Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP190017A
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00:01 The Bible tells us,
00:02 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 00:05 and the Word was God." 00:07 It says to, "Receive with meekness 00:10 the implanted Word, 00:11 which is able to save your souls. 00:14 And to be diligent to present yourself approved to God, 00:17 rightly dividing the Word of truth." 00:20 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:25 Our study today is Family Seasons. 00:33 Hello, friends. 00:34 Welcome to the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:36 We are so excited 00:38 that you've taken the time to tune in today. 00:40 And if you are one of our regulars, 00:42 thank you for remembering this network 00:44 for a walk through the Word of God 00:46 when we study our Sabbath School lesson. 00:48 We're excited about it. 00:50 I know our panel is and thank you, 00:51 get your Bible, your pens, 00:53 invite your family to get together 00:55 because no better time 00:57 than spending it in the Word of God 00:58 can we think about today. 01:00 Before we go any further and tell you about 01:02 how to get a copy of the lesson, 01:03 let me introduce our panelists today. 01:05 To my immediate left is my good friend, 01:07 the singer in Israel and the preacher also, 01:10 Pastor Ryan Day. 01:11 Good to have you here, Ryan. It's great to be here, Brother. 01:12 And the lady with many hats and wonderful hair, 01:17 Shelley Quinn. 01:18 Good to have you here, Shelley. Thank you. 01:20 Well, we're family here. 01:21 So we're very comfortable with each other. 01:22 So good to have you, a woman of the Word of God 01:24 and we appreciate that. 01:26 Thank you. 01:27 Pastor Kenny Shelton, a man who loves to preach 01:29 and proclaim and teach. 01:30 Good to have you here today. Thank you. 01:31 Good to be here. Thank you. 01:33 And Jill Morikone, our general manager of 3ABN 01:36 and another one who is a list lady 01:40 and I appreciate it every time you teach, 01:42 I'm writing. 01:44 Thank you for being here today. 01:45 I might have some list today too. 01:46 Good. Amen. 01:48 You know, this lesson is about entitled "When Alone." 01:50 If you'd like to get a copy of that, 01:52 go to the following website, 01:53 ABSG.Adventist.org to download a copy but 02:00 if you are in the area of an Adventist church, 02:01 do stop by, ask for a copy, and then stay by, 02:04 and join them in their study of God's Word. 02:07 This lesson is on relationships 02:10 and particularly the one from April 20-26 02:13 is all entitled "When Alone." 02:17 We live in a world that suffers 02:20 from loneliness to a great degree. 02:23 There was a story that this lesson began with. 02:25 But let me go ahead 02:27 and first read the memory text for you 02:28 that covers the landscape of this lesson. 02:33 The text is in Genesis 2:18. 02:37 And obviously, the Lord is saying this to Adam. 02:41 "And the Lord God said, 02:44 It is not good that man should be," what? 02:47 Alone. "Alone. 02:49 I will make him a helper, comparable to him." 02:54 The King James Version says the "helpmeet," 02:56 and I never forget in the back of my mind, 02:58 a pastor once said 03:00 and that doesn't mean help meet expenses. 03:04 Helpmeet The King James Version, a spin off. 03:07 A light way of thinking about it. 03:08 It begins with a very kind of a melancholy story. 03:12 The lesson begins with about a lady 03:14 who was found in her apartment. 03:18 But before we talk about the story, 03:20 you know, what we should do? 03:21 We should begin with prayer. 03:22 Jill, would you have prayer for us? 03:24 Sure. 03:25 Holy Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus. 03:27 And we just thank You for the gift of Your Word. 03:30 We thank You for the privilege of opening it up 03:32 and studying today. 03:33 And we ask that You would anoint our minds, 03:36 and our hearts, our ears, and our tongues, 03:39 and we thank You. 03:40 In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. 03:42 Thank you so much. Thank you so much. 03:45 On the Sabbath afternoon edition of the lesson 03:48 there was a story, very melancholy story 03:50 about a woman who had been found in her apartment 03:54 and she was found dead, deceased. 03:57 The sad reality was when they really examined the scene, 04:02 she had been dead for 10 years. 04:04 Have mercy. 04:06 And it was in a very populated city. 04:07 And the question was, 04:09 how can someone living in such a populated city, 04:12 not be missed and be deceased for 10 years. 04:16 And it was a story that was quite a moving one. 04:19 But the story, although very melancholy, 04:23 very hard to fathom, 04:25 opens the door to a very real situation 04:28 that many people deal with. 04:30 Many people live lonely lives, 04:32 many people are in a crowded room, 04:35 or walking in a mall, or maybe on a train, 04:38 or an airplane, and they are very, very lonely. 04:41 And so our lesson is going to talk about 04:43 how to handle those lonely components of life. 04:48 Companionship of the person that is probably not married, 04:51 the person that's going through difficulty or hardship 04:53 by himself or herself. 04:55 So we're gonna talk about that today 04:57 because although 04:59 we may and all of us on this table 05:01 are married every one of us is, 05:02 but there are some people 05:04 and Pastor Day is gonna talk about this, 05:06 that are not married, how do they deal with life 05:08 and how do they face loneliness? 05:11 Thankfully, mine is about companionship. 05:13 And I like this because I have a wonderful companion. 05:18 I praise God for her every day. 05:20 If you know me at all, my wife's name is Angela. 05:23 And she's an English girl born in England 05:26 with Jamaican descent. 05:27 But God knew exactly who I needed in my life 05:30 to become the man that he molded me to be. 05:33 And by the way, she helped him mold me. 05:37 Oh, all husbands got to admit that. 05:38 Lord's helped me. 05:40 The Lord said, you need a molder. 05:41 Amen. 05:43 And praise God, she helped me mold, 05:45 help the Lord mold me. 05:47 He gave her instructions 05:48 and she followed them to the tee. 05:50 But Ecclesiastes 4, let's turn there. 05:53 Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. 05:56 A beautiful passage. 05:57 And as we turning there. 06:02 There are some components here, it says, 06:05 "Two are better than one 06:07 because they have a good reward for their labor." 06:11 My wife and I traveled everywhere together. 06:13 Amen. Because Pastor C.D. 06:15 Brooks, I remember years ago. 06:16 He said to me, and to her, he says, you know, 06:19 "When you get old and you're no longer traveling, 06:22 when you look at your pictures, 06:24 make sure both of you are in it." 06:25 Amen. 06:26 What a blessing 06:28 because I know a lot of leaders that travel 06:29 and you don't know who their spouses are. 06:31 Either she's a woman that's traveling for reasons 06:35 that are various in or pastor traveling. 06:37 And I know some very famous speakers in our church, 06:40 I don't even know who their spouses are. 06:41 And that goes for men and women. 06:43 I don't know who they're linked to. 06:44 But the encouraging thing is, every time I get a letter, 06:47 or an email, or phone call, or people leave a message, 06:50 they say, "Tell your wife hello for us." 06:53 Oh, hey, we appreciate what you and Angela are doing. 06:55 And that shows that our impact, our intentional purpose. 07:00 Even when I get invite to places, 07:02 I say, another ticket, please. 07:04 And when they say they can't afford, 07:06 when I say well then cancel me. 07:07 And that's worked. 07:08 So I don't even have to say that any longer 07:10 because two are better than one. 07:11 Come on now. Amen. 07:13 Somebody said, what is your wife going to do 07:14 when she comes? 07:15 I said, she's gonna be my wife. 07:17 After I speak to all of you, 07:18 I need somebody to get me back to be saying again. 