How to get through Brokenness
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Opening Question: What scares to you have on your body? Can you remember how you got them?
One of the challenges we have as Christians today is really working through our Theology..…we live in an age of relativism where absolute truth is not recognized…and what was once considered normative is a now a matter of preference…
Our theology is the framework by which we understand the world and interpret life.. It is our understanding of who God is in the scripture… and how God interacts with us and the rest of creation both in the past, present…and future.
Our Theology informs us what we believe about God....it is not only done alone with the scripture it is done in the moment... in real time… with all the various contexts and complexities life. For example… …we live in a global village where we are not just impacted by what happens down the street, but events around the world.. when the tsunamis happen in Indonesia in 2004 or a bomb goes off in London… it impacts us.
Several weeks ago we were hit by two major hurricanes Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida … another hurricane Maria devastated Porto Rico and at the same time Mexico City experience an 8.0 earthquake …
On Monday we woke up to the devastating news of the shooting in Los Vegas... where 59 people lost their lives and 500 were injured… we look at these tragedies and try and make sense of all these events…
pain and suffering have a way of getting our attention… where is God in pain and suffering?
C.S. Lewis..
We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
How do we understand Pain and brokenness?
We sometimes think that because we are Christians that bad things don’t happen to us...we are immune to suffering… what we see both in the scriptures and in life …. That Brokenness touches both the righteous and unrighteous…
Jesus said that , “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unjust..”
God’s demonstrates justice towards all of his creation.. regardless of where you live…. The problem is that we also live in a fallen Environment…it’s not a new problem.. Sin did a number on us and we can track the impact of sin throughout the history of mankind…
Monday was another reminder that we live in as fallen world..and to be honest... Sometimes we get a little too comfortable and forget that this world is not heaven…maybe the Megaphone that C.S Lewis is talking about is the reminder that we are all aliens and pilgrims on the earth… we live in a broken world…and the earth itself is groaning anticipating it’s redemption. But yet God has called us to be over-comers in the world..
In
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Jesus taught his disciples that in this world there will be trials and tribulations… but he also told them that in Himself they would find peace… they were take heart because he has overcome the world… The disciples were anxious because of an unknown future…they faced persecution and probable martyrdom… this was not just superficial sentimental words… Jesus was saying that Shalom— wholeness.. because of Jesus has already conquered evil…
We are in our series of sermons entitled How to get through what you are going through… this morning we are going to talk about getting through our personal brokenness… Brokenness is something affect all of us…
There is the story of…
A man went to his doctor in an acute state of anxiety. “Doctor, you have to help me; I’m dying,” he said. “Everything I touch hurts. I touch my head and it hurts. I touch my leg and it hurts. I touch my stomach and it hurts. I touch my chest and it hurts. You have to help me, Doc; everything hurts.”
The doctor gave him a complete examination. “I have good news and bad news for you,” he said. “The good news is you are not dying. The bad news is you have a broken finger.”
The old adage says,“hurt people hurt people.’ Do you think this is a true statement? Have you experienced this in your own life?
Do you know that our brokenness has a ripple affect? Our hurt can not only affect ourselves but also those around us. There is an old adage that says, Hurt people hurt people”
Hurt people often transfer their inner anger to those who are closest to them onto their family and close friends… the problem is that our wounds our pain distorts the truth..
When we Hurt we interpret every word spoken to us through the prism our pain. Ordinary words are misinterpreted to mean something negative towards us. We become extremely sensitive and act out of pain instead of reality.
Hurt people interpret every action through the prism of their pain. Their emotional pain causes them to suspect wrong motives or evil intent behind other peoples actions towards them..
Richard Rohr once said “If we don’t learn to transform our pain we will simply transmit it” we will transfer it into our marriages… into our children or relationship… even ideas…
T/S There are three things we can do to get through our Hurt and brokenness.
1. Identify the source of Brokenness in Our lives.
1. Identify the source of Brokenness in Our lives.
Most of us have a scar somewhere on our bodies…. They say that every scar tells a story…
I still have a couple of scars from growing up …one of them landed me in the emergency room … When I was around 10 years old I thought I was Evil Knievel and attempted a jump from a loading dock on to the back of my dad’s truck… unfortunately I m misjudged the distance….i almost made it….but ended Up with 10 stitches instead.. I still have a friend who told me he will never forget that day..
