It Is Not Good to Be Alone

I have a question. This is not a quiz. You don't have to shout out the answer. What was the first judgment or pronouncement that God made about man? What was the first judgment or pronouncement that God made about man? Now, the answer has something to do with this month of June. I've noticed that here in our three congregations, we have 12 anniversaries this month. I think the next big month is August. I think it's August, a lot more anniversaries. I don't know if they did that so they can make a nice honeymoon afterwards. Boom! I don't know. You okay, Brent? Did I hurt your ears? You're okay. So, what was part of this first pronouncement? Well, the answer is in Genesis 2.18. I gave you the clue. We find the answer to that question, Genesis 2.18. And the Lord God said, it is not good that man should be alone. That's the first pronouncement, first judgment God recognized. It is not good that man should be alone. But what did God do about man being alone? And what is God doing and will do so man will never be alone? As members of God's church, what can we be doing to not be alone and to never be alone? You see, it has never been good for man to be alone. It's been that way since the beginning. And we must learn from scriptures about what we can do about it, our part. And a lot of it has to do with loving God and loving our neighbor and learning to serve and help so that we nor others will ever be alone. And so the title of the message is, it is not good to be alone. It is not good to be alone. So again, that first judgment about man is in Genesis 2.18, it's not good that man should be alone. God is love. In his word is truth. And so we'll take it from God's point of view. He knows Adam's plight was not good. God knew Adam was not in a good situation. Now here is Adam. He was surrounded by all sorts of birds and animals. He had more pets than anybody could imagine, I suppose you could argue. And I know we love our pets. I'm not going to offend anybody. I've had my pets. But pets are no substitute for being alone to have another human being around. I think that's something we might draw from that. No animals would be good enough to solve man's aloneness. There's something he needed. And so God solved Adam's plight in a marvelous and loving way. Continuing on, same verse, Genesis 2, 18. And God said, I will make him a helper comparable to him. Comparable to him.

And so then God put Adam in deep sleep. It continues on verse 21 through 22. And God took one of his ribs. Some scholars say, well, it probably wasn't really a rib. It's more like a chunk of flesh, but whatever it was, I'll stick with what the New King James Version says. He took one of his ribs. And then the rib which Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman. And he brought her to the man. Now when Adam met Eve, he knew that she was comparable to him. Verse 23, and Adam said, this is now bone of my bones. I don't know how he said it. He didn't speak English. This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. In other words, this was no bird. This was no beast. This is no lizard, no fish. This was no pet.

She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. And so Adam had a help meet. Comparable to him. A woman. God did not give him a companion who was another man. It was a woman.

And God did something more to keep man from being alone. God created marriage. God created marriage. The unity of two individuals. One man and one woman. Verse 24. And God said, therefore a man shall leave his father and mother, be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. They are to cleave to each other. They're to become so closely integrated, you might say, in every level. And so neither husband nor wife, the way God created marriage, neither husband nor wife would be alone.

Because in marriage, they would have each other. Their oneness was meant to be intimate in all aspects of their lives. Physically, sexually, mentally, emotionally, and yes, ultimately, spiritually. In a very spiritual sense. Again, in marriage, they were to cleave or to cling to one another. They were to become as one flesh. In Romans 7 verse 2, you don't need to turn there, but you can jot it down. Romans 7 verse 2, they were to be separated only by death. That's when the marriage would end at death.

Now, Genesis 5 verse 1 through 2, Genesis 5 verse 1 through 2 summarizes what God did. Verse 1, it says in the second sentence, in the day that God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them mankind in the day they were created. Now, if we turn over to Matthew 19 verse 4 through 6. Matthew 19 verse 4 through 6, Jesus Christ himself, of course, from what we understand, the Old Testament, Jesus Christ created all things, the Father created all things through Jesus Christ, who was the Word.

So Jesus was the one who created them as the Word. Matthew 19 verse 4 through 6, Jesus upheld the oneness of marriage, and it's sanctity before God. It's something sacred, something holy before God. Matthew 19 verse 4, Jesus answered, and said to them, Have you not read that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female?

And he said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. So then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate. And so from the beginning, again, marriage was meant to be sacred, and unlike any other relationship, they were to be together, they were to become as one, they were never to be separated, except the physical sense by death.

