Christ in the Community #1:   Isolation

Matthew 6:13, Mark 6:31; Luke 23:39-41

Do you like being around people? Do you get energy from spending time with friends, family, neighbours or do you get recharged just being by yourself? I think for me it depends on the situation. Sometimes I love spending time with family and friends, and other times I enjoy just being by myself or with Fi. I especially love ‘me time’ when I find my bed. 😊

We are starting a 3-part series on ‘Christ in the Community’ and looking at 3 aspects of what Jesus did, how he influenced those around him and the reasons why He did what He did. Part 1 Isolation, 2. Opportunity, 3. Centrality with respect to how Christ engaged in His community and how this practically translates to us at CBC.

Isolation – I think since Covid, we have moved more towards an isolationist model. We work from home; we watch movies more from home now with streaming services rather than going to the cinema. That has been happening for the last 10 years at least. We ‘Door Dash’ or ‘Uber’ our food to us. We shop online and get our groceries delivered straight to our door. We order clothes, phones, household goods, devices - all online – Amazon, ebay. The only exception is Facebook Marketplace where we may go and pick something up or have someone come to our place to pick something up.

One of our daughters-in-law is very savvy with Facebook Marketplace. She makes money and saves a fortune on clothing and household items this way. Maybe you do too.

Our information is all online – YouTube, Tic Tok, Instagram, FB, X (twitter), news – all online. I will sometimes get to a news streaming service on the TV after I have been out all day, but when I tune in after working at home, I find I already know the news headlines and the stories – even streamed news services is old news now. We are all engaged with our devices for information, and this is often done in isolation.

Is this isolation healthy? I think it is 2-sided. It can give us a break from people, but often the information we receive is draining. We get information overload. What we receive in a week on our devices would have taken years to acquire even 50 years ago. In fact, it is estimated that 90% of the world's data was generated in the last two years alone.

For example: In the space of 13 years, data has increased by an estimated 74x from just 2 zettabytes in 2010. The 120 zettabytes generated in 2023 are expected to increase by over 150% in 2025, hitting 181 zettabytes. Our brains, our minds are constantly overstimulated. A study says this is the effect. This is not really isolation, it is restricted community/information by choice – hence your FB, Tic Tok Instagram algorithms. Your feed tunes into what you like, what you want to see. Is that healthy? Well, it’s what you have chosen, so it really comes back to you.

Jesus speaks of a different Isolation that is not only healthy but, for the believer in Christ, is necessary and yet I would say is rarely chosen today because of our present device addition. Mark 6:31, 32 says, “And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.” Safe healthy spiritual people; a small group or church.

But something even more rare than this is being totally alone. I.E by yourself, no device, just you and the Lord. Jesus in Luke 23:39-41 said, “And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives…And he withdrew from them,.. knelt down and prayed.”

This is rare today, I believe. My question to you is do you get alone by yourself and the Lord, nothing and no-one else present? Remember the words of Jesus, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)) Note that it says when you pray, not if. So, this is a specific time and action in prayer.

Some don’t do this, and justify it by saying, ‘Oh well, I obey Paul’s command of praying without ceasing.” This is not what Jesus is talking about and it is not what He is commanding here. He is talking about a specific time of prayer with the Lord, I would say daily.

[10 minutes of prayer time: alone on our property then come back and I will finish the message. This is not time to waste, check your phone. Please be disciplined about this. All phones off, 10 minutes – I will call you back, no one will not hear.

People come back – was that easy/difficult? What were the challenges?]

The requirement to get away: isolate/pray and seek God was so important for the gospel that the Apostles made it a priority for themselves over serving. (Acts 6) They studied the word of God and prayed rather than serve tables. This is a huge rebuke for me and probably the elders here, I don’t know. But this is what we should emulate.

What should we do when we isolate? Study/meditate on the word of God and pray, maybe keep a prayer journal.

Discipline/Challenge – Start doing it tomorrow. Find space to isolate to pray and read. Turn off all other distractions. Focus on prayer. Why? Because when it comes to Christ in the community, you are the primary example and witness of Christ. Jesus did this. If we are not practising Biblical isolation (praying alone shutting the door, alone with God and His Word) then we are not being effective Christians in a world that desperately needs us to isolate.

So, what sort of person are you? Do you like being alone or in a crowd? Maybe, like me, you might say it depends. Can I just say, it doesn’t matter what you prefer, whether being by yourself or in a crowd. What matters is whether you are being obedient to Christ. Jesus said to get alone with Him; pray and read. For how long? Why not start with half an hour a day. We did it for 10 minutes this morning, but half an hour a day should be doable. For those who are more disciplined, or in spiritual leadership, an hour a day I think should be your practice. I think this models Jesus and the New Testament Apostles who made it a focus.

Next week we will consider part 2 – Opportunities that Christ presents as a result of our Isolation with Jesus.