Sometimes scars will heal and other times they stay as constant reminder…of what happened to us… Scars have a way of bringing up details and even feeling of what happened…… not only do we have physical scars but we also carry.... emotional scars…. The difference is that we often don’t acknowledge emotional scars…something happened or was said to us …several years ago.. and we are still dealing with that hurt… like that broken finger it affects everything you touch...
We identify brokenness in our lives by asking…How Have we been Hurt?
These are not things we have imagined --- but actual words and actions of others that have brought pain into our lives… Wounds can be either Physical or mental in nature and usually result from the deliberate actions or words of others.
We are going to look at a couple of situations in the life of David.. David is one of those examples in scripture of someone who wrestled with his emotional pain..
• After David kills Goliath David he became an instant hero in Israel… In fact he never returned home to his father Jesse but rather King Saul kept him in his palace.
· Saul recognized that David was an Extraordinary leader ….David was fearless… not only did he kill Goliath he chopped off his head —walked into city holding the head of Goliath…. The giant that caused the bravest men in Israel to fear..
· Saul put David over his men of war and wherever David went battles were won…
In 1 Samuel 18 there is this occasion when David and Saul return from a victory and woman of Israel gathered and sang songs of praise and celebration- they sang…
6 As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.
7 And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?”
9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.
“Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
Something happened in the heart of Saul that day….. All this attention on David began to make Saul jealous and he feared that David would take over his kingdom --- and from this point onward — Saul will view David with suspicion and outright hostility..
When Saul heard the woman singing about Israels victory. He interpreted the song as being compared to David and being a “put down.” How might our own hurt and insecurities cause us to misread situations in life?
What a telling statement of the condition of the heart of Saul., From that day Saul kept a jealous eye on David —
Envy is a destructive emotion “it looks at someone else's success.. possessions and gifting… and then starts to make comparisons …. After a while you can actually start to despise that person…
Why? Because we thing that we might deserve what that other person has.
Tim Keller tells us that
“Envy Destroys wisdom, Envy destroys love. Envy destroys the ability to love. Envy makes you unbelievably self-absorbed… You can actually feel envy coming your way”
Envy destroys your perspective and your ability to think straight and you lose the ability to see things the way they are.. Envy affects your wisdom… James tells us
“Do not envy, but look for the wisdom that comes down from above.”
It is interesting at the same time that Saul heart is hardening towards David… Jonathan and David are being knit together in a covenant friendship…
If there is anyone who could or has the right to become jealous of David… it is Jonathan …Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne… Jonathan had everything too loose--- Jonathan could have allowed his ego to be bruised… “Why is David getting all the attention?”
But instead David and Jonathan were bonding in an incredible friendship… They were in a covenant relationship… … Jonathan loved David as his own Soul… He took off his robe and armor and his bow and his belt and he gives it over to David…
If you were observing what was going on in Israel at this this time … It was amazing… It was time of favor and prosperity… An amazing team had formed and they working cohesively together....
5 And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
• When the woman of Israel came out — they came from all the cities of Israel… there was wide spreads political support… what they were singing were songs of victory… in essence what they sang “Our two heroes have killed, many many of our enemies..”
• Saul interprets these songs in the worst possible sense… he saw the encouragement and Praise of the woman of Israel as a put down..... He felt that he was being compared to David… We have to guard our emotions --- His feelings were hurt... He was feeling slighted…
• If you read the text closely your will know that this wasn’t the intention of these woman… these women were not swooning on David.. they came from all the cities they were showing support to King Saul.... they were singing songs of Praise in the tradition of Miriam and women of Israel… sang songs about there deliverance from Egypt....