07:20 Come on now. Right, two are better than one. 07:22 And look at verse 10. 07:24 Here's the reason, "For if they fall, 07:26 one will lift up his companion, 07:29 but woe to him who is alone when he falls, 07:32 for he has no one to help him up. 07:34 Again, if two lie down together, 07:36 they will keep warm. 07:38 But how can one be warm alone? 07:41 Though one may be overpowered by another, 07:43 two can withstand him." 07:45 And I love this, the God component. 07:47 "And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." 07:51 And so the question is, 07:53 what is the basic idea of these passages? 07:55 And what principle of life is it taking? 07:58 Is it talking about in general? 08:00 The point I think is bringing out panel is 08:03 very few of us can make it through life alone. 08:06 You know, we have people in our congregation 08:07 that are loners, 08:09 when I say loners, 08:10 it's not that they don't like people, 08:12 but either maybe the loss of a spouse, 08:14 or maybe circumstances of life. 08:17 And so whenever we have Testimony Time, 08:18 they stand up and they speak. 08:20 And sometimes people say, wow, they always stand up. 08:23 They always have something to say, you know, what I say? 08:26 There's no one at home for them to talk to. 08:28 Yeah. 08:29 This is their only chance to express themselves, 08:31 let them talk. 08:32 And people have said, 08:34 Pastor, I really appreciate you let me talk 08:36 and I know that I always have something to say. 08:38 But I think about when they go home, 08:39 there's no one to converse with. 08:41 No one to sit down, no one to say welcome home, 08:44 no one to turn to in those quiet moments, 08:46 and we talked on the phone. 08:48 Sometimes I've talked to them and I'm driving in my car, 08:50 we speak for an hour and five minutes 08:52 and they say, okay, thanks so much, 08:54 people in care homes. 08:56 I think of our good friend Betty Smith, you know. 09:00 We're talking about a little bit of everything. 09:02 And I say her name because we have a great relationship. 09:06 And she says what? 09:07 You called at the right time. 09:09 I just needed somebody to talk to. 09:10 Amen. 09:11 And it makes a difference in people's lives. 09:13 So let's look at some of the components 09:14 of the things that we can face in life. 09:16 And, Jill, you did rub off on me 09:18 because I'm starting to write list. 09:19 I'm looking number one, two, three, four. 09:21 It's starting to work. 09:22 But today, I'm gonna give you two things 09:24 right off the bat that I believe 09:26 all of us will face at one time or another. 09:28 That's why companionship is so vitally important. 09:31 And let's look at John 16:32 and 33. 09:38 John 16:32 and 33. 09:41 I was, as you're turning there, 09:44 there was a story told about a man who goes to church. 09:46 Matter of fact, he goes to church on Sabbath. 09:49 He goes to work from Monday to Friday. 09:52 And he said his loneliest day of the week is Sunday 09:55 because he has people around him at work, 09:58 people around him at church. 09:59 Yeah. That's true. 10:00 On Sunday, he has no one to talk to. 10:02 And so that may be the neighbor, 10:03 that may be the person living right next door to you. 10:05 So if you see somebody 10:07 sitting in the local coffee shop 10:09 or the donut shop, 10:10 and they're sitting there by themselves, 10:12 slide over and say hello to them. 10:13 You'd be surprised how many people will appreciate 10:15 just an encouraging word from someone. 10:18 What are the principles here? John 16:32-33. 10:21 Do you have that, Shelley? I do? 10:23 "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, 10:27 that you will be scattered, each to his own, 10:30 and you will leave me alone. 10:32 And yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 10:35 These things I have spoken to you, 10:37 that in Me you may have peace. 10:39 In the world you will have tribulation, 10:42 but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 10:45 Amen. 10:47 And notice the component, Jesus said, 10:48 "I will, you will leave me alone," 10:50 but I won't really be alone because the Father is with me. 10:54 Now we know that the Lord says 10:58 He'll never leave us nor forsake us. 10:59 Am I right? 11:01 But there are some people that we need to be Jesus to them. 11:05 We need to be Jesus in the flesh. 11:08 Like a little girl who was in the dark thunderstorm, 11:10 the lights went out. 11:11 And she didn't see her father. 11:13 She said, "Daddy, I'm afraid." 11:15 He said, "You may not see me, but I'm here." 11:17 But she was able to touch him. 11:19 We need to be Jesus in the flesh 11:20 for those who are going through those moments 11:22 because this text also points out 11:24 that every one of us will face tribulation. 11:26 Yes. That's right. 11:27 And how difficult and how compounded 11:29 that tribulation is, 11:31 when there's no one to help you through it. 11:33 Sometimes people just need advice. 11:34 I was sitting with a church member just last week. 11:36 And they said, 11:38 I just need some practical advice. 11:39 I just need to know what to do in this particular situation. 11:41 And they spelled it out. 11:43 And I said, here's what to do. And they said, you know what? 11:45 This person said, you know what? 11:50 I should have known this years ago, 11:52 but I was raised without a father, 11:54 without a father figure in my life. 11:56 And what you told me as a man, I never saw it that way before. 12:00 Maybe I should have known this years ago. 12:02 Thank you for spending the time with me. 12:04 So those moments 12:05 when they're going through their personal tribulations, 12:07 that sometimes we could be that helping hand 12:09 that word encouragement 12:10 because all it takes is just a good word 12:14 in season to lift someone's burdens. 12:16 Another one, Philippians 4:11-13. 12:19 This one, we like Philippians 4:13. 12:22 We all know that by heart, but it has a context to it. 12:26 Jill, do you have that one? 12:27 Yeah, 11 to 13? Yes. 12:29 "Not that I speak in regard to need, 12:31 for I have learned in whatever state I am, 12:33 to be content, 12:34 for I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. 12:37 Everywhere and in all things 12:39 I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, 12:42 both to abound and to suffer need. 12:45 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 12:48 That's right. Amen. 12:50 And so the Apostle Paul was talking about 12:52 the changing moments of life. 12:54 There are moments that abound, 12:57 the championship moments I refer to them as. 13:00 But then there are those rugged moments, 13:01 Pastor Kenny, where you're on the field, 13:03 you don't even know 13:04 if you're gonna make the championship. 13:05 And those are, you know, imageries of sports. 13:09 But there are those people that are fighting 13:10 in the trenches of life, 13:12 it's raining on them, 13:14 and they have no idea whether I'm gonna make it 13:15 to the very next day. 13:16 So they relish those moments 13:18 when the church has a special event, 13:20 or when the church has something 13:21 that they could be involved in, 13:23 when the church gives them some special function. 13:25 And they say, "Are you asking me to do that?" 13:27 Sure because, 13:29 it puts them in a context of they feel valuable, 13:31 they feel needed. 13:33 And so while I have 13:34 the joy of sharing companionship with the wife, 13:36 who God has blessed me tremendously with, 13:38 I think that the focus 13:40 I'd like to leave today as I transition to Ryan is, 13:42 think about the lonely people in your church community. 13:45 The lonely people in your neighborhood, 13:46 if you're not a part of a church community, 13:48 and become that person, 13:49 that arm of flesh that could encourage them, 13:52 could help them through the ups and downs of life 13:54 like the Apostle Paul, 13:55 and be there in the moments of tribulation, 13:58 to at least be a listening ear 14:00 and you will be amazed how much not only they, 14:03 but you also will be blessed. 