Hope for the Lonely - Part 1 of 1

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, Thou the wisdom of my God and King, Thou triumphs of His grace. This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Loving the air I knew Him, calling with voice so sweet. Burdens of life I brought Him, knelt at His wounded feet.

Not from that love can sever, wonderful, changeless free. Master, I'll serve Thee ever, never a friend like Thee. Sing of a friend so loyal, sing of a friend so true. Giving His gifts so royal, blessings that they are new. King of the heavenly glory, lowly of earth was He. Master, we sing Thy story, never was one like Thee.

Some might of gladness giving, filling my heart with cheer. There in His light I'm living, ever I've known Him near. Master in Thee abiding, shadows of earth must flee. Ever Thy children guiding, never a life like Thee.

Sing of a friend so loyal, sing of a friend so true. Giving His gifts so royal, blessings that they are new. King of the heavenly glory, lowly of earth was He. Master, we sing Thy story, never was one like Thee. Giving Me gifts immortal, life that endures for aye.

Opening the heavenly portal, leading in royal way. Crowning with joy excelling, Heir of His grace I'll be. Master Thy praise I'm telling, never a king like Thee. Sing of a friend so loyal, sing of a friend so true. Giving His gifts so royal, blessings that they are new. King of the heavenly glory, lowly of earth was He.

Master, we sing Thy story, never was one like Thee. Well, here we are in a five Sunday month, right in the middle of the summer slump. So I've been telling you that this is always the most challenging time of the year in keeping up with our finances. If you can help us at this time, we'll be very thankful for it. If you want to keep this message on the air each week, and particularly on your local station, we need to hear from you.

When you write us, mention the call letters of the station or the website where you hear the program. Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. I also encourage you to visit our website at BaptistBibleHour.org.

There you can read our publication, The Baptist Witness, as well as have access to many articles and messages. On our broadcast of June 25th, I referred to a report from the Surgeon General of the United States, in which he described loneliness as an epidemic which is bringing on many health problems. With the subject of loneliness in the news, I decided to use a message that I preached a few years ago entitled, Never Alone, and use the second part the following Sunday. The text for that message was Hebrews 13 5, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So, for the one who has come by faith to Jesus Christ, the assurance is given, never alone. Then for the next two Sundays, we used a message entitled, Considering One Another. We looked at some of the one-anothering texts which describe the Christian's obligation to be involved with other people. And the fact is, if we are fulfilling that responsibility, it's going to go a long way to keep us from ever being lonely. Now, I'm not trying to oversimplify the matter. I realize that there are many different causes for loneliness. And if a person has struggled with it over a long period of time, it can be very difficult to overcome.

But I want us to look further into the matter. The Bible brings the subject of loneliness to our attention in a variety of ways. Let's look at the picture painted in Psalm 102 verses 6 and 7. I am like the pelican of the wilderness. I'm like an owl of the desert. I watch and am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop. The sparrow is alone in a difficult place, subject to the cold rain and the blowing of the wind. But after the psalmist vividly describes his trouble, he then says, When the Lord shall appear in his glory, he will regard the prayer of the destitute.

What a promise! Although you may be in a difficult place, feel very much alone, and are indeed destitute, God has promised to hear your prayer, so there is hope even in the most painful days of loneliness. Sometimes loneliness can be the result of sin. When a sinful course is pursued and there has been no repentance, the Lord may hide his face and bring chastisement. Psalm 107 verse 11 says, Because they rebelled against the words of God and contempt the counsel of the Most High, therefore he brought down their heart with labor.

They fell down, and there was none to help. Because of sin they were brought down, and there was no apparent solution to their problem, a picture of loneliness, in deep trouble, and none to help. But look at verse 23, Then they cried unto the Lord, and he saved them out of their distresses.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and break their bands in sunder. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men! O how we should praise the Lord for his goodness and his abundant mercies! He saves and forgives even the chief of sinners. So we see that even when sin has marred fellowship with our dear friend, the case is not hopeless.

