May 18th, 2025
Mr. Lonely: A Biblical Survey on the topic of loneliness.
The Tale of Two Sorrows
2 Corinthians 7
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
May 18, 2025
Opening Verse:
“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”
Psalms 73:26 NLT
Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are starting a new series! God had impressed this in my heart sometime ago and I just have the opportunity now to share it with you. Today we are starting a sermon series on the topic of loneliness.
It's obvious that all of us experience some kind of loneliness in our lives. Even if the Bible does not talk about loneliness by name, it is evident that it expresses the feelings of sadness, despair, and sorrow even in the lives of God's people. Remember it is not a sin to feel lonely.
Loneliness is a state of mind caused by a strong feeling of isolation or separation. Being lonely is not the same as being alone and vice versa. You can be alone and not feel lonely or you can still be lonely even if you are not alone. In this series we will survey what Bible teaches about loneliness.
Main Pointers:
“When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those
who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are
to me, I was filled with joy! I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.”
2 Corinthians 7:5-9 NLT
1. Remember that there is a kind of sorrow that God wants us to have.
A. We can see here the trials that Paul had to go through just to share the gospel to everyone. He himself had experienced discouragement and was thankful that God had used Titus to comfort him.
B. Paul in his first letter had to addressed a very serious sin in the fellowship of the Corinthian church. Thankfully the church responded with the right attitude even when it was very difficult to for them to handle.
C. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT
2 Godly sorrow always produces the right fruit.
“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.”
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 NLT
A. The first fruit that godly sorrow produces is repentance. It is the ability to see our own sins that separate us from God.
B. “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins."
Psalms 25:16-18 NIV
C. It is interesting that in the New Testament the bible never used the word "lonely" to describe people but rather a "desolate" place. Whatever causes the loneliness in our lives we must understand that the solution is always the comforting and loving relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
3. Godly sorrow will soon result to joy.
“My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us. We have been greatly encouraged by this. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was about the way all of you welcomed him and set his mind at ease. I had told him how proud I was of you—and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true! Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect. I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.”
2 Corinthians 7:12-16 NLT
A. Paul wasn't sure at first how the Corinthian church would respond to him but now his sorrow has turned into Joy. The people choose to use their situation for God to produce repentance in them.
B. There are people who rather stay in their loneliness because they are too proud to admit their shortcomings. There are people who are only sorry because they were caught in their sins. These are all worldly sorrows. Remember that God is close to the ones whose broken for Him.
C. “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."
Psalms 34:17-18 NLT
Conclusion:
Sometimes we don't even know where the feeling of loneliness is coming from. Whatever is causing it be encouraged today that God is still inc ontrol. There may be things in your life that He wants you to surrender all to him. Or it's just a reminder that He will never leave you or forsake you. No matter what God wants you to know that You are not alone!
The Tale of Two Sorrows
2 Corinthians 7
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
May 18, 2025
Opening Verse:
“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”
Psalms 73:26 NLT
Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are starting a new series! God had impressed this in my heart sometime ago and I just have the opportunity now to share it with you. Today we are starting a sermon series on the topic of loneliness.
It's obvious that all of us experience some kind of loneliness in our lives. Even if the Bible does not talk about loneliness by name, it is evident that it expresses the feelings of sadness, despair, and sorrow even in the lives of God's people. Remember it is not a sin to feel lonely.
Loneliness is a state of mind caused by a strong feeling of isolation or separation. Being lonely is not the same as being alone and vice versa. You can be alone and not feel lonely or you can still be lonely even if you are not alone. In this series we will survey what Bible teaches about loneliness.
Main Pointers:
“When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those
who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are
to me, I was filled with joy! I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.”
2 Corinthians 7:5-9 NLT
1. Remember that there is a kind of sorrow that God wants us to have.
A. We can see here the trials that Paul had to go through just to share the gospel to everyone. He himself had experienced discouragement and was thankful that God had used Titus to comfort him.
B. Paul in his first letter had to addressed a very serious sin in the fellowship of the Corinthian church. Thankfully the church responded with the right attitude even when it was very difficult to for them to handle.
C. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT
2 Godly sorrow always produces the right fruit.
“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.”
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 NLT
A. The first fruit that godly sorrow produces is repentance. It is the ability to see our own sins that separate us from God.
B. “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins."
Psalms 25:16-18 NIV
C. It is interesting that in the New Testament the bible never used the word "lonely" to describe people but rather a "desolate" place. Whatever causes the loneliness in our lives we must understand that the solution is always the comforting and loving relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
3. Godly sorrow will soon result to joy.
“My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us. We have been greatly encouraged by this. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was about the way all of you welcomed him and set his mind at ease. I had told him how proud I was of you—and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true! Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect. I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.”
2 Corinthians 7:12-16 NLT
A. Paul wasn't sure at first how the Corinthian church would respond to him but now his sorrow has turned into Joy. The people choose to use their situation for God to produce repentance in them.
B. There are people who rather stay in their loneliness because they are too proud to admit their shortcomings. There are people who are only sorry because they were caught in their sins. These are all worldly sorrows. Remember that God is close to the ones whose broken for Him.
C. “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."
Psalms 34:17-18 NLT
Conclusion:
Sometimes we don't even know where the feeling of loneliness is coming from. Whatever is causing it be encouraged today that God is still inc ontrol. There may be things in your life that He wants you to surrender all to him. Or it's just a reminder that He will never leave you or forsake you. No matter what God wants you to know that You are not alone!
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