The Problem Of Lonliness

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.