It was a relationship between a man and a woman. Now, along with marriage, God created another wonderful blessing, so that man would not be alone. He created family. Yes, he created family. From the oneness of marriage, God intended that a husband and wife would have children, and they would have children, grandchildren, and the grandchildren would have children, have great grandchildren, and, you know, ever and ever.

More children. In Psalm 127, let's turn to Psalm 127, verse 3 through 5. And yes, we are recounting marriage and family and the blessings of the creator God, who created family, who created marriage and man and woman. God calls children a blessing, and not just when they behave, I'm sure, but they're always a blessing, and we know. By the way, we are still children ourselves, aren't we? Some of us are a little older than some others, but we are all children in God's sight. God calls children a blessing.

Psalm 127, verse 3. God says, Behold, children are a heritage. Sometimes you might say legacy. They're a blessing in that sense. Children are a heritage from the eternal, from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward. That's how God intended it to be, and we're not going to go into it today. That's not necessarily how society sees it, and some people in society, but I'm speaking to God's people today. This is what God would have us understand.

Children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward, and like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. How many arrows could you put in a quiver? I don't know. I was looking at my family line. Apparently, my grandfather, there were 11 in his family, children, and my grandmother had 12.

I don't. We had two. Of course, I don't have a big farm to manage either. Let's look also in Proverbs 17 verse 6. So, many children, many blessings. Proverbs 17.6 also adds this. It says Proverbs 17 verse 6, children's children, that's about grandchildren, children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father. Again, this is God's perspective. This is the way it should be. This is from a God-centered culture.

So, God, when we put pieces together here and there, we begin to learn that God wants love, God wants harmony, he wants respect between fathers and mothers and their children, he wants us to be passed along generation after generation, and you especially want them to keep living his way of life. You have to keep teaching God's way of life. You have to keep learning God's way of life because, have you noticed, there's always more to learn? There's always more to learn. God is testing. He's always seeing, well, where are we now? Are we getting better? Are we moving along? Are we moving forward? And, of course, you can jot down Deuteronomy 6, verse 1 through 9. Instruction, I've go to that quite a bit. The moment you get up to the time you go to bed, you should be using opportunities to talk about God's way of life, to be setting the example for your children. And sometimes, the children set a really good example for us older ones, don't they? And so God wants generations of fathers and mothers and children and grandfathers and grandmothers and grandfathers and grandchildren and ad infinitum and all the entire extended family. He wants everyone to know and to love God, to have life abundantly. And some of us learned this lesson too late. But I know we have young people in our audience, and this is part of what they need to know. So as they start out in life, they can get started down the right path, and the trajectory will take them in the right direction. When we start on the wrong path early in life, it can become a lot harder to get back to where we need to be. And so God intended family also to help and support one another. Let's talk a little bit about some of the benefits of family. Family is meant to help and support one another. Just as the husband and wife were helping each other, they also had their children. The children are meant to share in life's challenges. They're meant to share in life's labors and life's rewards. Let's look at an interesting contrast. Let's look at Ecclesiastes chapter 4. Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verses 8 through 12. Ecclesiastes 4 verses 8 through 12.

And here we have a contrast. First, we're going to read beginning verse 8 of life without help, without family, and then what it's like having a family. Verse 8. Verse 8 pictures a man without family. He's alone, and quickly we see it is not a good thing. Ecclesiastes 4 verses 8. There is one alone without companion. He has neither son nor brother, yet there is no end to all of his labors. Look what he does with his life. Look what his focus is. And nor is his eyes satisfied with riches, but he never asks for whom do I toil and deprive myself of good. And this also is vanity. This is also uselessness and a grave misfortune. This is not what God had in mind for people. This man's alone. Living alone and working hard, only to enrich oneself, which many people in society are tending to do nowadays, that is not how God wanted man to be and how to live. In sharp contrast, let's look at verse 9 through 12. Here we see the benefits of of having companions. In God's mind, those companions would be primarily, and most importantly, your family and, of course, good friends. Verse 9. Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. That's the beauty of a husband-wife team. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? And though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. So again, we get the principle that it is much better. How much better in God's esteem to have family, have friends to help with our burdens in life? There's a benefit for family. Now, among those times when family is especially needed is when death comes. We've talked a little bit about the beginning of life towards the end of life. We don't always like to talk about this. We should not not talk about it. Genesis reveals—let's go to Genesis 25. During times of death is a wonderful time to have family. And if you've ever been in one of those times and you've had your family with you, you might pause and think, what about those people who do not have family? It'd be quite different. Genesis reveals how the families of the three patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—how their families gathered together to bury their fathers. Let's look first at Genesis 25, 8 through 9. Genesis 25, 8 through 9.