It is important to come like David did in Psalm 51. Have mercy upon me, O God, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. I'll think of another example of loneliness because of sin. The prodigal son left home and wasted his substance in riotous living.

He was like a lot of people today who say, I want my independence. I want to be my own person. I want to find myself. Well, the prodigal found himself with the pigs, and it was a lonely place. Maybe I'm speaking to someone today who is lonely because of sin.

You rejected the instruction of parents and the counsel of friends and went rushing down the broad road. Your sin has brought you down, and it is a lonely place. So let's look at the rest of the prodigal story and see that there is hope. Luke 15, verse 17. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger? I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

Make me as one of thy hired servants. Verse 20. And he arose and came to his father, but when he was a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion on him and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead and is alive and he was lost and is found. And they began to make merry.

What a story! First, we find unexpected repentance as the son confesses he has sinned and is unworthy. Secondly, we find unexpected forgiveness. The son thought he might be able to work his way back into the father's house as a servant but never imagined total forgiveness and full reception. Thirdly, we see an unexpected celebration. The son as he traveled toward home did not expect it. The elder brother did not expect it.

He was angry, but there was a celebration nevertheless. Let me say to you today who may be in a lonely place because of sin, there may yet be a celebration for you. Turn toward the father's house and although you have a deep sense of unworthiness, you may see the father running toward you. Remember, Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.

He came to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, and to set at liberty them that are bruised. Come to Jesus today for complete forgiveness and a place at his table. Another vivid picture of loneliness is painted for us in Psalm 142, verse 4 says, I looked on my right hand and beheld, but there was no man that would know me. Refuge failed me. No man cared for my soul. Maybe I'm talking to someone today who was in that plight. You feel cut off from family and friends.

You feel no one cares about you. As David describes his loneliness, he may for a time have felt hopeless, but it didn't stay there. Let's look at verse 5.

I cried unto thee, O Lord. I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. What wonderful peace and comfort to be found when you know the Lord is your refuge and hiding place. Some may be lonely because of desertion.

I've talked to adults who still struggle with the feeling of loneliness because their parents failed to lovingly support them when they were children. But whether that desertion was physical or emotional, there is a great promise in which to find comfort. Psalm 27, verse 10. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

To know the Lord is interested in your case and that you can turn to him for help should give great calm to your troubled spirit. But I remind any who have not yet come to the Lord as a repentant sinner and by faith trusted Jesus Christ as Savior, the Lord will not hear you. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. There are not many options from which to choose as to how you may approach God. There is only one. Jesus says, I am the way, not a way.

I am the way. And the good news of the Gospel is that if you come to him, he will receive you. Then we see the Apostle Paul, as a faithful servant of God, still knew what it was like to be alone. 2 Timothy 4.16.

At my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. We see here that loneliness may be experienced because of faithfulness to the truth of God. It is not uncommon that when one is earnestly contending for the faith, they may be deserted by some who have been their friends and even by family members.

This could cause great discouragement and Satan may tempt this person just to give up, feeling the work is just too difficult. But let us see where Paul found his help. Verse 17. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear.

And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. If the Lord is with you and giving you strength, your situation could not be any better. That makes me think about visiting an old sister many years ago and she was complaining that no one ever came to visit her anymore. She said, it's just me and the Lord here together. I said, wow, how wonderfully blessed, you and the Lord here together. You have every reason to be thankful and to be rejoicing in the Lord.

Well, we've talked about some of the things we need to do in dealing with loneliness. First and foremost, to turn to the Lord for his help and we considered the importance of loving one another and interacting with other people. Then I think of Colossians 3.15. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. In every trial we face, we should always use all the spiritual benefits the Lord has provided for us in dealing with it. Certainly we should be reading the Word so that it dwells in our heart richly, listening to preaching which is used to instruct us and to edify. And as this text says, we are to admonish one another with singing.

