Sermon – “Loneliness”

I cry out to the LORD with my voice; With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. 2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me. 4 Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul. 5 I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend to my cry, For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”

Good morning. Great to start a new year. And again just pray that God will guide us in the coming year. May we draw closer to him. May we be closer to him in the coming year than we have ever been in our lives. They would be more faithful to him in this coming year than we have been all of our lives just pray that God will use us. Mightily in the coming year. This morning my message out titled loneliness. And some of the. Requests that I received for topics one was depression. And this is kind of. Helping to understand oppression a little bit loneliness loneliness is a kind it can lead to depression so just prayed to God to use this and speak to us today. Before I read a script or to say that you know loneliness is a growing problem in our society today. A study by the American Council of life insurance reported that the most lonely group in America today. Are college students and that’s surprising. Next the list or divorced people. And then welfare recipients. Then single mothers. Then rural students. Housewives and then the elderly. To point out how lonely people can be Chuck Swindoll mentioned in a message that he’s seen and had in the Kansas newspaper it read. I will listen to you talk for thirty minutes without comment for five dollars. He said that sounds kind of like a hoax doesn’t it. But the person was serious and do you think anybody called. You bet they did. It wasn’t long before that individuals receiving ten and twenty calls a day. The pain of loneliness was so sharp in some people’s lives. They’re willing to try anything. Just to have somebody to talk to pay him five dollars for half hour just to have someone to talk to. That’s one of the reason I chose this topic for today is that learn this is something that everyone will probably deal with to some degree at some point in their lives. For some it might just be a temporary thing. But for others it may be something that they have dealt with for years or for a long long time and. And they may suffer with it to the point where they think they’re going to break. So it is a major issue that people deal with loneliness. Because we were designed for companionship. We were designed to be alone. Genesis two eighteen says in the LORD God said it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him. And you know even some of the men are some of the people in the Bible. Felt alone at times. Felt lonely at times. Must scripture the smarting Psalms one forty two verses one through seven. This is David. And I believe he was near that breaking point. He says I cry out to the Lord with my voice. With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. I pour out my complaint before him. I declare before him. My trouble. When my spirit was overwhelm within me. Then you knew my path. In the way in which I walk. They have secretly set a snare for me. Look on my right hand and see for there is no one who acknowledges may refuge has failed me. This is key. No one cares for my soul. I cried out to you a lord I said You are my refuge my portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry for I am brought very low deliver me from my perch accusers for they are stronger than I bring my soul out of prison. That I might that I may praise your name. The righteous else around me. For you shall deal about that fully with me. So loneliness. Can be like a prison. I mean it’s like you’re trapped there and you just can’t find a way out. He felt no one cared for his soul fell in prison. But God can deliver us from that. Let us pray. Heavenly father we just sank you and praise you for your presence we thank you that you can deliver us. Lord God from that which binds us you can deliver us from that prison that we feel that we’re stuck in Father God that you can deliver our souls from that loneliness. And we thank you for that nor We thank you for the power of your spirit that fills us in or God may your power. Fill this place today lord mayor word be proclaimed major truth be proclaimed today to where maybe you open our hearts. To receive what you have forced today in Jesus’ name amen. You know it is been said that an individual can live. Forty days without food. I would want to go that long. You can live for days without water. You can live for minutes without oxygen. In about four seconds without hope. We were created for fellowship we long to share our lives with others who accept us as we are though all of us enjoy occasional time to solitude. And though may. Some may choose to live completely segregated from all social interaction. But we know intuitively that we were created for companionship. When we are deprived from fellowship or companionship we can grow more for melancholy you know we would just not created for that the some A said reach such a point. His situation was one in which he experienced. Utter loneliness. He thought or felt that he had no friend or no one to help bear his portion of sorrow. No one to help bear the load. This was because he was allowed his feelings. To guide him instead of his faith. Loneliness. I got a book for Christmas is ever anyone ever heard of David Wilkerson see some hands going up. David Walker some was a founder of Teen Challenge. And he wrote a book called The Cross in the Switchblade Now does the book that I receive and I want to share just a little bit of some of that story today. And I courage to get the book and read it because I’m not going to share the whole book with you to take too long. But man