And verse 7, by the way, tells us that Abraham's life lived when he ended—excuse me, he died when he was 175. Verse 8, "'Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age.' I think so. An old man and full of years and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave Amakpila." And that's the cave he had bought. Let's look at Genesis 35. Genesis 35, 29 next. Genesis 35, 29. This is Isaac's death. Verse 28 tells us, now the days of Isaac were 180 years. And so Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. Esau and Jacob buried him. And last, let's turn to Genesis 49. Genesis 49, 29 through 31. Genesis 49, 29 through 31.

And here, this is the time when Jacob, also known as Israel, was on his deathbed. Genesis 49, 29. And then he, Jacob, charged them. He's speaking to his sons. He charged them and said to them, I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers. Notice he wants to be buried with his family, where his family was buried, several generations now. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field Amakpila. There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife. And of course, he's speaking of his parents and grandparents. And there I buried Leah. Verse 33. And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people. Then in the next chapter, Genesis 50, verse 1, in Joseph, we get a very intimate picture here. And then Joseph, his son Joseph, fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him.

Isn't that a beautiful picture? It's a beautiful picture. This is an example of another benefit God would like to see a family. God intended in this age that family be near for mutual support and love and comfort and grief.

You know, at the funeral for Gary Neff, like I said, I'd never seen anything like this, but it quickly told me that this is probably the way it used to be. It was a natural burial.

The remains had to be buried within a 24-hour period by law and they did everything legally and got it done. It was effort, but they got it done. Out of respect for Gary and Joe. And we got to the country cemetery and the grandchildren, maybe sons and the grandsons, they had the backhoe and they dug the grave. His sons had taken wood that Gary had set aside for that purpose. They put together the coffin. And then at the funeral home, they had to take the body of the retrieval, to retrieve it to the funeral home to do everything legally. They signed the paperwork and then they quickly released the body. And they made sure they had to deliver the casket themselves in the back of their pickup to the grave. And they lowered the grave by their own hands, the family's hands, sons and grandsons hands, into the grave. And then they backfilled it. They covered the grave. And like I said, I've never seen that before and I'd already written this part of the sermon. But that was a visual that made more emphasis to me of how it used to be. Families would have been gathered together at the birth and they are also gathered together at the end. And it would have been a wonderful, as such you can make of a funeral. I shouldn't use that word. But it would have been a very comforting way of being with family at times like that. With family there to put their loved one in the grave. Very much, I wonder, like what we see described here, three generations now in Genesis. And so I'm quite sure that this is also part of what God wanted it to be. That God intended that family also be near for mutual support and love and comfort. And of course, if only time with our loving spouse and family would never end, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? And won't that be a wonderful thing?

Now we do know that some people are alone. What we've been reading about family and husband and wives and the benefit of why it's not good to be alone, to have family, it makes it great. But we know that some people are alone. I'm going to look at Zechariah verse 7. Zechariah verse 7. There are some people that have no spouse or maybe no longer, and they have no family to help them, and they are in need. What's interesting is Scripture. God so wants man not to be alone. I guess that's the way I'm putting it. He even wants to be sure that we who have somebody, maybe still have family, still have a spouse, He forbids us to neglect or mistreat those who are alone. Zechariah 7 verse 9 through 10, Thus says the Lord of Host, Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion, everyone to his brother. And here, yes, it could mean family, but brother can also mean any more broad generic sense to your neighbor. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother. And so the widow, the fatherless, the poor, the stranger, the alien, they are the ones that were often the weak of society, and God wanted them to be taken care of too. He did not want them left alone. And so you can jot down James 1.27. Good book, James. We've heard it quite a bit today so far. James 1.27. James 1.27 says that to help the widow, the fatherless, the alien, the stranger, the poor in their need, he says it's a mark of pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father. That's James 1.27. And of course, Jesus also made clear in his parable of the sheep and the goats. You can read about that in Matthew 25.40. Jesus said, if you help these people in need, the weak, the least among my brethren, Jesus said, if you help the least of these, my brethren, you are doing it to him. You're doing it to Jesus Christ himself, our soon coming king. And so we have a duty then to show kindness and to help those who are alone. So it's just not God taking care of those, but we have a responsibility. And you can imagine that's especially so as members of the body of Christ, the church, especially taking care of our brethren. And so we do, at times, we have what we sometimes call spiritual widows. They do not have family members in the church, and that puts them in a difficult strait sometimes. And that's when it's good to have spiritual family, if you kind of put it in those terms in the church, where we can step in and help them in their times of need as well. And so as individuals and as families, we are not to live only for the benefit of ourselves, but we are to learn with concern and an eye to help other people. This marks a distinction of undefiled and pure religion before God and the Father. And of course, and I read that, I wince because I have to ask myself, and I'm going to let you wince, too, and you think about it, how well am I doing at that? Can I be doing better? Could I be doing better? Could we be doing better?

