Isolation and solitude have always intrigued humanity. Whether it was reading books like Robinson Crusoe or Swiss Family Robinson or watching a movie like “Castaway.” Some of you may have noticed this volleyball in my office. It was a gift from Lynette Cline the last time I grew a big beard. She told me I looked like Tom Hanks in “Castaway” so she made me my own “Wilson.”
If you have seen the movie then you know that Tom Hanks turned a volleyball into a friend as he was starving for companionship on the island all alone. We always wonder what it would be like if we were stuck in a place of solitude. How would we survive as we watch shows like “survivorman.” Would we go crazy or lose our mind without the structure of
society?
Some of you are so hungry for solitude that being a castaway sounds like
the most perfect thing possible. Others of you, have spent too many days at home
snowed-in by yourself and have been starving for human interaction.
But solitude is an essential part of our daily life. Just like anything, there is a
right way and a wrong way to approach it. Remember that from our very beginning,
God has said, “It is not good for man to be alone. (Genesis 2:18a)” We have talked
before about the fact that being made in the image of God means that we are made
for community as God is three persons and yet one so we are not made to be alone,
but in community. And yet, God also made introverted people who get their energy
from space and solitude and get utterly drained in a crowd.
We have started off this New Year talking about the proper daily approach to
life that we might experience the fullest Christian life. Jesus came to give us life
and life more abundantly. Unfortunately, many of us are not experiencing that full
life, but struggle with frustration, exhaustion and burnout. Certain seasons and
circumstances attribute to that, though often our issue is that our approach to daily
life is off and imbalanced. And so we are taking the time during this season to look at
a better way to approach life so that we do not miss out on the best and most
essential things that God wants us to have in our daily lives.
We have looked at rest with God’s design as he created Sabbath rest, constant
prayer through the life of Enoch, work through the example of Moses, and worship
through David’s patterns. Today our focus is on solitude and there is no better place
to begin than looking to Jesus.
It always astounds me what is included in the Gospels. Four books of the
Bible summarizing what we need to know about Jesus’ earthly life and three years of
ministry in 89 chapters. If your life was summarized in 89 chapters and what was
recorded was essential for future generations to survive, what would they write
about you?
Jesus’ pattern as recorded in the Gospels include several instances of
solitude. The first one we are going to look at is found in three of the four Gospels.
Matthew 4 records Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness after his baptism. This
isn’t something that he decided to do on a whim, but was led there by the Holy Spirit
as recorded in Luke 4 (this solitude in the wilderness is also included in the book of
Mark). And why is he led by the Holy Spirit to the desert? To be tempted by the
devil, of course!
You may be saying, “Wait a second, Pastor Nate. You just said the focus of this
sermon series is on the fullness of a daily Christian walk and the first example you
give of solitude is Jesus being led into the desert by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by
the devil? What gives?” Well, first of all, what is happening with Jesus is unique.
Jesus is God in human flesh: the perfect, sinless human that this world hasn’t seen
since Adam and Eve. And the devil is taking his shot at Jesus just like he did with
Adam and Eve. But instead of being in a Garden full of every kind of food, Jesus says,
“Not only will I take on the worst temptations you can throw my way, but I’ll do it in
the desert while I am fasting. I came to deliver humanity and I am going to do it as
completely as possible.” So there is a lot of uniqueness to Jesus’ 40 days in the
desert.
But I do want to say that there are times that the Holy Spirit leads us into
periods of solitude that include temptation. Remember that temptation is not sin.
Choosing to give into temptation is. Jesus is tempted and is without sin.
We are often tempted in our solitary moments because we do not have the same
accountability that we do around other people. And temptation most assuredly
comes when we are alone, tired, exhausted, weary and lacking something in our
lives. But it is so important to know that God allows temptation for a reason.
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 states, “
12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to
fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And
God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.
When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” So
temptation has the function of quality control in our lives. It exposes our
weaknesses and builds our strengths.
Everyone faces temptation, maybe in different ways, but to the same level of challenge. But God never tempts us in ways where we cannot overcome. God’s goal for temptation is this: “ 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character
strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to
disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the
Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
Romans 5:3-5 Why did Jesus need to be tempted and why are we? Because resisting
temptation refines us by forcing us to rely on God to overcome and become who He
has designed us to be. Another example of solitude Jesus exhibited is found in Mark 1:35-39, “
35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.
