A SERMON FOR THE LONELY ONES.
By D. T. Bourdeau
TEXT: Heb. 13:5: “Be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” These words were addressed by the apostle Paul to those who could appreciate their force from experience. The epistle to the Hebrews was written by Paul in Italy near the close of his interesting career, for the benefit of Hebrew Christians, many of whom were scattered in Gentile nations, where they had spent lonely years away from the land of their fathers and from their dear people. Doubtless in their loneliness, feelings of discontent had come over them. They were deprived of the society of their brethren, and some of them could not see that their lives were of much use to the Gentiles with whom they were sojourning. And especially would they have a yearning after their Christian brethren in Palestine after their conversion to Christianity. But the apostle wanted them to be content with such things as they had, whether in the line of property or of spiritual blessings. And he assigns as a reason, “He [God] hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” This, God had first said to Jacob in vision, when away from his father’s house and his dear mother whom he was never again permitted to see. While homeless and friendless, with stones for his pillow and the canopy of heaven for his covering, he is wrapped up in heavenly vision, and “behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, . . . I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee. . . . And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven.” Gen. 28:12-17. Although Jacob was away from his friends and his accustomed place of worship, yet God and angels were near; he found a place of worship, the gate of Heaven. And this is the privilege of all the lonely ones. Such a feast as this is better than to be with many earthly friends, without the blessing of God. The lonely and isolated readers of the REVIEW, who have not the privilege of associating with those of like precious faith and of hearing the living preacher, have trials peculiar to themselves; yet the grace of God is sufficient to meet their wants and make them strong in their lonely and tried condition. God has brought the truth to them just where they are, knowing that they can obey him under the circumstances in which they are placed. True, they are deprived of many privileges that others enjoy. But they are also especially remembered by those who are more pleasantly situated; and above all, God’s eye is upon them, and they have the sympathies of Jesus, who was tempted in all points, and is able and willing to succor those who are tempted. Such have the special watchcare of holy angels, and they may enjoy an uncommon portion of the strengthening and encouraging blessings of God’s Spirit, to more than make up for the lacks that they sustain. Is not this thought cheering, ye lonely and almost discouraged ones? Look up to your kind Heavenly Father who careth for you. Look to Jesus, your compassionate High Priest, who pleads day and night for his people, and whose large affections are ever moved toward those in want and distress. Look at the myriads of the heavenly host surrounding Jesus, and who are sent to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation, Heb. 1:14, and cheer up, ye lonely and desponding ones. If God, Christ, and holy angels, are nearer you on account of your loneliness, you are certainly not alone. While your position has disadvantages, it also has great advantages. Let us enumerate some of them. If you are faithful, and improve upon the means of grace within your reach, - You will be more liable to lean on God than you otherwise would. When many believers are thrown together, they are in danger of leaning on each other.
- You will find God especially near to you, and a true support, and an unfailing source of strength and wisdom.
- You will be more liable to learn the lesson of self-reliance, to get a personal experience in the things of God, to test the efficacy of the means of grace for yourselves, and will not be mere shadows of others.
- Your position will teach you the important lesson of self-denial. As you deny yourselves in one thing, it will be easier for you to deny yourselves in other things.
- Your position leading you to exercise more, and to be more in earnest, the result will be a greater increase of spiritual strength, greater power to do and suffer for God. Trees that are alone root deep, and are strong and able to resist the wind and tempest; while trees that are shadowed by other trees are weak and slender, and could not endure much if exposed to the tempest.
- You will not be in danger of patterning after weak brethren, and will be full as liable to follow after the unerring Guide, and imitate the perfect Pattern, the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Your necessity will be God’s opportunity to work for and through you mightily to his name’s honor and glory; for as you are alone, you will not look for the applause of your brethren, and you do not expect much praise from the world. God has left interesting cases on record as illustrative of this truth, for your encouragement. David, all alone, and relying by faith on the mighty God of Israel, slew Goliath, and brought deliverance to his people.
Noah and his family must have had sad and lonely feelings in their day; but they were engaged in a great work, and God wrought for them, and honored them at last. Daniel’s position in the lions’ den must have seemed lonely and dreary to his enemies; but the angel of God was with him, and God was honored in the salvation of his servant. When refined Jeremiah was cast into a dungeon, and sank in the mire, the truthfulness and certainty of his testimony shone forth with special luster. The beloved apostle was banished on the isle of Patmos, where he wrote the most interesting prophecy of the Bible. Daniel wrote his prophecy when in captivity, and disseminated the knowledge of the God of Heaven. Paul’s imprisonment of two years, at Caesarea, gave him an opportunity to preach the gospel before kings and nobles. Bunyan, in his imprisonment, wrote his famous Pilgrim’s Progress, which has encouraged and gladdened many hearts. Luther fled from his enemies, who published that he was dead; but he was engaged in translating the Bible. At the time of Christ’s first advent, through the providence of God, thousands of pious Hebrews were scattered among heathen nations in Europe, Asia, and Africa, where they had promulgated the knowledge of the living God, and turned many to the worship of the Most High; and when these Hebrews were converted to Christianity, they realized that their labors had not been in vain, and they opened the way for the spread of the gospel among the Gentiles, where they had led many to keep God’s Sabbaths and commandments. What a saving of time and strength this proved to the apostles as they went to the Gentiles. Think you the apostles will have all the reward for leading the thousands of Gentiles to embrace Christianity? Nay, verily; the pious Hebrews will come in for a noble share. Dear scattered and lonely ones, the experience of the pious Hebrews may be your experience, and their reward your reward. God’s providence has placed you where you are that you may be missionaries,—lights in this dark world. If you are faithful, you will not remain alone long. Others are receiving favorable impressions, when you are perhaps the least aware of it. Do not give way to discouragement. You are engaged in a great and noble work. Do not give way to the influence of the world, and of cold, proud, and formal professors. Keep yourselves unspotted from the world. Cherish a spirit of contentment. Remember that God is with you, and has promised to never forsake you. Let others know that there is power in God and his truth to preserve you. Keep the example of Jesus before you. He left the realms of glory, and dwelt in this dark world to save us. And he was accomplishing the greatest work in connection with human redemption when forsaken of God, of men, and of angels. Obtain an experience whereby you can comfort and strengthen those who are lonely. Work for God, and you will realize that your labors have not been in vain in the sight of the Lord.