And so what we've seen so far is that from the start, God said it is not good for man to be alone. And so we see what God did about it. And he did all this in love. He created marriage between a man and a woman. It was meant to be until death did them part. And he created family. So there could be children and generations and teaching, passing along his instructions to generation after generations. And those families, as they submitted to God, would be blessed more and more. There are quivers full of little kitty arrows. God loves a big family. He wanted all people to be nurtured in and to live by God's way of life, generation after generation. It's in a beautiful picture. That's what he wanted at the beginning. And as I think some of us are already knowing, that's what he's going to get at the end. He's not done. God wanted mankind to live abundantly according to his eternal law. He wanted man to thrive as a family and for no one to be alone. But Scripture records that rather than obeying God and living according to his eternal law, Adam and Eve chose for themselves how they would live. They chose for themselves what attitudes am I going to have about children and family and relations.

They chose to cut themselves off from a right relationship with God.

They, in a sense, decided that they would live apart from God. Their decision meant unnecessary aloneness in a very profound sense because they had cut themselves off from God in the spiritual sense. And they establish a pattern of sin which leads to suffering and death that humanity to this day, generation after generation, sadly chooses to follow. We continue to choose to follow the way of sin. If you go with me to Romans 1 verse 18, Romans 1 verse 18, Paul in this chapter, when I read this more and more, it strikes me as like being pulled from the website, news websites, or you say newspapers, but I'm not sure if they make newspapers a whole lot anymore. I'm not in hard copy. Romans 1 verse 18, Paul describes the disastrous outcome of humanity's choice, Adam and Eve's choice, that choice that also rejected God's design and purpose for marriage and family, and all the blessings that God had intended that there could be and should be so that people would not be alone. Actually, let's start in verse 24. There's a wonderful, interesting section here, but let's begin verse 24. Here's part of the disastrous outcome. I'll just cut to the chase here, verse 24. And therefore God also gave them up. He gave mankind up. Let them do what they want to do if they want it so bad. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lust of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. He let them follow their lust. They who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and they worship and serve the creature what was created rather than the Creator. In verse 26, and for this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman. They burned in their lust for one another, men with men, committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error, which was due, which was justified. And so this is not what God wanted, but this is what man wanted. Of course, these vile passions and sins have led to homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and transgenderism. But as with all sin, God commands all men everywhere to repent. That's Acts 17, verse 30, Acts 17, 30. We all have sins to repent of.

Paul also lists many of humanity's sinful attitudes and ways, verse 28, continuing on, verse 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, they've been working hard to forget God to this day. God gave them over to a debased mind, a contorted and perverted mind. It's not a sound mind. To do those things which are not fitting. Being filled with all unrighteousness. This is what the way of man has been. Being filled with all unrighteousness and sexual immorality. Now, some of you will recall that Greek word for sexual immorality is porneia. It means illicit, unlawful sexual intercourse. Some scholars say it means sex outside marriage. Sex is a beautiful, wonderful thing. But do not awaken love until the time is right, we're told, in the Song of Solomon. Sex is a beautiful thing, but it's meant for marriage. Outside marriage, you're going to bring yourself grief. It's sin. It's sin. Continuing on, other wrong attitudes of mankind, wickedness and covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness. They are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, and ventures of evil things, disobedient to parents. Now, compared to the other things, that might seem like a little thing, but that's how it starts. Young, maybe as children. They're undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, and more. Now, I wonder, could any of these sinful attitudes and behaviors cause people to be alone? Would any of these things cause people to be alone?

