Sermon Tone Analysis

Spiritual Disciplines – 12

/Silence & Solitude/

/Text: Psalm 46:10/

 

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (01~/15~/04)

 

Introduction:   

 

ILLUS: “*/The Bet/*” short story by Anton Chekhov – Recommended READ (Note – You can find this work on the internet as it is in the public domain).

Perhaps every Christian at some time dreams of living in the room occupied by the young lawyer.

Moses, Paul and many other biblical personalities were transformed during years of virtual isolation.

In the midst of our pressure cooker-lives, those “escape” experiences seem to appeal to us and compel us to get away from it all.

However, balance thinking cause us to realize that it would not be right or desirable to be cloistered away from our God-given responsibilities to other people.

Family ~/ Fellowship of Believers ~/ Evangelism to name a few important areas.

Yet there is a part of our spirit that cries out for silence & solitude.

*Psalm 42:7 * Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Because of this craving (/which represents a legitimate need/), there are times when we must temporarily withdraw into the disciplines of silence & solitude.

! Explanation of Silence & Solitude

 

SILENCE  is the voluntary & temporary abstention from speaking so that certain spiritual goals might be sought.

We may need to read, write, pray etc. – There is a need for both outward and inward silence at times.

SOLITUDE  is the voluntary and temporary withdrawal to privacy for spiritual purposes.

May be a few minutes up to a few days.

We may use this time for uninterrupted practice of other spiritual disciplines, or just to be alone with God.

 

 

1.

They are complimentary & balancing disciplines to fellowship.

NO silence & solitude leaves us shallow.

NO fellowship leaves us stagnant.

2.

Silence & Solitude are usually found together.

3.

Our culture has conditioned us to be comfortable with crowds & noise.

! I. Valuable Reasons For Silence & Solitude

 

/There are many Biblical reasons for making priorities of the disciplines of silence & solitude../

!! 1.

To Follow Jesus’ Example

 

*Luke 4:1  *And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was */led by the Spirit into the wilderness/*,

 

*Matthew 14:23 * And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray*/: and when the evening was come, he was there alone/*.

*Mark 1:35 * And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, */and departed into a solitary place/*, and there prayed.

*Luke 4:42 * And when it was day, */he departed and went into a desert place/*: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

Put yourself in Jesus sandals for a moment.

People are clamoring for your help and have many real needs.

You are able to meet all those needs.

Can you ever feel justified in pulling away to be alone?

Jesus did!!

And so must we (How much more really?),

if we are to be like Christ.

Time and again the “/desert/” and the “/closet/” are emphasized as vital experiences in the life of the child of God.

 

!! 2. To Hear the Voice of God Better

 

When we get away for a time from human voices we are able to hear the Voice from Heaven better.

Elijah on Mount Horeb heard the gentle whisper of God’s voice.

(SEE *I Kings 19:11-13*)

 

*Habakkuk 2:1 * I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

*Galatians 1:17 * Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

We can still hear God speak in the midst of busy lives, yet there are times when through solitude and silence it becomes necessary for us to more clearly hear His promptings, in an undistracted setting.

Many of us, simply put, have an addiction to noise.

Get out to the Pea Patch, the creekside, or the confines of the closet, and get alone with God!!

 

!! 3. To Express Worship to God

 

Worship does not always require words.

*Habakkuk 2:20* But the LORD /is/ in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

*Zephaniah 1:7 * Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD /is/ at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.

*Psalms 46:10*  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

ILLUS: Recorded in the journals of George Whitefield is an incident of silent worship that he once had in the solitude of his home.

He wrote that in the experience...  “/God was pleased to pour into my soul a great spirit of supplication, and a sense of His free, distinguishing mercies so filled me with love, hunility, and joy and holy confusion that I could at last only pour out my heart before Him in an awful silence.

I was so full that I could not well speak.”/

*Romans 8:26*  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

!! 4. To Express Faith in God

 

The following passages connect silence before God with faith in Him.

 

*Psalm 62:1-2 * Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him /cometh/ my salvation.

*2*He only /is/ my rock and my salvation; /he is/ my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

*Psalm 62:5-6 *  My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation /is/ from him.*6*He

only /is/ my rock and my salvation: /he is/ my defence; I shall not be moved.

*Isaiah 30:15 * For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

!! 5. To Seek the Salvation of the Lord

 

*Lamentations 3:25-26*  The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

We need to encourage seekers more to get alone with God, and in Spurgeon’s words, “/to study one’s self in the light of God’s Word/”.

!! 6.

To be Physically & Spiritually Restored

 

Everyone has a regular need for restoring the resources of both the inward and outward person.

*Mark 6:31 * And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

 

*2 Corinthians 4:16 * For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward /man/ is renewed day by day.

/Even trees needs their winter!/

!! 7. To Regain a Spiritual Perspective

 

Many voices are raised to day which cast doubt upon the word of God, ridicule our Christian faith, and lift up ideals, philosophies and priorities that are contrary to a walk of faith.

Getting alone with God helps in a tremendous way to refocus our vision and center our life on God and His desire for our life.

*Psalms 46:10*  Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

!! 8. To Seek the Will of God

 

Men like David Brainerd, & Hudson Taylor found discernment concerning God’s will for their lives in moments of silence and isolation.

There is no richer Illustration than Christ’s night of solitude in Gethsemane: An experience filled with agony.

LOOK UP & READ *Luke 22:39-46*

 

NOTE – It may be that our solitude is accompanied by wonderful peace, but it may also be like Christ’s a time of excruciating agony.

!! 9. To Learn Control of the Tongue

 

Learning to keep silent  for extended periods of time can help us control the tongue all the time.

Learning to control our tongue is critical to Christlikeness.

*James 1:26 * If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion /is/ vain.

*Proverbs 17:27-28*  He that hath knowledge spareth his words: /and/ a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

*28*Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: /and/ he that shutteth his lips /is esteemed/ a man of understanding.

*Ecclesiastes 3:7 * A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

 

*James 1:19 * Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

 

When we are in solitude and in silence we learn to rely on God more in situations where we otherwise might be compelled to speak, or speak too much.

*Proverbs 10:19*  In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

The Lord can help us through silence to sharpen our skills of observation and listening, and therby grant us increased wisdom.

! II.

Suggestions For Silence & Solitude

 

Let’s not just dream about these disciplines  or admire them from a distance.

Let’s practice them.

Here are some suggestions that can help us in the practical application of these twin disciplines.