14:04 Amen. That's way powerful. 14:07 You know, this is, this is such a sensitive topic, 14:10 as many of these topics throughout this lesson are. 14:13 And I can see how some people might respond in a negative way 14:17 because of their preconceived idea 14:19 or, you know, kind of the mindset 14:22 that they go into these particular topics. 14:24 But, you know, I want to encourage 14:26 everyone at home, and those listening, 14:27 and those studying around the world that, 14:29 you know, 14:30 we have to humble ourselves, 14:32 we have to go before the Lord in His Word, 14:34 and allow the Word of God to speak to us, 14:36 just as it says, you know, 14:37 sometimes the Lord makes it very clear 14:39 and we kind of complicate things. 14:41 And concerning my particular topic on Monday's lesson. 14:46 It's entitled "The Unmarried Life." 14:49 And perhaps maybe no other passage in all the Bible 14:53 is more clear on this subject or at least the counsel 14:55 that Paul gives us in this particular chapter 14:58 is very straightforward. 14:59 I would like for us to go to 1 Corinthians Chapter 7. 15:01 We're gonna start here and then, 15:03 we'll jump to some other text 15:05 just to kind of build a case for this 15:08 what we're talking about the unmarried life. 15:11 So I'm gonna start with 1 Corinthians. 15:13 Now, I just want to make mention 15:14 before we get to the base scriptures 15:16 we're gonna use in this chapter. 15:18 It's important 15:20 that we understand this passage from the context. 15:22 You know, a lot of people are gonna jump in 15:24 and they're gonna isolate certain texts, 15:25 are gonna read certain texts, 15:27 that Paul expresses here and communicate, 15:28 and they're gonna take it out of context, 15:30 and think what is Paul saying here? 15:32 But if we put it in proper context, 15:34 it makes perfect sense. 15:35 I want to draw your attention to 1 Corinthians 7:1. 15:38 Notice it says, 15:39 "Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me." 15:43 So Paul in discussing the contents of this passage, 15:45 and by the way, 15:47 much of 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, 15:49 it's his response to a letter that was written to him 15:52 from the Corinthian church. 15:54 And so he's addressing a concern that they have, 15:57 they had written to him obviously concerned about, 15:59 you know, what about people that are married? 16:01 What about people that are not married? 16:02 What is your counsel on them? 16:04 And so he sets it up nicely 16:05 first verse concerning those things 16:07 which you wrote to me. 16:08 But I also want to make mention here. 16:10 I love the way Paul is very open. 16:12 He's very honest in this chapter 16:13 because there are moments 16:14 throughout this particular chapter 16:16 that he makes note that, look, 16:17 I'm not necessarily communicating something to you 16:20 that the Lord has given me, the Lord has told me, 16:22 I'm simply giving you my opinion. 16:24 However, he instructs us, for instance, 16:26 1 Corinthians 7:12, 16:29 he says, "But to the rest I, not the Lord say." 16:31 And I appreciate that because while he was a very wise man, 16:35 I think we can trust in his counsel. 16:37 But much of the counsel in this particular chapter, 16:39 as we're gonna see, 16:41 is based on a specific situation in time, 16:44 in historical time, from our perspective 16:46 of what they were dealing with at that particular time. 16:49 I wanna start though in 1 Corinthians 7:25. 16:53 Notice what Paul says here, 16:54 we're just gonna kind of take it 16:55 verse by verse, 16:57 and let the Word of God speak to us. 16:58 Now I wanna give kind of a disclaimer here. 16:59 When I was reading 17:01 the New King James Version and the King James Version, 17:03 there were some terms and some words 17:05 that were probably a little difficult 17:08 for some people to kind of grasp and understand. 17:10 So I went to the NIV 17:12 and I kind of compared the translations 17:15 and they were almost identical. 17:17 So I'm gonna be reading from the NIV today, 17:20 you are more than welcome to follow in any translation. 17:22 But notice the context and notice the details. 17:25 1 Corinthians 7:25, it says, "Now about virgins. 17:30 I have no command from the Lord," 17:32 and I like how he says, 17:33 "I had no command from the Lord, 17:35 but I give a judgment as one 17:37 who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy." 17:39 So he's building his credibility, saying, look, 17:41 I'm being honest with you. 17:42 The Lord hasn't necessarily commanded me to tell you this. 17:44 But, you know, I think you can trust me 17:46 being that I'm a worthy servant of God. 17:49 Notice what he goes on the same verse 26, 17:51 "Because of the present crisis." 17:54 So I like to mention this because everything 17:57 we're about to read is in response 17:59 to a present crisis that himself 18:02 and the church in Corinth and some of the churches 18:04 around that area 18:05 were dealing with a particular crisis. 18:07 Now, there's not any specific mention in this text, 18:10 or any other texts 18:11 that I'm aware of that tells us what this specific crisis is. 18:14 But if you consider it from a historical standpoint, 18:17 most biblical scholars and theologians 18:20 actually 18:21 are leaning more towards the fact that obviously, 18:23 at this particular time, 18:24 give or take 50, 51, 52 AD which is probably 18:28 when the book of 1 Corinthians was written by Paul, 18:31 or the letter of Corinthians. 18:32 We know that this was during the time of great tribulation 18:36 and persecution of Christians. 18:37 Not only that, just given the context of this passage, 18:40 Paul is addressing these issues 18:42 because Paul was of the conviction 18:44 that Jesus was coming back very, very soon. 18:47 And so when you read this chapter, 18:49 it makes perfect sense as why he would say in verse 26, 18:51 "Because of the present crisis, 18:53 " he continues to say, 18:55 I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 18:59 Are you pledged to a woman? 19:02 Do you seek to be released? 19:06 Are you free from... 19:08 Excuse me, do not seek to be released, he says. 19:10 Are you free from such a commitment? 19:13 Excuse me, "Do not look for a wife. 19:16 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, 19:19 and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. 19:21 But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, 19:24 and I want to spare you this." 19:26 Now obviously, Paul is simply, 19:28 he's obviously he's not condemned. 19:30 I want to say this very clear. 19:31 He's not condemning people for marrying. 19:33 In fact he plainly says here, 19:34 if you're married you have not sinned. 19:35 In fact, he's not necessarily saying it, 19:37 you know, he makes it very clear. 19:39 If you're married, please don't go 19:40 and undo this commitment 19:42 because of what I'm about to say. 19:44 But he makes it very, very clear 19:45 that he strongly counsels against it 19:48 giving the current circumstances of his time. 19:50 Let's continue on to verse 29. 19:53 "What I mean brothers and sisters is," 19:55 notice at the time, is the time. 19:58 Excuse me. 20:00 "What I mean, brothers and sisters, 20:01 is that the time is short. 20:03 From now on those 20:04 who have wives should live as if they do not, 20:09 those who mourn, as if they did not, 20:13 those who are happy, as if they were not, 20:15 those who buy something, 20:17 as if it were not theirs to keep, 20:20 those who use the things of the world, 20:22 as if not engrossed in them. 20:24 For this world in its present form is passing away." 20:28 So Paul is simply emphasizing the urgency of the time 20:32 and the importance of people preparing to meet their Maker. 20:35 Okay, so he's saying, look, you know, Jesus is coming soon, 20:37 we're living in a very treacherous time. 20:39 You could call that particular time, 20:40 a little time of trouble, 20:42 and they were going through a very tribulation time period. 