THE PROBLEM OF LONLINESS
MATTHEW 27:33-50
A MAJOR ISSUE THAT PEOPLE, CHRISTIAN AND NON-CHRISTIAN HAVE FACED IN INCREASING NUMBERS OVER THE YEARS IS THAT OF LONLINESS. PEOPLE HAVE TRIED VARIOUS MEANS OF COPING WITH LONLINESS, FROM MEDITATION TO MEDICATION, BUT ALL SEEMS TO BE A LOSING BATTLE AS MORE PEOPLE FACE THE DESPAIR AND DISCOURAGEMENT OF THEIR LONLINESS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY PEOPLE FACE LONLINESS:
1. UNFULFILLED DREAMS
2. DEATH
3. BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS
4. BEING NEW TO AN AREA OR GROUP
THERE IS ONE REASON THOUGH THAT ONLY RELATES TO CHRISTIANS. MANY CHRISTIANS WILL EXPERIENCE LONLINESS BECAUSE OF KNOWN, UNCONFESSED, AND UNFORSAKEN SIN. OUR SCRIPTURE READING SHOWS THAT WHEN KNOWN SIN IS TOLERATED THAT THERE IS SEPARATION FROM THE FATHER. IN NO WAY DOES JESUS TOLERATE SIN, BUT WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS HE TOOK OUR SIN ON HIMSELF, AND THE RESULT WAS THE LONLINESS OF BEING SEPARATED FROM THE FATHER.
THE ISOLATION THAT COMES FROM LONLINESS CAN BE SO GREAT THAT IT CAN CAUSE SOME PEOPLE TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
WHAT IS ALSO SURPRISING IS THAT LONLINESS WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED AS SOMETHING GOOD. LOOK AT WHAT GOD SAID AT THE TIME OF CREATION.
GENESIS 2:18,
THE LORD GOD SAID, “IT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE MAN TO BE ALONE. I WILL MAKE A HELPER SUITABLE FOR HIM.”
20 SO THE MAN GAVE NAMES TO ALL THE LIVESTOCK, THE BIRDS IN THE SKY AND ALL THE WILD ANIMALS. BUT FOR ADAM NO SUITABLE HELPER WAS FOUND. 21 SO THE LORD GOD CAUSED THE MAN TO FALL INTO A DEEP SLEEP; AND WHILE HE WAS SLEEPING, HE TOOK ONE OF THE MAN’S RIBS AND THEN CLOSED UP THE PLACE WITH FLESH. 22 THEN THE LORD GOD MADE A WOMAN FROM THE RIB HE HAD TAKEN OUT OF THE MAN, AND HE BROUGHT HER TO THE MAN.
NOTHING IN ALL OF CREATION WAS SUITABLE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE OF LONLINESS FOR ADAM, UNTIL GOD CREATED THE WOMAN. YOU SEE THE ULTIMATE REASON FOR LONLINESS IS TO DRAW US INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER.
AT THE TIME OF THE FALL, SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES INVADED EVERY ASPECT OF OUR EXISTENCE, INCLUDING OUR RELATIONSHIPS. THE INCREASED LONLINESS THAT HUMANITY FEELS AS WE CONTINUE TO WALK FURTHER AWAY FROM THE LORD IS NOT A COINCIDENCE.
TODAY’S SOCIETY IS LOOKING FOR A STABLE RELATIONSHIP THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
JEREMIAH 31:3: THE LORD APPEARED TO US IN THE PAST, SAYING: “I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE; I HAVE DRAWN YOU WITH UNFAILING KINDNESS.
WE SEEM DETERMINED THOUGH TO RUN FROM THE ONLY REAL ANSWER TO THE ISSUE OF LONLINESS AND TRY TO FIND
TEMPORARY COMFORT IN : DRUGS
ALCOHOL
WILD LIVING AND SEX
ACQUIRING POSSESSIONS AND MONEY
TODAY I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT YOU CAN HAVE VICTORY OVER LONLINESS. THAT VICTORY IS FOUND IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND LORD.