I it’s one it’s a book that I delved into that book is like. I don’t want to put it down. Share a little bit of the background of how he got started in ministry. David in his wife were called to go to a little church in Phillips Berg Pennsylvania. This little church and Phyllis Byrd Pennsylvania had about fifty members. And they were meeting actually in a house. And they used to downstairs part of the house as the church in the up stairs was the living quarters for the pastor that was the parsonage. So anyway David. They had already interviewed a number of pastors and he just couldn’t agree on. Everyone agree on this certain guy. So finally David they had him come. So when he got there early in the day the person he did was show him through the church and through the parsonage up stairs. And it needed a lot of repairs. It was an ill repair. And as they were going through. David’s wife went into the kitchen and she pulled out one of the doors in the kitchen and let out a huge Graeme and out she went running down the steps and out the door. David run over look. There was cockroaches in the jeweler So he gives out and he sees like. There is no way we’re out of this but you know there’s no way we’re coming here. He said when he lets pray of out it. Let’s pray about he said well in he said you know he says I got to preach tonight anyway. He said because they’ve already scheduled me to preach. So they prayed about it and they went and preached. He when preached. And that night while he was preaching he wasn’t even done preachin. In one of the member stood up in said. Pastor Wilkerson we want you to be our pastor. He said with Yunior wife you go out and discuss and pray about it in we’ll talk about it in here. So they go out to the car and near pray in. Lord. If this is of you if is where you want to be in this little farming in mining town. To pastor. Then let them come out and say it’s a unanimous vote. Let them say that they’re going to fix the house. In that then say they’re going to take care of the cockroaches we will let it be that we don’t even have to mention a word about it. So they’re praying and praying and sure enough a little bit here comes a whole congregation out. And they said Pastor. It’s unanimous vote that we want you to be our pastor in all. We have agreed that we need to do the repairs to the parsonage. And also that we’re going to get the fumigator is in here take care of the cockroaches. So I mean it was exactly I’m sure it is to show how God works. How God moves in how he answers prayer. So there they went they went to Philip Berg Pennsylvania and they settled in there and he did it they loved it because you know he was a country boy in a love the small town setting. And after being there about three years time. They grew that church from a fifty to about two hundred fifty. With God’s help with God’s leading. They built a new church in the end of a they was enjoying it they love the people the people love them. But one day. He had a Life magazine. Set an error any flip the page open. And there was a picture of seven. Very young teenage boys there on trial for murder. And when he looked at that his heart just sank because he seen these young boys I’m talking thirteen to fifteen sixteen year old boys and or trial for murder. They were on trial for murdering murdering a cripple. In a park in New York. There was a cripple in these boys just for kicks. They beat brutally beat this young man in stabbing to death and their own travel and believe me there was nobody New York. The thought these boys should even be talked to they just thought they should. Justice will be served they should all be executed that’s what everybody thought. But God spoke to David Wilkerson said you need to go to New York. And try to talk to these boys. And he’s like. I don’t want to get anywhere near New York. But that thought wouldn’t Levy’s mime. Days later it just the Lord kept saying and you need to go to New York you need to talk to these boys. She said Lord you know. I don’t like the big city and I can concur with that I don’t like the big city. But he gave in and he he went to his congregation said I really feel the Lord call me to go to New York. To try to to talk to these boys. So they took up a collection because he didn’t have the money to go. So off to New York he gives. And he goes to the courthouse where this trial is being held as the Michael former trial. That was the young boy’s name. So he gets in the line because they only allow certain amount of people when it’s citizens a command so he gets into the trial. And it didn’t last very long that day he was in there. And so you notice it’s coming to an end quickly that day. And he knows the judges get ready to go up and go out. But you have to realize they’re already been murdered or threats of murder against a judge if they let these guys off. But he jumps up and goes running down at al with these Bible. Hollerin that the judge the judge’s name well. They were all on him like great now they grabbed him up by the arm and out of there they did. Out of there they went. Carried him out of this trial. In a reporter’s you know they’re all over it because the. It wasn’t in the news as much as had been so you know here’s something new the reporters are all over soon in the getting out the door. They’re like. What he what are you doing here which would you after that judge. He says No says a Lord told me to come speak to these young men just these young boys. But they haul him down to the police station because you know they don’t know that he’s a some nut. Carrying a Bible. But once they finally. Seen his credentials. They let him go and he said OK you know deschooling back to Phyllis Bergen don’t come back. So he goes back to Phyllis bird with his tail between his legs think and you know. Nort I must not