Sermon Notes
Pastor Jeff Stanfill

Isolation
June 9, 2006

ISOLATION
TEXT: ECC. 3:9-12
INTRO:
Two weeks ago the local CBS affiliate in Monroe, LA broadcast a news story on community and friendships. I thought it ironic to hear the story for it relates to our pulpit emphasis this month. The story announced research that is indicating that Americans are living more and more isolated from others.

For some time the typical American has had at least three other people to whom they could tell anything and with whom they felt emotionally close and involved in their lives. But in the last years the number of close friendships has gone down. According to sociologists, we now have on the average only two people with whom we have a close relationship.

That does not sound like a great reduction until one accounts for it being 33% fewer friends than last year. While factors such as schedules and work affect relationships (for they do require time), it is the overall effect of this that has sociologists thinking. With indications that this number will continue to go down, how will we function as a society? As a community? Who will provide emotional support when life is difficult? Where will we turn in a crisis? What happens when disastrous events occur on a personal level such as a car accident, cancer, economic collapse or setback, depression, etc?

Turn to one's family? In understand that these studies figure family into the equation. Even with family, Americans have only two people to whom they are close.

We are becoming increasingly isolated from other people.

It's one thing to be secluded; another to be reclusive. It's one thing to practice solitude; it's another to practice isolation.

Are you living isolated?

I. SOME DECEPTIONS OF ISOLATION.
Deceptions associated with isolation can be put in two groups. One group of deceptions leads to isolation; another group of deceptions come from isolation.

Leading to isolation is the deception that:
1. "I can do this myself." 'This' can be anything - a job or task, success, and living itself. I can live myself. ILLU: This deception got Moses in trouble. Moses understood that God had called him to deliver his kinsmen, God's people, out of the slavery of Egypt. When he saw a fellow Hebrew being beaten by an Egyptian he sprang to the defense of the man. In so doing he killed the Egyptian. For whatever reasons, it was still murder so Moses hid the body. And the deed became known causing Moses to flee from Egypt to save his own life. Moses pride fully thought "I can do this myself. I need no other help from anyone." Such thinking causes us to live isolated from others.

2. "I'm better off by myself." Often times due to a bad experience with someone, a hurtful relationship, or a deep disappointment this lie is so believable. Men and women listen to this deception and give up on loving relationships. Youth and teens have hard experiences and abandon friends and even family. People drop out of church all together. ILLU: This deception is so believable and so common that God pronounced condemnation upon this deception at creation. Gen 2:18. The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." He did not say that it is not preferable, nor is it not desirable, nor did he say it is not best but that it is not good, "It does not conform to what I as God know to be true."

If these deceptions are believed and we choose isolation, then another set of deceptions take over. These are deceptions that come from isolation.
3. "My life is insignificant." What I do, how I do it, why I do it does not matter for I am ... sometimes it is in the word "unlovable", "unimportant", or insignificant. ILLU: If any one could be tempted with this deception it would have been Saul who later was called Paul. When converted the church was leery about him. His past and earned reputation made people unsure if not afraid of him. He could have easily sung the "I'm going to eat some worms" song. In fact, throughout his life he referred to himself as the chief of sinners. But God's grace kept him from that lie when Barnabas befriended him. Have you heard that deception yourself? No one is insignificant!

4. "No one will know." This deception really brings problems. When isolated and believing ourselves to be insignificant it is so easy to do what we would never do if someone was watching. ILLU: King David committed adultery while he was alone. All his best men were away in war. No one around to know what he did or where he was. And his adultery began with voyeurism. That's right David was a peeping tom. Pornography is today's voyeurism and it happens in isolation where we believe the deception that no one will know.

Lest you are being tempted yourself to become isolated - you have been hurt, your tired from efforts to become a part of others lives, you are convinced that you can go it alone and you need no one - lest you be tempted to take this common route in your Christian walk, let's talk about:
II. SOME DANGERS OF ISOLATION.
1. Unusual discouragement. Discouragement comes to everyone from time to time but when isolated from others discouragement takes an unusual intensity. ILLU: Elijah was a powerful prophet of God through whom spectacular deeds were done for God's glory. After an amazing display of God's power Elijah is threatened by evil people. READ 1 KINGS 19:1-14. Verse 4 - insignificance. Verse 14 - isolation.

Let's turn this text inside out to see something:
2. Unfortunate diminishment. (Ecc. 4:9). When we live in isolation our lives are diminished by missing the good return we would otherwise receive. While living connected to others may increase the opportunity for pain; it more than increases the good return in companionship, friendship, love, joy, and satisfaction.

