Brokenness

I want to talk about a theme from Scripture that God has been putting in front of me lately, and I cannot stop thinking about:

Brokenness.

Are you a broken man?

Maybe you haven’t thought much about brokenness…maybe it’s not even on your radar…and that’s ok.

The word brokenness might be understood better as an absence of pride.

We cannot be broken and proud in the same way and at the same time - these are opposite ideas.

There are other understandings of the word brokenness, like sin, which came into the garden in Genesis chapter 3 and literally broke it, and us, and God is in the process of fixing that brokenness through Christ.

There is another understanding of brokenness that God doesn’t want to fix - He desires us to have it!

God wants to see men broken before Him…I will ask again, Are you a broken man? Are you broken before God?

To be broken is not to despair, but to hope…not to give up, but to finally persevere.

Brokenness forsakes all claims of prestige, yet it stands resolute and regal in the majesty of its God.

A broken man takes refuge in His God instead of in himself.

A broken man abandons all appearance of human wisdom and throws himself into the Father’s arms.

Brokenness is a choice.

Brokenness is a lifestyle.

Brokenness is a heart condition.

Brokenness is surrender so that Jesus’ life might be experienced through your life.

Brokenness finds it most advantageous to fall on the sword rather than wield one.

Brokenness is quick to race to the foot of the cross rather than crucify his enemy on one.

Brokenness loves the offender even when it hurts to do so.

Brokenness refuses the strength of self in order to be filled with the power of the Spirit.

We will see from Scripture just what that means, but it will be between you and God as to what that looks like!

God has brought me to Psalm 51.

This psalm is the confession that David wrote after he was confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sins of adultery and murder.

We need to be confronted by our sin, men.

We all need a “Nathan” in our lives - Who is your Nathan?

I used to think of Psalm 51 as an “in case of emergency” kind of chapter.

Like, I will go here when I REALLY mess things up!…this is for a SERIOUS sin…I mean, I’m not a murderer!

But that’s not what I’ve been learning. Psalm 51 is actually and everyday Psalm. I have been in it nearly everyday over the last week, and I have come to believe that this is something we as men need to hear on a very regular basis.

We might not be murderers, but have we hated/despised someone? Jesus said that hatred was heart-murder.

We might not be adulterers, but have we ever lusted? (be honest) Jesus said that lust was heart-adultery.

I am going to read Psalm 51 in its entirety.

As I do, let its message penetrate your heart.

Let the sword of Spirit plunge into your mind, and ask God to reveal what only God can reveal.

[read psalm]

Psalm 51:17 is our theme verse for today.

God doesn’t want our sacrifices, our religious activities, our church attendance, until He has our hearts.

And He requires your heart to be BROKEN before He can use you.

So, are you broken?

I want to share some of my story with you, and explain how God refused to deal with me until I was broken before Him.

I was born into a Christian home - a pastor’s home, no less.

My dad was an assistant/associate pastor right out of Bible college (BBC in MS.)

He had to leave the church they were at for various reasons and was looking for where God would have them go next, and they were given a chance to candidate at a church in southern Ontario, Canada.

He was called to that church in Ontario, and after serving there for some time, there was a big push then to do church plants, and several men were going out into areas where no churches existed and planting new churches. My dad felt that was what he wanted to do, so off they went.

Here is the photo of our family that he would use as he travelled the area to evangelize and invite people to their church.

This is their congregation outside our converted two-car garage that was the church auditorium

Dad also held a tent-revival in the field outside our home.

The thing about church plants is there is no money, so dad had to find secular work and ended up in sales. There he met a woman who he ended up in an adulterous relationship with and walked away from the ministry and from our family. Mom found out later that he was using pornography and had been seeing this woman while he was telling my mom that he was off at a church planting conference.

<tell name plaque story>

Dad had everything he wanted, ministry wise - he was an experienced pastor, now involved in church planting, had a loving wife and two sons…he had it all…even his name on the door!…but he wasn’t broken.

Dad thought he could have both worlds…his pride was his downfall. And he never returned to the Lord, the ministry, or our family.

Fast forward about 7-8 years…I was in junior high and I began to follow in dad’s footsteps…although I would never have admitted that…I began to become enamored with the world.

I distinctly remembered thinking, “I want to try everything the world has to offer!”…and I pretty much did just that.

It wasn’t until I was jobless, penniless, friendless, having burned every bridge with family, and within days of being homeless that I was finally broken before God.

He sent a family member (who happened to live here in Wisconsin) to rescue me and I finally came to the end of myself.

I still had so much to learn and so far to go, but that was the start of my second chance, and I am eternally grateful.

Let’s look at some other Scriptures that bring more understanding to this principle of brokenness:

Psalm 34:18 NKJV

18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Are you tired of feeling like your relationship with God is a long distance one?…be broken and you will experience Him close-up.

Psalm 147:3 NKJV

3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

Are you hurting, bleeding, damaged, wounded?…be broken before God and allow Him to heal you.

Isaiah 57:15 NKJV

15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Are you exhausted from the battles of this life?…is there deadness in your life, your heart?…be broken before God and watch Him revive you!

Matthew 21:44 NKJV

44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

Do you know where you will spend eternity? Have you put your faith in Jesus? Fall on the Rock called Christ and be broken!

I would like to conclude by reading through the lists on your bookmarks…my gift to you.

As we go through these, I am going to ask you to ask the Lord to expose where you need to change - what does brokenness look like for you? I very well could be one or more of these principles of brokenness:

<read through bookmark lists>

INVITATION:

As we close this morning, I want to call us to take the last few minutes and have a time of reflection, between you and God.

Ask yourself this question: “Am I a broken man?”

Jack will be softly playing some music, and God is inviting us into brokenness.

What part or parts of your life need to be broken today? let’s ask God to break us and then to use us for His purposes, for His glory.

Let’s bow and let’s be broken.