In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, my dear friends:

Though we’re probably all just a little too “grown up” to admit it, deep down inside don’t we all have the same fear—the fear of being lost, the fear of being abandoned? “What if I’m left all alone? What if no one is there to hear my cry for help and come to my side to take my hand and assure me that everything will be okay?” That’s our cry for help when we’re left all alone—left alone in grief, alone in trouble, or alone in spiritual doubt.

We might try really hard to fight back tears and do our very best to hide our fear. We might even surround ourselves with all kinds of worldly comforts to try to stop that feeling. We try to convince ourselves that if we have enough money, enough friends and family around us, we’ll be just fine when the problems and worries of life come upon us. Still the feeling is there—deep down inside we still feel empty and all alone.

As we close the books on another year and look forward to life in the New Year, now more than ever we need the comfort of knowing that we’re not alone. Jesus knew that that same fear existed in the hearts of His disciples. And so, Jesus reaches out to His fearful, lonely, and hurting followers with some comforting words of assurance. And He reaches out to us, to you and to me, with the same assurance--assurance for the new year. He promises to take care of us and to be with us.

These words are some of last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before His death on Calvary’s cross. Jesus had just told his disciples that He would be leaving them soon. This man who had been their leader, their teacher, their guidance counselor for the past three years would be leaving them. Imagine the feelings of fear, loneliness, confusion and abandonment those disciples must have been feeling. Surely, they would be lost without the physical presence of their Master. How would they ever get along without Him?

But Jesus sensed their fears and quickly removed those fears with His comforting assurance that He would take care of them. Although Jesus Himself would no longer be with them physically to be their counselor—to teach them, to guide them, and to comfort them—He promised to take care of them by sending them another Counselor. He said, “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper…the Spirit of truth.” He would send them His Holy Spirit.

Certainly, the Holy Spirit had already come to these men. He had already entered their hearts and created saving faith. But Jesus promised to send His Spirit again in a special way so that their faith would grow and they would know that Jesus had not left them alone. And that comfort would never run out. It could always be renewed by reading the Savior’s words and feeling the effects of the Spirit’s work in their hearts.

The Savior’s comforting assurance that He would care for His disciples by sending the Holy Spirit—that same comforting assurance is meant for us too. And if there’s ever a time when our hearts long for comfort in distress, it’s today. If there was ever a time when hearts are miserable and sorrowful, it’s right now. We live in a world filled with such rapid change—family problems that end in divorce, job security that is threatened by a failing economy, threats of war and terrorist attacks. Every day we face trials and temptations of tremendous proportions. At times like these, it’s easy to feel like we’ve been abandoned—like we’ve been left with no help and no comfort. But by God’s grace through the gospel, Jesus cares for us just as He promised. For through the gospel the Holy Spirit lives in us.

Jesus promised to take care of His followers by sending the Holy Spirit. And with that promise, He gives the added assurance that He Himself will be with us. He says: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. At that day you will know that I that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

Jesus assured His disciples that, although He would leave them physically, He would still be with them to comfort and to guide them. He would return to them through the Holy Spirit and dwell in their hearts through faith. Though they would no longer see Jesus physically, the disciples would see Him through the eyes of faith. The Holy Spirit would bring Jesus and His teachings home to them, as Jesus later promised when He told them: “The Holy Spirit will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” What a comfort it was for the disciples to know that through all the perplexing problems of life, through all their heartaches and grief, through all their worries and fears Jesus would be with them.

Their comfort is also our comfort. As we experience trials, sickness, and even death—as we realize more and more how frail and fleeting life is and how weak we are—we can draw strength and comfort from our Savior’s promise to be with us.

Another year of our lives--another year of grace--has come to an end. And the turning of the year is a time for reflection. Regretfully we reflect upon our many sins and shortcomings during the past year and are led to say: Forgive us, Lord!

We also reflect upon how richly God has provided for us day after day in so many ways. Especially He has assured us of His forgiveness and love as He spoke to us through His Word, reminded us of our baptism and fed us with the spiritual food of Jesus’ body and blood. And our reflection leads us to say: Thank you, Lord!

Reflection will also lead us to confidence and trust as we enter the new year. God who has kept His promises to us in the past will surely not abandon us in the future. And so, with confident faith we pray: Be with us, Lord!

And finally, reflection will lead us to hope. The passing of another year causes us to put our attention on the end of time and the coming of Jesus in all His glory to take us to heaven. We face the future, not with the fear of being alone or abandoned, but with the confidence that our Savior will be with us to care for us, not only here in time but hereafter in eternity. And so, with joyous expectation we look forward to our Savior’s coming and pray: Come quickly, Lord!

As we face the uncertainties of life in the year 2010, the one thing we can be absolutely sure about is that we will not have to face it alone. We have the comfort of knowing that Jesus will not leave us to face the new year all alone. He promises to be with us. That’s the key to a truly happy new year.

AMEN