• All this good is happening in the Nation with acceptation in the Heart of the King…
• Saul was more threatened by David that the ancient enemy of Israel the philistines
• The sad thing is that Saul lives his whole life in pain and jealousy towards David… He is literally tormented by his own emotions… and Saul begins to act on His pain…
10 The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand.
11 And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.
12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
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In the western world we have become skeptical of the spirit world.. something that is normative in Africa…
We are told that a harmful spirt from the God comes upon Saul --- Saul is not walking with God and there are other spiritual forces involved. Saul began to be influenced by an evil/troubling spirit --- Like the false prophets he begins to utter crazy things… being influenced by demonic world.... these demonic spirits try to influence and affect the curse of human events…
Saul suffered from anger, resentment and depression...… and the only thing that seemed to calm him down was when David played the lyre for him–
On this day Saul jealous overtook him... possibly influence by demonic activity…. Saul picks up his spear and hurls it at David with the intention to kill him ....fortunately he misses… Saul then retrieves the spear and takes a second shot at David… think about David’s response…
Saul threw his spear at David twice and both times he misses… What does this tell us about the condition of Saul’s heart? David dodged both spears (staying in the room) What does this tell us about his loyalty to Saul? Do you think that Saul had good reason to fear David?
David’s willingness to remain in the room long enough for Saul to retrieve the spear after the failed first attempt and then take a second shot at him shows the incredible depth of David’s loyalty to the king and his commitment to helping Saul. He would even take a spear to see the King made whole…
• The story of Saul took on a terrible twist and ended up being one of the great tragedies in the Bible that led to his own downfall..
There are more than 12 Occasions that attempts King Saul attempt to take Davids life…
• Saul assigns David a dangerous military position with the hopes that the enemy would kill him.. instead of loosing his life… David kept on winning battles…
• Saul gives his daughter Merab to David in marriage and then turns around and gives her to someone else.
David falls in love with another daughter Michal…Saul gives a bridal price 100 philistines.. hoping that he would die in his efforts… eventually Saul stops hopes pretending and goes after David himself…David escapes with the help of Merab…
Saul becomes the Javelin thrower…and David becomes a spear dodger... these things impacted David’s emotional life..
T/S There are three things we can do to get through our Hurt and brokenness.
1. Identify Broken PLACES in Our lives.
2. Process the impact of Personal hurt.
2. Process the impact of Personal hurt.
In 2005 Jeff Goldblatt started what he hoped would become a movement—he called it “Get Over It Day."
It was actually featured on Good Morning America…“Get Over It Day" designed to help people get over their hurts….failed relationships…. Jeff created the day after he was having trouble getting over his ex-girlfriend…
If you visit their website you will get tips like … if you don’t know what you need to get over..ask your spouse or friends what you complain about a lot....
“Get Over It Day" sounds great on paper, but most of us need power and healing from God and others to truly heal and move on from our past wounds, failures, and regrets
One of the things I love about the life of David is that we have psalms as a resource where we can literally see how David processed his struggles..
In palms 69 David is praying for God to help him and draw close to him during a difficult season in his life… his enemies have taunted him… He is asking for God to Save him and deliver him from his enemies.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies!
19 You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you.
20 Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.
David Goes to Prayer… he prays that God would Draw Near.. David knows that God is close to the broken hearted… He wrote about it in
Psalms
Read
What is David feeling in this verse? Can you relate to any of his emotions?
Why might it be important to process our hurt rather than ignore it? How does prayer help in processing hurt?
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
David is seeking to-be set free from his oppressors – and from his emotional pain and hurt… David acknowledges that his enemies words and taunting have kept him captive...He has none around him to console him… God knows the broken places in our lives…this is how David prays
vrs 19 You know my reproach and my shame… and my dishonor.. David has been deeply offended and hurt by the insults that have been hurled at him...The word for reproach is also Scorn… it is OPEN disrespect from a person or thing.... the result is that his heard is lowered and his heart is heavy..
--- the New Jerusalem Bible says “Insult has broken my heart past cure.” --- His whole person is affect his thinking, his emotions… volition or his will…
What you have to appreciate about the psalms is that — this exactly How we feel when we get Hurt we want justice… we want the people who have hurt us to feel something.. This verse is followed by a series of denunciations where David wants God to punish His enemies…
the bible has lots to say about the broken heart.
