The Fear Of Loneliness, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. That's why the Lord said, even after the great commission. Hello, I'm with you all, even to the end of the never leave you nor forsake the reason the Lord says this is very wise and it's a come away with one thing from this text. This message is if you are a believer in Jesus Christ. You are never joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt. Now, once again, who shows a God's word. Our world 1950% of all American dollars today over 30% of all American adults say by 2025 be 50% of all Americans will about miss a lot of loneliness. Now the contributions the pause. Loneliness is obviously's in prison. But there's more to it, is despair. By the way I know is only because of what he says in verse nine, he's writing to Timothy, his young protégé make every effort to come to me soon make every effort to come to me soon Timothy, please.

Now one of the reasons he's lonely is not just that he's in prison, but because some people have left him.

He says for Dimas has loved this present world and has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Dimas was also around.

Paul is one of the team.

He's mentioned in the book of Colossians is mentioned in Philemon. Both of those written about five years earlier, but apparently when I saw what was going on with Nero was going on with Paul Dimas society. He loved the world more than you love Paul which also implies something else you love the world more the love the Lord and he decides he's going to go to Thessalonica and I think the reason he went to Thessalonica. Of all the cities at that time there was little persecution in Thessalonica you see the other cities around that area large Jewish population.

They were persecuting Christians and the Romans were tube Thessalonica safe haven. I believe that's why Dimas went there but he had deserted Paul and caught the light bowl is the Greek word, it means to abandon someone and leave them out and then he says Christians has gone to Galatia probably sent by Paul back to the churches of Galatia, Titus, we have a little epistle on a pastoral epistle to Titus is in Dalmatia that's just by the way north of Macedonia, northern Greece, Paul would send him and then he says only Lucas with me about the way he's not saying that this would only Lucas with me like the reason I'm so lonely only have look.he met Luke's the only one there whenever he can be with Paul loose a special person by light enough to realize how special he is. He's the only Gentile that writes the New Testament book every other book in the New Testament is written by Jews, but not Luke and not ask. Luke writes those he's the only one with Paul and then he says pick up John pickup Mark which is really John Mark and bring him with you. He is useful for service. By the way that's pause when a typical man there. I believe that's Paul's apology manager when men are sorry. Sometimes they never really say I'm sorry they just simply act as though something's changed and you'll get it if you really look closely you back to acts chapter 13. They go on the first missionary journey part Barnabas and Paul were together they take a young man named John Mark with John Mark.

It's cold feet.

He realizes boy this is old, not exactly what I bargained for, and he leaves and apparently goes back probably either to Antioch or go back to Jerusalem.

He leaves to go on a second journey and Barnabas says the Paul Paul John Marx to come with us and also know is not any snow is coming and they get an argument now this is interesting. These are two more spiritual men in the world at the time and they get in an argument about this and so they decide to separate they go to different ways because of John Mark and Barnabas takes John Mark with them and Barnabas was right. John Mark turned out to be a wonderful man. In fact John Mark is the one who wrote the gospel of Mark, probably with Peter's dictation and so this is Paul saying would you find John Mark and bring them. He's useful to me is the I think is Paul's apology and then he says, but to guess, I have sent to Ephesus and so you have all of these people and to use as a servant. He was mentioned in Romans 12 that contributed to parsimonious the prison. The absence of people and then in verse 13 physical discomfort. He says when you come bring the cloak which I left the trial. As with carpets. Now the cloak is very important to Paul as I said earlier, he would probably be stripped out of everything but his tunic. This is a very cold and very damn place and will find out a moment the winners coming the cloak is all wool and it's extremely heavy. It would look today. A lot like a poncho. In other words never slid in it and you to put your head through it and where that way is a coat which could also take it off and use it as a blanket and so Paul says look I left the cloak control as now. It's believed by the way that Paul was probably arrested intro as which is on the coast of Turkey and then taken to Rome so he says the Timothy, when you come bring the cloak which I left intro as with carpets and the books. The books of the papyrus scrolls really that's what is talking about, and I'm sure what they probably are is portions of the Old Testament portions of the Old Testament are written on papyrus and I'm sure the parts that I want those and then he also says something else. He says especially the parchments.

The parchments are completely different there that development. Those are made out of animal skins. A real long process and are extremely expensive. Now some of speculated maybe had some of the sayings of the Lord. That's what he I'm not sure I kind of agree with John MacArthur and a few others that say that what they parchments probably were were blank.

They were skins that Paul had and he rolled on those and he said bring those out. I went somewhere, I have some more writing to do with the Lord lets me here long enough, by the way the Lord did not.

Paul never wrote anything else after you wrote second Timothy so you have this idea of the prison. The people would left the physical discomfort he has little to do. There's not a lot to do. By the way solitary confinement.

There's not too much you can do there is something else. He has real enemies.