20:45 He goes on to say in verse 32, 20:46 "I would like you to be free from concern. 20:49 An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs, 20:53 how he can please the Lord. 20:55 But a married man is concerned 20:56 about the affairs of this world, 20:58 how he can please his wife, 21:00 and his interests are divided." 21:02 Okay? 21:03 Now understand the context. 21:05 He's not saying in general, 21:06 he's saying even a certain circumstances in the time 21:07 we're living look, this is simply the fact. 21:09 An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned 21:11 about the Lord's affairs. 21:12 Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord, 21:14 in both body and spirit. 21:16 But a married woman 21:18 is concerned about the affairs of this world, 21:21 how can she please her husband. 21:22 He communicates the reality of a divided heart 21:25 given the marital status of that particular time, 21:27 he counsels against it. 21:29 He says, look, the times we're living in, 21:30 we need to be focusing on the work of the Lord. 21:32 And, you know, the truth of the matter is, 21:34 and I was talking this about to Pastor John 21:38 and some of the panel, you know, 21:39 marriage is not for everyone. 21:41 That's right. It's true. 21:42 You know, truthfully, 21:44 sometimes we allow 21:46 our desire to be married to a certain person 21:48 that may not be for us, 21:49 come in between us and the Lord, 21:51 and between our work and the Lord. 21:53 And we had wonderful examples in scripture given, 21:56 Jeremiah Chapter 16 tells us 21:58 that Jeremiah even though he was a great prophet, 22:01 yet commanded, he was commanded to be single, 22:03 given the historical situation of his time. 22:06 We even have another example in the prophet Ezekiel. 22:09 You can read this in Ezekiel 24:15-18. 22:13 Ezekiel, the prophet lost his wife suddenly, 22:16 yet was expected by the Lord 22:18 to continue in the ministry with no time to mourn. 22:21 I mean, it wasn't like the Lord was being mean or harsh, 22:24 but yet the seriousness of the time 22:26 and the work at hand. 22:27 You know, God counsels us at times that 22:29 to be unmarried sometimes can be a blessing for some. 22:34 It's not necessarily for everyone, 22:35 Hosea, he was forced into a marriage, 22:37 I wouldn't say force, but he was, 22:39 he was kind of on the receiving end of an object lesson 22:42 that he simply was encouraged to marry 22:44 and did marry a harlot. 22:46 And, of course, through this 22:48 God was able to show obviously we can see 22:50 that God was trying to illustrate 22:52 the one sided love 22:53 that He has for Israel and for us. 22:56 I wanna leave you with this in closing, 22:58 you know, some of these topics 23:00 for some may be a little hard to do with and understand. 23:03 But in the context of being alone 23:05 sometimes for some people in certain situations, 23:08 it's the Lord's plan for a person to be alone 23:11 because he knows what's best for them. 23:12 Isaiah 55:8-9, 23:15 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts 23:17 and my ways are not your ways." 23:19 He simply says it Proverbs 3:5, 23:22 we have to live by this promise 5 and 6, 23:24 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart 23:26 and lean not on your own understanding, 23:28 in all your ways acknowledge Him, 23:30 and He shall direct your paths." 23:32 I like this what the lesson said today. 23:35 In this particular lesson, the writer says, 23:37 many voices today will tell us that unless we are married, 23:40 we are not complete. 23:43 Paul would respond and I like this. 23:45 Do not be conformed to this world. 23:47 Instead, present your bodies a living sacrifice, 23:50 holy, acceptable unto God, 23:52 which is your reasonable service. 23:54 And, of course, that comes from Romans 12:1-2. 23:58 So I just, 23:59 I pray for my brother and sister. 24:01 Seek counsel in the Word of God. 24:03 Pray for the path that the Lord has for you. 24:05 And follow it with all your heart. 24:07 Amen. Amen. 24:08 Thank you, Ryan, and wonderful job. 24:10 Friends, we'll be right back. Don't go away. 24:17 Ever wish you could watch a 3ABN 24:19 Sabbath School Panel again 24:20 or share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? 24:24 Well, you can by visiting 3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com. 24:29 A clean design makes it easy to find the program 24:32 you're looking for. 24:33 There are also links to the Adult Bible Study Guide 24:37 so you can follow along. 24:38 Sharing is easy. 24:40 Just click share and choose your favorite social media. 24:43 Share a link, save a life for eternity. 24:50 Welcome back to the Sabbath School Panel. 24:52 We're gonna give Miss Shelley Quinn the time 24:54 to talk about a very sensitive topic, 24:56 when a marriage ends. 24:58 Oh, yes and it is sensitive. 24:59 I just, I want you to know, 25:02 really been praying about this 25:04 because let me just start off by saying, 25:06 Satan hates marriage 25:10 because it is the reflection of the love 25:15 union of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 25:18 It's a reflection of Christ relationship with the church. 25:23 And families are the smallest unit of the church. 25:27 So Satan knows if he can destroy families, 25:31 he'll destroy the church. 25:34 I think the consequences of sin have touched all families. 25:40 I mean, you hear the word dysfunctional use so much. 25:42 I don't know if anybody has a functional relationship 25:45 nowadays. 25:46 But divorce is one of the hardest emotions 25:50 and I come from a divorce term. 25:52 And I know it's one of the hardest 25:54 emotional experiences for a family to go through. 25:58 And as far as actually going through it, I cannot imagine. 26:04 To me the death of a spouse is horrible. 26:08 But I've heard people say that a divorce is even worse 26:12 because there's no closure. 26:13 And divorce is the death of a vision. 26:18 And it causes grief, 26:19 and it causes financial insecurities, 26:23 and fear of coping, and anxiety, 26:25 and depression, and anger. 26:27 There's all these emotions that are wrapped up. 26:30 And, you know, what I've found? 26:32 Even when someone, 26:34 the person who actually files for the divorce, 26:37 they go through all these stages of grief as well. 26:40 But there is something that I want to say 26:43 and if you want to throw eggs at me, okay. 26:46 Divorce is not the unpardonable sin. 26:50 Please get that into your head. That's right. 26:53 Divorce is not and we'll come back 26:57 and look at that 26:58 because I know people and my mother was one of them. 27:02 The church, 27:03 it was a Sunday keeping church, 27:05 but the church in which I grew up, 27:07 made her feel like because she was divorced, 27:11 she had this scarlet letter A and I mean, 27:13 she never returned to church afterwards. 27:16 It was very difficult. 27:17 So let's read what God says about this and discuss this, 27:21 Malachi 2. 27:23 Malachi 2 and we're gonna begin with verse 14, 27:29 Malachi 2:14 27:32 and this is the Lord speaking. 27:34 "Yet you say, 'For what reason?' 27:37 Because the Lord has been witness 27:38 between you and the wife of your youth, 27:41 with whom you have dealt treacherously, 27:44 yet she is your companion and your wife by," what? 27:48 Covenant. "By covenant." 27:51 That's important, 27:52 "But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? 27:55 And why one? 27:57 He seeks godly offspring. 27:59 Therefore take heed to your spirit, 28:01 let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. 28:04 For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce." 28:11 Notice, He doesn't say 28:12 He hates those who are divorced. 28:15 That's right. Or go through a divorce. 28:17 He hates divorce. 28:19 God knows the pain that it causes. 28:22 And it says, "For it covers one's garment with violence, 28:25 says the Lord of hosts. 