PROVERBS 18:24: ONE WHO HAS UNRELIABLE FRIENDS SOON COMES TO RUIN, BUT THERE IS A FRIEND WHO STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER.
THERE ARE TWO POINTS THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY. FIRST, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT JESUS CAN RELATE TO YOUR LONLINESS BECAUSE HE BATTLED LONLINESS THE LAST WEEK OF HIS LIFE. SECOND, I WANT TO EXAMINE THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN GAINING VICTORY OVER LONLINESS.
POINT ONE: JESUS CAN RELATE TO THE PAIN OF LONLINESS:
JESUS CAN RELATE TO OUR FEELINGS OF LONLINESS, FOR DURING THE LAST WEEK OF HIS LIFE, JESUS WOULD BE BETRAYED BY ALL AROUND HIM. THE CROWD THAT WELCOMED HIM VICTORIOUSLY ON HIS ARRIVAL AT JERUSALEM ON PALM SUNDAY WAS NOW CALLING FOR HIS DEATH. THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND ROMANS WERE UNITED AGAINST JESUS. HIS DISCIPLES HAD ALL DESSERTED HIM. THE ULTIMATE LOSS FOR JESUS WAS WHEN HIS HEAVENLY FATHER HAD TO TURN AWAY FROM HIM. WE CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE THE DEPTH OF DISPAIR JESUS WAS IN DURING THESE FINAL HOURS.
JESUS ISOLATION AND LONELY JOURNEY TO THE CROSS BEGAN IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMENE. THREE TIMES IN THE GARDEN JESUS ASKED HIS DISCIPLES TO PRAY WITH HIM, AND EACH TIME HE CAME BACK TO FIND THEM ASLEEP.
DURING HIS PRAYER JESUS AGONIZED OVER THE CUP THAT HE WAS TO DRINK FROM.
MATTHEW 26:39-41:
39 GOING A LITTLE FARTHER, HE FELL WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND AND PRAYED, “MY FATHER, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, MAY THIS CUP BE TAKEN FROM ME. YET NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS YOU WILL.” 40 THEN HE RETURNED TO HIS DISCIPLES AND FOUND THEM SLEEPING. “COULDN’T YOU MEN KEEP WATCH WITH ME FOR ONE HOUR?” HE ASKED PETER. 41 “WATCH AND PRAY SO THAT YOU WILL NOT FALL INTO TEMPTATION. THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK.”
JESUS LONLINESS IN THE GARDEN CAME FROM THE MISSION HE WAS CALLED TO FULFILL. THE CUP WAS THE CUP OF GOD’S WRATH, THAT WAS TO BE POURED OUT AS A RESULT OF OUR SIN. JESUS ACCEPTED ON HIM AT CALVARY ALL THE GUILT AND ALL THE PUNISHMENT FOR THE SIN OF ALL PEOPLE, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE UNTIL HE COMES AGAIN AND SETS UP HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM. WE STILL MUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HIS SACRIFICE WAS FOR EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY, IN ORDER TO BE PART OF THE KINGDOM.
AT TIMES IT IS HARD FOR US TO BEAR THE GUILT OF OUR OWN SINFUL NATURE. HOW MUCH MORE DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE FOR JESUS THAT NIGHT TO BEAR THE SIN OF THE WORLD ON HIS. HE KNEW IN GETHSEMENE, THAT THE FATHER WOULD HAVE TO TURN AWAY FROM HIM ON THE CROSS. IT IS NO WONDER THAT HE PRAYED FOR STRENGTH TO COMPLETE HIS MISSION.
JESUS WAS ISOLATED WHEN HE PRAYED.
