Jesus, we thank you for your suffering for us. 00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:31.099 We thank you that you were willing 00:17:31.099 --> 00:17:35.099 to go through these hours of agony alone. 00:17:36.439 --> 00:17:39.119 Separated from those whom you had 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:42.879 associated with for many years on the earth. 00:17:43.919 --> 00:17:44.879 But even more, 00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:46.619 separated from your own Father 00:17:46.619 --> 00:17:50.559 as you took our sins on yourself. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:55.000 As you became sin for us. 00:17:55.879 --> 00:17:58.259 Help us to understand this Easter 00:17:58.259 --> 00:18:01.259 just a little bit more of what it meant 00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:03.779 for you to suffer for our sins. 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:06.079 And as we do that, 00:18:06.819 --> 00:18:10.099 help us to ensure that our trust is in you. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:13.660 And help us to worship you 00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:16.599 as we should for what you are, 00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:17.879 for who you are, 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:19.900 and for what you have done for us. 00:18:20.879 --> 00:18:22.039 We pray you'll be with us now 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:23.799 as we move into a time of communion, 00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:24.900 as we remember you 00:18:24.900 --> 00:18:27.200 in the way that you appointed. 00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:29.340 May we do that in a way 00:18:29.340 --> 00:18:31.519 that is worthy of you. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:33.620 We ask it in your name, 00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:34.460 Lord Jesus. 00:18:35.380 --> 00:18:35.660 Amen.