28:27 Therefore take heed to your spirit, 28:30 that you do not deal treacherously." 28:33 So we see that the marriage covenant typified 28:39 Israel's covenant with God. 28:42 And, you know, 28:43 Jesus has experienced them and tempted in all ways, right? 28:46 So He understands us. 28:49 He even understands divorce 28:50 because He went through it with Israel. 28:52 He went through the unfaithfulness 28:55 and so only men in this day 28:59 when this scripture was written, 29:00 only men could initiate the divorce. 29:03 And they were just ignoring the vow 29:06 that they made before God. 29:08 They should have practiced what God is saying 29:11 is practice the same commitment I do to you, 29:14 you know, with your wife. 29:16 So marriage is more than earthly bond. 29:20 It's a spiritual bond. 29:22 It's the product of the Holy Spirit to bring forth what end? 29:27 To produce godly children. 29:29 God hates divorce 29:31 because it breaks the covenant and it causes so much pain. 29:35 Now, let's look at what a reason for divorce 29:39 that was given in Matthew 5:31. 29:43 Matthew 5:31. 29:46 And the scripture reads, 29:49 "Furthermore," this is Jesus speaking, 29:51 "it has been said, 29:53 'Whoever divorces his wife, 29:54 let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 29:57 " Actually, this comes from Deuteronomy 24. 30:01 And, you know, what happened? 30:03 Moses was the reason, not Deuteronomy 24. 30:08 I'll figure it out. Yeah, you actually do right. 30:10 Okay, okay, Deuteronomy 24, 30:12 the reason Moses gave the certificate, 30:14 he was actually... 30:16 See, Deuteronomy 24 says, you can divorce for adultery. 30:22 But the rabbinical tradition started changing that. 30:27 You could divorce a wife because she burnt your toast. 30:31 If she was a bad cook, or if she had fading, 30:34 her looks were fading. 30:36 I mean, all man had to do is just say, 30:39 I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you. 30:42 So the rabbinical traditions that were written at that time, 30:46 when Moses permitted it by certificate, 30:49 he was actually putting in protection 30:53 because at least a man had to 30:54 write out his reasons for wanting a divorce. 30:57 It's like going through the filing process. 31:00 Would make them pause and think 31:01 instead of just in a moment of passion dismissing the wife. 31:05 So Jesus says, "I say to you, 31:07 whoever divorces his wife for any reason, 31:09 except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery. 31:12 Whoever marries a woman 31:14 who is divorced commits adultery." 31:15 Now, of course, 31:17 adult sexual immorality goes both ways. 31:20 So this is the only stated reason 31:23 in Scripture for divorce. 31:25 But we understand that for reasons of safety, 31:31 for reasons, 31:33 there's people 31:35 who need to protect themselves or their child, 31:38 and they need to either legally separate or divorce. 31:42 And I believe God understands that as well. 31:46 I know our church recognizes that. 31:48 Let me read the scripture that I would use to support that, 31:51 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, 31:54 "But know this, 31:55 that in the last days perilous times will come: 31:59 For men will be lovers of themselves, 32:01 lovers of money, boasters, proud, 32:03 blasphemers, disobedient to parents, 32:06 unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, 32:09 without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 32:13 traitors, headstrong, haughty, 32:15 lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 32:18 having a form of godliness, but denying its power. 32:23 From such people turn away!" 32:26 We did at Thanksgiving, 32:28 we went to St. Louis, 32:30 and we were at a ministry that reaches out 32:35 to help those who are homeless or abused. 32:38 It was so interesting to hear women's testimonies, 32:43 women who had been through years 32:47 of verbal abuse, 32:50 and whose husbands had treated them so poorly. 32:55 And then, 32:56 when it's often escalated into physical abuse, 33:00 I don't think that anybody can say... 33:03 I would say from such people turn away. 33:06 You know, 33:07 divorce is not the unpardonable sin 33:09 because we do believe in the law of God. 33:13 But we believe in the forgiving mercy of God. 33:19 And victory and salvation 33:21 can be found as surely for the person 33:24 who's been through a divorce 33:25 and remarriage as for anybody else 33:29 that has transgressed the law of God. 33:31 So we have to be so careful not to be judgmental, 33:35 did we not? 33:37 Jesus... 33:39 Or let me read what Paul had said 'cause my time's going. 33:43 Paul says to the married I command, 33:45 yet not I but the Lord. 33:47 This is 1 Corinthians 7:10, 33:50 "A wife is not to depart from her husband. 33:53 But even if she does depart, 33:55 let her remain unmarried 33:56 or be reconciled to her husband. 33:58 A husband is not to divorce his wife." 34:01 Says pretty clear, isn't it? 34:03 And listen what he says, "But to the rest," 34:06 and now he's talking to those who have mixed marriages. 34:09 Right. 34:10 Whether, you know, 34:11 where ones become a believer and the other hasn't yet. 34:14 He says, "I not the Lord, say, 34:17 if any brother has a wife who does not believe, 34:22 and she's willing to live with him, 34:24 let him not divorce her. 34:26 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, 34:29 if he's willing to live with her, 34:31 let him not divorce." 34:32 Let me read one quick thing. 34:34 This is coming directly from our Sabbath School quarterly. 34:41 The church has a redemptive agency 34:42 if Christ is to minister to its members 34:45 in all of their needs to nurture everyone, 34:48 so that all may grow 34:50 into a mature Christian experience. 34:53 Particularly, this is true 34:54 when members face lifelong decisions, 34:57 such as marriage and distressful experiences 35:01 such as divorce. 35:02 When a couple's marriage is in danger in breaking down, 35:06 every effort should be made by the partners 35:08 and those in the church or family 35:10 who minister to them 35:12 to bring about their reconciliation 35:14 in harmony with divine principles 35:17 for restoring wounded relationships. 35:20 And I'm gonna leave it at that other than to say, 35:22 please, as the Indians, 35:26 an Indian proverb is, 35:27 "Do not judge another man 35:29 unless you've walked a mile in his moccasins." 35:32 Right. Thank you. 35:33 Pastor Kenny. Yes. 35:35 Miss Shelley, thank you very much. 35:36 Amen. 35:38 These topics are designed to just really help us get 35:39 to the root of relationships. 35:41 And I know that we have some other topics coming up 35:44 that we've been really praying about. 35:46 And so, Pastor Kenny, yours is death and loneliness. 35:48 Yes. 35:50 Confirmation of a little bit to follow this. 35:51 You know, what a subject 35:53 when you think about what groundwork 35:54 that everyone's laid here, there comes a time 35:57 when, you know, maybe someone passes away, 35:59 this is death the Bible said. 36:01 We all have to face the reality 36:03 that someday it's going to hit us, 36:05 or hit some loved ones, or whatever it might be, 36:07 and others because the Bible is clear, 36:10 three little small passages about reality of death. 36:13 Some people say, oh, I'll just live on 36:14 or, you know, 36:16 it doesn't really matters nothing after this, 36:17 but the Bible is really clear, and Hebrews 9:27 says, 36:20 "It's appointed unto man wants," what? 36:22 "To die, but after this the judgment." 36:25 So there's something beyond death 36:26 that just, you know, 36:28 little food for thought that we move on here. 36:29 In Genesis 2:17. 36:32 The Bible says, you know, 36:34 when you look at, 36:35 if you eat of this tree of knowledge of good and evil, 36:37 you shall surely, what? 36:38 If you eat, you're going to die. 36:40 So we understand we're under, 36:41 you know, the death sentence here. 36:43 Is appointed to man to die and after this the judgment. 