Isaiah the prophet wrote about the year of Jubilee when the captives were set free… when those who had debt would experience freedom… during this time that he would heal those who have a broken heart,
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
what a picture the wounds of the broken hearted have been bound up… and those who are in captivity have been set free…
Jesus quote this same verse when he goes into the synagogue and he reads the scroll and he says this has been full-filled in you hearing…
3. Practice releasing others through forgiveness.
3. Practice releasing others through forgiveness.
I love playing chess - You and your opponent start up with exactly the same pieces… and depending on how you play --- you start to get a advantage.... and there comes a point in the game where the power shifts.. either a number of stronger pieces are taken like your Rook, Bishop or your knight…but once the queen is taken… power shifts… dramatically… and the other person normally stops playing defensively and goes on the attack… because he now has the power. How we handle power tells us a lot of what is going on in our hearts....
Power is an interesting thing… Plato said that
“The measure of a man is what he does with power.” ― Plato
Saul abusing his Authority..
After Saul had responded militarily to the latest outbreak of Philistine aggression, he returned to Gibeah to focus on David. When his intelligence network informed him of David’s whereabouts, he immediately assembled an elite fighting force “from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men”
You have Saul with all the power and David with none..
This whole time David has been the one that has been on the run --- he has been dodging spears… and now Saul is going to find himself in a very compromising and vulnerable situation... and the power shifts.
1 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks.
3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.
4 And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
When Saul enters the gave in Engedi… David’s men happen to be at the back of the cave. The power shifts from Saul having power to David having power… David didn’t use his power but rather trusted in God to bring Justice. Do you think the way we handle power tells us about the condition of our heart? How difficult is it too leave justice up to God?
We talked earlier about working out your theology well this is one of those classic examples of how easy it is to make scripture say what you what it to say.
This is one of the those times when you could easily think that opportunity that has come your way is in the providence of God… We learn a lesson from this cave in Engedi that Just because an opportunity opens up --- doesn’t indicate… providence… or the will of God.
You see David’s men began to interpret events… they began to try and convince David that Yahweh had given Saul into his hand… What are the odds that out of all the caves they would choose their particular cave… incredible odds… you would have to be blind to see otherwise…
The temptation for retaliation was Huge… Again, now David began to listen to those voices… he snuck up to King Saul…and maybe he had every intention of thrusting his speak into Saul… but instead he cuts off a piece of his garment....
David just wanted proof --- that he had an opportunity to kill Saul and he didn’t take it… But even this action of desiring revenge.... and wanting to be right… wanting justice… struck at the heart of David…
Saul was still God’s chosen and anointed leader for Israel, and the king’s robe was a symbol of his divinely appointed office. David’s act could be taken as rebellion against God Himself. Furthermore, the law of Moses required all robes to have tassels at their corners to remind people of God’s laws (Nm 15:37–40). For David to remove this reminder from Saul’s clothing was to hinder the king’s relationship with the Lord
Afterward David’s heart struck him… because he had disrespected the Saul...David’s respect for human authority was based on his respect for divine authority.
Even though he had an opportunity to Kill Saul… He trusted in Divine justice… after confronting Saul David says may the Lord Judge between you and I....
When David shows Saul mercy… Even Saul himself recognizes that David will indeed be king and asks David to not harm his descendants… David had the power to Harm… but instead he used his power to bring Healing...
When it is in you Power to do good… we should show mercy and do justice.. When it’s in your power do good… you and I should do good..You do not confront evil with evil — you overcome evil with doing good...
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
CONCLUSION
Here is the thing You and I have the Power to forgive others because we have been forgiven. Our ability to forgive others begins with this realization that we are forgiven..
Read Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
How might the fact that we have been forgiven be a reason to forgive others?
Mark Dever, who pastors a church among the rich and powerful people of Washington D.C., shares about how he and his wife walk their dogs around Congressional Cemetery on Capitol Hill. They often pass by the names of many people who were quite important during their lives, but now those names are largely meaningless to those of us who go by every day, exercising their pets.
Reflecting on these once-powerful people Dever writes, "But you know what matters most now and forever is this: Were they forgiven? Whether they were in Congress for one term or five, were they forgiven?
Jesus Christ died in your place. He substituted for you. He paid it. He paid it all. He dealt with it
The prophet Isaiah has this vision of the Messiah and the work of Christ 1000’s of years before the birth of Christ… He tells us that he was despised and rejected by me… he was a man of sorrows… He was acquainted with grief… He was despised …and we esteemed him not...
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Jesus has already paid the ransom price… there is nothing else that Christ can do to bring us forgiveness… It’s already done… His woundsBy His Stripes we are healed...