Singing or listening to singing can be a great comfort when feeling lonely. Many of the hymns we sing refer to Jesus as our friend and indeed he is the dearest friend, the greatest friend. One of the hymns we have used asks the question, do you need a friend? Someone might reply, yes, I need a friend and if Jesus will be my friend and not question my independence, that will be great.

But that's not the way it works. By nature, sinful man is the enemy of God, does not love God or his son Jesus Christ. So there must be a complete transformation to have friendship with Jesus. The rebellious sinner must be born again and that is the work of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5 17 says, therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. Now this soul that has been regenerated not only loves Jesus but he is in Jesus and Jesus is in him.

Colossians 1 13 tells us that the father has translated this individual into the kingdom of his dear son. Now being in the kingdom of Jesus, you can depend on him as the friend who never will forsake you. We like to sing the hymn, Jesus, what a friend of sinners.

But that doesn't mean that Jesus is the friend of sinners by overlooking their sin or condoning their evil choices. The hymn continues saying, friends may fail me, foes assail me, he my Savior makes me whole. So the Savior makes the broken sinner whole. This is a significant change and it is all by grace. Ephesians 2 8 and 9 says, for by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves.

It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. In John 15 14, Jesus describes the evidence of this work of grace. Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. So the one who comes to Christ trusting him as Savior must also recognize him as Lord. The whole idea of looking to Jesus as friend was initiated by Jesus himself. So many of our hymns refer to Jesus as friend and certainly he is the friend to whom we can look when lonely and in need of help. One of the best known of those hymns is, what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows bear? Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care, precious Savior still our refuge?

Take it to the Lord in prayer. Yes, what a friend we have in Jesus. And then there is Jesus, what a friend of sinners, Jesus, lover of my soul. Friends may fail me, foes that sail me, he my Savior makes me whole.

Jesus, what a help in sorrow while the billows o'er me roll. Even when my heart is breaking, he my comfort helps my soul. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah, what a friend. Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end.

And then another, troubles here below often bring us woe. Jesus is the same always. Seek his gracious love, pray to him above, Jesus is the same always. And then an old song, there's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no not one, no not one. None else could heal our soul's diseases, no not one, no not one. There's not an hour that he is not with us, no not one, no not one. No night so dark but his love can cheer us, no not one, no not one. Did every saint find this friend forsake him, no not one, no not one.

Or sinner find that he would not take him, no not one, no not one. Now here at the close of this broadcast, we will hear portions of some of the hymns that we have used which talk about Jesus as our friend. What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear.

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Jesus, what a friend for sinner, Jesus, lover of my soul. Lend me, bear me, close us, fail me, be my Savior, make me whole. Alleluia, what a Savior, Alleluia, what a friend.

Make me happy, make me happy, He is with me to the end. The troubles hear me love, love have raised us all, Jesus is our friend always. Seek His gracious love, pray to Him above, Jesus is our friend always.

Jesus is our friend always, He will be with you, trust Him in the view, Jesus is our friend always. Jesus heals the broken hearted, O how sweet that sounds to me. Once beneath my sin He's smarted, crowned and bled to set me free. By His sufferings, death and merits, His compassion, blood and pain, broken hearts and wounded spirits are at once made whole again.

Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all, He is my strength from day to day, without Him I would fall. I hope that the message has been a blessing to you today as we've talked about hope for the lonely. Now, somebody might say, well preacher, I struggle with loneliness and you just haven't described my case. You can't help me because you don't understand me, but you know the point is, I don't have to understand you.

I'm telling you about one who understands you better than you understand yourself. I'm telling you about Jesus Christ, our great friend and helper in every time of trouble and the one who can comfort us in the darkest hours of loneliness. I encourage you to write us, till next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. He sends the sunshine and the rain, He sends the harvest, golden rain, sunshine and rain, harvest of rain, He's my friend. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to The Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's The Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. To me, following Him I know I'm right, He watches only day and night, following Him by day and night, He's my friend. Jesus, all the world to me, I want no better friend.