36:46 1 Corinthians 15:22 says, "As in Adam," what? 36:50 "All sinned and die." 36:51 That's right. 36:52 Yeah, I'm not giving you much time to look them up. 36:54 Just jot them down quickly, 36:55 and you can look those things up. 36:57 But it's very clear from Scripture 36:58 already we realized this appointed man once to die. 36:59 If Jesus doesn't come, 37:02 we're gonna die. 37:04 Our friends and relatives are gonna die. 37:05 Something's going to happen and death brings loneliness. 37:09 A lot of fears involved. 37:10 Fear of can I make it by myself? 37:13 The husband should die, the wife should die, 37:15 you know, just look at in your own life right now, 37:17 how lost many of us would be 37:19 because God has given us a good mate 37:21 that takes care of so many things for us, 37:24 where would we be? 37:26 And the lady, 37:27 lot of times the woman will think and tell, 37:29 well, my husband's gone, who's gonna... 37:30 And it's okay to think 37:31 that we're more than fixing the wash machine 37:33 and doing electrical work. 37:35 There's that combination. 37:36 It's we work with one another. 37:37 And it's just such a wonderful thing 37:39 to have a helpmeet. 37:41 But sometimes that may be changed, 37:42 sooner or later the time will come 37:44 just as simple. 37:46 And whenever it comes, I found this. 37:48 It's an unwelcome, I read that before. 37:50 It's an unwelcome guest. 37:51 No matter when it comes, there's never a good time. 37:53 So we live in this world of suffering. 37:55 We live in a world of death. 37:57 We live in a world of sin 37:58 and these issues are going to be set us 38:00 how we're going to react, 38:02 you know, with this. 38:03 Do we choose to cling to God when a disaster happens, 38:06 when death happens? 38:08 Do we cling to God? 38:09 To me it's like, there's two choices, 38:10 we either cling to Him to gather strength 38:12 and encouragement to continue on. 38:14 I don't know about you, if you ever come to a time 38:16 where you almost, 38:17 you know almost said, man, why hang on? 38:20 Why continue on and right quick, 38:22 the Holy Spirit says there's a reason why 38:24 because I've called you. 38:25 I've called you out of darkness into marvelous light. 38:27 Amen. 38:28 I've called you to do a work for me. 38:29 It's encouraging and it brings hope to, 38:32 you know, to each of our hearts and our minds. 38:34 So there is a choice, or we simply fall apart. 38:37 I've seen people fall apart, they quit church, 38:39 they give up on God. 38:40 And so we have to make the right choice. 38:43 And again, death was never intended 38:45 to be a part of life. 38:46 It was never intended to be a part of your thinking. 38:49 I got a question, it's interesting in our lesson. 38:51 So it brought out this question, 38:52 I don't know if any of you have read or not, 38:54 I chuckled to begin with and I'm not, 38:55 I don't really mean to, just that's the way I am. 38:58 I chuckle with it because it said, 38:59 the question is asked in our lesson. 39:01 What's the difference between humans and chickens? 39:05 Somebody stay with it now. 39:07 What's the difference between humans and chickens? 39:10 And my quick thought, 39:12 I think there's a lot of difference 39:13 between human and chickens. 39:15 And we could write a lot of, 39:16 when you think what's different in human and chickens. 39:18 We do have one thing in common with chickens and human being, 39:22 we all die, 39:24 they die. 39:25 But there's different to it with men 39:27 when we're looking at the man here, 39:29 we're talking about the difference is man 39:31 knows he's going to die, 39:33 the chicken doesn't know it. 39:35 It's good. 39:36 My dad always said we got some time, 39:37 he said, boys, are you worried about boys growing up? 39:39 Are you worried about your payments? 39:41 We don't have any payments, 39:42 you know, 39:43 the chicken doesn't have any payments. 39:45 He doesn't have any worry. 39:47 Guarantee there's not a thought that goes to the chicken's mind 39:50 that I'm gonna die. 39:52 And they stroll around in the barn yard 39:53 or out by the house like 39:55 they're gonna live forever and they go with it 39:56 and realizing I'll be careful. 39:58 This won't go into too much but I used to visit house 40:00 to wherever once in a while we go through their, 40:02 mama would go out she'd have an axe in her hand. 40:05 And all the chickens are playing around 40:06 having a good time out there, 40:08 they didn't realize that one of them 40:09 was going to be nailed. 40:11 One of them was gonna be sitting on the table. 40:13 Are you still with me? 40:14 No, I'm seriously, 40:15 I'm just simply saying 40:17 there's a difference between human beings 40:18 and God made that difference and the chicken. 40:21 Since we know that we're going to die, 40:23 the chicken didn't know he was for dinner. 40:27 But we know so what do we do? 40:29 Since we know we're going to die, 40:30 we need to prepare. 40:31 Yes. 40:33 We need to keep it in our heart and get in our minds that we... 40:35 It impacts our life. 40:36 It does impacts my life every day to think, 40:38 this could be my last day on this planet. 40:41 It's not feeling sorry for yourself. 40:42 It's not saying oh, boy, what was me? 40:45 It's simply that's how life is the Bible talks about, 40:47 it's like a vapor, we're just here, 40:49 we're here, you don't like to do, 40:50 we're here in moment and then we're gone. 40:52 And then what? 40:53 Then there's gonna be a judgment 40:55 and then there's heaven. 40:56 So we need to be prepared. 40:57 Someone mentioned previous series 40:59 that we need to be preparing, 41:00 maybe you, Ryan mentioned. 41:01 We need to be preparing for a better place. 41:03 So with that in mind that we're here 41:05 and then we're gone, 41:06 we need to be preparing for that better place. 41:08 Amos 4:12. 41:10 We know this, it says, the words are just so fantastic 41:14 and so bold. 41:16 It says, "Prepare to meet thy God." 41:19 If we don't know farther with that, 41:20 I mean that's just of an interest to me, 41:21 prepare to meet thy God. 41:24 Isn't that what we're here for, 41:25 for preparation to meet God 41:27 when He shall come in the clouds of glory? 41:29 Several passages of scripture I know in the Bible 41:32 teaches us about death. 41:33 And this is not a message on death 41:36 and what really happens at death. 41:38 But I've often wondered 41:39 and I think everybody has too 41:40 is many times there's a lot of people whose, 41:43 it seems taken prematurely, 41:45 but the righteous sometime they go to the grave early, 41:48 we lose our children right by, so all kinds of things happen. 41:50 We just can't quite put it all together. 41:52 But, you know, Isaiah 57:1 41:56 just really helped me, 41:58 I think I understood the principle. 41:59 Maybe I did, maybe I didn't, but this verse just really 42:02 brought it out to me, 42:03 God's still in control. 42:05 Why does good people, and that's a question. 42:07 Why do good people die young? 42:09 There may be a reason for that. 42:11 And I think there is Isaiah 57:1 42:13 it says, "The righteous perish, 42:15 they perish, 42:17 no man layeth it to heart, 42:19 the merciful man are taken away, 42:22 none consider 42:24 that the righteous is taken away 42:26 from the evil to come." 42:28 Wow! 42:30 We're laid to rest sometime because of what's before us. 42:33 Just like we realized before Jesus comes, 42:36 there's gonna be a terrible time of trouble. 42:38 God in His mercy is going to lay away 42:40 I believe the older who couldn't go through it, 42:42 and the younger ones, 42:44 you know, we can read about, that scripture 42:45 I think is clear, Spirit Prophecy is clear, 42:48 Councils on Health, page 375, 42:50 A Child Guidance, 42:51 page 556 talks about this, the merciful God. 42:55 We just say, oh, they left us too early 42:57 but God knows what's in the future. 