JESUS WAS ALSO ALONE WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED. THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE THERE, BUT HIS DISCIPLES RAN WHEN THE VIOLENCE STARTED. HE WOULD FACE HIS ARREST AND TRIAL ON HIS OWN. HE WOULD FACE THE MOCKING OF THE SOLDIERS, AND THE HUMILIATION OF BEING STRIPPED NAKED AND WHIPPED ON HIS OWN.
THE JOURNEY FROM GETHSEMENE TO GOLGOTHA WAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN A MILE, BUT IT WOULD TAKE OVER SIX HOURS TO COMPLETE. EACH STEP HE WOULD FACE THE INSULTS AND THE TAUNTS FROM THE CROWD.
THE VIA DOLOROSA WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE STREET JESUS WALKED TO GET TO CALVARY. VIA DOLOROSA MEANS “WAY OF GRIEF” OR “WAY OF SORROW” OR “WAY OF SUFFERING”.
EACH STEP HE WOULD TAKE ON THAT LAST JOURNEY, WITH EVERY INSULT THAT WAS SHOUTED, EVERY ITEM THAT WAS THROWN AT HIM, IN HIS MIND HE WAS SAYING “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND BUT I’M DOING THIS FOR YOU.”
THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY, JESUS WAS THE ONE PERFECT SACRIFICE THAT COULD BE GIVEN FOR OUR SIN.
TROY BURST WRITES:
“THE TRUTH IS THAT IN GOD’S SPIRITUAL ECONOMY, SIN HAS TO BE PAID FOR. SIN IS ANY WRONG AGAINST GOD. SIN CREATES A DEBT AND A DEBT HAS TO BE PAID. SPIRITUAL DEBTS HAVE TO BE PAID BY PHYSICAL BLOOD. WE FIND IN JESUS CHRIST THE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS. GOD LOVED US SO MUCH THAT HE SACRIFICIALLY PAID FOR OUR SINS HIMSELF THAT YOU AND I MIGHT HAVE A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. 1 JOHN 4:10 REMINDS US EVEN MORE. “THIS THEN IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS AN ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS.”
JESUS’ GREATEST TEST THOUGH WOULD COME AFTER THE NAILS WENT INTO HIS HANDS AND FEET, AND HE HUNG SUSPENDED BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL UNTIL ALL LIFE IN HIM WAS GONE.
THE SCRIPTURE IS CLEAR:
HEBREWS 9:22: IN FACT, THE LAW REQUIRES THAT NEARLY EVERYTHING BE CLEANSED WITH BLOOD, AND WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS.
WHILE ON THE CROSS, THE SCRIPTURES RECORD SEVEN OF JESUS’ SAYINGS, OF WHICH WE SHALL LOOK AT TWO.
MATTHEW 27:46: ABOUT THREE IN THE AFTERNOON JESUS CRIED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE, “ELI, ELI, LEMA SABACHTHANI?” (WHICH MEANS “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”).
AND
JOHN 19:28: LATER, KNOWING THAT EVERYTHING HAD NOW BEEN FINISHED, AND SO THAT SCRIPTURE WOULD BE FULFILLED, JESUS SAID, “I AM THIRSTY.”
THESE ARE STATEMENTS OF LONLINESS THAT JESUS FELT WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS. IT IS MORE THAN JUST THE FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE.
JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED AT 9:00 A.M. THIS MEANT THAT FROM NOON TO 3:00 P.M. SUPERNATURAL DARKNESS COVERED THE LAND. THE DARKNESS WAS TIMED TO OCCUR, JUST BEFORE JESUS WOULD UTTER THESE STATEMENTS. THE DARKNESS MAGNIFIES THE LONLINESS JESUS FELT AS GOD THE FATHER DESSERTED CHRIST ON THE CROSS.
THE USE OF SCRIPTURE STATEMENTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, IS TO GET READERS TO GO TO THE OLD TESTAMENT TO HELP FIND MEANING. WHEN JESUS SAID “MY GOD MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME” HE WAS TELLING PEOPLE TO LOOK TO PSALM 22 TO FIND WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH HIM ON THE CROSS.