Verse 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm.

The Lord will repay them according to his deeds be on your guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching Alexander the coppersmith is exactly that there's a possibility that he made copper idols.

It's also possible that he was intro as when Paul got arrested and it's also possible that he was really instrumental in Paul getting arrested something else.

We kind of know about them though is that he may have stayed intro as but you also may be in Rome because Paul warns Timothy and says to them.

Be on your guard against him. He is a real enemy, by the way, you gotta love Paul at the Endo when he says there he said he did me much harm the Lord repay them according to his deeds. He practice what she preaches vengeance is mine says the Lord, I will repay.

Pablo got the Romans don't you take out vengeance on anyone. Paul wasn't taking out vengeance when Alexander the coppersmith is just warning them so he has no only prison people left physical discomfort little to do real enemies and a real lack of support for 16 at my first offense. No one supported me, but all deserted me, may not be counted against him.

His first offense, appalled she would get apologetics from his first offense. There are two hearings in Roman law.

The first one is called prima audio and that's where you going to give you the they accuse you of whatever crime it is natural.

People defend you and can defend witnesses and then decide whether a crime is there nobody at trial.

The second one is called Secunda audio and it's basically determine whether Gilly or innocence. Notice what Paul says, who stood with Paul. No one finally sets unlike anyone else sounds just like Jesus the same thing by the way, Jesus have good poor men around him did they stand with them.

No, the greatest letter the power of aerobics. Romans fits his greatest letter. That's his big work so there's a church in Rome and there are a lot of believers in Rome and they all their eternal salvation to God using the apostle Paul to give them the gospel. Not only did he lead him to Christ. But he also then mentored and discipled them into Christian majority is my question. Where are they when Paul is arrested where I lay you see sometimes what we think we can really come on we really can't and so there are all kinds of contributions are to Paul's loneliness.

Let me just say this, there's something else to this text reveals some things are very important for us to do with the whole subject of loneliness.

I think there are four essential truths in this and I think there are four needs that you have to meet when it comes to the subject.

Loneliness the first need is kind of obvious, the need for companionship make every effort to come to me soon make every effort to come to me soon.

In verse nine verse 21, make every effort to come before winter Timothy in Beijing. If you can get here, Paul says we need companionship. That's what we need. We were created for some of you might be doubting. John Stott writes this, he says, one sometimes meets super spiritual people who claim that they never feel lonely and have no need of human friends for the companionship of Christ satisfies all their needs, but human friendship is the loving provision of God for mankind. It was God himself who said in the beginning it was not good that man should be alone wonderful as our both the presence of the Lord every day and the prospect of his coming on the last day they are not intended to be a substitute for human friendship is exactly right.

You see, you need to have human friendship, companionship, Paul can count on Timothy.

There's a whole church at Rome.

They all deserted Paul can count on Timothy every question for you in the body of Christ to can you, do you have that kind of friend to the churches of over the years of really try to address that in one way or another.

In the 1850s are so many 19th century churches started the Sunday school first only for children and then eventually for adults and they thought that way people would get to know each other. Nine of 1960s and especially by about the 1970s churches started the Lodge small group ministries. In other words, that will do it. But the problem with that is is that may or may not work. He's not talking here about an acquaintance he started about friendship. He's talking about companionship seeing count on Timothy and that's what Paul is speaking up.

You know it's interesting when you think about it, but the in nations where Christianity is outlawed or Christians are really persecuted.

Even today, they make these kind of relationships right away. They don't they don't say hey we you know what did you make this friend. All we have small group on Thursday night.

I don't have it on Thursday night. The been persecuted by the culture, but they find someone to latch onto someone they can count on. And Paul could count on Timothy and that's what he says we need this kind of companionship is no accident, by the way, when you get to the New Testament and special even just the epistles. There are 39 one another's in the New Testament, 39, one another's. We are to do one to another. Where to love one another seek we are to confess our sins to one another.

We are to encourage one another. We are to exhort one another.

We are to admonish one another. You see we have so many one another's. Why does God give us those because we need one another question you have is it a point in your life or you may have. Loneliness was thrust upon you to have that person or those people are they there. We need companionship. Secondly, with this whole idea of loneliness. We need compassion.

You see, when he says when you come bring the cloak. I'm sure soon as Timothy heard on the to the cloak he felt compassion. See, we need to have compassion when it comes to this whole idea of loneliness you think about that much do you think about what believers you know that are lonely you know any suspect any art you see really for the rest of us in the body of Christ. Those are people we have to try to touch the lives of we can. Loneliness is one of those strange difficulties to go through. No one wants to admit it feels funny to admit it is irrelevant Rome and especially at my age and I say to you, you know, I'm really, really lonely what your first thought. What is wrong with that guy is always that guy is he confined a couple people say don't say anything. Remember you can be in the midst of the crowd.