42:59 And in His mercy some time He allows us to rest. 43:03 That's an encouraging scripture to me 43:05 that God has a watchful eye 43:07 over each and every one of us. 43:08 Isaiah 56:9, 43:11 refers to a nation soon to be divided, 43:13 we're talking about Judah. 43:15 I mean it's going to be a horrible nightmare 43:17 take place with him, 43:18 horrible time was to come upon them. 43:20 And then in Chapter 57, 43:21 it goes on to say there's a reason there 43:24 because of what was soon to take place 43:26 all that they would have to go through, 43:28 all that they would have to deal with. 43:31 God... 43:32 He took care of them, there was trials, 43:33 there was test, there were situations, 43:36 and God looked that everyone was precious little saints, 43:38 it'd be better if they rest for a while from these things. 43:40 So God is merciful and He's good. 43:42 Amen. 43:43 Here's a promise that I just want to... 43:45 As we go here, Revelation 21:4, 43:47 these are things that we've read all the time, 43:49 these are things I never... 43:50 I get encouragement every time I read. 43:52 Amen. 43:54 It never get old, I don't care how many times we read it. 43:55 That's right. 43:57 It brings me hope and brings me encouragement, 43:58 Revelation 21:4 promise. 44:00 "And God shall wipe away," what? 44:01 All tears. 44:03 "All tears from their eyes 44:04 and there shall be no more death, 44:06 neither sorrow, nor crying, 44:07 neither shall there be any more pain," why? 44:10 "For the former," oh good, they're what? 44:13 "They're passed away." That means to me they're gone. 44:14 That's right. 44:16 They think we've had, they're gone, they've departed, 44:19 they've come to a completion. 44:20 We don't have to worry about those things anymore. 44:22 And John speaks about 44:24 I won't say the death he talks about that. 44:26 That comes as a result from, you know, from sin. 44:30 "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is," what? 44:32 We know, "death" 44:33 literally the death 44:35 is what it's talking about there 44:36 in 1 Corinthians 15:26. 44:38 So there'll be a time that come 44:40 there will be no cause for sorrow. 44:43 Praise God. 44:44 Yeah, there's no cause for sorrow, 44:45 completely remove. 44:47 The time will come 44:48 when there would be no cause for crying. 44:50 Oh, hallelujah, praise God. 44:52 There come a time 44:53 when there's no cause for pain anymore. 44:56 They're all gone. 44:57 The former things as we know them 44:58 are gone forever. 45:00 They've all passed away, praise God. 45:02 I'm looking for a better country. 45:04 I don't know about each of you today. 45:05 Yes. 45:07 I'm just a stranger, I'm just passing through. 45:09 Amen. 45:10 You know, and I need to be planning for that 45:12 because death's going to come, sorrow's going to come. 45:15 And God has a wonderful plan 45:16 and a wonderful, beautiful, watchful eye, 45:19 not to see what you're up to, what you're doing, 45:20 so I could help you. 45:22 Kenny, you're gonna need some help here. 45:23 I'm here to help you. 45:25 And I just throw that out each one of you today. 45:27 God said, I'm watching over you and I want to help you, 45:29 I'm gonna be an encouragement regardless of what happens. 45:32 Regardless of what touches your life. 45:33 I'm here, I'm bigger, 45:35 I can touch you in a wonderful way. 45:36 Amen. 45:38 Bring it to the foot of the cross, 45:39 I believe it's what God wants to do 45:40 to each and every one of us today, 45:42 through sorrow, through death, through problems, 45:45 is to bring us to the foot of the cross 45:46 'cause I know that's where I need to be 45:48 day by day, hour by hour. 45:50 I need to be at the foot of the cross. 45:52 As the old song said, 45:53 oh, there's room at the cross for you 45:55 though millions have come, there's still room for one. 45:57 There's room at the cross for you. 45:59 Amen. 46:00 Thank you so much, Pastor Kenny, so well done. 46:03 Praise the Lord that He loves us. 46:05 Amen. 46:07 And that even in the midst of that, 46:08 He wants to work in our hearts and lives. 46:09 I know, every Sabbath night 46:11 when Greg and I kneel down by our couch, 46:13 you know, sundown vespers, 46:15 he always prayed something different. 46:17 But one thing is always the same. 46:19 God, we don't know 46:20 if one of us will be alive next week at this time. 46:24 But we give our lives to You. Amen. 46:25 And we want to live every day 46:29 for the Lord Jesus Christ. 46:30 Amen. 46:31 You know, it's important to live in that context. 46:33 I have Thursday, 46:35 which is spiritually single. 46:38 My definition for that 46:40 is someone who is legally married 46:43 while their home is spiritually divided. 46:47 At home I know each one of us 46:50 are blessed here on this panel with godly spouses 46:52 but at home I know there are many of you 46:55 walking this pain of spiritual singleness today. 47:00 And so this lesson specifically is for you. 47:02 Wow. 47:03 Spiritual singleness is a different pain 47:06 than the pain of singleness, 47:08 or the pain of divorce, 47:09 or the pain of widowhood. 47:11 It's a different type of pain. 47:13 These are the people who sit in church alone 47:16 because their husband or their wife 47:18 doesn't want to come to church 47:20 and doesn't want to be with them. 47:21 These are people who try to bring 47:23 their children to church. 47:25 But yet, 47:26 there's the pole of the other parents 47:28 in the home for those worldly things. 47:31 These are people who have to have worship 47:33 at home alone and have to pray alone 47:35 and can never discuss spiritual things 47:38 with their spouse, 47:40 that's the most intimate thing 47:42 and they can never discuss that with their spouse. 47:45 You might have married a person of another faith. 47:48 Maybe you married someone with no faith at all, 47:51 and you just said, but I love them. 47:54 And now you're walking 47:57 in the consequences of that decision. 48:00 You might have discovered Jesus 48:02 years into marriage as the lesson brought out, 48:05 Natalie, seven years into marriage, 48:08 she found Jesus, 48:10 she discovered the truth in God's Word. 48:12 And then her husband said, 48:14 this isn't what I signed up for when we got married. 48:16 You're a whole new person and I want the old person back, 48:20 spiritual singleness. 48:21 Now they didn't plan that. 48:23 But seven years into marriage, one of them changed. 48:26 Maybe you got married to someone 48:27 and you were both in church 48:29 and then years down the road, 48:31 your spouse left the church 48:33 or chose to walk away from Jesus. 48:35 There's a great loneliness with being spiritually single, 48:40 with having to walk this journey alone, 48:43 even while you're married to someone 48:45 but still walking alone. 48:47 Pastor John, you said I always give list. 48:50 Today I'm not sure I have list for you. 48:52 But if you're spiritually single, 48:55 this is for you. 48:57 I want you to know that you are never alone. 49:00 That's good. Amen. 49:01 Let's look at Isaiah 54. 49:03 Let's turn there. 49:04 Isaiah Chapter 54. 49:05 You are never alone. 49:07 Why are you never alone? 49:08 Because Christ is with you. 49:11 In the midst of that, 49:12 Isaiah 54:5, 49:15 you have that, Shelley, can you read that? 49:16 Yes. 49:17 "For your maker is your husband, 49:19 the Lord of hosts is His name. 49:21 And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, 49:25 for He is called the God of the whole earth." 49:28 Oh, yeah. 49:29 So this is talking specifically to a wife, 49:31 your maker is your husband, 49:33 but I think it can work in both camps. 49:34 Absolutely. 49:36 We also know Hebrews 13:5, 49:38 Jesus speaking, "Never will I leave you, 49:42 never will I forsake you." 49:44 So you might feel forsaken, 49:45 you might feel alone. 49:48 You might feel 49:49 that I'm treading this marriage, 49:50 I'm walking alone, but you are never alone. 49:53 The Lord Jesus Christ is right by your side, 49:57 in the midst of your marriage. 49:59 Also, Christ will bring 50:01 godly people into your life. 50:04 Let's look at Psalm 68. 