Would sexual morality, would covetousness, would murder and envy, being a backbiter, would that cause some people to want to be alone? To maybe not trust people and want to get too close to certain people? Well, of course. These qualities don't motivate the unity God intended in marriage, and certainly not in family, but yet this is the way of the world today.

According to the science of the people, science of people, excuse me, societal trends show that people are feeling more alone today, even though they are more connected to one another digitally. You know what I'm talking about. They got these telephones. I know smartphones, whatever. More connected than ever. And yet, look at the stats. The 1920 reading from the science of people, the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey shows that 40.3 percent of Americans report feeling lonely at least sometimes. Gallup's 2024 research found that one in five U.S. adults experience loneliness daily. One out of five. That's not how God wanted it to be. And this one's interesting. What do you suppose the loneliest age group is?

Contrary to the stereotypes that elderly people are the loneliest, Gallup's 2024 data confirmed that young adults age 18 to 34 report the highest levels of loneliness across all age groups. Did you guys know that? I'm looking at the young crowd over here. Did you know that? It's interesting, isn't it? You may not feel lonely if you're among the young or among the elderly here. We may not feel as lonely. Why? What makes us special? Well, we're not special on our own, but we have each other. We have a congregation. We have a church. We have God working with us. That makes a difference.

Sin and loneliness is not what God wants for mankind or anyone. It's not good.

So now let's get to what do we do about this. What can we do?

As members of God's church, those who, through the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit, through the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit, we are betrothed to the Lamb of God. That's a marriage thing. We're going to a spiritual level now. And we are also, if we have God's Spirit in us, we are also the begotten children, begotten children in God's divine family. We just haven't realized it yet because of the firstfruits we wait till Christ returns at the seventh trump.

So the question is, what can we do then to strengthen our relationships with God and brethren, and so keep ourselves and others from being alone? What can we do? These are going to be action statements to a degree. What can we do? Number one, I offer that we need to learn to love and serve our brethren. Love and serve. Sometimes you serve and then learn to love. Either way you put it, it's something we need to be doing. Learn to love and serve our brethren.

Let's turn to 1 John 4, verse 20. 1 John 4, 20. We hear a lot about serving, and sometimes the word may lose its meaning because any word we hear too often tends to be, our ears can get dull. But serving has to do with giving of ourselves. It's the echo of Christ's foot-washing example. To love Jesus Christ, we must love our brethren. We must love our brethren. It's not a rule I came up with or you, but it's what's in Scripture. 1 John 4, verse 20. John the apostle writes, if someone says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar, meaning you really don't love God. For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? In this commandment, we have from him that he who loves God must love his brother also. You have to do it all. Love God and love brother. Brethren. You can jot down 1 John 3, 16 as well. It talks about Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. We have to imitate Christ and be willing to lay down our lives for our brethren. And it specifically says, for our brethren.

In our congregation, then, in our congregation, love for brethren requires a godly attitude. It requires compassion. And it requires sincere concern.

Now, we may not feel very good at that at first. Just like we're not comfortable doing anything for the first time, we feel a little awkward. But the more we try to express a godly attitude, doing the right thing, and compassion, and concern, we are going to be learning. God will help us because God is also working with us. God is going to help us to love all members, not just in our congregation, but in the entire body of Christ, the Church.

You know, from the book of Ruth, I'm sure we recall how Ruth told Naomi, quote, Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Right? Ruth 1, 16. We need a similar heart and approach in our congregations. God's people must become our people. God's people must become my people. It's something we have to work at. It's a commitment we make. We need to respect and treat each other as loving members of a family should. Notice I didn't say treat each other as a family. Treat each other as a family should. Who sets the standard?

God does. Let's look at 1 Timothy 5 verse 1. 1 Timothy 5 verse 1. I'll get here eventually. My brain says this direction. My fingers go the opposite direction. What's going on?

