#8. What if I End Up Alone?

(dealing with the Fear of Isolation)

Joshua 1:9 NIV “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

“Today’s average American may meet as many people in one year as his great-grandfather met in a lifetime.” ─ David Jeremiah, from What Are You Afraid Of?

“It is one thing to be alone. It is altogether a different thing to be lonely.” ─ L. M. Stephenson

Concerning the fear of being alone:

1. An autophobe may not be physically alone, but he or she has the persistent feeling of being ignored, unloved, or disconnected.

2. Those who have endured the trauma of being deserted (such as by a parent or spouse) are candidates for this type of fear. Since our greatest need is for love, rejection-especially by a loved one-is seriously devastating.

3. People with this concern are not necessarily those we would suspect:

a. “It is strange to be known so universally and yet be so lonely.” ─ Albert Einstein, physicist

b. “Loneliness is about the scariest thing out there.” ─ Joss Whedon, director

c. “There is no more destructive influence on physical and mental health than the isolation of you from me and of us from them. Isolation has been shown to be a central agent in the etiology {cause} of depression, paranoia, schizophrenia, rape, suicide, mass murder, and a wide variety of disease states.” ─ from Psychology Today, cited by Charles Swindoll in The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart; Word Publishers, Nashville, p. 352.

d. Some studies have suggested that people increasingly utilize social media via the internet, but often derive from it symptoms of negativity, such as loneliness and depression. (Jerry Adler; Online and Bummed Out: One Study Says the Internet Can be Alienating, Newsweek; September 14,1998; and Nicholas Carr, The Shallows: What The Internet may Be Doing To Our Brains, W.W. Norton Publishers; 2110; p. 86).

I.We Are Created for Connection.

A. “It is not good for man to be alone.” ─God in Genesis 2:18

B. We see this in the response of the shepherd who finds his lost sheep, the woman who found the lost coin, and the father who is reunited with his lost son. (Luke 15)

C. “Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.” ─ Paul in Romans 12:15

II.Biblical Cases of Disconnection

A. It may be that extreme disconnection caused trouble for Noah. (Genesis 6:7)

B. Joseph was violently disconnected from all familiar surroundings and people.

C. Moses was banished to relative isolation during his initial journey into the wilderness.

D. Judging from the Psalms, David went through extended seasons of disconnect while running from Saul. (Psalm 25:16; Psalm 142:4)

E. Paul’s last days in Mamertine Prison were largely days of isolation.

III.Life Junctions that Spawn Disconnection

A. Illness (loss of chemical balance; loss of hope; loss of loved ones)

B. Divorce (Statistics show the death of a spouse is less traumatic than desertion by a spouse.)

C. Relocation (Military families especially)

D. Loss of friendships (Demas)

Christian Life Lessons

1. We need to re-establish the art of cultivating deep friendships.

2. In times of disconnect, we need proven friends.

a. 2 Timothy 4:9, 11, 21 NIV Do your best to come to me quickly, 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 21 Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.

b. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “(Active helpfulness means) simple assistance in trifling, external matters. We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. He will be constantly canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions.” ─ from his book, Life Together, Harper; New York, p. 99

c. The model of Luke

3. In times of disconnect, we need to find someone to serve.

a. Anna was a classic example:

· Luke 2:36-38 KJV And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

4. In times of disconnect, we need to be faith-filled.

a. Psalm 27:10 NIV Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

b. Hebrews 13:5, 6 NIV Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

c. 2 Timothy 4:16-18 NIV At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

IMMANUEL: THE PEOPLE OCTOBER 26, 2022

THE CHARACTERS OF CHRISTMAS

1/ Luke

2/ Matthew

3/ Mary

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary.

4/ Gabriel

Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings favored woman! The Lord is with you!"

5/ Joseph

(Mary) was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph.

6/ Zechariah

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

7/ Elizabeth

“What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail."

8/ Jesus Christ

And while they were (in Bethlehem), the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn Son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

9/ Shepherds

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.

10/ Angels

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

11/ Simeon

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

12/ Anna

Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

13/ Magi (aka Wise Men)

About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem… And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with His mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

14/ The Star

After this interview (with Herod) the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!

15/ Herod

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.