50:07 And, Pastor, you want to read that verse, 50:08 Pastor John, Psalm 68:6. 50:12 Okay, Psalm 68:6, reads as follows. 50:17 "God set the solitary in families." 50:22 "God sets the solitary in families. 50:26 He brings out those who are bound into prosperity." 50:29 So I think with this means 50:30 is God is going to bring 50:32 other godly people into your life. 50:34 So if you're a woman and you feel spiritually alone, 50:37 God's gonna bring other woman into your life. 50:39 Women you meet in the church, 50:41 women you can be accountable to, 50:43 women that you can associate with and pray with. 50:46 If you're a man and you're spiritually single, 50:48 God is gonna bring other godly men in the church 50:52 into your life that you can pray with 50:55 and for and that you can be accountable. 50:56 That's a good thing. 50:58 First, you're never alone. 50:59 The second thing, I want you to know 51:00 is that you are loved. 51:03 Amen. 51:04 Jeremiah 31:3, you are loved by Christ. 51:07 He says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love. 51:11 Therefore with lovingkindness 51:14 I have drawn you." 51:15 But you're not just loved by the Lord Jesus Christ, 51:17 you're loved by other people. 51:19 1 John 4:7, 51:21 dear friends, 51:22 "Let us love one another, 51:25 for love comes from God." 51:28 So if you are in a body, 51:31 a church, 51:32 I want to encourage you to be involved in church 51:34 because the brothers and sisters in church 51:37 can love you, can reach out 51:40 and be the hands as it were, 51:41 as you talked about Pastor John, 51:43 the hands of Jesus. 51:44 Amen. 51:46 Third, know that, 51:48 and I don't know 51:49 if this might cause a little controversy, 51:51 but know that you are not judged. 51:53 That's good. 51:54 You're not judged for failing to convert your spouse. 51:58 God never brings 52:01 shame and condemnation. 52:03 I know that in this situation 52:05 you might be feeling a lot of guilt. 52:06 You might be feeling a lot of shame. 52:08 Maybe you're walking spiritually alone 52:10 because of choices you made years ago. 52:14 God brings conviction. 52:15 Yes, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin 52:18 and He brings us to repentance. 52:21 But at the same time, He never brings us shame. 52:23 He never brings us condemnation. 52:26 That comes from the enemy. Amen. 52:29 So its Satan is putting that on top of you. 52:32 And you're walking not only in a home 52:33 that's divided and you feel spiritually alone, 52:36 but you're walking 52:37 with that sense of shame and condemnation. 52:40 That is a lie from the enemy. 52:43 Jesus says that He loves you 52:44 and He is not judging you. 52:46 You can come to Him, 52:47 He will forgive 52:49 and He will walk in the midst of your difficult marriage. 52:52 And finally, 52:53 know that your actions 52:55 always speak louder than your words. 52:59 What do I mean by that? 53:00 Let's look at 1 Peter Chapter 3. 53:04 1 Peter Chapter 3. 53:06 You know, we're told 53:07 I can think of several scriptures, 53:09 as we turn there, 53:10 James 1:22, "Be doers of the word, 53:12 and not hearers only, 53:14 deceiving your own selves." 53:16 I think in Matthew 5:16, 53:18 "Let your light so shine before men, 53:19 that they may see your good works 53:21 and glorify your Father who is in heaven." 53:24 Amen. 53:25 So if you're in the midst of a spiritually divided home, 53:29 you're godly example, 53:31 the life that you live 53:33 speaks stronger to your spouse, 53:36 that anything you could ever say. 53:38 Absolutely. 53:39 We see this clearly in 1 Peter 3. 53:42 Do you have that, Ryan? 53:43 1 Peter 3:1. Yes. 53:45 1 Peter 3:1 says, 53:47 "Wives, likewise, be submissive 53:49 to your own husbands, 53:50 that even if some do not obey the word, 53:53 they, without a word, 53:55 maybe won 53:56 by the conduct of their wives." 53:58 Now that's a powerful passage. 54:00 If you read it in New Living Translation, 54:02 it says, "In the same way, 54:04 you wives must accept 54:05 the authority of your husbands." 54:07 That's that submission. 54:08 "Then, even if some refuse to obey the good news, 54:11 your godly lives will speak to them 54:14 without any words. 54:16 They will be won over." 54:18 So if your wife and your husband 54:21 is not a believer, 54:23 without you ever preaching the gospel, 54:26 you can live the gospel, 54:28 you can have an opportunity to win him 54:32 to the Lord Jesus Christ 54:34 because of how you act. 54:36 Now I know this whole submission thing 54:39 we discussed sometimes Shelley as woman, 54:42 and we say we're not sure about that, 54:43 but it's biblical. 54:45 Absolutely. 54:47 The principle of submission is biblical. 54:49 And attitude to me is what it's all about 54:51 when we talk about the submission concept. 54:54 Here is a disobedient little boy 54:55 who was told to sit in the corner. 54:57 You're being bad, go sit in the corner 54:59 and he said, "I may be sitting on the outside 55:01 but I'm standing on the inside." 55:04 And he sat outwardly 55:05 but inside he was defiant. 55:07 Okay, that's not submission, 55:09 that is defiance. 55:11 Submission is about a heart attitude. 55:14 It's about that attitude of respect 55:16 unless we think we're leaving the menfolk out. 55:19 1 Peter 3:7, 55:20 "Husbands, likewise, 55:22 dwell with them with understanding, 55:26 giving honor to the wife, 55:28 as to the weaker vessel, 55:29 as being heirs together of the grace of life, 55:32 that your prayers may not be hindered." 55:34 Amen. 55:35 We referenced earlier, Ryan, 55:37 you reference is 1 Corinthians 7:16 55:42 talks about the unbelieving spouse 55:45 when you have a spiritually divided home 55:47 and it says, "How do you know, O wife, 55:49 whether you will save your husband? 55:51 Or how do you know O husband, 55:54 whether you will save your wife?" 55:55 Now, of course, 55:57 we don't physically save someone else, 55:58 but our godly example 56:01 has a tremendous impact 56:03 and influence on the husband or wife 56:06 who is an unbeliever 56:07 in that spiritually divided home. 56:09 Amen. 56:11 Pastor John. 56:12 Thank you, Jill, all of you did a wonderful job. 56:14 I'm just... 56:16 You gave me so many notes to write down here. 56:18 And I've just enjoyed this lesson study, 56:21 we went through companionship, 56:23 the unmarried life, 56:24 when marriage ends, death, and loneliness, 56:25 and what a wonderful 56:27 approach to spiritual singleness. 56:29 Let me give a few minutes to, 56:31 not a few minutes, but a few thoughts 56:32 that you have before we close, 56:33 we have just about a minute, 56:35 make it short and to the point. 56:36 You know, I'm just praise the Lord that, 56:38 you know, God is with us. 56:39 We're not alone. 56:40 Married, unmarried, 56:42 whatever situation we are in life, 56:43 I can trust in the promises of God's Word 56:45 that He is always with me. 56:46 Amen. 56:48 God hates divorce, 56:49 but He loves even those who are divorced. 56:51 It is not the unpardonable sin, 56:53 and don't ever believe that. 56:56 Okay, Pastor Kenny. 56:57 Now, if you're going through any kind of suffering, 56:59 heartache, pain, 57:00 know that God is there. 57:02 He's gonna be right with you to the end. 57:03 Just don't give up whatever you do. 57:06 And don't forget to tell your church family. 57:08 Don't forget to pray about, 57:09 they'll be praying along with you. 57:11 Amen. 57:12 If you're in a church family where there's people 57:13 who are spiritually alone, spiritually divided home, 57:15 reach out and minister to them. 57:17 Amen. 57:18 And as we've said, 57:20 the Lord promises never to leave us, 57:23 never to forsake us. 57:24 You are not alone. 57:25 Put your life in the hand of the Lord 57:27 and you'll see the blessings flow. 57:29 Join us next time as we begin the next lesson 57:32 on "Wise Words for Families." 57:35 Until we see you again, 57:36 may the Lord continue to bless you. |
Revised 2024-08-26