There you go. 1 Timothy 5 verse 1. This is Paul's instruction to Timothy, but it applies to all of us. The principles are the same. We need to respect and treat each other as loving members of a family should. Here's the right attitude and approach. Part of it, Paul says, do not rebuke an older man. Don't talk down to him. Do not rebuke him like he might someone you don't like.

Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father. And exhort younger men as brothers, and older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with all purity. Purity of heart, sincerity, and truth from the best of motivations.

And so to our children and young people here today, do you respect other children and young people in the church like brothers and sisters? Again, as you should, as a loving family should. I know in families we kind of, well, my family, no, I'm not going to go with my brothers and sisters. We didn't always get along real well. We do now. But we're supposed to be looking at one another as young people, the other young people in our congregation. We're supposed to be treating them like brothers and sisters to us older ones. Do we treat our peers? Do we treat other adults as brothers and sisters? As we should. I know I've heard some of our stories with family. I'm going for the ideal here, okay?

And for all of us, do we respect the elderly, the older ones among us? Do we respect them as we should, our mother and her father? I do. That's why I tease and torment some of the older folks. I show love by joshing them a bit, and that's just, and always with kindness, I think, and poking a little fun and telling some jokes. But that's, and I know a lot of us do that, that's part of being familiar and being open and open-hearted with one another as well. Do we treat each other with respect? We must not be hateful. We must not be resentful. We must not belittle one another.

That means we don't do it in front of them. We don't do that behind them, either.

Because God hears, even if they don't. We mustn't spread gossip. We mustn't spread rumors. And I would also add, we should not race to make assumptions. Over and over again, when I make assumptions, that's usually when I make the wrong way of thinking. I've jumped to a wrong conclusion. We must be forgiving. We must love as Christ loves us. Again, the local congregation must become our congregation. We have to take ownership. We have to take ownership. It's part of our family, part of the family of God, too.

And so in our congregation, you might say that's the attitude, that's the approach we should have, that should be our motivation. What about the doing part? What about the action part? Well, we must learn to live joyfully with one another, for we are the betrothed bride of Christ. We've got to learn to get along with each other as we all are learning to be like Christ, to be compatible with Jesus Christ. Love requires right motivations, yes, and also requires choosing to lay down our lives and service for our brethren with sincerity and humility. Again, that example of Jesus Christ foot washing. We must be putting away pride in self. Now, some of us, I know, I watch. I do watch. My kids make jokes about how I'm part of the neighborhood watch. I grew up on the farm. You're always looking out the window for weather, see what the farmer's doing, what's so-and-so doing across the road? Well, I'm not nosy, I just watch. Sometimes I'm nosy. Now, some of us serve at Sabbath services, and I see it. We voluntarily help with setup and with cleanup. We've got a number of people. These rooms, this building, doesn't get cleaned miraculously unless part of the miracle is the people that keep volunteering to do it. And I guess that part would be true. We help with setup and cleanup. Fellow shipping, that is a service. We help with speaking. And by the way, I have been giving thought to perhaps it's getting time to do some kind of speech club again, bring some of our younger people along. We have help with leading songs and running the sound. We bring snacks. We encourage one another. We exhort one another, and we comfort one another according to our ability. According to our ability, we find a way to serve. Now, many others of us serve outside of services. If the only serving you do happens in this room, in this building, we got a lot more we got to be doing, folks.

Some of us provide transportation for appointments, for shopping. Some of us can't drive anymore.

Some of us share meals. I've been hearing from Rick and Penny. They've been just deeply touched by Rick and Penny. They've been touched by the outpouring of love and help for them, and they need the help right now.

We need help. We serve in visiting shut-ins. We help those in care facilities, hospitals. We help our spiritual widows and orphans in need. We send notes and cards of encouragement. We stay in touch by phone, text, or email. A lot of this, I don't know what you're doing, but I'm glad because I don't need to know. God needs to know. But when I hear things, I just got such and such from so-and-so, and I'm going, really? How wonderful! Oh, yes! That's a good thing. God sees it. All of us must be serving our brethren in the ways that we are able. Of course, prayer is probably the most important part. Don't neglect prayer. And so, the bride of Christ, we're told, the Church must make herself ready. And we are making ourselves ready to be incompatible and of like mind with Christ when we are humbling ourselves and we're pushing through any selfish reluctance. See, the biggest barrier we have to service is usually ourselves. We've got to say yes and just do it. And don't be so quick to say no to be able to help others. Another thing, number two, how to do more as a congregation, as individuals in the Church, that we're not alone and others aren't alone. Number two, don't forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Don't forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Now, a sure way to feel alone and isolated is to forsake, or another word is to give up coming to Sabbath services, even though we are perfectly actually able to attend. So, I'm clarifying, there are some that want to be here that cannot be here, but there are others that can be here and are able to be here but maybe too often choose not to be here.