3. Undue deprivation. (Ecc. 4:11). Food, clothing, and shelter are obvious needs that we immediately note and attend to. We know when we lack these. And we quickly know when we are cold. But sometimes the cold creeps into us. I have been in severe winter weather at times. There have been occasions that I thought I was doing okay bundled against the cold. And seemingly suddenly the cold penetrated everything and I could not get warm. I was deprived of necessary warmth. Isolation deprives a person unnecessarily of the basics needed for living - stimulating conversation, involvement in others' needs, heart to heart sharing of ideas. All of these are essential to every human being. This is why solitary confinement can be more punishing than confinement.

4. Unnecessary defenselessness. (Ecc. 4: 10, 12). The military knows the strategy of dividing to conquer. If soldiers can be separated from each other then can more easily be picked off or captured. The undue defenselessness that isolation creates is more deadly for it is a soul that can be picked off. Without an encouraging word, a kind correction, a caution or warning we can be overpowered.

5. Utter decay. (Judges 21:25 Every one did as he saw fit.) Utter decay was the condition of Israel when there no longer were any community standards. When each person lived so isolated in relationships from others that each decided right and wrong or if there was a right or wrong. Is that not our day? Our hearty love for individualism has brought us into the day of harrowing isolationism where the rights of the individual rules over the responsibility to anyone else. And it brings utter decay in society and in each soul.

6. Each of these describes much that is wrong with our society and us. People live in discouragement. People are experiencing diminishment living less and less. We are sensing our own defenselessness and it is bearing the fruit of anger in our lives - we can't do anything about our problems today and we are mad about it. Decay is in our language, our arts, our literature, our education, our medical system. In isolation we begin to only love ourselves and become takers and not givers. Christopher Leach discovered that ordinary Americans now display many of the same character traits that are usually associated with pathological personality disorders. Phillip Graham Ryken observes that, "One sign of our self-absorption (another word for isolation) is that it is becoming increasingly difficult for our nation to do anything that requires widespread cooperation or personal sacrifice, such as combat poverty, improve education, reform our health system, or provide for the common defense." (City on a Hill, pg. 19).

7. Well, we can see the dangers of living isolated; of not being a participant in some type of community with others. In fact, these are the dangers of not being a participant in the community known as the Church. It is in the Church that we find a defense against isolation

III. SOME DEFENSES AGAINST ISOLATION.
If isolation is deceptive and dangerous, what can we do about it if we answer God's call to trust and follow Him? The answer begins in two words - one another.
1. In the NT, I count 20 distinct instructions of what the believer is to do toward other believers. Here is the list that today is given for impact:
· Love (Jn. 13:34, 1 Jn.)
· Be devoted (Rom. 12:10)
· Honor (Rom, 12:10)
· Live in harmony (Rom. 12:16)
· Accept (Rom. 15:7)
· Instruct (Rom. 15:14)
· Greet (Rom. 16:16)
· Agree with (1 Cor. 1:10)
· Serve (Gal. 5:13)
· Be patient, bearing with (Eph. 4:2)
· Be kind (Eph. 4:32)
· Be compassionate (Eph. 4:32)
· Submit (Eph. 5:21)
· Forgive (Col. 3:13)
· Teach (Col 3:16)
· Admonish (Col 3:16)
· Encourage (1 Thess. 5:11)
· Spur one another on (Heb. 10:24)
· Offer hospitality (1 Peter 4:9)
· Be humble toward (1 Peter 5:5).

2. Of these, the instruction to love one another is repeated eleven times. Loving one another cannot be done only on Sunday. It cannot happen only in a large gathering. We love one another during the week. We check on one another. We pray for and with one another. We listen to one another. We tell one another what's going on. None of these require training, formal positions of leadership, or elder approval. All one needs is a church directory and either a phone or pen and paper. All one needs is a coffee pot and two cups.

CONCL:
Biblical fellowship has not yet been fully given to us but we will see over the next couple of weeks that the Bible gives us a wonderful picture of sharing, supporting, submitting, and shouldering. All of what we need as people and as the people of God.

Today consider this:
A relationship with Jesus Christ cannot be lived out in isolation. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ we must accept that there are some things that can only be done with other people.
· Evangelism cannot be done without another person to witness to.
· Obedience to the "one another" commands is impaired if we aren't with one another.

This today is a call for sharing life with others. I know we are busy and active (better than lazy and petrified, huh?). But pray about God speaking to you to join a Sunday School class; become part of a ministry team; participate socially with your faith family. This month to bring us closer to the Biblical elements of fellowship we have LIFE group leaders moving into position to help each of us be connected; opportunities to socialize together and serve together. Miss the dangers awaiting those who try to live isolated lives.