LONELINESS It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

LONELINESS

“ It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.” ALBERT EINSTEIN

NEW-SITUATION I’M DIFFERENT NO-SWEETHEART TYPES OF 
 NO-ANIMAL LONELINESS NO-TIME-FOR-ME UNTRUSTWORTHY-FRIENDS QUIET-PRESENCE

LONELINESS: AN EPIDEMIC? OUTSIDE OF INSIDE OF OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH THE CHURCH THE CHURCH

LONELINESS: AN EPIDEMIC? How the World's First Loneliness Minister Will Tackle 'the Sad Reality of Modern Life' APRIL 2018 “For far too many people, loneliness is the sad reality of modern life,” May said when announcing the new position. According to a report last year from the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness, more than 9 million people in Britain—around 14 percent of the population —often or always feel lonely . That costs U.K. employers up to $3.5 billion annually Tracey Crouch - Minister for Loneliness , UK

LONELINESS: AN EPIDEMIC? Life of solitude: A loneliness crisis is looming November 2013 “More Canadians than ever live alone, and almost one-quarter describe themselves as lonely . In the United States, two studies showed that 40 per cent of people say they’re lonely, a figure that has doubled in 30 years .”

LONELINESS: AN EPIDEMIC? “ […] the manly pursuit of status, power, wealth and autonomy leads to great rewards in work and play but at the expense of loving, caring friendships .” Lonely At The Top - Thomas Joiner

Is the Church Breeding Loneliness? “ Many of our churches today have left behind that picture of the family of God, though. The contemporary Western church’s “absolutely low or nonexistent culture of family of God” has fostered an unparalleled depth of loneliness , with single women in particular buried at the bottom.” The Gospel Comes with a House Key - Rosaria Butterfield

Is the Church Breeding Loneliness? “ There’s a sense that our church structures have made people more lonely […] People can just come as they please. If they’re really unknown, they’re not getting plugged into any smaller forms of community.” […] Finding Holy in the Suburbs: Living Faithfully in the Land of Too Much - Ashley Hales

Is the Church Breeding Loneliness? “ […] Part of it is changing cultural expectations of church […] We want church to be this customizable religious experience […]” Finding Holy in the Suburbs: Living Faithfully in the Land of Too Much - Ashley Hales

LONELINESS: AN EPIDEMIC?

LONELINESS: AN EPIDEMIC? Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone;

the man should be alone; LONELINESS: AN EPIDEMIC?

the man should be alone; LONELINESS: AN EPIDEMIC? INDIVIDUALS COMMUNITY WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT LONELINESS TO INDIVIDUALS & COMMUNITIES?

PSALM 142 1 With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. 3 When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. 4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.

PSALM 142 5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “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 too strong for me! 7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.

THE LONELINESS OF DAVID INDIVIDUALS

THE LONELINESS OF DAVID INDIVIDUALS

THE LONELINESS OF DAVID INDIVIDUALS

THE LONELINESS OF DAVID INDIVIDUALS

THE LONELINESS OF DAVID INDIVIDUALS PSALM 142: 03 PARTS

THE LONELINESS OF DAVID INDIVIDUALS PSALM 142: 03 PARTS 1. DON’T WASTE YOUR LONELINESS (1-3a) 2. DON’T BE SUPERFICIAL ABOUT YOUR LONELINESS (3b-5) 3. DON’T TRY EVERYTHING TO DEAL WITH YOUR LONELINESS (6 & 7)

01 - DON’T WASTE YOUR LONELINESS (1-3a) INDIVIDUALS 1 With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. 3 When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! DISTRESS FAINTING DESPERATE

“ You will never know the fulness of Christ until you know the emptiness of everything else but Christ.” C.H. SPURGEON

02 - DON’T BE SUPERFICIAL ABOUT YOUR LONELINESS (3b-5) INDIVIDUALS 3 In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. 4 Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. 5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” DESCRIBING AFFIRMING ASKING

03 - DON’T TRY EVERYTHING TO DEAL WITH YOUR LONELINESS (6 & 7) INDIVIDUALS 6 Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! 7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me. UNDERSTANDING PROTECTING PROVIDING

JESUS’ OWN LONELINESS “ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema JESUS sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”” Matthew 27:46

JESUS’ OWN LONELINESS If loneliness means rejection (not loved) and disconnection (not-belonging) , in Jesus, he loved you before the foundation of the world, and INDIVIDUALS welcomed you into God’s Family.

JESUS WAY TO END LONELINESS HOLY SPIRIT INDIVIDUALS JESUS ? COMMUNITY

JESUS WAY TO END LONELINESS 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will HOLY give you another Helper, to be with you SPIRIT INDIVIDUALS forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom JESUS the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You ? know him, for he dwells with you and COMMUNITY will be in you. - John 14:16,17

JESUS WAY TO END LONELINESS HOLY SPIRIT INDIVIDUALS JESUS ? COMMUNITY

PSALM 142 INDIVIDUALS 6 Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! 7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.

1 SAMUEL 23:15-18 15 David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

1 SAMUEL 23:15-18 15 David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God . 17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

LONELINESS: INDIVIDUAL & COMMUNITY ‣ TAKE INITIATIVE (1 Sam. 23:16a) ‣ POINT TO GOD (1 Sam. 23:16b) ‣ REMIND OF GOD’S PROMISSES (1 Sam 23:17) ‣ A COVENANT ( Sam 23:18)

JESUS WAY TO END LONELINESS HOLY SPIRIT INDIVIDUALS JESUS YOU COMMUNITY

WE DEPEND ON YOU (A. Buarque / M. Rosa) Lord, we depend on You When life hits us hard When it starts to rain When sorrow comes at night Or when we see the sun If our hopes are high We depend on You If our chances, tight When all we planned has failed You are here When everything is well We depend on You When the days are longer When the week is tougher When we feel that all is lost If the storm arrives Or we can’t pay the cost And despair endures If our will is strong You are here But the pain is long You are here Oh God, fill us with your presence Oh God, renew us with your grace Oh God, inspire us with your kindness Let your love flow strong on us!