heard you’re right. Because I just didn’t go the way I expected it. So he’s back in Phil’s Bergen he’s there for a couple weeks and it is still kept here and Lord say. You need to talk to those boys you need to go back to New York. Back to New York is like Ha ha it’s the last thing I want to do is go back to New York. But it wouldn’t leave that thought wouldn’t leave. That voice wouldn’t leave. So he goes back to New York. So he goes back and he goes to the tourney general’s office says if I can just. He says What do I need to do. To be able to talk to these boys. He said if you can get a sign written letter from every parent. Well let’s just talk to the boys. Oh great families making some headway. So we found out the name the name of least one and he found to his parents’ address and he goes and talks to him. And as soon as he knocks on the door in the open the door they’re like oh well you’re that preacher that we’ve seen on the news. Come on in the mornin. So he got a letter from them. And he went out the door and he said. He met somebody in the says Now do you know what are they to recognizing. He said you know where this person lives as well know. So they they had a name and he goes in the friend it went with him. And they found a phone booth and he just starts calling their body with that last name. Soon enough he’s running out of Dimes he said. Just given the car east of us drive around to the Lord. Shows a something. So they’re driving around New York City in this car. And he just heard a voice say stop here. So he stopped there and he gets out and he’s looking around he don’t see anybody. So he goes walking down history. And some young boy. He said You have to know we’re sones own lives he says well. Preacher isas you park ranger in their house. It’s a park rain from the house so he goes and talks to their parents but here’s the thing. He couldn’t find the others so he thought I’m just going to walk around the streets of New York. As he walked around the streets. All these young people in these dang store and say Hey you’re the Preacher Man I hate your Davey the preacher. He became a hero among these gangs. Because he got in trouble with the law for them. So he had a in the way to get in and speak to these gang members to make bring this around. It took a while the number of trips to New York to realize that those seven young boys. He was never going to get to talk to that wouldn’t God’s purpose. His original plan. His plan was just a drawing there. But the picture. The Godhead was much greater. Because there was thousands upon thousands upon thousands of young boys. That he was to minister to not just of seven. That was just to getting there is I thought about this thinking what if God would have told him in the beginning David I D. G. to go to New York because there’s thousands upon thousands of boys I need you to minister to boys and girls. He to probably said. Oh no God tried that once remember Jim and he departed been like Joan and ran. But God got in there because to go speak the seven. That’s not too bad I can do that but God had a much bigger plan and purpose for David Wilkerson. Because he was able to begin to reach many hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of boys to begin with David go out there. One day and he set up a stand a stand alone to be. The preach and he just started telling about Jesus. Tell him that Jesus loved him but as a B. He began to know them and. Form a relationship with some of them he said. What is the greatest problem. Among these teenagers in these gangs. Why do they come to the gangs. You know what the number one problem was. What’s the title my sermon. Loneliness. Moon leanness they were lonely. And that’s hard to fathom. Here they are there Inder gangs are surrounded by people yet. They’re lonely. They’re lonely because they have parents of put them out they don’t want them in the house whether conducting their business in the house during the day. So they put them out there lonely because they don’t have any affection in the home. They’re lonely because they don’t think anybody care for their soul. That’s why they joined a gang is for protection. They were lonely. First for said no one cares for my soul. That’s the problem. That was the problem with the gangs in ISPs still a problem today. They feel that no one cares for their souls. When the late Duke of Windsor. Advocated the throne of Britain. To marry the woman he loved. But it was not accepted by the rule family. He went into a self-imposed exile. As a result of his bitter experience he declared that loneliness is not simply a matter of being alone. But rather the feeling that no one cares. That really cares what’s happening to you. It is not it’s not necessarily caused by set of circumstances is a state of mind. Being alone involves only physical separation. But being lonely includes both spiritual and psychological isolation. It produces a solitude of heart. The feeling of being cut off from others. And we should like to have as friends. So what’s the key to helping those that are lonely. You know. For some people might be able to do what David will worsen igloo ever get up in a box and stand here preach to you know God loves you. Jesus died for you. He wants to be part of your life. And that might work for some. But you know what it’s not going to work for all. Because for. For some you get out there and start preachin tell about Jesus they’re not going to have a clue who or what you’re talking about right. So how are we going to reach them. They have to experience it through us. You follow me. They have to experience it through us we have to demonstrate that Jesus loves them through our actions through what we do we have to demonstrate that we care for them. Show them that we love them back to another illustration from. David