You see, you can be a very public figure. Albert Einstein was known by Amherst. Virtually everybody on the planet beset him lonely seed. Do we think about those will only do we have compassion. You see, sooner or later for many of us will be later you experience loneliness will be thrust upon you how you can respond Dietrich bone offer.

In his book life together, says this about the compassion.

This means initially simple assistance and trifling external matters, we must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God, God will be constantly canceling our plans by sending us people with needs and petitions. We have compassion for people were lonely so we need companionship. We need compassion. We need courage. We always need courage Paul had it turned back and look of the verse six and seven of chapter 4 Paul says, for I am already being poured out as a drink offering the time of my departures come you then you know is is going to be executed and he was beheaded by the way you think he knows that's coming yes. What's this I love this. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith to be beheaded shortly.

So I fight the good fight stayed the course. I kept my faith but that's courage. The writer of Hebrews. In Hebrews 13 says the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what can man do to me. We need courage in the face, loneliness, you need courage.

It takes real courage to deal with that.

Think of how many times in Scripture. You hear the words, especially from our Lord. Fear not, or take courage, she courage is the antidote for the fear but notice the courage is not based on your willpower, the courage is based on your faith. That's the point.

That's what Paul was trying to say. I kept the faith. We need companionship. We need compassion. We need courage and the obvious. Fourth one we need Christ. We need Christ.

Notice what Paul says at the end of the section, verses 17 and 18.

He says, but the Lord after the people deserted him. He said, but the Lord stood with me and strengthen me, so that through me. The proclamation might be fully accomplished and that all the Gentiles might hear and I was rescued.

He said out of the lion's mouth the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and you think he's back to being optimistic. He was rescued once before acknowledging the Lord will rescue me again. He said yes he is going to rescue me. But what's what it says in the rest of the verse he says and he will, he says bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom is an honor to be rescued. I may be beheaded, but I'm going to be rescued.

The Lord will rescue me. He's going to bring me into his heavenly kingdom. He said to him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. He said because I have Christ I will be rescued. That's what you're saying. That's why the Lord said, even after the great commission low.

I'm with you always, even to the end of the age. I'll never leave you nor forsake you.

The reason the Lord says this is very important to us and it's a if you come away with one thing from this text or this message is is it. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ. You are never alone. Not ever. That's what he say you are never alone. You see, sometimes that's what Paul needed. He only had the lower left, but he says look I love the have companionship, but I have the Lord now when we lose the physical presence of the people around us.

It seems to me that the board makes a spiritual presence all the more obvious that's what we need. Loneliness. God is said not good for man to be alone, but we know it's not from our own experience. I'm convinced that there'll be a time in my life will be alone and I don't mean I want to friends and family a Methuselah and outlive all you know I mean are certain times in your life you're just long. Some of you have long periods of loneliness deal with some you're experiencing it right now.

Loneliness. This example. Paul really help sister with her fear of loneliness.

We know what we need when were lonely. We need companionship, look start creating those kind of relationships now with believers in your life.

So when you have a neither their we need to have compassion. We need compassion for people lonely. We have to think about the pray about the pray for them interact with them duly can we also need courage. It's clear you have to have faith encourage if you can do with loneliness in your life. As with any other adversity, but most of all, most of we need Christ we need Christ whenever you're feeling lonely.

I would pray that the thing that you would think in your mind as soon as you begin to feel its pain and the anguish of it is that for this.

I have Jesus he can strengthen you. He can give you peace.

The spring father.

I'm afraid that when we deal with the subject of loneliness. I don't think in the body of Christ that were will straightforward about it.

I think sometimes we live in some sort of prideful suit.

No denial.

Now we are lonely we don't need anybody in our lives but father you created us to need one another. You have established us as a single body of believers.

All of us welded together. All of us making up one universal church father. I also fear that when we experience loneliness.

We somehow feel threatened as to our own significance and so we stay lonely.

We don't talk about it. We don't share it. We don't do anything except experience deeper loneliness. Father I pray that you would put these four needs in each and every one of our hearts are need for companionship and our need for compassion and by taking those two things together that it would galvanize our courage and our faith to live out our lives together in a one another atmosphere. Father, we need Christ. Someone is very days experiencing loneliness may they find the sufficiency that they need in Jesus Christ who will never leave a more forsake him father, I thank you that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and I thank you that one day he will come for us and we will go to him.

Father this day.

I think you is here with us each and every one of us who know for that I things. His name Pastor Bill give our you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you just like to listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio programs as well have Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly with just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor Bill delivered during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible church should visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and O LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking for or you can search by title. Once you find the method you're looking for. You can listen online work you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own. And remember, you can do all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website is FVC Nola.org for pastor Bill Gebhardt and Jason Denhardt. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order