36 Later Simon and the others went out to find him.
37 When they found him,
they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38 But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them,
too. That is why I came.”
39 So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching
in the synagogues and casting out demons.”
In this passage Jesus goes off to an isolated place to pray to simply escape the
expectations and pressure of the crowd. Notice he does this before sunrise and in
such a way that his disciples have to search for him in order to discover him. There
is nothing wrong with having moments of solitude.
If Jesus needed it, so do we. Being able to focus on prayer is difficult. I think
modern conveniences like cell phones make it all the more difficult. Because most of
the time you can be reached at any time and people expect you to be available. I
don’t think Jesus would have any problem leaving the cell phone at home. Part of
prayer is the desire and need to be completely and totally available to God.
Being married for over 20 years, I know the value of giving someone your full
attention. I have committed or admitted to multiple things or even missed things
entirely by not giving a conversation my full attention. And those that love us the
most won’t settle for less than our total attention.
Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount said this about prayer, “ 6 But when you pray,
go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.
Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you (Matthew 6:6).” Having just
watched the inauguration, there were several prayers incorporated in the
ceremony. But there was a big difference between the way Franklin Graham prayed
and the way the other priests and pastors prayed. The other religious leaders were
caught up in the moment and were either giving speeches faintly disguised as
prayers or were communicating theirs prayers in such a manner as to try and be
memorable. I sensed in Franklin Graham a reverence for the almighty God to whom
he was speaking and yet an intimacy as one who knows the one to whom he was
speaking.
This does not mean that there are not times to pray publicly. But God desires
our full attention. God desires an intimate, real relationship with us, undistracted, so
we can listen and know where he desires us to go and what he calls us to be.
That is the result of this passage. The disciples find Jesus and say, “Hey, let’s
get back to town. Everyone is looking for you. There is more to do.” And Jesus says,
“Nope, God is calling us elsewhere.” When you are in the midst of ministry and even
just life, you cannot always clearly see the next step without solitude and prayer.
The third situation of solitude that we see from Jesus is in Matthew 14. Jesus
receives the news that his cousin, John the Baptist has been beheaded, and he is
grieving. Like most of us, Jesus wants to get away and process that grief with a few
of the disciples that he is close to. But while he is trying to get away from the crowds
to a remote place for some solitude, the people find him! And even in the midst of
his grief, he has compassion on them and ministers to them while touching and
healing their bodies. In that same day, he fed 5,000 people with five small loaves and
two fish.
That is where we pick up. “ 22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he
was there alone.” (Matthew 14:22-23)
Are you seeing the pattern yet? Yes, there are times of necessary solitude in
our lives and in the life of Jesus. The key is that in our times of solitude, we are never
alone.
What does that mean? Our solitude needs to be a break from other people for
a moment or season, but not for us to be alone by ourselves. It is so we can get away
with God. Big difference. Psalm 139 makes is clear that there is no place on earth
you can escape from God’s presence.
In this passage, Jesus is grieving his cousin’s death like any of us would. It is a
terrible situation. But Jesus’ solitude in his grief pulls him closer to God through
prayer. And that same night, Jesus returns to his disciples walking on water. This
period of solitude, even in grief, is not overextended. Nor did it make Jesus exempt
for loving and caring for the needs of others. Remember, it is not good for us to be
alone. And so we must remember, that we are never alone.
In contrast, when prayer is not a major component of our times of solitude
we are more susceptible to temptation and greater frustration and despair as the
solitude in itself cannot feed us or repair our soul. It is the one in whom we find our
solace in during our periods of solitude.
So in conclusion, find daily pockets of solitude. Not in an eastern mysticism
based on Buddhism says you must meditate and empty your mind to find inner
peace as you seek to become part of the great nothing. That type of solitude puts
down your defenses and leads you to being open to other destructive and demonic
forces. As Christians, your times of solitude are meant to fill us up with the
transforming love and presence of God. It is not becoming a part of the great
nothing, but connecting with the great everything! It is good for man to be in
solitude, but only when we share these times with Jesus.
Let’s pray.
Comments