As I say, there's many that are unable to attend services, but they surely would like to attend, but they can't. The best way to build relationships and to edify our brethren is to do so personally, and being at services is one of the best times to do it. Let's look at Hebrews 10.24. This is where we have that direction in Hebrews 10.24.25. Hebrews 10.24.25.

It's an ample warning. Hebrews 10.24, and let us consider one another.

And so, we got a there's a tendency as human beings to want to get off on our own. We want to be the little baby zebra and the Serengeti that gets behind the herd. And you know what happens? You've seen Mutua Vomha's wild kingdom growing up, right? The lion or the cheetah gets it. We don't want Satan to get those who are alone, even among ourselves. Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, even the back in the days of the early church. But exhorting one another, that's what we need to be doing. And so much the more as you see the day approaching. What day? The day of Christ's return. The day of our salvation. It's not good to live alone spiritually apart from the fellowship. Now, the webcast, and my hat's off to a number of people in this congregation that work hard to make sure our webcast is pretty solid. It's good. We've got good equipment. And the rest of us try to make sure we give good spiritual food and do season. The webcast is a wonderful blessing and a service. That is true. But it is not the same as being at Sabbath services. I know that from personal experience as well. It's not the same. And all of you on the webcast are going, yeah, that's right. That's right. I hear you. So if it is possible for you to attend services, then you need to make plans to come to services in person. You need to share in the personal fellowship with the brethren with whom you share God's Holy Spirit. You need to be that one-on-one for that. You need to come to services and allow God to use you, to use your personality, to use your quirks, your funny sense of humor, whatever it might be. You need to come and allow God to use you and your life experiences as well and His love and His Spirit in you to help build bonds of unity for yourself and others in the Church. There may be some lonely people here. They'd love to have you come. You may be more alone than you realize. And you need to be here for your sake, for your sake. Number three, point number three. Point number three, the battle loneliness, not be alone. Be married. I'm looking at the young folks. I'm looking at some old folks, too. Be married. Be married. Now, this third point takes us back to how God first addressed Adam's state of being alone. Being married remains a wonderful and blessed way not to be alone. Proverbs 18 22 tells us, he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. Now, I'm confident, I think, to say this. She who finds a good husband also obtains good favor from God. I think it goes both ways. 1 Corinthians 7 verse 2. 1 Corinthians 7 verse 2, Paul addresses some urgent natural reasons, natural reasons why we need to be married, or at least why some need to be married. God never commands that every single person be married.

1 Corinthians in the natural sense. 1 Corinthians 7 verse 2.

Paul gives some reasons. He writes, nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, you know, sex outside marriage and lusting and all these things that get into our heads, let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband. And then he continues verse 7. Paul says, for I wish that all men were even as I myself. Well, Paul was unmarried. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. Seems to be suggesting some people don't need to be married. They don't need to be married, and they choose not to. He continues verse 8, but I say to the unmarried and to the widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am, single, but if they cannot exercise self-control. Can you control the flesh? Can you control the lust and the thoughts? If you can't control yourselves, then let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. Burn with passion. And so if living alone makes you really miserable, and your fire of passion burns too hotly, I'm using the innuendo of Scripture, then you should marry. Rather than allowing yourself to cave in to succumb to sin, lusting, and having sex outside of marriage, that is a very dangerous sin. It is very hard to overcome. It can be overcome with God's help, but you set yourselves up for all sorts of mistakes, and Paul's wanting us all to avoid that. Now again, Paul personally preferred being unmarried. Why? Verse 32. But I want you to be without care.

Being unmarried means you don't have to be fretting about your spouse or the children, your own children. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world, and how he may please his wife. And so Paul could see that being single allowed him to focus on pleasing God and giving himself even more entirely to serving God and the church and his brethren. Now Paul also knew, and so should we, that through baptism and receiving God's Holy Spirit in us, we become betrothed spiritually to Jesus Christ. Paul knew he wasn't really alone.