Wilkerson’s experience. One of the guys. Was a terrible I mean he was violent. Guy’s name was Nicky he was the president of the mall malls gang in it one point he put a knife to David’s throat. Instead you know. Preacher don’t you do this rock kill you but he was that an evil guy. Evil young man I should say. But David in a number of the other churches in that area. Come up with a plan that they were going to have a service at the community center or civic center. And they said we want to invite all the different gangs to come. And we’ll share the truth with them we shared a lord with them. But he said there’s one problem. How we going to get him there. Because this gang won’t cross this gangs turf. This gang won’t cross this gangs turf to get there. Some of these young member so isolated they they had never left. What they called their turf. There’s a we’ve never went across the bridge. I mean we could get killed if we cross a bridge so they were isolated they were in sits in a prison. So they said we need to get them there will bust them. So they went talked all the gangs said if you will come we’ll send the bus will transport you there. And he made sure that they talk to Nikki we want to get Nicky and his gang there. Even reserved to the front row seats for Nicky and his gang. So they. The day comes of the service and they sure enough here comes the buses and Nicky and his gang come they go right down to the front rows and sit down there and the place is full of all these young gang members. Boys and Girls. And he said Well. He said we’re going to begin by taken up an offering. And he says and I’m going to have the mama gang take it up. So they got these milk cartons out in the give them to Nicky and his gang and they go through. And if he didn’t think you put enough money and. Come on more put more in there and he said Now when you get done taken the offering up he said I want you to go through that curtain over there and come around back and bring it up on stage. And David knew when he went through that curtain there was an open door. Out to the city. And he had them gang members take up the offering. They took it up to do the curtain they went in there David stood. He stood he said that was the longest three minutes of his life. Because for three minutes. He didn’t know where they were and the other gang member started laughing and snicker and THING AND ha. They done took off. Three minutes later here come Nikki out on the stage and his gang members. And they doubt offering down. He later shared. He says I went back he says and there was that open door. He says Up thought. There is my out. He said But you know what. No one in my entire life. Ever trusted me. No one no one ever trust in me says preach. He says You trusted me. That’s why I come back out on a stage. We have to show them the love of Christ. There is no other way we can help anyone overcome lung this. But to show them to trust them to love them to help them overcome it and how we going to do it. First Corinthians thirteen. Though I speak with the tons of men and of angels. But have not love. Become sounding brasserie clanging cymbal. We need to make sure we the church do not become clanging. Sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And then I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge. And though I have all faith. So that I could remove mountains. But have not love. I am nothing. And the obvious to all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned. But have not love. If profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind love does not envy. Love does not parade itself in love is not puffed up. Love does not behave rudely love does not seek its own. Love is not provoked I’m mad in love in front of these it’s not their love. Thinks no evil. Love does not rejoined cynic would be. But it rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things love believes all things. Love hopes all things love indoors all things. Love never fails. Love is how we reach the loss world. But the love of Christ. We show it. We demonstrate it first Peter five six and seven. Says therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exult you in due time. Casting all your cares upon him for he cares for you give him your struggles. Give him your burdens. Give him. All that you’re dealing with. Because he cares for you. We have to understand that. And then we have to demonstrate that demonstrate what God has done for us. And what God can do for others. Luke twelve six and seven. Says are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins. And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore for your of more value than many sparrows friends I want to tell you you are valuable to God God cares about two he loves you he cares for your soul. If you’re suffering with loneliness. God wants to fill that alone in this church we need to feel that loneliness in people’s lives that are suffering with loneliness. We need to be God’s hands and feet. You know we must not look at the suffering and despair in the world think all that so bad. Instead we need to look at it like wow here’s an opportunity. Here’s an opportunity to God use May God help me to be a blessing to that family. That their loved ones in prison. God help me to to be a blessing to that one is suffering with loneliness. God help me to be a blessing to that one to the loved one just passed away in their lonely. There’s many forms of loneliness. God use me. That’s what we the church need to do that’s how we’re going to make a difference in a world that’s how we’re going to make a difference in twenty sixteen and seventeen in one is to be. Hands and feet. To demonstrate his love to church I say. GOD LOVES YOU Jesus loves you in all of you and let us to love one another because love never fails. A man.