PSALM 22 IS A LAMENT. DAVID IS ASKING GOD TO BE WITH HIM FOR TROUBLE IS NEAR.
PSALM 22:13-18:
ROARING LIONS THAT TEAR THEIR PREY OPEN THEIR MOUTHS WIDE AGAINST ME. 14 I AM POURED OUT LIKE WATER, AND ALL MY BONES ARE OUT OF JOINT. MY HEART HAS TURNED TO WAX; IT HAS MELTED WITHIN ME. 15 MY MOUTH IS DRIED UP LIKE A POTSHERD, AND MY TONGUE STICKS TO THE ROOF OF MY MOUTH; YOU LAY ME IN THE DUST OF DEATH. 16 DOGS SURROUND ME, A PACK OF VILLAINS ENCIRCLES ME; THEY PIERCE G MY HANDS AND MY FEET. 17 ALL MY BONES ARE ON DISPLAY; PEOPLE STARE AND GLOAT OVER ME. 18 THEY DIVIDE MY CLOTHES AMONG THEM AND CAST LOTS FOR MY GARMENT.
SO MANY PROPHETIC STATEMENTS BY DAVID ARE FULFILLED AT THE TIME OF THE CRUCIFIXION, BUT THE THING I WANT YOU TO SEE IS THE DESPERATION WITH WHICH DAVID SPEAKS. KNOWS THE LONLINESS WHICH COMES WITH LEADERSHIP AND HOW OVERWEALMING IT IS.
DAVID FELT LIKE GOD HAD ABANDONED HIM. GOD SEEMED TO BE SILENT ACCORDING TO VV. 1-2. ALL DAVID’S ENEMIES WERE PRESENT, AND WHERE WAS GOD TO HELP HIM.
JESUS USED THIS STATEMENT SO THAT THOSE LISTENING WOULD KNOW WHAT HE WAS GOING THROUGH. JUST AS DAVID, JESUS FELT ABANDONMENT BY GOD IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS ENEMIES. HIS WAS THE SUPREME LONLINESS AS GOD THE FATHER TURNED FROM HIM.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:21: GOD MADE HIM WHO HAD NO SIN TO BE SIN FOR US, SO THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.
AT THE CROSS, JESUS JUDGES SIN. AT THE CROSS, GOD UNLEACHED THE FULL FURY OF HIS WRATH AS JESUS BECAME OUR SIN OFFERING. JESUS RECEIVED THE JUDGMENT OF GOD AND ENDURED HIS WRATH.
HABAKKUK 1:13: YOUR EYES ARE TOO PURE TO LOOK ON EVIL; YOU CANNOT TOLERATE WRONGDOING
THERE ARE TIMES, WHEN WE WILL FEEL LIKE GOD HAS ABANDONED US. THINGS ARE GOING WRONG, AND WE FEEL OVERWEALMED. WITH WHAT JESUS WENT THROUGH ON THE CROSS HE ASSURES US THAT HE HAS NOT ABANDONED US. HE KNOWS OUR LONLINESS AND HE WANTS TO DRAW CLOSER TO US THAN A BROTHER.
HEBREWS 4:15-16:
15 FOR WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO IS UNABLE TO EMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT WE HAVE ONE WHO HAS BEEN TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY, JUST AS WE ARE—YET HE DID NOT SIN. 16 LET US THEN APPROACH GOD’S THRONE OF GRACE WITH CONFIDENCE, SO THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF NEED.
WHEN JESUS SAID “I THIRST” HE WAS TAKING US TO PSALM 69. PSALM 69 IS A PSALM OF DESOLATION. DAVID IS EXPRESSING DESPAIR. ESSENTIALLY DAVID’S ZEAL FOR GOD EARNED HIM THE HOSTILTY OF MANY PEOPLE.