Paul makes that clear in 2 Corinthians 11. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 11, verse 2.

2 Corinthians 11, verse 2.

He mentions our betrothal in a spiritual sense. 2 Corinthians 11, verse 2. Paul is writing to the Corinthians. He is helping to correct some misdirection. They're going the wrong way a bit. He says, for I am jealous for you. He's writing to his brother in Corinth. He says, I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste version to Christ. God had been using him to bring them along, to teach them about the gospel and their relationship with God and Christ. He didn't want them to go down the wrong path. And so Paul embraced the fact, we see here, that he was betrothed to Jesus Christ. And he gave his life and devoted service to Christ, with whom he endeavored to become as one. And we are all in that endeavor, reaching our own way, striving to become one with Christ through this process of conversion. And throughout Scripture, marriage is used to show the intimate relationship God wants to have with his people. From the Old Testament to new, we find metaphors regarding having a right relationship with God or a not-so-good relationship with God related to marriage. Let's look at Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5, verse 28 through 32.

And so again, throughout Scripture, marriage is used to show the intimate relationship God wants to have with his people. He wants to have with you and me. In Ephesians 5, 28 through 32, while instructing husbands on how to love their wives—and that's another sermon—Paul describes the oneness that the church has with Christ. Verse 28, he says, So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Because you're supposed to be as one. Verse 29, For no one ever hated his own flesh. That's ludicrous, Paul's saying, but he nourishes and cherishes it just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. And then he quotes those verses from Genesis. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother to be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. So he's really talking about, at a higher level, the relationship we are to be having with Jesus Christ. It's a marital level relationship. So as we are members of the church and be betrothed to Christ, we who have God's Spirit in us, we've been baptized, received, or laying on of hands, Spirit through laying on hands. One was expected to be faithful in marriage. Are we being faithful and loyal to Christ? Are we being faithful and loyal to God?

For example, are we following God's instruction in actually doing what he says?

I think I bring that up every message. I'm going to probably keep doing it. Are we following God's instruction in actually doing what he says? Are we trying to?

Are we faithful to have no other lovers but Christ?

Are we faithful to have no other lovers but Christ? You know, we don't love self more than Christ. We don't love riches more than Christ. We don't love sin more than Christ. Are we there yet? Are we staying in close contact with God, with Christ, through prayer and study? If you love someone, if you're married to someone, don't you communicate?

Yep, you better. Sometimes we listen better than I'm not going to go there. But that's the ideal. We communicate with each other. It's part of becoming one. And are we doing those things that please Christ? Are we doing those things that please Christ? That's what Paul was talking about. He was aiming to please Christ. He's betrothed to Christ. He wants to please Christ. Warp of betrothed to Christ. We need to be striving to please Christ.

Though a physical marriage may not be for everyone, Paul says it. A physical marriage may not be for everyone. But we should all eagerly anticipate being the bride of Christ and attending the marriage supper of the Lamb. Let's look at Revelation 19, 7-3-9. Bring up the marriage of the Lamb. I feel like I've got to turn here. Revelation 19, verse 7-3-9 is referring to those who are Christ. I'm going to turn to the resurrection of the Spirit life. Revelation 19, verse 7-3-9.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come. And his wife is the church, and we're part of the church. And his wife has made herself ready, and to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Sounds like we need to be busy doing righteous things. And then he said to me, write, blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, these are the true sayings of God. They're true sayings.

They will happen. And so again, point three, be married. Especially strive to be married to the Lamb of God. That's what we're all working on.

And so through God's creation, as we wrap up, through God's creation of marriage and family, and through lots of instruction and references throughout the Bible, through figurative imagery, God reveals that it is not good for man or mankind to be alone. And God has blessed us in this age with spouses and family, children, grandchildren, and family expansive. And scripture also reveals that God has plans for mankind to never be alone spiritually. And I've just touched upon it today. The Father wants all people to repent and to become members of his divine family. And we do that through faith in Jesus Christ in the process of conversion. Truly, brethren, it is not good for man to be alone.

And one day mankind will be alone no more forever. Where? In the family and kingdom of God.