IN SAYING “I AM THIRSTY” JESUS WAS APPLYING THE PAIN OF DESPAIR, DEJECTION AND REJECTION DAVID FELT TO HIMSELF AS HE HUNG ON THE CROSS. IT WAS MORE THAN PHYSICAL THIRST.
THE CONNECTION THEN IN THESE STATEMENTS FROM THE CROSS IS THE LONLINESS AND ISOLATION JESUS FELT BECAUSE OF THE SINS HE BORE.
WHY THEN DID JESUS CHOOSE THE CROSS? IT WAS IN OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHER, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT JESUS HUNG ON THE CROSS, INDURED THAT ULTIMATE LONLINESS, BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR YOU AND ME. JESUS BORE THAT LONLINESS ON THE CROSS, SO THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO BEAR THE LONLINESS OF AN ETERNITY IN HELL.
POINT TWO: THE CHURCH IS THE ANSWER TO LONLINESS:
THE CHURCH SHOULD BE THE PLACE WHERE WE CAN FIND COMFORT AND PEACE FROM LONLINESS. IT’S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE BUT IN AN IDEAL WORLD IT WOULD BE.
THE FIRST THING THAT THE CHURCH REINFORCES IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IT HELPS WHEN FEELING LONELY THAT GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US. IT GIVES US THE ASSURANCE OF HIS PEACE AND PRESENCE.
ROMANS 8:35-39:
WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? SHALL TROUBLE OR HARDSHIP OR PERSECUTION OR FAMINE OR NAKEDNESS OR DANGER OR SWORD? 36 AS IT IS WRITTEN: “FOR YOUR SAKE WE FACE DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” 37 NO, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US. 38 FOR I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, 39 NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
PAUL TEACHES US THAT THE CHURCH SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE WE CAN FIND SUPPORT. IN GALATIANS 3:26-29, PAUL INTRODUCES US TO PHOEBE WHO WAS A SERVANT OF THE CHURCH. SHE LOOKED AFTER MANY PEOPLE, AND NEEDED HELP AND SUPPORT AS SHE DID. IT WAS PAUL WHO SPOKE ON HER BEHALF AND TOLD THE CONGREGATION TO SUPPORT AND HELP HER.
THE CHURCH FAMILY SHOULD REACH BEYOND IT’S WALLS. PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT IF THEY ARE DEALING WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE A CHURCH FAMILY PRAYING FOR THEM AS WELL.
3. IN THE CHURCH WE SHOULD HAVE THE FREEDOM TO VISIT LONLINESS, FOR SOMETIMES THAT IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE. WHEN TALKING ABOUT LOST DREAMS, OR THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE, WE MAY FEEL THE HEAVINESS OF LONLINESS. THE TRUTH IS THAT WE FEEL LONLINESS AND BY ACKNOWLEDGING IT, WE BEGIN THE ROAD TO TRUE FREEDOM.
JOHN 8:32: THEN YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.”
CONCLUSION:
REMEMBER GOD HAS A REASON FOR LONLINESS, AND THAT REASON IS TO DRAW US TOGETHER AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A CHURCH FAMILY. THAT WHICH SATAN MEANS TO USE FOR EVIL PURPOSES, CAN AND WILL BE TRANSFORMED BY GOD WHEN WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE HIS PEOPLE AND ALWAYS WILL BE.
PSALM 30:5: FOR HIS ANGER LASTS ONLY A MOMENT, BUT HIS FAVOR LASTS A LIFETIME; WEEPING MAY STAY FOR THE NIGHT, BUT REJOICING COMES IN THE MORNING.
THE PERSON WHO HAS NEVER FACED LONLINESS IS THE PERSON WHO HAS NEVER DARED TO LOVE. THE PAIN OF LONLINESS CAN BE TRANSFORMED BY THE POWER OF LOVE. IT TAKES OUR EYES OF THE TRAGEDIES OF THE PAST, AND HELPS US TO CONCENTRATE ON THE JOY TOMORROW WILL BRING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
